Terry Simmons State Farm Insurance has been selected as the 2009 Business Partner of the Year for Floyd County Schools. Simmons' agency has been a business partner with schools in the Lindale community for many years.  He was nominated for the honor by Pepperell Elementary School.  The Business Partner of the Year Award was presented to Terry Simmons at the April meeting of the Floyd County Board of Education.

The board also honored Floyd County Government as the Youth Apprenticeship Partner of the Year and Janet Baltzer, of Angel Express, as Volunteer of the Year, at the annual recognition.

Mr. Terry Simmons serves our students in many ways.  He has served on the School Council at Pepperell Elementary for the past seven years; he reads to students, donates funds for school projects and even provided Christmas gifts for one of the school’s less fortunate families last year.

According to Kathy Steinbruegge, principal of Pepperell Elementary, Mr. Simmons truly "gets it."  Steinbruegge said, “Terry Simmons understands what a partnership with a school is and embraces it with joy.  His main concern is first and foremost for our students and their well-being and happiness.”   She added, “He is always available to take a call from the school for help, come to meetings and to meet the needs of students' any way he can.”

Floyd County Government was honored for their work with Floyd County Schools Youth Apprenticeship Program.  The Floyd County Government has been working with the Apprenticeship Program for several years.  The first student placement was in the Magistrate Court.  Since that time, students have been placed, both as interns and apprentices, with the Floyd County Sheriff's Department, the Floyd County IT Department, the Floyd County Police Department, Floyd County Probate Court, 911 Department, Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, and Magistrate Court.

To date, 24 department heads, staff members, and mentors from the Floyd County Government have given countless hours in working with students.  In addition, several individuals from Floyd County Government serve on advisory committees for various programs at the College & Career Academy and serve as guest speakers at both the middle and high school levels.

Janet Baltzer was recognized for her volunteer efforts working with the Floyd County Education Center.  Mrs. Baltzer started Angel Express, Inc in 1993, a non-profit organization that collects and restores used toys and distributes them to needy children at Christmas time.  Mrs. Baltzer moved her organization into space at the Education Center in 2002 and since that time has actively involved students through service-learning activities.   Mrs. Baltzer works with students to make wooden toys that include desks, doll beds, high chairs and trucks.  She makes students responsible for assembling toys and painting them for the Christmas project.  The students are also responsible for organizing the donations into groups for the variety of organizations in the community that benefit from Angel Express.

Mrs. Baltzer helps students who need to experience success and accomplishment gain a new perspective of what they are capable of as a person.  She provides structure for their efforts but also involves the students in decision making.  Janet Baltzer makes service learning a fun and educational experience for students.  Mrs. Baltzer brings joy to countless families in the community at Christmas time but she also brings a sense of accomplishment and purpose to the students she touches.    

The Floyd County Business Education Partnership program involves over 120 businesses in the area with children in Floyd County Schools.

Group picture: Floyd County Government
Youth Apprenticeship of the Year Award