November 18, 2022

Dear DCSS Families and Community,

This Thanksgiving season, I wanted to send you a sincere word of thanks, and my warmest wishes for a happy and safe holiday.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your superintendent. Each night, when I give thanks and in every decision that I make, it is my goal to convey my sincere appreciation for serving as the superintendent of the Douglas County School System.

While serving the students, families and employees of the school system is a high priority for me, nothing is more important than my family. I look forward to Thanksgiving with my wife, daughters, family members and grand puppy, Levi. I will carve out time to ensure that they have quality time with me. Whether your family gathers in person or not, I strongly encourage each of you to set aside all ill will and make this Thanksgiving a memorable one.

So, enjoy your time this coming week with family and friends. Eat well and laugh often. We hope your children will come back re-energized as we move toward the end of the first semester.

Sincerely,

Trent North

Superintendent

Douglas County Schools Celebrate Veterans

From parades to ceremonies, schools across the district held Veterans Day celebrations to honor the men and women in our community who have served in the United States military.

Many schools like Chestnut Log Middle and Sweetwater Elementary participated in parades, where students and faculty lined the hallways singing military songs while veterans walked through.

Bright Star Elementary, hosted a light breakfast and students wrote thank you letters for veterans.

Yeager Middle, Chapel Hill and North Douglas Elementary decorated doors, hallways and had displays that honored fallen soldiers. While students at FLEX Academy heard from a guest speaker, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class, Richard Lehnhardt.

Holly Springs Elementary partnered with Chapel Hill High School (CHHS) to honor veterans with an assembly. Students presented a history of Veterans Day, several poetry readings, and a performance of our National Anthem by the elementary school chorus. Members of the CHHS National Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) served as the color guard and presented the flags for the anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Veterans from the community and Douglas County Schools employees were recognized for their service.

Former Douglas County High School graduate becomes member of elite Navy Honor Guard

Airman Durand Byssainthe, a 2020 Douglas County High School graduate, joined the Navy six months ago. Today, Byssainthe serves as a U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guardsman.

Byssainthe recently completed an intensive 10-week training program to become a member of the elite U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard. Established in 1931, the Navy Ceremonial Guard is the official honor guard of the Navy.

Based at Naval District Washington Anacostia Annex in Washington, D.C., members participate in some of the most prestigious ceremonies, including Presidential inaugurations and arrival ceremonies for foreign officials.

“I joined the Navy to implement self-discipline in my life, make meaningful connections and travel the world,” said Byssainthe.

Ceremonial Guard members are hand-selected while they’re attending boot camp at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. They are skilled experts in the art of close order drill, coordination and timing.

"I am proud to have made it through boot camp and Alpha Company training," said Byssainthe. "I'm also proud to have the opportunity and honor of joining the elite ranks of the Ceremonial Guard."

Chapel Hill High School students compete in the Peach State Classic Debate

Three students from Ms. Kenya Taylor’s Speech Forensics class competed in the Peach State Classic at Carrollton High School, which is the largest speech and debate competition in the state.

Alyssa Blacknall and Lindsey Mercer competed in Public Forum debate in the novice category and won four out of six rounds, making it to quarterfinals.

“I would like to recognize Alyssa for her exceptional case writing, and Lindsey received a 3rd place honorable mention for her speaking skills during the debate”, said Ms. Taylor.

Claire Craton competed in Informative Speaking, and was the only novice speaker among varsity competitors. Claire Craton won first place overall for her Informative Speech, “Are You Okay? An Evolution of Mental Health History and Treatment.”

Congratulations to Alyssa, Lindsey, and Claire! Chapel Hill made a GREAT showing at its first speech and debate competition.

School Resource Officer Spreads Joy on North Douglas Campus

School Resource Officer Quinta Lossa delights in serving students and keeping them safe. During her first year with the Douglas County School Police Department, she has worked tirelessly to find creative ways to support a positive and welcoming school environment.

On North Douglas Elementary School’s campus, administrators say her presence brings joy and excitement. Assistant Principal Dr. Charles Few explains when Officer Lossa is around, staff and students feel safe. He says she always knows when her presence is needed. “We never have to ask her to do anything. She sees what needs to be done. And she does it.”

Principal Pamela Wooley says Officer Lossa provides much more than safety and security for North Douglas. For example, she shares a mailbox of positive affirmations and allows others to contribute. Her goal, Wooley said, is to help everyone know their presence adds value to the school community. “Officer Lasso exemplifies servant leadership and what it means to community police,” said Principal Wooley.

