The Board was provided information on additional analyses being conducted that support the budget development process. The finance team shared information on state-driven mandates and factors that will influence the system budget and information on local priorities informing the budget development.

State mandated budget drivers resulting from the Governor's budget include mandatory employer costs for heath insurance which are projected to cost the system $350,000+ and required increases to the employee contributions to Teacher's Retirement System which are projected to cost the system $218,000 more in FY27. The monthly Employer State Health Benefit costs continue to increase going from $1,885 in FY26 to $2,028 in FY27, which represents a monthly increase of $143 per employee.  So, for FY27, Tift County Schools will pay $24,336 per employee for the employer side of health insurance.

We are closely watching the state legislature as several bills making movement will require system expenditures in FY27.

Finally, the Board received additional information on the Governor's one-time salary supplement for the employee's selected by the Governor. To fulfill the supplement for the funded employees, it will cost the system roughly $80,000 to pay the social security portion of the bonus. To extend the $2,000 supplement to every full time Tift County School's employee and a $1,000 supplement to every part-time Tift County School's employee, it will cost the system nearly 1 million dollars. 

It is expected, the Board of Education will determine which employees to receive the bonus above and beyond those covered within the Governor's budget and amend the FY26 budget accordingly at the April board meeting. Employees should expect to receive the funds after the Board amends the budget.

This year's Summer Learning Program will include options for both remediation and enrichment, allowing students to strengthen skills while also exploring opportunities for academic exploration and growth.

Additionally, transition programs will be offered for rising Pre-K and rising Kindergarten students to help prepare them for a successful start to the school year. At the elementary and middle school levels, students will have opportunities for both remediation and acceleration to help reinforce key concepts and continue building academic momentum.

For high school students, the program will include opportunities for grade repair, credit recovery, initial credit, and summer acceleration, helping students stay on track toward graduation while also allowing them to move ahead in their coursework.

Tift County Schools will once again offer its Migrant Summer School Program for students in Pre-K through 12th grade, continuing the district’s commitment to supporting all learners.

The Board of Education voted to maintain the current school start and end times for the 2026–2027 school year.  Further, district staff shared the 2026-2027 instructional minutes guidance that serves to inform each principal's master schedule development.

Within the district's adopted school start and end times, building principals will work with their scheduling teams to develop each school’s master schedule. As part of this process, Principals have the liberty of incorporating an additional 15 minutes of recess for elementary school students into next year's schedule, moving from 15 minutes of recess to 30 minutes daily.

Principals have also been encouraged to schedule recess opposite of specials when possible. This approach allows students to have both a morning and afternoon break during the school day, supporting balance and opportunities for movement throughout the day.

Mrs. Joanna Hand, Director of Elementary Education, provided the an update on strategic plan work occurring this year specifically on the district’s Birth–5 Initiative, an effort designed to equip families with the tools and resources needed to support early childhood development and school readiness.

The initiative focuses on helping families foster early literacy and learning from birth through age five. Planned opportunities include parent education workshops, family-focused resources for children ages birth to four, and “Play to Learn” experiences targeting families with children under the age of four that encourage early development and readiness for school.

To support this work, the district has secured funding through a grant from the PILOT – Miles of Good Foundation as well as an Early Literacy Alignment mini grant. These resources will help expand programming and provide additional support materials for families.

Throughout the summer, Tift County Schools will continue distributing books with summer feeding bags and will add to that initiative this summer by including the distribution of academic activity calendars for families with children ages birth to five.  This will be in addition the books and activities distributed to students in kindergarten through fifth grade, which was initiated in the Summer of 2025. In addition, media specialists are creating read-aloud videos that will be shared on social media during the summer months, and new Birth–5 resources are being added to the Tift County Schools website.

District leaders emphasized that literacy development begins long before children enter school. By providing families with meaningful tools and opportunities for engagement, the Birth–5 Initiative aims to support early growth and ensure that children enter school ready to learn.

On March 3, 2026, Tift County Schools held an official groundbreaking ceremony for the new Tift County Multi-Purpose Pavilion located on the campus of Tift County High School.

Once completed, the pavilion will provide a versatile space for athletic practices, events, and drills, while also supporting academic teams and student activities. The facility is designed to serve both students and the broader community by offering a flexible area that can be used for a variety of school programs and events.

Projects like this continue to strengthen the opportunities available to Tift County students while fostering a sense of pride across the community. Construction is currently underway and is slated to be completed in early fall.

Pictured (left to right): Jonathan Jones, Chairman of the Tift County Board of Education; Jennifer Johnson, TCHS Principal; Brett McLemore; Thomas He; Dr. Melissa Busbin; Danielle White, Principal of Northside Elementary; and Natalie Gore, Superintendent of Tift County Schools.

Tift County High School student Thomas He was recently presented with a Beyond the T Award from Northside Elementary School in recognition of his work mentoring students through a technology and STEM initiative.

