Decatur County Schools

📚 Learning Together. Leading Together.

Last week, our instructional leaders had the opportunity to attend the GACIS Conference, where they spent time learning, collaborating, and bringing back new ideas to strengthen teaching and learning across our district.

Throughout the conference, our team received important updates from the Georgia Department of Education and learned from incredible speakers, including:

⭐ Dr. Jenni Donohoo — Strengthening Collective Efficacy in Schools
⭐ Jeff Utecht — Generational AI: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of Leadership
⭐ Elena Aguilar — How to Make Every Conversation Count

We are also SUPER PROUD of our very own Deanna Cross, who represented Decatur County Schools by presenting a breakout session, From Belief to Impact: AI for Instructional Leaders! 👏💜💛

It was a great few days of learning together, challenging our thinking, and returning home ready to put that learning into action as we continue to lead and support our schools.

Lead with Purpose. Learn with Intent. Lift Every Learner.

about 11 hours ago, Decatur County Schools

Seven women pose together holding letters spelling “GACIS” in front of a GACIS backdrop with blue, gold, and white balloons.

Woman standing beside a presentation screen displaying “Believe to Impact: AI for Instructional Leaders” at the Fall GACIS 2026 Breakout Session.

🍂💜 Fall Break is almost here, Bearcats! 💛🍁

Decatur County Schools will be closed for students Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 16 for Fall Break.

📚 Monday, October 12 will be a Teacher Professional Development Day for DCS staff.

We hope all of our students and families enjoy a fun, safe, and relaxing Fall Break! Take some time to recharge, make memories, and enjoy the season. 🍂🎃

#DecaturCountySchools #BearcatPride #FallBreak #TheBearcatWay #ProudTraditionPromisingFuture 💜💛

about 13 hours ago, Decatur County Schools

Fall Break graphic announcing no school for students October 12–16 and teacher professional development on October 12.

Today is the last day to register! (10/5)

2026 Downtown Homecoming Parade
📅 Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
🕔 Parade Begins: 5:00 PM
🚗 Line-Up Starts: 3:30 PM at the Old Bainbridge Middle School/Coliseum
💲 Entry Fee: $10
🗓️ Entry Deadline: Monday, October 5, 2026 by 12:00 PM
Come join the fun and show your Bearcat spirit as we celebrate Homecoming in true Bainbridge style!
📄 Complete the Parade Application and Disclaimer form to participate:
👉 https://drive.google.com/.../1VOEnjimefM6.../view...
Please return both completed forms and the $10 entry fee to Marcie Jones at Bainbridge High School.
📞 (229) 248-2230
🏫1 Bearcat Blvd. Bainbridge, GA 39819
📧 majones@dcboe.com

about 15 hours ago, Decatur County Schools

Bainbridge High School Homecoming Parade flyer with event details for Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Downtown Bainbridge, including lineup, entry fee, deadline, and participation information.

🏆💜💛 DECATUR COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR! 💛💜🏆
Congratulations to Dr. Tracy Champagne of Bainbridge High School, our 2026–2027 Decatur County School System Teacher of the Year! 🎉

Dr. Champagne represents the very best of Decatur County Schools—dedication to students, a commitment to excellence, and a passion for making a difference each and every day.

Being named District Teacher of the Year is an incredible honor, and we are so proud to have Dr. Champagne represent the outstanding educators who serve our students across Decatur County Schools.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Tracy Champagne on this well-deserved recognition! 👏🐾

💜 Excellence. Engagement. Accountability for ALL. 💛

3 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Two Decatur County Schools educators pose with Teacher of the Year awards in front of a Bearcat backdrop.

🏭💜💛Happy Manufacturing Day!

Our young innovators at Hutto Elementary are getting a hands-on look at the world of manufacturing! ⚙️
Through their Cube Crew Factory, students are exploring creativity, problem-solving, and the manufacturing process while bringing their own designs to life using 3D printing pens!

Experiences like these introduce our Bearcats to exciting career possibilities while building the skills of tomorrow's workforce. The future starts HERE! 🐾

#ManufacturingDay #TheBearcatWay #HuttoElementary #FutureInnovators #DecaturCountySchools #MFGDay26

3 days ago, Decatur County Schools

utto Elementary’s “Cube Crew Factory” display highlights a student manufacturing activity with cubes moving along a factory conveyor belt.

Hutto Elementary students use 3D printing pens to create designs during a hands-on Manufacturing Day activity.

