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Highlights

Superintendent’s Welcome

Dr. Pace recognized Mrs. Sophe Pope, who was unanimously re-elected as Board Chair last week, and Mr. Makenzie McDaniel, who was unanimously elected as Board Vice Chair.

Dr. Pace also recognized the following events:         

  • MLK Day on Monday, January 19th

  • Schools exiting Federal Improvement TSI status - BES, HES, SES, WLE

  • WCE - among 43 CSI schools making progress

  • January is National Mentoring Month

  • Friday, January 23rd - first graduating class of 2026

  • January is School Board Recognition Month

BOARD MEMBER ITEMS

1. GSBA Annual Conference. Mrs. Sophe Pope
Mrs. Pope shared information on the Georgia School Board Association (GSBA) Annual Conference. It was great to hear about the good work going on around the state of Georgia.

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS

1. Strategic Plan - In Pursuit of Exceptional

a. Strategic Plan – Year 5, Quarter 2 Report, Mrs. Summer Cox, Deputy Superintendent – Staff and Operational Effectiveness
Mrs. Cox provided a report on the Year 5, Quarter 2, community-inspired strategic plan. Progress continues to be made in advancing learning opportunities and experiences for all students with STEM High School developments, social emotional learning resources, and after school programming. The district is already preparing for a successful start to the 2025-2026 school year by prioritizing the recruitment and retention of teachers, leaders, and support staff. In the area of connectivity, the Henry Partners program is actively recruiting volunteers and mentors. Students and employees have more access to wellness information and community resources, and Human Resources is supporting operational effectiveness through the Enterprise Resource Planning platform.

2. Core Business of Student Learning

a. Early Learning Update, Dr. Cleveland “Chip” Johnson, Chief Learning and Performance Officer
Dr. Johnson shared an update on Early Learning programs. The district team is fostering collaboration with over 80 early care providers, providing quarterly newsletters to families, and early learning online resources to providers and families. The early kindergarten summer program is seeing results in preparing students for day 1 of kindergarten. Kindergarten in Henry County Schools includes World Language, STEM, Fine Arts, and Literacy. Kindergarten registration will begin on March 24. Mark your calendars! Georgia Pre-K classrooms are also available at select locations across the district, and the Pre-K application window will be open January 26-February 6, with the lottery drawing occurring March 3. 

b. Preparing for the 2026-2027 School Year, Mr. Antonio Mattox, Chief School Leadership Officer
Mr. Mattox shared an update on preparations for the 2026-2027 school year.

Important Dates for Students
Activity Dates/Times
 Impact Academy Registration Window  January 12 - March 6
 Academy for Advanced Studies Enrollment
 Deadline		  January 30
 School Choice Applications  January 12 - January 30
 Employee Choice Applications  January 12 - January 30
 Pre-K Applications  January 26 - February 6
 Be Ready Day One Website   Available in April
 Open House  Thursday, July 30
 First Day of School  Monday, August 3

 

As a reminder, the 2026-2027 school calendar previously approved by the Board of Education includes fall break moving to October and the addition of several asynchronous learning days for students. You can view the 2026-2027 calendar here: 2026-2027 HCS Calendar

3. Ensuring Operational Effectiveness  

a. December 2025 Construction and E-SPLOST Report, Mr. Barry Miles, Chief Operations Officer
Mr. Miles provided a report on construction progress.

i.  Ola Middle School Addition
Addition is occupied. New road construction continues.
ii. STEM High School
Site work continues at the STEM High School location, with 2nd story deck work, underground electrical, spray fireproofing, and plumbing rough-in continuing. 1st floor exterior and interior CMU, the gym sprinkler line installation, and cafeteria ductwork installation has begun
Dutchtown Middle School Addition
Ceiling acoustical panel installation has begun. Locker and millwork installation are near completion. Classroom floor tile, restroom fixture installation, and sound panels in the Orchestra room have been completed.
iii. Ola High School Addition
Underground plumbing and electrical rough in, exterior CMU installation, and slab preparation continues.
iv. Wolf Creek Elementary School
Clearing and site work continues. Underground stormwater management has begun.  
v.  Surveillance System Upgrade Middle and High Schools
Construction activities continue. 4 school are complete. Head end equipment has been installed in 10 remaining schools. Individual camera installation continues in several schools.  

