BACK-TO-SCHOOL IN BARTOW: Today, we welcomed approximately 125 new/new-to-Bartow teachers to the BEST SCHOOL SYSTEM AROUND! We're thankful that they're starting this journey with us! Our teacher mentors were also on hand today for New Teacher Orientation as keynote speaker, Ms. Annette Breaux, addressed the group and system leaders held informational breakout sessions! #betterinbartow #b2school
BOARD RECOGNITIONS: Bartow County School Nutrition receives the Turnip the Beet Award from the state for the third consecutive year, and the Bartow County Board of Education honors the staff’s hard work and achievements!
Recognized for its outstanding Seamless Summer Meal Program, Bartow County is one out of only six gold level award winners from Georgia. Other counties include Douglas, Gordon, Henry, Newton, and Wayne!
👀👀: Check out these sweet students on the cover of the new 2024-25 Student Handbook! Spot anyone you know?
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME: Nearly three dozen of our high school Exceptional Education students were able to attend a Braves game thanks to Cara Shores and a sponsorship by Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and Career Technical Instruction! Our group participated in a panel discussion led by Braves employees with disabilities, AND two of our students were interviewed by Atlanta News First! What an exciting day to be a Braves fan from Bartow!
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION: Many of our local police chiefs met Superintendent Clint Terza today and watched a presentation on our new emergency alert system. Special thanks to Bartow County School Police Chief Billy Henson for presenting and hosting this important luncheon!
In attendance:
Sheriff Clark Millsap, Bartow County
Chief Frank McCann, Cartersville PD
Deputy Chief Yeager, Euharlee PD
Chief Kyle Teems, Emerson PD
Chief Jason Smith, White PD
Chief Mike Jones, Adairsville PD
Chief David Horace, Georgia Highlands College
SNEAK PEEK: Here's your very first glance inside the new Mission Road Elementary School! Final inspections are being made, and we are getting ready to officially move in and unpack! Doesn't it look great?!
COMING SOON: That's right! Coming soon to a College and Career Academy near you...a new Esports Arena and STEM Innovation Center! It's taking shape! We'll announce a ribbon cutting date soon!
LET'S GOOOO, FUTURE CATS: Woodland High School cheerleaders hosted a three-day cheer camp full of dances, stunts, tumbling, games, and more! We're not sure who had more fun, our student athletes or our future Wildcats?! 📢🎉
PREVIEW: When Clint Terza was named our new superintendent, we just KNEW our students had a few questions for him! So, we put a mic in their hands and "let the good times roll!" Enjoy this short preview! We'll release the entire video before school starts so you can all get to know the man at the helm of the Bartow County School System!
https://youtu.be/0NWS2fr-u2w
FROM CARTERSVILLE TO COSTA RICA: The Bartow County School System sure does provide some unique opportunities for its students! Check out these Adairsville High School students whitewater rafting down the Sarapiquí River, ziplining through the jungle, and hiking to see the Arenal Volcano!
Students also performed a water analysis to test the health of the water for its inhabitants, visited an organic farm and restaurant where they harvested and prepared their own lunch, and completed a service project at one of the local schools.
Talk about amazing summertime memories!
The BCSS has been approved to use federal relief funds to purchase essential school supplies for all students in grades pre-K through 12.
This one-time allotment of funds will cover most of the supplies needed in students’ classrooms this academic year.
Updated elementary and middle school supply lists will be published on your school’s website in the next few weeks.
Items that will be provided by the school system include but are not limited to paper towels, Lysol wipes, loose-leaf paper, crayons, pencils, notebooks, and binders.
Graphing calculators, headphones, backpacks, and lunch boxes are examples of items that the school system will not be able to purchase.
Again, check your school's website for an updated supply list as the academic year approaches, and please note, this is a one-time disbursement of supplies.
TEACHER TRAINING: Check out these photos from White Elementary School! Our local extension office picked a great school to host its 2024 School Garden Teacher Training event! Connecting STEM to the school garden, teachers learned six hands-on classroom lessons to take back to their schools! WES Teacher Jennifer Martin also gave an informative tour of the Warrior's award-winning garden!
Special thanks to UGA Extension County Coordinator Paul Pugliese for doing such wonderful work in the Bartow County School System!
