SWEET SUMMERTIME IS ALMOST HERE: We caught up with PLES, AES, CLES, and AMS as they wrap up their last few days of school! We see a little cooking, a little coding, and a lot of LAUGHS! It's always #BetterinBartow
STAFF APPRECIATION: It's Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week and School Lunch Hero Day! We celebrated all week long and caught up with a few "Cafeteria Crew" members today! Pictures below! We are incredibly thankful for every one who makes up this AWARD-WINNING school system!
SUMMER MEALS: Save this flyer to your phone or print it out and put it on your refrigerator! Our SUMMER MEAL PROGRAM information is finalized!
SUMMER STEM CAMPS: In case you missed the registration period for our exclusive STEM camp, there are other unique opportunities for your science-loving kids!
POSITIVE PARTNERSHIPS: Forty-two Bartow County parents are recognized for completing 12 first-level English classes through a partnership with Bartow County Schools and OLA Language School! Twelve staff members also attended "Spanish for Educators" classes to better communicate with families and their students! Great work to ensure high levels of learning for all students!
LEADING AND LEARNING: We just wrapped up another successful year with our STEM Teacher Champion Academy! Last stop...Bartow County College and Career Academy! Our STEM teachers toured the BCCCA Pathways and received hands-on training in the areas of HVAC, Welding, Audio Video, Cosmetology, and more! Each STCA member now has a certificate of excellence and bragging rights! Next academic year, we'll announce the new STCA cohort!
BARTOW AND BEYOND: Congratulations, Cass High School Senior Aaron Whitlock! Aaron received a prominent scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont next fall! He plans to major in Computer Science, then commission into the United States Air Force!
CENTRAL OFFICE CELEBRATIONS: When you work in a school system and community like this, you have a lot to celebrate! And, if you know Superintendent Page, then you know he likes to celebrate the RIGHT WORK. In the Bartow County School System, the right work supports learning, collaboration, and results. That's what we value.
Today, we celebrate and honor Tina Youngken, our lead custodian! She's hard-working, detail-oriented, and supports our mission, vision, and collective commitments! Congratulations, Tina! You make us all better!
CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATIONS: Cass High School HOPE students, Rebeca Cruz, Renata Cruz, Alondra Dominguez, Alexandra Pacheco, Shanelly Pineda, Dayanara Solorzano, and Valeria Vences, definitely made Cinco de Mayo special for White Elementary School students today!
They spoke to classrooms, read culturally relevant books, served food, made paper flowers, and ran all three fiestas!
School leaders say they watched their students, parents, and teachers light up when the HOPE students delivered a message about their ambitions to help Hispanic students become more successful in school and beyond!
BARTOW CARES 4 U CAMPAIGN: C.J. Stewart, former Chicago Cubs outfielder and current author and founder of L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta, is in Bartow County today taping a short video for our Bartow Cares 4 U initiative, which debuts in August!
While CJ resides in Atlanta, he does a lot of work mentoring student leaders at Allatoona Elementary School! Next week, he's taking his group of ALES students to the Mercedes Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC!
What a passionate, hard-working leader! He gets the job done, and we could not be prouder of the work he does with our youth!
GEORGIA TEACHER OF THE YEAR: When you're deemed the best teacher in the state by the GDOE, you belong on a billboard right?! Absolutely! Check it out in Cartersville. It's near Tennessee and Felton!
We are so proud of WHS Teacher and Band Director Michael Kobito!
BARTOW CARES 4 U CAMPAIGN: We love working with current NFL Free Agent Vic Beasley Jr! Our hometown hero is helping us with our brand new Bartow Cares 4 U Campaign. Details coming soon!!
A-TEAM AWARD: Superintendent Page and system leaders present White Elementary School and its kindergarten team, which consists of Shelley Cromer, Abigail Smith, Shanna Witt, Haley Blackburn, and Emmalie Cole with the most prestigious award given by the District, the A-Team Award!
Shelley Cromer, Abigail Smith, Shanna Witt, Haley Blackburn, and Emmalie Cole exemplify the three big ideas of our Professional Learning Communities culture as they continually demonstrate a focus on learning, collaboration, and results.
