MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) - Parents of students at Minnie Burghard and Agnes Barden Elementary Schools in Bibb County begged the school board Tuesday night to keep the two schools separate.

Consolidating the two schools is a move that would save the district hundreds of thousands of dollars as it continues to find ways to cut its huge deficit.

Under a plan presented to the board, Barden Elementary School would be closed down, and its students would be sent to Burghard.

Parents and students aren't happy about the proposal. One father tells us his daughter excels at Barden like he's never seen her excel before.

"I have two other kids from another marriage," says Diontae Hill.  "They left one school where they were doing terrible, then we put them in Barden and they went from Cs and Fs to As and Bs."

Another Barden parent tells us he wishes the board would look at other alternatives to saving money.

"I wish that things were different," says Lonnie Estes.  "I hope that they make the right decision.  I hope that the parents have faith in the board that they'll go ahead and do the right thing and keep Agnes-Barden in circulation."

In another money-saving proposal, the board discussed reconfiguring grade levels at King-Danforth and Jones Elementary Schools.  The administration recommended King-Danforth serve students from 3rd through 5th grades with Jones serving as the Pre-K through 2nd grade building.

Each item requires two public forums before it can be voted on.  The dates for those forums haven't been set.

Associate Superintendents to Principals

In budget talks, the school district has discussed cutting all associate superintendent positions to save money.

Tuesday, the board named four of those employees as principals throughout the district, effective July 1.

Bertha Caldwell will be the new principal of Skyview Elementary, and Donna Jackson will serve in that position at Springdale.

Terrence Martin will be Porter Elementary's new principal, and Tanzy Kilcrease will take over as principal at Southwest High School.

Jones Elementary School principal Keela Malone will become principal at Rice.

Board members Lester Miller and Thelma Dillard voted against the transfers.  Jason Downey abstained from voting and Lynn Farmer was not present.

Interim Superintendent Contract

The board finalized a contract Tuesday night for interim superintendent Dr. Steve Smith.  Smith will be paid a base salary of $198,000, with benefits that include health insurance and a car allowance.

He's expected to start work on June 1.  The contract runs through June 2014.

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WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) - It's a parent's worst nightmare: their infant or toddler falling into a pool, just at the moment when their backs are turned. But there's a group in Middle Georgia that's teaching small children as young as 8 months how to instinctively save themselves if no one's there to save them.

1-year-old Charlee Grace Olf has taken to the water like a fish. Sort of. She still cries a little; it's not her favorite pastime. Like any good mom, hers cheers her on on the sidelines, knowing one day she'll thank her.

"We have a pool, and she has 5 big brothers, so we just wanted to make sure if the door was left open or we turned our back for a minute if she did fall in the pool that she'd be able to float," says Jill Olf, Charlee Grace's mom.

Middle Georgia Little Swimmers is a group that meets in Warner Robins and teaches babies and toddlers how to hold their own in the water...a skill the company's owner says is too important to take lightly.

"What we're preparing the children for is that event where they fall into the pool and there perhaps is somebody with their back turned," says Little Swimmers' Owner Victoria Campbell.

That happened to 3-year-old Bryson; luckily, he knew what to do.

"He had been taking these swim lessons since he was an infant and before we could get to him, just that fast he flipped over on his back and floated and self-rescued," his mother Kelly Adams recounts.

Kids like Bryson are proof the program works. Charlee Grace is still in the beginning stages, but she's getting better by the day.

"The first lessons are quite different and when she started out initially she would be completely supported," says Campbell. "When you learn as an infant, it becomes very natural Kind of like walking, we don't remember how we learned how to walk, but we did! So you never remember anything but that you could swim."

The children have a fun way of learning about water safety...Bryson introduced him to me. His name is Josh the Baby Otter.

"He swims...He flips over!," says Bryson holding the stuffed otter.  The idea of Josh the Otter was hatched after a young boy named Joshua Collingsworth slipped out of his parents' sight and drowned. His family launched a water safety awareness campaign to get kids to learn about water safety.

There's a special book about Josh the Otter about how he learned to swim with his otter friends. (To learn more aboutt he initiative, click here.

"The main thing is--whether she likes it or not--it's safe," says Olf. And that's all that matters.

May just happens to be National Water Safety month. Middle Georgia Little Swimmers meets at the Quality Inn and Suites off Watson Boulevard. For times and lesson rates, visit middlegeorgialittleswimmers.com

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – For Dr. Argene Claxton there's only one way to describe the Lineberger brothers, loud.

"They made their presence known wherever they were," Claxton said.

The agriculture educator at Perry High School has been teaching the four surviving quintuplets their entire lives. After four years at the high school, he is now prepared for some quiet without the "quads". The brothers graduate from Perry High School on Saturday.

"Its bitter sweet," said Ben Lineberger.

Hunter, Ben, Luke and Tal Lineberger were born on March 6, 1995. From the moment they were out the womb, it's been a whirlwind.

"It's like a party everyday," Ben said.

Almost everyone in Perry knows the "boys". The Linebergers are class officers, athletes, volunteers and office workers at Perry High School. All of their classmates know them by name.

The brothers are four surviving quintuplets. Their other brother Zach died at birth. He's buried along with their mother who died in 2008.

"She had a heart attack when we were at school," Luke said.

Her death has been easier to endure with the support of their siblings and the school. Dr. Claxton his more like another father than a teacher to Linebergers.

"It didn't feel like we had to step up, we just did," Claxton said.

Now four years later, the four desks in his classroom will be empty. Hunter, Ben and Luke will be going to Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Tifton and Tal will be attending Valdosta State.

"They are rambunctious, full of energy," Claxton said tearing up, "I wish I had so much energy. As they've grown, you can tell their parents taught them well."

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