Griffin-Spalding County School System -

Happy New Year from GSCS! Remember, staff and students return on Monday, January 5!

Free Meet and Greet and Photos with Santa tomorrow, Saturday, December 20, at Claxton-Hobbs Pharmacy! Donations are appreciated and all proceeds benefit Partners In Education.

GSCS families and community: Thomaston Milk Company would like to bless Spalding County families with free milk before the holidays. They will be in the Orrs Elementary parking lot, 1553 Flynn Street, on Monday, December 22, 2025, from 10 AM – 12 PM, while supplies last, distributing ½ pints of regular and chocolate milk. This distribution is a donation on behalf of Thomaston Milk Company. We appreciate their support of our community.

GSCS Interim Superintendent Dr. Donald Warren and Executive Director of Communications & Partnerships Adam Pugh represented GSCS at the Atlanta Falcons Community Honors Show event earlier this week. GSCS, along with five other Metro Atlanta school districts, received grant funding from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation (AMBFF), in partnership with Atlanta United, the Atlanta Falcons and PGA TOUR Superstore, totaling $6.3 million over three years to increase access to sports at the middle and high school level. GSCS received $425,000 over a three-year period to expand middle school athletic programs, adding soccer for boys and girls and girls' flag football. GSCS Athletic Director Bill Stikes led the effort to apply for this grant.

“The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and AMB Sports and Entertainment recognize and prioritize the importance of providing kids the opportunity to participate in sports,” said AMB Sports and Entertainment CEO and AMBFF Associate Board Member Rich McKay. “We are proud to partner with these six school districts to remove barriers of entry to sports and enhance the sports experience for their students. We anticipate this funding will impact more than 7,500 athletes at the middle and high school level across Metro Atlanta.”

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is a philanthropy founded to help transform lives and communities by uniting people across differences to find common cause. Started in 1995 by Arthur M. Blank, co-founder of The Home Depot, the foundation has granted more than $1.5 billion to charitable causes. Collective giving areas include Atlanta’s Westside, Democracy, Environment, Mental Health and Well-Being, and Youth Development. Across these areas, we take on tough challenges by uniting the courage and compassion of our communities so we can all thrive together. The foundation oversees a large portfolio of grants including support of essential Atlanta nonprofit institutions, such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Shepherd Center, and enduring founder-led initiatives, such as veterans and the military and stuttering, among others. For more, visit www.blankfoundation.org. 

On Monday, December 15, GSCS K-5 English Language Arts CoordinatorTanya Potter facilitated a Literacy Workshop for GSCS Parent University. Families were able to engage in meaningful conversations about building strong reading skills at home and explore practical strategies to help their children grow as confident readers. Parents left the workshop with new strategies, resources, and the confidence to support their children’s literacy at home. If you want additional information on upcoming workshops, please contact GSCS Family and Community Engagement Specialist Dr. LaJuana Love, District @ lajuana.love@gscs.org

Please complete the ThoughtExchange at the link below to provide input for the questions that will be asked of the superintendent finalists at the town hall meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 6 p.m in the Griffin Auditorium. The town hall event will also be live-streamed. Thought Exchange Link: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/474844673/welcome

Today, all GSCS School Principal Secretaries were celebrated at a Jingle & Mingle Heart of the School Christmas Luncheon. They were all recognized for their dedication, hard work and joy that they bring to their schools. Thank you, school principal secretaries! Happy Holidays!

Monday morning could see a low temperature of 20 degrees. With windchill, it could feel as cold as 13 degrees. Please dress children warmly with layers to block the wind. Students at bus stops and walking to school need to use caution. Transportation staff will arrive early to start and warm buses, but delays are possible. Our transportation team will use text and e-mail alerts to communicate any delays if a bus has trouble starting.

The GSCS Country Music Christmas Video Challenge winners were announced at this morning's SMARTER meeting. Congratulations to the School 1st Place Winner, Atkinson Elementary and Department 1st Place Winner, Instructional Technology! Kudos also go to GRCCA for 2nd Place and Most Creative and Moore Elementary for Best Song!

The Literacy Specialist plays a critical role in supporting students who struggle with foundational literacy skills. Using a deep knowledge of the science of reading, this position provides targeted, evidence-based literacy instruction and interventions. The specialist collaborates closely with classroom teachers, families, and school leadership to ensure that instruction is aligned, data-driven, and responsive to individual student needs. This position is ideal for an educator who is passionate about literacy, skilled in assessment and instruction, and committed to ensuring that all students become confident, proficient readers. Read more and apply at: https://www.applitrack.com/griffin/onlineapp/default.aspx?all=1

On Dec. 11, GSCS families can log in to learn about resources to help improve their child's English language development. Join the meeting at either 11 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. at this link: meet.google.com/trc-cbdu-tur or by scanning the QR code.

GSCS held its 5th Annual GSCS Holiday Art Contest, for high school students this year, sponsored by United Bank. First, second and third-place winners received cash prizes. The first-place winners' artwork is featured on the district's Christmas card. Special thanks to United Bank for sponsoring this year's contest! Congratulations to this year's winners:
1st Place – Maria Belen Valero Pena, Spalding High School
2nd Place – Raychul Wilson, Spalding High School
3rd Place – Aubrey King, Griffin High School

Here are the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education's 2026 Legislative Priorities.

GSCS Department of Exceptional Students is hosting a GVRA & DBHDD Parent Drop-In Day on Dec. 12 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Parent Services Center. Scan the QR code to register.

All GSCS schools & offices will be closed Dec. 22, 2025 - Jan. 2, 2026, for holiday break. GSCS staff & students return on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

Register to attend the next GSCS Parent University and learn how to navigate your students' screen time. Scan the QR code to register!

On Dec. 11, GSCS families can log in to learn about resources to help improve their child's English language development.

GSCS December Parent University. Scan the QR code to register.

GSCS will host a job fair on December 16, 2025, at the Flint River Regional Library. Scan the QR code to register!

GSCS Department of Exceptional Students is hosting a Parent Expo on December 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the Griffin Region College & Career Academy.