HURRY: If your family could benefit from FREE school supplies, backpacks, and other back-to-school items, make sure to register for the SUPPLIES 4 KIDS events by June 30th!
https://supplies4success.blesscoalition.org/
THE RESULTS ARE IN: Bill Gaines of Woodland High School and Owen Wiggins of Cartersville High School earned a FOURTH-PLACE finish in the 2024 High School Fishing World Finals!
Nearly 400 teams from several countries competed on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina June 19-22.
According to Bartow Sports Zone, our teams represented the local Amateur High School Bass Anglers organization. "After missing the two-day cut, Wiggins and Gaines earned a spot in the World Finals by placing sixth in the third day’s Second Chance Round. Their Friday catch was 8 pounds and 14 ounces."
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Other local competitors included in the National Championship Team Tournament Standings:
Tucker Ivester and Caiden Moore — Cass High School and Woodland High School — 39th first two days / 63rd in 2nd Chance Round
Brandon Willard and Bryan Gayton — Woodland High School — 51st in 2nd Chance Round
Trenton Mealer and Bentley Bagley — Adairsville High School — 75th (first two days)
Will Altizer and Kadin West — Adairsville High School — 104th (first two days)
Kip Mayfield and Gannon Bonds — Cass High School — 156th (first two days)
[stats & pictures - Bartow Sports Zone]
GOOD LUCK: The 15th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship is happening right now on Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and we spy some of our very own anglers in the competition!
Hundreds of teams from across the United States, South Africa, and other countries are vying for $3.2 million in scholarships and prizes! Help us wish them luck!
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Let the countdown officially begin for the Class of 2025!
GRADUATION DATES
Cass High School
May 19, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.
Make-up date May 21, 2025
Woodland High School
May 20, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.
Make-up date May 21, 2025
Adairsville High School
May 22, 2025, at 8:00 p.m.
Make-up date May 23, 2025
SHINING BRIGHT IN BARTOW: Our very own Dr. Brent Shropshire, director of counselors, college readiness, wellness and fine arts, has been named the GCCAN 2024 Counseling and Career Development Professional of the Year for his CTAE work within Bartow County Schools! Congratulations! What a well-deserved honor!
The Tiger Family welcomes back Sarah Callaway as the new principal of Adairsville Middle School!
“I was ecstatic,” said Callaway. “I began my educational career at AMS when I was just 21 years old, and it feels like life has come full circle as I return now as the principal.”
Callaway is starting her 17th year in education. All but last year were spent serving AMS in different capacities.
“I get emotional when I think about leading such an outstanding school,” added Callaway. “The school and the community are such a gem. AMS has amazing staff, students, and community stakeholders. To think I have been given the opportunity to work alongside teachers and staff that embody what a school family should feel like is humbling.”
Throughout the years, Callaway worked alongside her school family as a classroom teacher, instructional lead teacher, and assistant principal.
Callaway helped lead AMS to state STEM certification and utilized her expertise to present at multiple STEM forums throughout the state.
Additionally, Callaway earned the AMS Teacher of the Year title in 2014-15 and an Instructional Lead Teacher Award in 2019.
Callaway also served as a teacher mentor and grant writer, earning several grants herself over the years.
“I look forward to collaborating with staff to continue the outstanding work being done at AMS and to build on the strong foundation already in place,” said Callaway. “Together, we will learn and grow, setting high expectations for ourselves and our students to ensure the best educational outcomes. I am also committed to continuing to foster and strengthen our ties with the community, which is invaluable in supporting our school and enhancing the experiences of our students.”
Callaway is described as driven, dedicated, and goal oriented.
With a background in coaching several sports, including cross country, track, and basketball, Callaway enjoys watching her sons, Jack and Henry, play sports.
“School did not come easy to me,” said Callaway. “I struggled to read, and I became a teacher to make an impact on students like myself. When I'm not at school, you can find me watching my boys play sports, in my garden, or playing pickleball.”
SUMMER STEM CAMP: The Bartow County School System Voyager STEM Camp is underway! We went to a full day camp and added new technology and activities this year! Students are enjoying drones, spheros, robotics, VR headsets, investigating electricity with snap circuits, launching payloads, and designing a real video game, just to name a few exciting activities! The student volunteers from our high schools did a great job, as well! Can't wait for day two!
SUMMER LEARNING: We just wrapped up a great week of Summer Intervention! Our students are doing a wonderful job learning the last of their essential standards!