The North Douglas Elementary School family is exceptionally grateful for Officer Lossa’s contributions. “Her presence is extremely special to the Stingray family and the Douglas County School System Police Department,” said Principal Wooley. “We are grateful to have her in our school community, and we celebrate her daily.”

Sammie Creasy is a sweet, bright, and intelligent fifth grader at South Douglas Elementary School. Sammie’s teachers describe her as a hard worker who is diligent, motivated, and a self-starter. Principal Brad Corbett agrees, adding that Sammie takes pride in her work and always has a humble attitude. She is well-liked by her South Douglas peers and always goes the extra mile to help others. Her peers recognize her for being a role model to fellow fifth graders and for always being a joy to have in class. Outside of school, Sammie loves taking part in competitive cheerleading. When she grows up, she hopes to become a professional artist. South Douglas Elementary is proud that Sammie Creasy is a South Douglas Bear Cub! Congratulations, Sammie!

LSHS Basketball Preview

Lady Lions Looking to Continue State Streak

For the past several years, the Lithia Springs High School’s Lady Lions have been a mainstay in the state playoffs, having made an appearance each of the last eight seasons. This year, LSHS looks to continue building on this strong tradition with another playoff berth and a run behind the squad’s first group of seniors in three seasons.

“We’ve got a great group of kids in the program this year,” said LSHS head coach David Mills. “We finally have seniors after three years without having any, and we expect a lot out of them in terms of leadership.”

With this year’s experienced group of seniors, Mills is hoping this will be one of the key factors that propels the Lady Lions to a deep run in the state tournament. Among the players LSHS will lean on are Ayana Richmond, who was a Region 6-5A Second-Team selection after last season, and Mya Harris.

This year, the Lady Lions will compete in a new Region 5-5A, which will include crosstown foe Chapel Hill High School, along with several other teams who qualified for the state tournament last season from Atlanta and Fulton County.

“It’s going to be a challenging season. I’ve set up probably the toughest schedule we’ve had in the 12 years I’ve been at LSHS,” Mills said. “We’ve definitely got some challenges, but we’re looking forward to taking them on and overcoming them this season.”

The Lady Lions open the season November 21 against Pace Academy.

Lions Looking for Another Strong Season

After missing out on the state playoffs last season, Lithia Springs High School’s boys basketball team is ready to get the year underway and make a push for a playoff berth in 2022-23.

“We’re really looking forward to the season. Anytime you graduate the amount of seniors that we had last year, it’s good because you’ve got a lot of new, fresh talent coming into the program,” said LSHS head coach Keith Simmons. “A lot of people are vying for positions, so it creates a good sense of competition at practice, especially in the early part of the season.”

This season, the Lions will have a tough road ahead of them. Along with having several new players at key positions, they enter a new Region 5-5A that includes several tough opponents, including last season’s Class 5A state champions Tri-Cities and in-county foe Chapel Hill High School who qualified for the state playoffs last year as well.

However, Simmons and the Lions are embracing the challenge, as they have several returning players who will be looking to help lead the team into the playoffs. This year, LSHS will rely on the combination of Damerius Putmon, Jai’Que Hart, Cole Nash, Ziair Finch and Kisean Robinson to lead the charge.

Along with these upperclassmen, Simmons is confident about several underclassmen as well that he believes can step in and contribute this year.

“I think we’ve got a good mix of older guys who are looking to step in and be leaders with some young guys who have a very promising future for us,” Simmons said. “With such a tough region with nine good teams, everybody is going to be battle tested, and all of the teams who come out of there will be ready for the state playoffs.”

The Lions will continue their season on November 21 in a tournament against Beach High School.

Families can now register children for the eighth annual Operation Christmas Douglas County, which is scheduled to take place December 10, 2022. Registration deadline is December 1.

Children enrolled in school in Douglas County and their younger siblings may once again receive a free gift through the generosity of the folks at Operation Christmas Douglas County.

To qualify, children must reside in Douglas County, be age 18 or younger, and receive free or reduced price lunch or WIC or other services from the Health Department or Educational System due to financial hardship. This community effort is not sponsored by the school system.

Visit http://theelfsquad.org/#/login to complete the registration form in English or Spanish.

This community effort is not sponsored by the Douglas County School System.