Bartow County School System

SHINING BRIGHT IN BARTOW: With an incredible SAT score of 1550, Adairsville High School Senior Callie Viktora has been named the 2024 District STAR Student! Her Science Teacher, Mrs. Christine Alderman, also receives top honors as Callie's STAR teacher! The Cartersville Rotary Club hosted a luncheon today at the Cartersville Country Club where they announced that the duo will move on to compete for regionwide honors through the Professional Association of Georgia Educators! Other outstanding STAR students and teachers were also recognized and honored, including Michelle Lin and Ms. Lee Long from Cass High School and Kylie Agan and Ms. Kelly Hunter from Woodland High School! All STAR students have the highest combination of grade point average and overall SAT score in their respective schools. Each STAR student selected a STAR teacher who has been influential in her journey towards academic excellence. Congratulations to our STARS! They are all truly wonderful representations of the Bartow County School System!

WHISPER WEEK: Whisper is a student-driven movement in our middle and high schools that connects students through genuine conversations! This week, check out what's happening at Cass Middle! Meet Me Monday - Everyone gets a name tag! Students are encouraged to meet three new friends and learn something about them. Talk It Out Tuesday - No one eats alone! Students are given colored wristbands. At lunch, they sit at the color coordinated lunch table. Conversation cards guide new discussions. Whisper Wednesday - Conversation cookies! Students break open cookies to find a conversation starter inside the cookie. These conversation cookies will help students get to know their peers in a new way. Thank You Thursday - Sticky notes! Students are encouraged to write a thank you note or something encouraging to give to a friend. Figurine Friday - Tell the figurine's story! Each student will receive a little figurine and will be encouraged to make up their own story about the figurine. This could help students better understand that everybody has a story. They might even be able to tell their own story easier after Figurine Friday!

GARDEN GIVE BACK: Clear Creek Elementary School students are getting their gardening gloves ready! On March 9, they're hosting a BCSS Wellness meeting that will involve setting up new vegetable and pollinator gardens! They're still in need of a few supplies to help these gardens reach their full potential, so check out the list below and consider donating. -Tomato cages -Gardening soil -New or gently used flower pots (all sizes) -5 gallon buckets -Watering cans -Butterfly bushes -Trays of flowers -Flower seeds -Various herbs If you'd like to join us on March 9, use the QR code below and sign up!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Don't miss this opportunity to work with the best team around!

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS REPORT: Floors, canopy, cafetorium, OH MY! The new Mission Road Elementary School continues to impress!

IN MEMORY OF A HEART WARRIOR: Mission Road Elementary School now celebrates Jazzy Day thanks, in part, to MRES fourth grader, Julissa Carter! The day was named after Julissa's sister, Jazlene or "Jazzy," after she passed away at two-years-old from congenital heart disease (CHD) and a subsequent heart transplant. The Carter Family started a nonprofit organization, Jazzy Hearts Foundation, after Jazzy passed away to spread awareness about CHD and organ donation. They have a long-term goal of funding research to increase the longevity of pediatric heart transplant patients. To help with Julissa's mission, MRES brought awareness during Jazzy Day by educating students on heart health through art, music, and physical activity! #chdawareness #chdawarenessmonth #CHDWarrior #strength #resilience #Telltheirstory

LOVE FROM AROUND THE WORLD: A class project in Ms. Davidson's first grade class at Euharlee Elementary School has led to mail from 36 states and eight countries! More letters and gifts are still coming in, and students are LOVING IT! What a great way for students to experience different cultures!

MOVING ON UP: Congratulations to Mission Road Elementary School's Robotics Team, the RoboCats! Since their second-place overall finish at the Tennessee Valley Robotics FIRST Lego League Challenge Championship, they have been invited to a major Invitational in Worcester, Massachusetts June 7-9!

THANK YOU: It's School Resource Officer Appreciation Day, and we want to express our deepest gratitude to you—the dedicated SRO's who stand as guardians, mentors, and friends. You are the vigilant eyes that scan the campus, ensuring that every corner is secure. Your presence alone brings comfort to students, staff, and parents alike. Whether it’s managing traffic during drop-off, patrolling the grounds, or responding swiftly to emergencies, your commitment to safety is unwavering. Beyond your official duties, you lend a listening ear to troubled students. You patiently listen to their concerns, fears, and dreams. Your empathy bridges gaps, and your guidance helps them find their way. You’re not just officers; you’re confidantes. You teach students about more than just laws and regulations. You instill values—integrity, respect, and responsibility. Through your interactions, you model kindness, fairness, and resilience. You show us that strength lies in character. You’re not confined to the school walls; you extend your reach into the community. Whether it’s organizing safety workshops, participating in community events, or collaborating with local organizations, you build bridges that strengthen the fabric of our neighborhoods. We appreciate the smiles you share, the high-fives in the hallway, and the genuine interest you take in students' lives. You remind them that safety doesn’t have to be stern—it can be warm, approachable, and human. So, to our school resource officers, we say: Thank you for being our protectors, our mentors, and our friends. We are so grateful for your unwavering commitment to the Bartow County community. Chief Billy Henson Major Duane Smith Officer Mark Corbin Officer Blake Davidson Officer Donnie Scott Officer Marc Barrere Officer Buddy Wilson Officer Nick Thompson Officer Scott Blackman Officer Troy McFadden Officer Daniel Anno Officer Doug Little Officer Morgan Shortnacy

