Gordon County Schools -

Superintendent Alice Mashburn recently read to Mrs. Jodi Mann's 3rd grade class at Sonoraville Elementary. The students enjoyed having her as a guest speaker during Read Across America Week! #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Gordon County Schools is proud to announce that two of our students, Olivia Hawkins and Amerie Tipton, earned third place at the Georgia State Technology Competition held on March 1st at the Henry County Academy of Advanced Studies in McDonough, Georgia. Olvia and Amerie competed in the category of Digital Photo Production. Their project was an enhanced photo around the theme of friendship where they used technology tools on their school-issued iPads to make modifications that enhanced and improved the original photo. Olivia and Amerie won first place at the regional and local technology competitions to qualify for the state level. They are in the fourth grade at Tolbert Elementary, and their sponsoring teacher for the competition is the REACH instructor, Mrs. Belinda Smith. Congratulations, Olivia and Amerie!

Here is Assistant Superintendent Sket Angland reading to Tiffany Stamey's 5th grade class at Sonoraville Elementary yesterday! Everyone is getting in on the fun for Read Across America Week.

This week, we celebrate and appreciate our incredible School Social Workers during National School Social Work Week. Their dedication, compassion, and commitment to supporting students and families make a lasting impact on our schools and community. Thank you for your hard work in ensuring every student has the resources and support they need to succeed. Gordon County Schools is grateful for all that you do.

Gordon County Schools is proud to announce the winners of this year's Teacher of the Year awards from each of our 10 schools. These teachers were nominated and voted for by their peers as exemplary educators who go above and beyond in everything they do. Their dedication, care, and support for students are evident daily, and their teacher leadership helps to inspire and uplift those around them. These teachers will go on to the next round of evaluation for Gordon County Schools to select its District Finalists for GCS Teacher of the Year. The winner of District TOTY will then compete at the state level. Congratulations to these amazing teachers: Ashworth Middle School: Justin Cole Belwood Elementary: Stephania Hyde Fairmount Elementary: Sara Broom Gordon Central High School: John Albright Red Bud Elementary: Lauren Gulledge Red Bud Middle School: Matt Waters Sonoraville Elementary: Allison Smith Sonoraville High School: Nathan Schuster Tolbert Elementary: Emily Rossberg W.L. Swain Elementary: Sherri Wilson

We are thrilled to announce that Sonoraville High School has earned recognition as both an AP Expansion School and an AP Access and Support School, while Gordon Central High School has been named a 2025 AP Challenge School! These distinctions, awarded by the Georgia Department of Education, reflect our schools' commitment to providing rigorous, high-quality educational opportunities that prepare students for success beyond high school. Superintendent Richard Woods praised Georgia’s AP Honor Schools, stating: "Georgia's 2025 AP Honor Schools exemplify our commitment to providing students with rigorous, high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them for success beyond high school. I commend these schools for their dedication to academic excellence and equipping students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in college, careers, and life. I am delighted the number of AP Honor Schools and school districts has risen again this year – a continued testament to the commitment of Georgia public education to expand opportunities for all Georgia students." What These Recognitions Mean: 🔹 AP Expansion School (Sonoraville High School) – Awarded to schools with at least a 25% increase in AP student participation from May 2023 to May 2024, with a minimum of 25 students testing. 🔹 AP Access and Support School (Sonoraville High School) – Recognized for ensuring at least 30% of AP exams were taken by African American and/or Hispanic students (minimum of 16 students) and achieving at least a 30% pass rate (scores of 3 or higher). 🔹 AP Challenge School (Gordon Central High School) – Recognized for offering AP courses in core subject areas at schools with enrollments of 900 or fewer students and administering at least 25 AP exams. Georgia's AP Honor Schools are selected based on the results of 2024 AP courses and exams. The AP program, administered by the College Board, offers students the opportunity to engage in college-level learning in high school. Students who score a 3, 4, or 5 on an AP exam may receive college credit. We are incredibly proud of our students, teachers, and staff for their hard work and dedication to academic excellence!

