The Thomas County School System is planning a viewing opportunity for our students and staff to experience the partial solar eclipse phenomenon on Monday, April 8. To ensure the safety of our students and staff, we will be providing solar eclipse glasses equipped with the ISO filter recommended by NASA. This is a rare event that we are eager to use as a unique learning experience for our students.

Register now for new students from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade. Use link below to register.
PreK and Kindergarten 24-25 Registration

Make your plans to be at Mercedes-Benz in Atlanta on Tuesday, December 12 at 7:00 p.m. to watch our Yellow Jackets battle the Woodward Academy Eagles for the 6A State Championship! Click on the link below for the details. See you there!

State Championship Game Details

With the threat of severe weather from Hurricane Idalia, Thomas County Schools will be closed Wednesday, August 30. This decision was made after consulting with national, state and local emergency agencies. The safety of our students, teachers, and staff is very important to us. Please stay safe!

The TCCHS CTAE Department is in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2023-2024 school year for the Animal Science pathways. 

The TCCHS and Bishop Hall Physical Education Department is in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2023-2024 school year for the Health and Personal Fitness courses.

Samples of these texts will be on display in the main administration office at the Thomas County Schools Board of Education. Parents are invited to stop by during normal office hours (7:30-5:00) from July 10-13 to review these materials and leave any desired feedback

Please contact Robin Cartright, Curriculum Director, if you have any questions (rcartright@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9158).

The Thomas County Central High School Chick-fil-A Leader Academy held a dodgeball tournament at the end of the school year to raise money for a worthy cause. The dodgeball tournament has become the chapter’s annual IMPACT project, and this year they raised more than $3,000 for the Fountain of Life Rescue, a local homeless shelter.

This is the fourth year the students have chosen Fountain of Life Rescue in an effort to make a real impact on the community. Over the last four years, the Chick-fil-A Leader Academy students have raised more than $10,000 for the organization. In previous years, students also volunteered with them by helping paint the interior of the facility.

The Chick-fil-A Leader Academy curriculum not only teaches students the importance of putting service before self, but also how to become servant leaders.

Adviser Stann McLeod said, “My students never cease to amaze me with their ability to make a huge difference when they put their hearts into it. This is what motivates me to keep working with our next generation.”

The Winter Break is December 19 - 30, 2022. There is a teacher workday/student holiday on Monday, January 2. We look forward to seeing students back on Tuesday, January 3!

Thomas County Central High School Future Georgia Educators’ members competed in the Future Georgia Educators Region Competition Day Tuesday, Oct. 18. Club sponsors Amy Smith and Delisa Barrow took the group to Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus, where TCCHS student Shelby Wilbourn also served as a student ambassador and emceed the event. Two TCCHS teams won first and third places in the knowledge bowl; the top three teams in the region advanced to state competition for this category. The Future Georgia Educators State Competition will take place March 9, 2023 in Macon.

Thomas County first and second graders visit the Garrison-Pilcher Media Center regularly to check out books, enjoy read-alouds, and engage in interactive makerspace sessions.  A recent session revolved around the standards of nonfiction text features, force and motion, and life cycles.

Media Specialist Elexis Griffin began her lesson by comparing a non-fiction and a fiction book about pumpkins. Students were able to identify the general differences between the two types of text and then specifically discuss the text features that can be found in non-fiction books and how those help the reader understand the text. Griffin presented a timeline of how a pumpkin grows as well as a diagram of a pumpkin life cycle.  The comparison was extended with the reading of a fiction book called 10 Spooky Pumpkins, and Griffin acting out the story with her students.

To set the stage for the makerspace, students design their own "spooky pumpkin patch" by placing candy pumpkins in a field. Students were tasked with using craft sticks, clothes pins, rubber bands, twist ties, and spoons to create a harvester that will pick the pumpkins out of the field before a winter storm comes. After the young creators make their harvesters and test them out, they were given five minutes to try and harvest all of the pumpkins out of the field. If their harvester is not working, they have to fix what is wrong. Lastly, the students share why their harvester worked or did not work.

The Thomas County Central High School Army JROTC Raider Team (male category) won the 2022 Area 2 Region Championship, held Oct. 8 at Crisp County High School. This victory marks back-to-back region titles for the team. Next, the TCCHS team will travel to Griffin to compete for the state title later this month. The Georgia Raider State Championship is Oct. 29 at Spaulding High School.

Thomas County Central High School Band students auditioned for the Georgia Music Educators Association District 2 Jazz Ensemble Monday, Oct. 3. Students from across Southwest Georgia had the opportunity to try out. Of the 21 selected, more than half of the ensemble’s seats – 13 – feature a TCCHS youth musician.

TCCHS students chosen include Ayden Webb (first chair, alto saxophone), Walker Cobb (first chair, tenor saxophone), Jesus Altamirano (tenor saxophone), Teddy Cone (first chair, trumpet), Arwen Hancock (trumpet), Matt Bradley (trumpet), James Butler (trombone), Jenna Coaker (trombone), Tyler Laidman (bass trombone), Tessa Thomas (first chair, vibraphone), Morgan Loper (first chair, piano), Rebekah Horton (first chair, bass guitar), and Keaton Stephens (drums).

These students will travel to Tifton in early 2023 to join the rest of the ensemble for rehearsals and a performance Feb. 9-10 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The TCCHS and Bishop Hall social studies departments are in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2022-2023 school year for the world history course. A sample of this text will be on display in the TCCHS Media Center. Parents are invited to stop by during normal school hours (from October 17-21) to review these materials and leave any desired feedback.

Please contact Robin Cartright, Curriculum Director, if you have any questions (rcartright@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9158).

The Thomas County Board of Education has adopted a $65 million general fund budget for the current school year, and to partially fund this budget, approved a tentative rollback millage rate of 12.533 mills for tax year 2022.  The rollback rate is a 9% decrease from the 2021 millage rate of 13.804.

The proposed millage rate marks the tenth year in a row that the county board of education has reduced the school property tax rate. Thomas County School’s 2021 millage rate of 13.804 was the 25th lowest out of 180 school districts that can levy a tax, placing it in the bottom 14% of districts in the state.  The state average school property tax rate for 2021 was 15.88 mills.  Since school districts are in the process of adopting millage rates, comparison rates for 2022 are not yet available, but the school system’s proposed roll back rate is expected to move lower in the state ranking to at least the bottom 10% of the lowest property tax rates in the state.

Property values in the Thomas County School tax district increased 11.7% from 2021, but only 1.5% of the increase is in the form of real building growth. Over 10% of the property value increase was in the form of property reassessments, and by law, the school district is required to roll the millage rate back to yield the same amount of revenue that would have been collected had the reassessments not occurred.  By law, if a rollback is not adopted, the school system must declare a tax increase.  Approximately $11.7 million of local property tax revenue is included in the system’s 2022-2023 budget.

The graduation ceremony will be livestreamed on Saturday, May 21, starting at 9:00 a.m. using the link below:

https://youtu.be/UsLSLY2_xqw

Links below will take you to the registration forms. Forms are not compatible on mobile phones, but computers are available if needed. 

Pre-K English Registration Form

Kindergarten English Registration Form

After you register, please call TCBOE at 229-225-4380 to schedule or reschedule a Pre-K & Kindergarten Screener.

de prekínder Formulario de

registro de jardín de infantes

La cita de evaluación de su hijo será el  22 de febrero de 2022. Llame Thais Woods al (229) 516-2080 entre las 10:00 am y las 3:30 pm para registrarse para la evaluación de su estudiante.

A new year brings new beginnings for the Thomas County School System. During a called meeting this morning, the board approved the retirement of Mrs. Trista Jones, along with the recommendation of Mr. Jamie Thompson being named the new Thomas County Central High School principal and Mrs. Ashley Lane being named the new Cross Creek Elementary School principal.

Mrs. Jones has devoted 30 years of her life to our students and system. She will always be a cherished member of our Yellow Jacket family. We congratulate Mrs. Jones on her retirement and thank her for her many years of service to our system.

Congratulations also to Mr. Thompson and Mrs. Lane! They are both excellent leaders who will continue to help our system flourish and excel in their new positions.

First graders in Cyndi Tarin’s class at Garrison-Pilcher made windsocks as a culminating activity of a two week unit that focused on weather, seasons, and tools used to measure weather. Students visited one of many outdoor learning areas at Garrison-Pilcher to use the windsocks to determine the direction that the wind was blowing.

This is a reminder that Friday, March 26, is a teacher workday. There will be no school for students!

Please click below for information on our "Finish Strong" plan:
"Finish Strong" Video

Dear Parents and Guardians,

At its February meeting, the Thomas County Board of Education endorsed a series of proposals recommended by the curriculum department to support students and teachers through the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year.

The “Finish Strong” plan calls for the return of more students to in-person learning and aims to reduce the number of teachers who have to simultaneously teach both in-person and on-line classes. To provide time for teachers, counselors, and administrators to plan for these adjustments, three teacher work days have been added to the school calendar.

Hand-In-Hand Primary School will be holding 2021-2022 Pre-K and Kindergarten registration online this year. An ONLINE registration portal will be active on February 1 and 2. This live link will be available here on our website and on social media for registration. Parents or guardians who need access to a computer, please call Hand-In-Hand at 229-225-3908 and ask for Trish Kearce who will schedule an appointment to assist you in registering your child.  All eligible students signed up for pre-k on February 1 and 2 will be guaranteed a slot. Out-of-district students will be accepted upon approval by the Board of Education.

Click on this link for more information and requirements:
Hand-In-Hand 2021-2022 PreK and Kindergarten ONLINE Registration

The Thomas County Board of Education held its first meeting of the new calendar year Tuesday night. After the invocation, outgoing chair Charles Evans declared the positions of chair and vice chair vacant and asked for nominations.

Board member Nancy Hiers made a motion that Kay Streets be elected chair and that Mark NeSmith be elected vice chair. Leah Smith seconded Hiers’ motion.  Evans called for any additional nominations. There were no additional nominations, so Streets and NeSmith were elected to their respective roles with no dissenting votes.

As a part of Constitution Week, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) has been giving out pocket-sized Constitution books to all fourth graders at public schools in the state of Georgia.

Georgia Superintendent Richard Woods personally visited Cross Creek Elementary School recently and presented the books, along with the importance of the Constitution, to all fourth graders as part of his ongoing citizenship initiative.

While visiting several classrooms at Cross Creek, Woods heard from students, educators and other stakeholders in the Thomas County School System about what is working, what changes could be made, and how the GaDOE can be of service.

The book, titled “The Words that Built America,” contains the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, the Amendments to the Constitution, the Pledge of Allegiance, and Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” Woods told the students the book will continue to be useful throughout their school journey as they study Georgia state government and Georgia history.

Survey results are in, and parents' voices have been heard so now it's time to choose the best learning opportunity for your student! You will be choosing between the Traditional Option, the Remote Classroom Option or the Virtual School Option. Click below to access a flyer that contains more information and the necessary links such as the Superintendent's Letter, the Registration Form, and Frequently Asked Questions. Please complete the registration form by Friday, July 17.

Time to Make a Choice - Registration Form 

Please call our Buzz Helpline at 229-413-1234 for more information.

6/24/2020

Dear Thomas County Schools Families,

We only have a few weeks before school is scheduled to start back. I realize that this Back to School season is weighing heavily on your minds, as it is ours. Please rest assured that the leadership of our system has been working hard to stay current with agency guidelines related to the safe operation of schools. We are continuing to use the guidelines received from the Georgia Department of Education, Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prepare for the reopening of our schools.  One of the most challenging aspects of this work is that the guidelines and restrictions continue to evolve. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding during this time as we continue to plan for a safe re-entry for all students and staff.

We are planning for our schools to reopen for in-person instruction for our students as scheduled on August 3rd.

We hope that the majority of our families will feel safe returning to a fairly traditional school setting with health screening and enhanced hygiene measures in place. Thomas County Schools will be implementing additional measures to address COVID-19 concerns and to keep our students and staff as safe as possible within the school environment.

Click on READ MORE to see other options and access survey

GARRISON-PILCHER

Chromebook Drop-Off
May 26 - 29 - Hall Road side of Cross Creek
Tuesday, May 26 -  9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27 - 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28 - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Friday, May 29 - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Yearbook Pick-Up
Wednesday, May 13 – 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on sidewalk outside PLC

*Teachers have already collected needed work packets & dispersed student belongings. Questions concerning packets should be discussed with teachers.

CROSS CREEK

Chromebook/Work Packet Collection
May 26 - May 29 – Clark Road side
Tuesday, May 26 -  9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 27 - 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 28 - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Friday, May 29 - 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Because we always want the very best for our students, Thomas County Schools has found a way to provide meals during the month of June. The new program will deliver meals to your doorstep for free. This program is called Emergency Meals-to-You, and students who attend Thomas County Schools are eligible to participate in the program. However, you must enroll your student in the Meals-to-You program in order to have meals shipped to your home during the month of June.

All you have to do is fill out and submit an online form.

Please hurry because the enrollment period ends at midnight on May 18.

Even if you enroll in the Emergency Meals-to-You program, please remember that our local meal distribution will still take place every Wednesday through May 27. 

Thomas County Schools is distributing meals for the week and the weekend. Pick up breakfast and lunch for seven days! Distribution for meals is ONLY on Wednesday of this week. Students no longer have to be present. Visit TCMS from 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. or our various community locations from 11:00 - 12 noon. We are still here for you! Please call the Buzz Helpline at 229-413-1234 for questions or information.

​

SECOND HARVEST PROVIDING MEALS MONDAY & WEDNESDAY

Please don’t forget to stop by Hand-In-Hand tomorrow, Monday, April 6, from 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. to pick up meals. Students do NOT have to be present during the meal pick-up. We are very appreciative of Second Harvest’s willingness to help feed our families during spring break.

We will be distributing ready-to-eat meals ONLY on Tuesday & Thursday starting this week (Tuesday, March 31 & Thursday, April 2). NO meals will be distributed during spring break (week of April 6 - 10). Please visit our main location at the Thomas County Middle School during the limited times below. The time for community distribution sites will remain the same.

Meal Distribution Schedule Week of March 30 - April 3

For the week of March 23-27: Meal Boxes (10 meals) are available for distribution on MONDAY ONLY.  A snack and a meal provided by Second Harvest will be available on WEDNESDAY. Our meal distribution sites will remain the same.

Meal Updates:  This week we will only be able to provide the meal boxes containing 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches on Monday (3/23). Please plan to pick up a box with your child(ren) on Monday. We want to ensure that all of our students receive a box of food for the entire week. A snack and a meal provided by Second Harvest will be available on Wednesday. Our meal distribution sites will remain the same.  

See schedule below:

Monday & Wednesday
TCMS - 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.*
Bus deliveries - 11:00 a.m. - 12 noon
*On Wednesday while supplies last

Please continue to monitor the district’s web page and Facebook daily for important updates. We are here for our families. For assistance, call the Buzz Helpline at 229-413-1234. 

As a result of the school closures due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Thomas County School System plans to distribute items needed to provide instruction to our students in a variety of formats. Chromebooks will be provided  for any student in grades 2-12 who needs a device to complete digital learning assignments. 

A distribution site will be located at each of our schools during the times below:  

Monday, March 16: 1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 17: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Parents and Guardians,

The Thomas County School System is working diligently to provide services to your children in order to minimize, as much as possible, disruptions in your child’s education due to the school system closure.

To help us better serve your child, we have developed a short on-line survey.

Please complete the survey at the following link as soon as possible: Thomas County Schools Closure Survey 
Spanish version of survey: Thomas County Schools Encuesta de Necesidades de Cierre

Please continue to check our website and/or Facebook page daily for updates regarding services that will be available to your child during the closure.

Thomas County Schools will be closed Thursday, February 6, due to the threat of high winds and inclement weather. The safety of our students, teachers, and staff is very important to us.

The Thomas County School System is initiating a strategic planning process and invites you to participate! It is vital that we hear from our stakeholders on the future direction of the school district before the plan is developed.

When:  February 20, 2020, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where:  Thomas County Central High School   

Who:  All Thomas County School System employees, parents, senior citizens, businessmen and women, civic leaders and residents. High school students are also encouraged to attend.

What:  A Community Engagement Session to gather input from parents, citizens, district employees and students. Everyone is invited: parents, all district employees, high school students and community members. No special experience or knowledge is required. We will present information on the district, the strategic planning process and then break into small groups for discussion.

NOTE: Sandwiches and beverages will be served at the event. Please RSVP using the link below to help us plan how much food to prepare.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CommunityEngagementEvent                                                              

Click here for more information and Registration Forms.

Governor Brian Kemp, along with the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA), has named Thomas County’s Cross Creek Elementary School as a “Gold Award School” for being a highest performing elementary school for the 2018-2019 school year with a student academic growth rate as measured by standardized tests in the top 97th percentile statewide.

The school awards, developed by GOSA and approved by the State Board of Education, are part of Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System.

The “Gold Award” designation indicates that Cross Creek students exhibited high growth in student achievement by earning a three-year average growth score in the 97th percentile in the state, meaning that Cross Creek scored better than 97% of the other elementary schools in the state.

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School saw its College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores increase from 2018 to 2019 and was named a Reward School by the Georgia Department of Education. Garrison-Pilcher teachers recently enjoyed a celebration planned in their honor.

"I am extremely proud of our students, teachers, and staff,” Garrison-Pilcher Principal Sharonda Wilson said. “We are dedicated to providing quality educational experiences and opportunities to all of our students. I appreciate our students, parents, teachers, and staff for their hard work, persistence, and love shown to the students of Garrison-Pilcher and Thomas County Schools."

The CCRPI is the state’s measuring stick for Georgia public schools, and does so by weighing certain metrics such as performance on state-mandated assessments and attendance rate. Reward Schools are among the greatest-improving 5% of Title I Schoolwide schools and Title I Targeted Assistance schools. Reward Schools also have to maintain the performance of their economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English learners to be recognized.

The Thomas County School System is offering an anxiety seminar entitled, "Beyond Survival: Helping Families Cope with Anxiety." The hour-long seminar will be held in the Thomas County School Board Auditorium on Tuesday, January 14, at 6:00 p.m. 

We hope that each of you had a wonderful break and enjoyed special time with friends and family. We look forward to our staff and students returning next week. As a reminder, Monday, January 6, is a teacher workday and a student holiday. Our students are scheduled to return on Tuesday, January 7. Happy New Year!

It's National Computer Science Education Week, but in Thomas County, we are proud to have computer science as a part of our curriculum all year long! Cross Creek Elementary School was featured in this video from the Georgia Department of Education about Computational Thinking. Take time to watch this short video!
https://youtu.be/BAxW5vzREr8

Hand-In-Hand Primary School is competing for a $2000 Envision grant that will allow the school to further develop their "Beecoming Your Best" program through social and emotional learning. The school made it to the top nine, and we want them to be in the top 3! See details below about voting.

How to Vote:
Share with your family, friends, and coworkers and encourage them to cast their vote. Come back and vote once per day. Voting ends November 11! To vote, visit the link below. Simply click on the video frame or the circular button in the top left corner of the video to select your choice, enter your email at the bottom of the page, then click the "Vote" button.

www.EnvisionCU.com/VOTE   

Erin Rehberg, Digital Learning Coordinator for Thomas County Schools, has been awarded the Flanders Scholarship which is given annually to a member of the Georgia Association of Curriculum and Instructional Supervisors (GACIS) who is pursuing a higher degree in the area of Educational Leadership. Rehberg is in the process of completing her doctoral degree at Valdosta State University and will use the funds to pay expenses incurred for tuition and books.

Rehberg was nominated by Thomas County’s GACIS district and was chosen by the Flanders Scholarship Committee. The award was presented to Rehberg during the recent GACIS fall conference.

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School students recently celebrated their reading victories with a Reading Rally at school.

“This is a tradition that was started before I arrived, and I wanted to keep the tradition going,” said Elexis Griffin, Garrison-Pilcher Media Specialist. “It is such a fun time that promotes reading and literacy for our students and staff.”

Students from Thomas County Central interacted with the younger students in a positive way, the band provided upbeat music, and the athletes and cheerleaders encouraged first and second grade students to read daily, work hard, and take pride in being a Yellow Jacket.

Three Garrison-Pilcher Elementary students were recently honored to meet President Jimmy Carter in Plains. The students entered the annual Plains Peanut Festival Postcard contest sponsored by the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site Education program. The theme for this year’s contest was “From Peanuts to Peace...Celebrating 95 Years of Excellence." There were 4,323 entries from students all over the state of Georgia. Garrison-Pilcher had three top winners. Abigail Rogers (second grader - 1st place), Sumner Sauls (first grader - 2nd place), and  Preston VanHeiningen (first grader - 3rd place) were recognized at the annual Plains Peanut Festival awards program, had a photo session with President Carter, and were honored to march in the peanut parade. President Carter recently turned 95 years old.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods has selected 130 Georgia students to serve on his Student Advisory Council. Owen Petrey, an eighth-grader at Thomas County Middle School, was selected from a pool of more than 1,000 students who applied to serve on the council. Students were chosen based on the strength of their essay answers, which focused on their ideas for public education as well as their community service experience. The students selected attend public schools all over the state, in every RESA district in Georgia.

Petrey is a member of the National Junior Honor Society, the 4H shotgun team, science academy and the middle school football team. He is an active participant in several community service activities throughout the year including Hands on Thomas County, Backpack Buddies, Second Harvest, Project Backyard, Salvation Army and the Humane Society. Petrey was also selected as a Duke TIP finalist last year.

Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams has appointed Dr. Lauren Duplantis to serve as the district’s health and wellness coordinator.

Duplantis will chair the system’s wellness committee and will help market the school-based health center as an option for parents who do not have a primary-care provider.

The Thomas County School System is always seeking ways to meet the needs and interests of our students. Several parents have requested that the school system consider starting a string orchestra program for grades 5 through 12. In order to gauge the level of interest in such a program, the school system is conducting a survey. Please complete the survey found using the link below.

http://bit.ly/tcstringsinterest

The survey will close June 25.

Thank you for your support of our school system and for taking time to complete this quick survey.

A passion for making memorable music has led two Thomas County Central High School students to final recognition by an esteemed summer workshop, the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

Due to the threat of high winds and inclement weather, the Thomas County School System will be closed Friday, April 19.

All interested parents of rising 5th - 8th graders are invited to a Meet & Greet MERIT Night!

Thursday, April 11
6:00 p.m.
TCMS Cafeteria

Topics include: Introduction to the MERIT program; the application process; experienceing MERIT through a student's viewpoint; and the impact of MERIT beyond middle school. Guided tours of TCMS will follow the meeting!

The Thomas County School System's financial system was recently targeted by criminals who sought to steal funds from a school system account. Security procedures that the school system and its banking partner have in place prevented the loss of any funds. Click on the link below for more information. 

IMPORTANT SECURITY AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION NOTIFICATION

Do you have a budding scientist in your family?  Join us for a night filled with fun activities for the whole family.  

Cross Creek Elementary Cafeteria:
Monday, February 25th from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary Gymnasium:
Tuesday, February 26th from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Thomas County Middle School Gymnasium:
Wednesday, February 27th 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Twelve students from Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School recently traveled to Bainbridge to participate in the annual Regional Technology Fair.  There were more than 100 participants in the fair competing in various technology categories and age divisions from Thomas, Grady, Decatur, and Lee Counties. Students from Thomas County brought home five first-place medals, five second-place medals, and two third-place medals. Every student from Thomas County placed in the top three of their category and division.

To anyone searching for proof that athletics and academics truly can go together, look no further than Benjamin “Ben” Wilhelm.

Wilhelm is the 2019 Thomas County Central High School STAR Student.

The senior is known for his commitment to academics, athletics and school community. Wilhelm is an honor student who has participated in several sports, including football, swim, baseball, cross country and basketball. The youth is active in his school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes and National Honor Society chapters. He also takes part in the Work-Based Learning Program and works at Hand-In-Hand Primary School a few hours each day.

“Being named STAR student is an honor,” Wilhelm said. “The fact that I am a student-athlete and earned STAR Student means more. It shows that just because you play a sport does not mean you cannot be one of the smartest in your class.”

The STAR designation is given to the student in each graduating class with the highest SAT score. Wilhelm says he set out to attain this title.

“Right after I took my first SAT and scored above the average, my goal was to have the highest score in the school,” he said. “At TCCHS, everyone pushes you to do your best, and the teachers making me a better student helped me achieve STAR Student.”

Laura Kornegay is his chosen STAR Teacher.

Hand-In-Hand Primary School is holding Pre-K and Kindergarten registration for the 2019-2020 school year on Monday, February 4, and Tuesday, February 5, from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. both days. Registration will take place on the Board of Education campus in the Professional Learning Center. For Pre-K, your child must be 4 or 5 years old ON or BEFORE September 1, 2019. All eligible students signed up for Pre-K on these days will be guaranteed a slot. Click on the link below for more information.

Hand-In-Hand Pre-K/K Registration

The Thomas County Board of Education held its first meeting of the new calendar year Tuesday, January 8.  After the devotion, outgoing chair Derwood Hickey declared the positions of chairman and vice chairman vacant and asked for nominations.

Board member Kay Streets made a motion that Dan Stewart be elected chair and that Charles Evans be elected vice chair. Leah Smith seconded Streets’ motion. Hickey called for any additional nominations. There were no additional nominations. Stewart and Evans were elected to their respective roles unanimously.

We are pleased to announce that the Thomas County Health Department will be coming to your child's school during the month of January to offer the flu vaccine. There will be no out-of-pocket cost for your child to receive the vaccine given during the school flu clinics. If you would like for your child to get vaccinated at the school flu clinic, please click on the link below for more information and to access the consent form: 

Flu Packet to return by January 15, 2018

The Thomas County School System has been named a Google Reference District. In order to become a reference district, Google must recognize the work being done by a district with G Suite for Education and send an application to the system.  

Thomas County Schools began using G Suite for Education in 2015. Since that time, the district has adopted Google Chromebooks at a rate of one device per student in grades 2-12.  Students in grades 9-12 are allowed to check out a Chromebook for use both at home and at school.

“Adding G Suite tools and Chromebooks in our district has allowed our teachers to do many things that they have never been able to do in the past,” said Erin Rehberg, Digital Learning and Media Services Coordinator for Thomas County Schools. “Technology truly has the power to transform learning by allowing students to easily collaborate, communicate, and create.  Being named a Google Reference District is confirmation that our teachers are using technology to help prepare Thomas County students for their futures.”

Second graders from Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School recently went on a field trip to Flowers Bakery and Marie's Kakes. Students from Vicki Warren's class compared and contrasted the adventures and experiences from the two bakeries. As they toured Flowers, they saw honey buns, powdered donuts, and bread being made and prepared for distribution. The students experienced making cookies and decorating them at Marie's Kakes. Warren said, "This field trip is always a favorite with the students.  We are thankful to Flowers Bakery and Marie's Kakes for supporting our students and allowing them to visit and participate in their businesses. It is an experience they won't forget."   

Dr. Scott Sweeting, Thomas County's System Math and Science Curriculum Coordinator, recently visited Thomas County Middle School to help students through the process of dissecting frogs. Students from Alex Hollingsworth's and Yvette Morrell's classes experienced a hands-on approach as they explored the internal organs and body systems that they have learned about in class. According to Dr. Sweeting, hands-on labs like this help cement information previously learned in class. 

Five Thomas County Middle School (TCMS) students recently signed to be a part of the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia program, a needs-based scholarship designed to promote academic success and expand access to higher education. The TCMS students chosen to join REACH Georgia are Logan Baxter, Keasia Horton, Daviyon Johnson, Selena Diego and Evan Wynn.

As a part of the program, students signed contracts to agree to meet attendance and behavior requirements, maintain a certain grade point average, participate in REACH Georgia related activities, and meet weekly with a mentor. Their parents or guardians also signed contracts to support their student through their education.

A drive-thru flu shot clinic scheduled for Monday, October 15 at Thomas County Central High School has been canceled until further notice.  

Senior Langley Wooten, 16, has been chosen to serve as this year’s Georgia Youth Assembly’s lieutenant governor. The position is an unexpected honor to Wooten: Jeremy Austin, state program director for Georgia Youth Assembly through Georgia YMCA, contacted her directly and asked she fill the spot.

Bret Hendricks, 17, a member of the Thomas County Central High School Class of 2018, has been named a National AP Scholar.

Senior Zachary Sharpe, 17, attended this year’s Governor’s Honors Program at Berry College. Sharpe was selected from thousands of students nominated throughout the state. His chosen field was social studies.

In order to recognize the teachers who have gone above and beyond with implementing the effective use of technology in classroom instruction, this year the Thomas County School System named the first ever Digital Learning All-Star Teacher at each school and for the district.

“With the help of local E-SPLOST funds as well as several grants received over the past several years, the Thomas County School System has made a significant investment in technology for our students and teachers," said Erin Rehberg, Digital Learning Coordinator for Thomas County Schools. "This year we thought it would be very beneficial to reward those teachers who have used the technology provided to them to effectively transform the learning process in their classrooms. Not only do all of our Digital Learning All-Star Teachers effectively use technology with their students, they are also known for helping their peers with various technology tools.”  

Each school held a nomination process with the winner for each school completing an application in order to compete for the district title. This year, the district winner was awarded a laptop computer courtesy of ByteSpeed Computers and will be able to attend an educational technology conference in the fall.  

Thomas County School System officials have named Lacey Howard, fourth grade special education teacher at Cross Creek Elementary School, as the District Teacher of the Year.

“I was very surprised and felt very honored to be named Teacher of the Year,” Howard said. “There are always so many wonderful things happening in the Thomas County School System. To be given the opportunity to represent our amazing system is such a privilege.” 

