A 47-year-old high school in Douglas County will be demolished and replaced with a modern upgraded facility.

Lithia Springs High School is the second oldest high school in the Douglas County School System. Under a five-year plan drafted by the Georgia Department of Education, the school system will demolish the campus. A new Lithia Springs High School will be rebuilt on the same site.

Douglas County School System Board of Education members approved a resolution to phase out the school during Monday’s board meeting. While the Lithia Springs campus has supported the educational needs of generations of Douglas County scholars, architects say the 1975 building has reached its life expectancy. Because of its architectural design, the building can no longer be reconfigured, repaired, or renovated.

Superintendent Trent North says this is an exciting chapter in the school’s history.

“Lithia Springs High School is a tremendous source of pride for our community,” he explains. “Lithia Lions graduate high school prepared to impact their community and the world. We are delighted that future graduates will have the opportunity to continue thriving on a more updated campus.”

"The new facility will meet the needs of students living in a technology-rich world. A planning phase must begin before construction starts on the new Lithia Springs facility. “The two-year strategic planning process involves meeting with principals, staff, and students. Their input will help us assess the present and future needs of our students,” explains Superintendent North.

Lithia Spring High School’s East County Line Road campus houses 1,427 students. The school is also home to Douglas County’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Magnet program.

Principal Travis Joshua says a renewed Lithia Springs High School will inspire the school community to achieve even greater heights. “Lithia has a long legacy of launching students into college and career success,” he adds. “This is an exciting new chapter in our history of empowering every student to succeed.”

Camille Scott Repeats Top Honor As Other DCSS Students Also Shine!

The Regional Science and Engineering Fair took place on Friday February 4th at the University of West Georgia. Twenty-five students from Douglas County middle and high schools competed in categories ranging from Plant Sciences to Computing and Systems Software.

"Overall, our students performed exceptionally well. While their projects displayed superior planning and attention to detail, our students showcased unique abilities in connecting with the judges while describing their methods and conclusions. Our schools are truly preparing students with the content knowledge and interpersonal skills to be successful." Casey Bethel, K-12 Science & STEM Coordinator.

Fourteen Douglas County students earned first place ribbons, qualifying them to advance to the state-level fair (GSEF) in Athens this April.

One student earned a particularly impressive distinction. Camille Scott, an 8th grader at Chapel Hill Middle School, won the Overall Best In Show Award in the Junior Division for the second year in a row. Camille aspires to be a marine biologist, which sheds light on the importance of her project - Waterworks: Identifying Microplastics and Microfibers in Various Water Sources. She tracked the presence of these harmful pollutants in Sweetwater Creek over multiple years and compared the results to ocean, tap, and bottled water.

We are proud of all of our future scientists and engineers.

Students at Annette Winn Elementary School in Mrs. Torsha Moore’s 5th grade science class have been learning about both animal and plant cells. At the culmination of the unit, the students used their knowledge in an instructional approach known as project based learning. Using a variety of materials and engaging with newly learned content these students created cell works of art. As a way to engage them and give opportunities for showing what they know these students worked independently to design cell models.

There have been many positive comments about how impressive the projects are. Students are well versed in knowledge now. The brightly colored and uniquely designed cell projects are displayed in the foyer of AWES, for all to see and enjoy!

Pictured from left to right are Kameron Webb, Jason Essex and Anesia Hayden.

Sports have the power to unite people across age and social lines. That was the case for the Fairplay Middle School (FMS) Lady Jaguars basketball team when they attended a Georgia Tech Lady Yellow Jackets game on January 23. 

The Yellow Jackets defeated North Carolina during the game, but after their victory, they made time to come into the stands to meet, take photos with, and discuss the game of basketball with the Lady Jags players. 

Georgia Tech players Sarah Bates, Lorela Cubaj and Kayla Blackshear also asked the Lady Jags to share their schedule, so they could attend a game one day soon. 

It didn’t take long for the trio to make good on their promise. Bates, Cubaj and Blackshear showed up a few days later to support their new friends and cheer them to a victory against Factory Shoals Middle School. The players also came out during halftime to shoot around and play with some of the players.

FMS thanks the Lady Yellow Jackets for their friendship and such a memorable experience!

February is Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) month. Follow the hashtag #CTAEDelivers on social media to learn more!