Chapel Hill High Graduate Super Bowl Bound
Douglas County Cheering for Hometown Favorite
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Chapel Hill High School graduate Cameron “Cam” Gill and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hoping for a big win on Super Bowl Sunday. Tampa Bay’s championship win has made football history, and Gill's success has electrified and inspired Douglas County fans. The Douglas County School System is excited to watch the upcoming gridiron battle and cheer on a hometown favorite.
Head football coach Justin DeShon remembers Gill’s time playing for the Chapel Hill High Panthers. “From Day One, Cam combined outstanding classroom habits with athletic ability to further his football career,” Coach DeShon says. “From there, Cameron worked tirelessly to earn everything coming his way. He remains extremely humble to this day and I couldn't be more proud of his accomplishments,” he continues.
After graduating from Chapel Hill High in 2016, he played football at Wagner College in New York. He then earned honors 2nd Team All-Region as a junior, 1st Team All-Region as a senior, and Honorable Mention All State. As a Wagner senior, he made First Team All American. He went undrafted this year and signed as a free agent with Tampa Bay before ultimately making the 53-man roster. He has played in all 19 games that Tampa Bay has played this year.
Chapel Hill Middle School football coach Wynne Lougher also remembers Gill’s time on the playing field. He is excited to see another CHMS Wildcat accomplish great things. “Each school, each coach, and each person who knows Cam has nothing but great things to say about him,” Coach Lougher says.
He will join other Douglas County fans cheering Gill’s team to victory on Super Bowl Sunday. “Cam’s success has our community on fire! We want Cam and his family to feel the love and support all the way from Douglas County,” Coach Lougher says. “Cam deserves our love and support as a school system and most of all, as a community.”
Gill not only attended Chapel Hill Middle and High School, but he also attended Douglas County’s Chapel Hill Elementary School and Holly Springs Elementary School. Douglas County School System Director of School Safety James Strong shares immense pride in the legacy Gill has built. “Cam has always been a standout athlete on the field. He is a gifted young man with tremendous talent and exemplary character,” Strong says. “Off the field, Cam shined as a role model. He excelled as a scholar student, excelling in the classroom through high school. He always has a winning attitude,” Strong continues. “We all look forward to celebrating his next big achievement.”
Pictured above is Cam Gill on the field for the Buccaneers. Gill is also pictured at the CHHS signing day with Coach Justin DeShon and CHHS teammate Josiah Coatney. Coatney now plays for the San Francisco 49ers.
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AHS Presents Colors for Gov. Kemp,
Other State Leaders
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The JROTC Cougar Battalion’s Color Guard from Alexander High School had the honor of opening the 2021 GAEL Winter Conference with the Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance. Governor Brian Kemp and Superintendent Trent North were among the leaders in attendance.
GAEL, the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders, is a statewide “umbrella” organization composed of seven professional affiliate associations for school leaders. GAEL members discuss and act upon issues that the groups have in common for the benefit of public education in Georgia. GAEL includes superintendents, government officials, and board of education members who serve 1.8 million children in public education in Georgia. The conference was January 24-25 at The Classic Center in Athens.
Superintendent North is pictured above with members of the AHS Color Guard: c/CPT Alvarez Cowins, c/CPT Aleczander Sykes, c/MSG Brianna Gayle and c/MSG Kason Rainwater.
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Using Technology to Refine Reading Skills
Students Practice with Online Partners
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Ginny Head, teacher of English to Students of Other Languages (ESOL) at Winston Elementary, was required to use new technology beginning last spring to accommodate her students who were attending class from home. After learning all the advantages of virtual instruction, she now uses it to teach in new and better ways.
"One thing that's important for ESOL students is to work in small groups so they can practice their English skills. Prior to the pandemic, with our 'Book Buddies' activity, I paired my students with students in other classrooms to give them in-person practice with reading skills."
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When the schools went online last March, Ms. Head maintained Book Buddies by using the breakout rooms feature on Google Meets so that students could read to a partner online.
Now, students who are learning in the classroom can be paired with students who are learning online from home or even with students in a different classroom in the same building.
"Doing Book Buddies online has opened a new avenue for developing learning communities with students in our own building, in another school, in another state or even in another part of the world," said Ms. Head. "The kids love it and learn so much from each other!"
Watch the video to see Book Buddies in action.
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Working Together: In-Person and Online Students Pair Up for Learning Experiences |
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As part of their studies on the properties of matter, 8th graders learning in person at Fairplay Middle collaborated with their virtual classmates in their science classes for a scavenger hunt. The students worked together to determine if everyday objects were an element, compound, or mixture.
Teacher Noelle Belaski believes that learning is first and foremost, a social experience. "Studies have shown that you learn 70% of what you discuss, and 95% of what you attempt to teach another. It is my goal to have my students at these higher levels of learning."
Mrs. Belaski placed students into small breakout groups that are a combination of in-person and virtual students. The groups are assigned a unique link via Google Meets to allow them to work together in on-going lab groups. The groups provide opportunities for collaboration, discussion, teaching and learning to occur, even when all students cannot be in the same room at the same time.
This model has proven to be very popular with students as it is providing a more authentic classroom experience during this unusual time. "I know that I am learning more when I am doing labs with other people," commented one student. "I can ask them questions and we can talk about what we are seeing." Another student said, "Sometimes it's a little bit challenging to be in different places from your lab group, but we have learned how to make it work. I like working with others, even though I am a virtual student."
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In partnership with Georgia State University, the Douglas County School System is excited to start accepting applications for the second cohort of Project NURTURE teacher residents in special education, math and science. Please watch the video to hear from four teacher residents who are in the program now. Click below to learn more and start your application.
