DCSS Update: September 2016

Impression
Making an
See how a new DCSS/Chamber
partnership is improving the
perception of the district.

DCSS Update Pg. 2
Pardon our
Progress:
It’s a new day for
the DCSS Newsletter
J.D. Sumner
DCSS Public Information Office
So, as you no doubt can tell, the
Dougherty County School System’s
newsletter, The DCSS Update, has
changed a bit.
The newsletter has become a fixture
for people both inside the system
and out, for staying up-to-date on good
news and interesting items happening
within our classrooms.
But just as the system has changed
quite a bit over the last few years, so
should its flagship publication.
So, today, we’re unveiling the newest
incarnation of the Update. This
go-round, the Update has become a
monthly E-Magazine that we hope to
fill with more substantial bits of information
about the system, our community
involvement and interactive
features and videos that help us tell our
story in what we think is a much more
effective way.
Inside this edition you’ll find our
cover story, the beautiful tale of how a
DCSS elementary school turned a tragedy
into a teaching moment about the
power of community and family.
You’ll also find a calendar for October;
briefs on events that have happened
during the month of September
in our schools and much more.
If you have an idea on how we can
improve the Update or possible feature
stories to cover, please let me know.
We’re always looking for new and exciting
ways to tell the stories of our staff
and students.
So, with that being said, we hope
you enjoy this first edition of the new
DCSS Update and we look forward
to a great year telling some amazing
stories.
About the Cover
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it,
does it make a sound? If students and teachers are doing really
innovative and creative things but no one outside of the
school knows about it, are they really doing it? That’s part
of the philosophy behind a new collaboration between the
Dougherty County School System, private and parochial
schools and the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce’s
Education Committee.
The premise is simple: Get business and community
leaders in school more frequently and the perception of
the district will change and partnerships will grow.
Learn how the program is working inside this edition
of the DCSS Update.

Pg. 3
DCSS Update
DCSS Leadership Team
Dr. David C. Mosely
Superintendent
Mr. Jack Willis
Assistant Superintendent
for Support Services
Dr. Ufot Inyang
Associate Superintendent for
Academic Services
Mr. Kenneth Dyer
Associate Superintendent & Chief
Financial Officer
Dr. Kim Ezekiel
Director of Federal Programs
Mrs. Sonya Spillers &
Mr. J.D. Sumner
Public Information Office
Dougherty County
Board of Education
Ms. Velvet Riggins
Board Chair, District 3
Mr. Robert Youngblood
Vice Chair, District 1
Mr. Milton Griffin
District 2
Mrs. Melissa Strother
District 4
Reverend James Bush
District 5
Dr. Dean Phinazee
District 6
Mrs. Geraldine West Hudley
At-Large
About our District...
The Dougherty County School System is the local education agency for Albany
and Dougherty County in Southwestern Georgia. At the end of the 2015-2016 school
year, enrollment was 15,001 students with nearly 2,600 teachers and staff members.
Our Schools:
Albany High School
431-3300
801 W. Residence Ave.
Grades 9-12
Principal: Rodney Bullard
Dougherty Comprehensive
High School
431-3310
1800 Pearce Ave.
Grades 9-12
Principal: Dr. Jeffrey Ross
Monroe Comprehensive High
School
431-3316
900 Lippitt Dr.
Grades 9-12
Principal: Vinson Davis
Westover Comprehensive High
School
431-3320
2600 Partridge Lane
Grades 9-12
Principal: William Chunn
Albany Middle School
431-3325
1700 Cordell Rd.
Grades 6-8
Principal: Eddie Johnson
Merry Acres Middle School
431-3338
1601 Florence Dr.
Grades 6-8
Principal: Dr. Gail Griffin
Radium Springs Middle Magnet
School of the Arts
431-3346
2600 Radium Springs Rd.
Grades 6-8
Principal: Dr. Valerie Williams
Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet
School
431-3362
324 Lockett Station Rd.
Grades 6-8
Principal: Thelma Chunn
Southside Middle School
431-3351
1615 Newton Rd.
Grades 6-8
Principal: Dr. Frederick Polite
Alice Coachman Elementary
School
431-3488
1425 Oakridge Dr.
Grades K-5
Principal: Melissa Brubaker
International Studies Elementary
Charter School
431-3384
2237 Cutts Dr.
Grades K-5
Principal: Dr. Zeda George
Lake Park Elementary School
431-3370
605 Meadowlark Dr.
Grades K-5
Principal: Kenosha Coleman
Lamar Reese Magnet School of
the Arts
431-3495
1215 Lily Pond Rd.
Grades K-5
Principal: Dr. Angela Shumate
Lincoln Elementary Magnet
School
431-3373
518 W. Society Ave.
Grades K-5
Principal: Dr. Todd Deariso
Live Oak Elementary School
431-1209
4529 Gillionville Rd.
Grades K-5
Principal: Laytona Stephenson
Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary
School
438-3502
3125 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Grades K-5
Principal: Vontressa Childs
Morningside Elementary
School
431-3387
120 Sunset Lane
Grades K-5
Principal: Christine Ford
Northside Elementary School
431-3390
901 14th Ave.
Grades K-5
Principal: Katina Allen
Radium Springs Elementary
School
431-3395
2400 Roxanna Rd.
Grades K-5
Principal: Bruce Bowles
Robert H. Harvey Elementary
School
431-3367
1305 E. Second Ave.
Grades K-5
Principal: Dr. John I. Davis
Sherwood Acres Elementary
School
431-3397
2201 Doncaster Way
Grades K-5
Principal: Yvette Simmons
Turner Elementary School
431-3406
2001 Leonard Ave.
Grades K-5
Principal: Dr. Deborah Jones
West Town Elementary School
431-3409
1113 University Ave.
Grades K-5
Principal: Steven Dudley

