Recognition
MCSS: 2024-2025 GAEL Vision Award Winner
The Mitchell County School System proudly received the 2024-2025 GAEL Vision Award at the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) Winter Conference held in Athens, Georgia. This esteemed recognition highlights the district's unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive environment for its teachers, principals, and district staff through comprehensive professional development initiatives. By actively engaging with the GAEL organization, the Mitchell County School System has demonstrated its dedication to professional learning, state-wide advocacy, and networking opportunities, ultimately contributing to the overall enhancement of educational practices within the community. This award not only celebrates the district's achievements but also serves as an inspiration for continuous improvement in the pursuit of educational excellence.
On November 19, Mitchell County High School had the incredible honor of welcoming State School Superintendent Richard Woods! During his visit, he proudly presented the school with the prestigious Georgia’s Master of Mathematics banner and ribbons. This remarkable award recognized the hard work and dedication that has led to significant achievement and growth in the students' mathematics performance, particularly among those scoring at the Proficient Learner level and above. This recognition, based on the Algebra: Concepts and Connections End-of-Course assessment, stands as a testament to the talent and effort of both the students and educators. Congratulations to everyone at Mitchell County High School on this outstanding accomplishment and continue to inspire and excel in mathematics!
Calling all readers!!!!! Have you ever wished that a magical bus would come to your neighborhood and allow you to read, play games and select a book to take home. Well, guess what? Your dream has come true. Get ready to see Mrs. Anita Paulk aboard Mitchell County School System’s own version of the Magic School Bus.-The Eagle Express. Footsteps2Brilliance is a comprehensive literacy app that includes digital interactive books and games, to all Pre-K - 3rd grade students who live in Mitchell County. We also invite students of all ages K-12 to come on board. Rollin' and Reading goes throughout the community promoting literacy, that includes digital, interactive books, music, and games, for all ages. The programs include Footsteps2Brilliance (Prek-3rd), a comprehensive, research based app that provides instruction on 3 different levels. Each level has books, games, and projects based on ability. Rollin' and Reading visits Southfork on Monday's from 4-6 and the Neighborhood Service Center and Boys & Girls Club on Wednesday's from 4-6.
Charles Grissom, a student at Mitchell County High School, was selected by Valdosta State University to become the first Valdosta Sullivan Scholastic Student, based on his desire to become a teacher, and his excellent academic record in the first two years of high school. By becoming a Valdosta Sullivan Scholastic student, Charles will receive a Debt-Free college experience at Valdosta State University to pursue his teaching degree. This “full ride” scholarship was made possible by Mrs. Ruby Sullivan, a long-time resident of Mitchell County
On February 8, 2018, MCHS Telemedicine Coordinator Mrs. Luellen Tucker received the Telehealth Certificate of Excellence in school-based telehealth for the second time. Mrs. Tucker was chosen by the GA Portal for Telehealth for her creative ideas that can be use to help increase telehealth services and for the number of telehealth visits she had. Loren Nix, Director of School Based Telehealth with Georgia Portal for Telehealth and Jennifer Murphy, Account Manager, School Based Telehealth came to Mitchell County High School to surprise Ms. Tucker to give her the award.
The Mitchell County Board of Education held its regular board meeting in the new Mitchell County High School Culinary Arts Restaurant-Eagle's Cafe on September 20, at 6:30 p.m. The restaurant will be opened to the public starting January 2017 (Tuesday and Thursdays for lunch and 2 days a month for dinner) and is be supervised by Mrs. Lillibel Wingate, Culinary Arts Teacher. Meals will be prepared and served by the students. After the meeting, the members toured the newly renovated Career Academy.
MCSS School Board is a 2016 GSBA Quality Board
The Mitchell County School System was selected as the District Scholarship Recipient of the Camilla Rotary Club. With these scholarship funds, the system was able to purchase 9 chrome books for the Magic School Bus program. The Mitchell County School System’s Magic School Bus is like a bookmobile, but features the latest and greatest educational technology. The bus currently has 24 laptops, a Promethean board, an overhead projector, and internet service. A special thank you to Ms. Joy Mobley, Rotary Club President and Mrs. Ondrea D. Peoples for providing the technology needed to create an additional Magic School Bus. Because, according to Mr. Adams, “…we have to do school differently. We’ve been doing everything we can to give our students and their parents the opportunity to reach their potential.” By offering non-traditional learning opportunities and partnering with local civic organizations, the MCSS will continue to produce students who excel in and out of the classroom.
