A Message from the Superintendent
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Dear Parents and Guardians,
Thank you for a smooth start to the 2019-2020 school year. I have enjoyed my visits to schools over the last 13 days where I witnessed inspiring lessons, engaged students, and supportive parents. Our school administrators and office staff did a tremendous job over the summer of preparing for the start of the school year. Resources were ordered and in place on the first day of school, and teachers took advantage of five full days of pre-planning to prepare their rooms and lessons. We are in a good place in Douglas County.
I would like to address one area of concern. Unfortunately, it is an area over which we have limited control. We were excited to introduce the “Here Comes the Bus” app on the first day of school. Our transportation department spent time over the summer testing the app with our summer school students and with a group of staff members. The school system did its due diligence before inviting parents to download and use the new technology.
It became obvious after a couple of days that the app was not functioning as promised for many parents. The provider of the app, Synovia, disabled the app for everyone while working to correct problems. The app was turned on again on Monday, August 19. While it works for some families, others are still experiencing problems.
Please know that if it were in our power to fix the problems with the app, we would have done so. At this point, all we can do is turn the problems that are reported over to Synovia for the app provider to correct. Synovia has increased its customer base tremendously this year. Several other counties in Georgia and across the U.S. are experiencing problems with the “Here Comes the Bus” app or other transportation technology products provided by Synovia. We are not alone.
Please know that our intentions are always to provide services that benefit our families. If the app is not working correctly for you at this point, I understand your frustration and I apologize. However, we need our parents to be patient as Synovia works out its problems. We appreciate those parents who choose to assume the best about the school system. Negative chatter only hurts our community and discourages our hard-working teachers and staff.
Please don’t let a new app that isn’t working correctly by day 13 of the school year take away from all the positive activities that are happening on all 35 of our campuses. We have much to be proud of, and I’m looking forward to all we can accomplish this year with the help of our families.
Sincerely,
Trent North, Superintendent
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Douglas County was excited to welcome 259 new teachers for 2019-2020!
Teachers brand new to the profession as well as experienced teachers new to Douglas County attended five days of orientation prior to pre-planning. Three days were spent at New Manchester High School, where teachers participated in professional learning, became familiar with Douglas County's technology, and heard from school system administrators and community leaders. An additional two days were spent at their schools, where they became familiar with administrators, procedures, and expectations.
Arbor Station Elementary welcomed six new teachers. "I love the energy new teachers bring to the school," said Arbor Station Principal Melissa Joe. "I see so much potential in all of them. They already feel like an important part of our school family."
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Mandie Newsom is enjoying her first year at the elementary level. She previously taught at Yeager Middle School, so she understands the skills students need as they make the transition to the next level.
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After teaching in Birmingham, Lindsey Griffin was happy to join the Arbor Station staff in Douglas County!
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Elizabeth Gassaway just began her first year of teaching and is thrilled to begin her career at Arbor Station Elementary.
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How Did Our Students and Teachers
Spend Their Summer?
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DCSS Students Gain Work Experience
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In Douglas County over the summer, you could find students and recent graduates gaining real-life work experience in businesses, governmental agencies, and the school system.
Eight students and recent graduates, pictured above, interned for the school system in areas including technology, human resources, special education, Title I, school nutrition, and communications. Although most left in August to continue their college studies, McKenzey Bailey, a junior at Douglas County High School, will work throughout the school year in the nutrition department as part of the Work Based Learning program.
Their youthful energy and technology skills made the interns instant assets to their departments. Some interns spent time setting up technology in classrooms and re-imaging computers, while others wrote articles, created social media posts, and worked on videos.
Several recent graduates interned in various departments for the City of Douglasville and the Douglas County government. In addition, four students worked during the summer at J.W. Pepper, one of the largest producers of sheet music which is located on Riverside Parkway. Pictured below, these students will continue their work experience at J.W. Pepper through the Work Based Learning program.
Worked Based Learning (WBL) is part of Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE). Students in the WBL program work off campus in the business community to explore their chosen career field. WBL not only helps Douglas County students, but it also assists businesses by supporting them in building a highly trained, technologically sophisticated and career-oriented young work force.
The future-focused program is open to juniors and seniors at all five Douglas County high schools, the Success Center and the CCI. Other Douglas County students have interned and worked at Arbor Station Elementary, Chapel Hill Plumbing, Six Flags Over Georgia, Kindred Hospice and several other corporate and retail locations.
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NMHS Teachers Study in Africa
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New Manchester High School French teacher John Green and dance instructor Adrienne Abdus-Salaam will add fresh African perspectives to their existing curricula as they share with their students and colleagues lessons they learned this summer in Tanzania.
The teachers spent five weeks in the east African nation through the Fulbright-Hayes Group Project Abroad Program sponsored and funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of International Education and Graduate Programs.
For two and a half weeks, the teachers studied the history and culture of east Africa and the Swahili language on the campus of the University of Dar Es Salaam. Afterwards, they toured the country and completed their instructional units. "Our school visits and personal interactions with local teachers rank among my fondest and most meaningful experiences," said Mr. Green.
Pictured at top, Ms. Abdus-Salaam and Mr. Green chat with two members of the Maasai ethnic group while visiting their village in northeastern Tanzania. Pictured in the classroom, Mr. Green watches a Tanzanian student write on the board as a language teacher looks on. Mr. Green had just taught a French lesson at a vocational school in Dar Es Salaam.
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Did You Know?
Late Bus Information
Late bus information is published on the Douglas County School System district website twice a day. If the transportation department expects a bus to be late, details are posted, including school, bus number, expected delay time, reason for the delay, alternate bus number, and additional notes as needed.
Parents and students can reach the page by going to dcssga.org and then clicking Departments, Transportation, and Late Bus Information. You may also click
here.
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It's Time for Friday Night Lights!
Spotlight on Chapel Hill High School
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Scrimmage games are over and scores count starting TONIGHT!
This year, scores will be posted on the DCSS app. To download the free app, search in your app store for "Douglas County Schools" and look for the familiar blue swoosh with the five gold stars.
Watch the video to see Head Coach Justin DeShon's preview of Chapel Hill's upcoming season.
For a schedule for the entire season for all five high schools, please click
here.
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Head Coach DeShon is depending on these CHHS team leaders for a successful season! Pictured left to right are Bradyn Swinson, Aaron Wilson, Rasheed Nurridin, Shaheed Nurridin, and Zaire Flournoy.
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On August 15, the entire Chapel Hill football team and all coaches took in the Atlanta Falcons preseason game against the New York Jets at Mercedes Benz Stadium.
This is not Chapel Hill's first NFL experience. Last year, several Chapel Hill players participated in the NFL experience prior to the Super Bowl, including participating in two hours of intense football training exercises with current NFL stars and Hall of Famers and a tour of the NFL Expo.
"It was another amazing opportunity given to us by the Falcons organization," said Coach DeShon. "For a lot of our kids it was their first NFL game and opportunity to visit the new stadium. It was a very memorable night for sure for our staff!"
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September 2: Holiday for All
September 3: Board of Education Work Session
September 6: Progress Reports, Elementary and Middle Schools
September 16: Board of Education Meeting
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Check out opportunities that are available in our area by clicking the Community Bulletin Board below!
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