Decatur County Schools

Happy Assistant Principal Appreciation Week! This week, we’re celebrating the incredible dedication, leadership, and heart our assistant principals bring to our schools every single day. From supporting students and staff to ensuring our campuses run smoothly, their impact is felt in every hallway and classroom. Thank you for the countless ways you lead, support, and inspire. We are grateful for all you do! #APAppreciationWeek #ThankYouAPs #BearcatPride

Now Hiring: Head Baseball Coach & Classroom Teacher Decatur County Schools is seeking a passionate, experienced leader to coach our Bearcats and teach in the classroom. This 11-month position blends athletics and academics to make a lasting impact! Apply: DCBOE staff: send resume & letter to bearcatcareers@dcboe.com Others: Apply online at www.boe.dcboe.com or Teach Georgia Be part of our Proud Tradition and Promising Future.

🎨✨ Creative in Every Step! BHS Art students in Fiber Arts are bringing nature to life with multimedia walking sticks! Using a mix of paint, yarn, beads, and their imagination, these students are turning ordinary branches into bold works of art. 🌈🧶 Each stick tells a story — full of texture, color, and creativity. Stay tuned to see the final masterpieces! 👣🎨 #BHSArt #FiberArts #CreativeBearcats #WalkingArt #StudentArtists #ArtInMotion #BearcatWay

Join us for the BHS & BMS Student Art Show showcasing the incredible creativity of our middle and high school artists at the Firehouse Arts Center! 🗓️ Friday, April 26 🕑 2 PM – 4 PM 📍 Firehouse Arts Center 119 W Water St, Bainbridge Come support our talented Bearcat artists and celebrate the power of student expression through art!

SPRING BREAK DECATUR COUNTY SCHOOLS MONDAY MAR 31 - FRIDAY APR 4 #SpringBreak2025 #DecaturCountySchools #StudentHoliday #DCBOE #DCS

Bearcat Spring Games Player Parade Come cheer on our incredible Decatur County Schools students with special needs as they kick off the 2025 Bearcat Spring Games! Friday, March 28th 8:30 AM Shotwell Street — Starting at the Boat Basin Let’s line the streets, wave those signs, and show our Bearcat pride as these amazing athletes parade their way to the games. #BearcatSpringGames #TheBearcatWay #InclusionMatters #ProudTraditionPromisingFuture

Students at BMS in Mrs. Liz Hill’s Computer Science class and Mrs. Boutwell’s STEAM class engaged in a dynamic and enriching week of hands-on learning. Computer Science students dedicated the week to designing, constructing and coding Spike Prime Lego robots, culminating in an exhilarating race on Friday as their creations competed. Meanwhile, STEAM students delved into an in-depth exploration of natural disasters, concluding their unit with an immersive experience—piloting drones throughout the Media Center and Atrium to gain insight into the critical role drones play in disaster response and recovery efforts.

Congratulations to our STAR Student & STAR Teacher! The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia’s top high school seniors and the teachers who have played a key role in their academic success. This prestigious recognition highlights excellence in the classroom and the powerful impact of dedicated educators. We are proud to celebrate BHS STAR Student Yahir Ortiz and STAR Teacher Kyle Kelly for their outstanding achievements!

Congratulations to Ethan Knight for winning another state-level art competition with his incredible pencil drawing. Ethan’s artwork will be on display at the 26th Annual GAEA/High Museum of Art High School Exhibition, showcasing some of the best student artists in Georgia. Exhibition Dates: April 22 - May 18, 2025 Location: The High Museum of Art, Atlanta Reception: Sunday, May 18 | 1 PM - 3 PM We are so proud of Ethan and his artistic achievements. If you're in Atlanta, be sure to visit the High Museum of Art to see his outstanding work.

Exciting STEM in Action! Hutto Elementary Students got a high-flying experience as local drone operators showcased agricultural drones in action! As part of the WOZ ED Drone pathway initiative in Decatur County Schools all 3-5 grade students were treated to a firsthand look at how technology is transforming farming, from planting to crop monitoring. Hands-on learning like this inspires the next generation of innovators right here in Decatur County! Check out these amazing moments and watch our students' curiosity take flight! #BearcatSTEM #AgTech #FutureInnovators #DronesInAction #WozED4TheWin https://youtu.be/rlYWP8vhrys

40 Years of Excellence! Congratulations to the Bainbridge Middle School Concert Band, Bainbridge High School Concert Band, and Symphonic Band for earning Superior Ratings for the 40th consecutive year at the Georgia Bandmasters Association Concert Band Festival last night! These talented students have dedicated countless hours over the past few months preparing for this state assessment, and their hard work has paid off! A huge thank you to Superintendent Dr. Boyd English, the Decatur County Board of Education, BMS/BHS Administration, Faculty, and our incredible community for their continued support of the Decatur County Band Program!

Decatur County Schools was honored to host 2025 District 9 Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday February 22 at Jones-Wheat Primary School. Director of School Information Systems, Ms Jeanette Grimsley, coordinated the event which showcased the spelling skills of 25 top spellers from the region. Dr. Boyd English addressed the spellers encouraging them to continue their pursuit of excellence which is embodied in "The Bearcat Way" of Decatur County and praising both the spellers and their families for their hard work and dedication, "You are already winners..." was the message for all the competitors. Decatur County congratulates all the spellers and especially Eve Reeder-District 9 Champion from Cook County, Paisley Denney-District 9 Runner-Up from Randolph County, and Paisley Reissiger-District 9 Alternate from Lowndes County.

