Holly Springs' Kerry Harbin Named DCSS Library Media Specialist of the Year

Holly Springs Elementary School Media Specialist Kerry Harbin has been named the 2024 Douglas County School System Library Media Specialist of the Year.

Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Chelsie Goodman and Holly Springs Principal Dr. Sherritta Abell surprised Harbin with the award and a celebratory bouquet of flowers on Wednesday.

Superintendent Trent North praised Harbin for her dedication to fostering a culture of reading and learning at her school.

“We are thrilled to celebrate Kerry Harbin being named the DCSS Media Specialist of the Year,” North said. “Ms. Harbin’s dedication to fostering a culture of reading and learning has set a standard of excellence for our students. Every day, her contributions and enthusiasm inspire a new generation of eager readers. We are proud of her impact on her school community and thank her for her value and commitment to excellence in education.” 

Harbin has been an educator for more than 20 years and has served as a media specialist for nearly 18 years. She was previously named DCSS Library Media Specialist of the Year in 2017.

Harbin said on her application for the award that she believes the “Media Center is the heart of the school” and that she has worked “extremely hard to curate a warm welcoming environment.”

She said one of the ways she strives to create a culture of reading at Holly Springs is by sharing diverse stories with students, which she said “makes a positive impact because it builds the trust between us and shows that I have empathy for all of our students’ backgrounds.” 

“One of the greatest feelings as a Media Specialist is having a student come ask you for a second book recommendation,” Harbin said.

Harbin will now compete at the Regional Level in the Georgia School Library Media Specialist of the Year contest. The Georgia Library Media Association sponsors the statewide competition, recognizing K-12 library media specialists with dynamic, innovative programs and whose instructional collaborations foster student engagement and achievement.

DCHS French Students Have Fantastique Time at Immersion Camp

Douglas County High School French students recently took part in the Georgia Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French’s Immersion Week-end.

DCHS French teacher Dr. Whitney Dubrulle, who was just named French Teacher of the Year by the Foreign Language Association for Georgia (FLAG), said this year’s camp was “fantastique.” 

Twenty six of the 46 students at the 37th edition of the camp were from DCHS. The students spoke only French from Friday night through Sunday morning, Dubrulle said.

Dubrulle, with the assistance of Madame Corinne Barnes, 10 additional teachers and two interns, including Rebecca Dyar from the DCHS Class of 2021, directed this year’s camp.

The following students were exemplary representatives of DCHS at the Week-end Français:

Darasimi Bankole, Hadassah Cox, Iman Hussain, Sehr Hussain, Allison Martinez, Kelsey Torres, Prisca Andoh, Janiyah Beasley, Avery Butler, Sanaa Miller, Abigail Mbayah, Kaylin Wu, Michael Sinclair, Hiba Ghaffar, Alisha Khan, George Sarr, Madeleine Martin, Amanda Ubera-Corona, Mischell Ruiz-Borrego, Katlyn Jeffries, Zuri Morales, Julien Dubrulle, Gavin Vanderweit, Mia Morris, Danielle Tabe-Ebob and Layla Redden.

Teachers, students and distinguished leaders embraced the nation's largest celebration of reading during National Read Across America Week. From March 2 - 6, community members united to encourage and celebrate the joy of reading.  

State Superintendent Richard Woods kicked off the literary celebration with students and teachers in the media center at Chapel Hill Elementary School. He engaged with young scholars, graciously answering a variety of questions and appearing in several classroom photos. The Chapel Hill Cheetahs were intrigued by his enthusiasm and lighthearted spirit as he read aloud and emphasized the value of reading.        

Chapel Hill Elementary also welcomed singer and actor Q. Parker, current NFL player Michael Carter and University of West Georgia First Lady Dr. Tressa Kelly as some of its distinguished guest readers, supporting the mission of Dr. Seuss to nurture and explore literature. 

Principal K’Asha Davis highlighted the significance of reading and its relevance to everyday life.   

“During Read Across America week, we emphasize the essential role of reading in all aspects of life,” Davis said. “It's a time to remind everyone that being a reader is being a leader! Our goal is to make sure students understand that reading isn't just important in school, but it's also crucial in every career, every opportunity, and every situation they may encounter.”

In other celebrations across Douglas County Schools, a group of Chapel Hill High School student-athletes visited Factory Shoals Middle School to share in the reading wave. 

“This visit created a unique opportunity for the middle school students to interact with older students who share their passion for sports and education,” said Factory Shoals Principal Dr. Raymond Leonard. 

Media Specialist Katrinia Barnett expressed how the visit was a memorable and impactful experience for both the athletes and the students.

“The student-athletes served as inspiring role models, motivating the middle school students to develop a love for reading, prioritize education, and embrace important values like teamwork and sportsmanship. This event exemplifies the power of community involvement and the positive influence that older students can have on their younger peers,” she added.

New Manchester High School’s student-athletes also took part in reading to students at Eastside Elementary. Members of the Girls Varsity Basketball Team, Varsity Cheer Squad and Track Club welcomed the inspiring reading festivities. The Eastside Elementary Patrol Team led all distinguished readers to their respective classrooms, offering them refreshments in the media center. The engaged students enjoyed listening to their fellow upperclassmen while enjoying some of their most cherished books.  

