All DCSS High Schools Receive AP Honors School Recognition

For the second year in a row, all five high schools in Douglas County were among 273 schools around the state to receive AP Honor Schools recognition from State School Superintendent Richard Woods on February 16. These honors reflect achievement and participation on the Advanced Placement (AP) tests administered by the College Board during Spring 2022. 

Chapel Hill, Douglas County and New Manchester high schools each earned recognition as AP Access and Support Schools. This honor goes to schools with at least 30% of AP exams taken by students who identify as African American and/or Hispanic and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher. These three schools were among 80 in the state to receive this honor. 

In addition to being named AP Access and Support Schools, DCHS and NMHS joined Lithia Springs High School in being named AP Expansion Schools. This distinction is awarded to AP schools that saw at least 25% growth in AP student participation from May 2021 to May 2022 and a minimum of 25 students testing in May 2020. Eighty-four schools from around the state also received this recognition. 

Four DCSS schools were named AP STEM Schools. Alexander, Chapel Hill, Douglas County and Lithia Springs high schools each earned this honor for having a minimum of five students testing in at least four AP STEM courses. This honor was given to 187 schools around the state. 

"We are proud that the AP exam scores for Douglas County School System students have improved every year for several years,” says Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Melanie Manley. “Our teachers and administrators are working hard to refine instruction and preparation. We hope to continue improving our exam scores to have schools recognized in additional categories next year.” 

                 

Superintendent Trent North also celebrates educators and administrators for fostering a culture of excellence.

“Recognizing all our high schools as AP Honors Schools is a prestigious honor,“ Superintendent Trent North said. “As a school system that cultivates a culture of learning, we are proud to offer motivated students an additional opportunity to get a head start on college. We applaud the hard-working students, their dedicated families, and the outstanding educators who helped make this accomplishment possible.”



AP exams are administered by the College Board, which also administers the SAT. AP courses are one of several ways Georgia students can access college-level learning at the high school level; students who receive a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit. In addition, GaDOE began recognizing AP Honor Schools in 2008.

For a complete list of Georgia’s AP Honor Schools from the Georgia Department of Education, click here.

Twenty-three Douglas County School System high school students have been named semi-finalists for the 2023 Governor's Honors Program (GHP). The GHP is a residential summer program for skilled, knowledgeable, and talented high school sophomores and juniors. 

GHP offers instruction that is significantly different from the typical high school classroom and is designed to provide students with academic, cultural and social enrichment necessary to become the next generation of global critical thinkers, innovators and leaders. 

Each year, the program is held mid-summer (mid-June through mid-July), and students receive a residential experience at one of Georgia’s colleges or universities. This year, the program will be held at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro from June 18-July 25. During their time on campus, students will attend classes in the mornings and afternoons in their specific area of study, and they will participate in a variety of social and instructional programming in the evenings. 

To attend GHP, students must first have an interest in an area outside of traditional school curriculum. Students may be nominated by someone in their school in many different areas, including Communicative Arts, Computer Science, Dance, Engineering, Mathematics, Music, Science, Social Studies, Theatre Performance, Visual Arts, World Languages, or Agricultural Research, Biotechnology, and Science.

Once nominated locally, students complete an online application to reach the state’s semi-finalist round. As semi-finalists, students will go through an interview process where they will be expected to have an in-depth discussion about the area in which they are nominated. Finalists for the program will be announced on April 7. 

DCSS students who have been named semifinalists are:

• Milan Wright - Music - AHS
• Caylie Brennan - Social Studies - AHS
• Mazzy Beyer - Visual Arts - CHHS
• Brooklyn DuClair - Mathematics - CHHS
• Lokesh Pampatti - Computer Science - CHHS
• Mason Mifflin - World Languages - DCHS
• Nathan Zhu - Engineering - DCHS
• Rezi Oziwo - Theatre Performance - DCHS
• Khadija Buke - Science - DCHS
• Anthony Douglas - Mathematics - DCHS
• Brittany Brown - Social Studies - DCHS
• Chloe Blacknall - Social Studies - DCHS
• Oluwa-darasimi Bankole - World Languages - DCHS
• Hiba Ghaffar - World Languages - DCHS
• Isabel Yang - Social Studies - DCHS
• Kelia Agbor - Science - DCHS
• Destiny Francis - Visual Arts - LSHS
• Taylor Vastine - Computer Science - LSHS
• Nadia Maria Thimas - Dance - NMHS
• Maddison Gardner - Theatre Performance - NMHS
• Arwa Abdelrahman - Theatre Performance - NMHS
• Taylor Stewart - Dance - NMHS
• Andrea Waldon - Music - NMHS

The Carrollton Douglasville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the Community Diamonds Foundation have contributed generously to the Douglas County School System to help pay off outstanding school lunch debt.

Thursday, fraternity members visited Annette Winn Elementary School to present the district with a check for $15,800. Their generosity will cover lunch balances of all 20 elementary schools, Stewart Middle School, and Douglas County High School.

The idea to help Douglas County families sparked when a member asked about paying student lunch balances. They soon discovered many Douglas County families have difficulty covering the cost of school lunches. After researching the impact of paying off the debt, the organizations voted to donate.

Bobby Fryer, Polemarch of the Carrollton Douglasville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., says the organization wanted to “do something big and impactful” in their service area. He says the endeavor encompasses who members are as a chapter.