“We view these schools as major success stories,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “In fact, it’s difficult to fully express the magnitude of what they’ve achieved. Statistically, a high rate of poverty presents multiple barriers to achievement, but these schools are beating the odds and doing excellent work on behalf of Georgia students.” More than 1,000 Georgia schools beat the odds in 2016, performing better than statistically expected on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). The CCRPI is Georgia’s statewide accountability system. It measures schools and school districts on a 100-point scale based on multiple indicators of performance. The Beating the Odds analysis predicts a range within which a school’s CCRPI score is statistically expected to fall – given the school’s size, grade cluster, student mobility, and student demographics (including race/ethnicity, disability, English learners, and poverty). If an individual school’s actual CCRPI is above the predicted range, then that school beat the odds. Most (731) of the schools that beat the odds had poverty rates of 25 percent or more, and 437 had poverty rates of 40 percent or more. And of the 1,037 schools that beat the odds last year, 271 including MCMS beat the odds in each of the past five years. Eighty-one of these schools had a 2016 poverty rate of 40 percent or more, and more than half – 157 – had poverty rates of 25 percent or more. (Matt Cardoza, GaDOE, 2017)
The Mitchell County School System was recently given the Award of Distinction for Excellent Financial Reporting by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts for Fiscal Year 2014. This award was established to recognize excellence in financial reporting and controls. It encourages governmental organizations to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and recognizes individual organizations that are successful in achieving this goal. Mrs. Luci Conine, Finance Director for the school system, is very appreciative of the recognition for the efforts of the school system. “We are one of 25 systems in the state to receive this recognition,” said Mrs. Conine. She grants the bookkeepers, directors, and principals for being extremely mindful of internal controls and accurate reporting to ensure compliance and accuracy of financial reporting for the school system. This award was created in 2014 and is presented to organizations that submit quality financial statements and supporting documentation in a timely manner. To receive this award, the organization’s annual financial report must also be free of any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses, comply with all Transparency in Government requirements, and be given an unmodified audit opinion. The Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts exists to provide independent, credible audit services promoting improvement in government
What is Telemedicine? Telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status. Dr. D. Patel is working with the MCSS to be the local provider. Students can be treated by the doctor without leaving school. This will be a tremendous benefit for the student and the parent. Dr. Patel met with CNS Educational Coordinator Beau Sherman (shown right) to create a video about telemedicine and how it works. The video was shown at the MCHS Scavenger Hunt on December 15 and was also be shown on the local CNS television station.
CONGRATULATIONS To Mrs. Patricia English And MCMS Staff! Based on 2013-2014 data, MCMS has been identified as a 2016 Title I High-Progress Reward School. A High-Progress Reward School is among the top ten percent of Title I schools in the State that are making the most progress in improving the performance of the “all students” group over a number of years on the statewide assessments, and, at the high school level, among the top ten percent of Title I schools in the State that are making the most progress in increasing graduation rates. A school may not be classified as a high-progress school if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.
May 2016: Mitchell County High School Students Graduate with Associate DegreesA High-Progress Reward School is among the top ten percent of Title I schools in the State that are making the most progress in improving the performance of the “all students” group over a number of years on the statewide assessments, and, at the high school level, among the top ten percent of Title I schools in the State that are making the most progress in increasing graduation rates. A school may not be classified as a high-progress school if there are significant achievement gaps across subgroups that are not closing in the school.
On December 8, 9, 10, 11, 15 and 16, 2014, the Mitchell County High School Faculty and Staff took to the road every evening from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and traveled around to various parts of the community. This first time event allowed both the parents and the students to become aware of the resources available on the bus, and the concession stand was brought along in order to serve drinks, hot dogs and fries to the participants. Parents also picked up a Parent Involvement Survey to fill out and return to school. The results from the survey will be used in the revision of the Parent Involvement Program and the School Improvement Plans.