Early Thursday morning, the Thomas County School System’s Maintenance Department was notified that employees and students at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School were complaining about the odor of diesel fuel in some parts of the building.  A few students and teachers complained of headaches that they believed to be associated with the odor.  The maintenance department investigated the odor and found diesel fuel in a ditch near the school.

Spring Break is Monday, April 2, through Friday, April 6. Students will return on Monday, April 9. Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and a very Happy Easter!

Due to the drastic increase in flu cases throughout the nation and state, the Thomas County Health Department has agreed to return to our system to provide flu vaccines to our students. The Health Department will have flu vaccine clinic sites at TCMS and GP on Jan. 31. The school system will transport the participating students to the flu clinic sites on Jan. 31 to obtain their flu shot.

Participating students from HnH, TCMS, TCCHS, and BH will obtain their vaccinations between 7:30–10:00 AM at TCMS on Jan. 31. GP and CC participating students will receive their flu shots at GP between 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM on Jan. 31.

If you would like to sign your child up to receive a flu vaccine on Jan. 31, you will need to complete the Parental Vaccine Consent Form linked below and return the form to your child’s school by Friday, Jan. 26. If the vaccine consent form is not signed and returned by Friday, Jan. 26, your child will not be able to participate in the flu vaccine clinic on Jan. 31.

Flu Vaccine Consent Form - Students

Flu Vaccine Sign-up Form - Staff 

Flu Vaccine Administration Record, Flu Vaccine Info, Privacy Notice 

Thomas County School System officials have been closely monitoring the weather forecast for tomorrow and have been in communications with Thomas County Emergency Managment Services. Unless there is a change in the forecast, Thomas County Schools will be open tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17. If there is a change in conditions, announcements will be made on our website, social media pages, and by way of our phone messaging system and local media outlets. 

The Thomas County Board of Education has approved the hiring of Ashley Henderson as Thomas County Central High School’s head football coach. Henderson will officially begin work on Thursday, February 1.

Henderson comes to the Thomas County School System from Valwood School in Hahira, Georgia, where he served as head coach for six years. While a coach at Valwood, he led the team to state championships three times, and celebrated being region champs five times.

Hand-In-Hand Primary School

2018-2019 Pre-K & Kindergarten Registration

Students currently enrolled in Pre-K at Hand-In-Hand DO NOT need to register for Kindergarten.

Monday, February 5 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Tuesday, February 6 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Registration Place: Thomas County Board of Education, PLC 200 N. Pinetree Blvd.

(Park in the big parking lot across the street from Wendy’s.)

Click Here for Registration Requirements

From now on when the school bell rings, Jeanna Mayhall won’t know what to do with herself. For the first time in almost 30 years, the retiring Hand-In-Hand Principal won’t be returning to the school campus at the break of dawn every week day. For Mayhall, who has been in the school environment her whole life, says “it will be hard to transition to the ‘normal’ world because my internal rhythm follows the rhythm of the school calendar.”

The beloved veteran educator who just completed her 29^th year in education was sent off by an adoring group of family, friends and coworkers during a recent reception held in her honor. Mayhall received many gifts and was honored by coworkers who made signs and a slideshow, performed a humorous skit and entertained her with a song written just for her.

The Covey Film Festival is offering an opportunity to view the movie, "Hidden Figures," at no charge on Monday, October 2, at 7:00 p.m. The movie will be shown in the Thomas County School System's Auditorium at 200 North Pinetree Boulevard. Click on the link below to see the flyer for details!

Covey Film Festival Hidden Figures

The Thomas County School system is monitoring Hurricane Irma very closely. We are working with Thomas County EMS and the National Weather Service to determine the best plan for school closures. Please stay up-to-date by tuning in to the local news, checking our website, and following us on social media including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It is important to ensure that we have your current contact information because we will be sending out alerts through our notification systems. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Plans are underway for a phenomenal day in Thomas County Schools as students, teachers, and staff observe “The Great American Solar Eclipse” on August 21. To allow students to fully appreciate the experience, the school day in Thomas County Schools will be extended by 30 minutes on the day of the eclipse.

While Thomas County will not see a total eclipse, expectations are that the moon will cover approximately 90% of the sun for a brief period, enough to create a dramatic effect and illustrate the phenomena of an eclipse.

Click here to access the Solar Eclipse Opt Out Form.  

The Thomas County Health Department will be open for a back-to-school immunization clinic on Saturday, August 12, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Click on the link below for more information!

Don't Be Late... Vaccinate!

The Thomas County School System provides on-line learning opportunities for home-school and cyber-school students. Join us for an informational meeting, and choose the time that is best for you!

As we prepare for the new year, we like to reflect on our past accomplishments. This video highlights some of the many successes of our staff members and students who make this school system one of the best. We are looking forward to exciting opportunities and new successes in 2017-2018!

Simply the Best

Search for Thomas County Schools in your app store to get our new app. Click the link below for more information.

Thomas County Schools App

Join us at the Thomas County Central High School gym for the Back-to-School Blitz this Saturday, July 29!

Please take time to read the latest issue of Thomas County Central High School's We Are Central Magazine which highlights some of the exciting events from this past school year. Click on the image below to open the publication:

March 27, 2017: The Thomas County School System became aware early this morning of a very vague threat to an individual student at one of our schools. The student is safe, and the threat is not deemed to be credible. Contrary to social media rumors, no weapons have been found on any of our school campuses nor have there been any incidents of violence on our campuses.  We have determined that it is safe for our schools to continue with a normal day. Out of an abundance of caution, in cooperation with the Thomas County Sheriff’s Office, we have increased security at our schools.

Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods recently named Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) an Advanced Placement (AP) Honor School.  Woods recognized TCCHS in three areas of distinction including “AP STEM,” “AP STEM Achievement,” and “AP Humanities.”

TCCHS was the only high school in the Southwest Georgia region to be named an “AP Humanities School,” meaning that the school has a robust advanced placement program in language arts, at least two social science courses, at least one fine arts course, and at least one world language course.

Read all of the latest news in the Buzz newsletter! Click the link below:

Jan/Feb 2017 Buzz

Attention parents!  Registration for pre-k and kindergarten for the 2017-2018 school year will take place on Monday, February 6 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, February 7 from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.   Please see the flyer by clicking the link or image below for more information about what to bring to registration.  Registration will take place at the Thomas County Board of Education (200 N. Pinetree Blvd.) in the PLC.  Please park in the big parking lot across the street from Wendy's.  Students currently enrolled in pre-k at Hand-in-Hand DO NOT need to register for kindergarten.

Hand-in-Hand Registration Information

Need a math tutor? All Thomas County Central High School students have the opportunity to receive free math tutoring Monday through Friday. Tutoring is offered before and after school and will begin on January 9. Take advantage of this valuable resource by choosing a time that's good for you!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SCHEDULE

All parents are encouraged to participate in the Georgia Parent Survey. Parents may complete the short 24 question survey using their personal computer, smartphones or tablet. For parents that do not have access to the Internet, please contact your child’s school to make arrangements to complete the survey.

The data from the survey will be used to calculate the School Climate Star Rating for our schools. Survey responses are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis. Individual data results from the Georgia Parent Survey will not be available to the public and will not be posted online. 

To access the Georgia Parent Survey, please click on the image below. Your participation in this survey is very important to our system and our schools.

The Thomas County School System will be closed Friday, September 2, due to the threat of inclement weather. The schools will have normal dismissal today (Thursday).

CANCELLED
Also, the Parent Volunteer Orientation meeting that was scheduled for today (9/1) at 5:30 p.m. has been cancelled. Please contact the parent involvement coordinator at your child's school about ways to volunteer. He or she will be able provide you with volunteer opportunities.

This is a reminder that ALL Thomas County Schools will re-open for students Monday morning.

It is normal for traffic to be heavy around our schools the first few days of the school year, so please allow a little extra time on your morning commute this week.

Children throughout the county will gather at bus stops, so please watch out for the children and exercise caution around bus stops. Please keep a safe distance from all school buses, especially while they are loading and unloading students.     

Best wishes for a great school year.

As always, thank you for supporting Thomas County Schools.

SAVE THE DATE!
Open house dates and times have been set for each school. Please click on the More Information link below to see the full schedule:

Governor Nathan Deal along with the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) recently named Thomas County’s Cross Creek Elementary School as being one of the highest performing elementary schools in the state with an achievement rate in the top 93^rd percentile statewide. 

Cross Creek was the only school in the Southwest Georgia RESA District to be recognized. The school awards, developed by GOSA and approved by the State Board of Education, are part of Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System.

The “Silver Award” designation indicates that Cross Creek students exhibited high growth in student achievement by earning a three-year average CCRPI Progress Score in at least the 93^rd percentile in the state.  The Governor’s awards help parents, students, educators and communities have clear and concise information about school performance to better understand the strengths and challenges of their local schools.

Click "More Information" to read full story!

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health and the State Health Officer, has requested that we share important information with our school families about protecting against mosquito bites and preventing the spread of Zika virus in Georgia.

Please click on the link below to view the information. 

Zika Virus Information

The Thomas County School System will be closed Wednesday, February 24, due to the threat of inclement weather.

MEETING POSTPONED 

Medical In-service

Provided for School Staff and Parents
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Thomas County Board of Education
Professional Learning Center
(across from Wendy’s)

Sponsored by Thomas County Schools

See how E-SPLOST funds are used in our schools!

E-SPLOST Video

Sweaters, snowflake wings, mittens, and hats.  These were among the many accouterments that inspired Thomas County Central HS students to compete in a school-wide art contest that placed “Buzz,” the school mascot, in wintry garb or setting.

The Thomas County School System has announced the schedule of patriotic events honoring veterans for Veterans Day. Every campus will be participating. Click below for details. 

November is Parent Engagement Month!  Please click here to view a calendar that includes ways you can become more involved with your child's learning this month!

Come to one of our STEM Family Science Nights on Monday or Tuesday and enjoy awesome experiments in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics with your family. Learn together and have fun at the same time!

Cross Creek Elementary
Monday, October 26
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary
Tuesday, October 27
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Please join us at this community event for children of all ages. Click on the link below for more information:

Thomas County Literacy Fair Flyer

Last Friday, the Georgia Department of Education awarded the Thomas County School System a 2.7 million dollar grant to assist the district in implementing a comprehensive literacy plan for children in Thomas County from birth through eighth grade.

The Striving Reader competitive grant was awarded based on the quality of the proposal and the capacity of the system to implement the plan. Thomas County’s plan places a heavy focus on reading and writing in all content areas and on vocabulary development.

Looking for a way to express yourself?  Have fun with friends? Have a great time after school?  DRAMAKIDS! may be for you!  Starting October 13, the Fine Arts After School Program at Thomas County Middle School will add theatre classes for grades 3 - 5 and 6 - 8.  Please click on the link below to learn more about the class!

DRAMAKIDS! Flyer

Thomas County Central High School is continuing its efforts to provide rigorous courses for students seeking challenging content. This year, the school has added two more Advanced Placement, or AP, classes to its roster: AP Latin, taught by Cary Riggs, and AP Environmental Science, taught by Laura Kornegay. “Our AP program continues to expand and grow to meet the needs of our student population,” TCCHS Assistant Principal James T. Rehberg, who coordinates gifted and accelerated instruction, said.

If you are interested in volunteering at Hand-In-Hand, Garrison-Pilcher, Cross Creek, Thomas County Middle, Thomas County Central, The Renaissance Center, or Bishop Hall, please attend one of the volunteer orientation sessions listed below:

Tuesday, September 1
9:00 a.m. OR 5:30 p.m.

Orientation sessions will be hosted at the Bishop Hall Charter School.

Endless possibilities await students at Thomas County Schools for the 2015-2016 school year.  Thomas County Schools offer academic excellence, career preparation, and unmatched opportunity.  Please click on the link below to imagine the possibilities:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpva66Rhpg4&feature=youtu.be

The TCMS/TCCHS Cross Country teams are holding a 5K/Fun Run event on Saturday, August 15th. The 5K will begin at 8:00 AM followed by the Fun Run at 9:00 AM. This event will benefit the cross country teams when purchasing uniforms, attending cross country meets, and meeting other monetary demands during the season. The runs will take place at the Hand-in-Hand and TCMS campuses. We look forward to your support and hope to see you on the 15th!

Click here for the registration form!

Bishop Hall Charter School student enrollment applications are now being accepted at the Thomas County Schools Student Enrollment Office located at 200 North Pinetree Boulevard, Thomasville, Georgia. All applications will go into a pool for the annual lottery drawing which will occur on Thursday, June 11, 2015. Status letters will be mailed out upon completion of the lottery.

For more information, please call the Thomas County Schools Student Enrollment Office at 229-225-4380.

State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge named 36 parents from all over Georgia to serve on his 2014-15 Parent Advisory Council (PAC).  Leah Smith, a Cross Creek Elementary representative on the Thomas County School District’s Parent Advisory Council, was chosen as one of the members.  Each representative was asked to design and implement a project to increase family engagement in their school districts. In her video project, Smith shares ways people can volunteer and the benefits of doing so.  To see the video, please click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5T39W27g08&feature=youtu.be

Congratulations to our Thomas County Central High School Class of 2015!  Endless possibilities await the 286 graduates who will be looking toward a future full of new challenges.  Valedictorian Emily Kornegay and Salutatorian Noah Harris both shared words of wisdom with their fellow classmates.  Click below to read their speeches.

Parents, please participate in our online survey. We need your feedback and suggestions to help revise our School Improvement Plans.  The survey is available now through Friday, May 22, 2015.  Please click the link below to complete the parent survey.

Parent Survey

Thomas County Central High School has announced top honors for the Class of 2015: its valedictorian, salutatorian, and honor graduates. Emily Kornegay, 16, is valedictorian and Noah Harris, 17, is salutatorian. Also, 32 seniors are honor graduates.

The 2nd Annual Color Me With Cheer 5K Fun Run/Walk is scheduled for Saturday, May 16.  Hosted by the TCMS cheerleading squad, the event is great for all ages!  For more information, click on the link below:

Color Me With Cheer Flyer

Register before May 4 to ensure a t-shirt!  To access the registration form, please click on link below:

Color Me With Cheer Registration Form

On Tuesday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m., George Rishfeld will tell his story of survival at the Thomas County Board of Education Auditorium.  Sponsored by the Thomas County Board of Education in conjunction with the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, the event is free and open to the public. 

Click 'More Information' below for more details.

Students from Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School along with Ms. Danna Cooper and Ms. Selina Bell traveled to Macon to compete at the state level in the Georgia Educational Technology Fair last Saturday.  All of these students placed first in the regional level fair in January to earn their spot in the state level competition.  There are numerous technology categories in which students may compete including, but not limited to, 3D Modeling, Web 2.0 Applications, Digital Photography, Digital Video Production, and Programming.  Click 'More Information' below for more details.

The New Year brought many new things to students enrolled at Bishop Hall Charter School. Students arrived at the new school location after the holidays to have breakfast for the first time in the school’s new cafeteria.  Students then moved to the recently renovated gymnasium next door for a brief assembly program before going out in front of the new building for the ceremonial raising of the first flags to fly over the new school.

Forty Thomas County Central High School students have advanced to the next phase of competition in an annual event that promotes interest in history. National History Day was held Feb. 10 at TCCHS, with numerous students participating in the event, which is like a social studies fair and gives students the chance to show their history knowledge and research skills. NHD has five categories: Documentary, Exhibit, Paper, Performance, and Web Site.  This year’s theme is “Leadership and Legacy.”

Several members of TCCHS’s Healthcare Science program have placed in HOSA region events and moved on to the HOSA State Leadership Conference, which will be held on the University of Georgia campus this March.

Sam Holland will be the new athletic director at Thomas County Central, the school announced Wednesday. He’ll work with current athletic director Mike Singletary, who announced his resignation in December, until the end of the school year when Singletary’s contract runs out. “I’ve been athletic director before and when the opportunity came up I was extremely excited to do it again,” Holland said during a phone interview Wednesday.

Attention Class of 2019!
You're invited to
Thomas County Central High School's
9th Grade Open House!

Monday, February 9
6:00 p.m.

Open to all rising 9th graders... you do not have to be enrolled in Thomas County Schools.  For more information, call 229-225-5050.

Fourteen students from Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School traveled to Moultrie to participate in Colquitt County's 9th Annual Regional Technology Fair on January 24.  There were over 340 participants in the fair competing in various technology categories and age divisions.  Our students did an outstanding job bringing home 11 first place medals, 3 second place medals, and 1 third place medal.  Every student from Thomas County placed in the top 3 of their category and division.  All first place medalists will advance to the state competition held in Macon on March 7.  Click "More Information" below for details.

Thomas County Schools present Yishu: Art of the Far East!  Make plans to view the art show at the Thomasville Center for the Arts from January 12 through March 13.  An Opening Reception will be held on February 19 at 5:30pm.  Click here to view the flyer.

Registration for Pre-K and Kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year will soon take place on February 2, 3, and 4, at the Thomas County Board of Education PLC.  Please click the link below for more details concerning times and requirements.

Registration Flyer

Please join us Wednesday, August 13, at 5:30 p.m. for the Volunteer Orientation Meeting at the Thomas County Board of Education Auditorium.  Click here for further details.

There is a vacancy at Thomas County Central High School for the position of principal's secretary.  If interested, please click the link below for further details and apply online through our job portal at www.thomascountyschools.org.

TCCHS Principal's Secretary Vacancy Notice

Students from Thomas County Central High, Thomas County Middle, and Thomas County Upper Elementary attended the National History Day State Competition April 26, 2014 at Mercer University. National History Day allows students to choose their own topic and presentation style while learning about a specific historical time period and meeting Common Core literacy and GPS social studies standards. This year's theme is "Rights and Responsibilities" - this required students to use balanced research from primary and secondary sources to prove their thesis.  Click More Information below to see results.

Congratulations to the TCMS Quiz Bowl team for winning first place and being undefeated in the Okefenokee Academic Bowl.   Team members include Morgan Ward, Kyle Clark, Kennedy Ward, Sierra Stephens, Joshua Stephens, and Kaleb Ward.

Over 3500 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) students competed in Atlanta the weekend of March 14-16, 2014. Less than 10% will move on to represent Georgia at the FBLA National Leadership Conference and Competition in Nashville, TN this summer.   Please see More Information below for a list of all winner. Those earning the right to represent TCCHS and Georgia at Nationals are:

• Lauren Rich--2nd Place in Business Communication
• Tessa McCorkle--3rd Place in Website Development
• Savannah Matherly--4th Place in Hospitality Management
  
   

The TCCHS Odyssey of the Mind team that solved the problem “The Driver’s Test” has qualified for World Finals. The team is made up of Alexis Bergozza, Addison Frasch, Bobby Hancock , Mallorie Johnson, Chelcie Nix, Beth Sharpe, and Terrance Smith. See More Information for the full story and Photo Galleries for pictures.

An open house for rising 5^th grade students who are interested in the MERIT program will take place on Thursday, April 3 at 6:00 PM in the TCMS cafeteria. 

Click here for a MERIT application

Due to potentially hazardous road conditions associated with frozen precipitation, the Thomas County School System was closed Wednesday, January 29, 2014. All schools and offices will open on regular schedule Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Due to potentially hazardous road conditions associated with frozen precipitation, the Thomas County School System will be closed Wednesday, January 29, 2014. Thomas County Schools will reopen Thursday, January 30, 2014.

Nick Herndon, a 7th grade MERIT student, flew to New York over Thanksgiving break for a very special event.  He was granted the request to interview Jackie Robinson's widow, Rachel Robinson, at the Jackie Robinson Foundation as a part of his research for his National History Day project.

Congratulations to Aubree Denton for her Grand Prize drawing in the Fourth Annual "I Want to be Recycled" poster contest. Lyndsae Madden placed second in the 9-12 grade division, and Emily Corbitt placed third. See More Information below for a list of all winners and photos of our winning entries.

Georgia author, William Rawlings, visited Mrs. Deann Garcia’s Georgia History classes to discuss writing, research, and his experience with learning history related to Georgia.

On Thursday, November 21, Dr. Jim Rehberg, director of gifted and honors programs, along with the TCCHS guidance counselors held an informational meeting for parents and students interested in learning more about dual enrollment. Representatives from ABAC, Bainbridge College, Southwest Georgia Technical College and Thomas University were also on hand to answer questions specific to their programs. Dual enrollment offers students the opportunity to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. Anyone interested in dual enrollment who was unable to attend the meeting may stop by the guidance office to pick up information.

On Thursday, November 14 Thomas County Central was host to the annual Special Olympic Winter Games. More than 150 local students participated in the games which was conducted by the Thomasville YMCA and the Thomas County Olympics. Students also participated in events at Rose City Bowl. Please see more information below.

Artwork in the Plantation Wildlife Festival Junior Art Contest had to be based on the “Game Birds in Flight” theme. A maximum of 50 entries, from grades 7-12 were accepted for exhibition. TCCHS had eight works selected this year. The overall “Best of Show” winner was Central’s Sophomore Sophie Anderson for her “Wild Pheasant” in watercolor, ink, and acrylic. See more information for pictures of the winning pieces of artwork.

On Monday, September 23, 2013, new members of the Thomas County Central High School National Honor Society were inducted.

On October 17, 2013 the Thomas County Chorale hosted their first annual Fall Showcase. This event invited guests to enjoy an array of delicious homemade desserts, hot cocoa, coffee, and music performed by the talented members of the Thomas County Chorale. The five choirs of TCCHS and several soloists entertained guests by performing a variety of popular music. The showcase is to be held each year as a fundraiser. The Fall Showcase received a positive response from attending students, faculty, administration, and community members.

The Deep South Fair Youth Art Show was recently held in Thomasville. TCCHS had multiple winners in many categories. Congratulations to our 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention Winners!  See More Information for a list of first place TCCHS winners.

The results can be found here:

One Mile Fun Run Results

5K Results

The TCCHS Governor's Honors Program nominees are (front l-r) Emily Kornegay (Academics), Laken Rutland (Fine Arts/Clarinet), Sophie Anderson (Fine Arts/Visual), Christina Sellars (Agriscience);  (back l-r) Noah Harris (Academics), Charles Maggitas (Fine Arts/Trombone), Jacob Hiers (Agriscience); Justin Knapp (Academics), Ryan Trull (Career Technology/Business), Austin Yeomans (Academics) Not pictured: Maggie Bowden (Fine Arts/Percussion)

See More Information below.

Did you know that 91% of teens post photos of themselves on social media sites and 71% post their school name and where they live?  It is important to stay informed about your teen's social media use.  Click here for more information about our Digital Citizenship Initiative and to see a video of TCCHS students participating in a panel discussion on social media use among teens.

Click here for more information and registration form!

An informative meeting for parents of freshman students with last names beginning with G - L will take place on Thursday, August 29 at 6:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. CLICK HERE for more information and dates for other meetings.

Please join us for the 7th Annual Back to School Blitz on Saturday, August 3, 9:00-11:00am, at Thomas County Central High School Gymnasium (upper level)!  Please click here for more information.

Your opinion is important to us! 

Please click here to review our Implementation Plan (CLIP) and provide input for improvement! 

The Georgia High School Graduation test will be given at TCCHS as follows:
ELA on July 15 at 8:30 am
Math on July 16 at 8:30 am
Science on July 17 at 8:30 am
Writing on July 17 at 1:00 pm
Social Studies on July 18 at 8:30 am

Anyone interested in testing who is not currently registered at TCCHS should contact Mrs. K. Jones at 229-225-5050.

Click here to get the information you need as you prepare to send your children back to school! Open House dates, supply lists, and dress code information are provided for your convenience.

Your SPLOST money is at work! If you need to visit Hand-In-Hand or Thomas County Middle School over the next few weeks, it may be necessary to enter from Highway 202 (County Line Road) and come through the back. We are receiving extended entrances and exits off the bypass as well as restructuring and paving.

TCCHS quarterback Adam Choice made a verbal commitment on Wednesday, May 22 to officially become a Clemson Tiger on national singing day in February, 2014. See the story from the Thomasville-Times Enterprise by clicking MORE INFORMATION.

Hand-In-Hand launched a new program ... Watch D.O.G.S. - (Dads of Great Students).  The kickoff program was a big hit with over 100 dads attending the meeting.  We are asking our dads, stepdads, granddads, and important males to commit to serving one day in our school.  These men will serve as role models on our campus helping in the classrooms, P.E., computer lab, recess, and lunch.  For more information on Watch D.O.G.S. call the school at 229-225-3908.

Five Thomas County Middle School (TCMS) students recently signed to be a part of the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia program, a scholarship program designed to promote academic success and expand access to higher education. The TCMS students chosen to join REACH Georgia are Earnestine Brock, Zariah Clark, Ava Mares, Haylee Moore, and Malina Roberts.

Students were nominated by their teachers because they maintain good grades and excellent school attendance, actively participate in class, and have good behavior.  Following the nomination, students went through a rigorous interview process to become REACH scholars.

As a part of the program, students signed contracts to agree to meet attendance and behavior requirements, maintain a certain grade point average, participate in REACH Georgia-related activities, and meet weekly with a mentor throughout high school. Parents and/or guardians also signed contracts to support each student throughout their education. When students meet these requirements, they will each receive a $10,000 college scholarship.

November is Georgia Apply to College Month, and Thomas County Central High School intends to take full advantage of the Georgia Apply to College program’s opportunities. 

TCCHS will host its Apply to College Day Thursday, Nov. 9. During the school day, senior students can visit the school’s media center computer lab to complete at least one college admission application. 

“We are excited about being able to offer this opportunity to our students,” TCCHS Senior Guidance Counselor Tammy Shealey said. “The goal is to provide our seniors with help from knowledgeable volunteers as they navigate the college application process and take advantage of ‘No Fee November’ through GAFutures.org.”

According to the official website, the program seeks to provide all high school seniors the chance to apply to college while assisting first-generation and underrepresented students navigate the application process. 

Representatives from Southern Regional Technical College and Thomas University will be on-site to aid school staff with hands-on support as students fill out applications.

“Thomas University looks forward to helping students throughout the day,” TU Admissions Representative Josh Barrett said. “It’s important that students have the opportunity to further their education, and this could be [an] important first step for many students.”

Most of Georgia's public school systems are accredited by Cognia, a nonprofit organization tasked with setting educational standards that prepare students for life after the classroom. Cognia will be conducting an accreditation review for the Thomas County School System during the school year. As part of the accreditation process, schools submit their educational environment to a rigorous process of analysis and evaluation. This parent survey will allow you to respond to questions about Cognia standards and how Thomas County includes families in the education of their students. Please complete this survey by September 22, 2023. If you have children in two or more schools, please take a moment to complete a survey for each school.

Click here to for more information and to take the survey!

It was a magical and eventful summer for Thomas County Central High School students Grayson Jones and Allyson “Ally” Moore. The current seniors, both 17, spent part of their summer vacation immersed in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. 

Held at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro this year, GHP gathered some of the brightest and most innovative youth minds for a month-long educational experience that surpassed the traditional classroom. 

“I don't think there's another word that sums it up quite like ‘magical,’” Jones said. “It's not just the classes or the dances, but the small moments with friends that really make this program what it is. Even walking to the dining hall felt so special because you were constantly surrounded by like-minded people who understand you and everything you love.” 

Eventful is how Moore describes GHP.

“There was never a dull moment,” she said. “I was always doing something, whether it was learning in class or having fun afterward.”

Participants have major and minor study areas. Jones’ major was communicative arts. She loved the people she met, like her hallmate Jay and the teachers who instructed her. 

“I especially loved Gillian’s slam poetry class because of how encouraging she was,” Jones said. “We could write and perform anything in her class without fear of scrutiny or judgment. I always loved her stories about fun things she and her fiancé do for each other, and I will always miss her Edgar Allen Poe-themed music.” 

Jones minored in education.

Thomas County Central High School sophomore, Paige Parkerson, has been selected to serve on the inaugural HealthMPowers Youth Advisory Board. HealthMPowers works to champion healthy habits and transform the environments where children live, learn, and play. Along with five other members of the board, Parkerson will lend her expertise to program implementation and improvements, and inform operations to enhance services for children and youth.

“I am excited just to meet other kids from the state and work to find ways to help kids get more involved in the choices they make in food and activities,” Parkerson said. “I want to have an impact on others and help create a better living and understanding for everyone.”

The Board was established as a result of feedback from youth during the creation of the 2022-2025 HealthMPowers Strategic Plan. The YAB is aligned with the organization’s strategy to deliver high-impact learning experiences that foster healthy habits— with a unique focus on youth voice. Board members will meet virtually once a month and serve for a minimum of one academic year.

Please complete the Parent Survey!

The Thomas County School System is conducting a Parent Survey. We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous.

The survey is open until Friday, March 29. Thank you for your time and valuable feedback!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Parent-FY24

Spanish surveys available upon request.
Encuestas en español disponibles a pedido.

Calling all Santa’s helpers: Thomas County Central High School’s Shop With A Yellow Jacket, or SWAYJ, annual charity event is almost here. 

Always held in mid-December, SWAYJ assists Thomas County Schools pupils whose families could use a helping hand during the holiday season. 

“TCCHS is committed to improving the lives of its students and members of the Thomas County community,” assistant principal Levi Williams said. “The holidays can be an especially difficult time for many of our families and students. The mission for SWAYJ is to share a little holiday cheer and to reinforce the belief that helping and caring for one another is how we grow as a community.” 

Teams of TCCHS students raise funds to take an elementary-age pupil Christmas shopping at Walmart. But it’s not a spree for themselves.