“To our knowledge, a fraternity has never made a donation like this in Douglas County,” he said. “This act of giving encompasses the talented members of our fraternity and reflects what Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. is about.”

The fraternity has adopted and has a well-established relationship with Annette Winn Elementary and Stewart Middle School. According to Superintendent Trent North, the donation will significantly impact those two schools and others districtwide. “We are grateful for the support of the Carrollton Douglasville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. We appreciate their commitment to helping our students thrive,” he said. “Their generosity will make a real difference in the lives of our students and their families.”

Cougars, Panthers Punch Tickets to Final 4

Two DCSS basketball teams have advanced to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Final Four with victories on Wednesday night. 

Alexander High School, who has been ranked No. 1 in Class 6A for most of the season, took down Jonesboro 54-53 on the road to advance in the state tournament. The Cougars entered the tournament as the top seed from Region 5 and notched victories over Rome and Shiloh in the opening rounds of the tournament. 

In the next round, the Cougars will travel to the University of West Georgia Saturday to take on Etowah High School. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Chapel Hill High School’s boys basketball team also punched their ticket to the Final Four with a big 71-57 victory over Union Grove. The Panthers have been among the hottest teams in the state of late, winning eight in a row coming into their Final Four matchup. In the first two rounds of the GHSA state tournament, CHHS took down Chattahoochee and Cass. 

The Panthers next game will be on Friday at the University of West Georgia against Kell. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

North Tosses First Pitch at CHHS Region Opener

Superintendent Trent North threw out the first pitch at the Panther Baseball Region Opener on Wednesday, March 1.

The Panthers went on to win the game by a score of 6-1 over Creekside. Jabari Johnson led the charge with 3 extra base hits in the competition. Caiden Stewart was dominant on the mound throwing 6 innings and only allowing 1 run.

Classroom Corner

AHS FFA Helps Restore American Chestnut Tree Population

Alexander High School Agriculture students and members of Future Farmers of America (FFA), along with their instructor Mr. Ryan Bragg, recently planted six American Chestnut trees on campus as part of the restoration efforts of The American Chestnut Foundation. Over the last 100 years, nearly four billion American Chestnuts, which once inhabited forests in the eastern United States, have been wiped out by deadly blight. It is the mission of the foundation to return the iconic tree to its native range by breeding a blight resistant tree. Through partnership with the local spur of the foundation, Douglasville-Douglas County Friends of the American Chestnut, and its chairperson Mrs. Dot Padgett, these AHS students have been able to have hands-on participation in this project and direct exposure to a rare and valuable learning opportunity.

If you would like to learn more about Douglasville-Douglas County Friends of the American Chestnut, please visit the Facebook page - American Chestnut Tree Restoration in Douglas County/Douglasville, GA.

NMHS Students Celebrate AVID Program

MAES Holds Book Tasting for Fourth Grade Students

As the spring semester progresses, New Manchester High School's AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) Program has begun recruiting new members for the 2023-2024 school year.

To do this, the program's current students have created a video showcasing all that the program does while also telling why they love NMHS' AVID program.

The AVID program has been at NMHS since 2017 with the goal of closing the opportunity gap by preparing students for college and career readiness and success in a global society. Since adopting the program, it has grown to include over 100 students and more than 30 AVID site team members at the school.

Watch the video above to learn more about NMHS' AVID program and the impact that it has on the school's students.

Fourth Grade Teachers at Mason Creek Elementary School hosted a book-tasting event, known as "Star-books!"

Students were able to explore different genres of books, while enjoying hot chocolate and doughnuts. 

Students reflected on their books by taking notes and collaborating with peers.

DCSS to Honor School Social Workers March 5-11

Next week marks School Social Work Week, a time to recognize and celebrate the important role that school social workers play in supporting the mental health and well-being of students in schools. 

Sponsored by the School Social Work Association of America, the annual celebration is a time to pause and honor school social workers for their vital role in creating and maintaining positive, safe, and supportive school climates. 

The theme for National School Social Work Week 2023 is “We Rise.” School Social Workers rise up - supporting their students, families, and school communities. They not only rise to share hope but also to support all students. 

We recognize and value the work of the Douglas County School System’s Social Workers. Thank you, School Social Workers, for your commitment to Douglas County students!

Student Spotlight

Nyla Copening shines in this week’s Student Spotlight. Nyla is a College and Career Institute (CCI) Academy sophomore. She is a student in the CCI’s Culinary Program offered through West Georgia Technical College. Besides her culinary skills, Nyla was recently selected as one of Douglas County School System’s grade-level and district-level winners for the 2023 Young Georgia Authors (YGA) writing competition. Nyla is an example of how far hard work can take you. Congratulations, Nyla! 

Key Dates

• March 6: Board of Education Work Session
• March 13: Teacher Work Day
• March 20: Board of Education Meeting
• April 3 - April 7: Spring Break
• April 10: Board of Education Work Session
• April 17: Board of Education Meeting
• May 1: Board of Education Work Session
• May 15: Board of Education Meeting
• May 23, 24: Half Days for All Students
• May 24: Final Day of Spring Semester
• May 25: AHS & LSHS Graduations
• May 26: NMHS & DCHS Graduations
• May 27: CHHS Graduation

Family Resources

DCSS Family Health Center

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

DCSS Family Health Center Offering Immunizations

DCSS' Family Health Center is offering immunzations for students Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Call 770-651-2273 to book an appointment, or click the flyer above for more information.

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.