March 26, 2021
The Show Must Go On
AHS and NMHS Deliver Knockout Performances
Students at Alexander High School and New Manchester High School had the once-in-a-lifetime experience of putting on a Broadway performance during a pandemic. The shows, which were performed in March, featured outstanding singing and dancing, all in masks!

New Manchester High School
In the Heights
New Manchester High School held auditions in January, not really knowing if they would actually have the opportunity to perform due to the very changing landscape of COVID-19. Forty to 50 students usually make up the cast, but this year the cast was limited to 27 to keep the health risks low. 

Masks were mandatory, and other health protocols were in place at every rehearsal. "The students were very excited to finally have a chance to perform," said Fine Arts Magnet Director Robert Connor. "They learned the music quickly."

Although the directors were concerned about the students becoming winded while they performed in masks, Connor reports that was a non-issue. "They were troopers," he said. "It was worth the effort because the students rose to the occasion and presented four very professional level performances and the audiences were wowed."

Alexander High School
Shrek
Alexander High School performed the popular show Shrek, which featured two casts and was sold out for all 10 shows.

Students wore masks in creative ways that complemented their costumes, and Director Sandra Chandler reports that the masks presented only a small hurdle in the preparation and execution of the shows.

Chandler was supported by several DCSS employees, including Andy Daniel, David White, Joey Moran, Tim Plumley and Debbie Rager. 

"The show was a huge success with outstanding reviews, and the cast and crew were sad to end the unusually long run," said Chandler. "Shrek is actually a rock opera and more difficult to pull off than it would appear on the surface. This cast and crew deserve great praise for their hard work."
Middle School Mathletes Compete
Over 175 middle school students competed in the first virtual Middle School Mathematics Competition on March 16. 

Since 2015, the Mathematics Competition has been a popular district-wide event with students from all schools competing together in person. To ensure both traditional learners and online learners could all compete, and to respect social distancing guidelines, the event went virtual for 2021 using the platform Kahoot.

Kahoot is a game-based learning platform that elementary and middle school students have been using in math classes for years.
Elementary and middle school math coaches and students began practicing their math skills in a competitive format beginning in September.

The overall first place winner was Chapel Hill Middle School, earning 352,000 points. Yeager Middle School came in second with 340,000 points. Third place went to Mason Creek Middle School with 317,000 points.

Click the YouTube video to see the entire list of winners for the group and individual categories. The elementary mathematics competition takes place March 27. Look for the results in next week's newsletter!
Chapel Hill Elementary Students Pan for Gems
Kindergarten students at Chapel Hill Elementary School were able to step out of the classroom and be “geologists” for the day!

Diamond Del’s Gem Mining Adventure visited the campus to give students a mobile gem mining experience. Students were able to pan for gems and create their own personalized gem collection. This experience not only offered students some insight into the world of geologists, but it also allowed them to see the purpose of classifying rocks and minerals.
DCHS Teacher Part of Global Committee Reviewing IB History Curriculum
His work impacts IB students and teachers worldwide.
John Cunningham serves on the External Review Committee for the International Baccalaureate (IB) history curriculum. According to Mr. Cunningham, who teaches history and economics at Douglas County High School, reviewing the global IB curriculum is a seven-year process designed to keep subjects mission-driven, insight-based and future-focused.

The process began with an Online Review Committee comprised of around 100 educators from all over the world chosen based on an application process. This group doesn’t leave any part of the curriculum untouched. Members discuss testing data, teacher feedback, content, rigor, the way in which standards are written, assessments, overall aims of the course, course strengths and weaknesses, and the comprehensive list goes on.

After the Online Review Committee does its work, it is pared down to a very small group chosen through a competitive application process to serve on the External Review Committee. Mr. Cunningham wanted to be part of both committees to provide input in the IB History curriculum because he believes certain areas of the curriculum are underrepresented. “We need to emphasize more that history is a living subject,” says Mr. Cunningham. “It’s an analysis. It’s remembering the facts in order to practice and develop skills of historical analysis. These skills transcend history courses and benefit society because good analytical skills can change the way we think.”

In October of 2019, Mr. Cunningham and seven other history teachers from all over the world including India, New Zealand, Argentina and the United Kingdom, met face-to-face at IB headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, along with in-house IB experts in history. Mr. Cunningham formally presented many of his ideas at this meeting.

The committee was supposed to meet again last fall at The Hague, but the pandemic forced that meeting and subsequent ones to be online. Mr. Cunningham spends a lot of after-hours time lending his expertise and representing fellow IB History teachers. The curriculum being reviewed through the current assessments is scheduled to be released in 2024 and will impact IB history teachers and students globally. Soon after the 2024 release, a new seven-year review will begin.

Mr. Cunningham began teaching at DCHS in 2009. In addition to teaching, he has coached various sports, including soccer, baseball, softball and golf, and has led students in travel abroad. He has an MA in history from the University of West Georgia and is pursuing a PhD in Modern US History at Georgia State University.  

Mr. Cunningham Is pictured in front of the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2019. He was at The Hague reviewing IB history curriculum, a process he continues working on at present.
Happy Birthday to Ms. Shirley!

Superintendent North paid a visit to Lithia Springs Elementary on March 24 to honor Ms. Shirley Smith on her 70th birthday.