Darius Hicks, Mitchell County High FFA president, received his State FFA Degree at the 87th Georgia FFA Convention, on April 25 in Macon Georgia in front of over 6000 of his fellow FFA members. The State FFA degree is the highest degree that the State FFA Association can award.
2013-2014
On May 17, 2013, the GA Head Start Association Spring Conference took place in St. Simon Island. It was here the Pre-School program was awarded the 2013 Local Educational Agency of the Year Award for collaboration and outstanding work with our local Mitchell County Head Start. Special thanks to Mary Beth Morris, Mary Alice Buckner, and Elizabeth Stubbs who ensure these students’ needs are met accordingly.
December 2013: “The Eagle’s Nest” Received 2013 GSBA Beacon Print Media Award
And Mitchell County School System’s Board of Education Recognized as a GSBA Quality Board
The MCSS Board of Education was recognized also a GSBA Quality Board recipient.
Congratulations to faculty, staff, students, and parents!! Mitchell County Middle School was named a 2014 Title I Reward School by the Georgia Department of Education in November 2013. While there is no monetary award for the 2014 year, the Middle School received a Reward School flag and plaque. MCMS is commended for its efforts to meet the needs of our students and provide them with a quality school program.
Cadets Neal Aldavera, Xavier Aytch, and Ronnie Saxon completed all requirements for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Certified Ground School and were awarded a Certificate of Completion and their Air Force Junior ROTC Ground School Badge! These cadets are the first ever GA-946 Air Force Junior ROTC cadets to complete the FAA certified ground school and to proudly wear the ground school badge (wings) on their uniforms. Each cadet completed several hours of flight instruction provided by Mr. Art Morris, an FAA certified flight instructor from Moultrie, Georgia, a three-day ground school course conducted at Mitchell County High School and completion of the FAA Ground School test, which was administered in Valdosta, Georgia. We congratulate each cadet and wish them continued success as they continue their ambition to fly solo (without an instructor in the airplane) within the next few weeks.
District 2 School Social Worker of the Year is Tosha Keaton. Tosha has been employed with the MCSS system since 2002. Since she has been with the school system, she has been able to involve the system in many programs that benefit the students and the community as a whole such as the Hats for HOPE project, Help a Child Smile Mobile Dental Program, the CAPS Poverty Simulation and Mitchell Attendance Support Team (MAST) Tosha received her B.S.W. from the University of Georgia in 1996 and she received her M.S.W. from Valdosta State University in 2004. She is currently working on her Ed.S at Valdosta State University and will finish Spring 2013. Tosha is the eldest of her parents’ three children and she is the mother of one daughter, Ariel, who is a 2009 graduate of Mitchell County High School and is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education at Valdosta State University.
According to the originally released data from Georgia’s 2011 AYP reports, only 31 of the state’s 179 school systems had 100% of their schools make AYP. The Mitchell County School System is proud to be a part of the 17.3% of schools systems with this outstanding distinction. Also, it is important to mention that only 30% of the high schools in Georgia made AYP, with Mitchell County High School being one of them!
