DCSS Administers First Round of COVID Vaccines

January 15, 2021

2020 Annual Report for the Douglas County School System Now Available Online

For facts and figures from the 2019-2020 school year, check out the 2020 Annual Report for the Douglas County School System. The document includes revenues, expenditures, demographics, graduation rate, and more.

2020 Annual Report

DCSS Board of Education Is Best of the Best in State

Congratulations to the Douglas County Board of Education for being designated a 2020 Exemplary School Board by the Georgia School Boards Association.

Out of 181 school districts in the state, 56 school boards earned this prestigious award.

COVID-19 Vaccine Offered to

First Round of Employees

One hundred employees rolled up their sleeves Thursday morning to be first in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Douglas County School System partnered with Cobb & Douglas Public Health to administer the first round of vaccinations to Douglas County School System employees age 65 and older and School Resource Officers.

Cobb & Douglas Public Health District Director Dr. Janet Memark administered the first vaccine to Cathy Yeager. Yeager is a classroom reduction substitute teacher at Lithia Springs Elementary School. She was first in line at 6:30 a.m.

Yeager recalls the mass polio vaccinations that took place when she was a child. "You hardly see polio anywhere now. Look where we are today. It is time to do that with the COVID vaccine as well."

Yeager believes vaccinations keep everyone healthy. “We need these vaccines. They are necessary for us to visit with each other and stay safe at work. I wanted to be first in line so I can get back to my students and help the little ones learn."

Superintendent Trent North joined Dr. Janet Memark for the day’s vaccinations. “I am excited for this opportunity to protect our employees against COVID-19,” he says. “I look forward to moving quickly so that we can offer the vaccine to every employee who wants to be vaccinated against the disease.“

Additional times and dates for vaccine distribution will be announced soon for additional Douglas County employees.

Young Entrepreneurs Are Making Their Mark

in the Business World

CLMS Student is Building a Butter Business Empire

Neveah Mitchell is building a butter business empire. The 13-year-old Chestnut Log Middle School entrepreneur is creating success as founder and CEO of Georgia Mudd Garlic Butter.

The young CEO started her garlic butter business with the encouragement of family and friends after they tasted her culinary creation! Neveah says she created the recipe because she comes from a family of seafood lovers. “My mom, my dad and I always tried to come up with the best garlic butter, and I would always win,” she explains.

She started her business last summer, and sales at Georgia Mudd Garlic Butter are still booming. Neveah says Georgia Mudd tastes great on meat, seafood, pasta and vegetables. The butter boss says her winning secret recipe features love and the right amount of garlic. With Georgia Mudd, she has found the perfect recipe for success.

Neveah is not only extremely business savvy, but she is also an outstanding student. She has a 3.9 GPA and is a Chestnut Log cheerleader. Her favorite subjects are social studies and language arts. She plans to pursue dual enrollment in high school and pursue an advanced degree in Speech Pathology after graduation.

There is no stopping the success of Georgia Mudd Garlic Butter. One day, Neveah would like to see her recipes grace every table in America and overseas. She has no plans of quitting until she achieves her dream.

Neveah has advice for aspiring young entrepreneurs. “I would tell any kid to start your business ‘yesterday.’ My mom is an entrepreneur and showed me you’re not too young,” she says. “Never allow anyone to tell you that. Be smart and get some great leadership. Believe in yourself and your product. Never quit.”

For more information and to order, visit GA Mud Garlic Butter on Facebook, gamudgarlicbutter on Instagram or Gamudgarlicbutter@yahoo.com

Budding AHS Entrepreneur Is Lighting the Way With Candle Making

Jasmine Ramsey, a freshman at Alexander High School (AHS), started her own business, Candles by Jazzy, when she was 12 years old! She sells her personally made candles through her website and Facebook page and by participating in various community events that welcome outside vendors. Last year, Jasmine was named a “Small Business Person of the Year” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, no small accomplishment for a teenager who had to interview in person with a panel of Metro Atlanta adult business owners and leaders.

Jasmine says she was always telling her mother she wanted to make her own money. After hearing this enough to know she meant it, her mother sat her down for a conversation about what she would like to do. “During our conversation, Jazzy expressed interest in making candles,” said mom Tennille Carter. “She’s very creative and determined, so I figured she could do it. We ordered a candle-making kit, and it’s grown from there.”

“I like to put my creativity into each candle with scents and color,” says Jasmine. With scents like Bayberry, Gingerbread, Hot Apple Pie, and Mocha & Mint, the candles sound good enough to eat! Jasmine says her favorite scent is Baja, “because it reminds me of flowers.”

She gives a lot of credit to her mom and stepdad for helping her market the business and getting her to various vendor events. They’re working now on getting her candles on the shelves in stores.

