READY, SET, LEGO: The Chickens of the Round Table from Clear Creek Elementary School earned FIRST PLACE FOR ROBOT DESIGN at the Lumpkin County FIRST LEGO League Regional Qualifier event! Judges said the team used outstanding programming principles and solid engineering practices to develop a robot that is mechanically sound, durable, efficient, and highly capable of performing challenge missions! Congratulations to the following team members:
Aaron Goodwin
Callie Pearson
Jordan Stone
Kaidon Vu
Katie Martel
Lawson Hovarth
Madalie Furey
Mallonie Day
Mekenzie Moss
Noah Dale
COLORING OUR WORLD: The Horace Mann Companies held a nationwide calendar art contest, and guess who won third place in the region? Our very own Woodland Middle School eighth grader, Payton Davis! She received a $100 gift card from Horace Mann Representatives Jason Daniel and Lee Holman! That's not all! Payton's art teacher, Ms. Ashlyn Spurr, also received funding for a Donor's Choose art project! Just this year alone, the Horace Mann Companies funded two WMS Donor's Choose projects, totaling more than $1,100! THANK YOU & CONGRATULATIONS, PAYTON!
SCHOOL CRASHERS: Guess who crashed Kingston Elementary? Georgia United! Through the School Crashers grant program, KES was able to add two new sensory rooms this year, a sensory path, and a revamped faculty lounge!
In the sensory rooms, you'll find sensory boxes, gel floor tiles, weighted blankets, fine motor tools, and much more!
The sensory path was added to the kindergarten hallway. There, students of all ages can reset their minds and bodies by balancing, jumping, taking deep breaths, and refocusing.
This is just one more way KES is collaboratively engaging students in meaningful learning experiences and supporting students' social and emotional needs.
Only seven School Crashers grants were awarded last year, and Bartow County received two of the seven! Congratulations, KES and CMS!
ON A HIGH NOTE: Sweet sounds from Allatoona Elementary today! That's because the Atlanta Percussion Trio was there to perform two concerts for our students! Our sincere thanks to Miss Karma Goodson of Keller Williams, Northwest Realty, for sponsoring such a unique program and supporting the Arts & ALES!
PERFECT SCORES: 100's across the board on our Sanitation Scores Report! Big CONGRATULATIONS, BCSS cafés!!
GOING GREEN: Raise your hand if you knew Bartow County has one of the most outstanding 4-H clubs in Georgia? 🙋♀️
Here's proof. Highlighted in the Georgia 4-H Annual Report, you'll find the egg preparation and chicken BBQ contest (WMS/CHS), Livestock Ambassador program, project achievement, summer camps, NW District Board leadership, winning teams, and scholarship recipients ALL FROM BARTOW COUNTY 👏
NEW: Bartow County Schools will observe a two-hour delay on Wednesday, January 17, due to the extremely cold temperatures forecasted for our area. The delay will allow time to ensure all buses and facilities are fully operational and warm. For those who ride a bus, please add two hours to the time it normally arrives at your stop. Stay warm, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow!
NEW: Due to a winter weather advisory, Bartow County Schools will be closed to students and staff tomorrow, Jan. 16, 2024. All after-school activities are also canceled.
HERO CUP: Bartow County School Police challenged our schools to raise a total of $2,000 for the extraordinary Shop with a Hero program! Well, once again, our schools showed up and showed out by raising $12, 547! Our top contributors on each level include:
Hamilton Crossing Elementary - $1,461
Red Top Middle - $1,541
Adairsville High - $580
Two students really stood out in this challenge, Tristen Allen, a sixth grader at RTMS, and Allie Christmas, a third grader at HCES! They took it upon themselves to bring in $100 each! What selfless students!
Each of the top contributors received the coveted Hero Cup trophy and bragging rights, but we all know the real winners were the students who received Christmas presents during the Shop with a Hero event last month! #betterinbartow
EVER ONWARD AND UPWARD: Congratulations to the Woodland High School students who were accepted into the 2024 GMEA All-State ensembles! We are so incredibly proud!
