The process in opening the new Floyd County College and Career Academy charter school has entered the next phase of development – determining programs offered by the school.  The Charter School Committee has launched the Needs Assessment phase of the process.  The Needs Assessment will be a two stage effort to involve Floyd County businesses and industries in determining the employment needs of the community and the skills students must have when entering the workforce.  The information gathered from the community will help determine programs of study available at the charter school.  “This is a new way of approaching the education process,” stated Dr. Lynn Plunkett, deputy superintendent of Floyd County Schools.  “We are going directly to the community to find out what employers want from the labor force and designing programs to address the needs of the local job market.”  The online survey will be available beginning August 20, 2007 through the end of September.

The information needed to set programs offered by the Floyd County College and Career Academy will be gathered from the business community using two survey methods.  All employers in Floyd County will be invited to complete an online survey to assess their employment needs.  The larger employers in the area, with 50 or more employees, will also be given an opportunity to have on-site survey assistance from members of the Charter School Needs Assessment sub-committee.  The sub-committee wants to make sure that the assessment has the most accurate data possible from the larger employers in Floyd County.  “For this survey to provide the information needed to make the new charter school relevant for Floyd County, we must ensure that the data is obtained from our largest employers,” said Pete McDonald, vice president for Economic Development at Coosa Valley Technical College and the sub-committee chairman.  “The members of the committee will be available to assist any large employer wishing to have an on-site visit.”  Any employer wishing an on-site visit should contact Floyd County Schools at 706-234-1031.    

The Needs Assessment is available for area businesses and industries on the Floyd County Schools web site at www.floydboe.net.  The link to the Needs Assessment will be located prominently on the web sites home page.  All local businesses and industries are encouraged to complete the Needs Assessment Survey.  “It is extremely important that local employers participate in this assessment,” said Kelly Henson, superintendent of Floyd County Schools.  “For this charter school to be successful we must have programs that address the present and future employment needs of the community.”

The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce will be actively encouraging their members to take part in the survey.  “It is encouraging to see the type of community cooperation we have in this charter school project,” said Al Hodge, president and CEO of the Chamber. “The business leaders of our community have the opportunity to be a part of the process to create a school that will address the employment needs of the community now and into the future.”   The Floyd County College and Career Academy is a cooperative effort between Floyd County Schools, Coosa Valley Technical College and the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce.