Student-athletes from Chapel Hill High School recently participated in the nation's largest reading celebration—National Read Across America Week. These young men visited Factory Shoals Middle School, which created a unique opportunity for the middle school students to interact with older scholars, who share their passion for sports and education.
FSMS media specialist Katrina Barnett expressed her gratitude for the visit, calling it “a memorable and impactful experience for both the students and athletes.”
Lady Panthers Rally Behind Seniors in Quest for State Playoff Spot
Chapel Hill girls soccer coach Shatyriah Crawford and her team are excited about a potential playoff run in 2025.
Crawford is in her fifth year at Chapel Hill and said offense will be a strength for the Lady Panthers this year.
The coach spotlighted four key players at the recent Spring Sports Media Day:
• Faryn Algarin, senior, center back
• Leah McLain, senior, midfield
• Delaney Jones, junior, midfield
• Amani Franks, junior, right back
Douglas County Schools will host our 2025 Special Olympics on April 2nd at New Manchester HS. Opening ceremonies will begin at 9 am.
Order your shirt today and support our Olympians! https://5il.co/38n2i
Chapel Hill SGA Presents: Black History Month Spirit Days!
Join us in celebrating Black excellence, culture, and history with themed Spirit Days!
Show your pride and participate in these fun dress-up days:
Tuesday, February 25 - BLACK EXCELLENCE - Wear Justice and Equality pins, provided by SGA officers
Wednesday, February 26 - COLORS OF UNITY - Wear red, green, and/or black clothes and accessories
Thursday, February 27 - MELANIN MANIA - Wear NEUTRAL colors
Friday, February 28 - WEAR YOUR HISTORY - Throwback to represent your heritage or dress as a famous Civil Rights leader
Spread the word and show your spirit! Tag us in your pictures using #CHHSBlackHistoryMonth
The Douglas County School System is excited to announce a special partnership with Peru to provide essential school supplies for Peruvian students.
Chapel Hill High School has been asked to collect:
Crayons
Pens
Notebooks
We would appreciate your support in reaching our goal and making a difference in the lives of students in need. Donations may be sent to school with your student or dropped off in the designated collection bin in the College & Career Center. Let’s work together to make this initiative a success!
Thank you for your generosity and support!
Black History Month Trivia Contest
As we prepare to celebrate Black History Month, we’re excited to announce that we will host our daily Black History Month trivia throughout February.
During announcements, we will feature a brief profile and a trivia question each morning. The first student to submit the correct answer will be recognized during the afternoon announcements and will receive a prize!
Click here to participate!
Congratulations to the Boys and Girls Panther Swim Teams for an incredible performance, securing 1st place at the County Swim Meet! Your dedication, teamwork, and hard work have truly paid off.
A special shoutout to Josh Wilkinson, Blake Ferdinand, Christopher James, and Matias Navarro for setting a new county record in the 200 IM relay, and to Blake Ferdinand for breaking the county record in the 50 freestyle! What an amazing achievement!
Let’s keep the momentum going—cheer on our Panthers as they continue to make waves! Help us cheer on our state qualifiers who will compete at Georgia Tech on February 7th and 8th!
Chapel Hill Speech and Debate Trio Qualifies for State Championships
Three Chapel Hill High School Speech and Debate members have qualified for next month’s Georgia Forensic Coaches Association Varsity State Championships in Carrollton.
Claire Craton qualified in Original Oratory, while Alyssa Blacknall and Christian Simmons earned their spot in Public Forum Debate after dominating at the Peach State Classic in November. Craton, who qualified for nationals last year, placed second in her category, and Blacknall and Simmons went undefeated in six rounds, finishing first in debate.
“These three students exemplify what it means to be dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about their craft,” said CHHS Magnet Coordinator and Speech and Debate Coach Kenya Taylor. “Their countless hours of research, practice, and preparation have paid off in incredible ways.”
“Beyond their accomplishments as students and team members, they are amazing people, and I am very proud of the young adults they are becoming,” Taylor said.
NORMAL SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2025: The Douglas County School System will resume normal operations tomorrow, January 22, 2025. All students and staff are expected to report to their campuses at their normal times. El Sistema Escolar del Condado de Douglas reanudará sus operaciones normales mañana, 22 de enero de 2025. Se espera que todos los estudiantes y el personal se presenten en sus campus a las horas normales.
DCSS Schools Closed Tuesday: Due to the State of Emergency declared for Winter Weather, the Douglas County School System will be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Escuelas del DCSS cerradas el martes: Debido al estado de emergencia declarado para el clima invernal, el Sistema Escolar del Condado de Douglas estará cerrado mañana, martes 21 de enero del 2025.
Douglas County BOE Named Governance Team of the Year by Georgia School Boards Association
The Douglas County Board of Education received the Governance Team of the Year Award from the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) today during the GSBA Annual Conference in Atlanta. According to GSBA, the Governance Team of the Year Award celebrates the exceptional board/superintendent team that exemplifies a deep commitment to advancing student achievement and bolstering community trust and support for public education.
