STAR Students and Teachers Honored by Rotary

School officials, families and community leaders gathered at the Douglasville Conference Center on Monday, February 12, as the Douglas County Rotary Club honored STAR students and teachers for their exceptional efforts.

The Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program recognizes the senior with the highest SAT score at each high school.

Douglas County Rotary President Tekmekia Gilchrist was delighted to be a part of the special occasion.

"The STAR student ceremony is a day that showcases the outstanding, talented students and teachers we have in Douglas County," she said. "We get to witness firsthand the impact this award has on the students and teachers through great speeches and accolades.” 

Congratulations to Douglas County High School seniors Anna Liu (Shea St. John - STAR Teacher) and Isabel Yang (Jasmine Gordy - STAR Teacher) for tying as co-winners of the District STAR Student honor. The two will now advance to compete for region-wide honors in the 12 STAR Regions. Region winners compete for state PAGE STAR scholarships and awards.  

The other STAR Students and their STAR Teachers are:

Alexander High School

Madison Thomas (Jeffery Davison)

Chapel Hill High School

Mazzy Beyer (Claire Phillips)

Rajah Broadus (Mikki Lucas)

Harvester Christian

Riley Laird (Carla Read)

Lithia Springs High School

Roshan Patel (Stephanie Carr)

New Manchester High School

Tacari Fears (Andrew Mulkey)

The district level science fair took place on Tuesday, February 13, in the Magnolia Room at DCSS Central Office. Advancing from their school level competitions, students in grades 3-12 from across the district presented individual and team projects to judges and attendees.  A total of 26 projects were on display addressing a fascinating array of topics including animal and insect behaviors, various ecological processes, and the application of cutting-edge technologies.

"Our students did an outstanding job with their projects and used the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that they are developing daily in the classroom," said Mitch Springer, DCSS Executive Director of Teaching and Learning. “We are preparing our students for jobs that don't exist yet, and the science fair is an excellent opportunity for them to practice and demonstrate their preparedness to be future leaders.”

First, second and third place winners for elementary, middle and high school grade spans were announced Wednesday. They are as follows:

First Place:

Sophia Yang, Douglas County High School

Xiyao Gu, Chapel Hill Middle School

Walker Prewett, South Douglas Elementary School

Second Place:

Chloe Blacknell, Douglas County High School

Madison and Mikayla Gibson, Chapel Hill Middle School

Edgar Morales, Dorsett Shoals Elementary School

Third Place:

Naomi Wood, Lithia Springs High School

Nelson Cruz, Chestnut Log Middle School

Beatrice Diggs, Mason Creek Elementary School

Sesame Street Puppeteer Visits Winston Elementary for Black History Month

Sesame Street puppeteer Chris Thomas Hayes gave an inspiring presentation to Winston Elementary School students Monday, February 12, telling them about the Black puppeteers who influenced him growing up and demonstrating how puppets on the popular children’s TV show work.

Hayes was at Winston for Black History Month as part of the ARTSventure series from the Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville/Douglas County (CAC). 

Winston counselor Sharleta Smith worked with the CAC to bring Hayes to her school.

“As a school counselor, one of my goals is to empower our students to ‘Dream Big’ and to collaborate within our community to embrace cultural diversity and help to promote all students' academic, career, and social-emotional development,” Smith said.

Monday’s performance by Hayes kicked off Winston’s week-long Black History Month Spirit Week, with students being encouraged to wear shirts with an inspirational or positive message as part of the “Reach for the Stars” theme, Smith said.

Hayes lives in metro Atlanta and said he goes to New York regularly to film Sesame Street episodes. He plays “Hoots the Owl,” a legacy muppet first introduced on the show in 1985. He also does other characters, including “Elijah Walker,” a Black weather forecaster who was introduced with his 5-year-old son “Wesley” in 2021 as part of the show's efforts to address racial literacy.

CCI Students Show Love By Making Valentines, Goody Bags

DECA students from the College and Career Institute (CCI) showered residents of Oaks assisted living facility in Douglasville with love for Valentine’s Day.

The students hand-crafted valentines with paper, stickers, glitter and markers and included messages like “You’re purrrfect,” “Got a sweet tooth? It’s because you’re so sweet” and “You’re such a joy to be around,” according to CCI Assistant Principal Bakahai Litman.

Marketing teacher and DECA sponsor Savannah Ray and her DECA students delivered the valentines to the Oaks residents after school on Valentine’s Day. They also took each resident a Valentine’s necklace to wear, Litman said. 

"It is an honor to serve as the DECA advisor for CCI as my DECA students have such strong ambition and passion for making an impact on the community,” Ray said. “They are constantly working together to grow as young professionals and are always pushing themselves to take on new challenges and make a positive impact on those around them."

DECA students also made goody bags for CCI and West Georgia Technical College faculty and staff for Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) Month. 

The bags had a letter inside that stated, "CTAE loves our staff!" Each staff member received popcorn, a chocolate bar, pens with motivational messages, and a water bottle.

"February is CTAE Month. It provides an opportunity to highlight the incredible work being done in CTAE not only this month, but throughout the year,” Litman said. “Through CTAE pathways, students have opportunities to explore various fields that prepare them for college and career – which align with DCSS' vision, mission, and beliefs.”

Cruz-Johnson to Compete in Navy Orienteering Nationals

Chapel Hill High School NJROTC Cadet Petty Officer Marlon Cruz-Johnson will compete in the Navy Orienteering Nationals next month against the top advanced runners in the country.

Orienteering (“O” for short) is a timed event across a mostly natural landscape, where participants navigate through a series of checkpoints using a topographical map along the way. The route from one checkpoint to the next isn’t marked. Each participant decides the best route on the run or walk.

An orienteer might be described as a part trail-runner and part map-and-compass guru, according to Lt. Commander Randy Cole, who is the lead NJROTC instructor at CHHS.

Cruz-Johnson, who is in charge of Chapel Hill’s Ordinance Department, will be competing against the top 75 individual runners in the country in the varsity advanced-runner category at the event, which is scheduled for March 15-17 at Kings Mountain State Park in Blacksburg, South Carolina.

“Marlon is very excited to represent Chapel Hill NJROTC and has set the bar for all our cadets by showing that hard work, dedication, and believing in one’s abilities can lead to great things in life,” Cole said.

Mobley Receives Prestigious Theatre Scholarship

Nathan Mobley, an IB senior at Douglas County High School, received the prestigious Achievement Scholarship for $2,000 on February 3 at the 2024 Georgia Thespian Conference held in Columbus.

Mobley was among 13 students from across the state to receive this scholarship, and is the first from DCHS to receive a theatre scholarship from the Georgia Thespians. 

He plans to attend Columbus State University in the fall and will major in theatre education. 

Parents Gain Insight at ASES Parent Academy

Parents of fourth grade students at Arbor Station Elementary attended a Parent Academy at the school on January 25th.

Teachers walked parents through a Math and Reading lesson to show them what their children are learning on a daily basis, according to Principal Dr. Emily Felton.  

“Parents left with a knowledge of what and how their children are learning,” Felton said. “In addition, they were given tools, tips, and strategies to help their students at home.”

Classroom Corner

Sweetwater Exceptional Readers Celebrate Success at Sparkles

Students from Sweetwater Elementary School who met their second nine-week Accelerated Reader (AR) goal recently celebrated their success with a day of fun activities, including skating, laser tag and arcade games, at Sparkles Skating Rink in Hiram.

Media Specialist Yashica Green said 180 students in grades K-5 who met their AR goal joined in the fun over two days. She said most of the students exceeded their goal by over 10 points, with two avid readers earning over 100 AR points and several more following close behind.

“I love to encourage our students to read as well as celebrate their achievements,” Green said. “With the AR program, students are able to take ownership of their reading, and they take pride in knowing that they achieved their goals. I am constantly hearing, ‘Mrs. Green, I have met my AR goal,’ and I can see the sense of accomplishment on their faces.”

Student Spotlight

Third-grader Beatrice Diggs is a Mason Creek Elementary Wolfcub who truly enjoys learning. In fact, she says she misses her teachers on the weekends! As an exemplary student, she demonstrates exceptional work ethic and character towards her teachers and peers. 

Beatrice is involved in a variety of activities offered at "the Creek" and always lights up a room with her positive attitude, according to PC Teacher Elizabeth Landers! Most recently, the young scholar clinched first place in the school-wide Science Fair and third place in the District Science Fair, where she studied ants to see which human foods they most prefer. In her free time, she enjoys gymnastics. 

“Beatrice always strives for excellence in everything she does,” says Principal Kristin Martin. Mason Creek Elementary is proud to have Beatrice as part of the family and excited about her possibly becoming a teacher in the future.

Cheyanna Howard’s passion for teaching radiates during her first year at Mason Creek Elementary School. A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Collaborative Special Education, Howard brings knowledge and empathy to her new role. Her commitment to students is clear. She believes that circumstances should never limit one’s dream. 

Principal Kristin Martin says it is evident how truly passionate Howard is simply by watching her interactions with her students. “She is teaching them way more than the basics,” Principal Martin says. “She is their greatest fan and will do whatever is needed for them to be successful, not only in the classroom but also in life.”

AHS Boys Soccer Team Approaching Season With ‘Intensity and Passion’

Alexander Boys Soccer Coach Dr. Jose Cuellar said his team is looking forward to the 2024 season. 

The Cougars have been conditioning since November and have been working hard during practices, he said.

“Each practice is physically demanding and our players approach each training session with an intensity and passion that has not been seen in years,” Cuellar said. “We expect our players' dedication to the game and the team to result in a fun and rewarding season.”

Weekly Athletics Schedule

Key Dates

• February 19-23: Winter Break
• March 11: Teacher Work Day
• 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.