Teams from the Belwood Robotics Club recently traveled to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to compete in the FIRST LEGO League Region Championship. All teams are led by coaches Tim Gilreath and Jessica Childers. Students who participated in this event were: Team Abyssal Alliance: Avril Brown, Layla Hogg, Blake Hansen, Kase Gwin, Jay Timms Team Loony Logic: Greyson Cochran, Amberlee Hall, Audrey Psaila, Kennedy Wall Team Twilight Terrors: Audie Winslett, Victoria Hughes, Keaton Cochran Great job students! #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Gordon County Schools would like to thank and congratulate JM Huber Corporation for receiving the Business Commitment to Education Award from the Gordon Chamber's Workforce and Education Committee at yesterday's Gordon Chamber 65th annual meeting. JM Huber Corporation has exemplified what it means to invest in the future of education in Gordon County. Their support for STEAM initiatives at Fairmount Elementary School spans several years, with an annual donation of $1,500 to provide critical resources for student learning and engagement. Last year, Fairmount Elementary was awarded a $10,000 Project Lead the Way grant, enabling professional learning for teachers along with acquiring materials and online resources for student learning. This year, through the Huber Helps 2024 Impact Your Community Program, Fairmount received a $6,000 grant for the Helping Hands Ending Hunger program, a vital initiative in partnership with the Chattanooga Food Bank that provides food security to students and families in need. J.M. Huber have gone above and beyond with their personal time, investing in our students by serving as lunch buddies to offer students support and encouragement as a positive role model. Thank you to Mark Holt, Matt yeast, Curtis Roland, Derek Blankenship, Jenna King, and all J.M. Huber employees who have taken the time to make such a huge difference at Fairmount Elementary and Gordon County Schools. Pictured are Gordon County Schools Superintendent Alice Mashburn and Fairmount Elementary principal Rebecca Champion presenting the award to J.M. Huber Corporation.

March will be busy in our school cafés. We start with National School Breakfast Week, March 3rd - 7th. There will be many special breakfast dishes, school celebrities serving, and fun decorations as we "Clue In to School Breakfast" during the week. Then we'll celebrate St. Patrick's Day at lunch with a yummy green dessert treat.

The next meeting of the Gordon County Schools Wellness Committee is next week: Thursday, March 6th at 3:30.

Gordon County Schools is proud to announce Amanda King as the newest Assistant Principal at Red Bud Middle School. With an impressive 25-year career in education, Mrs. King has been a dedicated and influential leader within our school community. She began her teaching journey in 2000 at Sonoraville Middle School before joining the faculty at Red Bud Middle School in 2014, where she has served as both a life science teacher and as gifted lead. Beyond the classroom, Mrs. King has taken on numerous leadership roles, demonstrating her passion for education and her dedication to the Gordon County community. She has been recognized as RBMS Teacher of the Year, served as a Superintendent Advisory Panel representative, mentored new teachers, and led teacher teams for 20 years. Her experience, vision, and commitment to student growth have made her a respected and valued educator, and we are excited to see her bring that same passion to her new role as Assistant Principal.

Gordon County Schools will be on winter break Monday, February 17th through the 21st. Classes resume February 24th. #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Gordon County Schools is proud to announce the system-level winners for the Young Georgia Authors Writing Competition. The Young Georgia Authors competition serves to encourage students to develop enthusiasm for and expertise in their writing, to provide a context to celebrate their writing successes, and to recognize student achievement in arts and academics. This prestigious competition, sponsored by the Georgia Council of Teachers of English in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Education, has been engaging Georgia students for more than two decades and is open to any student currently enrolled in Georgia public schools, grades K-12. Students can submit all types of writing such as short stories, poetry, essays, research reports, and more. The following students are the 2024-2025 Gordon County Schools Young Georgia Author System-Level Winners: Kindergarten - Lowrey Haynes, Tolbert Elementary 1st Grade - Lilah Timms, Belwood Elementary 2nd Grade - William Rickett, Belwood Elementary 3rd Grade - Layla Fowler, Sonoraville Elementary 4th Grade - Lily Waters, Fairmount Elementary 5th Grade - Maggie Johnston, Red Bud Elementary 6th Grade - Allison Coleman, Red Bud Middle School 7th Grade - Alicia Smith, Ashworth Middle School 8th Grade - Cassandra Tucker, Ashworth Middle School 9th Grade - Elena Jaiden Blanchard, Sonoraville High School 10th Grade - Emily Demain, Gordon Central High School 11th Grade - Samantha Payne, Gordon Central High School 12th Grade - Maya Beckman, Sonoraville High School These student entries will be moving on to the Northwest GA RESA level competition in March.