🎓 Report Cards Coming Soon! 🎓
Decatur County Schools students’ progress reports will be released on October 8th

📊 Don’t wait to stay informed!
Parents and guardians can check grades, attendance, and more anytime through the Parent Portal (Infinite Campus):
👉 https://campus.dcboe.com/campus/portal/decaturco.jsp

#BearcatPride #DecaturCountySchools #TheBearcatWay

3 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Decatur County Schools students’ report cards will be released October 8th. Graphic features a Bearcat mascot in a graduation cap with purple and gold school branding.

💜💛 Happy Custodian Appreciation Day! 💛💜

Today, we’re proud to recognize Ms. PeeWee and Mr. Dwight, the wonderful custodians who help keep the Decatur County Schools Central Office clean, welcoming, and ready for everyone who walks through our doors.
Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and all the things you do each day—both seen and unseen. We appreciate you and are grateful to have you as part of our DCS family! 🧹✨🐾

Happy Custodian Appreciation Day, Ms. PeeWee and Mr. Dwight!

#CustodianAppreciationDay #DCSFamily #TheBearcatWay #DecaturCountySchools 💜💛

4 days ago, Decatur County Schools

make a short alt text Ms. PeeWee and Mr. Dwight are recognized for Custodian Appreciation Day for their dedicated service at the Decatur County Schools Central Office.

🍂🔬 Primary QUEST students had a Fall-tastic QUEST Rally this week at the Cloud Livestock Facility! Led by Mrs. Teresa and Mrs. Melinda (UGA Extension/4-H), students continued exploring their universal theme of “Change” through chemical reactions. Students made biodegradable plastic, used a vinegar solution to remove oxidation from coins, and tested different ingredients to see which best prevented enzymatic browning in apples. 🍎🧪

4 days ago, Decatur County Schools

4 days ago, Brandi Deal

🥪📚 Join us for our next Lunch & Learn! DCS Parent Mentor Julie Lawler invites families to learn more about Guardianship with guest speaker Megan Heckman.

📅 October 19 | ⏰ 12:00 PM | 📍 Training Room 4 at DCBOE
For more information, call 229-240-2020. 💜💛

5 days ago, Decatur County Schools

DCS Parent Mentor Lunch & Learn graphic. Join us October 19 at 12:00 PM in Training Room 4 at DCBOE for a session on Guardianship with speaker Megan Heckman. For more information, contact Julie Lawler at 229-240-2020.

Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Bainbridge Middle School invites families and community members to step back in time at the Semiquincentennial Wax Museum!
QUEST/Advanced Content students will bring history to life as we celebrate 250 years of America. Come see their hard work, creativity, and learning on display!
📅 Tuesday, October 6
⏰ 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Bainbridge Middle School
⭐ Presented by QUEST/Advanced Content Students
We hope you’ll join us for this special evening of history and celebration! 🇺🇸
#DecaturCountySchools #TheBearcatWay #BainbridgeMiddleSchool #QUEST #America250 #Semiquincentennial #ProudTraditionPromisingFuture

6 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Patriotic event graphic featuring an American flag and the Declaration of Independence. Text reads: “Happy 250th Birthday America! Semiquincentennial Wax Museum.” The event will be held Tuesday, October 6, from 6:00–7:00 PM at Bainbridge Middle School and is produced by QUEST/Advanced Content students.

🔒 Great job, BHS! 💜💛

Bainbridge High School successfully completed a lockdown drill today. Thank you to our students, staff, and school safety team for taking the drill seriously and following procedures.

Preparedness helps keep our Bearcat family safe! 🐾

#BearcatPride #SchoolSafety #TheBearcatWay

8 days ago, Decatur County Schools

10 days ago, Decatur County Schools

🏈 FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL! 🏈
Bearcats vs. Westover
Friday, Sept. 25 at 7:30 PM at Centennial Field!

💜 PURPLE OUT supporting the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
🏈 Rec Football Night begins at 7:00 PM
📣 Little Girl Cheer Campers perform immediately after

Wear your PURPLE, pack Centennial Field, and cheer on the Bearcats! 💜💛
#GoBearcats #PurpleOut #BearcatCountry

10 days ago, Decatur County Schools

bearcat helmet being held in the air with an american flag in the backgorund

Students in our Introduction to Law and Criminal Justice Essentials classes took learning to the next level with a hands-on visit from BPS Fire!
Students gained valuable real-world experience as they learned about fire safety and emergency response, explored fire trucks and equipment, and even had the opportunity to extinguish a live fire using a water extinguisher. 🧯

Experiences like this bring classroom lessons to life, giving students a firsthand look at the skills, responsibilities, and careers connected to public safety and criminal justice.
A big thank you to BPS Fire for investing in our students and helping make learning meaningful! 💜💛

#TheBearcatWay #RealWorldLearning #CareerReady #CriminalJustice #DecaturCountySchools

10 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Students in the Introduction to Law and Criminal Justice Essentials classes participate in a hands-on learning experience with City of Bainbridge Fire personnel, practicing fire extinguisher use, exploring a fire truck and its equipment, and learning about fire safety, emergency response, and public safety careers.

