HOW 'BOUT THEM DAWGS: We are so proud of our very own UGA Superstar, Zoe Bryson! This former Cass High School cheerleader traded in the blue and gold after graduation for black and red and cheered at the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME! Congratulations, Zoe!!
BCSS SPOTLIGHT: Make sure you keep browsing our website! This month, you'll find some AMAZING teachers!
www.bartow.k12.ga.us
CHS THROUGH THE YEARS: Look what we found! All four Cass High Schools on one architectural presentation board! Talk about a blast from the past!
EDUCATOR WEEKEND: It’s Educator Weekend this Saturday and Sunday at the Booth Western Art Museum! All educators (plus one) get in free! There will be goodie bags and employees onsite to answer any questions regarding field trips (onsite or virtual).
https://fb.me/e/2EKKdpUJM
JOIN OUR AWARD-WINNING TEAM: We have several positions open right now. They include but are not limited to:
* Exceptional Education Teacher & Paraprofessional Jobs
* After School Program Support Positions
* School Nutrition Program Positions at Central Office
* Social Studies, ELA, and other teaching positions
* Custodial Work
* Bus Inspection Mechanic
In-System Employees: Forward letter of interest and resume to the Chief Human Resources Officer
Outside-of-System Applicants: Complete the online application process at www.bartow.k12.ga.us
NEW: After unanimous votes by the Bartow County Board of Education, Mr. Derek Keeney will continue to serve as chairman of the board, and Mr. Tony Ross will continue to serve as vice chairman for another term. Congratulations!!
BOARD RECOGNITIONS: EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH – Ms. Katy Bullock, Clear Creek Elementary School Nurse
“Katy is such an asset to our staff. She comes in every morning with a smile on her face and the best attitude.” – CCES Staff
WOW: We're now up to 19K Facebook followers and 6,580 app users! If you haven't already downloaded the custom mobile app, please do! You'll love the new live feed, lunch menus, events, notifications, calendar, COVID-19 School Spread Matrix, and much more!
BOARD MEETING LIVE STREAM: If you want to watch any of our school board meetings from the comfort of your home, navigate to the School Board Agendas page on our website, and click on the word "stream."
Once the meeting is finished, the word "stream" will change to "video." If you click "video," it will take you to the recorded school board meeting. An example is below. Please let us know if you have questions! Our next board meeting is Monday, January 10.
BETTER IN BARTOW: You are never too young to start changing the world!
Look at this cutie from Euharlee Elementary School!
OPTIONS & OPPORTUNITIES: Life-changing week for many Red Top Middle School eighth-grade students!
They were able to experience the following activities thanks to Be Pro Be Proud Georgia:
- Test hand/eye coordination using a tool developed by NASCAR
- Utilize virtual reality goggles provided by Georgia Power to experience what a lineman does
- Utilize a welding simulator
- Construct a plumbing wall
- Explore human anatomy and agriculture through 3D devices
- Drive and deliver a commercial load using a driving simulator
- Operate a robotic drone
Be Pro Be Proud, sponsored by the Cherokee Office of Economic Development, is a hands-on workshop available to Georgia middle and high schools to introduce them to skilled professions.
The workshop highlights careers that are in high demand and pay approximately $16,000 more per year than the average paying job in Georgia.
Cass High School students will be able to experience this unique workshop later this month! We are so grateful!
During our holiday break, the Department of Public Health issued a new Administrative Order for Public Health Control Measures. This updated Administrative Order contains new isolation and quarantine protocols that align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance issued December 27, 2021. As a result of this new information, the Bartow County School System has updated its COVID-19 isolation and quarantine protocols to match many of the recommendations below.
Isolation: Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 (regardless of vaccination status) must:
• Isolate at home for 5 days from the date symptoms first appeared or, if asymptomatic, the date of the positive test. Stay away from others in the household as much as possible during isolation.
• After 5 days, if you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving and you have not had fever for more than 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, you may end isolation. If symptoms are not improving or fever has not resolved, you should continue isolating until these criteria are met.
• After ending isolation, you should continue to wear a mask around others for 5 days.