LET'S CELEBRATE: Sweet Ms. Shirley turned 80 today! Join us in celebrating one of our amazing School Nutrition workers at Mission Road Elementary School! Clearly, she is LOVED by all! 🎉🎂

GRANTS IN ACTION: Thanks to the Bartow Education Foundation Teacher Grant Program, World Language teachers, like Ms. Kathy Shofner, can purchase authentic French games and teach her students to play while only speaking French! #TeacherGrants #engagement #betterinbartow

WOW: Adairsville High School Junior Braden Mathis is back in the news for the third time this month! He was just selected by College Board to be a BigFuture Ambassador! BigFuture is a program designed to help students explore careers, find educational options, and discover how to fund their future. Braden will be connecting with his peers and other ambassadors nationwide, while spreading the word about this amazing resource that's not yet widely known!

WHAT A WAY TO SPEND VALENTINE'S DAY: Celebrating Cass High School's Pablo Novales as he moves up the ranks in our ROTC program from Private to Private First Class! Thank you to First Sargent Hornback and First Sargent Moctezuma and his fellow cadets Tyree Clark, Jonathan Swinford, Adam Jenkins, Matheu Chambers, William McBroom, Jocelyn Vicznesky, Britney Silva, Kira Lalla, Heli Patel, Hugo Enriquez, Cameryn Chappelle, Madelyn Van Shjn, and Aniya Stallings for supporting him!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: Jorden Edens, a senior in Woodland High School's Medical Sciences Magnet Program, has been named the sole semifinalist in Bartow County for the Cooke College Scholarship! This year, they received their largest pool of applicants to date, and Jorden was chosen as one of 558 students nationwide! This scholarship provides any remaining financial aid needed to cover a student’s college tuition and fees after other institutional aid has been used. We are so proud of Jorden, and we will find out in late March if she is a finalist for the scholarship!

BIG BARTOW NEWS: Woodland Middle School becomes the second State STEM Certified educational institution in Bartow County! “I cannot describe the feeling I had when Cherri Nix, the Georgia Department of Education STEM program manager, shared the news that we were approved as a State STEM Certified School,” said Woodland Middle School Principal Michael Blankenship. “Pure elation. A lot of emotion. There has been a lot of work, energy, emotion and sweat equity poured into this journey. I am so happy for our students, teachers, staff, and community partners. So many people have contributed to this achievement. Most of all, our students and community have and will benefit from this recognition. Our students deserve the very best instruction we can provide. This recognition is one way to show we are committed to providing that for our students. We want to make learning relevant and prepare students for jobs of the future. Being a State STEM Certified School helps us do exactly that.” The journey to State STEM Certification began nearly seven years ago for WMS. They started the process by visiting other STEM schools and hosting their first “Science Night” during the 2017-2018 academic year. “That lit the fire for us,” added Principal Blankenship. “Of course, the process nearly came to a screeching halt when COVID-19 hit in 2020. We actually had a STEM Walk on that fateful Friday the 13th of March 2020, which would be the last day of in-person learning that year. We actually went forward with that STEM Walk and continued the journey. We've had virtual STEM Walks, in-person STEM Walks, and hybrid STEM Walks since then. We've learned so much along the way and I wouldn't change any of it. Through it all we are continuing to learn how to integrate STEM into daily Tier 1 instruction and make learning relevant for our students.” The Georgia Department of Education will present the official STEM Certification in the coming months. “The feedback we received from the Georgia Department of Education was overwhelmingly positive,” said Principal Blankenship. “They were impressed with the level of commitment we had to the process, as it was a lengthy one. Our focus on moving from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered and learning-centered classroom is starting to have a strong impact.” On November 20, 2020, Adairsville Middle School was the first school in Bartow County to earn a STEM Certification from the Georgia Department of Education.

BARTOW ROBOTICS: This is shout it from the rooftop news! We can FINALLY announce that Clear Creek's Team Blaze will be GOING BACK TO WORLDS APRIL 17-20 IN HOUSTON, TEXAS!!!! Out of the 23 teams at the Chattanooga - North Georgia FIRST LEGO League Championship last weekend, they were, once again, the only team to advance to the INTERNATIONAL LEVEL! Fundraising for this amazing opportunity is now in full swing! Good job, Team Blaze, and Bartow Robotics!

