Dooly County School System

🍪 Cookies in the Car Line! 🚗

November is Family Engagement Month, and this week we celebrated the way we know best: by saying thank you to our families! If you drove through our car line at the K-8 Academy or the high school, you may have caught us handing out cookies along with a QR code full of helpful family resources.

We’re also proud to share State School Superintendent Richard Woods’ annual letter celebrating Family Engagement Month and the power of a strong school-home partnership. When families and schools work together, our students thrive, and that’s exactly what we strive for here in Dooly County.

Our families are our most important partners, and we’re grateful for everything you do to support our students every day. If you missed us in the car line, don’t worry. The resources are still available, and we’re always here to help.

Thank you for being part of the Dooly family! 💙

#DoolyUnited #FamilyEngagementMonth #CookiesInTheCarLine #DoolyCountySchools

BOARD WORK SESSION NOTICE
The Dooly County Board of Education will have a board work session on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in room 101 of the Central Office located at 202 E. Cotton, Street, Vienna, GA 31092.

REGULAR BOARD MEETING NOTICE
The Dooly County Board of Education will have a regular board meeting on Thursday, November 19, at 6:00 p.m. in room 101 of the Central Office located at 202 E. Cotton, Street, Vienna, GA 31092.

The public may view the meeting via Facebook Live from the Dooly County School System Facebook page.

🌟 Happy World Kindness Day! 🌟

Today, we celebrate the power of kindness in our Dooly County Schools community! From our students lending a helping hand to their classmates, to our teachers going the extra mile, to our staff brightening someone’s day with a smile – every act of kindness matters.

Let’s continue to show compassion, respect, and understanding toward one another. Challenge yourself today to perform a random act of kindness – hold a door open, share a compliment, or simply listen to someone who needs it.

Together, we’re building a culture where kindness is the norm, not the exception. 💙

#WorldKindnessDay #DoolyCountySchools #KindnessMatters #BeKind #DoolyStrong

🚨🎡 TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY! 🎡🚨 🎉💼 CAREER CARNIVAL 2026! 💼🎉 🎯 BIG DREAMS. BRIGHT FUTURES. ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES! 🌟🐾 #DoolyCountyK8Academy #CareerCarnival2026 #FutureReady #BobcatPride https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZYf3Mpxz-x4?feature=shared

🎓💚💛 A $40,000 INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE! 🎓 Dooly County Middle School proudly hosted its REACH Georgia Scholar Signing Ceremony, celebrating four outstanding scholars and their families as they took an exciting step toward a brighter future! 🎉👏 💰 A total of $40,000 in college scholarships was awarded! 🌟 Congratulations to Our REACH Scholars: * Ester Bautista-Lucas * Landen Holton * Brittney Argueta-Ceren * Sa’Niyah Daniels Today was more than a signing ceremony—it was a celebration of hard work, academic excellence, family support, and endless possibilities! We extend a special THANK YOU to the parents, families, and loved ones who continue to encourage, support, and inspire our scholars. Your dedication plays an essential role in their success! 💚💛 Building a Foundation of Excellence • Making an Impact • Leaving a Legacy! #DoolyCountyMiddleSchool #REACHGeorgia #ScholarSigningDay #40000InScholarships #FamilySupport #StudentSuccess #FutureLeaders

DCSS Family Literacy Survey: Birth to Grade 12

Dear Families,

Dooly County School System is strengthening our Birth to Grade 12 literacy plan, and we want your input. This survey takes about 5 minutes. Please complete one survey per family. You will only answer questions for the age groups of your children.

Responses are anonymous unless you choose to share contact information.

Thank you for partnering with us!

Please click on the link below for the survey or copy and paste the link in a new tab.

https://forms.gle/BCC68Dqr3TC2B6s97

Today, Dooly County Schools proudly honors the veterans who have served our nation with courage and selflessness. Many of those heroes are our own neighbors, family members, and staff, and their service reminds our students what it means to put others first. To every veteran in our community and beyond: thank you. We are grateful for you today and every day. 🇺🇸

#VeteransDay #DoolyUnited #DoolyCountySchools

🎪🐾 Attention, Bobcat Parents! Looking for a new career opportunity? Dooly County K-8 Academy’s Career Carnival will offer on-site interviews with these employers: 🔹 Blue Bird Corporation 🔹 Chick-fil-A — Cordele 🔹 Georgia Department of Corrections 🚨 Spaces are limited to the first 20 parents who sign up through the registration form! Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with employers, explore career options, and take the next step toward your future! 📝 Sign up here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=_2z2glaSR0Gh9EWzHPXcClG34bCMnmJNnTVSF6ky60NUNUM4QzY2RUFZWTg5TFZUUFhZVVBWRFJZNi4u&route=shorturl #DoolyCountyK8 #CareerCarnival #BobcatPride #CareerOpportunities

❤️💛 Our Executive Team took time to recognize and celebrate our superintendent, Dr. Sherrod Willaford. Thank you for all you do for the faculty, staff, and students of Dooly County Schools. Your leadership, encouragement, and belief in what we can accomplish inspire us to keep growing and giving our best. Thank you for challenging us to “Rise Up” and be the best we can be for our students! We appreciate you! 🐾 #DoolyCountySchools #RiseUp #SuperintendentAppreciation #TheDoolyWay

💙 It’s School Psychology Week! 💙

This year’s theme reminds us of the power of inspiring connection, and our school psychologists live that out every day across Dooly County Schools. They build bridges between students, families, teachers, and resources so that every child feels seen, supported, and connected to their school community.

