Scholars Academy

🖼️🖌️🎨🎼TODAY!🎼🎨🖌️🖼️

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Kelly McDougald! 🌟 Introducing Mr. McDougald, our passionate 6th-grade science teacher with 22 years of experience, including the last 10 in the Thomasville City School System. He holds a Bachelor's in Business Management from Georgia Southwestern State University, a Master's Degree from NOVA Southeastern University and a teaching certificate from Valdosta State University. Mr. McDougald has taught in Worth County and Pelham City Schools and is proud to be from Thomasville, where he graduated from TCC in 1995. A dedicated coach, Mr. McDougald has coached middle school baseball for 20 years, serving as head coach for 10 of those years. His wife, Jennifer, teaches 4th grade at Jerger Elementary, and they have three boys—Ben, Kolton, and Brooks. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, woodworking, and traveling. Fun fact: he humorously notes that as we age, gravity seems to pull harder, making us wider and shorter! Since joining the Scholars Academy, Mr. McDougald has had an incredible experience with the students, parents, and staff. We’re fortunate to have him as a part of our team! 🌟📚

Our 6th grade band students are mastering the art of effective airflow and breath support! By applying the right techniques, they managed to keep a ping pong ball spinning just by blowing through their instrument mouthpieces. Science meets music in the best way possible! 🎵🌀

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Brian Burton! 🌟 Meet Mr. Burton, our incredible Latin teacher! With years of experience teaching both German and Latin, he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for the classics. He has lived and taught in Germany and Austria, and loves sharing the rich histories of Rome, Greece, and Italy with his students. Originally from Tennessee, Mr. Burton, his wife, and their daughter Molly enjoy adventures at Disney World, gardening, bike tours, and savoring good food—especially Mexican cuisine! A fan of the German soccer league, he also has two adorable Dachshunds who add joy to his home life. Mr. Burton loves how eager and engaged our students are to learn. We’re so glad to have him on our team! 🌟📚🌟

Attention, Seniors and Parents! Mark your calendars for September 30th as we host our annual FAFSA presentation. This is a crucial opportunity for seniors to get all the information they need to apply for financial aid for college. Event Details: 📅 Date: September 30th 🕕 Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM 📍 Location: THS Cafeteria We are excited to have a guest speaker join us to provide expert guidance on navigating the FAFSA process. This presentation will cover important details about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), tips for completing the form, and answers to any questions you may have. Whether you're planning to attend college, a trade school, or any post-secondary education, understanding the FAFSA is a key step in securing the financial support you need. Don't miss out on this valuable event! See you there!

Ms. Rinehart, Mr. McDougald, and their incredible middle school students from the Scholars Academy took action last week, rolling up their sleeves to clean up the local park! 🌳💪 Their dedication to community service shows the true spirit of leadership and responsibility. Together, they're making a positive impact on both the environment and our community. Proud of these young scholars!

📣 Attention Juniors & Seniors! 🎓 Want to help make Prom 2024 unforgettable? 🌟 We’re looking for creative minds and enthusiastic planners to join the Prom Committee! 🎶 This is your chance to make the big night truly special. 💃🕺 If you're interested come to the meeting September 17th at 3:15 in room F-5. 💖

⭐ Staff Spotlight: Mr. Robinson! ⭐ Mr. Robinson is now in his fourth year of teaching. Born in Texas, he has called Thomasville home for most of his life. He graduated from LaGrange College with a Master's Degree in Teaching. He also had the opportunity to play college baseball for two years at Gordon State College and three years at LaGrange College, even playing for the Savannah Bananas during his time in college! ⚾️ Outside of teaching, Mr. Robinson enjoys fishing, hunting, and golfing. Married to his wife, Keri, for four years, he brings his passion for creating a fun and productive learning environment to our students every day. We’re grateful to have him on our team! Let's show some love for Mr. Robinson in the comments! 🎉👏

Seniors! 📢 Two important college meetings are happening next week! If you're interested in attending UGA or Georgia Tech, make sure you mark your calendars and plan to attend. 🏫✨ 📅 UGA Meeting: Monday, Sept. 9th 🕒 10:00 AM 📍 THS Media Center 📅 Georgia Tech Meeting: Thursday, Sept. 12th 🕒2:00 PM 📍 THS Media Center

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Robert Peterson 🌟 Meet Mr. Robert Peterson, a dedicated educator with 19 years of teaching experience! He holds a BS in Psychology from UGA, a Master's in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix, and a Specialist degree in Brain-Based Teaching and Leadership from NOVA Southeastern. 📚🎓Mr. Peterson is also the Head Boys Soccer Coach, bringing his passion for the game from his own high school and college soccer days. ⚽ He’s taught at Lithia Springs High School, Cairo High School, Colquitt County High School, and now inspires students at Thomasville Scholars Academy. Originally from the Atlanta area, Mr. Peterson is married to his wonderful wife, Jennifer, and is a proud dad to Kinley, Kyley, and Brantley. He loves to travel and embraces the unique atmosphere at Scholars, where education is truly valued by the students. We’re grateful to have Mr. Peterson’s passion and commitment to learning and sportsmanship on our team! Let’s give him a big shoutout! 🙌✨

📣 Attention: Mini Cheer Camp Families Due to inclement weather expected tomorrow night, the Mini Cheer Camp Cheerleaders will NOT perform this week (Sept. 6). Instead, we will perform during PRE-GAME on October 4th. We apologize for any inconvenience, but the safety of our little campers is our top priority. 🛡️✨ If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Louann Pilcher at 📧 pilcherl@tcitys.org. Thank you for your understanding! ❤️💛