Through observations and conversations with each team member, it is evident this team uses the PLC process to work together with collective responsibility for student learning. They ensure a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all kindergarten students, use common formative assessments to monitor student learning, use common assessment data to improve teaching and learning practices, and support the RTI process by providing systematic interventions and extensions for all students.
It is also evident that Principal Amanda Elrod and the White Elementary School Guiding Coalition have played a significant role in the development of this A-Team. Its Guiding Coalition was mentioned many times as a source of strength for the PLC process and as the means for the professional development which resulted in the efficacy of this collaborative team. Congratulations on this extraordinary achievement!
Shelley Cromer, Abigail Smith, Shanna Witt, Haley Blackburn, and Emmalie Cole will now present at May's school board meeting, New Teacher Institute, and serve as role models for future A-Teams throughout our school system.
This is our 13th collaboration team to earn an A-Team Award!
Woodland High School Teacher and Band Director Michael Kobito has passion, pursuit, and now the prestigious honor of being named Georgia Teacher of the Year!
“Shock was my initial reaction, followed by pride in knowing that the work I do here at Woodland is being recognized and my story will be shared all across the state,” said Kobito.
Kobito’s story started long before he was chosen as the top educator in the state of Georgia. He is a 2011 graduate of Woodland High School and a University of Georgia alumnus. Kobito led the Redcoat Marching Band before leading hundreds of students at his alma mater.
As band director, Kobito manages a 200-member marching band, four concert bands, a basketball pep band, jazz band, winter guard, and a private lessons institute.
Kobito and his Wildcats were invited to march in the National Cherry Blossom Parade in Washington, D.C. and the London New Year’s Day Parade next year.
Kobito also established a successful AP Music Theory class. During his first year teaching the class, he had full test participation and a 100 percent pass rate.
As one of ten finalists in the State Teacher of the Year contest, Kobito participated in a rigorous interview and speech process.
“I felt like I represented myself the best that I could, but the other finalists were all so inspiring and impressive, I honestly did not know,” said Kobito. “I was just proud to be in their company, but now I am excited to be representing all the teachers in our state!”
“His impact will extend far beyond the classroom, and we could not be prouder,” said Bartow County School System Superintendent Dr. Phillip Page. “While Michael is a natural leader and results-driven educator at Woodland High School, he also values meaningful connections with his students. That’s evident. The Georgia Department of Education could not have picked a better representative and advocate for students and staff in our state.”
As Georgia Teacher of the Year, Kobito will serve as an advocate for public education in Georgia. According to the GDOE, “he will speak to the public about the teaching profession and serve as an ex-officio member of the State Board of Education. He will also participate in the competitive selection process for the 2023 National Teacher of the Year.”
“I hope to continue the great work of my predecessor on initiatives regarding teacher burnout, retention, and recruitment,” added Kobito. “I am also excited to speak to the importance of the arts in our schools and how ALL teachers can truly make a difference in the lives of their kids and communities. I will work to make sure our teachers are seen, our students are seen, and the value of what we do is seen throughout our community and state.”
JOIN OUR AWARD-WINNING TEAM: Open School Nurse position at MRES! Details below!
https://bartow.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=745#
PORTRAITS OF GRATITUDE: Kicking off Teacher Appreciation Week a little early, fifth-grade Mission Road Elementary School artists made clay portraits of EVERY SINGLE STAFF MEMBER at MRES!
What amazing work from a talented, compassionate group of students! 🐾💕
WOW: Watch as our Taylorsville Elementary School student was featured on FOX 5! We can all learn from Gabe!
https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/bartow-county-boy-helps-custodians-using-lunchtime-clean
WARNING: THESE IMAGES MAY MAKE YOU CRY REAL TEARS OF JOY: Our Wildcat is walking just six weeks after his foot amputation surgery! Can you believe the amount of strength and perseverance this young man has?
If you're not familiar with Gavin Nix's story, you can read it below.
Gavin's new prosthetic foot is unfortunately on back order, but as you can see, he is still finding ways to move forward, and he is LOVING the HUNDREDS of cards from Bartow County School System students.