“Instead, the gifts they purchase are for their family members, further spreading the spirit of giving during the holiday season,” Williams said.

Senior Bhumin Patel knows how special SWAYJ is because he’s participated before and plans to do so again this year. He started because he wanted to do something nice for someone else.

Patel recalls his favorite part of the experience as seeing the smile on his group’s little shopper’s face after finding a specific toy.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods has appointed 16 new parents to serve on his 2022-2023 Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Danniell Slocumb, a Thomas County Middle School representative on the Thomas County School District’s Parent Advisory Council, was chosen as one of the members.

Slocumb, who is one of only 31 parents serving on the State PAC, was nominated by the Thomas County School District at the beginning of this school year. New members are selected each year by representatives of the Georgia Department of Education based on the applicants’ responses to questions on engaging parents to ensure their children’s success at school and the local school superintendent’s recommendation. Slocumb will serve a two-year term on the council.

Slocumb is actively involved with the Thomas County School System and a supportive member of the community. Having a recently graduated senior and a current seventh grader, Slocumb is well aware of the academic and social supports families can benefit from. She has partnered with the different schools in the Thomas County school district since her first daughter started school 18 years ago.

“I think that being engaged in a constructive way at the school level is the only way to be able to have a voice so that the school has a chance to listen to an outside perspective and then take action accordingly,” Slocumb said.

Thomas County Central High School students posted a record number of 5s on their Advanced Placement exams for the 2021-22 school year. In the last five years, TCCHS’ tally rose from 12 in 2018 to 53 in 2022, a significant increase from 2021’s 33 5s. 

“Naturally, we are super proud of those kids who earned these scores,” TCCHS AP Coordinator Erin White said. “We have several who received multiple 5s; we even had six freshmen earn 5s! It is really hard to get a 5, and it is definitely an accomplishment for the kids.”

According to the College Board AP Score Table, a 5 means extremely well-qualified for college credit and placement; it’s equivalent to an A or A plus in a college course taken at a selective university. 

Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg expressed pride in the school’s AP program and its students.

“It is exciting to see students performing at this level and earning the confidence and knowledge needed to do well in college,” she said.

Three Thomas County Central High School students plan to spend part of their summer break immersing themselves in pursuit of further knowledge about their academic and fine arts passions. 

Juniors Sofia Jimenez, Tessa Thomas and Savannah Taylor earned acceptance into the prestigious Georgia Governor’s Honor Program. The summer intensive brings together some of the state’s brightest minds for a month of accelerated learning on a college campus. 

Additionally, juniors Morgan Loper (music – piano) and Caleb Kinneer (music – Jazz, French horn) earned alternate positions. This status means that if someone in their selected field cannot attend, they have the opportunity to take that finalist’s place.

“Being selected for the Governor's Honors Program is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the students' dedication to excellence,” TCCHS Assistant Principal Erin Rehberg said. “We are so proud of our finalists and alternates, and we know this will be a life-changing experience for them.”

The Thomas County School System is conducting a Parent Survey. We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous.

The survey is open until April 1. Thank you for your time and valuable feedback!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ParentSurvey21-22

Spanish surveys available upon request.
Encuestas en español disponibles a pedido.

The links below will take you to the registration forms. The forms are not compatible on mobile phones, but computers will be available at HNH and the board office. Please call 229-225-3908 for more information.

Pre-K English Registration Form

Kindergarten English Registration Form

After you register, please click here to schedule the Pre-K & Kindergarten Screener.

de prekínder Formulario de

registro de jardín de infantes

La cita de evaluación de su hijo será el  22 de febrero de 2022. Llame Thais Woods al (229) 516-2080 entre las 10:00 am y las 3:30 pm para registrarse para la evaluación de su estudiante.

An ONLINE registration portal will be active on January 31 and February 1. This live link will be available on this website and on social media for registration. If you need access to a computer, please call Hand-In-Hand at 229-225-3908 and ask for Trish Kearce who will schedule an appointment to assist you in registering your child.  All eligible students signed up for pre-k on January 31 and February 1 will be guaranteed a slot. Out-of-district students will be accepted upon approval by the Board of Education.

A link will also be available during online registration to schedule your child’s screening appointment. 

Click here for more information.

Justin Rogers was hired as the Thomas County Central head football coach Friday following the Thomas County Board of Education’s unanimous approval at a morning board meeting.

He will officially begin his duties as the Yellow Jackets’ head coach on January 3 according to Athletic Director Philip Duplantis.

“It is a privilege and honor to be able to serve as the head coach at Thomas County Central,” Rogers said. “I’m super excited to be a part of the Yellow Jacket family and feel passionately about continuing the tradition of excellence.”

Welcome Back-to-School Letter from the Superintendent 

Back-to-School Information 

Thomas County Schools is pleased to announce that Joey Holland, SFO, Deputy Superintendent for Finance, has earned the Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations® (SFO®) by the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO). School business professionals who earn the SFO certification have proven that they have the required knowledge, expertise, and fiscal credibility to lead their school district and effectively manage the district’s finances.

“Even though I’m going into my twentieth year in school finance for Thomas County Schools, I wanted reassurance that I had the knowledge and professional competencies to lead the school district in not only finance, but other areas of school operations,” Holland said.  “I was also eager to find out if my finance and operations knowledge was on par with other school finance officials across the country.”

ASBO International’s SFO certification is an internationally recognized standardized assessment for school business officials.

We celebrated National Parent Involvement Day giving us the opportunity to recognize the many contributions parents and caregivers provide on a daily basis. We appreciate your continued support of our school system!

https://youtu.be/HiFMuwKMsLg

Legendary coach Ed Pilcher arrived at Thomas County Central in 1991. During his 17 seasons as head coach, the Yellow Jackets never missed the playoffs, played in eight semi-final games and made six championship game appearances, winning five state championship titles. Amassing 169 wins at TCCHS and 250 in his career, Pilcher is the 26th winningest coach in state history and was elected to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association's Hall of Fame in 2017. On Friday night, November 20, the field at the Jackets' Nest will be named in his honor. Please join us pre-game as we celebrate Coach Pilcher and his impact on Yellow Jacket football.

The Rose City Foundation, associated with Envision Credit Union, recently donated money to Thomas County Schools to buy books for the elementary schools. The foundation donated $1 per student in grades Pre-K through fifth grade with the total being $2,794. Kellie Merck, left, Envision's Georgia Community Development Manager, recently presented the check to Thomas County Schools Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.   

The Thomas County Health Department and Thomas County Schools are teaming up to fight the influenza (flu) virus again this year by providing immunizations in our schools. 

Flu registration packets are being sent home with students. If you need another copy, the forms and other additional information can be accessed by clicking on the links below. Flu registration packets must be completed and returned to the school on or before Tuesday, October 6, 2020. You can also fax the forms to the health department by dialing 229-379-3521. 

2020 Parent Letter - Flu

2021-2022 Student Consent Form

Adult Vaccine Consent Form

Influenza Inactive VIS 2021-22

Privacy Notice

Fans of the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets will be able to watch the action of the 2020 football season live from the comfort of their own home through a new live streaming service that will be offered by the school.

“We felt an obligation to our supporters to offer something for them that would be as close as possible to them being inside the stadiums we play in,” said Central athletic director Sam Holland about the live stream, which will be offered through the Sport Scope company. “We looked at all of the available options out there and felt like this was the best choice of combining quality of service and benefit for our sports programs.”

With Covid-19 social distancing mandates in place in most stadiums across Georgia, it is anticipated that attendance with most games will be limited to 25-30% capacity. That was the key motivating factor in developing the live stream option for fans.

The School-Based Health Center on the TCMS campus reopened June 1.  In light of COVID 19, and PCSG’s desire to keep our patients and staff safe, patient appointments will be limited to two per hour.  PSCG is working with the School’s Athletic Director and Archbold Medical Group in providing the community-wide sports physicals (dates to be determined).  If you are unable to make those dates, PCSG will provide sports physicals in the clinic for $10. 

The clinic will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday – Friday. In addition to offering in-clinic appointments, PCSG offers telehealth visits.   

To help maintain physical distancing rules, all appointments must be scheduled in advance.  To schedule your appointment, please call  229-227-2936.

For the safety of our patients and staff:

1.      Before entering the clinic everyone must be screened.
2.      Only one person may accompany a minor for a visit.
3.      All patients and accompanying adult must wear a mask.
4.      PCSG staff will be wearing a mask as well as other protective equipment.
5.      PCSG will limit the number of individuals in the clinic at any one time.   

An in-person graduation ceremony for the Thomas County Central High School Class of 2020 will be held on Saturday, June 6, at 9:00 a.m. at the Jackets’ Nest Stadium.  As with all decisions made during this challenging time, we are working diligently to honor and celebrate the Class of 2020 while also ensuring the safety of everyone involved.

We are extremely pleased to provide our 2020 graduates with a traditional type of graduation ceremony which they have earned and so greatly deserve. Finding a way to celebrate their accomplishments in-person and in the company of their family, despite the necessary restrictions that are in place as the result of the pandemic, has been a focus of our work over the past few weeks.

To ensure the health and safety of the graduates, school personnel, and guests, the following measures are in effect for this year’s graduation ceremony:

Thomas County Schools will be offering meal distribution every Wednesday starting April 22 through May 27. Each box will contain breakfast and lunch for seven days. Thomas County Middle School will be the main location, and we will continue to deliver to the outlying areas. Times will also remain the same with it being from 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at TCMS and from 11:00 a.m. - 12 noon at the other sites. We are happy to still be here for you! Please call 229-413-1234 if you have any questions.

The Thomas County School System is in the initial phase of the system's strategic planning process. We value the input of our stakeholders and want to take into consideration the thoughts, ideas, wishes, and dreams of those who are invested in our system. Your input will help establish the system's goals and priorities, which will guide the system over the next five years. If you were unable to attend the Community Engagement Session on Thursday, February 20, to provide your input, please complete the short survey below by 11:45 p.m. on March 5. Thank you for your time, and we greatly appreciate your feedback. 

English survey:    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CE20-Thomas

Spanish survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CE20-Thomas-Spanish

Those who need translation may email Emily Ross eross@tcjackets.net for assistance.

After celebrating its 50^th birthday last year, Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School is about to receive a top-to-bottom modernization which will position it to serve Thomas County students for another half-century.

The Thomas County Board of Education has awarded a contract for $7.5 million to CCH Construction, Inc. of Thomasville for the renovation and modernization of Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School.

The project has been in the planning stages for the last five years and is funded through a combination of proceeds from the 2016 ESPLOST program and State Capital Outlay Funds.

Plans and specifications for the project were prepared by SRJ Architects of Albany, Georgia. A request for bids was advertised for four weeks, and bids were received from three contractors as follows: CCH Construction, Inc. of Thomasville, $7,570,136; Quillian Powell Construction of Valdosta, $8,262,000; and SRS, Inc. of Griffin, $8,021,500. The Board of Education awarded the project to the low bidder.

The Thomas County School System’s MERIT program is providing daily afternoon writing workshops to prepare MERIT students at Thomas County Middle School (TCMS) for the rigors of Advanced Placement (AP) classes and to support MERIT students at Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) who are enrolled in AP classes.

Thomas County’s MERIT program spans grades 5 through 12 and includes students from both Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School. The workshop is part of an initiative to bridge the MERIT program between the two schools.

The Thomas County School System is pleased to announce the introduction of a string orchestra program for the 2019-2020 school year serving students in grades 4 -12.

Dr. Boyan Bonev has joined the faculty of Thomas County Schools and will lead the formation of the string orchestra program with classes held during both the school day and after school.

In order to recognize the teachers who have gone above and beyond with implementing the effective use of technology in classroom instruction, this year the Thomas County School System named the second annual Digital Learning All-Star Teacher at each school and for the district. Daphney King, a fourth grade teacher Cross Creek Elementary School, was selected as the district winner.

“The Thomas County School System has made a significant investment in technology for our students and teachers as a result of having E-SPLOST funds and receiving other grants," said Erin Rehberg, Digital Learning Coordinator for Thomas County Schools. "It is important to reward those teachers who have used the technology provided to them to effectively transform the learning process in their classrooms.  Not only do all of our Digital Learning All-Star Teachers effectively use technology with their students, they are also known for helping their peers with various technology tools.”

Each school held a nomination process with the winner for each school completing an application in order to compete for the district title. This year, the district winner was awarded a Google Chromebook courtesy of Firefly Computers and will be able to attend an educational technology conference in the fall.  

Thomas County Central High School is promoting teamwork and school involvement through embracing the world of competitive virtual gaming.

Computer science teacher Mark Thompson and Athletics Director Samuel Holland have joined forces to form the school’s first-ever esports team.

Superintendent of Thomas County Schools Dr. Lisa Williams approached Holland about checking into starting an esports program.

“After doing the research on esports from the high school to professional levels, I knew this was something we needed here,” Holland said. “Not only does this reach out to all students, but it also gives us another way to get athletes in college.”

Thompson says esports is the fastest-growing spectator sport in the world and is more than its name might suggest.

In light of the recent news stories concerning hacking on YouTube and other websites that provide children's programming, we urge parents to monitor what their children are viewing by way of Internet connections. The Internet can be a wonderful educational tool, but the online world can also be dangerous. Please protect your children by supervising their Internet exposure.

The Thomas County School System has services that monitor all student web searches, email messages and storage of files for inappropriate or dangerous content. We are diligent in protecting students while they are using accounts and devices provided by the district whether they are at school or off-campus. We urge parents to monitor their students’ use of all Internet connections, especially those that occur outside of the school system’s monitored network.

Please feel free to contact your child’s school or the school district if you ever have concerns about Internet content that your child accesses by way of a school system owned device or connection.

A Thomas County Central High School Class of 2018 graduate is already building upon the agricultural knowledge foundation he gained from his time as a Career Technical Agricultural Education student.

Three Thomas County Central High School musicians have been invited to audition for a prestigious international showcase. (left to right) Caleb Moore, Megan Schminky and Kaleb Ward each received a letter from Honors Performance Series congratulating them upon being automatically nominated to apply for the High School Honors Performance Series. Moore was selected for his inclusion in the 2018 Georgia All-State Symphonic Band; Schminky and Ward were nominated for their participation in the 2018 Georgia All-State Chorus. 

Parents...Are you familiar with vault apps? Do you have questions about cyberbullying and dangerous social media trends? Thomas County Schools is sponsoring a FREE Cyber-Safety Seminar with nationally recognized speaker, Sgt. Jesse Hambrick of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.  Please make plans to attend on September 11 at 6:00 PM at the Thomas County Board of Education.

The Thomas County School System is conducting a Parent Survey.  We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous. Thank you for your time and valuable feedback!

2019 Parent Survey

Thomas County Central High School has taken the first step toward a select group of its students being included in a prominent summer education program. The school held a special reception to recognize its 2018 Governor’s Honors Program nominees Monday, Dec. 11.

A community listening session will be held Monday evening, December 11, at 6:00 p.m. in the Thomas County Central High School cafeteria.

Hand-In-Hand Primary School Assistant Principal Dee Gaines has been appointed principal designee to assume the role effective October 1, following Jeanna Mayhall’s retirement.  The Thomas County Board of Education approved the appointment at its meeting on September 12.

Thomas County Schools will welcome staff and students back for a normal day tomorrow, September 13. We do not expect any significant changes to bus routes, and all of our schools will be open for the regular schedule.

The Thomas County Board of Education has named Associate Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams as its sole candidate to succeed Dr. Dusty Kornegay as superintendent of the county school system upon his retirement which will be effective June 1, 2018.

Kornegay informed the school board in January that he plans to retire at the end of the 2017-2018 school year, and he provided official notice of his retirement in a letter to the board in June.

Click "More" to read entire press release

The Thomas County Board of Education has given tentative approval to a $63.5 million budget for the 2017-2018 school year. The board has scheduled two public hearings prior to final adoption of the budget in compliance with a law passed by the general assembly in 2016 which requires public hearings for school board budgets even if no local property tax increase is anticipated.

The first public hearing will be held in conjunction with a 7:00 p.m., May 23, called board meeting at the Board of Education Meeting Room located at 200 North Pinetree Boulevard, Thomasville. The second hearing will be held in conjunction with the June 13, 2017, board meeting, also at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room.

Click here to see FY18 Budget

Junior Celia “C’lee” Kornegay, 16, has earned a slot in this year’s Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) selected Thomas County Central High School as one of only five high schools in the entire state to receive a $30,000 Advanced Placement (AP) Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)  grant and the only high school in the state to be awarded the grant in two fields, computer science and statistics.

This grant will allow the high school to build upon its already successful Advanced Placement Computer Science and Statistics programs by developing rigorous feeder courses and building faculty capacity in both the AP and pre-AP programs.

Attention Parents!

If you were unable to attend one of the meetings regarding the Chromebooks that will be issued to students at Thomas County Central High School, you can access the information via the links below.  

TCCHS Chromebook Informational Video - Please watch this video first.  

Parent/Student Chromebook Letter/Contract - Print, sign, and return this letter.  The letter should be returned to the student's second period teacher.  These should be returned as soon as possible.  

Frequently Asked Questions - This document contains a list of frequently asked questions and answers.

If you have any more questions, please contact the school or email Mrs. Lindsay Thompson at lthompson@tcjackets.net.

Please help to ensure that we have current contact information and phone numbers on file for your child(ren) at all times. You can access and update this information through your Parent Portal account.  If you do not have a Parent Portal account, please sign-up for one today. The process only takes a few minutes of your time and you will also gain access to your child(ren)'s grades, attendance, and schedule(s).  Please click on the link below to access the Parent Portal Instruction Guide and the Parent Portal Registration Link. 

Parent Portal Instruction Guide and Registration Link  

Thomas County Elementary Schools will host the Jack O'Lantern Trail Run on Saturday, October 22.  The trail run will take place at 5:00 PM and will be followed by the fun run at 6:00 PM.  There will also be a raffle for some great prizes!  Please click here to print the registration form and find out more information.

Click here to sign up for the event.  

Please participate in this important online survey! We need your feedback and suggestions to revise our School Improvement Plans. This survey is available now through Saturday, May 21, 2016.  Click on the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/parentsurveyFY16

The Thomas County School System provides on-line learning opportunities for home-school and cyber-school students. Please join us for an informational meeting. Two sessions will be offered to provide more opportunities for parents to attend.

Tuesday, May 3
10:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Professional Learning Center
Thomas County Board of Education
Call 229-225-4380 for more information!

The Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Region Science & Engineering Fair was held Friday, Feb. 12. Ten projects advanced to state competition and one project was selected as an alternate. Students advancing to state competition are: Faythe Choate and Hailey Newman, Sierra Stephens and Kennedy Ward, Desiree Hough, Emily Mitchell and Emily Owens, Jordan Bush and Hannah Dixon, C’lee Kornegay, Anna Jense and Tyler Williamson, Hailey Ferrel, Kealie Bennett, and Katelyn Hancock. Alternate is Caroline Pope.

Thomas County Middle School (TCMS) Associate Principal Jamie Thompson has been appointed principal designee to assume the role effective June 1, following Dr. Kathy Keown’s retirement.  The Thomas County Board of Education approved the appointment at its meeting on January 12.

Click "More Information" to read full article.

Every classroom in every school in the county has a Smartboard, an interactive whiteboard, and Thomas County Schools has recently deployed more than 1,400 new Chromebooks and plans to add at least 1,100 more over the next year.

We need your input for improvement! Please complete survey by Friday, September 30.

We would like your input on our system-wide Comprehensive Local Education Agency’s Implementation Plan (CLIP).  Below are two links where you can view the plan and complete a brief survey.  Thank you for your input and suggestions.

Click here to review the implementation plan (CLIP).

Click the link below to complete the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/16-17-CLIP

This Christmas season at TCCHS teachers are lending a helping hand in a unique way: by sharing their voices. A group of teachers came together to record a CD in order to raise funds for the annual Shop with a Yellow Jacket (SWAYJ) project. The CD is titled “It’s a Yellow Jacket Christmas 2014” and CDs are $10 apiece.

School Bus Safety Week reminds students, parents and
motorists of their important role in school bus safety

Georgia celebrates National School Bus Safety Week on October 20 - 24, 2014, and Georgia School Bus Driver Appreciation Day on Monday, October 20.  Schools and safety advocates throughout the Peach State are using the week as an opportunity to highlight the importance of school bus safety.  The 2014 theme for the week, Be Smart - Be Seen, I wait in a safe place, reminds students, parents and motorists of the important role each plays in ensuring student safety at the school bus stop.  One key factor in protecting Georgia’s students rests with motorists obeying the law and stopping for Georgia’s school buses as they board and exit. But, drivers should also be reminded that obeying the law is just not enough.  Children are unpredictable… motorists must have an overall heightened safety awareness and expect the unexpected as children wait at bus stops and as they get on and off their school bus.

Garrison-Pilcher students are learning more about science and engineering by participating in the Junior First Lego League.

Parents, we need your feedback and suggestions.  Please take a moment to complete our online survey by clicking the link below.  The survey is available now through Friday, September 5, 2014.  We value your feedback and appreciate you taking the time share it with us!

Parent Survey

Click here to get the information you need as you prepare to send your children back to school. Open House dates, supply lists, and dress code information are provided for your convenience.

Join us Sunday, March 30, at 2:30 p.m. for the Open House for the new Career Science building at Thomas County Middle School. Click the link below for more information.

TCMS Career Science Open House Invitation

The TCCHS Social Studies Department would like to announce the winners of our 1st National History Day competition. These students will advance to the state competition at Mercer University at the end of April. Please see More Information below for a list of winners.

Calling All Preschoolers!

February 3rd & 5th

Click here for more information

On Wednesday, August 21, 2013 TCCHS held the first blood drive of the school year. See More Information for story and pictures.

The Thomas County School System is happy to partner with the Thomas County Health Department in offering flu vaccines to our students at no cost this fall.  An information packet was sent home with Garrison-Pilcher, Cross Creek, Thomas County Middle, and Thomas County Central High School students regarding the vaccine. For these students, the HIPPA acknowledgement and vaccine consent forms are due back on Monday, September 28. Click here to find out more and download the information sheets and the acknowledgement and consent forms. 

Attention parents!  Please take a moment to complete our Parent Survey which will provide us with valuable information about our schools and will help with future improvement strategies.  Your feedback makes a difference!

A special 45 minute one-act version of the play was presented by the TCCHS Theatre Dept at the 2013 AASU One-Act Play Festival and won an Honorable Mention for Special Effects.  An imaginative production, this play appeals to the childlike wonder in all of us.   One performance only!  Tuesday, April 30th at @ 7:00 PM.  Cost is $3.00 for general admission and tickets will be sold at the door.  Don’t miss it!

Participate in the development of our school system's New Strategic Plan by viewing the Community Engagement Meeting presentation and taking the Community Engagement Survey.    Your opinion matters!

Mark your calendar for Kindergarten Registration on Monday, April 29!

We would love for you to join us in our 1st annual Alumni Baseball Game on March 2nd.  Click More Information below for more details and the registration form.

Mark your calendar and make sure you have all documentation ready to register your child for Pre-Kindergarten at Hand-in-Hand Primary School!  Click the link to the flyer below for all details including dates, times, and a list of documents needed.

Pre-K Registration Information

Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers (GYSTC) has recently awarded Thomas County Middle School science teacher Clayton Woodfin with the 2024 Georgia STEM Scholar Award. As part of this special recognition, he received a $500 grant to purchase STEM education materials for his classroom, as well as free admission to attend the GYSTC Summer STEM Institute.

Woodfin is one of twenty-five other educators throughout the state of Georgia to receive this award. He believes that Thomas County Middle School provides a great foundation for STEM education.

"I feel really honored to be recognized by the GYSTC for the work I do with our students every day,” Woodfin said. “The money from the award will be spent on EEG headbands, which will allow our students to carry out science fair projects that study brain waves."

The Georgia STEM Scholar Award recognizes outstanding certified teachers in grades K-8 who are working to integrate effective STEM education in their classrooms. Georgia STEM Scholars demonstrate a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences along with creating an atmosphere of exploration that excites, energizes, and equips students to pursue enhanced educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.  

The GYSTC Summer STEM Institute will be held in June at Kennesaw State University. During the Institute, teachers will participate in Super STEM Challenges, Robotics and Coding Activities, and Top 10 STEM Explorations. In addition, teachers will develop their own engaging STEM Challenge to be shared with their teaching colleagues.

Thomas County Central High School Science Fair occurred Friday, Dec. 8. More than 50 projects entered the event. Retired educators and science teachers from other schools within the Thomas County system served as judges. First-place winners included Andrew Robertson, Henry Edge, Peyton West, Drew Darsey, and the duo of Hudson Wynn and Royson Thompson. Also, judges gave special recognition to these students for their outstanding projects: Andrew Robertson, Henry Edge, Thomas Buwa and Jayla Davis.

First, second, and third place finishers advanced to the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Regional Science and Engineering Fair, slated for Feb. 16 in Tifton.

Click READ MORE to see SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS & PLACERS

Thomas County Central High School held Apply to College Day on Thursday, Nov. 9. The event, in conjunction with the Georgia Apply to College program and No Fee November through GAFutures.org, offers soon-to-graduate students the opportunity to complete and submit college applications for free while on school campus where they can receive guidance if needed. Throughout the school day, seniors visited the TCCHS Media Center computer lab, where representatives from the TCCHS Guidance Office, Southern Regional Technical College, and Thomas University assisted them with filling out and submitting applications to various Georgia post-secondary institutions. 

Fifty colleges and universities currently participate in No Fee November, meaning students may submit admission applications to them for free throughout the month. In addition to local schools, places TCCHS seniors applied to include Valdosta State University, Kennesaw State University, University of Georgia, Columbus State University and Georgia Southern University. Approximately 110 students participated.

The valuable, yearlong Cross Creek discount cards are on sale now through September 1. Buying a Cross Creek card has many benefits including saving money, helping to provide incentives and rewards for Cross Creek students, as well as keeping the shopping local for our generous merchants.  Selling at the same low price of $5.00 since 1994, Cross Creek cards save money throughout the year and pay for themselves after the first or second use.

The first Cross Creek cards were sold in 1994 and have continued to be an important fundraiser for Cross Creek.  Almost 30 years later, money raised over the years continues to fund many extras.

According to Cross Creek Principal Ashley Lane, past funds have helped purchase a golf cart for the school, which is used to monitor grounds and transport students, and provide an incentive for good behavior to ride with the SRO.

“The funds also help us support all academic celebrations every nine weeks including Accelerated Reader (AR) prizes and Positive Behavior incentives.  This includes our end-of-the-year celebration for students at the YMCA,” Lane said.  

Thomasville Toyota was named Thomas County School System’s BEE Partner of the Year for 2022-2023.  This is the second time Thomasville Toyota has been chosen as BEE Partner of the Year. The first time was in 2020.

The Business and Education Exchange (BEE) Partner of the Year is chosen from the outstanding BEE Partners who work with Thomas County Schools to strengthen the link among schools, businesses/industries, and the community.  

The partnership between Thomasville Toyota and Thomas County Schools is strengthened by the support of Brad Ramsey, Thomasville Toyota’s Service and Parts Director.

“It is a true honor to be selected as the BEE Partner of the Year,” Ramsey said. “Thomasville Toyota is committed to providing resources to help the staff and students at Thomas County Schools. We are happy to be a part of their mission to educate students and help young people become productive members of society.”

The Nest, Thomas County Central High School's school store, teamed with Future Business Leaders of America to raise $3,000 for CURE Childhood Cancer. The Nest student volunteers and FBLA members designed "Gold Out" shirts, sold in the fall, to raise funds for CURE. The Ken Young Company in Cairo provided shirts at a discounted rate to assist with fundraising efforts. Sharon Johnson, the local CURE representative, and Ashely Sowell, TCCHS nurse and childhood cancer survivor, accepted the check from FBLA Adviser Nicholas Haskin, TCCHS Principal Jamie Thompson, and TCCHS FBLA students who also volunteer in the school store -- Roan Adams, Natalie Carlisle, and Caroline Westberg -- on May 16, 2023. Pictured are (left to right) Nicholas Haskin, Roan Adams, Ashely Sowell, Jamie Thompson, Natalie Carlisle, Caroline Westberg and Sharon Johnson.

An ONLINE registration portal will be active on January 30 and 31st. This live link will be available on this website and on social media for registration. If you need access to a computer, please call Hand-In-Hand at 229-225-3908 and ask for Trish Kearce who will schedule an appointment to assist you in registering your child.  All eligible students signed up for pre-k on January 30 and 31st will be guaranteed a slot. Out-of-district students will be accepted upon approval by the Board of Education.

A link will also be available during online registration to schedule your child’s screening appointment. 

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School is decorating Christmas trees with a purpose with a reading tree in the Media Center and a giving tree in the front office.

Students are decorating the reading tree in the Media Center by designing ornaments with the title of a book that they have read, a drawing from the story, and a detail that makes that book a favorite.  The reading tree has become a vehicle for giving, too.  The number of ornaments completed by students quickly grew beyond the tree and are hanging on all of the windows of the Media Center. 

Media Center Paraprofessional Rachel Roberts said that students who come into the library who are unsure of what book to check out are looking at the ornaments for ideas. 

“They look at the drawings and the reasons why other students liked the books, and that helps them choose a book to read,” said Roberts. 

A new tradition has started with a blue and gold decorated tree displaying the school’s Yellow Jacket spirit, but also to include numbered tags that each represent an anonymous child in the school. Each child has four tags on the tree, and they will receive four gifts:  an outfit, a blanket, and two toys. The children were chosen based on those in need by the administration.