Our school psychologists are problem solvers, advocates, and champions for every child’s well-being and academic growth. Whether they’re conducting evaluations, guiding interventions, partnering with teachers, or linking families to the support they need, they help create a learning environment where ALL students can grow and succeed.

To our school psychology team: thank you for your compassion, your expertise, and the connections you inspire throughout our Bobcat family! 💛🐾

#SchoolPsychologyWeek #InspiringConnection #DoolyCountySchools #DoolyUnited #StudentSuccess #MentalHealthMatters #BobcatPride

🎓 Dooly Legacy Initiative - Week 31 🎓

They walked our halls as students. Now they’re shaping the future for the next generation.

This week’s Dooly Legacy is Ms. Jamia Bennett, 3rd grade teacher at Dooly County K8 Academy!

Ms. Bennett is a proud Dooly County graduate who came back home to guide our students through one of the most important years of their elementary journey. In her 3rd grade classroom, she is helping young learners grow from students who are learning to read into students who read to learn, strengthening their confidence in writing, and critical thinking along the way.

She knows what it feels like to be a Bobcat in these very halls, and she brings that connection into her classroom every day. Ms. Bennett shows her students that they belong here, that their hard work matters, and that the community that raised them believes in all they can become.

Thank you, Ms. Bennett, for investing in our 3rd graders and choosing to bring your gifts back home! 💛

#DoolyLegacy #HomegrownLeaders #DoolyUnited

Our teachers attended the 2026 GA TESOL Annual Conference in Athens, Georgia, on October 29–30. This year’s theme was “Sparking Hope, Igniting Potential.” ✨ Thank you to Ms. Mary Riddle, Ms. Cristi Trejo, Mr. Nathan Nadeau, Ms. Moneka Braswell, Mr. William Tagoumchie, and Mr. Marshall Thomas for representing Dooly County Schools and continuing to grow their practice in support of our students! ❤️💛🐾 #DoolyUnited  #ProfessionalLearning #SparkingHopeIgnitingPotential

Dooly County Schools Superintendent Selected for Prestigious Statewide Leadership Program

Congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Sherrod D. Willaford!

Dooly County Schools proudly announces that Superintendent Dr. Sherrod D. Willaford has been selected to participate in Cohort 5 of the Georgia School Superintendents Association's (GSSA) Senior Executive Leadership Program (SELP)!

Dr. Willaford joins 21 fellow superintendents from across Georgia in this prestigious, yearlong professional learning experience designed to strengthen executive leadership, collaboration, and advocacy for public education.

The cohort recently began its work with a session on The 4 Essential Roles of Leadership®, focusing on strategic leadership, navigating complex challenges, turning vision into action, and empowering others to achieve at high levels.
Throughout the program, participants will explore organizational leadership, values-driven cultures, legislative advocacy, building trust, and effective school board governance.

Dr. Willaford's selection reflects his continued commitment to professional growth, educational excellence, and leadership that positively impacts students, staff, and communities.

👏 Congratulations, Dr. Willaford, on this well-deserved recognition and opportunity to represent Dooly County Schools among educational leaders across Georgia!

Together, we continue Moving Forward the Dooly Way! ❤️💛

#MovingForwardtheDoolyWay #DoolyCountySchools #LeadershipMatters #GSSA

#SELP #PublicEducation

🎉 November is Family Engagement Month! 🍂

At Dooly County K-8 Academy, we know that families are our students' first and most important teachers. This November, we're celebrating the power of family by inviting you to spend a little extra time connecting, learning, and laughing together.

📅 Check out our Family Engagement Month Calendar, packed with simple, fun ideas for every day of the month, from reading together and playing games to cooking, crafting, exploring outdoors, and sharing family stories. Most activities take just a few minutes and need no special supplies, because the best moments don't have to be complicated!

