August 10, 2018

A Message from DCSS Regarding First Days of School and Bus Routes

We were excited to welcome our students back to school on August 8. There are already great things happening in classrooms across Douglas County! We look forward to a great year of learning, growing, and developing in a safe, nurturing, and enjoyable environment. We have heard the concerns of parents regarding the bus routes. Effective Monday, August 13, the bus routes from 2017-2018 will be restored. This revised route information will be provided to each school principal on Friday, August 10. Principals will communicate route information with parents and guardians on Friday afternoon. Specific route information will be posted by Friday afternoon in an accessible and easily visible location at each school throughout the weekend. The Douglas County School System introduced a new website on August 1, 2018. Please visit us at dcssga.org. Individual school websites may be accessed by clicking on the "Select a School" drop-down box at the top left of the district home page. We appreciate the patience of our parents as we work through the bus routes and perfect the new website. Our goal is to provide safety, service, and academic excellence to our students and families.

Kindergarten Camp: A Fun Time for All

School tours, lunch in the cafeteria, craft making, working in centers, and even a field trip were all a part of Kindergarten Camp which was held at all elementary schools in Douglas County the week of July 23. "Kindergarten Camp is an awesome opportunity for our students and teachers," said Deborah Lindeman, teacher at Arbor Station Elementary. "The first week of school went much smoother because 43 of our kindergarten students already knew the procedures and were able to help the students who did not attend camp. We love getting to know our students before the first day of school." Kindergarten Camp was offered free of charge to all incoming kindergarten students.

6th Graders Make the Transition to Middle School

Students who attended the Middle School Transition Camp July 23-26 received more than an introduction to their new school. They received a full array of school supplies and help from their teachers in setting up their notebooks to stay organized for the upcoming school year. In addition, the incoming 6th graders learned locker opening skills, school rules, and procedures for taking notes in their agendas. They also participated in hands-on STEM activities. Yeager Middle School had the most participants this year with 66 students. "The Transition Camp helps our 6th grade students make a smooth transition to middle school," said YMS teacher Tammy Jones. "It eases the fear of the first day of school." The camp was open to all incoming 6th graders at all middle schools in Douglas County at no cost.

Students Enjoy Summer Learning Experiences

Many students took advantage of the "lazy days" of summer to participate in learning and leadership experiences. Read about a few of our students and how they spent their summers.

Sage Smith Focuses on Environment Sage Smith, 11th grader at Chapel Hill High School, stayed busy over the summer with three environmentally focused programs at the Georgia Aquarium, Zoo Atlanta, and the 21st Century Leaders Envirocare Leadership Institute. Sage has volunteered over 200 hours at Zoo Atlanta and over 130 hours at the Georgia Aquarium. She spent a week on a college campus for the 21st Century program. "These programs offered amazing hands-on experiences and there is no cost to participate," said Sage. "I hope more Douglas County students will check out these programs."

Students Attend GHP Seven students from Douglas County were selected to attend the prestigious Governor's Honors Program at Berry College this summer. One participant was Cassie Rich from Alexander High School. "Attending the Georgia Governors Honors Program was an experience that changed my life," said Rich. "The environment on the Berry College campus is so encouraging because each and every student there has a passion and drive for what they do. Whether it be in academics or fine arts, each student is able to make friendships with others based on the common passion. I have met some of the most amazing and driven people and have definitely made lifelong friends." Cassie majored in science and studied all the parts of the brain along with case studies and experimentation. During the last two weeks, each student was able to conduct a research project in their area of study. Cassie's research project was on the neurological effects of caffeine on adolescent females during strength training.

CHHS Students Take Top FBLA Honors Three recent Chapel Hill High School graduates traveled to Baltimore this summer to compete in the national FBLA competition. They showcased their talents as future business leaders and walked away with top national honors! Myles Davis, Khalil Edmondson, and Cory Raxton competed with more than 12,000 students at the national level in Emerging Business Issues. These outstanding students will attend the following universities this fall: Myles will attend the University of Tennessee; Cory will attend Michigan State University; and Khalil will attend Howard University. They all plan to pursue business degrees.

State School Superintendent Seeks Student Advisory Board Members

Middle and high school students can have their voices heard at the state level by applying for State School Superintendent Richard Woods' Student Advisory Council. Over the years, several students from Douglas County have been selected for this prestigious council. Meetings are held four times during the school year in Atlanta. The group will discuss with Superintendent Woods the impact of state policies in the classroom, along with other issues related to education. Click here to download the application. The deadline to apply is September 2, 2018, 5pm.

Upcoming Events

September 3: Student/Employee Holiday September 11: Progress Reports September 27: Teacher of the Year Reception, Central Baptist Church, 4:30pm

Check out the opportunities that are listed on our Community Bulletin Board.

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Douglas County School System |770-651-2000 | response@dcssga.org | dcssga.org