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AWES Continues Winning Tradition
in Annual Stock Market Game
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In J’Lene Williams’ Program Challenge class at Annette Winn Elementary, 4th and 5th grade students have been learning economics and market trends while playing the Stock Market Game.
The Stock Market Game gives students a real-world learning experience while improving math, economics and personal finance skills. Students research and study current events and global news. This semester, teams saw their stock portfolios grow and shrink as a result of all that is going on in the world around us.
Jason Essex, a 4th grade Program Challenge student, took 1st place in our congressional district. This marks three years in a row that a Program Challenge team from Annette Winn Elementary has won in the Stock Market Game.
The Stock Market Game is sponsored by the Georgia Council on Economic Education.
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Zhu Named Semifinalist for Prestigious Scholarship
Congratulations to Sammi Zhu, who was selected as a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation semifinalist! Sammi, a senior in the IB program at Douglas County High School, is one of 496 semifinalists selected for this prestigious scholarship, which provides exceptionally talented students with up to $40,000 annually for four years of college. 5,860 students from 428 high schools across the country applied for the scholarship.
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Thank a Counselor!
National School Counseling Week: February 1-5
Next week is National School Counseling Week and a great time to thank your school counselors for the tremendous impact they have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
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Coming Soon: Your Chance to Provide Monthly Feedback
Look for an email giving you information on how to set up a survey account.
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Thank you to everyone who has completed the online survey giving input about Douglas County School System's five-year strategic plan. Your feedback and opinions are valuable!
We also want to ensure that you have a way to give continuous feedback about your particular school, not one-time-only but on a monthly basis! Satchel PULSE will offer every family a direct, safe, anonymous platform to share your views about how your student's needs are being met.
By answering 6-8 short, randomized questions just once every month, you and all the other parents in your school community will help us "take the Pulse" of each individual school building. Your principal will receive reports, based on completely anonymous parent feedback, that will help him or her to focus energy on the concerns that are most important for you and your student.
Look for an email so you can set up your account for one or more specific schools. Remember, these monthly surveys will be short, anonymous, and your school leaders really want to hear from you!
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Meet Captain Duncan Quarless
Factory Shoals Elementary School
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In addition to serving the students and staff at Factory Shoals Elementary, Capt. Duncan Quarless supervises SROs in the south sector of the school district. He encourages the officers to be the best resources for our school community.
A native of Long Island, New York, Office Quarless is married with three children. He graduated from Stony Brook University where he studied political science and journalism.
Officer Quarless began his career in law enforcement 11 years ago with the DeKalb County Police Department. He then served as an SRO with the Atlanta Public Schools Police Department, where he achieved the rank of sergeant.
Officer Quarless was inspired to become an SRO after a chance encounter with a 14-year-old juvenile while responding to a call as a patrol officer. "Over the course of several months, I learned about the many adversities this juvenile and his family endured, and my perspective was forever changed. I knew I needed to be an advocate for our children."
At Factory Shoals Elementary, Office Quarless is developing a Safety & Gangs Awareness program for 4th and 5th grade students to prepare them for some of the issues they may face at the middle school level.
Officer Quarless' hobbies include reading, traveling, working out and training clients as a personal trainer. He also enjoys hiking and white water rafting.
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Jena Rainwater is an exceptional student! Not only does she excel in all academic areas in the classroom, she is a joy to be around, a friend to many, and is always willing to help out when needed. She has been recognized numerous times by her teachers as a Principal's Celebrity. She is inquisitive in the classroom, intrinsically motivated, works hard to meet her goals, and always challenges herself. She has a smile on her face each day and a positive attitude. Jena demonstrates outstanding behavior, impeccable character, integrity, and always chooses to do the right thing. Jena is a member of the Road Runner Club and Jr. Beta. With such a great attitude and work ethic, we are certain that Jena will accomplish all of her future goals. |
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February 1: BOE Work Session
February 8: BOE Meeting
February 10: Progress Reports for Elementary and Middle
February 15-19: Holidays (Except 240)
March 1: BOE Work Session
March 2: K-5th Science & Engineering Fair Judging
March 4: FTE Count (Important Day for Attendance)
March 4: K-5th Science & Engineering Fair Awards
March 10: Grading Period Ends
March 15: BOE Board Meeting
March 17: Progress Reports, High Schools
March 17: Report Cards, Elementary and Middle Schools
March 25: Freshman Expo at All High Schools (Times Vary)
April 2: Holiday (Except 240 Employees)
April 5-9: Holidays for All
April 19: BOE Work Session
April 21: Progress Reports, Elementary and Middle Schools
April 26: BOE Board Meeting
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The award winning NMHS Fine Arts Magnet Education program is proud to present its annual Black History program. This year the program is titled "Good Trouble" in honor of the memory of Georgia Congressman John Lewis and will pay tribute to African-American pioneers in the arts with performances and presentations from the FAME art, dance, drama, band and choral departments at NMHS. This year's performance will be streamed starting February 22nd and will run through February 28th at: https://nmhsfame.anywhereseat.com. Join us for a great evening of "Edu-tainment"!
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Youth of all ages are invited to the "Paint Your New Year" online event, hosted by the Office of Behavioral Health Prevention and Federal Grants and the GA State Opioid Response. Students who register will receive free art supplies by mail that they will use to participate in the online art instruction event.
Please click here for a PDF with clickable links for registration.
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Check out opportunities that are available in our area by clicking the Community Bulletin Board below! |
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