On September 12, 13, 14 and October 24, 25, 26, the Mitchell County School System’s Cohort 33 Team attended the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) training in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The goals of the GLISI program include: developing leader capacity, improving organizational effectiveness, and creating conditions that support the improvement of student achievement. This is the fifth year Mitchell County has sent a team to GLISI. Throughout the past five years, all principals, assistant principals, academic coaches, and curriculum coordinators have been trained. During the past two years, GLISI teams have been comprised of lead teachers, grade level chairs from all schools, and Mitchell County Board of Education members. This year’s team is comprised of two representatives from each school and the system: SMCES – Rosemary Sanders, Tanya Thomas * NMCES – Janie Mullins, Selena Montgomery * MCMS – Ashley Martin, Lynn Dunbar * MCHS – Rodney Conine, Constance Lee * MCBOE – Christy Wray, Tholen Edwards. The focus objectives and goals of this year’s team are: continuing to close the achievement gap, improved monitoring and implementation of current programs, facilitating open lines of communication, and increasing parental involvement. As a result of their hard work and efforts, the MCSS Cohort 33 Team was chosen as GLISI’s Overall Best Team, earning a combined 161,000 points throughout the months of August, September, and October for their GLISI work on behalf of the Mitchell County School System
South Mitchell County Elementary School ,North Mitchell County Elementary School
Mitchell County Middle School, Mitchell County High School
Congratulations to South Mitchell County Elementary School, North Mitchell County Elementary School, Mitchell County Middle School, and Mitchell County High School on being named a FY12 Georgia Title I Distinguished School! This is South Mitchell County Elementary School’s 11th year as a Georgia Title I Distinguished School and the 13th consecutive year making AYP. It is North Mitchell County Elementary School’s, Mitchell County Middle School’s, and Mitchell County High School’s 2nd year as a Georgia Title I Distinguished School and the 4th consecutive year making AYP. South Mitchell County Elementary School will receive a monetary award and North Elementary, Middle and High Schools will receive certificates.
On August 24, 2010, the members of the Mitchell County Board of Education were recognized for successfully completing board member training activities sponsored by the Georgia School Board Association for the 2009-2010 year. Receiving certificates were: Tholen Edwards, Norma Gilpatrick, Robert McDaniel, Gregg Scott, Robert Scott, and Barbara Reddick (not present). The certificate was signed by GSBA president Joe White and State Superintendent Kathy Cox. Georgia was among one of the first states in the nation to require that local school board members receive training to ensure quality educational leadership. Board members receive training on topics such as: Georgia’s Quality Basic Education Act (QBE), budgeting and financing, legal and policy issues, school and community relations, and the roles and responsibilities of the school board. “By participating in training and board development activities, local school board members show their dedication to improving the education system for the students within their communities,” said Jeannie M. (Sis) Henry, GSBA executive director. “Life-long learning doesn’t just apply to our students, it applies to all of us, especially to those in a leadership role in public education,” she added. The Georgia School Board association is a non-profit association representing Georgia’s locally elected school boards
Mitchell Middle School was named as a Breakthrough Middle School for the state of Georgia. This honor, which has bestowed by the Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals, is the highest honor a middle school can earn through the GASSP organization. Members of GASSP met to honor Mitchell Middle School at the Jekyll Island Club on Jekyll Island on November 7, 2010. “Mitchell Middle School was one of 13 schools identified this year by GASSP as one of the best middle schools in the state,” stated Dr. Joe Hutcheson, Middle School Coordinator for GASSP. “The Georgia Association of Secondary School Principals is an affiliate of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Our organization looks to identify schools throughout the nation that embody best-practices for our students and schools that get results. I am proud that we identified schools throughout the state that represent a true cross-section of Georgia.”
American School Board Journal Also Announces Grand Prize Winners, Honorable Mentions March 18, 2011– The Mitchell County (GA) School System has been recognized as a first place winner in the American School Board Journal’s (ASBJ) 17th annual Magna Awards program. Mitchell County School System was recognized in the under 5,000 enrollment category. The high-poverty district (95 percent of its students are classified as economically disadvantaged) created a Freshman Academy so that students would be better prepared academically, mentally, and socially for the transition from middle school to high school. The Freshman Academy includes small class sizes, Saturday morning sessions, and after-school tutoring. During the five years of the program, the district’s high school graduation rate has risen from 54 percent to nearly 88 percent, and state test scores also have seen notable improvements. The Magna Awards recognize districts across the country for outstanding programs that advance student learning and encourage community involvement in schools. This year’s three grand prize, 15 first place, and 15 honorable mention winners were selected from three enrollment categories: under 5,000 students, 5,000 to 20,000 students, and over 20,000 students. This year's grand prize winners were the Moreland School District in San Jose, Calif., the Joplin (Mo.) Schools, and Pasco County (Fla.) Schools.
Mr. Hicks has been elected to serve a second time on the American School Board Association (AASA) Governing Board. Mr. Hicks is also the recipient of the Georgia School Superintendent’s Association (GSSA) President’s Award.