MEET THE ELITE: Seventeen Bartow County School System students advance in the highly competitive and prestigious Georgia Governor’s Honors Program – the highest number ever recorded in BCSS history. The semifinalists include Adairsville High School juniors Lilith Affolder (Agriculture), Gabriel Greenway (Engineering: Mechanical & Electrical), Skyla Rowland (Visual Arts), and Braden Mathis (World Languages: Spanish), and sophomores Allison Potter (Dance), and Vivian Reyes-Martinez (World Languages: Spanish); Cass High School juniors Jayce Bradford (Computer Science), Caydi Hyde (World Languages: Chinese), Brandy Jordan (Theatre Performance), and Damaya Norwood (Music: French Horn), and sophomores Charlotte Langhans (Music: Flute), Emma Brown (Music: Oboe), Josue Granados (Music: Flute), and Savannah Plumley (Visual Arts); Woodland High School junior Talal Tariq (Mathematics), and sophomores Makai Messier (Music: Euphonium) and Hylan Westberry-Davis (Music: Saxophone). “This year, approximately 4,200 students across the state were nominated to the state-level competition, and nearly 1,500 of them have been selected as semifinalists for the state interviews and auditions,” said BCSS GHP Coordinator Paula Camp. “From music nominations to mathematics, this is a very talented group of Bartow County sophomores and juniors. This is also a record-breaking group. Never before have we seen 17 BCSS students selected as semifinalists in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program. That’s a testament to our academically rigorous schools and a sharp focus on results.” The 2024 GHP semifinalists will now have the opportunity to interview or audition at Georgia Southern University on February 24. Finalists and alternates will be announced March 22. Upon acceptance, finalists will participate in the four-week, summer residential program at Georgia Southern University starting June 16. The Governor’s Honors Program remains fully funded by the Georgia General Assembly.

SUPPORTING OUR YOUNGEST STORYTELLERS: Congratulations to the WINNERS of the Young Georgia Authors (YGA) writing competition! Each first-place winner will move on to the regional level! YGA is a platform to inspire and cultivate students' passion for storytelling. It provides an opportunity to showcase their skills, celebrate their achievements, and recognize excellence in the fields of arts and academics! KINDERGARTEN 1st - Levi Wilson, CCES 2nd - Bosch Brique, CLES 3rd - Katie Willoughby, ALES FIRST GRADE 1st - Abbey West, EHES 2nd (tie) - Khloe Hardin, ALES, Collin Harris, MRES SECOND GRADE 1st - Maximo Magana, ALES 2nd - Daxtin Woody, AES 3rd (tie) - Kylie Clance, EHES, Ferrin Hovarth, CCES THIRD GRADE 1st - Pola Anthony, WES 2nd - Annalee Pond - EHES 3rd - Jackie Mercado Pineda, ALES FOURTH GRADE 1st - Victoria Vasquez, ALES 2nd - Noah McDurmon, EES 3rd - Aubrey Schuster, CCES FIFTH GRADE 1st - Gabi Fortier, PLES 2nd - Azaan Muhammad, CLES 3rd - Amery Jones, WES SIXTH GRADE 1st - Isabel McCaffery, WMS 2nd - Cash Gendron, RTMS 3rd - Wade Szweda, AMS SEVENTH GRADE 1st - Kimberlin Smith, WMS 2nd (tie) - Katie Fears, CMS, Brielle Ross, WMS EIGHTH GRADE 1st - Juliann Elderstone, AMS 2nd - Jessica Wigley, WMS 3rd - Allison Snead, WMS NINTH GRADE 1st - Jaylin Simpson, AHS TENTH GRADE 1st - Sidney Lucas, BCCCA ELEVENTH GRADE 1st - Victoria Collins, AHS 2nd - James Barnette, BCCCA 3rd - Alexus Long, AHS TWELFTH GRADE 1st - James Ray Smith, BCCCA

BOARD RECOGNITIONS: DISTRICT SPELLING BEE RUNNER-UP – Madalie Furey, fifth grade student from Clear Creek Elementary School WINNER: Azaan Muhammad, fifth grade student from Cloverleaf Elementary School Azaan will now compete at the GAE Region Spelling Bee on February 24th! Congratulations, Madalie & Azaan! You two represent us well!

BOARD RECOGNITIONS: EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH Rebecca Dundon, White Elementary School Paraprofessional “Mrs. Dundon takes on every challenge with kindness and a never-quit attitude. Mrs. Dundon began her connection with WES as a parent and transitioned into a paraprofessional position in 2018. Since then, she has served as a kindergarten paraprofessional and currently our Title1 paraprofessional at WES. Staff and students know it is going to be a good day when they see her rolling her orange toolbox down the hall onto her next mission. She understands the value of relationships with staff and students and invests in time with both. You will often find her sitting in the hall helping students strengthen their math skills, facilitating reading interventions during WINN time, or pushing into a class to offer support. She works hard to find strategies that will help each of the students. Her ability to strengthen their confidence in their abilities is remarkable and students have shown tremendous growth. Her dedication to our school, students, and staff is one of the many things that make her such a strong asset to our school. Mrs. Dundon has recently filled the role of Director of the WES Afterschool Program and has done a marvelous job with that as well. Her fair and calm presence puts everyone at ease. Mrs. Dundon is always striving to be better, and she inspires everyone around her to raise the bar and be better as well.” – WES Staff