Athletes from Alexander High School read to students at neighboring Bill Arp Elementary.

At South Douglas Elementary School, students enjoyed "Horton Hears A Woo" at lunch on March 4, Book Cover scavenger hunts on March 5, guest readers on March 6, a circulation poster contest on March 7 and reading buddies on March 8 to name just a few.  

“It has been a great week of reading!,” South Douglas Media Specialist Ana Leibbrand said.

The National Education Association launched Read Across America in 1998 as a year-round program to celebrate reading. Dr. Seuss’ March 2 birthday was designated as Read Across America day because of his significant impact on the world of reading and literacy. 

For a glimpse at all of our vibrant schools that took part in this nationwide celebration, please explore our story and photo gallery online. 

Alexander High School Student Shines at Regional Braille Challenge

Congratulations to Top Brailler Christopher Morgan! Morgan attended the regional Braille challenge for Georgia last week and he did it again!

He won first place in the Varsity category and was the overall top performer.

Now, all the scores from the competition will be sent to California where the Braille Institute will compare all scores from around the US, Canada, and the UK and will pick the top 10 brailler’s in his category for the National competition in June.

DCSS Celebrates Speech Language Pathologists

This week is School-based SLP Week. The Douglas County School System takes this time to recognize the exceptional work of the speech and language pathologists in our schools who advocate for all students with communication disorders.

SLPs play a varied yet integral role in schools, serving on teams to identify students with communication disorders, evaluating students, developing treatment plans and IEPs and scheduling and providing therapy services. Additionally, they maintain required certification by attending professional learning opportunities. They also provide support and training to school staff and families of their students. 

Hats off to these remarkable professionals, whose caring and expertise benefits so many. Their dedication to their students, their jobs and their professions deserves recognition.

Classroom Corner

Fairplay Middle School Students Design Graphics to Help Others Learn About Genetics

Seventh graders at Fairplay Middle School are studying genetics in their science classes.

Recently, after studying DNA, mutations, genes and chromosomes, students chose a topic of interest to further investigate and then designed an infographic to teach others about the subject.

Nolle Belaski, who teaches seventh and eighth grade advanced and gifted science and serves as the Gifted Department Chairperson at Fairplay, said studies show that students learn and retain 95% of what they attempt to teach each other. 

She said by having a deeper understanding of DNA, genes and chromosomes, the students can then use this background and apply it as they move on to how traits are passed from parent to offspring, how selective breeding and genetic engineering can be used to breed for desired traits and how a species may change over time due to changes in their DNA.

“By incorporating genetics into our curriculum, we are empowering our students to recognize disease patterns such as cancer or diabetes in their families, enabling them to take proactive prevention measures,” Belaski said.

Student Spotlight

Briana Williamson is a fifth-grade Ram at Mount Carmel Elementary School. She is a well-rounded honor roll student and has participated in various school activities including chorus, Road Runners and Junior Beta Club. 

In addition to her academic excellence, Briana excels in athletics. She has played youth baseball and is currently a member of the Temple Recreational Track and Field team.  

Although she loves sports, her favorite activity is dancing. At the age of three she experienced her first public dance performance and has been dancing ever since! Briana has won numerous awards in competitive dance and is a two-time national champion. In her spare time, you will find her practicing her next dance move or eating her favorite food, sushi.

Teacher Patrice Moore sings praises of Briana's intelligence and admirable good character. "Briana is a smart, talented, amazing writer who displays leadership skills in and out of the classroom. She works extremely hard to meet her goals with a positive attitude.” 

Principal Dr. Tenia Boone says Briana is a perfectionist who is committed to excellence.  

“Briana strives for excellence in everything she does and Mount Carmel Elementary is proud to have her as part of the Ramily. We are excited about her future.”   

Weekly Athletics Schedule

Mirror Lake Elementary is excited to welcome teacher Jaime Maxwell to their community of educators. Maxwell joined the first-grade team this January. With a background as a DCSS long-term substitute, Title I Tutor, and paraprofessional, Maxwell has enriched the school with her wealth of knowledge and experience. 

A recent University of West Georgia’s College of Education graduate, Maxwell earned her Master of Arts in Teaching in December. Her focus has been Special Education for the General Curriculum with concentration areas in Reading and Dyslexia.

Maxwell’s refreshing spirit brightens the halls of Mirror Lake Elementary School. She always encourages her students to try their best. Mirror Lake Elementary values her contributions and looks forward to seeing the continued impact she will have on students and the community. 

Key Dates

• March 20: Report Cards (elementary & middle schools)
• March 20: Progress Reports (high school)
• April 1-5: Spring Break
• April 24: Progress Reports (elementary & middle schools)
• May 22: Report Cards (elementary schools

Family Resources

DCSS Community Bulletin Board

Looking for a great weekend event, after-school care, or a new activity? Check out DCSS' Community Bulletin Board at the link above to learn all about events and activities occurring in Douglas County.

Douglas SEES

DCSS offers several resources for student health, wellness and support through the Douglas SEES website. Visit the link above to learn more about the resources available to students and families.

DCSS Family Health Center

DCSS' Family Health Center is a resource for families and staff within the school system. The center is located on the lower level of Burnett Elementary School and offers several services. Click here to learn more.