Alexander High is giving Jasmine a firm business foundation. She’s taking advantage of business and marketing classes and is a member of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), a club for students that encourages the development of business and leadership skills. She recently placed in the DECA Region virtual conference in the Entrepreneurship category, and will move to the state competition in January.

Jasmine also participates in track and field at AHS. After high school graduation, she plans to earn a business degree and open her own storefront.

Enjoy this video of Jasmine perfecting her craft!

You can learn more about Jasmine's business at her website: https://www.candlesbyjazzy.com/

2021-2022 Career Planner Is Now Available!

Booklet Outlines Career Pathways Available for High School Students

Preparing students for success after high school is an inherent component of the Douglas County School System's vision. Whether students plan to enter the workforce immediately or attend college after high school graduation, careful consideration of high school course options can impact their futures.

To better prepare students for the demands of the 21st century economy and for post-secondary education, the Douglas County School System has provided this planning guide for use by students and their parents. Use this planning guide to set career goals and plan for the world of future work.

This planning guide shows the clear connection between class work and future success, pointing out the relevance of academic learning in the classroom. It also provides information on a variety of occupations that differ in the scope of education and training required to obtain future employment.

The Career Planner is updated each year and published in January to guide students through advisement and registration.

2021-2022 Career Planner

We Want to Hear Your Opinion

We need your help!

If you are a parent, student, DCSS employee, or community member, we would like your feedback as we begin working on the strategic plan that will guide the Douglas County School System for the next five years.

The survey will take 5-10 minutes, and your input will be anonymous. Thank you for your help as we work to provide the best educational experience possible for our students.

English Link Spanish Link

$10,000 Medline Grant Provides

COVID Care Kits for Students

A $10,000 grant will help deliver vital COVID Care Kits to Douglas County students. Communities in Schools of Douglas County and Partners in Education of Douglas County partnered to leverage a grant designed to provide students on the go safety during the current COVID-19 crisis.

Medline, an Illinois-based manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, awarded the grant to Douglas County and a dozen other nonprofit groups dedicated to community health. The kit will include a mini hand sanitizer and hand tissue enclosed in a small plastic pouch. The two organizations will deliver the COVID-19 care kits to school-age children of families struggling with unemployment and lost wages. The Medline Industries grant also includes additional funds to enhance the safety of school quarantine rooms.

Mandy Johnson serves as the Douglas County School System contact for Partners in Education and the Executive Director of College and Career Programs. Johnson says PIE is part of the Douglas County Chamber Foundation and is thrilled to partner with Communities in Schools of Douglas County on the Medline Grant. “Through this generous donation, our organizations will be able to provide needed COVID-19 related supplies to students as well as our school quarantine rooms,” she says. “We are excited to come together for the good of the children in our community. This grant exemplifies the true spirit of our community.”

Medline’s generous grant is part of its annual Community Impact Grant Program. The Community Impact Grant Program targets organizations addressing social determinants of health, such as access to nutritious food, training and education and transportation. This year, Medline awarded grants to support programs focused on breast cancer awareness and helping vulnerable members of the population, including victims of domestic violence, at-risk youth and individuals with developmental disabilities.

"With so much uncertainty during the pandemic, the well-being of our communities is even more paramount," says Karen Frey, Medline's senior philanthropy manager. "We're providing resources to help non-profit organizations stimulate health equity and improve population health in under-resourced areas."

Medline Industries is the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies in the U.S. Medline is also committed to making a difference in the communities where employees live and work. In the state of Georgia, the company currently owns and operates a 1 million square-foot manufacturing facility that produces incontinence products such as adult diapers, briefs and drypads. The company also operates a distribution center in McDonough where the company ships to healthcare facilities across the southeast, including hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers and other healthcare providers.

Pictured are Carl Tokarek, senior director of manufacturing operations at Medline; Mitzi Teal, executive director of Communities In Schools of Douglas County; and Lindsey Sargent, communications coordinator with Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority and Partners in Education board member.

Would You Like to Receive Messages in a Language Other Than English?

In October, we began sending automated emails and text messages to our parents in the language that is listed in Infinite Campus as the child’s primary language.

We have come up with a better way that will allow parents to control the language they prefer for messages. If you would prefer to receive messages in a language other than English, please follow the steps below. Next week, we will begin using the information you provide.

Please follow the easy steps below to change your language preference:

Log into Parent Portal: https://campus.douglas.k12.ga.us/campus/portal/parents/douglas.jsp
Click on Person Icon in the right hand corner of the screen
Click on Settings
Click on Contact Preferences
Choose your Preferred Language from the options.
Save
If your Preferred Language is not one of the options, please email parent@dcssga.org.
If no language is chosen, the default language is English.
If you need assistance, please contact someone in the office at your school.

It's Time for Hoops!

Spotlight on New Manchester High School

Good luck to all of our basketball teams for the 2020-2021 season! For a schedule for basketball and all winter sports for middle and high schools, please go to the link below.