On the Monday after Thanksgiving, the tree was full with 72 tags.  Parents, staff members, community members, and teachers were asked to give back by choosing a child.  All 72 tags were claimed by the end of the first week.

"It was our hope that by the end of the week, The Giving Tree would be empty," said Principal Amy Tyson.  "Since it was, then that means we will have filled the hearts of the children of our school with the Christmas Spirit."

Thomas County School Nutrition Director Dr. Lauren Duplantis was recently appointed to serve on the 2022-2023 State School Nutrition Director’s Advisory Council. As a member of the Advisory Council, she will work with other directors, state staff, professional association and industry members to enhance the reach and effectiveness of school nutrition services across Georgia.

Duplantis was asked by State Director of School Nutrition Dr. Linette Dodson and will serve on the council for three years. The majority of the meetings are held virtually, but at least one meeting per year is held in person.

“It is an honor to be chosen to serve on the advisory council for the state, and I look forward to providing input that will not only improve the programs we provide locally, but that also enhances school nutrition services throughout Georgia,” Dr. Duplantis said. “Our mission is to provide quality meals and nutrition education opportunities for students that promote healthy children, ready to learn, and it is exciting to work alongside others in school nutrition who share this passion as well."

The current alignment of the council is with the RESA districts, having one local director from a district in each of the 16 different RESA districts.

Thomas County Schools’ annual Cross Creek Card sale has officially begun. Community discount cards are $5 and can be purchased from any Cross Creek student or directly from the school. Card sales end Friday, September 9, 2022.  Each student received a sales packet with detailed information for parents. At $5 per card, the card pays for itself in just a few uses in the Thomasville/Thomas County area.

At the kick-off assembly students learned about sales-level prizes and great top prizes that can be earned. The top prize this year is a Nintendo Switch OLED Model.

For over 25 years, proceeds from the card sale have benefitted students and staff members. Playground equipment, field trips, guest performances/speakers, rewards, and prizes are just a few “extras” that students and staff have enjoyed. Cross Creek Elementary thanks parents, students, and the participating community businesses for the hard work that goes into making the card sale a success. 

Only 216 high school seniors around the state earned the rank of 2022 Georgia Scholar, and Thomas County Central High School has three of them. These students are Jack Cantrell, Koda Copeland, and John Adam Singleton. 

The Georgia Department of Education Office of Communications organizes the Georgia Scholar program in partnership with local coordinators. It recognizes excellence in school and community life.

“Being named a Georgia Scholar signifies a commitment to excellence,” TCCHS Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg said. “We are very proud that John Adam, Koda and Jack met and exceeded all of the requirements to earn this honor. These students have not only worked hard to gain academic distinction, but they have also found ways to give back to their community. I am thankful the Georgia Department of Education recognizes the importance of highlighting the hard work of our high-achieving students.”

On February 11, and 12, band students from Thomas County Middle School traveled to ABAC in Tifton, Georgia, to participate in the District 2 Middle School Honor Band Clinic. Of the 90 seventh and eighth grade students representing 14 different middle schools across Southwest Georgia, more than half (50) were from Thomas County Middle School. 

“The District Honor Band clinic consists of between eight and nine hours of intense rehearsals which culminate in a concert performance on the final day," said TCMS Band Director William Majors. "This year, our middle school students worked with teacher and composer, Dr. Andrew Poor, from South Forsyth Middle School in Cumming, GA. The band performed four selections including two of Dr. Poor’s compositions." 

Majors added, “TCMS had a record number of students make District Honor Band this year. We are very proud of these kids and are glad they had this opportunity to further develop their musical skills and perform with other outstanding students from around Southwest Georgia.”

Thomas County Central High School’s TC Masquers claimed a piece of school history when their “A Piece of My Heart” production won the Georgia High School Association State One Act competition for its 4-A region over the Thanksgiving break.

“The state competition officials announced the winners from fourth-place and up, out of six schools,” performer Carson Chapman said. “Once second place was announced, I honestly lost hope. We competed against schools with much bigger budgets, cast, crew, and overall resources. Plus, watching almost every performance before performing last was a bit nerve-wracking. … But…we heard our school. We won! I ran up to the stage in such shock and speed that one of my shoes came off in the auditorium aisle!”

Sophomore Natalee Ballangee, 15, who served as a light technician and assistant stage manager, had a similar reaction.

“When I found out that we won, I jumped up from my chair and just dashed to the stage with my friends,” she said. “I could not comprehend what was happening; I was so happy for us. I am just so ecstatic about TCCHS winning state competition for the first time in our school's history.”

According to TCCHS drama teacher and one act director Gabrielle McMullen, the one act event was a combined element of literary competition until 1999. After it became a separate event, the school’s one act production advanced to state two previous times – 2003 and 2020 – but this is the first year TCCHS won a state competition.

Thomas County Schools’ newly renovated library at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School is filled with the buzz of tiny voices excited about the book they may have just finished reading or even more excited about the book they are looking to find. Students look forward to visiting the library as a class or independently during the day.

Specific modern upgrades for the library include more kid-friendly furniture, a reading area with a large couch, bookshelves that are the same height as the students, and large windows for the students to see in and out of the library.  There is also a “makerspace” area for the students to make and create. A makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school, library, or other facility for making, learning, exploring, and sharing.

The lighting is brighter and can be controlled at various settings. Two ViewBoards are available for teaching whole groups in the makerspace and reading areas.

Join us for the TCCHS Cheer for Kids' Clinic! The Thomas County cheerleaders will travel to your school to teach you chants and jumps so that you may cheer during pre-game festivities for our September 3 home game (a parent or guardian must be in attendance at the game with his/her child). Campers, only attend the clinic offered at your school.

Please click on the link below for more details and to access the form: 

TCCHS Cheer for Kids' Clinic

At the regular April meeting, the Thomas County Board of Education accepted Charles Evans' resignation as the District 3 Board representative. According to Evans, his resignation is due to health reasons that have made it difficult to continue in his role.

For his more than 14 years of service as a board member to the children of Thomas County, Evans was honored during the meeting with a certificate of appreciation and a personalized clock showing his years of service and support to the school system.

“Serving on the board has been one of the greatest experiences in my life,” Evans said. “It has been such a part of my life that I will miss tremendously."

Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams said, “The school system is very appreciative of Mr. Evans for his more than 14 years of faithful, dedicated service as a board member to the children of Thomas County. We greatly appreciate all the many ways that he has helped support our students and system. He has served District 3 and the Thomas County community well and even though his time as a board member has ended, he will forever be a member of our Yellow Jacket family.”

The Board also approved the appointment of Ken Harper to fill the vacant District 3 board seat for the remainder of the current term.
 

Thomas County Central High School FFA chapter’s Meats Evaluation Career Development Event team processed its way to state competition.

The FFA Area 5 Meats Evaluation and Technology Career Development Event occurred virtually Dec. 7. TCCHS team members Samantha Bustle, Katie Sylvan, Taylor Stegall and Ashley Brannen earned first place and the chance to compete at the state level next spring.

“These girls have amazed me,” adviser Nikki Smith said. “This year has thrown everyone a curveball. We were unable to meet in person to study as we have in the past years, and we relied heavily on independent studying and communicating through Google Classroom. Studying outside of our normal group setting required a lot of self-motivation and discipline. To see their hard work pay off is a great feeling.”

Also, junior Taylor Stegall, 16, earned special recognition as the CDE’s highest individual scorer.

“I feel very honored and proud of my achievement,” she said. “Being the highest individual placer allows me to see what subjects I am good at and encourages me to become a better individual.”

According to the Georgia FFA website, the competition develops meat industry employment skills, marketing and merchandising knowledge, analytical and critical thinking abilities, and terminology. Students identify retail meat cuts, carcass quality and yield grade, placings of carcasses or meat cuts, and take a written animal science test.

The Thomas County School System decided to "GO GOLD" during the last week of September which was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Faculty, staff and students wore gold or yellow on Friday, September 25, to share awareness and show support for kids and families impacted by childhood cancer. 

Each school in the system also participated in Caps for CURE by paying one dollar to wear a hat on Friday. Thomas County Schools raised a total of $2,178.61. Each school showed their support by donating the following: Hand-In-Hand, $241.23; Garrison-Pilcher, $412.30; Cross Creek, $634.08; TCMS, $351; TCCHS, $500; and Bishop Hall, $40.

Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams said, "I am very appreciative of the compassion that our students, staff, and parents have demonstrated in their support of Childhood Cancer Awareness and Research as shown through their actions and contributions. Together, we were able to make a difference for such a worthy cause." 

The money raised was donated to CURE Childhood Cancer. Sharon Johnson and Kathy Pipkin visited the school system recently to accept the check on behalf of CURE. 

“‘Caps for CURE’ was started by my family's friend, Sarah Barr, from Locust Grove," said Johnson. "Her idea to encourage students to raise awareness and funding for childhood cancer continues today.  Sarah fought Ewing’s sarcoma for seven years and passed away just before her 20th birthday. We appreciate the continuing support of ‘Caps for CURE.’”

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer. The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines and a list of eBook resources.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at your school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2020-2021 school year.

Summer Reading Challenge Website

We have 18 free WiFi hotspots available at various locations throughout the county to help those without internet access at home. Please email us at techsupport@tcjackets.net or call 229-413-1234 for assistance or if you are having any trouble accessing the free WiFi.

*NOTE - We request that people don't park directly in front of the garage doors at the fire department locations. There should be plenty of space to park at these sites without blocking the doors. Thank you!

Thomas County WiFi Map

The Thomas County School System remains in close contact with local and state agencies to assure that we are all doing what we can to protect the health and welfare of our students and school system employees. 

Our system is committed to providing our staff and students with a safe and healthy learning environment. We are working hard to ensure that our schools and buses are being cleaned and sanitized daily. 

Families are encouraged to frequently check the Georgia Department of Public Health (GaDPH), the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) websites for the most current, reliable information about this issue. These websites are listed below. 

• https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus
• https://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-policy/communications/Pages/coronavirus.aspx
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

Eleven Thomas County students were announced winners of the statewide Fire Safety Contest. They were recognized at the 27th Annual Life, Fire, and Safety Awards luncheon sponsored by the Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner at the Monroe Conference Center in Forsyth, Georgia.

With 72 schools participating from all over the state, Thomas County Schools had four first place winners, three second place winners, and four third place winners. First place winners received a $50 cash prize, a variety of other prizes, and a visit from the fire safety house to his or her school.

Students from Hand-In-Hand Primary, Garrison-Pilcher, Cross Creek, and Thomas County Middle School brought home awards.   

This year’s poster theme was, “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape.” The Poster Contest is open to grades K through 5 and must focus on fire prevention in the home and reflect the National Fire Protection Association theme.

The essay contest theme titled, “What I Want to Learn and Know About the Fire Safety House,” is broken down into two age groups. The Fire Safety Tips Calendar Contest is designed for grades K through 5, and each essay should consist of at least 75 words. Students in grades 6 through 12 must write an essay of at least 500 words.

A federal grant is providing fresh fruits and vegetables to Thomas County students.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted program that provides all children in participating schools with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options. The FFVP also encourages schools to develop partnerships at the state and local levels for support in implementing and operating the program.
 

The Thomas County School Board has approved administrative personnel changes for the 2019-2020 school year upon the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.

Richard Potter has been named principal of the Renaissance Center for Academic and Career Development. The Renaissance Center is Thomas County’s alternative school, serving students in grades 5-12 whose home schools are Thomas County Middle School, Thomas County Central High School, or Bishop Hall Charter School.

Students from Rhonda Smith's eighth-grade class at Thomas County Middle School recently became published authors through a national student publishing program. As part of the publishing process, students planned, wrote and illustrated their own books using a free publishing kit provided by Studentreasures Publishing. 

Each class created their own book with each student contributing a page that he/she wrote and illustrated.  Students brainstormed topics for their books and then held a class vote to make the final decision on the topic which may vary from holidays to music. Publishing a book in the classroom engaged the students through hands-on learning and inspired a love of reading and writing.

The curtain fell on Thomas County Central High School’s TC Masquers region performance with several accolades waiting in the wings. The group placed third at Region 5A One Act Competition Oct. 22. TC Masquers performed “Digging up the Boys” by Laura Lundgren Smith. The story is about three men trapped in a collapsed mine and the women aboveground who love them and are trying to rescue them.

TC Masquers will debut their One Act production of “Digging Up the Boys” Tuesday, Oct. 23. The show is 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas County Board of Education Auditorium, located at 200 N. Pinetree Blvd.

The Thomas County Elementary Schools supplies/wish list is now available. The Thomas County School System has not made any changes to the bookbag/backpack policy. For questions, please contact the Thomas County Board of Education at 229-225-4380.

Thomas County Elementary Schools Supplies/Wish List

Georgia Music Educators Association District 2 Honor Band auditions have been held and numerous youth musicians from Thomas County Central High School made the cut.

Students and faculty members in Thomas County Schools sing and play their favorite Christmas songs on "A Yellow Jacket Christmas 4," on sale in the TCCHS front office and school store and at most Thomas County Schools for only $10. 

All proceeds are donated to fund Shop With A Yellow Jacket teams! 

All selections are recorded & produced in Yellow Jacket Studios within the TCCHS Broadcasting/Video/Audio Production department!

Click on the picture above to hear previews of the songs.

It was all blue and gold for the students at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School as students celebrated the end of their first nine-week term with a pep rally for reading and literacy.

“This has become an annual event,” said Darlene Cook, Garrison-Pilcher media specialist. “We have such a wonderful morning full of activities that support reading. Volunteers from the community come to read to our students and Thomas County Central High School students are on campus to help create that pep rally atmosphere.”

Thomas County Central’s band members, cheerleaders, and football players come to interact with the younger ones getting them excited about reading and literacy as well as being a Yellow Jacket. Thomas University basketball players were also on campus cheering on the kids and encouraging them to read.

“I really liked the football players autographing my book the best,” said second-grader Dakota Law. “I loved all those books that people read to us, too.”

The event begins with students choosing a free book that was provided by proceeds from the recently held book fairs. The students then proceed to the track where they have the pep rally, popcorn, photos, autographs by the athletes, and of course reading books. Community volunteers help with all these activities.

“This is just an awesome event,” said Richard Potter, assistant principal of Garrison-Pilcher. “We appreciate the collaboration between our school and Thomas County Central High School. The interaction between our students and the high school students is very important. They see the rewards of being a good student and definitely want to be a Yellow Jacket.”

One Thomas County Central High School student is continuing his quest to become an educator and to help positively impact the state education system. Junior Caleb Moore will spend his second consecutive year on State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ Student Advisory Council.

According to the Georgia Department of Education website, the council is comprised of students in grades 7-12 “who discuss how decisions made at the state level are affecting students throughout Georgia.” According to the Sept. 13 GaDOE press release, more than 1,500 students applied to serve this year.

Due to our schools being closed for Hurricane Irma, we have rescheduled our 1st grade Grandparents Day activities for Thursday, September 14. We will continue with our 2nd grade Grandparents Day activities as planned for tomorrow morning, September 13. The times for both days are 8:30-10:00 AM. Please remember our Bookfair will be open both days! We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to seeing all of our Wee Bee Grandparents this week!

Thomas County Middle School teachers Melissa Artz and Stacie Dunn have been selected to participate in the National Sustainability Teacher’s Academy at Arizona State University in June. The prestigious program will equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to inspire and educate their students about sustainability issues.

Pertaining to environmental science, the definition of sustainability is the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. Artz and Dunn will participate in a weeklong, hands-on professional development where they will work directly with sustainability scientists and education experts, as well as community sustainability leaders.

Who: Current 4th grade students

What: An interest meeting for the TCMS MERIT program

When: Tuesday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m.

Where: TCMS Cafeteria

Please contact Mrs. Terry Dukes at tdukes@tcjackets.net for any additional information.  

Members of Thomas County Central High School’s ​FFA Livestock Evaluation team proved they know their stuff during the South Region Livestock Judging Career Development Event.

The team placed second overall in the event, held in Ocilla on Nov. 15, and advanced to state competition; member Tori Stringer was named the second-highest scorer in the entire event.

TCCHS will soon be providing every student a Chromebook to use at home and school. Before students can receive a Chromebook, a parent or guardian must attend a meeting to receive information on expectations for use and care. Please see the flyer for more information on dates, times, and location of these meetings. Parents/guardians must only attend one of the meetings offered.

Chromebook Parent Meeting Flyer

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer.  The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at each school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2016-2017 school year.

Guidelines for all schools

Click here for information about programs at the Thomas County Public Library this summer!

Campbell Smith, a fifth grade student in the Thomas County Middle School MERIT program, has qualified for finals with MathCON. Smith scored in the 99th percentile on the first round exam and is the only fifth grade student from the state of Georgia to qualify for finals.  Thomas County Middle School had sixty-six other students receive honorable mention on the first round exam.  

Hand-In-Hand Primary School

2016-2017

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration

Monday, February 1, 2016

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

(Click here for more information)

Thomas County Middle School MERIT Teacher Nancy Rogers was recently inducted into the Valdosta State University Educator Hall of Fame.  Rogers has been teaching for 16 years, serving 10 of those years in Thomas County Schools.  

Come out and join the fun at the Hand-In-Hand and Thomas County Upper Elementary Campus on October 24, 2015. Costumes are encouraged. Awards and prizes will be given.  Click here for more information and the registration form.

Families registered by October 2 will be entered to win a one year
membership to the YMCA!

 Hand-In-Hand Primary School

2015-2016

Pre-K and Kindergarten Registration

For Pre-K:

Register at Hand-In-Hand Primary School

Address: 4687 U. S. Hwy. 84 Bypass, (229) 225-3908

For Kindergarten:

Register at the Thomas County Board of Education

Address: 200 N. Pinetree Blvd., (229) 225-4380

Click Here For Registration Details:

The most wonderful day of the year is currently in the works at Thomas County Central High School. Shop with a Yellow Jacket, also known as SWAYJ, is being prepared for community kids this Christmas. “Students and teachers come together to help the less fortunate,” Renae Moore, TCCHS teacher and a SWAYJ coordinator, said. “It’s a time where we come together and show what it means to be a true Yellow Jacket.”

The new TCCHS assistant band director, Paul Johns, has a passion for teaching music.

Author David Sargent will be visiting Garrison-Pilcher as our special guest during our Reading Rally.  Mr. Sargent's books may be purchased and autographed during the morning visit.  A flyer with more information will be sent home with students.

Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) earned the highest score among high schools in Southwest Georgia on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), based on data released by the Georgia Department of Education. The CCRPI Index is regarded as a state report card for schools in Georgia. TCCHS scored an 83 on the 100-point scale, which is in the top tier of high schools statewide.

Support the Thomas County Middle School Cheerleading Squad by participating in the "Color Me with Cheer" Color Run!  The 5K run/walk is Saturday, May 17, at 8:30am.  Register by May 3.  See the flyer and registration links below for more information.

Color Run Flyer

Color Run Registration

Three teams at TCCHS have qualified for Odyssey of the Mind (OM) State Finals to take place on March 29, 2014 at Columbus State University. See More Information below for details.

Please click the link below to view vacancies for the 2014-15 school year. Instructions for applying are included in the document.

2014-15 Vacancy Notices

(l-r): Ally Sealy, Ellen Ponder, Emily Kornegay, Richard Rountree, Rhonda Brown, Kaitlyn Douglas and Mason Lawing

Congratulations to our Region Science Fair Winners!  The following students placed first and will advance to state competition next month: Rhonda Brown, Kaitlyn Douglas, Emily Kornegay, Mason Lawing, Ellen Ponder, Richard Rountree and Ally Sealy. Emily Kornegay won the trophy for Second Overall in the Senior Division.  Ally Sealy won the American Chemical Society Award. These students will advance to the Georgia State Science and Engineering fair in March.

Be A Part!  Please begin reviewing the Strategic Plan Report found at the first link below. After you have read and reviewed the report, please complete the related survey questions found on the second link below before Friday February 21. We appreciate your input on our Strategic Planning Process.

Strategic Planning Report 

Strategic Plan Survey

Pictured left to right:  Emily Kornegay, Garrett Castleman, William McCray, and Kacy Jones.

Thomas County robotics teams competed at the RoBugs FTC qualifier this past weekend.  The CyberStinger Blue team brought home the Connect Award.  This award was given to the team for its involvement in helping the community understand FIRST® and FTC.  The team conducted several outreach events during the year, volunteered during science camp, and participated in the Thomasville Christmas parade.

Please make plans to attend our Family Reading Night on Friday, January 24th.  Magician Ken Scott will provide entertainment and laughs for the whole family.  The show will begin at 6:00 with free admission for everyone!  For more information on Mr. Scott, please check out his website at www.kenscottmagic.com.  This event is sponsored by the Wee Bee Boosters.

Thomas County Upper Elementary and Thomas County Middle School held grade level spelling bees on Tuesday, November 18.  Each grade level winner competed against the other grade level winners in a final championship spelling round on Friday, November 21. 

We are participating in the Harveys Hometown Educational Rewards Program.  This program is designed to help us earn much needed educational equipment for Cross Creek!

Students at Thomas County Upper Elementary and Thomas County Middle School now have two new options for exploratory courses.  The new courses being offered are Family and Consumer Science and Dance.

Several students from Thomas County Middle School were winners at the state level for National History Day in the Junior Division.  Kennedy Ward and Katelyn Hobbs will move on to compete at the National level.

The Thomas County School System has introduced a new program for gifted and high achieving students in grades 5-12. Dr. James Rehberg, the Thomas County School System’s director of gifted and talented instruction, will direct the MERIT program in conjunction with middle school and high school building administrators.

A genuine excitement for and interest in the nation’s government and history led one Thomas County Central High School student to a prestigious recognition.

Grady Electric Membership Corp., or Grady EMC, selected junior Heali Patel as its representative on the 2024 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, commonly called the Washington Youth Tour. Patel prevailed over several other applicants in Thomasville and Thomas County.

“I feel blessed to be selected to represent my school, community, and even my state on this tour,” Patel said. “I was elated when I heard that I was chosen. I immediately called my mom to tell her the good news. Then, I rushed to find Mrs. [Erin] White and Dr. [Erin] Rehberg.”

This trip is a week-long immersion into the nation’s capital to learn more about its history and government. Erin White, system MERIT director and Advanced Placement coordinator, told Patel about the tour.

“It’s a great opportunity for Heali, and I’m so excited that she’ll get to represent our community,” White said. “Heali interacts with people very well and is very interested in public service.”

TCCHS Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg said the school’s thrilled Patel received this selection. Joining Patel will be high school students selected by other electric cooperatives from around the state and nationwide. 

“This opportunity promises an extraordinary adventure for students, and I am confident that Heali will thrive amidst the company of fellow high-achieving peers from across the state as she explores the nation's capital,” Rehberg said.

Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers (GYSTC) has recently awarded Thomas County Middle School science teacher Clayton Woodfin with the 2024 Georgia STEM Scholar Award. As part of this special recognition, he received a $500 grant to purchase STEM education materials for his classroom, as well as free admission to attend the GYSTC Summer STEM Institute.

Woodfin is one of twenty-five other educators throughout the state of Georgia to receive this award. He believes that Thomas County Middle School provides a great foundation for STEM education.

"I feel really honored to be recognized by the GYSTC for the work I do with our students every day,” Woodfin said. “The money from the award will be spent on EEG headbands, which will allow our students to carry out science fair projects that study brain waves."

The Georgia STEM Scholar Award recognizes outstanding certified teachers in grades K-8 who are working to integrate effective STEM education in their classrooms. Georgia STEM Scholars demonstrate a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences along with creating an atmosphere of exploration that excites, energizes, and equips students to pursue enhanced educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.  

The GYSTC Summer STEM Institute will be held in June at Kennesaw State University. During the Institute, teachers will participate in Super STEM Challenges, Robotics and Coding Activities, and Top 10 STEM Explorations. In addition, teachers will develop their own engaging STEM Challenge to be shared with their teaching colleagues.

Thomas County Central High School HOSA Future Health Professionals chapter celebrated National HOSA Week in November. Chapter members conducted various activities, including volunteering to pack weekend supply bags at Backpack Buddies, collecting items for a military care package event, participating in manna drops, and presenting “HOSA Health Moments” on the school’s “Jacket Nation News” show.

HOSA is a global student-led organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and several federal and state agencies. Its mission is to empower students interested in the healthcare field, not only in knowledge and skill but also in leadership. Georgia HOSA began in 2000 and now boasts more than 15,000 members.

The Thomas County Middle School Band Program recently received the 2023 GMEA Exemplary Performance Award (EPA), the highest honor awarded by the Georgia Music Educators Association. The award is presented annually to programs that achieve outstanding results in all areas of performance sponsored by GMEA.

“It’s truly an honor to receive the Exemplary Performance Award, and we are so very proud of our student musicians for an outstanding school year,” TCMS Band Director William Majors said. “This award represents the culmination of years of steady growth as well as incredible support from our entire school system, board of education, staff, parents and community.  We appreciate everything our stakeholders do to help us become a program of excellence!”

TCMS was outstanding in the areas of Large Group Performance Evaluation, Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation, All-State, and District Honor events.  The EPA committee also considers program/school population rates and performance results in other festivals and competitions. Additionally, the committee, consisting of highly qualified music educators from around the state, listens to recordings of eligible bands as part of the selection process.

Thomas County School System officials have named Melissa O’Neal, third grade teacher at Cross Creek Elementary, as the District Teacher of the Year. O’Neal has worked for Thomas County Schools for 21 years.

Upon being named Teacher of the Year for the system, O’Neal said, “What an incredible honor! I am beyond thrilled and deeply grateful to be recognized as the Teacher of the Year for Thomas County. Teaching has been my true calling and passion in life, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of my students every day. This award is not only a recognition of my passion for teaching, but also a celebration of the collective efforts of our entire educational community.”

O’Neal currently teaches 3rd grade, having previously taught pre-kindergarten, 1st grade, 4th grade and 3rd grade. She has taught various academic levels such as special education inclusion, ESOL, and gifted students.

Cross Creek Elementary School Principal Ashley Lane said that O'Neal is deeply committed to the field of education and to the noble profession of teaching.

Lane said, “Ms. O'Neal has a true heart for teaching.  She embraces the profession and dedicates her time and attention to the needs of her students.  She often states that her students are her heart.”

O’Neal said that from the moment she stepped into the classroom, she knew that teaching was her true passion.

Consistent dedication to advanced academics – especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – secured Thomas County Central High School’s place on a very selective list. 

TCCHS has achieved recognition from the Georgia Department of Education as an Advanced Placement Honor School in two categories: AP STEM and AP STEM Achievement.

Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg said TCCHS stands out in these categories because of its high number of AP courses (currently 20) and its faculty and students’ dedication to success.

“Earning this award means that our students have not only enrolled in the most challenging STEM courses offered at TCCHS, [but] they have also done remarkably well on the exams,” Rehberg said. “This honor speaks to the dedication of our students to achieve at the highest levels and to the dedication of our faculty to help them succeed.”

The GaDOE began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008. According to the Feb. 17 official press release, Georgia School Superintendent Richard Woods named 273 AP Honor Schools from 97 school districts. The 2023 honorees earned their titles based on 2022 AP courses and exam results. There are eight categories: AP Access and Support, AP Challenge, AP Expansion, AP Humanities, AP Humanities Achievement, AP Schools of Distinction, AP STEM and AP STEM Achievement schools.

Thomas County and Thomasville City Schools recently collaborated to provide professional development for early learning teachers and community childcare providers. This literacy mini-conference was achievable after the two school systems received a three-year L4GA literacy grant.

The L4GA (Literacy for Learning, Living and Reading) grant is designed to provide resources and support to children and students from birth to grade 12. The conference featured presentations from professors of early learning, educational leaders, and the New York Times #1 best-selling and award-winning author, Eric Litwin. This is the second round of L4GA literacy grants for the two school systems.

“Learning to read not only provides enjoyment for children, but these early literacy skills prepare them for school readiness and long-term success,” said Dr. Bob Dechman, Thomas County Schools’ Assistant Superintendent for Federal Programs and Accountability. “Research has shown that early literacy plays a key role in academic achievement, higher graduation rates and increased productivity as an adult. We look forward to providing other similar events for additional support in the future.”

The conference ended with a Super Saturday event that provided continuing education to community childcare providers.

Two Thomas County students from Cross Creek Elementary School were honored in the return of the Jr. Wildlife Arts Competition. Fourth graders Guthrie Sprague and Ruby McInnis were both recognized recently for their artwork. Sprague was awarded 2^nd place for her landscape drawing of Thomasville featuring a colorful sunset sky, and McInnis won 3^rd place for her landscape drawing with aquatic and avian creatures. Local schools were allowed to submit up to ten entries to be judged. All of the submissions are currently on display at the Thomasville Center for the Arts on the bottom floor.

Thomas County Schools has added two Elementary School Instructional Coach positions for the 2022-23 academic year.  

Jordan Nelms will serve grades pre-kindergarten through first grade and Tanishia Barnhart will serve second grade through fourth grade.  The coaches aim to bridge communication as they connect three schools in the district:  Hand-In-Hand Primary (pre-K & K), Garrison-Pilcher Elementary (1st & 2nd), and Cross Creek Elementary (3rd & 4th).  

Garrison-Pilcher Principal Amy Tyson said that the addition of two Instructional Coaches was prompted by discerning the needs of classroom teachers for curriculum support, lesson planning assistance, and help in delivering data-driven instruction.  

Nelms and Barnhart met with curriculum teams over the summer to get linked with the teachers who serve as leaders in curriculum development.  The coaches are meeting directly with all elementary school teachers on a weekly basis now that the school year has begun.
Tyson was delighted with the selection of Nelms and Barnhart for the two positions.  