GOVERNOR'S HONORS SEMIFINALISTS: GCS is proud to announce our state semifinalists for the prestigious Governor's Honors Program (GHP). This highly competitive program recognizes and supports intellectually gifted and artistically talented high school students, offering them a unique and enriching educational experience during a four-week summer instructional program. Congratulations to students selected as semifinalists who represent their high schools in the state-level application process. Semifinalists will attend an event in March, and their interviews with the GHP panel will help determine state finalists. Gordon Central High School: Hailee Church - nominated in the area of world languages Harrison Hughes - nominated in the area of social studies Anna Caroline Parker - nominated in the area of theatre Sonoraville High School: Pamela Aguilar - nominated in the area of communicative arts Leonardo Parra-Torres - nominated in the area of science

Gordon County Schools is proud to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of its students and educators. Makena Blalock – State FFA Employment Skills Champion Gordon County Schools would like to congratulate Sonoraville High School senior Makena Blalock for winning the State FFA Employment Skills competition at the annual Leadership Development Event. Makena is a National FFA Champion and serves as State Secretary, representing her school and district with excellence. She was joined by Sonoraville High School agriculture teacher and FFA sponsor, Mr. Joshua Boydston. Congratulations to Makena on this outstanding achievement! STAR Students and Teachers Recognition The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) Program has honored more than 29,000 students and the teachers they have selected as having the greatest impact on their academic success. To receive the STAR nomination, graduating high school seniors must earn the highest SAT score on a single test date and rank in the top 10 percent or among the top 10 students of their class based on grade point average. Gordon County Schools proudly recognizes this year’s STAR students and their selected STAR teachers. Gordon Central High School – STAR Student & Teacher Congratulations to Gordon Central High School senior Evan Wood, son of Jim and Ashley Wood. Evan plans to pursue a career in medicine and has been accepted to Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia, the University of Alabama, and Mississippi State University. He selected Gordon Central science teacher Holly Watts as his STAR Teacher, recognizing her for inspiring his passion for science. Sonoraville High School – STAR Student & Teacher Gordon County Schools also congratulates Sonoraville High School senior Ethan Hurley, son of Bart and Julia Hurley. Ethan plans to attend Reinhardt University to major in History. He selected Sonoraville High School foreign language teacher Amal Yacoub as his STAR Teacher, honoring her for her dedication and encouragement toward her students. Gordon County Schools extends congratulations to all students and teachers recognized this evening and commends them for their dedication to excellence in academics and leadership.

Sonoraville High School math teacher Deron Walraven taught imaginary numbers to his students today. What's not imaginary is Coach Walraven's home opener Monday, February 10th for baseball season! Check out the Phoenix baseball schedule here: https://www.maxpreps.com/ga/calhoun/sonoraville-phoenix/baseball/schedule/

Sonoraville Elementary 2nd grade teacher Alli Smith did a great job today getting students engaged and involved in the lesson. Great job! #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Red Bud Elementary kindergarten teacher Azlin Cleveland's students were very engaged in their small group activities today. #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Fairmount Elementary 1st grade teacher Christy Smith had students engaged and ready to answer questions. Great job, Bulldogs! #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools

Red Bud Middle School 8th grade social studies teacher Tara Berry taught Georgia history to her students today! #TogetherGCS #GordonCountySchools #GreaterThings