October 4, 2019
Congratulations to Lydia Palmer:
Douglas County Teacher of the Year!
Congratulations to Lydia Palmer, science and social studies teacher at Fairplay Middle School, who was named the 2019-2020 Douglas County Teacher of the Year at a banquet honoring all 35 school level Teachers of the Year on October 3!

Ms. Palmer grew up in the Douglas County School System. She did her student teaching at Fairplay Middle School and was hired there after graduating with her teaching degree.

The following quote sums of Ms. Palmer's commitment to the teaching profession: "For most of us, if we're lucky, teaching is a calling; not just a profession, but a way of life. It's about building character, teaching responsibility, encouraging the unmotivated child, and modeling productive traits."

A committee of 12 judges from the community and from the school system reviewed applications and observed the six semifinalists in the classroom. The semifinalists also participated in individual interviews.

One judge remarked, "It is clear that this teacher loves being an educator. Her connection with students in her classroom is obvious." Another said, "Watching her interact with her students made it abundantly clear that not only does she love what she does, but she has also built strong relationships with her students and they enjoy being in her classroom." Another judge said, "This teacher gives her whole heart. She builds relationships with students, families, and teachers at her school." And yet another remarked "This teacher radiates passion and an authentic love for teaching."

In addition to being named Douglas County Teacher of the Year, Ms. Palmer is also the Middle School Teacher of the Year for Douglas County. Thursday evening Robin Williams, kindergarten teacher at Chapel Hill Elementary, was named Elementary Teacher of the Year for Douglas County, and Erica Berry, English teacher at the CCI Academy, was named High School Teacher of the Year for Douglas County.

Ms. Palmer will now compete for Georgia Teacher of the Year.
Pictured at the Teacher of the Year banquet are Superintendent North; 2019-2020 Douglas County Teacher of the Year Lydia Palmer; Elementary School Teacher of the Year Robin Williams; and High School Teacher of the Year Erica Berry.
Schools Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Beulah Elementary Holds 12th Annual Festival
Many schools in Douglas County, including Lithia Springs Elementary, Turner Middle School, and Sweetwater Elementary, celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with festivals and programs. Perhaps the largest and longest-running celebration takes place annually at Beulah Elementary.

Pinatas, tamales, and Latin dances were all on display at Beulah Elementary's 12th annual Hispanic Heritage Festival on September 27. Around 500 students, parents, and community members gathered for an exciting evening of student performances, delicious Hispanic food, and carnival games, including a cake walk, ring toss, cornhole, and a soccer shootout. Salsa dancing lessons were also part of the festivities!

"Our festival keeps getting larger and more successful each year," said Beulah Principal Lisa Golden. "The community enjoys celebrating our diverse population and the unique aspects of the Hispanic culture. We appreciate the many donations of our parents and businesses that makes this special event possible every year."

Students from four high schools in Douglas County joined in the fun as volunteers at the festival. The IB Art Club from Douglas County High School made pinatas and headed up a face painting booth. In addition to the food and games, guests at the festival enjoyed performances from three Beulah Elementary groups.

"Our festival is much more than a fundraiser," said Ms. Golden. "It's an event that the entire community looks forward to each year."

Pictured are two performing groups and an example of the delicious Hispanic desserts available at the festival.
CHHS Celebrates Cheer Competition Success
Battle at the Hill Draws 32 Cheer Teams from Across the Region
Chapel Hill High School’s “ Battle At the Hill ” cheer competition is one for the history books. The inaugural event, held September 21 at Chapel Hill High School, welcomed over 32 cheerleading teams from across the region. 

Over 1300 parents, family members, and fans packed the home of the Chapel Hill Panthers to enjoy the competition. To the delight of these fans, many of the visiting cheerleaders debuted new routines. The  “Battle At the Hill”  competition marked the start of the competitive cheer season.

Chapel Hill High Cheer Coach Alyssa Handley-Lascek says the family-friendly event put the spotlight on competitive cheerleading and Chapel Hill High School. “This was our opportunity to showcase our school and our community. The event exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

Behind the scenes, school and community volunteers worked late into the night to make sure the day’s event went smoothly. Local restaurants provided food for visitors in the hospitality room. Parent volunteers and administrators from the high school and Central Office all pitched in to ensure a positive experience for all. Ultimately, the event was a tremendous success. “We set the bar pretty high with this event. It was incredibly successful. We started on time, and our athletes finished the day with no injuries.” 