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program.

According to Principal Amy Tyson, the funds will be spent building raised-bed gardens that will be used by the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) “specials” elective classes.   Materials used to build the containers, soil, plants, and tools will all be covered by the grant.  

Garrison-Picher was nominated by 3G Farms of Thomas County.  Trey, Brent, and Pat Griffin of 3G Farms made the nomination in the honor of Charlie Griffin, Jr. who passed away in 2018.  Trey and Brent are the sons of Charlie and Pat, who were married for 40 years.  Charlie farmed his entire life except for the time he served in the United States Army.  The Griffins are fifth generation Thomas County farmers and farm approximately 1500 acres of primarily cotton and peanuts.

STEM teacher Jessica Duncan teaches all Garrison-Pilcher students on a rotating specials schedule.  Duncan plans her lessons from a standards-based curriculum, and the new gardens will increase the hands-on experiences for the students.

“Children love getting their hands dirty," said Duncan. "I think they will love their garden!”

Todd Creech of Thomas County Middle School has been named the 2022 National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) National Outstanding Middle Level Assistant Principal of the Year representing Georgia.  Dr. Bob Heaberlin, the Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Middle School Principals (GAMSP), made the announcement on April 12 at the monthly meeting of the Thomas County School Board meeting.  

Clay Stanaland, principal of Thomas County Middle School, said, “Mr. Creech has high expectations for himself, colleagues, and especially students.  He is a strong advocate for all students and their success. His ability to connect with students and communicate with parents is superior.  Mr. Creech is highly organized, reliable, and is a reflective practitioner.”

The Thomas County School System announced recent staff promotions and title changes following approval at the February regular board meeting.

Both Dr. Jim Rehberg and Lindsay Thompson are moving from Thomas County Central High School to the district office.

Rehberg is now serving as the Director of Facilities and Operations. Rehberg, who holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership, spent the previous 10 years as a district and school administrator at Thomas County Central High School where he was in charge of testing, academic recognition, and facilities. Prior to that, he worked as a media specialist serving the entire student body and faculty of TCCHS after teaching English literature and computer science.

"There is a direct correlation between a warm, welcoming, and secure atmosphere and student achievement,” Dr. Rehberg said. “The facilities at Thomas County Schools are among the best, and it is a privilege to work alongside the men and women responsible for ensuring our buildings remain a place where all students are safe and happy. We are always looking for ways to make what we have better. I look forward to facilitating the best environment possible for the students of Thomas County Schools."

Rehberg, a 1990 graduate of then Central High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at University of Georgia before completing his graduate work at Valdosta State University.
 

Two Thomas County Central High School youth musicians impressed the Georgia Music Educators Association with their skills, receiving a seat and an alternate position on the 2022 GMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble. Junior Tessa Thomas earned the single seat for vibraphone players. Junior Morgan Loper received the alternate position on piano, which means that, if the student selected cannot attend, Loper takes their place.

Joe Regina, TCCHS bands program director, said both students practiced tirelessly for their virtual auditions, and he’s proud of their accomplishments.

“It's very prestigious to be selected, even as an alternate, for the [GMEA] All-State Jazz Ensemble which is only composed of a total of 20 students statewide,” Regina said. “In fact, there is only one piano player and one vibraphone player selected from the entire state. The competition is fierce, and I'm extremely proud of both of them for their hard work and determination.”

Thomas calls earning a seat on the GMEA All-State Jazz Band an honor.

“Music has been a huge part of my life ever since I was a kid, and I view this as a great opportunity to learn more about it,” she said.

The youth musician, 16, has five years as a percussionist and two years playing vibraphone in her musical repertoire. However, music is a Thomas family tradition.

A group of Thomas County first graders at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School have kicked off their Lego League after-school program under the leadership of teacher Robin Binion. Six students were chosen to participate on the team by applications based on behavior, academics, and attendance. Fellow teachers Suzanne Barrett, Lynn Burton, Vicki Warren, and Britain Pyle also sponsor Lego League teams that participate in the FIRST LEGO League Explore program.   

Sessions include working as a team to complete a Lego project.  “We talk a lot about team-work!” said Binion.  

The “team journey” includes: exploring the challenge; learning about Core Values; exploring, creating, testing, and sharing through the sessions; creating the team model; designing a team poster; and celebrating at an event. 

Thomas County Central High School continues its mission to offer a variety of Advanced Placement courses that challenge students consistently. This year, it adds AP Research to the roster, the second course in the AP Capstone program the school began last year.

“Our coursework combines a rich and rigorous study of discipline and method with an extended student-led research project, inviting students to think and work at a level typically not experienced until upper-level undergraduate or even graduate study,” instructor Cole Donovan said. “Our discussions and readings explore modes of thought and knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and hard sciences, while the independent research project can focus on any topic in which the student has [an] interest.”

While some may think AP Research – or research overall – belongs to STEM programs, Donovan hopes to challenge that perception with this course.

“It is hard sometimes for people to imagine what researching Classics might look like, or drama, or art, or literature,” he said. “Yes, STEM research is valuable. Look at our current global situation--STEM research is what is pulling us out of this pandemic. But there is a world of research beyond that, and one of my hopes for this course is to encourage students to begin to see that.”

AP Research fosters deep and critical thinking about topics on students’ terms of what interests them.

Thomas County Central High School Advanced Placement program excelled in its 2020-2021 end-of-course exams and overall course success rates.

TCCHS had 146 students test. Of the 243 exams given, the school has the scores for 235 of them currently. To pass an AP exam, one must score a 3 or higher. TCCHS students earned this ranking in 186, or 79.1 percent of its tests: 84 3s, 69 4s, and 33 5s. Also, 39 students achieved AP Scholar status.

“AP scores are a huge hit this year,” Assistant Principal Jim Rehberg, who supervises the school’s AP program, said. “The teachers and students really hit a home run.”

According to the College Board, which creates and coordinates AP content, scores declined last year due to COVID-19 restrictions that impacted instruction. However, despite the rumblings of negative outcomes worldwide, Rehberg said TCCHS defied the odds. For example, the College Board’s AP Score Report lists the global average pass rate for AP Psychology at 53.9 percent and the Georgia pass rate only a few points higher at 56.4 percent; however, the TCCHS pass rate was 88 percent, more than 30 points higher than the world and state averages.

PINES Library Access for Youth (PLAY) is brought to you through a collaboration between the Thomas County School System, Georgia Library PINES, and the Thomas County Public Library System. 

Thomas County School System student ID numbers will now act as a library card number for your public library! The public library provides free access to books and online resources to help your child succeed in school, as well as fun resources that help develop a lifelong love of reading.

Click below for more information.

PLAY - PINES Library Access for Youth

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer. The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines and a list of eBook resources.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at your school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2022-2023 school year.

Summer Reading Challenge Website

Thomas County Central High School junior Claire Pope will be one of a select group of students privy to a special online leadership experience this summer.

Pope, 17, is Grady EMC’s Thomas County representative chosen for the annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour, otherwise known as the Washington Youth Tour. The program typically sends youth delegates to Washington D.C. for an immersive leadership experience by visiting various national treasures and observing the country’s political mechanisms in action.

“It was an honor to be selected to represent Thomas County on the Washington Youth Tour,” Pope said. “I recognize the value this experience will provide and am excited about this opportunity.”

Pope became interested in the tour because she plans to major in history and become a museum curator.

“I was drawn to the possibility of attending … as a means to broaden my scope of learning as well as having the opportunity to meet other students in our area with similar interests,” she said.

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the tour will not take place in person this year. Instead, the event will be a three-day virtual leadership program.
 

The Thomas County School System recently held the spring Parent Advisory Council meeting. Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams presented an overview of the systems’ plans for Federal CARES and funding and reviewed projects planned for successful E-SPLOST V funding. Assistive Technology Technician Alison Parker provided an update on the assistive technology resources and supports provided by the school system. Dr. Bob Dechman, Assistant Superintendent for Federal Programs and Accountability, presented the system’s policy on Family Engagement and asked participants to complete a survey to provide suggestions for plan revision. Each school principal reviewed progress on their School Improvement Plans to date and asked parents to complete a survey to make suggestions for next year’s plan.

We invite you to watch the recording of the meeting and provide your input as well. If you have questions or input, you may contact Dr. Bob Dechman by email bdechman@tcjackets.net or contact the parent involvement coordinator at your child’s school.

ZOOM Meeting Recording

You may also share your input by completing the following surveys:

District Family Engagement Policy: https://forms.gle/9cJp73gXCBqK4L8C6

School SIP survey: https://forms.gle/M6yXUwZSEZRVtLk96

The TCMS Health/PE department is in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2021-2022 school year for the grades 5-8 health courses. Samples of these materials are available for online viewing and review from March 9-16. Parents and stakeholders are invited to review these materials and leave any desired feedback.

Please contact Robin Cartright, Curriculum Director, if you have any questions (rcartright@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9158).

The Thomas County School system recently held its annual Fall Parent Advisory Council meeting via zoom. Each school was represented by parents and stakeholders. The meeting is designed to inform stakeholders of system initiatives and request feedback on future planning. A link to the recording and follow up survey are posted below and on the Federal Programs page. If you have questions or input, you may contact Dr. Bob Dechman by email bdechman@tcjackets.net or contact the parent involvement coordinator at your child’s school.

Zoom link

Survey link

Embracing everyone’s uniqueness and willingly sharing emotion and insight during uncertain times are components of a story told by a group of Thomas County Central High School Drama students. From Oct. 19-30, youth in teacher Gabrielle McMullen’s Period Fundamentals of Drama II, III and IV course participated in a special Digital Storytelling workshop.

“I wanted students to learn a new way of presenting a narrative other than plays and monologues,” McMullen said. “I think this workshop went beautifully. My students were so vulnerable and open with Mr. Doyle and in front of their peers.”

Offered by the Thomasville Center for the Arts, the guest artist and workshop facilitator was John Doyle, a digital storyteller who founded Arts Integration LLC. Doyle’s primary goal was to provide students a safe space and opportunity to process and express their experiences from the prior seven months.

TCCHS Chick-fil-A Leader Academy completes digital impact project

Coronavirus and quarantine couldn’t deter a group of Thomas County Central High School youth from serving their community.

TCCHS Chick-fil-A Leader Academy members had planned a special Impact Project, a dodgeball tournament to benefit the Middle Georgia Honor Flight program, as its big service event. With the outbreak of COVID-19 and “sheltering in place,” this idea had to be canceled. But a new opportunity soon presented itself.

The Chick-fil-A Leader Academy organization offered the “Share & Serve Digital Impact Project” in place of the in-person event. TCCHS members found a way to make a difference while obeying state mandates: sewing masks for healthcare workers and sharing encouragement through social media.

“Sewing masks was selected as the ‘Serve’ portion of the project after I spoke to Mr. Vann Middleton, president of the Archbold Foundation, who had established a process for volunteers to help support the Archbold healthcare workers,” TCCHS Service Learning Coordinator Stann McLeod said. “He was excited that I had students who wanted to make a difference during this critical time, so we partnered with the foundation in this effort. It allows these servant leaders still to go through the process of organizing and participating in a project that will have a significant impact on the community.”

Sewing masks is a worthy project on multiple fronts, McLeod adds.

“These masks help protect nurses and doctors who are directly treating and caring for local COVID-19 patients, but they also provide encouragement to these battle warriors who daily place themselves in harm’s way so that our community can remain safe,” he said.

Ten TCCHS chapter members jumped at the chance to create masks.

April 17, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Thomas County School System family has made me very proud as we have worked together to help keep our families safe and connected through the COVID-19 pandemic. While it is common to hear that “the schools are closed,” your school system has remained open and has continued to serve its students and the community in a number of ways.

Our food service workers have already prepared more than 212,000 meals that have been delivered by our transportation department or made available for pick-up at Thomas County Middle School. We will continue to provide weekly meal packages each Wednesday through the end of May. Dozens of school employees and community volunteers make this meal program possible, and I thank them for their service. The Backpack Buddies Program has made generous donations of food to provide weekend meals that are packaged with the weekly food deliveries.

Our technology department has partnered with our public library system and other entities to create free Wifi zones in various locations across the county to support our distance learning efforts.

Click READ MORE for the remainder of the letter

Many of the digital resources for our school system can be found on our Clever page.  

The Clever page address is clever.com/in/tcjackets

The Thomas County Board of Education held its first meeting of the new calendar year Tuesday night. After the invocation, outgoing chair Dan Stewart declared the positions of chair and vice chair vacant and asked for nominations.

Board member Nancy Hiers made a motion that Charles Evans be elected chair and that Kay Streets be elected vice chair. Leah Smith seconded Hiers’ motion. Stewart called for any additional nominations. There were no additional nominations, so Evans and Streets were elected to their respective roles with no dissenting votes.

Evans has been a member of the board since 2007. He served as vice-chair during 2014 and 2019.  He retired from the Department of Natural Resources as a Conservation Ranger after 30 years.  He currently serves part-time as a bailiff for the court system.

“I am humbled and honored to serve as chair alongside a great group of board members,” said Evans.  “I feel that my position as chair is dignified by the fact that we have the best school system, administration, teachers, and superintendent that I could ask for.  I also appreciate Mr. Stewart’s guidance and leadership during his term as chair.  I’m looking forward to working closely with Mrs. Streets, the rest of the board and Dr. Lisa Williams for a successful year.”

Streets began her service on the board in 2004.

She said, “I am excited to continue serving Thomas county and district seven with Chairman Charles Evans and the other board members. Serving alongside the faculty and student body that we have been blessed with is an honor. I am looking forward to the year ahead.”

Inquisitive youth minds have put forth and been evaluated on the fruits of their scientific labors.

The annual Thomas County Central High School Science Fair occurred Thursday, Dec. 12. It featured approximately 75 projects encompassing students from grades 9-11.

“We had another wonderful science fair,” TCCHS Science Department Chair Meagan Bradshaw said. “I am always excited to see the students’ hard work across so many different aspects of science.”

There are nine first-place projects, seven second-place entries and six third-place experiments.

The Thomas County School System's BEE Partners of the Quarter were recognized for the first nine weeks. These businesses and industries support the school system in so many ways, and their support is very appreciated.
Hand-In-Hand -Dawson Street Baptist Church WMU
Garrison-Pilcher - Barnett's Creek Baptist Church
Cross Creek - Dog World
Thomas County Middle School - McDonalds
Thomas County Central High School - Thomasville Dental Center (Dr. Sanders)
Bishop Hall - Donathan Photography
If a business or industry is interested in partnering with Thomas County Schools, please contact Erin Rehberg for more information. See pictures of our Partners of the Quarter by clicking the link below.

Art After School is a studio class where students get hands-on art making instruction. Students will use various materials such as watercolor, ceramics and mixed media. Classes are offered for elementary students Tuesdays (grades K - 2 ONLY) and Thursdays (grades 3 - 4 ONLY). Monthly tuition is $35 and limited to 20 students per day.

Art classes will begin September 3. Due to fall and spring breaks, two free makeup days will be offered in December and one in May. All materials for the class are provided. Please be aware that some days students will be working with paint, oil pastels, and clay.

Tuition must be paid at time of registration and at the last class of each month for the following month for students to continue classes. Should your student have an unpaid balance, they will not be able to continue classes. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Young at (229) 225-5050 ext. 126 or cyoung@tcjackets.net.

The deadline to register is August 27. Click on link below for more information!
Art After School flyer

Dr. Dale Graham who returned to the Thomas County School System in 2018 as the district’s math coordinator was named District-wide Director for the MERIT Program last fall and is rolling out several initiatives for the new school year.

MERIT, short for Maximizing Education to Realize Intellectual Transformation, provides a rigorous curriculum and enrichment opportunities for gifted and academically high-achieving students in grades 5-12. The program spans both Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School. 

Under the new structure, the program has a middle grades coordinator, Dana Studdard, and a high school coordinator, Erin White.

Three Thomas County Central High School musicians are Thomasville Performing Arts Concert scholarship recipients: Michelle Cumbest (euphonium), Caleb Moore (tuba) and Eric Webb (bassoon). Each of these musicians spent hours in preparation and first round auditioning to gain an opportunity to perform in the final scholarship round. Cumbest and Moore received $500 each. Webb won $1,000.

Forty-eight Thomas County Middle School students attended the regional science fair competition on Friday, February 15, at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Georgia. Of those forty-eight students, eleven will be moving on to state competition with two alternates in place. Of the remaining students, fourteen either placed second or third in each of their respective categories.

  Thomas County Central High School Athletic Boosters held a special drive to raise donations for Bainbridge families affected by Hurricane Michael. Bainbridge took a direct hit. The boosters expanded the drive to Thomas County Central High School students, faculty and staff. The school responded and brought in numerous items. These included deodorant, ramen noodles, bleach, space heaters, clothing and canned goods. The boxed items, along with a check from the boosters, were presented to Bainbridge High School personnel on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The Yellow Jackets’ final game of the season was against the Bainbridge Bearcats Friday, Nov. 2.

Students in Mrs. Holland's 5th-grade MERIT class participate in Google Hangout conversations with Mrs. Neal's 8th grade IB MYP (International Baccalaureate Middle Year's Programme) students. The collaboration between the two classes is designed to promote the understanding of service learning projects. Mrs. Neal's students spend a semester investigating, designing, implementing, and reflecting on an independent project that will meet needs in their community of Bartow, FL. Through the weekly Google Hangout conversations, Mrs. Holland's class has an opportunity to witness the process and ask questions. Both classes are excited to work together as problem solvers.

Pictured below: Dallas Pitts asks a question about the process of designing a service learning project.

Senior Brooklyn Reese, her parents, and her chosen history teacher were treated to a once in a lifetime guided tour to some of France’s World War I historic battlefields and locations. Reese won the trip as part of the Georgia World War I Centennial Commission special award she earned during National History Day Georgia competition in April.

Save the date for the annual Back to School Blitz! This year's event will take place in the gym at Thomasville High School on Saturday, August 4, from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM.

The Thomas County Middle School Science Fair was held on December 6. More than 70 projects were entered by 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Winners will compete in the Region Science Fair at ABAC on February 16. Click "Read More" for details.  

December 4-10 is Computer Science Education Week in America.  According to csedweek.org, there are currently 486,686 open computing jobs nationwide.  Last year, only 42,969 computer science students graduated into the workforce.  Students in the Thomas County School System are participating in a variety of coding and computer science activities this week in order to foster an interest in computer science and expand upon computational thinking practices. In addition to the activities this week, students in our system have the opportunity to be a part of a comprehensive computer science education program that spans from grades K-12.  Check out this video from Mrs. Michele Dechman's coding class at Cross Creek Elementary School!

The Thomas County Board of Education has approved the appointment of Brecca Pope to the position of Director of Administrative Services at the Board of Education. Pope comes to the board office from Cross Creek Elementary School where she served as assistant principal for the past six years.

"I am very thankful for the opportunity to serve the students and staff of Thomas County Schools in this capacity,” Pope said.  “As an educator, I recognize the benefits of lifelong learning and look forward to my new role as Director of Administrative Services.”

In her new role, Pope will assume many of the duties currently assigned to Dr. Lisa Williams as Dr. Williams prepares to transition into her new role as superintendent designee.

DRAMAKIDS! theatre classes will begin on September 5 as part of the Fine Arts Program at Thomas County Middle School for grades 3 & 4 and 5-8. The cost is $35 and will be held on Tuesdays from 3:30-5:00 for Grades 3-4 and on Thursdays for Grades 5-8 from 3:30-5:00. For more information and a registration form, please see the flyer by clicking on the link below: 

DRAMAKIDS! Flyer

Having an article published in a national journal is an accomplishment Paul Johns, Thomas County Central High School’s Assistant Band Director, can now add to his list of achievements.

Johns co-authored an article that was published in The Journal of Research in Music Education by the National Association for Music Education. Titled “The Development of a Secondary-Level Solo Wind Instrument Performance Rubric Using the Multifaceted Rasch Partial Credit Measurement Model,” the article is a study on the use of a rubric to grade middle and high school band members. The “Multifaceted Rasch Partial Credit Measurement Model” refers to the specific type of statistics used to develop the rubric.

Your participation matters! Please click on the link below to complete our annual parent survey. The survey will be open until Saturday, May 20. 

PARENT SURVEY

TCCHS received word Thursday that Lindsey “MiKayla” Jordan has earned the Coca-Cola First Generation Scholarship for the University of Georgia. She is the first TCCHS student to receive this award.

Thomas County Middle School students have been busy collecting awards at various academic competitions in the past few weeks.  Recent competitions include the Regional Science Fair, The Daughters of the American Revolution competition, and The National HIstory Bee.  Please click Read More to see winners and pictures.  

Youth artists at Thomas County Central High School had an opportunity to help bedeck the system’s annual Christmas CD with their unique holiday creations. Students participated in the “A Yellow Jacket Christmas” CD Cover Art Contest. “A Yellow Jacket Christmas” CD is a project that gives Thomas County Schools’ talent the chance to shine and helps support the school’s annual Shop with a Yellow Jacket, or SWAYJ event. The initiative brings older students together with younger pupils whose families could use a little help to ensure their Christmas is merry and bright.

Governor Nathan Deal recently awarded Thomas County Central High School (TCCHS) a technology grant of $699,312 to expand its blended learning program.

Blended learning - - also known as hybrid or mixed-mode courses - - consists of classes in which a portion of the traditional face-to-face instruction is replaced by web-based online learning.

Thomas County’s Bishop Hall Charter School was an early-adopter of blended learning.  Thomas County has utilized Bishop Hall in the classic way that charter schools were intended, as a laboratory to develop new and innovative teaching techniques.  The successful elements of the blended learning model cultivated at Bishop Hall which have resulted in increased academic performance there will be “scaled” or expanded to classes at TCCHS.

In addition to completing Thomas County’s one-to-one computer-to-student initiative, the grant will provide funds for extensive professional learning for staff and will provide after-school tutoring for students who experience academic difficulties.

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Five Thomas County Central High School students recently attended the International Environmental Youth Symposium. They competed against high school and college students from four continents, and all five students brought home awards.

In the poster presentation category, junior C’lee Kornegay won first place in “Water Degradation” for her research on the effect of silver nanoparticles on algae growth. In the essay competition, senior Eli Kosciw placed first in the category of “Protecting the Atmosphere.”

Seniors Maggie Martin placed second with her essay in the “Preventing Air and Water Pollution” category, and Vince Wynn placed second in the category of “Promoting Safe Management of Solid and Toxic Wastes.” Junior Hailey Ferrel placed third in the poster presentation category for her research on soil erosion.

A Thomas County School System teacher recently earned statewide honors from the Georgia Art Education Association (GAEA). Emily Holton, art teacher at Thomas County Middle School, received the GAEA’s Middle Level Art Educator of the Year Award for 2016. GAEA is a growing organization with more than 650 art educators throughout Georgia. She will receive her award at this year’s fall conference in October.

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The volunteer orientation scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 1 has been cancelled due to the weather.  

Tyler Williamson has been selected as this year’s Georgia Future Business Leaders of America, or FBLA, Region 1 president. The honor was bestowed by Georgia FBLA Executive Director Monty Rhodes and the region consists of 26 counties. “I had the desire to become a Georgia FBLA Region 1 officer through the growing love and passion I have for FBLA,” she said. “I saw it as a unique opportunity to not only serve my chapter but my school and all of Georgia FBLA.”

Click the link below to see the supply wish list for Hand-In-Hand Primary School, Garrison Pilcher Elementary School, and Cross Creek Elementary School.

SUPPLY WISH LIST

Thomas County School System officials have named Erin Hall, second grade interventionist at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary, as the District Teacher of the Year.

“Words cannot express how incredibly honored and grateful I am to represent the Thomas County School System as Teacher of the Year,” Hall said. “My family, friends, coworkers, and administration support me in my passion for children and education. Without their support, I would not be able to make such an impact on the students I serve.” 

Hall has been a teacher for five years with Thomas County Schools. She taught PreK for two years at Hand-In-Hand and three years at Garrison-Pilcher, with one year in a second grade classroom and the past two years as the Second Grade Interventionist.

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A Thomas County Middle School teacher has been named 2016 National Teacher of the Year by the American Association of Family and Consumer Science (AAFCS).  Megan Palmer, who was the 2015 Georgia Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher of the Year, competed against other teachers from all over the nation for the top spot. 

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Nine students from Thomas County Middle School have qualified for the National History Bee. The competition will take place June 9-12 in Chicago, Illinois.

Forty-five students from Cross Creek Elementary School, Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School traveled to Moultrie to participate in Colquitt County's 10th Annual Regional Technology Fair on January 23, 2016. Thomas County Schools students brought home 15 first place medals, 21 second place medals, and 3 third place medals.

Thomas County Schools present an art show: Celebrating Hispanic Arts and Culture.  Make plans to view the art show at the Thomasville Center for the Arts from October 19 - November 13, 2015.  An Opening Reception will be held on October 19 at 5:30 PM.   

The Thomas County School System was highlighted as one of the four top school systems in the state at the Summer Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) conference held this week at Jekyll Island.

Thomas County Schools Assistant Superintendent Lisa Williams led the presentation on behalf of the district. In her presentation, Williams highlighted four unique programs offered in the Thomas County School District.

The Governor’s Honors Program, known as GHP, has announced its honorees for the 2015 event, and TCCHS student Chandler Watson has been selected in the Science field.

The TCCHS robotics team, CyberStingers Gold, members are Jameson Smith, A.J. Rowell, Austin Ridley, Chris Geer, and Steven Tran. The team won the Finalist Alliance trophy at the FTC qualifier sponsored by L.E.D. Robotics at Southern Polytechnic State University the weekend of December 6.

Many students and several teachers from Thomas County Upper Elementary and Thomas County Middle School spent Saturday morning working to make their community a better place with Hands on Thomas County.  The students worked at the Boys and Girls Club, Hands and Hearts for Horses, Laurel Hill Cemetary, the Ochlocknee River, and the Dog Park/City of Thomasville.  Two of the groups even put out over 1,000 bales of pinestraw!

Click "More Information" to see pictures from this event.

Governor Deal’s wife recently read a story to Hand-in-Hand students.  She is travelling around the state reading aloud to selected Pre-K schools, and Hand-in-Hand was one of those schools chosen. 

We would like your input on our system-wide Comprehensive Local Education Agency’s Improvement Plan (CLIP).  Below are two links where you can view the plan and complete a brief survey.   Thank you for your input and suggestions.

Click here to review the improvement plan (CLIP)

Click here to complete the survey

The Thomas County Central cheerleaders will host the 2014 Future Jacket Cheer Camp on August 23, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The camp is open to girls ages K-4th grade and cost $50.00 per participant. Each girl will receive a t-shirt, a water bottle, and a ticket to the opening home football game on September 5, 2014 where they will perform a pregame dance and cheer. Registration forms should be returned to Carrie Lasseter at TCCHS no later than August 11, 2014. CLICK HERE for registration information.

We are so proud of the top four winners of TCUE’s Geometry Town Project.  The sixth grade math teachers decided to have a grade level competition with each student building a three dimensional geometry town. 

TCCHS teacher, Teresa Carver, has been named the Outstanding American History Teacher of the Year for the State of Georgia for 2014. This prestigious award, which is sponsored by the Georgia Society Colonial Dames 17th Century, was presented at their Spring Conference  in Marietta, Ga. Please see More Information below.

Thomas County Schools recently hosted the Regional National History Day competition for the Junior Division at Thomas County Middle School. Students competed in the categories of performances, exhibits, and websites – both individual and group.  After researching their topics, students connected the historical event or figure to the theme “Rights and Responsibilities.”  Winners will advance to the state competition in April at Mercer University.  Students were led by Amanda West, Heather Ward and Deann Garcia in the Thomas County MERIT program.  Thomas County Central High School will host the Senior Division March 11^th. 

Kindergarten Rodeo for New Students

When:  Monday, March 31, 2014 

Where:   Thomas County Board of Education, PLC

Time:  9:00-6:00                           

Click here for more Information        

Seven Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets signed letters of intent to play football on the college level on National Signing Day. See More Information below for a list of players and colleges and see Photo Galleries for pictures from the signing event.

Congratuations to the TCMS Quiz Bowl team!  They placed first in their region competition that took place on Saturday, January 11.

Honors day for the first school semester will be Friday, January 10th.  The first grade assembly will be held at 8:30.  The second grade assembly will be held at 1:00.  Teachers will be notifying parents of students receiving honors this week!

On August 22, 2013 members of the Class of 2015 received their class rings in a ring ceremony held in the gymnasium. See More Information for story and Photo Galleries for pictures.

The next school year is approaching fast! If you have a son or daughter attending TCMS or TCUE and you are unsure about what types of school clothing to purchase or wear. We have included some guidelines to consider for purchasing school clothes.

On Saturday, April 6, 2013, a group of students from Thomas County Central High School traveled to Odyssey of the Mind State Competition at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. They placed 2nd in the State in their division, which means they will advance to compete at World Finals May 22-May25, 2013, at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The group will compete with the top teams from across the United States and 25 other countries.

Four Thomas County School System students received impressive news recently when the state released the list of 690 names chosen as finalists for the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program.

Congratulations to the TCCHS Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America for a great showing at the State Convention on March 15 and 16. Lauren Daniel placed first in Website Design and Ngan Tran, Brij Delada, and Miranda Sanders placed second in Digital Video Production. All four will advance to the National competition. Jane Guo and Max Carter also placed 8th and 5th. Please see Photo Galleries for more pictures.

TCCHS will host an informational meeting for parents, guardians and students interested in learning about Advanced Placement (AP) classes for the 2013-2014 school year on Thursday, February 21 at 6:00 pm in the school cafeteria.