Ms. Shirley has served as a Douglas County School Nutrition employee for the last 13 years. "She loves the children at Lithia Springs Elementary, and they love her right back!" said School Nutrition Assistant Director Francetta Muhammad.

In addition to serving children in the cafeteria, Ms. Shirley spends her volunteer time reading to the children and creating themed bulletin boards. Each year, she honors all 5th graders with a bulletin board featuring their pictures.

Ms. Shirley has won several awards, including two state awards. Last year, she was named 2020 State Employee of the Year from Georgia School Nutrition Association. In 2015-2016, Ms. Shirley won first place in the state for her sweet potato muffin recipe.
FLEX Academy 2021-2022: Open Enrollment Extended!
FLEX Academy has extended its open enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year!  If you need a FLEXible schedule, and your child is an independent, self-motivated, tech-savvy learner, then FLEX might be for your family!

Interested parents must attend an informational session before applying.

Click on the link to attend the meeting at the designated date and time of your choice: March 30 from 4-5 or April 14 from 4-5 
  • Sessions will begin on time.
  • You will be asked to “sign in” by completing a short Google Form. 
  • Remain in attendance for the entire session.
  • Feel free to ask questions. Your decision on where your child should attend school is important, and we want to help you make the right choice for your student. 
  • You will receive the details about how to apply in the session.
  • If the number of eligible applicants exceeds capacity, a lottery will be held. Applicants will be notified of their status on April 21.

*Current FLEX students have already been contacted about enrollment for 2021-2022. Call 770-651-2900 if you have questions.
The Family Health Center at Burnett Elementary:
Providing Sick Visits and Checkups
For an appointment, call 770-651-2273.
Is your child showing signs of illness? The Family Health Center at Burnett Elementary offers visits for sick children and more.

The Family Health Center serves all students enrolled in the Douglas County School System, as well as their siblings up to age 18 and their pre-school age siblings beginning at age three. The center accepts insurance or charges parents for services based on a sliding scale.

Services provided at the clinic include primary care, immunizations, laboratory services, physicals, chronic disease management, health education, nutrition counseling, and behavioral health. 
Today Is the Deadline to Apply for
Foundation Scholarships!
46 Scholarships Worth Over $57,000 Available to DCSS Seniors
The Douglas County Education Foundation (DCEF) online scholarship application is now open! Any DCSS graduating senior may apply for one or more of the 46 available scholarships.

The online portal will remain open through March 26.

DCEF supports the students and teachers of the Douglas County School System through Classroom Impact Grants, honorariums for Teachers of the Year and scholarships for graduating seniors.



Alisha Khan exemplifies the “Spirit of Excellence” that it takes to be a Factory Shoals Middle School (FSMS) Shining Knight! She has been a student at Factory Shoals since the sixth grade and is a member of the Jr. Beta Club, serves as a Student Ambassador, and has been in Program Challenge since the second grade. Alisha maintains all “As” and recently placed first in the Georgia Young Authors’ Writing Contest. Alisha will attend Douglas County High School as an International Baccalaureate (IB) student. Her aspirations are to attend college and give back to her community. Alisha is a role model who is focused on obtaining her goals and displays leadership qualities that will take her far in life. In her spare time she enjoys hanging out with friends and spending time with her family. Congratulations, Alisha! 
Upcoming Events
April 2: Holiday (Except 240 Employees)
April 5-9: Holidays for All
April 14: Elementary Science Fair Judging (New Date)
April 15: Freshman Expo at all High Schools (New Date)
April 16: Elementary Science Fair Virtual Awards (New Date)
April 16: NO CLASS for students (Work Day for Teachers)
April 17: Foundation Fun Run at NMHS
April 19: BOE Work Session
April 21: Progress Reports, Elementary and Middle Schools
April 26: BOE Board Meeting
May 3: Kindergarten Registration Begins for 2021-2022
May 3: BOE Work Session
May 13: 6th Grade Orientation (Changed from May 6)
May 17: BOE Meeting
May 25, 26: Half Days for All Students
May 26: Semester Ends
May 26: Report Cards, Elementary Schools
May 27, 28: Post Planning
May 31: Holiday for All
June 1, 2: Professional Learning
June 4: Report Cards Mailed, Middle and High Schools
June 21: BOE Work Session/Board Meeting
Coming Soon: Moving Sale at DCSS Central Office
To facilitate the DCSS Central Office relocation to the former GreyStone headquarters on Veterans Memorial Highway, the school system will auction pallets of surplus items in April, May and June!

Click here for more information on the upcoming auctions!
For a PDF with clickable links to the meetings, click here.
For a PDF of this flyer with a clickable link, please click here.
The Foundation Fun Run is back! Boys and girls in pre-K through 8th grade are invited to participate in this fun and exciting event on April 17 at New Manchester High School. For a printable PDF of the registration form, click here.
Would you like to learn how to effectively help your child with the digital classroom? Sign up for these great opportunities for parents. For a flyer with active links for registration, please click here.
SAVE THE DATE! Kindergarten registration will begin May 3. Click here for additional information and updates.
Check out opportunities that are available in our area by clicking the Community Bulletin Board below!
Douglas County School System |770-651-2000 | response@dcssga.org | dcssga.org