Giving
Back:
Choking back tears and trying bravely to keep his composure, Alton Sanders, the
father of a beautiful first-grade student at Lamar Reese Magnet School of the
Arts, somehow managed to overcome his grief long enough to give the students
at the school some advice.
“If you want to do something for me, when you go home today, hug your mom and
dad,” Sanders said. “Just hug them. Because we don’t know what tomorrow holds.”
Sanders, and the Lamar Reese family, had their lives shaken on the morning of Aug.
3 when Sanders’ daughter Zakyria was killed by her grandmother in a tragic incident at
their home on West Doublegate Drive.
The day before, Zakyria was one of the hundreds of first grade students returning
to school after a summer of fun and sun. Dr. Angela Shumate, the school’s principal,
remembers how Zykeria’s face would light up as she walked down the halls.
“She had a kind spirit and was just a happy girl,” Shumate said. “She didn’t know a
stranger.”
It was Shumate who frantically called 911 on the morning Zakyria died after she
happened to drive by the house on the way to work and see flames peeking through the
windows. Shumate got out of her car, called for help and worked with a neighbor to
bang on the garage door and the side of the house trying to get the occupants’ attention
and not knowing that one of her students was inside.
“It was awful,” Shumate said. “All I could think about was that there were people
inside asleep and they just couldn’t hear us. I felt so helpless. All I could do was try and
make some noise and pray.”
Once firefighters arrived, Shumate watched from across the street as they brought
out some of Zykeria’s family, including her grandmother and a cousin.
And when the firefighters carried a small-framed girl from the house, Shumate
made the connection.
“When I saw the beads in her hair, something told me that it was Zakyria,” Shumate
says. “I prayed and prayed that it wasn’t but it turned out to be her.”
Shumate notified DCSS officials who met her at the school and, once it was verified,
called in grief counselors for the staff and students.
But the Lamar Reese staff didn’t let Zykeria’s story stop there. They knew they had
to do more.
Shumate and the other teachers and staff members at the school organized a

DCSS Update
charity fundraiser for Alton
Sanders to help cover the
cost of Zakyria’s funeral
arrangements and to show
how much she meant to the
school family.
“Our teachers and staff
contributed. Letters went
home to parents and they
contributed. The outpouring
and generosity of these people
was incredible,” Shumate
said.
Recently, Shumate and
the Lamar Reese family
called Alton Sanders back to
the school his daughter loved
to give him a small token
to honor the memory of his
daughter and the impact she
had on the students and staff
there during her brief time at
the school.
In front of the student
body, Shumate presented
Mr. Sanders with a check for
$1,000; a photo of Zakyeria
signed by her classmates, and
VIDEO: Click the picture above to watch a video of the presentation at Lamar Reese
a few goodie bags of items to
remember the school by.
The impact on the grieving
father was evident.
“I’ve just been so overwhelmed
by the generosity
of this community; the
outpouring of love from
total strangers has just been
incredible,” Sanders said. “I
initially thought about just
leaving this town and trying
to find a way to move on,
just because we have so many
memories and things here.
But because of the love and
support I think Albany is
where we belong.”
Sanders said he was
grateful for the school and
the way they came together
to remember his daughter,
saying that she loved her
classmates and teachers.
Fast facts for Columbus Day:
All schools and offices will be open for his holiday, so why not learn
something interesting about the explorer who discovered the Americas.
6
From History.com
1. Columbus didn’t set out to prove
the earth was round.
Forget those myths perpetuated by
everyone from Washington Irving to Bugs
Bunny. There was no need for Columbus
to debunk the flat-earthers—the ancient
Greeks had already done so. As early as the
sixth century B.C., the Greek mathematician
Pythagoras surmised the world was
round, and two centuries later Aristotle
backed him up with astronomical observations.
By 1492 most educated people knew
the planet was not shaped like a pancake.
2. Columbus was likely not the first
European to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
That distinction is generally given
to the Norse Viking Leif Eriksson, who
is believed to have landed in present-day
Newfoundland around 1000 A.D., almost
five centuries before Columbus set sail.
Some historians even claim that Ireland’s
Saint Brendan or other Celtic people
crossed the Atlantic before Eriksson. While
the United States commemorates Columbus—even
though he never set foot on the
North American mainland—with parades
and a federal holiday, Leif Eriksson Day on
October 9 receives little fanfare.
3. Three countries refused to back
Columbus’ voyage.
For nearly a decade, Columbus lobbied
European monarchies to bankroll his

7
DCSS Update
quest to discover a western sea route to Asia. In Portugal, England
and France, the response was the same: no. The experts told
Columbus his calculations were wrong and that the voyage would
take much longer than he thought. Royal advisors in Spain raised
similar concerns to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. Turns out
the naysayers were right. Columbus dramatically underestimated
the earth’s circumference and the size of the oceans. Luckily for
him, he ran into the uncharted Americas.
4. Nina and Pinta
were not the actual
names of two of Columbus’
three ships.
In 15th-century
Spain, ships were traditionally
named after
saints. Salty sailors,
however, bestowed lessthan-sacred
nicknames
upon their vessels.
Mariners dubbed one
of the three ships on
Columbus’s 1492 voyage
the Pinta, Spanish
for “the painted one”
or “prostitute.” The
Santa Clara, meanwhile,
was nicknamed
the Nina in honor of its owner, Juan Nino. Although the Santa
Maria is called by its official name, its nickname was La Gallega,
after the province of Galicia in which it was built.
5. The Santa Maria wrecked on Columbus’ historic voyage.
On Christmas Eve of 1492, a cabin boy ran Columbus’s
flagship into a coral reef on the northern coast of Hispaniola, near
present-day Cap Haitien, Haiti. Its crew spent a very un-merry
Christmas salvaging the Santa Maria’s cargo. Columbus returned
to Spain aboard the Nina, but he had to leave nearly 40 crewmembers
behind to start the first European settlement in the Americas—La
Navidad. When Columbus returned to the settlement in
the fall of 1493, none of the crew were found alive.
6. Columbus made four voyages to the New World.
Although best known for his historic 1492 expedition, Columbus
returned to the Americas three more times in the following
decade. His voyages took him to Caribbean islands, South
America and Central America.
7. Columbus returned to Spain in chains in 1500.
Columbus’s governance of Hispaniola could be brutal and
tyrannical. Native islanders who didn’t collect enough gold could
have their hands cut off, and rebel Spanish colonists were executed
at the gallows. Colonists complained to the monarchy about
mismanagement, and a royal commissioner dispatched to Hispaniola
arrested Columbus in August 1500 and brought him back to
Spain in chains. Although Columbus was stripped of his governorship,
King Ferdinand not only granted the explorer his freedom
but subsidized a fourth voyage.
8. A lunar eclipse may have saved Columbus.
In February 1504, a desperate Columbus was stranded in
Jamaica, abandoned by half his crew and denied food by the
islanders. The heavens that he relied on for navigation, however,
would guide him safely once again. Knowing from his almanac
that a lunar eclipse
was coming on
February 29, 1504,
Columbus warned
the islanders that his
god was upset with
their refusal of food
and that the moon
would “rise inflamed
with wrath” as an
expression of divine
displeasure. On the
appointed night, the
www.worldbanknotescoins.com
Columbus graces the front of this One-Dollar-Bill from the Central Bank of the Bahamas.
god for mercy.
eclipse darkened the
moon and turned it
red, and the terrified
islanders offered provisions
and beseeched
Columbus to ask his
9. Even in death, Columbus continued to cross the Atlantic.
Following his death in 1506, Columbus was buried in Valladolid,
Spain, and then moved to Seville. At the request of his
daughter-in-law, the bodies of Columbus and his son Diego were
shipped across the Atlantic to Hispaniola and interred in a Santo
Domingo cathedral. When the French captured the island in 1795,
the Spanish dug up remains thought to be those of the explorer
and moved them to Cuba before returning them to Seville after
the Spanish-American War in 1898. However, a box with human
remains and the explorer’s name was discovered inside the Santo
Domingo cathedral in 1877. Did the Spaniards exhume the wrong
body? DNA testing in 2006 found evidence that at least some of the
remains in Seville are those of Columbus. The Dominican Republic
has refused to let the other remains be tested. It could be possible
that, aptly, pieces of Columbus are both in the New World and the
Old World.
10. Heirs of Columbus and the Spanish monarchy were in
litigation until 1790.
After the death of Columbus, his heirs waged a lengthy legal
battle with the Spanish crown, claiming that the monarchy shortchanged
them on money and profits due the explorer. Most of the
Columbian lawsuits were settled by 1536, but the legal proceedings
nearly dragged on until the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ famous
voyage.

Extending their REACH:
A new scholarship program turns to businesses to help
middle-schoolers prepare for college
Eighth-grade students
aren’t typically the
focus of scholarship
programs but, then again,
the REACH Albany Scholarship
Program is anything
but typical.
The program is part
of REACH Georgia, an
initiative of Governor Nathan
Deal and the Georgia
Student Finance Commission
that aims to pair
middle-school students
with mentors and coaches
and provide a financial
incentive for students to
improve grades, stay away
from drugs and crime and
to set an example with
their behavior through
their high school years.
REACH Albany
students who successfully
navigate high school and
meet the requirements
will be awarded a $10,000
Scholarship upon graduation
for use at any Georgia
post-secondary institution.
What’s more, some
Georgia colleges and universities
like Albany State
University and Darton
State College are doubling
the amount to $20,000 if
students choose to attend.
But the program
doesn’t come without
challenges.
While the state provides
100 percent of
the funding for the program
for the first class of
Dougherty County School
System REACH students,
the system is responsible
for raising $1,500 per student
moving forward.
It’s a challenge the
system hopes to meet with
its growing partnerships
within the business community.
“We’ve already had
an incredible outpouring
of support from some of
our business partners,”
DCSS Spokesperson J.D.
Sumner said. “Coats and

Kanazawa Albritten with his family and DCSS officials at his signing
day at Southside Middle School.
Jayden Smith and his family, right, sign his contract while Cyrah Powell
and her framily, left, sign theirs.
Jerome Suggs signs his contract while his family and teachers applaud
along with the student body at Albany Middle.
Frankie Williams shakes hands with his classmates at Merry Acres
after signing his contract.
Clark, Tara Foods, Phoebe
Putney Memorial Hospital
and Pro-One Sportswear
have stepped up to provide
services related to the program.
We hope that other
businesses will follow their
lead and make a commitment
to support these
students as they reach
further.”
The system will also
need mentors who are
committed to meeting regularly
with the students to
ensure they stay on-track
to meet their obligations
as they move through high
school.
On Sept. 19 and 20th,
the system held signing
ceremonies for the five
students selected for the
program.
The REACH Albany
Class of 2021 included
students Cyrah Powell,
Jayden Sims, Jerome
Suggs, Frankie Williams,
II, and Kanazawa Albritten.
To learn more about
the REACH Albany
Program or to sign up
your business to support
the program, email john.
sumner@docoschools.org
or click here.
Video
Get a look into why Bob Karwowski and Coats and Clark are
involved in the REACH Albany program and why your business
should too. Click the photo to watch his video.

Making an
Impression
A new partnership between the Albany Area
Chamber of Commerce, the DCSS and area private
schools is hoping to improve the perception of K-12
education and build new relationships between the
business community and education.
Rachelle Bitterman has always been an advocate of the Dougherty County School
System. Even during it’s struggles, Bitterman would often shrug off criticism and point
to some bright spot amid the clouds. But even she had no idea of the kinds of things
happening within the system until a recent tour of Monroe High School gave her a
whole new perspective.
“I was completely blown away,” Bitterman said. “The students were so engaging
and the outgoing; the technology they were using is just incredible and Mr. Davis...oh
Mr. Davis is something special.”
Bitterman was a part of the first-ever school tour under a new joint program between
the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, the Dougherty County School System
and area private schools.
Called “GoSEE!” the program is designed to connect business leaders with local
schools through planned and coordinated tours. But there’s a catch.
“We’re not giving our principals a lot of advanced notice because we don’t want
this to be something that’s staged,” J.D. Sumner, the spokesperson for the Dougherty
County School System, said. “Amazing things are happening every day in our schools
and we want our business community to see it as it is.”
The program is the brainchild of the chamber’s Education Committee, which is
launching two major initiatives this year: GoSEE! and PriorityOne, a volunteer/mentor
program to engage the business community to become mentors for students.
The first GoSEE tour was held Sept. 16 at Monroe Comprehensive High School --
a school where Principal Vinson Davis has overseen a remarkable turnaround.
The group learned that Monroe has managed to turn its school around -- going
from a 47 percent graduation rate just a few years ago to 84.1 percent last year.
After a brief presentation from Davis, the group stepped into Edrian Mallory’s
class where students were designing houses using an AutoCAD drafting software and
creating items using 3-D printers. The group then checked out Katherlene Stewart‘s
class where students were designing and screenprinting shirts for a class on small business
technology.

West Town students are...
Leaping
Lexiles
When Principal Steven
Dudley took over West
Town Elementary School
he understood quickly
that one of
the major
challenges
facing the
school was
literacy.
After
digging
into the
numbers,
he found
that not
only were
students
struggling
to read on grade level, the
quality of their reading,
which is often judged by
their Lexile number, was
substandard.
So Dudley and his
staff started a push to put
the focus back to where
he believed it should be,
on the lexiles. West Town
created the Leaping Lexile
program, which provides
incentives for students to
improve their numbers in
new and meaningful ways.
On Sept. 30, Dudley
enlisted the help of some
of his community partners,
along with Monroe High
School, to show his students
that reading (and its
rewards) can be fun.
Students
were treated
to music by
a local DJ, a
performance
by the Monroe
High School
Drumline and
Cheer squad
as well as the
cheerleaders
from Albany
State University.
But it was
the bikers that got the
students really riled up.
At the end of the
program, members of local
motorcycle clubs rolled
in the gym at West Town
with a roar that lit the
crowd of students up.
“We have to show that
reading is important but
that it’s also fun,” Dudley
said. “We’re challenging
our students and teachers
to know their lexile numbers,
to know where they
should be and make it a
priority to exceed those
levels.”
Click HERE to see video of the rally.

13
CCLPC celebrates Constitution
Week
Gloria Baker, principal of the College and Career
Performance Learning Center recently signed a proclamation
on behalf of her school celebrating and honoring
the 229th anniversary of the creation of the U.S. Constitution.
Sept. 17 marked the anniversary of the drafting of
our nation’s founding document and Baker joined with
other schools around the country in designating that
week Constitution week at her school.
DCSS Update
Former Lincoln student
returns to do praticum
Westover’s exemplary
students given voucher for
photo shoots
On Thursday, September 8, 2016, local photographer,
Yaz Johnson presented four Westover students
with $100.00 Gift Certificates to be used at Yaz Photography
Studio. Mr. Johnson presented certificates for
students in each grade level for being model students
at Westover Comprehensive High School. The students
were Willie Jones III 9th grade, Jonathan Mock 10th
grade, Marlee Smith 11th grade, Destiny Vasquez 12th
grade. The student were nominated by their academic
teachers.
Principal Chunn stated he is very appreciative to Mr.
Johnson for supporting not only Westover students but
all students in the Dougherty County School System.
Mr. Johnson plans to give out these awards on a monthly
basis to deserving DCSS students systemwide. Principal
Chunn also congratulated the Westover students on
being model students.
I , Baze Mitchell, had the blessed opportunity to
return to my roots to do a practicum for my major in
Food Science and Nutrition from Georgia Southern University.
I say my roots because I was assigned to Lincoln
Elementary Magnet School with the Dougherty County
School system, the same school I attended as a child. The
practicum was set up over a 10 day period working a total
of 60 hours. Because of the nature of the practicum, I was
interacting and working with the Nutrition Director and
staff in the cafeteria, most affectionately known as the
lunch room ladies. However, I learned quickly that these
weren’t just ladies. With their fearless leader, Ms. Mingo,
at the helm, they are a well oiled machine that performs
jobs and tasks that not many could accomplish and they
do it every day with a smile on their face and love in their
hearts. I want all the kids out there to know, over the 10
day period, I have had the most delicious meals, so don’t
be afraid and don’t listen to the gossip about school lunches-they
really are good!!!
I want to thank Ms. Mingo, Mr. Blaine Allen, Mr.
Bell and the staff at Lincoln that made this practicum
possible for me to do it in my hometown and surprisingly
at my old alma mater! While the practicum was only ten
days, the work and projects were not as seemingly short.
Thanks again, Mr. Allen and Ms. Mingo! You and your
staff have given me the confidence that I need to now
pursue (since I am officially graduated) looking for a job
in the Food Service/Science industry.