BEST OF CASS: These six talented Cass High School Band students will represent CHS and Bartow County in the 2024 GEMA All-State Band! Congratulations! And how special is it that the first three musicians listed below are triplets! That's a first for Bartow County! Congratulations to all of our students who devoted themselves to this process!
ONLY GA BAND SELECTED: WOW! Another NATIONAL recognition for Cass Middle School's band program! This time, its honor band, led by Director Abigail Russom, has been selected to perform for the 2024 CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference next month at the University of Memphis!
This is a highly prestigious honor! Many bands audition, but only the BEST are selected!
Check them out as they're featured in this magazine article! Congratulations, CMS!
GROW IN BARTOW: The District Mentor Program would like to spotlight Michelle Scileppi, Reading Specialist at Hamilton Crossing Elementary, and Brooke Brumbelow, third grade teacher at Taylorsville Elementary, for exhibiting best practices in mentoring and support in their buildings. Michelle and Brooke define what it means to be great in Bartow! Thank you for all the support you offer to our schools and this district.
Exciting news! Our week-long pre-K registration window will open February 26, 2024, and the virtual lottery drawing will be held March 15 at 9 a.m. All children who will have their fourth birthday on or before September 1, 2024, will be eligible for the lottery. Registration packets will be available at all elementary schools. If you are interested in the pre-K class at the Bartow County College and Career Academy, please notate that on your registration packet. A list of required documents for student registration can be found at the link below.
https://5il.co/2c1w9
There are a few noticeable changes this year. Bright from the Start will be decreasing all class sizes from 22 students to 20 students. Additionally, due to capacity limitations, White Elementary School’s two pre-K classes will be housed at Pine Log Elementary School. Parents or guardians interested in these classes should register at WES and follow the same application and lottery procedures as in years past. There will be multiple transportation options for those zoned for WES and enrolled in the pre-K classes. Parents or guardians can drop off and pick up students at PLES or utilize Bartow County School System transportation services. If using BCSS transportation, a bus driver will pick up your children at home or at WES and shuttle them 10-12 minutes to PLES. Bus monitors will be present. A bus driver will also transport pre-K students back to WES for regular dismissal procedures.
Please note, the After School Program at WES will be available to pre-K students.
Again, this change only affects pre-K. Once your children complete pre-K, and remain zoned for WES, they will physically attend school at WES.
Thank you so much for being a part of the BCSS family! We appreciate your patience as we navigate an unprecedented amount of residential and commercial growth in our community.
After a thorough assessment of roadway and weather conditions, there will be no delays or cancellations for Bartow County schools on January 9, 2024.
BOARD RECOGNITIONS: EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Wendi Rood, Adairsville Elementary School Counselor
“Wendi has worked at AES for over 20 years. She is a perfect example of selfless service and positive influence in our school. She welcomes everyone with open arms and is willing to help anyone in need. Her energy and pride in the community are seen as you pass by her office during the holidays as she is helping sort through hundreds of names that she organized Christmas for in the community. Her office is a safe place for students struggling through life or need a listening ear. She deserves this recognition more than anyone at AES because she is exactly what it means to be a TIGER! She is family to all.” – Amber Chapman, AES Principal
SCHOOL CHOICE PROCEDURES: Mark your calendars! Set those alarms! If you need to fill out an Out-of-District/Out-of-Zone application, you can do so starting Feb. 5!
HEALTHCARE COVERAGE: Due to recent changes with the Medicaid Program, Georgia is required to redetermine eligibility for approximately 2.7 million Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® members. Every Georgia Medicaid member must respond to requests for required information in a timely manner. This redetermination process will run through May 2024.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: https://staycovered.ga.gov/
*BCSS is posting this information as a courtesy for the Georgia Department of Community Health*
SOCK DRIVE: Donations for the Boys and Girls Club are pouring in at all 20 of our schools and Central Office. THANK YOU! If you haven't done so already, please drop off socks, gloves, hats, and personal hygiene items by Jan. 19!
SINCEREST APPRECIATION: We welcomed back our AMAZING school resource officers today with an appreciation luncheon! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, OFFICERS!