Thomas County Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School recognizes first and second graders for outstanding character attributes on a monthly basis.  Homeroom teachers selected one child per class that exemplified the character word for January:  honesty.  These January Character Kids are pictured with Principal Robin Binion and represent what “honesty” looks like each and every day:  (first row) Braylen Mitchell, Pedro Perez Rivera, Everly Greene, Joseph Edwards, Alex Asbell, Zy Crump, Zailey McLeod; (second row) Hanah River Daniels, Eleck Edenfield, Zyon Holton, Ruben McGowan, Makenna Ballard, Austin Hester, Gaspar Escobar, Katherine McMullen, Luke Bozeman, Carson Revels, Pierce Shaver; (third row) Sadie Christie, Timothy Brown, Braelynn Cross, Kaiden Futch, Olivia Mills, Penelope Ray, Zoey Ivey, Maya Costley, Heaven Moriss, Quardell Johnson, Fallon Steinberg, and Raelyn Drew.   Not pictured:  Kyle Branham, Mikayla Carter, Serenity Clayton, Braelyn Dasher, Kamden Gartner, Jack Harrison, Emmalie Martinez, Anthony Lopez Ramirez, and Jai’liyah Rogers.

Two youth in Thomas County Central High School’s computer science program recently designed their way to a state contest. 

Students Dev Patel and Manthan Patel won first place in Internet Applications at the Georgia Student Technology Competition region-level event held Feb. 1 in Bainbridge.

“I am proud of them, and I want to point out that they did all the work,” TCCHS computer science teacher and Future Business Leaders of America adviser Mark Thompson said. “All I did was provide feedback.”

The duo created their website as one of their FBLA projects. Website Design has been on the FBLA competition docket for a while but mainly focuses on layout. Participants often use site layout software; however, Thompson said Website Coding and Development – the duo’s event – is a new state competition category this year. 

“What is unique about the new category is that the students must learn and display proficiency in writing code to make the site,” Thompson said. “They cannot use site layout software. This is much more difficult but can make unique web pages that cannot be replicated using layout software. This new category will allow computer science students to show off their coding skills.”

The project was eligible for the GaSTC, so the duo entered to gain more experience and feedback on their design. Their entry was a website built for St. James, a local restaurant. 

Eleventh-grader Dev Patel said the FBLA project prompt was to make a website that included a job application for a local business, but they took this idea further. 

The Thomas County Board of Education held its first meeting of the new calendar year Tuesday, January 16. After the invocation, outgoing chair Leah Smith declared the positions of chair and vice chair vacant and asked for nominations.

Board member Mark NeSmith made a motion that Dan Stewart be elected chair and that Ed Hopper be elected vice chair. Chris Hayes seconded NeSmith’s motion.  Smith called for any additional nominations. There were no additional nominations, so Stewart and Hopper were elected to their respective roles with no dissenting votes.

Stewart serves District 6, and he and his wife, Sheri, reside on a family farm outside of Ochlocknee. Stewart retired as building maintenance supervisor at the Southwestern State campus where he worked for 30 years. Stewart is a family partner in a cattle/farming operation.

Stewart said, “I am humbled and honored to serve as chair alongside an incredibly cohesive group of board members. I feel my position as chair is dignified by the fact that we have the best school system that I could ask for. I look forward to working closely with Mr. Hopper, the rest of the board members, and Dr. Lisa Williams for a successful year.”

Hopper, who serves District 7, is self-employed. Hopper is a product of Thomas County Schools, and is excited to serve on the board for his alma mater. He is married to Lauren Hopper who teaches at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School.

“I am honored to serve on the Thomas County Board of Education as the vice chair,” Hopper said. “It is an exciting time to be a Yellow Jacket! Whether in the classroom or on our athletic fields, we have great things happening in Thomas County, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

A Thomas County School System school has earned a new statewide award for excellence in school nutrition.

Thomas County Central High School is among the inaugural class of winners of the School Nutrition Cafeteria of Excellence Award presented by the Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition division. TCCHS is one of only thirteen winners of the Cafeteria of Excellence Award and the only winner named from this region of Georgia. 

The award, according to the state, “recognizes school nutrition professionals for exceptional attention to serving quality school meals and providing excellent customer service while maintaining program integrity.”  

“The applicant pool for this award was strong, and the application evaluators carefully reviewed each submission. It is an honor to announce that Thomas County Central High School is the recipient of this prestigious award,” State School Nutrition Director Dr. Linette Dodson said.  “Thank you for your commitment and dedication to ‘Fueling Georgia’s Future.”

Thomas County first and second graders at Garrison Pilcher Elementary School are Plains Festival Postcard Contest Winners among 2,263 entries from students all over the state. Each winner will visit Plains, Georgia on the weekend of September 23 along with their families where they will receive an award and walk down Main Street as a participant in the 25^th Annual Plains Peanut Festival Parade. Principal Robin Binion and Assistant Principal Chad Parkerson are pictured with the winners: First Grade 1st place Pierce Shaver, 2nd place Willa Gilligan, and 3rd place Steele Dean; and Second Grade 2nd place J.B. Palacios and 3rd place Charlotte Broome.  

Helping furry friends look and feel fabulous while learning standards and practicing skills is on the class schedule for Thomas County Central High School Veterinary Science students.

The TCCHS FFA chapter recently received an FFA Grant for Growing totaling $4,692 to start an animal grooming service tied to the school’s CTAE Veterinary Science Pathway.

Dr. Nikki Smith, instructor and TCCHS FFA adviser said this grant helps make a dream reality.

“This has been a goal of mine since starting the Veterinary Science course/pathway in August 2017 and gaining industry certification in 2021,” she said. “I feel that my students will not only gain knowledge of veterinary science but gain confidence, learn teamwork skills, employability skills, and hopefully find joy in working with these animals.”

TCCHS CTAE Director Dr. Beth Adams said Nikki Smith is the perfect teacher for the school’s vet science pathway.

“She is always looking for ways to improve the program and provide students opportunities to participate in hands-on instruction,” Adams said.

Students like senior EmmaRae Smith, 18, are excited at the prospect of this firsthand option. 

The Bishop Hall faculty recently had the honor of hearing Richard Johnson and Lana Hicks speak about the history of Bishop Hall. The two respectively served as headmaster and assistant principal at Bishop Hall from 1999 until 2014. The charter school is approaching its 25th anniversary, and the guest speakers motivated the teachers by offering encouraging words to help them bring about student success. 

Recognizing the need to decrease the dropout rate and increase the graduation rate of Thomas County Schools, past Superintendent Dr. Terry Solana was instrumental in obtaining a charter from the Georgia Department of Education and hiring Richard Johnson to be the first headmaster. Only seven teachers were hired when the school opened. In the beginning, Bishop Hall served approximately 60 students, later increasing that number to 110. It presently serves 220 children in the Thomas County area. The inaugural students created the identity and culture of Bishop Hall, designing the school's logo, choosing its colors, and electing to wear uniforms. 

Johnson credits the success of Bishop Hall Charter School for increasing the graduation rates and for the strong relationships between the students and the teachers. Non-traditional approaches to education and experiential learning provided students and teachers with hands-on opportunities that engaged in holistic learning. Everyone worked hard to help students reach their goals and succeed. As students were learning, teachers were as well. The faculty attended national charter school conventions and visited other charter schools with the help of grants and extra funds.

Thomas County first and second graders at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School each recently received their own hardback copy of “Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea” by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey. 

Pilkey donated 25,000 copies of the millionth book donated to the “If You Give a Child a Book” literacy initiative funded by the Scripps Howard Fund. Copies of the book are being given to every student in the Fund’s 77 partner Title 1 schools across the country. 

Starting back at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, Principal Amy Tyson was informed that Garrison-Pilcher would be included in the generous literacy initiative that has been committed to putting books in the hands of children across the country since 2016.  Donations from local businesses and citizens in the Thomas County area were included in the seventh annual childhood literacy campaign which provided 200,000 books for kids across the country.

The main benefit that was anticipated from the program was a Scholastic Book Fair set up at no cost to the school in January 2023 in which each child in the school was gifted three books.  The added bonus gift of the highly anticipated graphic novel from Pilkey was icing on the cake!

On February 10 and 11, band students from Thomas County Central High School and Thomas County Middle School traveled to ABAC in Tifton, Georgia, to participate in the District 2 Honor Band Clinic. Nearly 100 students participated from the Thomas County School District, and this prestigious group honors the best youth musicians the state offers.

TCCHS Band Director Joe Regina said that the high school is well represented at district honor band every year, but having so many students selected is quite an achievement.

"I'm so unbelievably grateful that Thomas County Schools supports the fine arts the way that it does, which is something that you just don't find in every school district,” Regina said. “Everyone from the superintendent to the principals and administrators, down to the faculty and our tremendous band staff district-wide are all a part of this great accomplishment." 

Phoenix Brock, a TCCHS freshman French horn player, enjoyed his experience at District Honor Band. 

“I got to meet new people, and the food was really good which is a big plus for me,” Brock said. “Also, I felt like I really learned from the music we played. I hope I can grow as a french horn player and a member of the TCCHS Band. Overall, I would love to do this again next year!" 

Thomas County Middle School seventh grader Mia Freeman survived 11 rounds of competition to win this year’s spelling bee for the county schools. To narrow down the competition, prior spelling bees were held at Cross Creek Elementary and Thomas County Middle School for students in fourth through eighth grades.

Freeman walked away a winner after defeating eighth grader Anaya Patel, who was runner up.

“It is exciting to watch our students participate in the system spelling bee each year,” said Lindsay Thompson, Director of Digital Learning and Media Services.  “This type of academic competition allows our students to put their literary knowledge to the test.  We are excited for our winner, Mia Freeman, and look forward to seeing how she does at the next level.”

Freeman will compete in the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) District Spelling Bee on February 25 in Bainbridge.

Thomas County second graders at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School participate in meaningful learning experiences outside of the classroom. Lynn Burton’s students extended their learning about life cycles and the migration of the monarch butterfly after their unit that focused on the book Journey of a Butterfly.

St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge is a great place to witness the butterflies’ migration in their natural habitat during October and November.  Just this past summer, the monarch butterfly was officially designated as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Scientists estimate that the species' population has dropped between 20% and 90% over the last several decades.

Other species of butterflies and wildflowers were observed by the students and parents using their guides from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Florida Game and Wildlife officers, along with the parent chaperones, extended the learning by playing a game with the students to experience how monarchs have to survive each stage of their life cycle to make their migration. Each started as an egg and ended up as a beautiful monarch butterfly. The students did not realize the multitude of obstacles that butterflies have to overcome.

“It is important to connect kids to nature and inspire them to learn more about the world around them,” said Burton.  

It was the first time that some of the students have seen the ocean and explored the small beaches just south of Thomasville.  The students loved seeing the butterflies, other animals, and sea creatures that live in the saltwater marshes. Fiddler crabs were also a class favorite.

“I would have to say that seeing my students learning new things is always my favorite!” added Burton.

Thomas County students at Garrison-Pilcher and Cross Creek Elementary Schools are the lucky beneficiaries of a series of music outreach concerts made possible through a Title IV Student Support and Academic Achievement grant.  The first of four concerts took place on August 31, 2022.

Dr. Boyan Bonev, strings teacher at Cross Creek and Thomas County Middle School, oversees the project that includes a pre and post quiz to assess the knowledge the students glean from each program and to hone how the musicians can improve the delivery of the content. Topics of the first presentation included the label given to a group of string instruments playing together and the identification of individual string instruments.

Dr. Bonev brought a professional orchestral group to play for the students. Students listened to the instruments they possibly have never heard before. The musicians introduced the instruments (violin, viola, cello and double bass) and discussed how they are played and how they sound. Students asked questions and were given an opportunity to hold and play instruments.

“My colleagues and I had a great time playing for the students,” Bonev said.  “This was the first outreach program of our project to expose and engage the students with the performing arts. We are planning on three more featuring chamber music, opera, and ballet/dance in October, February and March.”

The TCCHS CTAE department is in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2022-2023 school year for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Pathway. A sample of this text will be on display in the TCCHS Media Center. Parents are invited to stop by during normal school hours (from August 17-26) to review these materials and leave any desired feedback.

Please contact Robin Cartright, Curriculum Director, if you have any questions (rcartright@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9158).

Technology as a man’s domain is an antiquated idea getting a redesign thanks to opportunities like the Virtual Reality Environment Design event sponsored by Women in Technology and attended by Thomas County Central High School Girls Who Code club. 

Sponsor Mark Thompson, who teaches computer science classes, wanted his students to attend because he feels it is essential to expose them to as many aspects of technology as possible, which touches nearly every part of their lives. 

“The border between art and technology is thinner than we often realize,” Thompson said. “Just as importantly, girls are overlooked when it comes to computer science. This event was a great way to show our female students that there are so many different ways to use technology. If they are inspired to create, then it was a worthy trip.”

The group from TCCHS included Emily Wood, Lainey Woodfin, Cadence Curnalia, Heather Smith, Shelby Bryant, Rowan Garland, Julia Hutchings and Genesis Mickles. Held April 30 in Duluth, girls from across Georgia participated and split into teams to design 3-Dimensional environments using VR headsets.

Whether writing as a hobby, to test skills, or with career aspirations in mind, four Thomas County Central High School students composed their way to wordsmith recognition. The school has four system-level winners in the Young Georgia Authors competition: freshman Layla Staley, sophomore Shane Sanford, junior Sofia Jimenez and senior Norman Desourdy.

“The students who submitted a writing sample for this competition did so on their own accord,” TCCHS English teacher Kensey D’Souza, who submitted sophomore essays, said. “They took an opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm for writing. I am proud of each of them for going above and beyond.”

YGA fosters enthusiasm for and expertise in writing while giving students a platform to celebrate and recognize their writing successes. Any K-12 student enrolled in a Georgia public school may participate in the competition, sponsored by the Georgia Language Arts Supervisors and the Georgia RESA Network and supported by the Georgia Department of Education. There are no prompts or restrictions to their creativity beyond the word limit. Youth writers may choose from entering a short story, poetry, essay/literary criticism/analysis, journalism, academic/research report, personal narrative, or any other original writing.

“By participating in an essay contest like Young Georgia Authors, students are able to illustrate their writing talents,” D’Souza said. “They can see how their writing skills measure up to other students that are beyond the walls of their school.”

Thomas County Middle School eighth grader Jaclyn Maxwell recently made the 2022 GMEA Middle School All-State Band on bass clarinet. A total of only eight bass clarinet players were accepted into the All-State middle school bands. Maxwell was one of the elite eight.

The All-State band competition consists of two rounds of auditions. The first round took place at the district level in December at Shiver Elementary School in Grady County. Students had to make a minimum score in order to pass to the second round. The second round audition took place at Union Grove Middle School in McDonough, Georgia, on January 8. 

"This is a major accomplishment and a huge honor," said Band Director William Majors. "Best wishes to Jaclyn as she represents Thomas County Middle School, her community, and the entire South Georgia region at this prestigious event."

Maxwell will join some of the finest musicians in the state of Georgia for the All-State Band Clinic which will take place at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia on March 3 - 5, 2022. The clinic will culminate in a very special concert performance on Saturday, March 5. 

Thomas County first grade teacher Bethany Warren of Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School was awarded the Community Foundation Public Education Mini-Grant of $500 this past December for spring 2022 projects. Warren’s students received a class set of “Boogie Boards” which is an alternative to the traditional whiteboard. Students can use the included stylus, a pen, or even a fingernail. There is no need to buy special markers. The boards erase instantly with the push of a button and can be disinfected with any available cleaning product. These boards will be used daily for years to come.

Ten teachers from the Thomas County School System received Community Education Mini-Grants including the following: Hanah Taylor, Hand-In-Hand; Bethany Warren, Garrison-Pilcher; Melissa Artz and Stephanie Wilson, Thomas County Middle School; Farren Burnette, Ashley Finch, and Caitlin Muse, Thomas County Central; Regina Beasley, Bishop Hall; Bill Wilhelm, Renaissance Center; and Gini Billingsley, Pathways.

Teachers in Thomasville City, Thomas County, and Brooks County School Systems were awarded grants of up to $500. A total of $10,500 was awarded in December 2021 to 22 educators across these three school systems.

Sixth and seventh-grade MERIT Spanish students recently participated in a Spanish Poetry Recitation Competition at East Coweta High School in Sharpsburg, Georgia. Students learned and performed a poem in Spanish before a panel of judges. Students were judged on pronunciation, interpretation of the text, smoothness of delivery, and textural accuracy. Students received two noteworthy scores, seven excellent scores, and eight superior scores. Pictured in the first row from left to right are Zariah Clark, Chandler Strickland, and Elijah Connell. Standing in the second row are Payton Cody, Julianne Wynn, Mae Harrison, Anna-Lora Payne, Ashton Beach, Jayden Rodrigues. Standing in the back row are Liam Clark, Ja'Mall Green, Donkerious Smith, Chavita Correa Santoyo, Jamar'ya Queen, Arianna Perkins, and Lauryn Walden. Not pictured is Benjamen Carlisle.

Area high school cadets recently received some direct training in military physical and mental preparation when the Thomas County Central High School Army JROTC program hosted a Raider Challenge. This competition is the program’s varsity-level sport, explains Senior Army Instructor Lt. Col. Kevin “Buzz” Ingram.

“I was pleased with how everything turned out,” Ingram said. “We had some small challenges, but like any military operation, we learn and adjust for future events. The campus here is ideal for hosting, and we had the necessary resources to provide a challenging training opportunity for the participating teams. The biggest thing I want my team and the others who participated [to learn] is continuing to develop their teamwork skills as well as the realization of what they are capable of accomplishing.”

Participants cull from area Army JROTC programs, but naval and air force groups may also join. Teams from Crisp County, Sumter, Turner County, Worth County, Dodge County, Dooly County, and Ware County high schools joined with the TCCHS team for the event. Competition category depends on team configuration: all male, all female, and mixed (at least four females compete in each event).

The Thomas County Board of Education has tentatively approved a rollback millage rate of 13.804 mills for 2021, a 2.4% reduction from the 2020 millage rate.

The proposed millage rate marks the ninth year in a row that the county board of education has reduced the school property tax rate. Thomas County School’s 2020 millage rate of 14.139 was the 34th lowest out of 180 school districts that can levy a tax, placing it in the bottom 19% of districts in the state.  The state average school property tax rate for 2020 was 16.14 mills.  Since school districts are in the process of adopting millage rates, comparison rates for 2021 are not yet available, but the school system’s proposed roll back rate is expected to once again be among the lowest property tax rates in the state.

There are limited spots available so hurry to enroll your child! Registration will continue online until all available spots are filled. Call Hand-In-Hand Primary School at 229-225-3908 if you have questions.

Please click below to register your child for Pre-K. 
Register for PreK - English

Students currently enrolled in Pre-K at Hand-In-Hand DO NOT need to register for Kindergarten.

After registering your child, please call Hand-In-Hand at 229-225-3908 to schedule your child's screening appointment.

The Stock Market Game is in full swing for a small group of eighth graders at Thomas County Middle School. Club participants are given $100,000 of virtual cash and are then given 10 weeks to buy and sell stocks to try and increase their portfolio holdings.  Students not only get experience making trades on the stock exchange, but are given instruction on the basic principles of investing and the stock market. The 10-week session ends November 30. The team with the largest increase in portfolio value will be the region winner since Thomas County Middle School is the only school that competes in the region. Pictured are Owen May and Trip Taylor discussing their portfolio and stock purchasing decisions. The two students are currently in the lead with a portfolio value $102,718.   

We are excited to continue offering the Cross Creek discount cards.  There are a few changes you will notice.  For the first time in 24 years, the price has changed.  Digital and print cards are $10 each.  Digital cards are available for your purchase through the link below.  The digital card will be saved to your cell phone's home screen when you select that option.  Printed cards will be available for sale by coming into the school office from 8:00 - 3:00.  There is also a "Quick Link" to the left that you can use to purchase your digital cards.

Students and staff of Cross Creek Elementary appreciate your continued support in our annual fundraising endeavor.

Click here to order your Cross Creek digital discount card.

A recent grant for the Thomas County School System has provided start-up costs for a National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) program, a program that will eventually become a full-fledged Army Junior ROTC unit to serve students from both Bishop Hall Charter School and Thomas County Central High School.

This is the inaugural year for the Army NDCC in Thomas County which will operate exactly like a JROTC program. The program is organized as two battalions: the Knight Battalion at Bishop Hall Charter School and the Yellow Jacket Battalion at Thomas County Central High School.  Lieutenant Colonel Kevin “Buzz” Ingram is the Senior Army Instructor and will oversee both programs. Prior to coming to Thomas County Schools, he served as the Senior Army JROTC Instructor at Ware County High School in Waycross, Georgia.

LTC Ingram said, “I am beyond excited to be here and start something special. This program is unique in that it’s not just one program, but two. I am establishing different battalions at Bishop Hall and Thomas County Central, embracing the culture and traditions at each school. Collectively, we are the 59th Cadet Regiment, paying tribute to the US Army Air Corps’ 59th Fighter Group that called Thomas County home in the early to mid-1940s. The legacy of the men and women of the greatest generation will live on in our cadets in the 21st century.”

Due to the delay in the start of this school year, our 20-21 school calendar had to be revised. Please make note of the changes. Fall break has been eliminated, Thanksgiving break was shortened, and the end of the school year has been extended one week with the last day of school on Friday, May 28. We are looking forward to our students starting back to school on Tuesday, September 8, either traditionally, through our remote classrooms, or our virtual school option. We are greatly missing our students and are counting down the days until we are able to see them again soon. Please continue to monitor the system and school websites and social media pages for continued updates.

2020-2021 School Calendar

Dear Thomas County Schools Families,

After many recent discussions with the local and regional health departments regarding Thomas County's current COVID-19 data, along with Archbold's announcements of rising COVID-19 case numbers, and the Governor's announced recommendation for systems to reopen after Labor Day, the start date for pre-planning has been moved to August 17 with students scheduled to return on September 8. The changes in dates will cause some changes to our 20-21 school calendar, which will be shared once it has been revised.

The postponement of school reopening will allow further development of our remote learning plans, computing device deployment for our digital learners, teacher preparation, continued discussions with health and local officials, and to ensure that our families and employees are fully prepared to start school in a successful manner.

We realize that the delay may not be the ideal solution for everyone, but please know that we did not make this decision lightly. The health and wellbeing of all of our students, staff, and families are vitally important to us. We are all eager to get back to traditional learning in our schools because that is where the majority of our students and staff thrive.

Our remote classroom and virtual school options will continue to be available for families who are not ready to have their child return to traditional learning.

Open house dates will be communicated to families through their child's school.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work to provide the safest learning environment for our students and staff.

Please continue to monitor our district website and social media pages for system updates.

Versión en Español

Dear Thomas County Schools Community,

Today, April 1, Governor Brian Kemp announced an executive order closing all public schools in Georgia for in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. It is very hard to believe that our students will not be physically returning to our schools and classrooms again this school year. We are truly heartbroken for our seniors and all students impacted by this pandemic.

Distance learning will continue for our students. We will provide alternatives to online instruction for those who do not have access to the internet. Our teachers, administrators, and county office will remain in contact with you through this challenging process. We will abide by the Governor's order and follow the guidance of the Georgia Department of Education and the Governor's Office of Student Achievement in completing the remainder of the school year. 

Spring break is April 6-10, and we encourage you to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy time with your family. Distance learning will resume Monday, April 13.

Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers (GYSTC) recently awarded Tammy Sharpe, Engineering and Coding Instructor at Thomas County Middle School, with the Georgia STEM Scholar Award.  The Georgia STEM Scholar Award recognizes outstanding certified teachers in grades K-8 who are working to integrate effective STEM education in their classrooms. Georgia STEM Scholars demonstrate a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences along with creating an atmosphere of exploration that excites, energizes, and equips students to pursue enhanced educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.  

Tammy Sharpe believes that Thomas County Middle School is on the cutting edge of STEM education.

“Students today will enter a workforce that demands they have coding skills," Sharpe said. "Small businesses in our community, like South Life Supply Co., require coding skills of their employees."

Nine exceptional mentor teachers were recently recognized for their work in coaching future teachers. Jenna Coffee, seventh grade life science teacher at Thomas County Middle School, received the Georgia Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (GACTE) Mentor Award during the biannual GACTE meeting.

“I was so surprised and thankful when TU contacted me initially to inform me I was nominated,” Coffee said. “Just being nominated was an honor, and I thought the actual award would likely go to someone who has mentored for 30+ years with a lot more experience.”

Each of Georgia’s nine P-20 Regional Collaboratives selected one mentor teacher who, in addition to fulfilling his/her primary obligation as an educator, has also served as a mentor to the upcoming generation of Georgia teachers. These mentor teachers model, instruct, encourage, and invest in the development of future teachers, and others have noticed their extraordinary work.  

Tanisha Barnhart, first grade teacher at Garrison Pilcher Elementary, was recently awarded a classroom grant from Envision Credit Union. Barnhart said she initially thought of applying for the grant while working on a project for her leadership degree. Barnhart plans to use the grant funds for STEM and mathematics projects within her classroom and to increase awareness to all of her students about opportunities provided through engineering and mathematics.   

Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams has appointed Michele Dechman instructional coordinator of Bishop Hall Charter School.

Dechman joined the faculty of Thomas County Schools in 1999 where she has taught elementary education, special education, gifted education, and computer coding.  She earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida State University and an educational specialist degree from Valdosta State University.
 

Thomas County Middle School eighth graders recently held “Rocket Day,” an annual tradition at the middle school. Not only do the eighth- graders look forward to the tradition, but also younger students anticipate being a part of this interactive science lesson.

Throughout the school year, students learn about numerous topics within physical science and develop an understanding of the engineering process.

“Rocket Day was a blast... literally," student Dayton Hurst, December Company, said. "It was really cool putting a lot of the things we learned about in class, like force and motion, into action."

The TCCHS CTAE department is in the process of reviewing a textbook for possible adoption for the 2019-2020 school year for the Allied Health course/pathway. Samples of this text will be on display in the TCCHS Media Center. Parents are invited to stop by during normal school hours (from May 9-May 17) to review these materials and leave any desired feedback.

Please contact Robin Cartright, Curriculum Director, if you have any questions (rcartright@tcjackets.net or 229-584-9158).

Eighth-grade MERIT students helped distribute ice and water following Hurricane Michael at Thomas County Central High School.  Semi trucks loaded with ice and water were brought in by GEMA (Georgia Emergency Management Agency) to distribute supplies to those in need.  Pictured below from left to right is Gavin Melnick, Whit Finch, Cable Willis, Luke Pierce, Trace Morales, and Jacey Keyton. 

Thomas County Central High School held its annual PROBE Fair Tuesday, Sept. 4. The event took place in the school’s cafeteria. Representatives from more than 40 colleges and universities were in attendance. Students from TCCHS and neighboring schools were invited to attend. Students and their families could peruse the various booths and ask questions about topics important to college acceptance, including applications and financial aid options. The fair is an important tool to aid students in determining which colleges and universities in the state and region might best suit their post-secondary plans. The TCCHS Guidance Department is in charge of the yearly event.  The hope is that students will leave the fair with a clearer understanding of what they need and the colleges to which they may wish to apply.

For the 2017-2018 school year, according to data compiled by AP program officials, 80 percent of TCCHS AP students who took AP exams earned a score of 3 or higher on each exam taken. This is an increase of one percent from last year; however, it is also 19 percent higher than both the state and global average of 61 percent.

The Thomas County Public Library will be on hand at the following open house events to register you and your children for public library cards:

Thursday, August 1 - Thomas County Middle School
2:30-4:00 PM - 5th and 6th grade
3:30-4:30 PM - 5th grade MERIT

Friday, August 2 - Hand in Hand 
8:00-10:00 AM - PreK and Kindergarten

Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School - 10:00 AM -12:00 PM - 1st and 2nd grade

Thank you for your support of Thomas County Schools and the Thomas County Public Library.  

Thomas County Schools is pleased to announce the opening of a School-Based Health Center on Friday, January 12, 2018. The School-Based Health Center is located on the campus of Thomas County Middle School. The health center will be open to all Thomas County School System students, regardless of which school they attend. The school system will provide transportation from other Thomas County Schools to the health clinic for students who need to be seen there.

Please click on the link below to access the consent form and the health information packet for your child. The completed forms may be returned to your child's school or to the School-Based Health Center. There will be prize drawings held to encourage the return of the consent forms and health packets. The prizes include free pizza coupons, movie passes, Wild Adventure passes, and many more. 

Link: School-Based Health Center Registration Packets for Students and Staff

The Red Nose Run is being held on Saturday, December 16, at Thomas University. The half marathon and 5K run/walk will begin at 8:00 a.m., and the fun run (12 & under) will begin at 9:00 a.m. The event is sponsored by Thomasville Junior Service League and Thomasville National Bank. Proceeds from the event will benefit Thomas County's children's charities. Register before December 1 to ensure t-shirt availability! Click on the link below for the registration form:

JSL/TNB Red Nose Run Registration Form

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer.  The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at each school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2017-2018 school year.

Guidelines for all schools

Click here for information about programs at the Thomas County Public Library this summer!

Free eBooks are provided for all students this summer -- Click here for more information

The Thomas County School System recently announced that four of its middle school students were recognized as a part of the 2017 Duke University Talent Identification (TIP) Program.

Jenaya Coleman, Laura Hiers, Georgia Rose Patton, and Molly Grace White, seventh graders at Thomas County Middle School, were among a select group of students statewide to meet the criteria to be Duke TIP students.