DCSS Update 12
Around the district:
Check out the latest news and
information from our schools
Lake Park selected for Atlanta
Falcons NFL Play 60
Lake Park Elementary
School was one of
35 schools selected to
participate in the Atlanta
Falcons NFL PLAY 60
FitnessGram program.
Participants were
invited to attend the
FITNESSGRAM training
session on September
14 at the Arthur Blank
Family Office in Atlanta.
The training session was
intended to enhance and
“boost” FITNESSGRAM
certification. The session
included an Atlanta
Falcons PLAY 60 portion
as well as FitnessGram
testing portion. Teachers
also had the opportunity
to hear from Atlanta
Falcons executives as well
as health ambassadors for
the state of Georgia.
Special guest speakers
were Georgia Governor
Nathan Deal, Commissioner
of the GA department
of Public Health
and State Health Officer
Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald
and Atlanta Falcons
owner and Chairman
Arthur Blank.
The Atlanta Falcons
and NFL Foundation,
in partnership with The
Lake Park P.E. and Archery
Coach Jeremy McKinley with
Falcons owner Arthur Blank
Cooper Institute, are
providing FitnessGram
to 35 schools in Georgia.
FitnessGram is the
official physical fitness
assessment of Georgia
SHAPE and is the most
widely used youth fitness
assessment, education
and reporting tool in the
world. Based on Healthy
Fitness Zone® standards,
created by the Fitness-
Gram Scientific Advisory
Board, FitnessGram uses
criterion-based standards,
carefully established
for each age and
gender.
Westover Principal William Chunn
Westover Alumni make
donation to school
On Monday, September 12, 2016, the Westover Alumni
Association presented Principal Chunn with a donation
check of $5, 600.00 from Westover’s Alumni Weekend,
August 26 – 28, 2016.
The alumni of Westover Comprehensive High School
participated in numerous activities over the three-day weekend
such as, Meet and Greet at the Bowl A Rama, Red
Carpet Affair at the Flint RiverQuarium, Health Fair and
Screening, Pep Rally and Basketball Clinic with a Slam
Dunk Competition, Tailgating Event all at Westover, Football
Game at Hugh Mills Stadium, Sunday Breakfast and
Church Service At Westover.
All of the events were very well represented by the alumni
as they showed up in huge numbers, with some coming from
as far as California. Principal Chunn was very complimentary
of the Westover Alumni, stating that he was very appreciative
of their return and their financial support to their Alma
Mater. Principal Chunn also stated that in his 17 years at
Westover, Westover Alumni Weekend was absolutely the
most rewarding of this tenure at Westover. Principal Chunn
also wanted to thank the many supporters from the local and
surrounding high schools, as well as Alumni family members
and friends.

DCSS Update 14
M&M Mars donates ‘Sweet’ gifts to Lamar Reese Students
M&M Mars Incorporated of Albany brought out
some “sweet” gifts to the students, faculty & staff at
Lamar Reese Magnet School of the Arts.
As a part of their community improvement initiative,
a team of M&M Mars members personally donated
numerous school supplies to the students. The entire
Lamar school family is truly grateful for these educational
treasures.
Dougherty High students participate
in Leadership training
Dougherty Comprehensive High School Future
Business Leaders of America officers attended the annual
Georgia FBLA Summer Leadership Officer Training
Summit (SLOTS) at Crisp County Middle School in
Cordele.
Students were involved in team building and leadership
workshops. The summit prepares students for leadership
roles as FBLA officers. FBLA is a business organization
which develops competent, aggressive business
leadership in students. It strengthens the confidence of
students in themselves and their work. FBLA officers attending
the annual training were Aeriana Alford, Jazmyn
Anglin, Anthony Swan, La’keya Ealey, Mei’kaja Bass,
and Jason Wright. The students will serve as DCHS
FBLA officers for the 2016-2017 school term. Mrs. D.
Lewis is the FBLA Adviser.
Albany Middle students
qualify for Duke’s TIP program
Six students at “The Middle” qualified for the 7th
Grade Talent Search through the Duke Talent Identification
Program (TIP) based on their scores on the Georgia
Milestones for 2016.
This program seeks to identify academically talented
students and invite them to participate in activities
designed to recognize their potential and develop their
talents at a challenging level.
Students are invited to register for an above-level test
(ACT or SAT) which gives them information about their
strengths and abilities. The students who qualified are Jaquon
Tinch with a 611 in Math, Zion Heard with a 632
in ELA, Sentrevious Often with a 606 in Social Studies,
Tayari Carswell with a 590 in Social Studies, Messiah
Smith with a 590 in Social Studies and Malcolm Thomas
with a 593 in Social Studies. We are very proud of this
recognition of our students!