b. FY27 Budget Priorities, Mrs. Shanika Clay, Chief Financial Officer
Mrs. Clay provided a report on the Board’s budget priorities for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. With a pre-established long-term planning strategy developed by the Board, budget priorities continue to focus on student learning and alignment to the community-inspired Strategic Plan. The board calendar begins in January with a discussion with board members to identify their priorities. 

Based on discussions prior discussions, four priority areas have emerged among board members to prepare for the FY27 budget:

  • Sustain academic, wellness, and safety resources
  • Ensure responsible compensation improvements
  • Continue implementation of Community-Inspired Strategic Plan
  • Manage strategic fund balance utilization per policy DCL

Development of the FY27 Budget will be reliant on limitations identified by the state legislature and will include sharing of the FY27 Budget Outlook at the February board meeting and the FY27 Budget Overview occurring at the March board meeting. The first of two Budget Hearings will occur on April 20th with the tentative adoption of the budget that evening, and the second Budget Hearing will occur on May 11th with the final FY27 budget adoption that evening.

To promote awareness and ensure community transparency in the FY27 budget development process, a website has been established to archive all materials and keep you updated. Visit FY27 Budget Development Updates to follow each month.
 

Business Items

  1. Charter School Petition Recommendations
    The Board of Education approved the Superintendent’s recommendation to deny the charter school petition with a vote of 5 to 0.

  2. Sick Leave Bank Committee - New Member
    The Board of Education approved the addition of a new member to the Sick Leave Bank with a vote of 5 to 0.

  3. ESPLOST VII Resolution
    The Board of Education approved the ESPLOST VII Resolution with a vote of 5 to 0.

  4. Playground Mulch Bid Tabulation
    The Board of Education approved the Playground Mulch Bid Tabulation with a vote of 5 to 0.   

  5. School Burglar Alarm Update
    The Board of Education approved the School Burglar Alarm Upgrade with a vote of 5 to 0. 

  6. Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) System Renewal
    The Board of Education approved the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) System Renewal with a vote of 5 to 0.

  7. Henry County Water Authority General Water Line Easement (Moss Drive)
    The Board of Education approved the Henry County Water Authority General Water Line Easement (Moss Drive) with a vote of 5 to 0. 

  8. South Mt. Carmel Road Property Property Resolution
    The Board of Education approved the South Mt. Carmel Road Property Resolution with a vote of 5 to 0.

Inspiration

Inspiration for the January Board Meeting was provided by Sarah Levy of Hampton Middle School (HMS) singing, “The Greatest Love of All.” Dr. Lydia Williams is the Principal for HMS.

Inspiration - Sarah Levy of Hampton Middle School (HMS) singing


Personnel

Name

New Position

Previous Position
Richard Flowers

Principal
Stockbridge Middle School

Assistant Principal
Stockbridge Middle School


Board Member Comments

District Board Member

Comments

District 1, Dr. Pam Nutt

Dr. Nutt recognized the following:

  • Congratulations to Mr. McDaniel for becoming Vice Chair.

  • Please come on January 21st to Heritage Park and view the Science Fair Exhibits. Good luck to all the students participating!

  • Two of our incredible students from Locust Grove High School took top honors in the recently named All-Region 2-AAAA Football team.
    - Senior quarterback Armond Parker was named Offensive Player of the Year
    - Senior defensive lineman Bryce Robinson was named Defensive Player of the Year, and
    - Garry Fisher was named Coach of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to their first region championship and a 9-2 overall record.