Athletic Calendar

Pictured left to right are Lady Jaguars India Johnson, Hannah Wright, Azaria Robertson, Head Coach Vincent Parks, Kharyssa Richardson, Anaya Howell and Kamryn Bates.

NMHS Girls and Boys

From NMHS Athletic Director Scott Long:

I am excited about the possibilities of New Manchester’s winter sports. The girls and boys basketball programs are showing promise in a new region.

The retooled girls team is fun to watch. The leadership of Kamryn Bates, Kharyssa Richardson, Anaya Howell, Azaria Robertson, India Johnson and Hannah Wright gives this team an edge with ball handling, precision shooting, and versatility as well as creating matchup problems. The Lady Jaguars also have some promising young players that contribute on both the offensive and defensive sides of the court. I am very excited of the possibilities in this region.

The boys basketball team is very young, yet very promising. Even though there are several juniors and seniors on the team, they are still young with floor experience. The leadership of Tyler Mapson and Derrick Earley will be critical for their success. The sharp shooting of freshman Chase James-Robinson will not only help the team, but as his confidence grows, you will see a different team during the region portion of the schedule. As the team adopts an aggressive style of play, this will only make this team more fun to watch.

A photo of the NMHS boys was not available.

Meet Our SRO: Charles Sharpe

Lithia Springs Elementary and Turner Middle School

Charles Sharpe has worked in law enforcement for more than 22 years, initially at the Hall County Sheriff’s Department in the areas of jail, patrol, warrants, and transports for 11 years. He was a sergeant over transports and warrants for the last 2 years in Hall County.

Office Sharpe moved to Douglas County where he worked for the Sheriff’s Department for another 11 years. He has worked as an SRO for the past nine years, mostly at Turner Middle School. He currently serves as SRO at Lithia Springs Elementary School and Turner Middle School, where he also coaches basketball.

Officer Sharpe grew up in Dacula in Gwinnett County where his father was the preacher at First Baptist Church of Dacula. He played baseball, football, and basketball all through high school. After two years at North Georgia College, Officer Sharpe joined the Georgia National Guard.

Over the past several years, Officer Sharpe has taught a class at Turner about juvenile justice. It has grown from one class period to four. "I love teaching this class because it allows the students to get to know me not just as a 'cop' but as a person."

Officer Sharpe said the reason he is an SRO is to make a difference in kids’ lives. "I want to show them police officers are normal people who want to help any way they can. We are not here to make arrests or harass. We are here to make a difference, to help and protect."

Officer Sharpe is married with four children. His oldest daughter is studying to be a registered nurse like her mother. He has a son at Haralson County High School and two daughters at Haralson County Middle School. Officer Sharpe enjoys watching, playing and coaching sports. His family plays pickup soccer games on the weekends with friends from their church.

Amina Jefferson-Motley sees the best in everyone and desires to share the light that God has placed inside her with the world. She is giving, helpful, insightful, fun and loves spending time with her family! She enjoys baking, especially red velvet cupcakes, brownies and chocolate chip cookies. Amina considers almost every subject in school a favorite and is working hard to become more proficient in Spanish and to learn Sign Language. Amina is also an aspiring child actor and model who has been published 10 times in kids style and fashion magazines. As the daughter of a retired Air Force mom, Amina had the opportunity to be entered into the Seventh Generation 2019 Cute Kid Contest offered through the commissaries at military installations. Submissions were sent in from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and Amina was selected as the 2019 Cute Kid Contest Grand Prize winner! Amina is currently represented by BMG Atlanta, Orlando and Miami model and talent agencies. Amina has taken part in anti-bullying projects and has a true desire to make a positive impact on the world in which we live. Amina’s mantra is, "I may be small, but my God is big, and so are the plans that He has for me."

Kaitlyn Weeks is a model student at South Douglas Elementary School. She is a hard worker who excels academically, yet is always humble, setting a wonderful example for her peers. Kaitlyn always demonstrates respect towards others and is well liked by everyone. You can usually find Kaitlyn helping someone in some way! She enjoys soccer, basketball, cooking and spending time with her family. She loves math and hopes to attend college at the University of Georgia. Her dream is to be a "superstar" athlete and run her own business when she grows up. Kaitlyn is an amazing young lady who shines in all areas!

Neveah Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Georgia Mudd Garlic Butter. She debuted her garlic butter on May 5th of this year at a family event, and it became an instant hit! Her family encouraged her to make her garlic butter available for sale. With her parents' support, she launched her business in June. Her goal is for her recipes to grace every table in America and overseas, and she says she won’t stop until that is achieved. The business keeps her extremely busy, but she has maintained a 3.9 GPA at Chestnut Log Middle School where she’s a bright and respectful student and an active member of the CLMS Cheerleading squad. We are proud to spotlight this outstanding teen with a dream!