Pick one activity a day, choose your favorites, or try them all. However you use it, every moment you spend with your child helps them grow and shows them how much they matter. 💙

👉 https://canva.link/wd2smswvyvkr9jo

We'd love to see how your family celebrates! Share your photos in the comments or tag us in your posts. 📸

#FamilyEngagementMonth #DoolyUnited #FamiliesMatter #LearningTogether #DoolyCountySchools

📚 November is National Family Literacy Month! Let’s make time to read, talk, sing, play, and connect with our children every day. Just 15 minutes of reading together can help build a strong foundation for learning. ❤️💛 Dooly County reads together—today and every day! #NationalFamilyLiteracyMonth #DoolyCountyReads #BuildingAFoundationOfExcellence

🎓 Dooly Legacy Initiative - Week 30 🎓

They walked our halls as students. Now they’re shaping the future for the next generation.

This week’s Dooly Legacy is Mrs. Sharekia Y. McWilliams, elementary teacher at Dooly County K8 Academy!

Mrs. McWilliams is a proud Dooly County graduate who came back home and has dedicated herself to serving students across multiple grade levels — bringing her heart wherever she is needed. Now anchored in 3rd grade, she is working with students at a pivotal moment in their academic journey, building the reading, critical thinking, and foundational skills that will carry them through the rest of their education.

She understands the full arc of elementary learning, which means she knows not just where her students are, but where they are headed!

Thank you, Mrs. McWilliams, for your dedication, and for choosing to bring it all back home to Dooly County! 💛

#DoolyLegacy #HomegrownLeaders #DoolyUnited

🤖 Robots, Problem-Solving & Teamwork! 🤖 This morning, members of our First LEGO League team traveled to Warner Robins for a scrimmage competition! Our students put their robot to the test, made adjustments on the spot, and picked up new ideas from other teams along the way. Scrimmages like this are all about learning, and our team showed real perseverance, creativity, and sportsmanship as they worked through each challenge. A big thank you to our partners at Starbase for supporting our students as they grow as engineers and innovators. We can't wait to see what this team builds next! 💡🔧 #DoolyUnited #FirstLEGOLeague #STEM #DoolyCountyK8

🍎📚 Today, something amazing happened! Celebrating Excellence in Literacy! 📚🍎 Congratulations to Dooly County’s very own Ms. Kamilya Henderson, who has been named Chattahoochee-Flint RESA’s 2026 Literacy Teacher of the Year! ❤️💛 Initiated by the Georgia Council on Literacy, this recognition celebrates outstanding literacy instruction and student growth. K–3 teachers participated in a rigorous application process highlighting measurable growth through literacy screener data, effective use of data to guide instruction, and a commitment to improving student literacy outcomes. Ms. Henderson exemplifies these qualities through her dedication to high-quality, research-based instruction grounded in the Science of Reading. She intentionally uses student data to meet individual learning needs and believes in every child’s potential. Her students are learning to become stronger readers while gaining confidence in themselves and all they can accomplish! During a special surprise celebration, Ms. Henderson was presented with a $1,500 award and an assortment of gifts recognizing her dedication to literacy and student success. The recognition also includes $500 for classroom supplies. She also received gifts Amplify learning, Curriculum Associates, Amira, and others. She was celebrated at a small, intimate reception with special guests, including her family. Among her gifts was the book Because I Had a Teacher, a beautiful reminder that a teacher’s influence reaches far beyond the classroom. We hope her students will one day look back and proudly say, “Because I had a teacher, I believed I could.” And the celebration continues! Ms. Henderson will advance to the state competition for Georgia’s Literacy Teacher of the Year, representing Chattahoochee-Flint RESA. The statewide winner will receive an all-expense-paid opportunity to attend an approved literacy-focused instructional conference. Ms. Henderson, thank you for the heart, purpose, and passion you bring to your classroom each day. You are making a lasting impact, one reader at a time. Your Dooly K–8 family and Chattahoochee-Flint RESA family are cheering you on every step of the way! 🎉 #DoolyUnited #DoolyK8 #LiteracyTeacherOfTheYear #ChattahoocheeFlintRESA #LiteracyMatters #ScienceOfReading #EveryChildEveryReader #TeacherExcellence #GeorgiaCouncilOnReading #ChattahoocheeFlintResa

🚌💛 We could not let National School Bus Safety Week pass without recognizing the incredible people who get our students where they need to be every single day!

To our Dooly County Schools bus drivers, monitors, and transportation staff: thank you. Long before the first bell rings and long after the last one, you are on the road, keeping our students safe, greeting them with a smile, and making sure they arrive ready to learn. Your care, patience, and dedication do not go unnoticed.

This week is also a great reminder for all of us to do our part:
✅ Students, stay seated, listen to your driver, and wait for the signal before crossing.
✅ Families, help your child arrive at the bus stop on time and talk with them about bus safety.
✅ Drivers, STOP when the red lights flash and the stop arm is out. It’s the law, and it protects our kids.

Safety is a shared responsibility, and we’re grateful to the team that carries it with us every day. Please join us in thanking a Dooly County bus driver this week! 🙌

#DoolyUnited #SchoolBusSafetyWeek #DoolyCountySchools