With the year winding down, you only have 11 more days to steer your state income tax dollars towards Oglethorpe County School System instead of sending it to Atlanta. Watch this short video, as our own board member, Jake Willcox, explains how easy it is easy complete the process for the Peach Education Tax Credit: https://ceonews-video.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/video/video-files/AthensCEO-01-18-24-Wilcox%201.mp4. Remember, in order to be able to take this off your 2024 taxes, you must have applied by December 31st. Also, just a reminder, if you are a business looking for a last minute tax deductible write off, the school is connected to the Athens Area Community Foundation. All donations are tax deductible. Simply click the link below, or visit the Oglethorpe County website and click the donate button in the top right hand corner. https://athensareacf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=4762.

Oglethorpe County is having a surplus sale of items from the Primary School that were not moved to the new school! The auction will be conducted online beginning January 1st, 2025. The items can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/b7ybavp5. Scroll down to see the photos of the items available. Most items are being sold by the classroom. The school will host an opportunity to inspect the items in person on Friday, December 20th from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm and from Saturday, December 21st from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. This will take place at the primary school at 300 Comer Road, Lexington, GA, 30648. Please park in the front of the school, and enter through the front doors. No items will be sold, they can only be viewed. Examples of items in the surplus sale include, desks, chairs, file cabinets, smart boards, white boards, projectors, computers, rugs, storage shelves, buses, trucks, and books. The online auction will run from January 1st through January 7th, with the bidding closing at 10:00 am. Items can be picked up on January 8th, 9th, and 11th between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm. A final walk through of the school will take place on Sunday, January 12th from 2:00 – 5:00 pm. This is open to all as a final goodbye.

A day to be remembered!

On this Giving Tuesday, you have an outstanding opportunity to contribute to the Oglethorpe County School System without it costing you one extra penny! Intrigued??? If you currently pay state taxes – your money goes to Atlanta for disbursement. You now have the choice to give the money to the Oglethorpe County School System, AT NO ADDITIONAL COST! In many circumstances, this will also count as a deduction for a donation on your federal taxes. The Peach Education Tax Credit allows taxpayers to donate and support innovative programs that foster educational excellence for students. Donors receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their state income tax. Individuals and businesses can now allow state income tax dollars to remain local and benefit the Oglethorpe County School System. Please click the link to visit our district website for all the details. This must be done by December 31st. https://tinyurl.com/5c2w9h2b If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. Sincerely, Beverley Levine

Just a reminder that today is the last day to order Legacy T-Shirts! Place orders at the link below or email blevine@oglethorpe.k12.ga.us with questions. https://oglethorpecountyschool2024.itemorder.com/shop/home/.

The Oglethorpe County Board of Education Work Session for Tuesday, November 19th has been cancelled. The Board of Education Meeting will take place on Tuesday, December 3rd.

Our high school has a robust Work-Based Learning Program. On Friday, five of these 97 students shared their experiences with the Oglethorpe Rotary Club.

The excitement of the new school means we have to say goodbye to the current primary school. We are offering a Legacy T-Shirt that acknowledges the dates of the Consolidated School, the Elementary School, and the Primary School. The gray shirt is offered in both long sleeve and short sleeve styles. There is an option (for an additional cost) to have the shirt shipped directly to you, otherwise shirts can be picked up from the central office. Please click this link to place your order, or come by central office if you want to pay by cash or check. Deadline to purchase is December 1. Shirts will be available two weeks later. https://tinyurl.com/ybrhprtz.

A belated congratulations to the October Rotary Students of the Month: OCES: Daniel Utley OCMS: Nicole Aguilar OCHS: Andy Nguyen

Congratulations to our band, majorettes, and color guard on a great performance at Commerce County High School Band Competetion today! They scored straight superior ratings with the following results: majorettes- 1st in class, Overall band - 2nd in class, and Color Guard - 3rd in class. Thank you OCHS band, majorettes, and color guard for all your hard work, for making us proud at the competition today, for your entertaining half time shows, and spirit in the stands! A huge thanks to all the staff who pour into our students and to all the volunteers who help with the band. 🎺🥁🎷❤️💙

Congratulations to the 2024 Sports Hall of Fame Inductees who were inducted last night! Harold Benson - Coach Nicole Bonner-Grant - Track George Gresham - Football Michael Goolsby - Track and Field James Haynie - Track and Field Craig Mathews - Track Nichole Raines - Basketball Latange Wise - Basketball

Thank you to our AMAZING BUS DRIVERS, MONITORS, and TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT for all they do to get our students to and from school safely each day! Please encourage your child to thank their driver but particularly this week during Bus Driver Appreciation Week! 🚌 ❤️

Congratulations to the high school volleyball team on their 3-0 win over Haralson County in the first round of the state playoffs. The team advances to the sweet 16!

Congratulation to Erin Bunch on being named the Oglethorpe County System Teacher of the Year. Mrs Bunch will represent Oglethorpe County for The State Teacher of the Year!

Our amazing Teachers of the Year were recognized at the Board of Education meeting last night. Congrats to Adriane Echols (Primary School, Leanne Carter (Elementary School), Jill Barnes (Middle School), and Erin Bunch (High School) on being selected as the Teacher of the Year at their respective schools.

The high school graduation rate was released today with Oglethorpe having a 95.6% graduation rate! Overall grad rate: 95.6 last year: 95.3 4 year grad rate: 95.51. last year: 95.83 5 year grad rate: 95.86 last year: 94.24 State average - 85.4 A huge congratulations to all our staff who help play a part in this success. From primary level teachers to high school teachers, from our advanced level teachers to our teachers of struggling learners, and everyone in between - WE ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY! Thank you to our bus drivers who get our students to and from school each day, and for many of our students, they are the first adult they see each morning! To our nutrition staff who ensures our students are well fed to be able to learn, and to our maintenance/custodial staff who ensures that our students have a safe, clean, and comfortable learning environment. To our technology department who makes sure teachers and students have optimal learning environments with working technology. To our administrators and support staff who spend countless hours behind the scenes making sure that our teachers and staff have a safe, productive learning environment. To our central office staff who ensures that needs at the schools are taken care of, so others can focus on the priority of teaching and learning, and to our Board of Education who supports all of us and goes above and beyond to make sure Oglethorpe County is the best school system we can have! While our four year graduation rate is impressive, I am particularly proud of the five year graduation rate. These students could have dropped out or could have taken a different path, but they showed grit and returned to complete their course work for this important milestone - their high school graduation! Thank YOU again to the teachers, coaches, and all staff members who helped guide and mentor our students.

Happy National Custodian Day to our amazing crew!

Oglethorpe County Schools will be operating on a regular schedule tomorrow (Monday). All schools have power and water. For those students who still do not have power, we can bus kids to the high school to get hot showers, if they want. Please let us know if there is something that you need. We are here to help!

Oglethorpe County Schools will open the HS gym from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm for those who need a hot shower, warm meal, and/or recharge your phone! We will provide toiletries. If you are able to, please bring a towel. Feel free to spread the word! To our community, if you are able to donate a towel or bottles of water, please drop it off outside the high school gym. We will have a box outside by noon.

Oglethorpe County Schools will be operating on a regular schedule tomorrow, but CLOSED ON FRIDAY! All after-school activities including ASPIRE have been canceled for Thursday. We are following GEMA and Homeland Security’s recommendations. We are continuing to watch and assess the weather closely and will make the best decision for our students and staff, always keeping safety in mind!