As we prepare for football season, I want to remind you that the Ware County School System has implemented security checkpoints at Memorial Stadium. Prior to entering stadium gates, all patrons will be subject to security screening, including metal detector screening and inspection of bags or other items carried in. Please be advised that spectators need to arrive at the gates no later than thirty minutes prior to the event start time to ensure they are seated prior to kickoff.

By tendering a ticket and entering the stadium, patrons consent to such searches and waive any related claims against the Ware County School System. The level of screening may be modified on an event-by-event basis at the discretion of the Ware County School System, in conjunction with local law enforcement. 

Thank you, and GO GATORS!

Georgia Department of Education Program Specialists Felicia Cullars and Megan McFerrin recently presented a Kindergarten-5th grade STEM Journal Writing professional development training session to the teachers at Ruskin Elementary School. The school continues to make positive strides towards earning STEM School Certification from the Georgia Department of Education. Pictured are Ruskin Elementary Principal Donna Solomon, STEM DOE Program Specialists Megan McFerrin and Felicia Cullars, and 5th Grade Teacher/Ruskin Elementary STEM Leadership Team Member Latricia Wesley. 

The Ware County Board of Education is advising motorists traveling to Ruskin Elementary and Ware County High School that US84 remains an active work zone. Please be alert as you travel through the area, expect reduced speed limits, lane shifts, and closures, and allow for delays. Please click "Read More" for explicit instructions for accessing the Ruskin Elementary and Ware County High School campuses.

Ware County High School will hold its commencement ceremony on Friday, May 25th at 7pm at Memorial Stadium. We would like to take this opportunity to inform or remind the public that security checks will be conducted at the gates. The following items are not permitted within the stadium: alcohol, drugs, weapons, firearms, explosives, flammables, sharp objects, pepper spray/mace, umbrellas, balloons, and air horns. By leaving these items at home or in your vehicle, you will help the flow at the gates run smoothly and quickly, thereby making this special occasion a more enjoyable event for everyone.

In the event that inclement weather, the ceremony will be rescheduled for Saturday morning, May 26th, at 9:00am.

A message from Superintendent Jim L. LeBrun:

The Ware County School System has worked diligently with the Ware County Sheriff's Department in an investigation resulting in the arrest of two Ware County Middle School students who were charged with possession of a firearm on school property. Additional charges or arrests may follow. Due to the live nature of the investigation, no further information is available at this time.

Watch tonight’s playoff game from the comfort of your home... or wherever you happen to be! We will bring the game to you LIVE from Memorial Stadium in Waycross, GA as the Gators take on Harris County at The Swamp. The live stream will begin at 7pm. Please join us for the broadcast and support the WCHS Stream Team!

http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/

A Ware County School System teacher has been placed on administrative leave based on allegations of inappropriate conduct. The school district is fully cooperating with all law enforcement agencies and the Professional Standards Commission. No further information will be available until the police investigation and the district investigation have been completed. 

Click here to download the parent request form for school transfer

Requests will be accepted from the start of business on Feb. 1, 2018 through 4:30pm on Feb. 28, 2018.  Any requests received after close of business, 4:30pm, Feb. 28, 2018 will not be considered.

The Ware County Board of Education voted to enact a new safety feature requiring all backpacks to be constructed of clear plastic or mesh material beginning with the 2018-2019 school year. Parents are encouraged to click READ MORE for the full press release and access the Ware County Schools Backpack Policy Frequently Asked Questions or email system officials at feedback@ware.k12.ga.us for more information.

The May 15th edition of the Waycross Journal Herald newspaper contains incorrect information in the article “Teen Boys Took Gun to School.” The article states that surveillance video showed the weapon being loaded on the bus during the morning route, implying that it remained in a loaded state during the school day. However, the video showed a student loading a gun and taking it off the bus during the afternoon route, departing the bus in a neighborhood, NOT at Ware County Middle School. Investigators believe the gun was on campus but that it was not loaded until the afternoon bus route. We have requested that the WJH newspaper print a correction to the description of events.

There have been questions regarding the events that led up to the arrests of the Ware County Middle School. The school system is not at liberty to provide the public with detailed information for a number of reasons. The students in question are minors. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, alerting the public too early was not feasible. People not directly involved in the investigation do not understand the process, but these steps are taken to ensure the safety of all students and staff members. What we can share is that we received a tip upon which we acted and involved local law enforcement immediately and throughout the entire investigation.