  • Thank you to the LGH Student Athletic Advisory Council, who was presented with cardigans for their hard work.

  • Congratulations to the LGH Girls’ Flag football for winning the Regional Championship and making it to the Elite Eight.

  • Congratulations to LGH for no longer being on the Georgia Promise List.

  • Congrats to LGH wrestling for winning 3rd place in state wrestling.
District 2, Annette Edwards

Mrs. Edwards recognized the following:

  • As we gather for our first board meeting of the year, I wish everyone a Happy New Year. I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to our dedicated educators and students, as well as our families and community members who support our work to ensure we are a high-performing school district.

  •  

    I would like to congratulate Stockbridge High School Junior quarterback Joshua Scott, who took top honors as player of the year on the recently released All-Region 2-AAAA Football Team.

  • Our coaches are doing such a fantastic job, and we are incredibly proud of our athletic department and athletic staff across the district. Thank you for your commitment to our student-athletes and for inspiring them to reach their potential.

 

District 3, Jennifer Carter

Mrs. Carter recognized the following:

  • Welcome each of you back for another semester at Henry County Schools.

  • First, I’d like to recognize our standout players who were named to the recently released 2025 All-Region 2-AAAA Football Team:

  • Congratulations to Woodland senior and quarterback Brayden Rodgers, who was named Honorary Player.

  • Congratulations also to Union Grove sophomore Isaiah Cador, who is one of more than 80 players from the US and Canada selected for the Dream Series later this week in Los Angeles. The annual showcase, hosted by Major League Baseball and USA Baseball, brings together elite minority prospects to prepare them for college and professional baseball.  Isaiah earned his spot as a prospect as an outfielder and infielder. He was also selected for last year’s Dream Series. Isaiah has earned these while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

  • Congratulations to Eagles Landing High Cheerleader Antoinette Montgomery who has committed to Brenau University.

  • We thank our students and staff for their hard work and passion that help to make our community vibrant and inspiring.

District 4, Sophe Pope (Chair)

Mrs. Pope recognized the following:

  • We’ve heard so many examples of the results of the hard work and dedication of our athletes and coaches across the district. As we celebrate their amazing accomplishments,  I am proud to share that Henry County Schools’ Athletic Department will host a free Henry County Student Athlete Mental Health and Performance Seminar on January 21, dedicated to the very important work of ensuring our student-athletes receive the necessary mental health support they need. Thank you to our exceptional athletic team for their foresight and support in implementing this vital initiative for our students.
  •  I am also happy to share that Birch Creek Elementary School’s Junior Beta Club competed in the Georgia Elementary National Beta State Convention in December, winning fourth place in Language Arts and third in the State Beta Scavenger Hunt. Please note that Birch Creek Elementary opened in August 2024. This is their first year participating in the State Convention. Thanks to exceptional school leaders and teachers, I know we can look forward to many more celebrations and illustrations of opportunities and access for students.
  • MLK Day- reflect on his legacy

     
District 5, Makenzie McDaniel (Vice Chair)

Mr. McDaniel recognized the following:

  • Congratulations to DHS Alum, Mr. Will Anderson, for being named to the Pro Bowl this year.

  • Congratulations to Hampton High School Junior Kamarui Dorsey defensive back and wide receiver, who was recently named 2025 All-Region 2-AAAA Football Team Athlete of the Year.

  • Thank you to Mt. Olive Baptist Church and Rev. Dr. Terrence and Elanie Gaddis and the Mt. Olive Church Family for their support of the Henry County School System by raising and donating $7,500 to our McKinney Vento Program.

  • On a personal note, I’d like to take this opportunity to once again thank my colleagues for their vote of confidence in electing me as Vice Chair of the Henry County Board of Education. It is an honor, and also a bittersweet moment, as my appointment came two days after the passing of my grandfather, Mr. Jimmy Barron. I am truly indebted to him and others who mentored me and inspired me to serve my community with passion and distinction.

 

Past Board Meeting Highlights