Quarantine: If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you are
• Boosted, or have become fully vaccinated within the last 6 months (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or within the last 2 months (J&J vaccine):
o You do not need to quarantine at home.
o You should wear a mask around others for 10 days.
o If possible, get tested on day 5.
o If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
• Unvaccinated, or became fully vaccinated more than 6 months ago (Moderna or Pfizer vaccine) or more than 2 months ago (J&J vaccine) and have not received a booster:
o You must quarantine at home for 5 days. After that, continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
o If possible, get tested on day 5.
o If you develop symptoms, get tested and isolate at home until test results are received, then proceed in accordance with the test results.
In summary, the new protocols basically shorten the quarantine window from ten days to five days for those individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case at home.
The BCSS will continue to follow the quarantine guidelines from last semester for exposure at school or outside of the home or school.
For questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to your school administrators or Central Office staff.
COLONELS CARE: Before our holiday break, we told you about Cass High School's unusual Colonel Tree experience! It wasn't the appearance of the tree that was different this year, it was the fact that CHS Teacher Lindsay Meltzer took a student's wish list off the tree and went above and beyond! She took to Facebook, and her community stepped up to provide Falcons tickets for our own Brayden Warren! Brayden was able to attend the game over Christmas break, and his smile says it all!
POLICE OFFICER APPRECIATION: We celebrated and honored our campus police officers this week with a luncheon! They do so much for our schools! Thank you, Chief Randall Burch, Campus Police Supervisor Billy Henson, Officer Mark Corbin, Officer Duane Smith, Officer Nancy Norris, Officer Marc Barrere, Officer Buddy Wilson, Officer Nick Thompson, and Officer Scott Blackman!
REMINDER: Our ESOL Parent Instructional Meeting is tomorrow, January 5, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. Can't wait to see you at the BCCCA!
We hope you enjoyed a wonderful, well-rested holiday break!
All students not previously enrolled in our Bartow Virtual Academy will return to in-person learning on Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
Due to the continued presence of COVID-19 in our community and across the globe, we will continue our COVID-19 mitigation protocols into the new year, which include enhanced sanitation measures at all facilities, social distancing when feasible, strict contact tracing, and quarantine guidelines.
The BCSS will also continue to utilize the green, yellow, and red phase system and COVID-19 School Spread Matrix. Additional information on our guidelines and an updated matrix can always be found on www.bartow.k12.ga.us or our new mobile app.
The safety of our students and staff is paramount. For the duration of this winter break, and to best serve our school community, we have remained in constant contact with our local public health officials, and we are dedicated to communicating any changes to our protocols in a timely and efficient manner.
Thank you for your continued attention to this matter, and never hesitate to reach out to your school leaders or Central Office staff if you have questions.
See you on Wednesday!
A COLONEL CHRISTMAS STORY: It's truly a "Colonel Christmas Story" with a twist.
Each year, teachers and various club members at Cass High School pick ornaments off their Colonel Tree. Each ornament represents a student at CHS who could use an extra "Christmas wish" to be granted this holiday season. Well, CHS Teacher Lindsay Meltzer picked a sports-loving student.
"When I picked the student off the tree, it listed that he was interested in sports and wanted Falcons, Braves, or Hawks memorabilia along with his sizing for clothes," said Meltzer.
After purchasing some clothes, she took to the internet and asked those on her neighborhood's Facebook page if they had anything else they would like to donate.
"Within a few hours, a few neighbors commented and had already dropped brand new stuff off at my house for the student, and one neighbor is a Falcons season ticket holder and reached out to me because they wanted to give two tickets to the student for Christmas," added Meltzer. "She even said she is a season ticket holder for the Braves and wants to give him two tickets to a Braves game in the spring!"
The community support has left us all...speechless.
This student, who is a wheelchair user, will have the most magical holiday, partly because those in his community truly care.
It is better in Bartow. It's not just a hashtag.
SHOP WITH A WILDCAT: More than 60 Woodland High School students raised money to provide Christmas and holiday gifts to 30 Bartow County elementary school-aged children through their first-ever Shop with a Wildcat event!
Not only did children get to pick out gifts at Target, they also enjoyed breakfast, arts and crafts, face painting, a movie, and pictures with the Wildcat mascot!
What an outpouring of love from these outstanding students, teachers, administrators, and community members. They surely embody the season of giving!
SEASON OF GIVING: "Santa Z" and her elves were out delivering books to their Adairsville Elementary School students today! What a special time for these kiddos!
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 Chris Forsyth, our technology director. Chris takes large and often times complex technology issues and solves them quickly with confidence and grace. She's forward-thinking and leads a great technology team. Congratulations, Chris! You make us all better!