15
Sherwood Acres holds Pep Rally to promote good behavior
A different kind of pep
rally was held at Sherwood
Acres Elementary school
on Friday, Sept. 23. It
was all part of a behavioral
program the school is
launching.
Some schools in the
Dougherty County School
System began Positive Behavioral
Intervention and
Support last year.
It’s designed to improve
student behavior and
decrease the number of
office referrals. Students at
Sherwood Acres have been
learning about their expectations
since the first day
of school. Administrators
continue to get children
even more excited about
the new program.
“We are looking for
positive things with PBIS.
We have had two weeks
of lessons and now we
just want to see it put
into motion and our kids
get rewarded for positive
behavior,” said Veronica
Reese, Sherwood Acres
PBIS Coach.
Part of the day’s reward
DCSS Update
was the pep rally. PBIS is
now implemented in 17
schools around Dougherty
County.
A ‘Grand’ Week at L.I.F.E. Lab
ISECS students join students in
141 countries for ‘Dot’ Day
L.I.F.E. Lab students in Dougherty County had a
“GRAND” time celebrating Grandparent’s Week during
September 12-16. Grannies, Pops, Meemaws, and
Grandpas visited classrooms where they were challenged
to work with their grandchildren and others to solve
activities such as logic puzzles or domino math.
They also helped make homemade butter and participated
in Order of the Court. The L.I.F.E. Lab Parents’
Association provided refreshments each day under the
direction of Mrs. April Trice and Sherry Reed, Co-Presidents
and Mrs. Underwood, Vice President.
This is an annual event that is always enjoyed by all!!
International Dot Day, a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration,
“The Dot” is the story of a caring teacher who dares a doubting student
to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”.

DCSS Update 16
Mrs. Geraldine West Hudley takes the oath of office to serve as a member of the Dougherty County Board of Education from Probate
Judge Nancy Stephenson while Hudley’s husband looks on.
Hudley sworn in as newest board member
Dougherty County’s
newest board member
took her oath of office
during a ceremony in September,
officially filling a
seat left vacant by retiring
board member Dr. Lane
Price.
Mrs. Geraldine West
Hudley was appointed by
Governor Nathan Deal,
following a recommendation
by the board, to fill
the unexpired term left
when Price retired. Hudley
will fill the vacant seat
until January when she’ll
be sworn in to begin her
first full term as an elected
member of the board.
Hudley was elected to
a four-year term on the
board by voters after Price
announced that she would
not be seeking re-election.
Hudley, a retired
teacher and principal, fills
the at-large seat on the
board. Hudley told the
Albany Herald that she is
excited to take her seat on
the board.
“My hopes and expectations
are that we will
do the best job possible
to ensure that our young
scholars receive the best
possible education and
that people will come
running to Dougherty
County because of that,”
Hudley said. “I will bring
knowledge and compassion
to the board. I bring
clarity and and a desire to
learn as much as possible,
so I may infuse that
somehow, someway into
the work that we will be
doing by developing policy
that will be best for our
young scholars.”

17
DCSS Update
GCAPS Program holds its orientation/swearing in
The newest selectees for
the GCAPS program took
their oaths on Sept. 27, kicking
off the program’s second
year.
Eighteen students from
the Dougherty County
School System and Sherwood
Christian Academy
were selected to participate
in the Georgia Civic Awareness
Program for Students or
GCAPS program this year.
The students will spend
the year learning about
how government operates
through on-site visits,
interviews and summits. The
students will also be able
to work with their peers in
other communities through
events at the Georgia State
Capitol and in Washington,
D.C.
On Tuesday, Sept. 27,
the program kicked off with
a student and parent orientation
followed a “Government
101,” course outlining
Superintendent Dr. David Mosely speaks to students and parents selected to serve in the 2016
class of the Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students or GCAPS
the basics of federal, state
and local governments.
The program is a collaboration
between the Dougherty
County Commission
and the Dougherty County
School System and is fully
funded by both organizations.
GCAPS originated with
the Association of County
Commissioners of Georgia
or ACCG and has grown
to field chapters in counties
across Georgia.
The group of students
will head to Macon for a
Youth Leadership Summit
at Middle Georgia College
on Oct. 6-7 where they’ll interact
with peers from across
Georgia and learn more
about becoming leaders in
their respective communities.
ESSA feedback session set for Oct. 6 at Dougherty High
The state school superintendent
is asking for
feedback on how Georgia’s
educational policy should
change in the wake of a
new federal education law.
Georgia State School
Superintendent Richard
Woods will be in Albany
on October 6 to explain
how the Georgia Department
of Education
is working to adapt its
policies to comply with the
Every Student Succeeds Act
or ESSA.
ESSA
gives more
flexibility to
states in how
they develop
and carry out
educational
policy within
a framework
developed by
the U.S. Department
of Education.
To that end, the state of
Georgia has created a number
of working
committees
that have enlisted
the help
of policy experts,
teachers,
administrators
and parents to
craft educational
policy
for Georgia
students.
Woods and the committee
members are touring
the state getting feedback
from parents, teachers and
community members to
learn what is important
to them as they craft their
educational policy.
The feedback session
will be held at Dougherty
Comprehensive High
School at 6 p.m. on Oct. 6.
You can learn more about
ESSA by clicking here.