I understand the fear and concern parents have for their children's safety and the safety of others at the school. I, too, am concerned for their safety. We will continue working closely with local law enforcement on this case. Safety remains our priority. Thank you.

It's that time again! We invite you to attend Open House on Monday, July 30th, where you can meet your child's teachers, tour the school facilities, and learn how you can get involved. We will offer staggered times again this year to help parents get to as many locations as possible. Please see the flyer for details.

Freshman are invited to attend a special orientation Tuesday, July 31st at 6:00pm at the high school.

We look forward to welcoming you back to school in just a few short weeks. Until then, enjoy your summer break!

Ware County Board of Education Tentative Budget for July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019

Parents of rising kindergartners, this info is for you! We invite you to visit the elementary school for which your child is zoned on May 15 at 9:30am for Kindergarten Transition Day! This orientation event is for parents and rising kindergarten students only. We look forward to welcoming you and your child into the Ware County Gator Schools family soon!

Beginning on Wednesday, June 20th, 2018, our email provider will be changing from Microsoft Office 365 to Google.

What this means for all staff:

• Your email address will not change
• You will not lose any email
• All new email you receive will start being delivered to your Google inbox
• You can access your Google inbox by logging in at www.google.com with your current google account that you already have, or by accessing the Staff Email link on our homepage (it will be updated to the new Google address at that time)
• All of your old email will be retained in your current Microsoft inbox and you can login to retreive it at any time in the future, as it will never be lost.  You will also still have full access to all of your Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc)
• If you have your phone configured for email, then it will need to be reconfigured with the new Google server information.  Here are links to iPhone and Android email setup instructions
  • iPhone Gmail Instructions
  • Android Gmail Instructions
• The system-wide contact list and groups will be transferred over to the new system.

All Ware County students have benefited from receiving free breakfast and lunch for the past four years through the Community Eligibility Provision grant. We are in the process of re-certifying for this grant so that we can continue to provide this benefit to the families we serve. 

All Ware County Schools families have received a survey requesting information that is critical in our recertification approval. The surveys are due March 15 and can be returned in the provided pre-paid envelope.

 
We will not be able to re-certify without your feedback. Please complete and return the survey TODAY!

Click the image to learn more!

Click the image to read the May 2018 edition of the Gator Futures newsletter and find out about the exciting things going on in our CTAE program.

In compliance with the Individual Disabilities Act (IDEA), The Georgia Records Act, and the Ware County School System local procedure regarding destruction of data collected, maintained or used in the provision of a free and appropriate public education of students with disabilities in the Ware County Schools, the Records Department announces it’s intention to destroy special education records during the month of May 2018.

Records on students who were enrolled in a special education program in the Ware County School System who were born between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1990 and were twenty-seven (27) years of age as of January 1, 2018 are no longer needed for educational purposes.

The student or parent may need these records for Social Security or other reasons. If you, as a former special education student or a parent of a former special education student, wish to obtain these records prior to destruction, you should contact the Special Education Records Department, Ware County Board of Education, 1301 Bailey Street, Waycross, Georgia. Positive identification will be required before the records can be released to the individual.

For more information, contact the Special Education Records Department at 912-287-2306 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. You may also visit our website at www.ware.k12.ga.us to view this notice.

Title I Parents and Ruskin community members are invited to give their input on the review and development of our Parent Engagement Plan, School-Parent Compact, and the 1% School Level Parental Involvement Budget for next year. The meeting will be held May 2nd at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please attend the meeting that is convenient for you. For more information please call 912-287-2325 or email jjones@ware.k12.ga.us.

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Okefenokee RESA Director Greg Jacobs and Superintendents from the Okefenokee RESA District, including Ware County Superintendent Jim L. LeBrun, visited the Capitol on March 7th to share legislative concerns with and receive updates from key lawmakers recently. The regional leaders are shown here with Representative Chad Nimmer. 

The Capstone Diploma Program Focuses on College-Level Independent Research, Collaborative Teamwork, and Communication and Writing Skills Crucial for College and Career Success

Click Read More to learn more!

An Important Message from Nurse Coordinator Lynn Rivers:

With the return of students and staff from the Christmas and Holiday Break, we are seeing students and staff members in the clinics with flu-like symptoms and the gastrointestinal virus.  Safety precautions, including cleaning desks, light switches, keyboards and other areas the students are touching frequently, are being taken to reduce spread of infection.  The flu season seems to be more severe this season. Please click "Read More" for important safety tips from the CDC to help keep our students healthy. Thank you!