Dr. Caitlin Dooley, Georgia Department of Education (DOE) Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, recently visited Thomas County Schools to learn more about what is needed to ensure all students in Georgia – in rural, suburban, and urban schools – have access to high quality Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education including computer science across all grades in K12.

Dr. Dooley’s visit started at the Thomas County Board of Education where she met with school principals and administrators. The group interacted as Dr. Dooley asked questions about Thomas County’s intensive computer science program that starts in Pre-K and continues through twelfth grade.

“Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing students in Thomas County while visiting several school districts in South Georgia,” Dr. Dooley said. “The county is a leader and innovator as it incorporates computer science education throughout elementary, middle, and high school.”

Thomas County Middle School is very proud to recognize 38 seventh-grade students who have qualified for participation in the Duke TIP program this year.

State School Superintendent Richard Woods has appointed sixteen new parents to serve on his 2016-2017 Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Council (PAC). Allen Thornhill, a Hand-In-Hand Primary School representative on the Thomas County School District’s Parent Advisory Council, was chosen as one of the members. 

Thornhill, who is one of only 24 parents serving on the State PAC, was nominated by the Thomas County School District at the beginning of this school year. New members are selected each year by representatives of the Georgia Department of Education based on the applicants’ responses to questions on engaging parents to ensure their children’s success at school and the local school superintendent’s recommendation. Thornhill will serve a two-year term on the council.

Click More Information to Read Full Story

There are two new ways to stay connected to what is going on in the Thomas County School System.  

Thomas County Schools now has an app! In the App Store or Google Play, search for "School Pointe" and then locate the Thomas County School System the first time you open the app. The app allows you to find contact information for schools and staff, as well as see current news articles and information.  

We are also on Instagram!  Follow us by searching for @thomascountyschools.  

Get Georgia Reading partner myON is delivering more than 10,400 free books to your computer and mobile devices that you can access 24 hours a day—every day—through Aug. 31.

You can search from more than 50 different categories and genres, fiction and nonfiction, picture books, graphic novels, chapter books, titles for struggling and reluctant readers, and Spanish and bilingual titles. It’s like having your own personal library right at your fingertips.

Click "More Information" for details on how to access these free books!

Thomas County Middle School students recently had a chance to compete at the Regional Science Fair held at ABAC.  Eight students from TCMS have advanced to the State Science Fair competition.  

Students from Thomas County Middle School visited Thomas County Central High School in honor of AP Day. AP stands for Advanced Placement. The day, declared by the Georgia General Assembly, recognizes AP classes taught in Georgia public high schools. TCMS students audited AP classes taught at TCCHS. TCCHS Assistant Principal and AP Coordinator Jim Rehberg said AP Day is “a great opportunity” for the school to promote its Advanced Placement program and share what happens within its AP classrooms. “These students are the future of our program so it’s never too early to pique their interests,” he said.

On January 4, Thomas County Upper Elementary and Thomas County Middle School held its third annual “Techno Expo.” On this professional learning day, teachers attended sessions to learn how to integrate technology into their classrooms.  Click "More Information" for details.

TCCHS has been awarded the All Sports trophy from Region 1AAAA and the Regions Director’s Cup from the Georgia Athletic Directors Association for its exemplary achievements in sports programs last school year. “The All Sports trophy is awarded to the best overall athletic program in Region 1 AAAA,” TCCHS Athletic Director Sam Holland said. “We had five region champions last year: boys and girls golf, girls soccer, softball, and girls swimming.”

The Thomas County Central High School Future Business Leaders of America leadership team participated in the Fall Leadership conference Nov. 18-19 in Athens.

Thomas County Central High School Competition Cheerleaders are in the midst of their season. The team already has several competitions and placements under its pompoms and more opportunities to show off their skills and compete against other teams are scheduled, including a region showdown in November.

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is designed to provide information about how well students are mastering the state-adopted content standards in the core content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.  Importantly, Georgia Milestones is designed to provide students with critical information about their own achievement and their readiness for their next level of learning – be it the next grade, the next course, or endeavor (college or career).  Informing parents, educators, and the public about how well students are learning important content is an essential aspect of any educational assessment and accountability system. 

Click here for the PDF......... Georgia's New Test

Click here for the presentation from the parent meeting

Click here for the handout from the parent meeting

Click here for more information about the Georgia Online Assessment System

Some students will be taking online tests.  Click on More Information for links to helpful websites for typing instruction.

The Thomas County Middle School eighth grade technology class has begun a new endeavor this year.  Twenty-five students were selected for a year long broadcasting class.  The students work together as a team to produce a news show that is shown throughout the school each day.  The students in the class have a specific job to complete during the filming of each show.  So far they have shown great teamwork and have produced a great product.

Click more information to see pictures of these students in action.

Click here to see a WCTV news broadcast about TCMS TV.

TCCHS will host a youth baseball camp for boys ages 7-14 on May 27 and 28, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. each day. This camp will cover all aspects of the game and the goal is to improve the players’ basic fundamentals of the game while having fun. Instruction will include the proper techniques of hitting, pitching, catching, infield, outfield, base running and team defense. We will use a positive coaching approach to help each ballplayer raise his confidence and level of play. The camp will be run by members of the TCCHS coaching staff as well as current and former Yellow Jackets. CLICK HERE for registration form and waiver. Please read, fill out and bring signed forms to the field no later than the first day of camp. *In order to guarantee a t-shirt please turn in completed forms by May 15, 2014. 

All 7th grade students are required to have one dose of the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine and one dose of the meningococcal vaccine by August 30, 2016.  Click "More Information" below for further information.

Monday, April 14, 2014 was the opening reception for the Thomas County School System student art exhibition at the Thomasville Center for the Arts lower level gallery. The student artwork exhibited was a collection of over 100 works from Garrison-Pilcher, Cross Creek, and Thomas County Upper Elementary and Middle School. Everything was organized by the school’s art teachers, Christy Parker-Priest, Annie Burke and Emily Holton.

Click "More Information" to see pictures from the opening reception.

IT'S POPPIN! Student Art Exhibition

Chandler Fiveash, Ryland Ramhofer, and Aiden Carruth competed in the annual Southwest Georgia Regional Bridge Contest hosted by Albany State University on February 22^nd.  Fiveash and Ramhofer won First Place in the middle school division for their 27.9 gram bridge which held 14653.7 grams before breaking for an efficiency of 525.22%.  Their bridge proved to be the most efficient of all the bridges at the competition including those in the high school division.

 
Melody Hagan             Logan Leik

Thomas County Chorale congratulates fellow students, Melody Hagan and Logan Leik upon being accepted into the Georgia All State Chorus. In February, these two students will have the opportunity to travel to Athens, GA to work with world-renowned conductors and participate in concerts with other students who have achieved the same honor. This is always a very exciting and rewarding experience for our students. We are proud of them.

On Wednesday, December 11, TCCHS principal Ken Harper announced that he will be retiring effective June 30, 2014. Assistant principal Trista Jones has been named as principal-designee and will assume the principalship effective July 1, 2014. See More Information below for details.

Six students from Thomas County Middle School have advanced to the state science fair competition.  The competition will take place March 21-23.  The students include Gretchen Turnbull, Kaitlyn Hancock, Mary Beth Wise, Abby Mitchell, Tyler Williamson, and Brentley Odom. 

Senior Jalen Sneed signed a letter of intent and a full scholarship offer to play football at Albany State University on February 6.

Thomas County Middle School students recently participated in the Regional Science Fair held at ABAC in Tifton.  All 25 students who competed came home with a ribbon, and 10 students will move on to the Georgia State Science & Engineering Fair to be held at the University of Georgia on April 11-13 in Athens.  

Students who received third place include Brian Cauly, Zack Christie, Brady Smith, Emilie Hart, Abbie Love, and Aiden Wright. Students who received second place were Sam Parker, Payton Lohmueller, Ally Ballard, Eli Connell, Ava Rich, Riley Slocumb, Parker Strickland, and Kate Thedford. First place winners were Lyra McClain, Carter Adams, Brooklyn Blodgett, Ben Bailey, Aaron Irvin, Jayleigh Rex, Daniel Thompson, Kassie White, Ava Bishop, Braylee Hall, and Graham Gaines.  

The following students will move on to the state competition:  Lyra McClain, Carter Adams, Brooklyn Blodgett, Ben Bailey, Aaron Irvin, Jayleigh Rex, Daniel Thompson, Kassie White, Ava Bishop, and Braylee Hall.

It was a time to listen, advocate, and better understand how one of Georgia’s defining governmental processes works. 

Thomas County Central High School sent a 38-member delegation to the Georgia Youth Legislative Assembly Nov. 26-28. They joined more than 500 students from around the state in debating, amending, and passing legislation drafted by assembly participants.

“We had delegates assigned to the House of Representatives, the Senate, and as lobbyists,” sponsor and TCCHS teacher Justin Amaro said. “Our students performed extremely well this year. All of them participated in legislative committees on some level, whether they debated bills, authored amendments, or engaged in discussion pertinent to today's issues and events.”

The Georgia Center for Civic Engagement organizes and administers Youth Assembly. It’s open to student delegations from high schools around the state.

“They experience a simulated version of what it is to participate in government at the state level,” Amaro said. “TCCHS and the local board have prioritized this experience for our students because they get a high and genuine understanding of the legislative process that cannot be replicated in the classroom.”

Thomas County students who received special honors and recognitions include Ethan Mainprize, Conner Marsh, Braxton White and Andre Williams. These accolades ranged from chairing committees to authoring passed legislation and earning awards for performance to winning the highest position available to student participants.

Bishop Hall faculty and staff recently attended a professional development session after school presented by Chad (Coach) Ward. Teachers completed a personality activity assignment and were surprised by the results. It was an eye opening experience allowing teachers to see themselves how others see them. The group determined that perception is everything.

Thomas County Schools is charging forward with its participation in “Literacy and Justice for All,” an opportunity for district and school leaders to join a multi-year literacy leadership cohort in support of House Bill 538, the Georgia Early Literacy Act, with the Georgia Department of Education in collaboration with the Rollins Center for Language & Literacy.

The Rollins Center, a program of the Atlanta Speech School, develops expertise with educators, system leaders, families, and advocates in the sciences of healthy brain development, language, and literacy. Through this partnership, the Rollins Center will support Thomas County Schools, one of 10 selected Georgia school districts, in its Navigation & Implementation Leadership Cohort.

Amy Tyson is the Thomas County School System’s Elementary Curriculum Director and a member of the district’s Implementation Team.  Tyson expects to see many positive results from the in-depth training such as a decrease in foundational gaps in reading across all grade levels and an increase in language development and student reading performance.

Bishop Hall Charter School faculty recently hosted their first “Family Literacy Night” for the 2023-2024 school year. With more than 100 people in attendance, parents and students learned the importance of literacy, how to understand Lexile scores, how to keep track of student progress, and how literacy is addressed across Bishop Hall.

Bishop Hall teachers Dr. Retha Lee and Paul McMullen organized the event. 

Lee said, “The turnout was incredible. We had a full house and a line out the door with parents and students waiting to get in.”

McMullen was also happy with the high attendance, saying, “It is exciting and invigorating to see such interest from both parents and students. I hope it continues on our next Literacy Night in February.” 

Principal Dr. Wiggins was thankful for those who attended the event. All of the teachers were pleased by the support of parents and the staff members who made the event successful. The next Literacy Night at Bishop Hall is planned for Thursday, February 22.

Students in Renee Brooks' classes recently blasted off into space in their 6th-grade year by learning about galaxies, planets, and now various space rocks. Through hands-on learning experiences and classroom discussions, students have been super-engaged in their own learning. During a recent lab activity, students had the opportunity to experience a fun and tangible way of learning about comets, which are known to scientists as dirty snowballs. Students used dry ice, coal, and various soil particles to represent the basic foundations of a comet. Students then applied heat in two ways; by breathing and from the heat of the sun. The project made it possible for the students to witness the gas tail that comes off of a comet as it moves closer to the sun.

Six Thomas County Central High School seniors’ dedication to academics and community have them shining brightly amongst their peers with the announcement of the 2023 Georgia Scholars.

The Georgia Department of Education partners with local school districts/schools to coordinate the Georgia Scholar program. It identifies and commends graduating high school seniors who shine in school and within their community. According to the official press release, only 154 graduating seniors in Georgia earned this distinction. TCCHS students who received the honor are Caleb Kinneer, Bishop Jackson, Jackson McCorkle, Gavin Melnick, Riley Scoggins and Jay Campbell Smith.

Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg expressed pride in TCCHS and these students’ accomplishments.

“You have to meet some difficult standards to make this list, including high scores on standardized testing, a nearly perfect GPA, dynamic leadership and community involvement,” she said. “These six students have worked extremely hard throughout their high school careers and deserve recognition for their commitment to excellence.”

Riley Scoggins, 18, said she’s honored to receive the Georgia Scholar title.

“Earning the distinction of Georgia Scholar feels incredible,” she said. “It is such a prestigious designation that not everyone has the chance to get.”

Furthermore, Scoggins, who learned of the program this year, is the only female student at TCCHS to receive a 2023 designation.

Thomas County Middle School Tubist, Carter Weiss, recently participated in the GMEA All-State Band Clinic at the Classic Center in Athens. Weiss was one of only 14 tuba players in the state to make one of the two middle school All-State Bands.  

His clinician was Erin Cole Steele, an experienced music educator who now works as a clinician and consultant for Conn-Selmer and the Hal-Leonard Corporation.  

Weiss said, “I had a great experience at All-State. I made some new friends, and I was able to spend time with my family. If there’s anything I learned from my experience at All-State, it’s that through hard work and dedication, you can do anything you put your mind to. It is also through the hard work and dedication of my band directors, Mr. Majors and Mr. Booth, that I was able to attend this event.”

During the band clinic, the All-State Middle School Band performed “Verity March” by Laura Estes, “Skyward” by Katahj Copley, “Fragile” by Randall Standridge, and “Choose Joy” by Randall Standridge.

“Carter is a very talented young man who also puts in the hard work to be considered among the best in the state," TCMS Band Director William Majors said. "The All-State audition process is extensive, including two rounds that cover scales, etudes and sight-reading.  To make the GMEA All-State Band is a huge accomplishment and we are very proud of this young man.”

The Thomas County Board of Education held its first meeting of the new calendar year Tuesday night. After the invocation, outgoing chair Mark NeSmith declared the positions of chair and vice chair vacant and asked for nominations.

Board member Ken Harper made a motion that Leah Smith be elected chair and that Dan Stewart be elected vice chair. Chris Hayes seconded Harper’s motion.  NeSmith called for any additional nominations. There were no additional nominations, so Smith and Stewart were elected to their respective roles with no dissenting votes.

Smith has been a member of the board since 2018, and this is her first time serving as chair. Smith is a registered nurse at the Thomasville Eye Center. She and her husband, Ben, have two children in the school system.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue representing Thomas County’s students, parents, and taxpayers with my re-election,” Smith said. “As the chair, I’m excited for all of the wonderful things this year holds for our school system. Working alongside Dr. Williams, vice chair Dan Stewart, the other board members, and our staff to channel your voices, I look forward to witnessing Thomas County’s successes.”

Thomas County Central High School seniors learned it’s never too early – or late – to start their college applications. TCCHS held its Georgia Apply to College Day session Thursday, Nov. 17.  

According to the official press release, this day is an annual event sponsored by Georgia Student Finance Commission and supported by Communities in Schools, the Georgia Department of Education, the Georgia Independent College Association, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia.

“I am thrilled to host Apply to College Day at TCCHS,” 12th-grade counselor Tammy Shealey said. “Our goal was for each student to successfully complete at least one college admission application utilizing No Fee November.”

Senior English classes visited the school’s media center computer lab and received hands-on assistance from guidance office staff and representatives from local post-secondary institutions Thomas University and Southern Regional Technical College. 

Senior Coltin Kilgore said youth should take this day seriously because it aids them in deciding their future.

“Going to college is a way to find yourself, and it gives you more opportunities in the future that you wouldn’t have otherwise,” he said. “Going to college is a great way to find out what you want to do with your life.”

Kilgore already has an official acceptance to Full Sail University and plans to major in business media.

For the eighth time and fourth consecutive year in a row, the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts has recognized the Thomas County School System for Excellence in Financial Management and Reporting.

The Department of Audits created the award program to recognize those entities that are audited annually and go beyond standard financial business practices to be considered “the best of the best.” An award of distinction is presented to organizations that submit quality financial statements and supporting documentation in a timely manner, whose annual financial report is given an unmodified audit opinion and is free of any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses, and comply with all Transparency in Government requirements.

Thomas County School Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams and Board Chair Mark NeSmith presented the award to Deputy Superintendent for Finance Joey Holland at the July board of education meeting. Upon receipt of the award, Holland gave credit to the staff members in the system’s finance department.

Pre-Kindergarten teacher Debbie Carraway is one of three finalists in a public school system for the 2022-2023 Georgia’s Pre-K Program Teachers of the Year according to the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL). Carraway, who has taught Pre-K at Hand-In-Hand Primary School for six years, was chosen for representing high quality early childhood education.

Carraway received a $500 cash prize from the Georgia Foundation for Early Care + Learning after her application was reviewed and scored by a panel of impartial judges.

Carraway has been teaching for 15 years, and 12 of those years have been in Pre-K.

“It is an honor to be selected as one of the top three finalists for Georgia Pre-K Teacher of the Year,” Carraway said. “If chosen to represent Thomas County as the 2023 Georgia Pre-K Teacher of the Year, my message would be that our children are our future. As an educator, I know that every day I make an impact on someone's life.”

This fall each of the finalists will be observed in their classroom by a Pre-K Specialist, will submit a small group video to be scored by outside judges, and will appear before a panel for a personal interview.

Band students from Thomas County Middle School recently participated in the South Georgia Region Honor Band Clinic that took place April 7 - 9, 2022, at Valdosta State University. The clinic culminated in a public concert performance that took place in VSU's Whitehead Auditorium on April 9.

William Majors, TCMS Band Director, said, "The South Georgia Region Honor Band consists of students from schools hailing from GMEA Districts 2, 8, and 11. Basically, it includes all schools south of Macon, Georgia. Students compete in an extensive audition process in order to qualify for this honor band."

"We are very proud of these students for representing TCMS in one of the most prestigious band events in the state of Georgia," he added.

Fifth-grade Thomas County Middle School MERIT students, Madison Holton and Raylynn Fykes, were recently named winners of the 2022 River of Words Environmental Art and Poetry Project. Holton was named a national finalist for her poem, The Creek, while Fykes won at the state level for her poem, Laying by the Ocean. Both girls were encouraged to write poems by their science teacher, Ashley Lanatta.

The River of Words Project (ROW) is a program designed to help students understand their sense of place by studying a watershed in their own environment, and then expressing what they discover through poetry and art. The art and poetry is entered into the state-wide contest. Georgia entries are judged by the Georgia Center for the Book and by the GA Environmental Protection Division.

Both girls will be recognized at the Georgia River of Words (ROW) Awards Ceremony that will be held on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at the DeKalb County Library in Decatur, Georgia.

Thomas County Central High School art students recently participated in two events sponsored by the Thomasville Center for the Arts: the annual TCA Youth Arts Show and FLAUNT2022. Participating schools included Brookwood, Cairo High School, Thomasville High School, Thomasville Scholars Academy, and TCCHS.

Five TCCHS students earned individual art awards in the Youth Arts Show: Melonie Smith (first place), Ashton Scully (Creativity award), Taylor Bracewell (Outstanding Sophomore), Michael Scully (honorable mention) and Trish Rosario (honorable mention).

For FLAUNT2022, TCCHS drawing and painting students created a mural fitting the theme "Electricity" in a traditional “I spy” style. The mural depicts various technology items that use electricity. It won first place. Mural artists were: Haley Anderson, JaMoya Banks, Madolyn Clark, Talia Esther, Casandra Godwin, Logan Griffin, Bailey Gunter, Kathryn Hardy, Sanyai Harris, Alex Hernandez, Makayla Johnson, Lauren Jones, Austin Martin, Janelly Rivera, Joleyshka Santos, Riley Scoggins, Ashton Scully, Michael Scully, Diego Torres, Sarah Weaver, and Addison Weiss.

The mural will be on display at the corner of West Jackson and Stevens streets throughout March.

Thomas County Central High School Debate team is off to a promising start in its competition season. Members competed in The Gladiator Debates at Johns Creek High School Oct. 15-16.

Participants included Jack Cantrell, Caleb Kinneer, Mallory Bustle, Veronica Vanlandingham and McKaleigh Watson. Two students earned recognition: Caleb Kinneer and Jack Cantrell. Kinneer competed in Public Forum Debate with his partner Mallory Bustle and won an individual speaker award for sixth place (out of 24 competitors). Cantrell won first place in Extemporaneous Public Speaking.

“Extemporaneous speaking is a speaking event where students draw three current event topics from an envelope, pick one, and are given 30 minutes to prepare a seven-minute speech, using the Internet to do research,” he said. “It’s an awesome category because it forces you to think quick[ly] on your feet; you don’t have time to stress out or worry. You have to move quickly.”

He delivered three speeches that covered different topics: the refugee crisis in Europe, a new minimum global corporate tax rate, and whether or not age restrictions on adults owning guns violate the Second Amendment.

The Thomas County School System decided to "GO GOLD" in September which was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Faculty, staff and students wore gold or yellow on Friday, September 3, to share awareness and show support for kids and families impacted by childhood cancer. Each school in the system also participated in Caps for CURE by paying one dollar to wear a hat on Friday. Thomas County Schools raised a total of $2,125.68. The money raised was donated to CURE Childhood Cancer. Sharon Johnson visited the school system recently to accept the check on behalf of CURE. 

Thirty-one students from Thomas County Middle School completed the requirements for the Summer Reading Challenge.  These students were treated to a Dairy Queen Blizzard ice cream party in the media center on Friday, August 27.  Griffin Browning won the drawing for $50.00 to spend at the first book fair of the year.

Kathie Craven, media specialist, was very happy with the results of the Summer Reading Challenge for students.  She said, "To have such a large number of students read and write about the books they read over the summer is very encouraging.  This was not an easy task!  We are all so proud of these students."

School administrators congratulated these students on their efforts and encouraged them to keep reading.

Thomas County Central High School student Bishop Jackson earned a world ranking at this summer’s 2021 Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference and Competition. A sophomore when he began advancing through the competition ranks, Jackson achieved 10^th place in Coding & Programming.

Jackson, now a junior, felt excited about his win and said he was pleasantly surprised with his result.

“I did not expect to place so high, competing against people from all across the world,” he said. “It means so much to me that the judges believed my project stood out among others.”

TCCHS FBLA chapter adviser Nick Haskin said more than 14,000 students and competitors participated in the conference this year. Placing at national competition is a noteworthy feat any year, he continued, but considering Jackson’s grade level at the time, it’s quite an accomplishment.

“Bishop competed against competitors throughout the nation and other nations throughout the world,” Haskin said. “To place at NLC as a senior is extremely hard; to place at NLC against mostly seniors as just a sophomore … Bishop Jackson has achieved quite a feat!”

For his category, Jackson had to create a standalone computer program that quizzes the user about FBLA.

The School-Based Health Center, located at the Thomas County Middle School, has released the summer schedule. There are some days and weeks when the center is open, but not for sick visits. During those times, there will be no provider on site so only COVID tests and vaccines will be administered. Call 229-227-2936 for questions or appointments.

The Thomas County Central High School Lady Jackets will be holding a softball camp June 1 - 3, 2021. The camp is open to children currently in grades 2 - 8. Campers will learn hitting, bunting, base-running, throwing, fielding, pitching, and catching fundamentals. The registration deadline is May 21. Click on the link below to access the form:

2021 Lady Jacket Softball Camp Form

It is that exciting time of year when we start looking forward to a new group of MERIT students at Thomas County Middle School. The MERIT program of study is designed for gifted and high-achieving middle and high school students who desire a challenging academic environment to prepare for competitive admission and scholarship opportunities at the post-secondary level. The MERIT program stresses academic excellence coupled with competition, athletics, fine arts, and community service.

Interested parties should do the following:

If you are a Cross Creek Elementary or Thomas County Middle School parent, please print out the application from the TCMS MERIT webpage, and return the completed document to your child's homeroom teacher.

If your child attends school in another system, please visit the TCMS MERIT webpage, print out the application, and email the completed form to Dana Studdard, TCMS MERIT Coordinator, at dstuddard@tcjackets.net

All MERIT applications are due by April 26, 2021. 

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We will soon complete our first month of the 2020-2021 school year. I am so very proud of our students and the way that they have responded to the opening of the school year and the many new routines that we have implemented to help keep them and our staff healthy.

I am also very thankful for our dedicated school system employees who are going beyond the call of duty every day to make sure that all of our children have a safe place to work, learn, and have fun.

I am humbled by the trust that you as parents have placed in us, and I appreciate the confidence that you have shown in us as you have enrolled your child with us this year. We dedicate ourselves to earning that trust each day, and you have my assurance that every decision we make is focused on maintaining a safe and healthy school for your child to attend.

Important Information Regarding the Jackets' Nest Stadium and Football Season

Football season is finally here and we are thrilled that we will soon be experiencing Friday Night Lights at the Jackets’ Nest.  We truly appreciate your continued support and understanding as we work to prepare our protocols and procedures that will help mitigate the risks concerning the spread of COVID-19 and promote a safe environment for our athletes, coaches, students, fans, and visitors in our stadium.  

Our game day safety protocols are in alignment with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Georgia High School Association (GHSA), Georgia Department of Public Health, and are subject to change based on modifications issued by those entities.  It is vital that we work together to ensure that our game day protocols and safety measures are followed to help keep our Jackets safe and ready to play and our fans in the stands.  As we see improvements in our community COVID-19 data, hopefully, we will be able to open up additional seating as the season progresses.  

Following a recent executive order from Governor Brian Kemp, the Thomas County School System will remain closed until Friday, April 24, with students returning on Monday, April 27. According to the Governor, the closure could be extended if the pandemic crisis worsens.

Tras una reciente orden ejecutiva del gobernador Brian Kemp, el Sistema Escolar del Condado de Thomas permanecerá cerrado hasta el viernes 24 de abril, y los estudiantes regresarán el lunes 27 de abril. Según el Gobernador, el cierre podría extenderse si la crisis pandémica empeora. 

Thomas County Middle School students won many awards in The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Junior American Citizens annual competition.  There were 38 winners from Thomas County Middle School for the Thomasville chapter with several of those students placing in multiple categories. Thirteen of the 34 winners took first place and will advance to state competition in January. This year’s theme was “100th Anniversary of World War I - Service on the Homefront.”  Students were able to compete in the following categories: poster, stamp design, photo essay, banner, poem, short story, or community service.

Envision Credit Union recently awarded Amanda West, sixth-grade teacher at Thomas County Middle School, with a $500 classroom grant.  She was awarded the grant based on her community impact.

West is in charge of organizing service learning for TCMS MERIT students and coordinates activities where students are able to access volunteer opportunities within the community.  The award was actually presented to West while she was volunteering at Second Harvest through Hands on Thomas County. 

West plans to use the money from the grant to help deter the cost of student field trips, as well as to obtain literacy resources including novels and primary sources for students to use in the classroom.  

Thomas County School System officials have named Jill Grimes, first grade teacher at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School, as the District Teacher of the Year.

“Being named Teacher of the Year for the Thomas County School System is such an honor,” Mrs. Grimes said. “I am incredibly grateful to work with the most amazing and supportive colleagues. Our system is composed of phenomenal people on every level. The support of my coworkers, family, and friends is what has shaped me into the educator I am today. To represent our system at state will be a privilege.” 

Grimes has been a teacher for three years with Thomas County Schools. She began her teaching career in Mitchell County in 2008 first as a fifth grade teacher in math, science and social studies, and then as a Pre-K teacher at Mitchell County Elementary School where she taught for eight years.

We are collecting plastic caps that can be turned into benches for our school campuses! 

We invite you to send plastic caps to any of our schools.  Please click here for more information.  

Thomas County Middle School students from Kathy Payne's class recently participated in the Tutus and Tennis Shoes Fun Run sponsored by South Georgia Ballet on Saturday, September 8 held in Thomasville. Runners began at the Thomasville Center for the Arts and followed part of the course for the Rose City Walk.

This event helps to fund the Special Steps program that provides dance classes to special needs students once a week at The Thomasville Center for the Arts. Each Tuesday, students from Kathy Payne and Patty McDonald's classes benefit from this program. Students enjoy learning different types of dance from hip-hop to ballet along with essential skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, teamwork, and following simple directions.

Pictured from left to right is Kaylee Collier, Gavin Weier, Christain Jones, and Christianna Bender following the Tutus and Tennis Shoes Fun Run.

Please click "...Read More" for all open house dates and times.  

Student Google accounts will be disabled from June 15 - August 3, 2018. If a student needs account access during this time, he or she should complete the form below.   Please allow 24 hours for access to be granted. Student accounts will continue to be monitored for inappropriate usage during the summer months.  Questions should be directed to Erin Rehberg at erehberg@tcjackets.net.

Student Account Request Form

Student Google accounts will be disabled from June 16-August 1, 2017. If a student needs account access during this time, he or she should complete the form below.   Please allow 24 hours for access to be granted. Student accounts will continue to be monitored for inappropriate usage during the summer months.  

Student Account Request Form

Are you a drama queen? A comedy king? Looking for ways to express yourself? Have fun with friends? Have a great time after school? DRAMAKIDS! may be for you!