DCSS Update
18
ISECS students learn about recycling; pledge to participate
Laverne Levins from KADB spoke with the 3rd grade students about the importance of keeping our environment clean and the programs
that KADB has. The students had set up KADB’s recycling bins at our Fall Festival the previous Friday and collected cans and
water bottles. DCSS Elementary Schools are partnering with KADB for school-wide classroom paper recycling. The program allows
students to put paper used in the classroom into bins that are taken to a special recycling dumpster and diverted from the Dougherty
County Landfill.
MHS football players promote
reading at Alice Coachman
Alice Coachman Elementary has partnered with MonroeHigh
School to promote the love of reading in students. On Friday,
September 23rd, The Monroe High School football players
visited each classroom at Alice Coachman Elementary and read a
book to the students. The students were excited to hear several
of their favorite books read aloud to them and to meet the
players. The schools hope that this venture will help students to
realize the importance of reading at any age.
Randall named ProStart SOTY
Westover’s senior King- La’Keit Randall was named
Georgia’s ProStart Student of The Year for 2016 and will
be honored at a gala in November. King was selected
because of his commitment to maintain a high standard
of excellence, leadership ability, accountability, team work,
responsibility and community service.
King will be receiving his award and will be honored
at the GRACE Awards Gala which will be held at the
Delta Flight Museum on Sunday, November 13, 2016.
King was nominated by Westover’s culinary arts instructor,
Chef Robert Schley. Chef Schley stated he nominated
King because of exemplary culinary skills and his passion
for the foodservice industry.

19 DCSS Update
Meteorologist visits West Town
Westover students receive
Statesman’s Award
WALB Meteorologist Andrew Gorton visited West Town Elementary
1st graders in Ms. Marilyn Banks’, Ms. Linda Brown, and Ms.
Tia Lawson’s classes. Andrew discussed weather maps, important
weather events, and tips on staying safe in changing weather.
Books-A-Million, Live Oak
partner for book drive
Books-A-Million had a book drive for Live Oak during the month
of August. More than 300 books were donated valued at over
$2400.00! We are so grateful to the customers of Books-A-Million
who participated in this book drive to get more books in the
hands of our children!
Three Westover Comprehensive High School
students received Statesman’s Awards at the 2016
annual FCCLA Conference in Atlanta. Georgia
FCCLA Statesman’s Award is available to all Georgia
affiliated FCCLA chapter members. Westover members
receiving awards were, Koytaya Jackson, Sara
Lafayette and Steven Lafayette. The purpose of the
Statesman’s Award is to recognize members for their
knowledge of both National and state FCCLA. This
award is given to competitors scoring 85% or higher
on the exam.
Principal Chunn stated he is very proud of these
students and the Westover FCCLA program. Every
year Westover have outstanding students to receive
these state awards. Mrs. Lorraine Montague is
Westover’s FCCLA sponsor.

DCSS Update 20
Dougherty Drama unit is
all laughs in ‘Ridiculous
Love’
The Dougherty Comprehensive High Drama Department
will be performing its latest play Oct. 13 in the
school auditorium.
“Ridiculous Love” by Kelsey Russo and Kara Maran
follows two unlikely couples who find love in the most
ridiculous ways. Pete and Wendy have been friends
forever. When they are the only ones who show up to
a speed dating event run by an eccentric and intrusive
waitress, will they find love or will it just be incredibly
awkward? When Katherine sees the elusive “hot cat boy”
walking his cat in the park one day, she instantly develops
a crush. Katherine’s friend Gerald has had a crush
on her since the moment they first met. Will Gerald win
Katherine over despite her infatuation with the mysterious
man? Discover all of the ridiculous twists and turns
in “Ridiculous Love.”
The performance is a prelude to the group’s One-Act
Play competition later this year.
Turner mourns loss of student with somber ceremony
The Turner Elementary
School family invited family
members of 9-year-old Tony
Shed to the school on Sept.
23 to celebrate his life after
he was killed while walking
to school.
Tony and three others
were crossing the street at
North Mock Road and
Leonard Avenue just at 7
a..m. on Sept. 16 when they
were struck by a vehicle.
Police say the driver of the
vehicle reported that the
children had darted out in
front of him. Shed died of
his injuries that morning.
His sister was transported to
a hospital out of the area and
underwent several surgeries.
Another child had to be
transported to a hospital out
of the region for surgeries.
At the service, Tony’s
teachers and principal, Dr.
Deborah Jones, remembered
him as a kind and engaging
student, who was a joy to
teach and was always eager
to learn.
Following the somber
ceremony in the gym at
Turner, Tony’s classmates
went outside and, along with
his family, released blue balloons
into the sky in memory
of the student.

DCSS Update 22
Radium students combine literature and healthy eating habits
Ms. McDonald’s third
grade class at Radium
Elementary School enjoyed
a healthy snack presented
by Mrs. Theresa Tomblin,
CNS Manager.
The class was reading
“ Gary the Dreamer”. In
the story there was a little
boy who ate from the fruit
tree in his backyard when
he wanted a snack. The
students discussed with
Mrs. Tomblin how some of
them had fruit trees in their
yard or grandparent’s yard.
Mrs. Tomblin further
discussed with the students
how important it is to
eat fresh fruits daily. She
explained to the students
that they will get 10-20
times more fiber in their
diet from fresh fruits. She
went on further to explain
that children who consume
October DCSS System-wide calendar:
fresh fruits and vegetables
are less likely to acquire
cavities. The students
enjoyed pineapples, cantaloupe,
honey dew, bananas,
apples, and watermelon.
Westover Students Receive
Awards Of Excellence
Two Westover tenth grade students, Lakaiya Campbell
and Richard Ware, attended the State of Georgia at
the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Boston, Mass.,
this summer. They both received an Award of Excellence
for their successful completion of the Congress.