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How to be a Wildcat. Gavin Nix doesn't need an instruction manual; it is in his blood. Literally growing up in the Bartow County School System, Gavin attended Mission Road Elementary School, Woodland Middle School, and Woodland High School. His mom, Leslie, taught at Woodland High School too.
When Gavin left after graduation to join the United States Marine Corps in 2020, he left a positive impression on his school community and all who knew him. “Driven, motivated, polite, positive, and the total perfect package” were all words used to describe Gavin. Teachers and coaches say the talented wrestler was also a school leader and a true Wildcat as he cheered on his favorite athletic teams.
Fast forward two years later, and the Bartow County community is cheering Gavin on and rallying behind him after his foot was recently amputated.
“He graduated from the Reconnaissance Training Assessment Program and then continued on the course of becoming a RECON Marine,” said Leslie. “During field training exercises, he developed an infection on his heel that led to osteomyelitis and multiple surgeries. Due to the extreme nerve and tissue damage, he developed a painful neurological disease called Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome, better known as CRPS.”
Multiple treatment options didn’t work. After being on crutches for almost a year, and watching his muscles and tissue continue to deteriorate, the decision was made to amputate his left foot.
“You could literally see the relief on his face after having his foot removed which speaks volumes about how painful this last year has been,” added Leslie.
Gavin plans to receive treatment and heal at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego over the next few months.
Add grit to the long list of words already used to describe Gavin. The courage and determination he has to come back stronger and better than ever is nothing short of amazing and inspiring, and we want him to know that the Bartow County community is rooting for his continued success!
CONGRESSIONAL ARTIST COMPETITION: Two Woodland High School students receive national recognition for their artwork, and one masterpiece will hang in the Capital of the United States of America!
Senior Arianna Perkinson won the 2022 Congressional Art Competition for Georgia's 11th Congressional District, which includes Bartow and Cherokee counties, as well as parts of Cobb and Fulton counties.
The Congressional Artist Competition is a national contest where each district and congressman of the United States is represented by a student artwork. Arianna will be representing the 11th district under Barry Loudermilk.
In addition to Arianna's artwork being featured in Washington, D.C., she will also be invited to a reception and receive about $15,000 in scholarships.
Junior Kyra Brown placed third in the competition! She also earns special recognition and awards!
See what Arianna and Kyra's art teacher, Ms. Dorothy Reavis, had to say about these exceptionally talented students!
"Arianna Perkinson is the most patient and detailed artist I've had the pleasure of teaching. She has an enthusiasm for the health and protection of animals, and it translates into the delicacy and thoughtfulness of her artwork. She will be studying Biology at KSU with a minor in fine arts, and she is hoping to pursue a career as a veterinarian."
"Kyra Brown is an honors art student who took her first art class just this year, last semester. Kyra is a determined artist who works toward perfecting portraiture and realism. She works continually to achieve a level of realism that requires immense discipline and study. I love watching Kyra develop and grow artistically this past year. Kyra hopes to pursue a career in the arts at KSU. She is also a high achieving academic student, performs color guard, and art club member."
A-TEAM AWARD: Superintendent Page and system leaders present Clear Creek Elementary School and its fifth-grade math team, which consists of Beverly Hancock and Ashton Russell with the most prestigious award given by the District, the A-Team Award!
Beverly Hancock and Ashton Russell exemplify the three big ideas of our Professional Learning Communities culture as they continually demonstrate a focus on learning, collaboration, and results.
Through observations and conversations with each team member, it is evident this team uses the PLC process to work together with collective responsibility for student learning. They ensure a guaranteed and viable curriculum for all fifth-grade math students, use common formative assessments to monitor student learning, use common assessment data to improve teaching and learning practices, and support the RTI process by providing systematic interventions and extensions for all students.
It is also evident that Principal Kelly Wade and the Clear Creek Elementary School Guiding Coalition have played a significant role in the development of this A-Team. Its Guiding Coalition was mentioned many times as a source of strength for the PLC process and as the means for the professional development which resulted in the efficacy of this collaborative team.
Congratulations on this extraordinary achievement!
Beverly Hancock and Ashton Russell will now present at May's school board meeting, New Teacher Institute, and serve as role models for future A-Teams throughout our school system.
This is our 12th collaboration team to earn an A-Team Award!