🍽️ Lunch & Learn: Guardianship
Join the DCS Parent Mentor for an informative Lunch & Learn session focused on Guardianship with guest speaker Megan Heckman.

📅 October 19
⏰ 12:00 PM
📍 Training Room 4 at DCBOE

For more information, contact DCS Parent Mentor Julie Lawler at 229-240-2020. 💜💛

10 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Purple and gold DCS Parent Mentor “Lunch and Learn” graphic promoting an October 19 session on guardianship at 12:00 PM in Training Room 4 at DCBOE. Megan Heckman will be the featured speaker.

💜💛 Bainbridge Middle School Homecoming Week may be over, but BMS isn’t done celebrating yet! 💛💜

Last week, Bainbridge Middle School was full of Bearcat spirit during the Homecoming Pep Rally! From the drumline and cheerleaders to plenty of purple and gold in the stands, our Bearcats brought the energy! 🐾📣🥁
This year’s Homecoming Court included Heidi Griffin, Kailyn Jones, Londyn Tatum, Allison Ecosto-Rojas, Purpose Lamb, Eva Kinchen, Keimia Crawford, Laila Ausgood, Laiylah Harper, and Olivia Sapp. Congratulations to Homecoming Queen Laiylah Harper and Homecoming King Zachary Ong! 👑

But we have one more Homecoming celebration! 🎉
🪩 BMS HOMECOMING DANCE
📅 Saturday
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
We’ll see you on the dance floor, Bearcats! 💃🕺💜💛

📸 Until then, enjoy a few highlights from last week’s pep rally!
#BMSBearcats #BainbridgeMiddleSchool #BMSHomecoming #BearcatPride #TheBearcatWay

11 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Photos from Bainbridge Middle School’s Homecoming Pep Rally featuring cheerleaders, students showing school spirit, and the BMS drumline performing in purple and gold.

🏛️ Connect With Your Library — Friday, September 25

We’re wrapping up Georgia Reads Week by celebrating one of our community’s greatest literacy resources—the library! 📚💜

Visit your school or local library, discover a new book, attend a program, get a library card, or ask a librarian to help you find your next great read.

Georgia Reads Week may be coming to an end, but the reading doesn’t have to. Keep reading. Keep learning. Keep discovering. 🐾📖

#GeorgiaReadsWeek #ConnectWithYourLibrary #WeCanRead #KeepReading #DecaturCountySchools

11 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Georgia Reads Week graphic encouraging families to visit their local library and discover new books on September 25.

🏈💜💛 ROUND ONE: COMPLETE!

The Bainbridge Middle School Bearcats came ready to PLAY. COMPETE. FINISH. last night, defeating Berrien 22–0 in the first round of the playoffs! 🔥🐾

With the win, Bainbridge advances to the next round and will HOST! 🏆

The road to a championship continues right here at home, Bearcat Nation! Get ready to pack the stands, bring the energy, and cheer on our Bearcats as they continue their playoff run! 💜💛

ONE ROUND DOWN. KEEP IT ROLLING, BEARCATS! 🐾🏈

#BearcatPride #BMSFootball #BearcatFootball #Playoffs #TheBearcatWay #RoadToAChampionship

11 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Bainbridge Middle School Football Round 1 playoff bracket. No. 2 Bainbridge faces No. 7 Berrien. Other matchups include Fitzgerald vs. Worth and Cairo vs. Cook, while Thomasville advances with a bye.

UPDATE: VOLLEYBALL GAME TIME CHANGE!
It’s Senior Night for our Lady Cats! 💜💛🏐

Please note the updated game time for tonight’s Varsity Volleyball matchup:

📅 Thursday, September 24
🏐 Bainbridge vs. Westover
📍 Bainbridge High School
⏰ NEW GAME TIME: 7:00 PM
🎓 Senior Recognition will take place directly after the game.

Please help us spread the word about the time change, and come out to celebrate our seniors and cheer on the Lady Cats! 💜💛

#BearcatPride #SeniorNight #BainbridgeBearcats #LadyCats #TheBearcatWay

12 days ago, Decatur County Schools

Senior Night volleyball graphic: Bainbridge vs. Westover, Thursday, September 24 at BHS. Varsity game begins at 7 PM, with senior recognition immediately after.