23
DCSS Update
Walmart makes big school
supplies donation to AMS
Albany Middle School was the grateful recipient of
over $600 worth of school supplies from Walmart. This
donation was arranged by the store manager, Melissa
Edwards.
The supplies will be a big boost for the teachers and
students in need. Things like notebooks and paper are
used all year long and do not last if not replaced, so these
supplies will ensure students have proper materials to be
successful.
MHS Students learn about teaching opportunities
Harriet Hollis, the
Work Based Learning/Youth
Apprenticeship Coordinator
for Dougherty County
School System, shared information
with students from
Early Childhood Education
III at Monroe Comprehensive
High School to inform
them of the educational
and job opportunities in
our community. Students
were enlightened by the
new information Ms. Hollis
shared. Early Childhood
Education students are able
to participate in Work Based
Learning by maintaining
exemplary attendance and
behavior records.
Ms. Hollis and Dr.
Johnson work together
to help students achieve
real work experience in
their chosen fields, paid
and unpaid. Work-based
learning refers to a variety
of activities that introduce
young people to working
professionals and help those
young people understand
jobs, careers, and the skills
that are essential in today’s
workforce.
Work-based learning
can occur in a workplace, in
school, or in the community.
Work-based learning
is also divided into three
categories:
Career Awareness - Activities
designed to help students
develop basic awareness
of jobs and careers by
interacting with STEM professionals.
Another focus:
helping students understand
the education and skill
requirements for success in
various fields. Examples of
these activities include career
fairs and classroom visits by
working professionals.
Career Exploration
- These activities provide
students with more in-depth
opportunities to learn about
jobs and careers in specific
fields. Students interact with
working professionals in
the work environment; in
some cases, students actually
get to experience the
rhythms and requirements
of the modern workplace.
Examples of career exploration
activities include job
shadows, informational
interviews, mock interviews,
and company tours.
Career Preparation -
These activities provide students
with opportunities to
gain actual work experience
that support the development
of key job skills. Examples
of career preparation
activities include internships,
apprenticeships, and
paid summer employment.
After meeting with
Ms. Hollis, four seniors
were invited to interview
at a local child care center
for an internship position
working 10-20 hours
weekly. Should students
do well after a month of
internship AND if a job
opportunity is available,
students will be invited to
apply for the paid position,
moving forward in the
world of work.
Dr. Keyla Johnson is
the course instructor under
the supervision of Mr.
Vinson Davis, principal.
Dr. Kendra Huff is the
CTAE Coordinator.

DCSS Update 24
PictureIt!
A photo gallery of happenings
around the district.

25
DCSS Update

Points of Pride:
Here are a few ways the DCSS
is moving the needle to
improve education in Albany.
• GRADUATION RATES: Graduation rates
system-wide are up 21%. The system-wide rate is
77.8%. Over the last four years, Monroe has gone
from 47.4% to 84.1%; Dougherty from 48.8% to
70.9%; Albany High from 54.1% to 79% and Westover
from 65.4% to 92.5 %
• DROP OUTS: High School dropouts are
down to 2% system-wide. It was 2.64% last year.
• DISCIPLINE: Disciplinary referrals are down.
Using the Positive Behavioral Intervention and
Supports Pilot Program, or PBIS, at five schools, the
number of disciplinary referrals has dropped. The
first year the average number of disciplinary referrals
for the five schools was 417.8. Last year that
average was down to 101.4.
• GEORGIA MILESTONES: Most schools saw
improvement across grade levels and subject areas.
Robert Cross Middle Magnet School, one of the
DCSS’ top performing schools, consistently performed
higher than the state and region averages
in nearly every grade-level and subject area. Albany
High School, International Studies Elementary Charter
School, Lake Park Elementary School, Lincoln
Elementary Magnet School, Live Oak Elementary,
Merry Acres Middle School, Sherwood Acres Elementary
School and Westover Comprehensive High
School each scored at or above the state or region
average in various grade-levels and subject areas.
• RETENTION: The number of students retained
throughout the district is down. 5% percent
of students were held back last year compared to
11% in 2015.
• HOPE: The number of students who are eligible
for the HOPE Scholarship increased from 22% to
27%.
• BEST IN AMERICA: Thanks to strong support
from their alumni and the community, Monroe
High School has been named the “Best High School
in America” by the Steve Harvey Neighborhood
Awards.
• MOVE ON WHEN READY: 259 students
took a total of 1276 college classes during the last
school year. That number is up from 180 students in
the 2014-2015 School Year.
• ABSENCES: Absences system wide are
down. Based on our new attendance policy, which
was rolled out last school year, the number of
students with five or more unexecused absences
system wide was at 28% which is down from the
2014-2015 school year’s percentage (38%).
• CHARTER SYSTEM: We have a majority of
our Local School Governance Team positions filled.
Those spots, largely parents and business or community
leaders, will help the principals push innovation
and improvement in our schools.
• TECHNOLOGY: The DCSS is rolling out
phase II of our 1-to-1 technology which includes
comprehensive training for our teachers to build on
best practices for developing learning strategies for
using the devices.
• DISTINGUISHED BOARD: The Dougherty
County Board of Education is working on earning
the “Distinguished Board” designation by the Georgia
School Boards Association. Last year, the board
was named a “Quality Board” by the organization.
• CCRPI: Nine schools showed improvement
over last year in terms of their CCRPI scores. That
includes data from the first use of the Georgia Milestones
Test from 2014-2015. Albany High School
and West Town Elementary had double-digit
improvement.