The program is part of an initiative led by Dr. Melissa Busbin through the TCHS CTAE Computer Science and Information Technology Pathways. As part of his high school course schedule, Thomas travels to Northside Elementary to work directly with younger students during scheduled classroom visits. Teachers sign up for sessions where Thomas helps guide hands-on technology and STEM activities.

Equipment used in the lessons was made possible through grant funding, allowing students to engage with high-quality resources while gaining meaningful learning experiences.

Through this mentoring role, Thomas is developing leadership skills while supporting younger students and helping connect learning across grade levels.

The Beyond the T Award recognizes individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the success of our students, staff and community.

Do you know someone who deserves recognition for going 'Beyond the T'?

Click here to submit a nomination.

Tift County Schools is proud to recognize Thomas He as the 2026 STAR Student and Brett McLemore as the 2026 STAR Teacher.

The STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) program honors high school seniors who have the highest SAT scores and are in the top 10 percent of their class. Thomas earned this distinction with an outstanding SAT score of 1490.

As part of the program, STAR Students select the teacher who has made the greatest impact on their academic journey. Thomas chose Brett McLemore as his STAR Teacher in recognition of the influence and support he has provided throughout Thomas’s high school experience.

Tift County Schools congratulates both Thomas and Mr. McLemore on this well-deserved recognition and for representing Tift County High School with excellence.

Pictured left to right: Jonathan Jones, Chairman of the Tift County Board of Education; Jennifer Johnson, Tift County High School Principal; Brett McLemore, STAR Teacher; Thomas He, STAR Student; and Natalie Gore, Superintendent.

Mrs. Myra Smith’s Pre-K class at Len Lastinger Elementary was recognized for winning the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) “What is Your Amazing Story?” Contest.

As part of the celebration for their winning entry, the class was recently visited by Malcolm Mitchell, former University of Georgia and NFL player and literacy advocate, and Coy Bowles, children’s author and member of the Zac Brown Band, along with Amy Jacobs, Commissioner of DECAL. The visit highlighted the students’ creativity and the importance of storytelling and early literacy.

During the recognition, the students also presented members of the Board of Education with a special sign created by the Pre-K students at Len Lastinger Elementary in honor of School Board Member Appreciation Week.

Watch a video of their winning story below.

Several Tift County High School wrestlers were recently recognized for their outstanding performances during the 2026 wrestling season and at the GHSA State Championships.

Senior Javon Bateman finished the season with a 31–5 record and earned a 4th place finish at the GHSA 6A State Tournament at 165 lbs after qualifying as the Region 1 (AAAAAA) Champion. A four-year varsity letterman, Bateman concludes his career at TCHS with an impressive 133–37 record. His success at the state level spans multiple seasons, including a 4th place finish at 157 lbs as a junior and a 3rd place finish at 150 lbs as a sophomore.

Sophomore Kaloeb Ritter compiled a 40–16 record this season and qualified for the GHSA 6A State Tournament at 120 lbs, where he earned a 6th place finish. Ritter, a two-year varsity letterman, now holds a career record of 54–22 for the Blue Devils.

Freshman Kellan Lukas made an immediate impact in his first high school season, finishing with a 56–11 record, setting a new TCHS freshman single-season record. Lukas qualified for the GHSA 6A State Tournament at 126 lbs and earned a 4th place finish. He also captured the 2026 Georgia Freshman State Championship at 132 lbs, further highlighting an outstanding debut season.

On the girls’ side, freshman Ri Clements also had a strong first year, finishing with a 36–7 record, setting the girls freshman single-season record at TCHS. Clements qualified for the GHSA State Tournament at 135 lbs, where she placed 6th overall, and previously earned a 3rd place finish at the Girls Area 1 tournament.

These accomplishments reflect the dedication and hard work of TCHS wrestling student-athletes and highlight a strong future for the Blue Devils wrestling program.

Members of the Tift County High School Lady Devils Swim Team were recently recognized for their outstanding performances at the GHSA State Swim Meet. Several swimmers earned top finishes at the state level, either individually or as part of relay teams, including the setting of new school records.

The 200 Yard Medley Relay team of Abby Lupo, Chloe Brown, Jovia Burke, and Mary Frances Dove placed 7th in the state with a time of 1:51.36, setting a new TCHS school record in the event.

Individually, Abby Lupo earned an 8th place finish in the 100 Yard Butterfly with a time of 58.34, also setting a new school record. She also placed 10th in the 100 Yard Backstroke with a time of 1:00.97.

Mary Frances Dove competed in two individual events, finishing 13th in the 50 Yard Freestyle with a time of 24.85 and 15th in the 100 Yard Freestyle with a time of 55.60.

The 400 Yard Freestyle Relay team of Mary Frances Dove, Abby Lupo, Lauren Maag, and Jovia Burke also delivered a strong performance, placing 10th in the state with a time of 3:48.38.

Pictured above (L–R): Jonathan Jones, Chairman of the Tift County Board of Education; Coach Kristin McElroy; Abby Lupo; Jovia Burke; Mary Frances Dove; Lauren Maag; and Superintendent Natalie Gore. Not pictured: Chloe Brown.