Congratulations to Dr. Joseph Kelly of Bainbridge High School on his recent publication in the Winter Edition of Reflections, the official journal of the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (GCTM). Dr. Kelly’s article, featured on page 23, showcases his dedication to mathematics education and his commitment to advancing innovative teaching practices. This recognition is a tremendous honor, highlighting the excellence of our educators in Decatur County Schools. A copy of the journal is attached for those interested in exploring Dr. Kelly’s work. We are incredibly proud of his achievement and the impact he continues to make in the field of mathematics education! View the full journal : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FsUdGIkjRhldw9HS46PxPup9yPVJBHCq/view?usp=sharing Learn more about GCTM: https://gctm.org/

Bearcats Shine at Regional Technology Competition! A huge shoutout to the tech-savvy students of Decatur County who made an impressive mark at the Southwest Georgia Regional Technology Competition! Joining students from Lee County, Seminole County, and Thomas County, 54 Bearcats placed in 15 categories and 32 students took first place in their category moving on the state competition on March 1st. From innovative coding projects to next-level designs, these digital dynamos showed that Bearcats are leaders not just on the field but in the tech world too! Innovation. Precision. Excellence. The hard work and creativity of these students make Decatur County proud! Keep shining, Bearcats — the future is yours to code! #TheBearcatWay #NextGenLeaders #WozEd4theWin! #DecaturCountyProud

Congratulations to Bainbridge High School Principal, Christopher Bryant on being named Young Professional of the Year at the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards! Your dedication to our schools and community is truly inspiring, and we appreciate all that you do. Well-deserved, Coach Bryant!

Celebrating BMS QUEST Students' Hard Work and Innovation Last Thursday, the Bainbridge Middle School QUEST-Gifted Program presented their West Bainbridge Community Development Projects to the City of Bainbridge's Community Development Committee at City Hall. This presentation showcased the results of a semester-long project where students conducted research, utilized 3-D modeling, managed budgets, and analyzed data to develop a West Bainbridge Revitalization Proposal. Their focus was to address the needs of this area in Decatur County through creative and thoughtful planning. 6th Grade Students: Recreation 7th Grade Students: Housing 8th Grade Students: Businesses The top 2-3 projects in each category were selected for this special presentation, highlighting the students' incredible efforts in real-world problem-solving and community improvement. A special THANK YOU to Steve O’Neil, Director of Community & Economic Development, for working so closely with our students on this project. Your guidance and collaboration made a lasting impact. Terrific job, students! You’ve made BMS and Decatur County proud.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the exceptional teachers who achieved 90% or higher growth on the mid-year iReady assessment. Your unwavering dedication to fostering excellence in student learning is both commendable and inspiring. We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to Dairy Queen for providing gift certificates to recognize these educators' outstanding achievements. Partnerships with local businesses play a vital role in supporting the success of our district, and we deeply value their generosity and commitment. Together, we celebrate the commitment to excellence that continues to make a positive impact on our students and community.

Bainbridge Middle School 7th graders in Ms. Alex Kelly's English Language Arts class put the GRINCH on trial today for Grand Larceny, Assault, and Harassment. After some debate about trespassing and mail tampering as well as a passionate plea by defense witness Cindy Loo Who claiming, "Mr Grinch is simply misunderstood. He wanted to share in the Christmas feast--not steal it!", the verdict was returned. A resounding "Guilty!" by all members of the jury. The Grinch's sentencing hearing has yet to be announced--one might expect a change of venue as the citizens of this middle school class are departing for the holiday and ready to resume in their new location come January! Even though students and staff of Bainbridge Middle School are dreaming about their new stomping grounds in January, they are still engaged and learning up to the final hours! What a fun way to practice argumentative writing and evidence citation for a literacy lesson!!

Important Update for NBLC Families: Starting next semester, New Beginnings Learning Center will introduce a soft dress code to promote unity and pride within the school community. Here’s what the new dress code will include: Each student will receive an official NBLC T-shirt to wear with blue jeans or khaki pants. (Please ensure pants are free of holes or excessive wear.) Students will need to wear tennis shoes for comfort and to stay active throughout the day. This initiative is designed to foster a positive learning environment where students feel comfortable and focused. NBLC T-shirts will be distributed before the semester begins, and additional shirts will be available for purchase if needed. Thank you for supporting this effort to enhance our school community. For any questions, please contact the NBLC office. #DecaturCountySchools #NBLC #StudentSuccess #TheBearcatWay

We are thrilled to announce that three of our schools have been named GaTECH Partnership Schools as part of Georgia Tech’s Computer Science for Rural Georgia Program! This amazing initiative brings hands-on computer science learning to our students, focusing on essential skills in coding, cybersecurity, AI, robotics, and more — all through the lens of rural and agricultural contexts. With the support of CEISMC (Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics, and Computing) and STEM@GTRI (GA Tech Research Institute), our computer science teachers, WOZ ED instructors, and STEM leaders are empowering the next generation of tech innovators right here in Decatur County. Now in our second year, the program has expanded from 11 to 39 schools across 24 rural districts, perfectly aligning with our K-12 WOZ ED initiative and CTAE Computer Science Pathways. We would like to thank Amy Zock, Director of Instructional Technology and Digital Learning, for the incredible strides she is making for our educators and students in computer science. Help us Celebrate our Dedicated Schools and Leaders: ▪️ Hutto Elementary School – Principal Quinten Fuller, Samantha Palmer (Media Specialist & WOZ ED Instructor) ▪️ Bainbridge Middle School – Principal David Kirkland, Mary Jo Boutwell & Liz Hill (WOZ ED Instructors) ▪️Bainbridge High School – Principal Christopher Bryant, Scott Morehouse (CTAE Director), Mac Lewis (Engineering), Jarod Lovering (Computer Science) #GaTECH #ComputerScience #DecaturCountySchools #DCBOE