Click here for more information

This past school year, TCCHS had nine students named as AP Scholars, three students named as AP Scholars with Honor, and seven named as AP Scholars with Distinction. An AP Scholar is a student who scores a three or higher on three or more AP exams; an AP Scholar with Honor is a student who scores a three or higher on four or more AP exams; and, an AP Scholar with Distinction is a student who receives an average score of 3.5 or higher on all AP exams taken and a three or higher on five or more exams.

The Thomas County School System recently announced that three of its middle school students were recognized as a part of the 2016 Duke University Talent Identification (TIP) Program.

Sarah Carnes, Anna James and Danielle Sauls, seventh graders at Thomas County Middle School, were among a select group of students statewide to meet the criteria to be Duke TIP students.

Thomas County Central High School has been recognized by Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods as both an Advanced Placement Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Honor School and an Advanced Placement STEM Achievement Honor School.

Click "More Information" to read story

The Thomas County School System is pleased to offer several afternoon fine arts opportunities for our students through partnerships with the Dance Academy, Versa Music Conservatory (formerly Thomasville Music Academy), and members of our own faculty.  Please click on "More Information" to learn more about these programs and to view the informational flyers.

The Thomas County Middle School Science Fair was held on December 9. More than 200 projects were entered by 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Winners will compete in the Region Science Fair at ABAC on February 12. Click "More Information" for details. 

Support the Thomas County Elementary Schools by signing up for the Jack O'Lantern Jog!

When: Saturday, October 18, 2014

Where: TCMS and Hand-in-Hand Campuses

Click here to download the Registration Form

Click here to see the T-Shirt Design

Click here to register online

TCMS 8th grade students Joseph Riglioni, Marion Rose Young, and Caleb Giddens recently participated in the 2014 GA All-State Chorus festivities.  These students were chosen out of approximately 4,500 7th and 8th grade students from across the state of Georgia.  The students completed two days of rehearsals which culminated with a concert on Saturday, March 22, at the Classic Center in Athens.

TCCHS is proud to announce that our Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) team has retained the Region I Sweepstakes Trophy, completing a "Three-Peat" in winning all 3 years since the award has been created.  Please see More Information below.

Thomas County Central High School held the 6th Annual Shop with a Yellow Jacket (SWAYJ) event on December 14. Students from TCCHS formed teams and raised money to take a student from one of our lower schools shopping at Walmart. 85 teams participated this year involving approximately 350 high school students. Please see More Information below and Pgoto Galleries to the left for more informaiton and pictures.

Garrison-Pilcher hosted "Donuts for Dads and & Dudes" on December 16th.  Fathers, grandfathers, uncles and friends were encouraged to visit the school to enjoy donuts and read to the children.  Thank you to all of our guests!   Please visit the Photo Gallery for more pictures from the event.

    We are excited about all our upcoming art events this fall at Cross Creek!

The Future Jacket Cheer Camp is just around the corner! Camp will be August 17 from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm in the TCCHS gymnasium. CLICK HERE for registration form and more camp information. Applications should be received by August 9. Please contact Carrie Lasseter at classeter@thomas.k12.ga.us for more information.

TCCHS Freshman Melody Hagan auditioned for All-State Chorus in October. During the competition she had to sing a classical song, three scales, sight-read three examples of music, and take a tonal memory test. She competed against choral students from all over Georgia and passed the first-round audition. She then passed a second audition and received a gold seal on her certificate for a superior score. Melody also performed in the 2013 Georgia All-State Senior Women's Chorus in Savannah, GA at the end of February. Congratulations Melody!

Garrison-Pilcher's very own Mr. Love treated students and parents to a night of wonderful science learning on Feb. 21st.  Please visit the picture gallery to see more of our Science Night event.

Thomas County Central High School took 16 students to the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Friday, Feb. 16. These students qualified for the regional event based on their showing at the TCCHS fair held in December 2023.

TCCHS had eight first-place winners, four second-place finishers, and four third-place recipients. The first-place finishers all qualified to attend the Georgia Science and Engineering Fair in April at the University of Georgia. These first-place earners and state qualifiers are Andrew Robertson, Hudson Wynn, Royson Thompson, Jackson (Dru) Jones, Thomas Buwa, Carter Weiss, Jayla Davis and Kayden McClain. Also, Carter Weiss earned second place overall in the Senior Science Fair Division. 

Students who collected second-place awards are Henry Edge, Caroline Westberg, Laylen Hines and Brooks Bone. Third-place receivers are Drew Darcy, Joleth Carreon, Ivy Vu and Sarah Dine.

This year’s theme for the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Junior Citizens Contest was “Sparkling in the Stars with the 50th Anniversary of the NASA Space Shuttle Program." Several Cross Creek students participated in this year’s competition and placed in the local level. First Place winners at the local level will be submitted in progression for the state, Southeastern Region, and national levels of competition.  Student entries were banner, stamp design, poem, short story, poster, digital, graphic novel and community service. 

Click READ MORE to see all winner's names

Thomas County Central High School Advanced Placement students recently explored a hidden treasure while putting classroom lessons into real-world applications. Thirty-one students visited the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, approximately one hour from Thomasville. Students currently taking or who already completed AP Environmental Science and AP Statistics could attend. Teachers Dr. Phil Coppola (APES) and Kelsey Hanna (AP Stats) chaperoned. 

The excursion aimed to observe migrating monarch butterflies at this key stopover location en route to their summering grounds in Mexico. Students learned about public land conservation and the refuge’s role – specifically native, invasive, and at-risk species – and collected field data. AP Statistics students will use the gathered information to study links between data collection, analysis and interpretation.

This is the first year these classes collaborated on such a joint learning project, but given the trip’s success, future adventures may find their way onto lesson plans.

A Thomas County Central High School Class of 2023 graduate’s exceptional skills within the workplace recently promoted him to a state title. 

Bishop Jackson earned the Southwest Region Work-Based Learning Student of the Year and the Georgia WBL Student of the Year awards. He received these honors during the annual Georgia Association for Career & Technical Education summer conference.

Jackson knew about the region award but was genuinely surprised to collect the state title, too. He garnered various academic accolades during high school – including salutatorian, National AP Scholar, and acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – but said awards like those for WBL have special significance.

“The recognition truly means a lot,” Jackson said. “During my four years in high school, I received lots of tangible awards for my academic achievements. However, there is nowhere near the same amount of recognition for students who take traditional course loads or place more emphasis on CTAE.”

TCCHS WBL Coordinator Brandi Miranda nominated Jackson for the region award and expressed pride in his state accomplishment. According to Miranda, what sets Jackson apart from other WBL students is his ability to adapt and excel in real-world environments.

Well deserved is how Thomas County Central High School students and staff describe business teacher and Future Business Leaders of America Head Adviser Nicholas Haskin’s win as the 2023 Georgia FBLA Adviser of the Year.

“Mr. Haskin fully deserves winning the state FBLA adviser of the year award,” member Shelbie Ducharme, 18, said. “He truly dedicates himself time after time to the success and wellbeing of his FBLA students and does it all with a smile.”

Recently bestowed during the 2023 Georgia FBLA State Leadership Conference and Competition, the title honors Haskin for his dedication to his school’s chapter and its members.

“I think [Mr.] Haskin winning this award has been long deserved,” Shane Sanford, 17, said. “[Mr.] Haskin is a great and inspirational educator who absolutely deserves the award.”

In his 21st year as an educator, Haskin has been an FBLA adviser for 18 years, all with TCCHS. He’s won Georgia FBLA Region 1 Adviser of the Year multiple times but never the state one. 

Unfortunately, he was too sick during the conference to attend the opening session when organizers announced the winner. Other advisers and alums began texting him about the award; however, he thought it was the region one he knew he’d won. Finally, the news sank in, and Haskin was elated and saddened.

“Elated to be recognized for such a high honor, yet saddened that I was too sick to be there in person to receive my award,” he said. “This award means so much to me as it represents my time invested in my students.” 

His students acknowledge and appreciate Haskin’s efforts. 

Thomas County Schools produced 19 local winners in the National Garden Club Smokey Bear/Woodsey Owl Poster Contest who will have their posters judged at the regional level in late February. What is now known as the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest began as an initiative of the New Mexico State Garden Club in 1959.  In 1994, the contest celebrated Smokey Bear’s 50th birthday under the name of the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest. The contest became a national art competition inviting children to draw their interpretation of Smokey Bear and his wildfire prevention message or Woodsy Owl and his conservation message. Today, the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest is an annual tradition amongst elementary schools, scout troops, and youth groups across the nation.

Thomas County Middle School’s Lego League team, the Electro Avengers, recently traveled to Columbus, GA, for the FLL Super Region Competition. The team placed first overall earning the coveted Champion’s Award. This first place achievement means the team will progress to the state competition.

The Lego League Challenge for this year was for students to improve upon the way energy is created, stored, distributed or consumed. The Electro Avengers focused on improving modern-day wind turbines and developed an inflatable wind turbine prototype called the Inflata-Bine.

Students discovered standard wind turbines are not biodegradable and cause thousands of bird, insect and bat fatalities. To help improve upon these problems, students created a turbine out of a soft and biodegradable latex that could be affixed to the top of homes. In addition to this, the team worked to program a robot to maneuver through a set of tasks and skills during Robot Games.

The Electro Avengers will compete on the state level at Georgia Tech on Saturday, February 11.

Thomas County Central High School Marching Yellow Jacket Band swarmed, and its fellow contenders felt the sting in a recent performance contest. The band competed against seven other groups from Georgia, Florida, and Alabama in the Battle on the Border Marching Band Competition at Martin Stadium in Valdosta on Saturday, Oct. 22. 

TCCHS received straight superior ratings for drum major, color guard, percussion and band. Additionally, it earned Best in Class AAA, Best Music Overall, the Jeff Lilly award for Most Entertaining Band, and first runner-up overall.

Quite an accomplishment on any day, TCCHS Band Director Joe Regina reveals the outcome’s especially commendable because his youth musicians also had the annual homecoming game, a mass band show with Thomas County Middle School students, and senior night the previous evening.

“Words cannot express how proud we are of our students for their efforts on Saturday,” he said. “We could tell very early on this season that we had a very special group of students marching this year.”

Members express similar enthusiasm for their results.

“I'm so proud and impressed by all our band members for putting their all into bringing home our awards,” sophomore clarinet player Bianca Torres, 15, said. “I know how hard everyone has worked, and I know how much we all deserve this win.”

Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers (GYSTC) has recently awarded Garrison-Pilcher science teacher Jessica Duncan with the 2022 Georgia STEM Scholar Award. As part of this special recognition, she will receive a $500 grant to purchase STEM education materials for her classroom, as well as receive free admission to attend the GYSTC Summer STEM Institute. 

Duncan believes that Garrison-Pilcher provides a great foundation for STEM education.

Duncan says, "I am very thankful for the opportunity to expand the resources for the students who will come through my classroom next year and the years to come.”

She also said that the activity mentioned in the award "Slimy Attributes" is a second grade favorite. 

TCCHS Literary team took first place at the GHSA Region 1-AAAA Literary meet. Pictured are: (back row, left to right) sponsor Gabrielle McMullen, Sofia Jimenez, Norman Desourdy, Ransom Young; (middle row, left to right) Zhavion Sparrow, Caleb Kinneer, Laura Hiers, Grayson Jones, sponsor Tom Rinehart, (front row, left to right) Samantha Wilbur, Wesleyan Hart, Jeffry Davis, Caiden Colvin, and Molly Grace White.

Thomas County Central High School competed in the GHSA Region1-AAAA Literary meet at Westover High School on March 5. TCCHS earned first place overall, and several individual students received awards.

INDIVIDUAL WINNERS
First Place
Laura Hiers ~ Personal Essay 
Grayson Jones ~ Argumentative Essay
Caleb Kinneer ~ Rhetorical Essay
Sofia Jimenez ~ Domestic Extemporaneous Speech
Norman Desourdy ~ International Extemporaneous Speech
Molly Grace White & Ransom Young ~ Oral Presentation Duo

Second Place
Wesleyan Hart, Grayson Jones, Samantha Wilbur ~ Trio
Zhavion Sparrow, Caleb Kinneer, Caiden Colvin, Jeffry Davis ~ Quartet
Zhavion Sparrow ~ Boys Solo
Molly Grace White ~ Dramatic Oral Presentation

Third Place
Ransom Young ~ Comedic Oral Presentation
Grayson Jones ~ Girls Solo

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) awarded the Thomas County School System $3,754,352 over four years to advance literacy efforts. During this second round of Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA),  grants were awarded to 23 school districts totaling $22,101,554. 

Curriculum Director Robin Cartright “We are excited to again be awarded the L4GA grant as it allows us to provide literacy opportunities to our students and to our community. Through previous grant awards, we have implemented literacy initiatives and provided books and other texts that have led to stronger readers, and I have no doubt this will continue with the current grant award.”

Dr. Lisa Williams, Superintendent of Thomas County Schools stated, “I commend the extraordinary collaboration among our district and school level faculty in preparing the grant. It’s because of their exceptional teamwork that our system was awarded the L4GA literacy grant. The funds received from the grant will go a long way in helping our system to continue its focus on overall literacy improvement."

As a recipient of the Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) grant, Thomas County Schools will focus on creating plans for children from birth to 12th grade. Additionally, the school will partner with the community to support early literacy for all local children.

The Thomas County School System is pleased to offer three camp sessions this summer for students interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics!  There is NO COST for these camps.  Click here for more information and the registration link.

Five Thomas County Middle School (TCMS) students recently signed to be a part of the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Georgia program, a needs-based scholarship designed to promote academic success and expand access to higher education. The TCMS students chosen to join REACH Georgia are Jesus Altamirano, Mariyha Davis, Jenyla Johnson, Malachi Thomas, and Nicholas Whigham.

As a part of the program, students signed contracts to agree to meet attendance and behavior requirements, maintain a certain grade point average, participate in REACH Georgia related activities, and meet weekly with a mentor. Their parents or guardians also signed contracts to support their student through their education.

TCCHS digital technology teacher Mark Thompson received a $500 Envision Classroom Grant from Envision Credit Union. Thompson used the funds to purchase and equip two workbenches for students to repair small electronics like tablets, cell phones, and laptops. He was also able to purchase the tools they needed. Students use the workbenches when caught up on work or as a supplement to the regular curriculum. Envision continues to support education through their commitment to local educators and students.   

Mrs. Amanda West , sixth-grade social studies teacher at Thomas County Middle School,was recently nominated for the Hannah E. (Liz) MacGregor Teacher of the Year History Teacher Award. The MacGregor Teacher of the Year award is sponsored by James F. Harris in honor of his sister and is awarded to one middle and one high school teacher annually.

To read the entire article, click 'Read more' below.

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer. The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at each school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2017-2018 school year.

Guidelines for all schools

Click here for information about programs at the Thomas County Public Library this summer!

Free eBooks are provided for all students this summer -- Click here for more information

Other free learning resources for the summer

What began as a project topic for a grant turned into a full-blown extension of learning about the conservation of honey bees at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School. 

Students from Thomas County Middle School and Thomas County Central High School recently attended the National History Day State Competition at Mercer University. Seven students from Thomas County Schools qualified for the NHD National Contest and will attend the competition in June at the University of Maryland.

While many teachers spent their summers on vacations or relaxing at home, one Thomas County Middle School teacher spent her summer as a scientist.  Tammy Sharpe, 5th grade MERIT science teacher, was selected to participate in the Research Experiences for Teachers summer program at the FSU Magnetic Research Lab in Tallahassee.

All four teams from Thomas County participating in the regional Lego League competition came home winners!  One team, coached by Dana Studdard and Kim Simmons, won first place out of thirty one teams and has advanced to the Super Regionals competition.  This team, called "The Block Busters", created products for the blind and have been endorsed by Industries for the Blind.  Click "More Information" below to see pictures and details from the event. 

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer.  The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the links below for more information about each school's guidelines.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at each school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2015-2016 school year.

Click More Information for links to all guidelines

Cick here for information about programs at the Thomas County Public Library this summer!

Congratulations to Thomas County Central art students who earned awards at the recent Thomasville Center for the Arts Annual High School Youth Arts Show. Senior Lyndsae Madden received the Artists' Guild Scholarship Award of $1,000.00. See More Information for a list of all winners.

Thomas County Middle School recently participated in the Odyssey of the Mind Competition in Cordele, Georgia.  OM is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and World level. Thousands of teams from throughout the U.S. and from about 25 other countries participate in the program.  Two of TCMS’s teams will advance to the state competition in Columbus, Georgia on March 29, 2014.

Thomas County Middle School eighth grade MERIT team recently made a visit to the FSU campus.  Students were given a tour of the Chemistry labs, shown some exciting demonstrations and treated to a talk from Nobel Laureate, Dr. Kroto.

“Fiddler on the Roof”
Thurs. March 21 -  Sat. March 23
7:00 PM  Thomas County Board of Education Auditorium
$5 for students, $10 for adults

Thomas County Central’s robotics team, the Cybertechnic Stingers brought home the “Winning Alliance” trophy after winning the final round in the FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) state qualifier sponsored by RoBugs of McDonough, Saturday February 2.  This win qualified the team to advance to state competition to be held next month. Click below for more on this story.

A recent postsecondary event aimed to show local high school students that they don’t have to move far away or pay high tuition prices to receive a college education.

Thomas County Central High School held a Southern Regional Technical College Programs Fair on Thursday, Feb. 15. Representatives from SRTC’s career pathways set up booths and met with select junior and senior classes.

TCCHS Senior Guidance Counselor Tammy Shealey said the partnership between TCCHS and SRTC enables high school students to discover career paths available within their community.

“Our students are able to obtain the training they need at the postsecondary level without having to leave Thomasville,” she said. “I was thrilled to be able to have 16 programs from SRTC come to the school to speak with our students and showcase various careers that are relevant to our community.”

SRTC cosmetology student Anna Cooper embodies success in this process. She will graduate this year and has an apprenticeship at a local style bar, where she plans to work after graduation.

“We want to show people they have a great school right down the road,” Cooper said. “You don’t have to go to a fancy school and spend buckets of money; you can go down the road and get just as good of an education.”

Some other programs at the fair included early childhood education, welding, business and medical assisting.

Fifteen first grade and 25 second grade Thomas County students from Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School were winners in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Junior Citizens Contest:  “Sparkling in the Stars with the 50th Anniversary of the NASA Space Shuttle Program.”  The National Daughters of the American Revolution created the Junior American Citizens Committee to promote good citizenship and appreciation of American heritage and history among every school-age child in the United States. The JAC Committee offers contests in art, creative expression, and community service.

The JAC Committee complimented Thomas County Schools for encouraging its children to participate in the contest and added that what they are learning today will influence the kind of American citizens they will become in the future.

Click READ MORE to see First Grade Winners

Thomas County first and second graders at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School are encouraged to read books of their own choosing through celebrations, accountabilities, and incentive programs.  On a monthly basis, students can see short-term rewards by cashing in Wee Bee Bucks at the AR (Accelerated Reader) Store.  Students can decide to save up their Wee Bee Bucks for something big, or they can cash in during each AR Store monthly visit.  Some students did not get to shop the first time, but the desire to earn Wee Bee Bucks has already proven to be an incentive that is persuading students to make reading a priority.  Information is shared with families so that they can encourage their students to read books at night, help them read if needed, and remind them to take their tests daily.

Thomas County Central High School Advanced Placement program and its students continue to exceed and raise their high bar. 

The College Board recently announced the 2022-2023 AP Scholars. TCCHS bested its all-time high total of 64 last year to 86 this year, including four AP Capstone Scholars. 

“Our students have earned these accolades through their willingness to accept the challenge of AP classes, which represent the highest level of academic rigor,” TCCHS AP Coordinator Erin White said. “ They consistently perform well across the AP curriculum, and their achievements are proof of the strength of our entire academic program.”

Levels include AP Scholar, AP Scholar with Honor and AP Scholar with Distinction. There’s also the now locally-recognized AP National level for students who earn at least a four or higher on at least eight AP exams and an average of at least a four on all exams taken.

“We are proud of our AP course offerings at TCCHS and happy to see our students recognized for their commitment to excellence,” TCCHS Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg said. “These students – and their teachers – work hard to achieve at the highest level, and it is always rewarding to see that hard work pay off.  AP classes set students up for success in college and beyond, and we cannot wait to see how this distinction will lead to future accomplishments.”

More than just Thomas County Central High School’s 2023 yearbook will laud late educator Marvel Renae Moore and her dedication to inspiring young minds.

To honor Moore and her irreplaceable contributions, TCCHS English Language Arts Department and a committee created the INSPIRED by Moore scholarship, a reworking of the original I.N.S.P.I.R.E. scholarship, a club for which Moore was a cofounder.

Moore, who spent 18 years at TCCHS, died in September 2022. She taught English Language Arts, primarily American Literature, but had recently begun working as the school’s digital technology specialist.

Assistant Principal Dr. Erin Rehberg said TCCHS reciprocated Moore’s affection.

“We loved her, too,” Rehberg said. “She was such an asset to this school, and we have all missed her so much this year. It is so appropriate that her colleagues saw it fitting to honor her memory with this scholarship. She loved to give out the I.N.S.P.I.R.E. scholarship every year, so it feels very appropriate to keep the scholarship going in her name.”

Son Caleb Moore, a TCCHS graduate, said the family’s speechless and honored by this scholarship’s creation. He said to know his mother – who was kind, patient, and passionate about everything she touched – was to know love, compassion and Jesus Christ.

“My mother had a love for the underserved everywhere, but especially Thomas County Schools,” Caleb said. “Her mission was to ensure that this group of people felt heard, seen, and equipped to do anything they set their minds toward. This scholarship is something that my mother dreamed of; she often spoke of her vision of expanding the I.N.S.P.I.R.E. scholarship and being able to help those in need.”

The TCMS seventh and eighth-grade concert bands recently participated in the Tampa Bay Classic Music Festival. The weekend was filled with fun and educational activities, and both bands earned straight superior ratings for stage performance.

On the first day, the students attended the Broadway musical “Wicked” at the Straz Center for Performing Arts in downtown Tampa. On Saturday morning, the bands performed in the Tampa Bay Classic Music Festival at the University of South Florida where they earned straight superior ratings. Afterward, the students enjoyed the afternoon at Busch Gardens Theme Park.

The eighth-grade band director, William Majors said, “It’s become a tradition to take a trip like this every other year so that our seventh and eighth graders can experience something both fun and educational. This is the first overnight spring trip we’ve taken since the pandemic. The format is intended to expose students to a premium quality musical experience, such as a symphony orchestra, or, as in this case, a Broadway musical. Our bands also perform for judges, receive ratings, and are given a brief clinic by one of the adjudicators. This year, our seventh-grade band received a clinic from Devin DeDon, former band director at Buchanan Middle School in Tampa, and our eighth-grade band received a clinic from Matthew McCutchen, Director of Bands at the University of South Florida."

Thomas County second graders in LeAnn Roddenberry’s class at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary School reaped the benefits of their teacher’s shelling trip to the 10,000 Islands in Florida.

Roddenberry brought back shells that she hand-selected for each of her students:  Olives, Florida Fighting Conchs, and Lightning Whelks. An accompanying lesson included how shells are made, the properties of the shells, and also how to identify them.

“Shelling is one of my favorite hobbies,” said Roddenberry. “It brings me joy to teach my students about these beautiful natural treasures.”

Roddenberry shares her shells and her love of collecting them with children in hopes that it will inspire them to get outdoors, enjoy nature, and put something unique into their hands and homes.

Thomas County kindergarteners in Trudy Cole’s class at Hand-In-Hand Primary School master skills through movement and exploration of real-world examples.  Emma Dukes went on a “Shape Hunt” to find 2D and 3D shapes within her learning environment.  

Versatile and motivated are adjectives Thomas County Central High School 2023 STAR Teacher Erin White uses to describe TCCHS 2023 STAR Student Bishop Jackson.

“Bishop is the epitome of a well-rounded and self-driven student,” White said.

Jackson, 18, said earning the STAR student title is exciting. This accolade celebrates the senior of each graduating class with the highest SAT score. 

“I worked hard to increase my SAT score for college admissions, so it means a lot to be recognized for my hard work,” he said.

White, the school’s Advanced Placement coordinator and MERIT coach, was Jackson’s first high school AP teacher. The senior chose White as his STAR teacher because he recalled her willingness to go the extra mile for her students – in or outside the classroom.

“Since the current senior class was the first to take AP U.S. Government as ninth graders, Mrs. White took extra effort to help us be successful,” Jackson said. “One memory of Mrs. White that stands out is during an 11th-grade trip to UGA and Georgia Tech. Not only did she drive the bus to Atlanta and Athens, but she facilitated a tour of both campuses. It really just shows how dedicated Mrs. White is to her students.”

He also appreciates White’s personality and perspective.

“Outside of teaching, Mrs. White is always helpful and kind, whether it be registering for exams, doing community service, or just having a conversation,” Jackson said. 

White expressed surprise and humility at Jackson’s selecting her.

Thomas County Schools celebrated National School Bus Safety Week during the week of October 17-21. The school system participated at each school by discussing bus safety with the students on the outside and inside of the bus. School Bus Safety Week is also a reminder for all citizens to exercise constant courtesy and caution when near school buses.

The Thomas County School System has 90 buses with 67 routes traveling 3,240 miles transporting 3,800 students per day. The county school buses travel approximately 600,000 miles each year bringing children to school and taking them home.

Thomas County Middle School recently became the first official Girls on the Run (GOTR) program in Thomasville which helps inspire and empower girls in third to eighth grade.

The goal of GOTR, a national non-profit organization, is to help girls build confidence within themselves and foster care and compassion for self and others, while building social, emotional, and physical skills.

One of the components is physical empowerment so the girls were training to finish a 5K at the end of the season. In April, 32 GOTR participants, under the direction of their seven coaches, had the opportunity to practice their 5K.

Volunteer coaches, such as TCMS Language Arts Teacher Rena Eason, suit up in their fitness attire and cheer the kids on. At each practice, they used clever tactics to encourage the girls to keep going. 

Thomas County Middle School seventh-graders Emma Reeves and Annalise Youngblood, along with their teacher Kendra Reeves, were named Grand Prize state winners of the “Heads Up, Stay Safe!” contest that speaks out against distracted driving.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) joined with Scholastic, the global children’s education company, on a campaign to educate the next generation of drivers. Developed for middle school students across the state, the “Recognizing the Risk” initiative gives students, teachers, and parents resources to address distracted driving and walking.

In July, the Thomas County School Board approved administrative personnel changes for the new school year upon the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.

Brecca Pope has been named Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. In her new role, she will continue to support the district with a primary focus on human resources.  

Pope has worked with the Thomas County School System since 1999.  She served in Thomas County as a Speech Language Pathologist at Cross Creek, as assistant principal at Hand-In-Hand Primary School, and as assistant principal at Cross Creek before joining the district office administrative team. Pope is currently working on her doctorate degree in educational leadership.

Thomas County Central High School Work-Based Learning and Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator Brandi Miranda’s expertise and skills have won her distinctive region recognition.

Miranda earned Top Gun status during the Career Technical Agricultural Education Work-Based Learning & Youth Apprenticeship Conference in Hall County Oct. 28-30. Only three coordinators from each region receive Top Gun class status.

The Thomas County School System wants students to READ this summer!  Did you know that students can have up to a 2-3 month loss in reading ability over the summer?  It's important for students to spend time sharpening their reading skills!

Each school has developed a summer reading challenge for students.  We would like for students to read for 15-30 minutes everyday this summer. The guidelines and requirements vary by school.  Please click the link below for more information about each school's guidelines.  If you need more information, please talk to the media specialist at each school.  The guidelines are for the school the students will be attending in the 2019-2020 school year.

Guidelines for all schools

Click here for information about programs at the Thomas County Public Library this summer!

Free eBooks are provided for all students this summer -- Click here for more information

Tips to avoid the summer reading slump

On April fourth through sixth, three Thomas County Middle School band students participated in the GMEA All-South Region Honor Band Clinic which took place in Perry, GA.  Tyler Laidman (trombone), Caleb Kinneer (French horn), and Rebekah Horton (French horn) were selected after competing in both district and state-wide auditions. At the clinic, these students rehearsed music conducted by Cecilia Fraschillo.  The clinic culminated in a concert which took place at Houston County High School on Saturday, April 6. Congratulations to these students!

Cross Creek Cards are on sale now!  Ask your student for his/her packet.  Our Academic Boosters have worked hard to meet with businesses to get great deals for the card.  At only $5 per card, using it just once or twice allows the card to pay for itself.  Proceeds from the sale help enhance the instructional and recreational times of the school day, and students are eligible for great prizes.  We appreciate your support in this fundraiser.

Congratulations are in order for many third and fourth grade students from Cross Creek who competed in the 2014 DAR Contest.  The contest was county-wide and included students from Thomas County Schools, Thomasville City Schools, and Brookwood School.  All first place entries are currently competing at the state level. Follow the link below to find the list of Cross Creek winners.

Thomas County Central High School Bands program youth musicians outdid themselves, surpassing their previous year’s record at an annual music skills audition. 

TCCHS students earned 75 seats (see box) on the Georgia Music Educators Association District 2 Honor Bands, the most from any schools that participated in the December auditions and more than its tally from 2022. This number splits between the concert band for ninth and 10th-graders – 42 seats – and the symphonic band for 11th-12th graders – 33 seats. Some earned a seat for more than one instrument.

“To have students earn 75 spots this year, two more than the 73 we earned last year, is quite an accomplishment,” TCCHS Band Director Joe Regina said. “Both years, we have had more than twice as many students selected as any other school, so in my opinion, that kind of makes us back-to-back region champions undefeated.”