"This recognition recognizes our board's dedication to excellence in governance and student success," said Board Chair Tracy Rookard. "We remain focused on making decisions that positively impact every student in Douglas County. This award reflects our board's commitment and the collaborative spirit between our governance team, administrators, teachers, and staff."
Superintendent Trent North acknowledged the significance of maintaining this high standard. "Earning Exemplary status for six consecutive years and now being recognized as Governance Team of the Year demonstrates our board's consistent commitment to effective leadership and strategic vision," said North. "Our Board members have consistently demonstrated excellence in strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and ethical governance. These skills enable us to fulfill our mission of providing every student with a first-class education."
The Board of Education includes Chair Tracy Rookard, Vice Chair D.T. Jackson, and Board members Ruth Morgan, Michelle Simmons and Glenn Easterwood.
The GSBA Governance Team Recognition Program, developed by Georgia superintendents and board members, evaluates school boards through a rigorous three-tier system focused on advancing student achievement through best practices in school governance and leadership. Criteria are based on the state board of education's standards for effective governance. All finalists undergo a thorough vetting process, including a comprehensive application review and interviews conducted by an impartial review team. This team consists of national experts who perform various leadership roles in the field of public education, ensuring a fair and rigorous evaluation process.
During today's awards ceremony, GSBA also recognized five Quality boards, five Distinguished boards, and 69 Exemplary boards for 2024, with Douglas County standing out for its consistent excellence over the past six years.
We’re thrilled to celebrate Solomon Reese, our Class of 2025 Star Student, for achieving the highest SAT score in the Chapel Hill Senior class! Your hard work and dedication have set a new benchmark for excellence.
Solomon selected Ms. Canady as his Star Teacher, sharing heartfelt words about her impact: "Ms. Canady was the first person to make me feel at home at Chapel Hill."
Congratulations to Solomon and Ms. Canady for this outstanding recognition! You inspire us all to aim higher and build stronger connections.
#StarStudent #PantherPride #BeExcellentonPurpose #ChapelHillHighSchool #Douglasville
Welcome to The Parent Post! This newsletter is published four times per year for Douglas County School System students and families. For more information, please contact Patti Sullivan at (770) 651-2118 or email patti.sullivan@dcssga.org.
Click the links below to read the full article on HELPING CHILDREN OVERCOME LEARNING LOSS DURING SCHOOL BREAKS
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Seniors and families, the Class of 2025 Graduation ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 22nd at 9:00 am. Graduation will be at the DCSS Legacy Arena.
High School finals are scheduled for December 18th and 19th. See the schedule below:
12/18: 1st & 2nd period finals
12/19: 3rd & 4th period finals
December 18th and 19th are official half-days for High school students. Dismissal will be at 12:00 pm.
Thank you so much to our seniors, college recruiters, local employers and armed forces for helping to make our annual Apply to College and Career Week a huge success!
The Chapel Hill Swimming team is ready to dive into the season. Hear more from Coach Pratt and swimmers Matias, Josh, Blake, and Christopher.
https://youtu.be/qY1zPYvUcO0?si=DkiPEjqhj6UaUHfJ
Chapel Hill's Girls Basketball Team is ready to take on this season. Hear more from coaches and players at the link below:
https://youtu.be/qY1zPYvUcO0?si=DkiPEjqhj6UaUHfJ
Chapel Hill High School’s flag football program is gaining momentum in its third year.
The Lady Panthers have a new coach in Julie Hall and have several veteran returners, including senior defensive backs Cassidy Murphy, Makayla Booker and Maya Bullard.
Senior quarterback Naryah Martinez is a newcomer to the team.
“We're more confident this year than ever,” said Booker, who, like Murphy and Bullard, have been with the team since its inaugural season.
Hall said she grew up playing powder puff football and is excited to see flag football gaining the respect it deserves.
“I love any opportunity to have more women's sports,” she said. “When I was in high school, flag football wasn't a thing. That's why it was always powder puff. It was like, let's just have a funny game where the girls play. And now it's a serious sport where these girls are getting taken seriously and getting college scholarships.”
Bullard said the team improved a lot from the first season to the second season. This year, she said, “we expect to do better,” with a goal of making it to the playoffs.
Murphy added that everybody on the team “puts in work and they deserve to be on the field.”
Martinez comes to flag football from softball and said she has the “foot coordination, the focus, and I can see the field.” She can also throw the ball a long way.
Bullard, Murphy and Booker said they enjoy the challenge of being defenders, reading the opposing players, getting interceptions and sacks and catching flags.
“If you see me position, I don't look at anybody's face during games,” Murphy said. “I look at their body and how their hips move, and that's how I catch my flags. And then I am also a rusher, and I tend to usually go either for the quarterback or the running back. And I've had some sacks in my past, but I like being a rusher because I'm able to get my team some more time to get the ball.”
https://youtu.be/HjDojXephds?si=bjnMljgyu6ztR7OO