Battle At the Hill ” not only showcased competitive cheerleading, but it also raised funds to support the school’s cheer program. “Our vision was to see everyone come together to support the spirit of cheerleading," Handley-Lascek says. "We wanted to showcase our talent and bring together the school, community, and cheerleaders. This event accomplished all those goals and more. We look forward to hosting another event like this again!”
Congratulations to the LSHS Softball Team!

The Lithia Springs softball team is the repeating winner of the region 6-AAAAA softball championship.

The Lady Lions ended the season with a record of 22-4 overall, and 6-1 in region play, losing only to North Springs. Lithia entered the region tournament this week as 2nd seed, but beat North Springs in double elimination for the win.

Good luck to Coach Shepherd, Coach Hendrix, and the Lady Lions as they compete against Clarke Central (Region 8-AAAAA seed 4) in the first round of state playoffs on Tuesday, October 8, at 3:00 pm, with the second game at 5:30. The games will take place at Lithia Springs High School. If a third game is needed, it will take place on Wednesday, October 9, at 5:30.
InToneNation Heads to NYC for
International A Cappella Competition
New Manchester High School's InToneNation will perform in New York City's Carnegie Hall this weekend in the 2019 International Championship of A Cappella (ICHSA). As the 2019 national winners of the competition, InToneNation will now compete against the 10 best a cappella groups from across the world. 

New Manchester High School gave the students a grand send-off Thursday morning. Teachers and students packed the school’s atrium with posters and signs. Once InToneNation arrived, the drumline kicked off the congratulatory celebration. After introducing themselves, the group thanked their NMHS family for their support. Led by New Manchester High Teacher of the Year Trey Giddens, members are excited to represent Douglas County at the international competition. 

InToneNation will compete on Saturday, October 5, beginning at 7 pm.
Arbor Station Elementary School Bear Sunny Lin started strong in kindergarten and is still making waves as a fifth grader. She has set new reading records every year, ending last year with over 1300 AR Points. She is well on her way to beating that record this year! She has participated in Road Runners since first grade and serves as a Captain with the group this year. She is a news anchor on the Morning Broadcast, Bear News Network, and her sweet smile and warm personality brighten everyone's day. When she isn't reading or working on other school related things, she loves to draw. We are proud of Sunny and can't wait to see what great things she accomplishes!
Reminder for 8th Grade Parents: Magnet Information Sessions Will Start Soon!
Did you know that all five high schools in Douglas County offer a magnet program? Students in 8th grade may apply to attend any of the high schools in the county or the Academy at CCI. 

Applications for the magnet programs at all five high schools are due on Monday, December 16, 2019, for the 2020-2021 school year. For the Academy at CCI, students may register for the lottery between January 10, 2020, and January 29, 2020.

For a list of informational meetings at each school and other important dates, please click the link below. Please consult each school's website for details on the various programs.

Free Christmas Gifts for Eligible Children!
Children enrolled in Douglas County schools and their younger siblings may once again receive a free Christmas gift through the generosity of the folks at Operation Christmas Douglas County. Among the fabulous gifts available this year are accessories for Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo, and Playstation. Each registrant will also have a chance to receive one of over 200 donated bicycles in addition to their gift.

To qualify, children must reside in Douglas County and receive free or reduced price lunch. This is a community effort and is not sponsored by the school system.

To register for this opportunity, please go to the link below where you will find registration links in English and Spanish. The deadline to register is November 10.

Upcoming Events
October 7: Board of Education Work Session
October 9: Progress Reports for High Schools; Report Cards for Elementary and Middle
October 14, 15: Holidays (Except for 240 Employees)
October 14 (Week of): National School Lunch Week
October 16: Magnet (FAME) Info Meeting at NMHS
October 21: Board of Education Meeting
October 21 (Week of): National School Bus Safety Week
October 23-31: Red Ribbon Week
October 23: Magnet (IB) Info Meeting at DCHS
October 30: Magnet (STEM) Info Meeting at LSHS
To apply for Principal 4 A Day online, click here .
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