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Darrin Minns 🌟 Introducing Mr. Darrin Minns, our amazing 8th grade math teacher at Scholars Academy! With 24 years of teaching experience in Georgia and Florida, Mr. Minns brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to our classrooms. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Statistics from UCF and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from FSU. 🧮🎓Originally from Orlando, Mr. Minns has been happily married to his wonderful wife, Sherri, for 32 years. Together, they have two children and four grandchildren. In a bold adventure, Mr. Minns bought a sailboat with no prior sailing experience! His first-ever sail took him and his wife across the Gulf of Mexico, a 23-hour journey that he calls the most terrifying experience of his life! ⛵️😅 When asked what he loves about teaching at Scholars Academy, his answer is simple: "The kids—they are great!" We’re so grateful to have Mr. Minns and his adventurous spirit on our team! Let’s show him some love in the comments! 💬❤️

📣 Community Impact Alert! 🐾 Our amazing middle school students have shown their love for animals in the best way possible! They have collected around 100 bags of cat and dog food to support our local Humane Society. 🐶🐱 A huge shoutout to our compassionate and dedicated students for making a difference in the lives of our furry friends. Let's keep up the kindness and continue to support our community together! We have extended this commuity outreach project until September 6th if students would still like to participate. Bring all donations to your homeroom teachers to earn 1 hour of community service. Teachers will supply a completed community service form.

📚 Attention, High School Students! 📚 Are you interested in joining the THS Literary Team? 📖✍️ There will be a brief Interest Meeting this Thursday, September 5th, at 3:15 PM in Mrs. Nicolay's Room F-1. Come to the meeting for more information and to see how you can be a part of our amazing team. We look forward to seeing you there! 🌟

🎶 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Adam Swan 🎶 Meet Mr. Adam Swan, our incredible high school band director, currently in his 12th year of teaching! A proud graduate of Jacksonville State University, Mr. Swan brings his passion for music to life both in and out of the classroom. During the summer, he shares his expertise as a member of the brass educational team at Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. When he's not teaching, you can find him on the golf course, fishing, or crushing it at CrossFit. Fun fact: he firmly believes pineapple doesn't belong on pizza! 🍕😉 Mr. Swan loves the unique support system between Scholars Academy families and staff, saying it's like nothing he's experienced before. We are so grateful to have him as part of our SA family! Let's give Mr. Swan a big round of applause for all he does for our students! 👏🎺🎵

🧮 Math in Action! 🧮 Students in Mrs. Sumner's 7th grade math class are exploring arithmetic combinations of negative and positive numbers! Working in collaborative groups, they're exploring new strategies, solving problems, and learning together. We love seeing their enthusiasm and teamwork in action! Great job, future mathematicians! 🙌

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Lucas Kimmel 🌟 We're excited to highlight Mr. Lucas Kimmel, who is in his 7th year of teaching a variety of science classes at Scholars Academy. He is currently teaching 7th Grade Life Science. A proud graduate of Georgia Southwestern University, Mr. Kimmel also shined on the soccer field, playing 4 years of college soccer. He now brings that same passion to the field as the Head Coach for the Girls Varsity Soccer Team. When asked what he loves about teaching at Scholars Academy, Mr. Kimmel shared, "The drive the students have to learn." We're grateful to have such a dedicated and inspiring educator on our team!

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Mandy Russo 🌟 Say hello to Mrs. Mandy Russo, a dedicated educator in her 13th year of teaching at Thomasville City Schools! She currently teaches AP Biology, AP Physics, regular Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology, and she has also taught middle school science. Mrs. Russo is not only a passionate teacher but also a lifelong learner, currently working on her doctorate. She already holds a master's degree in curriculum and instruction and a specialist degree in instructional technology. Beyond the classroom, she’s the school's Odyssey of the Mind coach and has led teams to the world finals for the past four years! 🌍 Originally from near the Canadian border in New York State, Mrs. Russo has brought her love of science and education to our community. Her husband works at THS, and their son is a first-year Honors student at Georgia State University. 📚 In her free time, Mrs. Russo enjoys reading, spending time with her dogs. Fun fact: Mrs. Russo played rugby in college!. She has a deep love for the students, staff, and the incredible support from the administration at Thomasville. We're grateful to have such a passionate and accomplished educator like Mrs. Russo on our team!

✨Substitute Teacher Training Update✨ Thank you to everyone who signed up and came to our substitute training sessions at Thomasville City Schools. We trained over 130 substitute teachers who are ready to work with our students! If you are still interested in substitute teaching, Southwest RESA has a great option to become credentialed. Here are the steps: 1. Apply with our School System - Please complete the following steps: https://yossplatform.com/companylogin/Thomasville After clicking on this link, 1. New candidate of Thomasville City Schools. 2. Register as a new user 3. Input information for your new user account 4. Click My Application 5. Click Submit New Application 6. Select Classified employee 7. Once application is complete, click apply button for the substitute position (JB75) 2. Complete online Training through SWGA Resa https://www.swresa.org/substitute-teacher-training Once your training is complete, you will be sent a certificate from SWGA Resa. Please email this certificate to youngl@tcitys.org. 3. Schedule a Background Check Call or email youngl@tcitys.org and we can set up a time to complete this in our office. You must bring your social security card and driver's license. 4. Approved by the Board of Education Once you have completed steps 1-3, pending background check results, you will be added to our board report. We usually have these at least once a month.

Updated MS info: Students will check in with their homeroom teachers to receive their Community Service Form before turning in their food to the office. Homeroom teachers will keep up with completed forms. Forms can also be found on the SA website in the documents tab through quick links.