Tift County Schools Newsletter

Tift County Schools Celebrates CCRPI Performance

The Georgia Department of Education’s 2024 College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) scores show significant improvements across the Tift County School District’s elementary, middle, and high-school grade levels.

In 2024, scores improved for every grade level (ES, MS, HS) in Content Mastery and Progress. Tift County Middle Schools realized gains in all four of the reporting categories from 2023 to 2024.

Scores for each component are included below. Growth compared to 2023 is denoted in green.

Superintendent Natalie Gore offers “congratulations to our students and staff for the dedication to ensuring student success, which is visible in the areas of growth. Tift’s teachers, support staff, and school and district leaders worked tirelessly to achieve these results. We are committed to collaborating and consistently learning as professionals to ensure every student has the resources and opportunities needed to achieve success.”

Exceptional Gains

Content Mastery

All three grade bands improved in the areas of Content Mastery and Progress from 2023 to 2024. Specifically, elementary schools in Tift increased Content Mastery Performance from 59.1 to 62.4, a gain of 3.3 points over the previous year. Tift’s gain of 3.3 points outpaces the state’s growth of 3.1 points from 2023 to 2024.

Similarly, Tift County Secondary Schools performance in the area of content mastery is on the rise. Middle schools in Tift earned a 55.1 in Content Mastery, a gain of 3.4 points over 2023. Over the past two years, Tift’s middle schools have outpaced the state’s growth in content mastery showing a 7.5 point gain compared with the state’s gain of 4 points from 2022 to 2024. While Tift County High School’s Content Mastery skyrocketed 6.1 points this year, nearly doubling the state’s one-year gain of 3.2 from 2023 to 2024.

Progress

In the area of Progress, Tift County Elementary School’s performance improved 4.2 points from last year compared to the state’s growth of 0.4 points from 2023 to 2024.

Tift County Middle School’s CCRPI Progress improved 3.4 points from 2023, more than doubling that of the state progress growth which was 1.5 points. Similarly, Tift County High School’s progress improved 0.6 points from 2023 to 2024

Georgia’s CCRPI scores assess student future readiness using 2023-2024 Georgia Milestones Assessment System test scores, student course enrollment, and Class of 2024 high school graduation rates. While results from these individual measures are released throughout the year, the CCRPI process uses additional formulas to evaluate and compare data.

Millage Rate Hearings

Board Of Education Meeting Highlights

The Tift County Board of Education encourages the constructive involvement of community members and school system employees on matters affecting Tift County Schools.

Current matters for which the Board is seeking public review and comment are listed on the rightside of this screen. Comments should be submitted via the Google Form link below.

For Public Comment and Review:

Policy GCRA(1) - Drug Screening of Bus Drivers

Policy GAK(1) - Criminal Background Check

Click here to review policies and provide comments.

We are developing our new 5 year Strategic Plan and we are soliciting community input to support the development of a vision for the future for Tift County Schools.

Please complete our survey at:https://forms.gle/31nkaj85EFwyY4cU7

STUDENT AND STAFF RECOGNITION

Paul Nelson named as Senior Director of Leadership and Professional Development

The Tift County Board of Education recently approved Paul Nelson as the new Senior Director of Leadership and Professional Development. In this role, Nelson will spearhead initiatives to foster a culture of continuous improvement among school leaders across the district.

As Senior Director, Nelson will design, implement, and evaluate professional development programs tailored to the district’s strategic goals and priorities. A key focus of his work will include creating a comprehensive leadership development program to equip teachers and administrators with the skills and knowledge needed to lead high-performing schools that meet the diverse needs of all students.

Nelson, who currently serves as the principal of Eighth Street Middle School, brings 23 years of educational experience to the position, including eight years as a principal. His dedication to supporting student and teacher success has been a hallmark of his leadership.

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.

Ms. Annette Brown, a teacher at J.T. Reddick Elementary , was honored with a Beyond the T award for her remarkable efforts in supporting and empowering young girls at the school. Understanding the importance of hygiene and self-confidence, Ms. Brown has gone above and beyond to help students learn about proper hair care. Her compassionate actions include personally styling their hair and covering the costs herself, ensuring that these students feel valued and cared for.Thank you, Ms. Brown, for your incredible kindness and commitment to making a difference!

Annette Brown, J T Reddick Elementary

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

PLANNING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW 7-8 MIDDLE SCHOOL

The planning process continues for the construction of a new 7-8 school. Working with our architectural firm, GMC, a group of stakeholders recently completed a series of 3 Project Approach Theory (PATH) meetings. The architects are working on a design based on the feedback that was gathered during this process.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEYS

School Climate Surveys for Family Members:

Annually, school systems throughout the state participate in climate surveys with parents, students, and school staff each taking surveys. This information informs the school climate rating within the state's CCRPI (College and Career Ready Performance Index).

Parents with children enrolled in Tift County Schools are invited to complete a climate survey for each school where you have a child attending.

Annie Belle Clark Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=68416666

Charles Spencer Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=0569F8E1

G O Bailey Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=B9025B27

J T Reddick Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=AFDBF04C

Len Lastinger Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=4981D67A

Matt Wilson Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=103F6F05

Northside Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=6DFF50F6

Omega Elementary: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=AA651F02

Eighth Street Middle School: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=639CE9CC

Northeast Middle School: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=7FA415A0

Tift County High School: https://survey.gadoe.org/FM?sid=5334A9BD

Links to surveys for students, staff and teachers can be found in Classlink.

HOLIDAY GREETING CARD CONTEST

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Holiday Greeting Card Contest! Students from Grades K-12 showcased their artistic talents, and the winning entries will be featured on Tift County Schools' holiday cards.

Georgia School Nutrition Tray of the Week

The tray from Eighth Street Middle School was selected as this week's Tray of the Week by the Georgia School Nutrition Program. Trays are posted on the program's Facebook page for voting and the tray with the most comments wins.

The tray included a meal of Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken, Greens, Mashed Potatoes, Blackeye Peas, Cornbread and an orange.

Congratulations ESMS Cafeteria Staff!

3 - 5 Winner - Iva Ensley (5th Grade) Annie Belle Clark

6-8 Winner - Joseph Stanley (6th Grade) Northeast Middle School

CHRISTMAS LUNCH

On Thursday, December 12th, our School Nutrition Program hosted a festive Christmas lunch at schools across the district! Parents joined their children for a heartwarming meal, creating special memories and celebrating the joy of the season together.

To add an extra sprinkle of holiday cheer, "celebrity servers" from the Administrative Office helped serve meals at each school. A huge thank you to our amazing School Nutrition staff and volunteers for making this day so wonderful!

WEAPONS DETECTION

The deployment of new Weapons Detection Systems at Eighth Street Middle School, Northeast Middle School and Tift County High School started on Monday, December 2nd. These systems are part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all students and staff.