The Ware County School System is hosting a Teacher Recruitment Fair on Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 9:00 - 11:00am in the Performing Arts Center lobby at Ware County High School. If you know of an education major graduating in December 2017 or May 2018 or a current educator who is looking to relocate to our area, please encourage him or her to come meet our principals and district office administrators during this event.

We are looking for teachers and paraprofessionals who are available for employment beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. Each Ware County school will have a table at the fair, and potential new hires will have an opportunity to speak with administrators regarding job opportunities. Applicants are asked to bring an updated resume. Interested applicants can apply for a position by visiting:

https://www.easyhrweb.com/JC_W…/JobListings/joblistings.aspx

Click on Administrator, Teacher, or Paraprofessional to begin the application process.

Board Members approved the 2018-2019 School Year calendar at the December 2017 board meeting. 

Ware County Schools has partnered with ESSISource4Teachers to manage our substitute program. A leader in K-12 staffing, ESSISource4Teachers is now responsible for the hiring, training, and placement of all daily and long-term substitute teachers. Substitutes hired through ESSISource4Teachers will have access to medical, vision/dental, and 401K benefits as well as have the ability to work 40 hours a week and be paid on a weekly basis. 

If you're interested in working as a substitute for our district, please visit www.ESS.jobs to apply or call 877.983.2244 for more information. 

The Ware County School System is hosting a Teacher Recruitment Fair on Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 9:00 - 11:00am in the Performing Arts Center lobby at Ware County High School. If you know of an education major graduating in December 2017 or May 2018 or a current educator who is looking to relocate to our area, please let him or her know about the upcoming fair.

We are looking for teachers and paraprofessionals who are available for employment beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. Each Ware County school will have a table at the fair, and potential new hires will have an opportunity to speak with administrators regarding job opportunities. Applicants are asked to bring an updated resume.

For more information, please call (912) 283-8656. 

LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program that recognizes and rewards K-12 educators and school employees across the country by celebrating those who are making a significant difference in the lives of students through exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. Five Ware County educators have been nominated for this prestigious award. Click Read More!

On Monday morning, November 6, 2017, Ware County High School was on lockdown for around 45 minutes. The school has partnered with the Waycross Police Department to bring drug dogs on campus to deter contraband substances from being brought onsite. This resource is one way to ensure a safe learning environment. After the campus sweep, Principal Bert Smith proudly announced that no drugs were found on campus. The Ware County School System remains committed to the safety of all students and staff and will continue to do all that is possible to make our schools safe. We thank the men and women of the police department who work to keep our community safe as well.

This month, we are talking about what it takes to have a winning game plan: ask questions and listen thoughtfully! November is Family Engagement Month, and we have 5 tips you can add to your play book to get the ball rolling in talking with your child. Engaging children in conversations about school can be tricky, but the Internet is a great resource to find creative ideas to start a conversation. Check out http://tinyurl.com/25conversationstarters for ideas.

The Ware County School System confirmed plans to implement enhanced security measures at Memorial Stadium for home football games beginning Friday, October 6.

A statement issued Wednesday calling for a greater law enforcement presence was met with approval by the Ware County Board of Education, Waycross Chief Police Tony Tanner, and Sgt. Chris Tatum. The Waycross City Police Department will station an additional officer at each entry gate to provide additional security and wand patrons for weapons. 

The measure comes in response to recent events that have occurred in other locations across the country. Superintendent of Schools Jim L. LeBrun stated, "Waycross/Ware County is not immune to the types of crimes we see happening in other metropolitan areas. On any given Friday night at Memorial Stadium, we have the highest concentration of our community population gathered. We need to do all we can to ensure their safety. I am firmly committed to preventing disaster if at all possible."

Signs will be posted around the stadium identifying contraband such as weapons, guns, knives, and informing patrons that they are subject to being searched by law enforcement.  

Ware County Schools has unveiled a new slogan this school year: We Are Team Ware!

This month, we are talking about keeping team players cyber-safe. Research shows that over 50% of all students have been bullied using some source of social media. Cyber-bullying can lead to anxiety, depression and even suicide, as children and teens will rarely volunteer to tell their parents about being a victim of cyber-bullying. But you can help protect your child from becoming a statistic!

Parents are their child's most important teacher. Role-modeling responsible use of technology will go a long way toward teaching your child to adopt safe online practices. Check out our 5 tips and then talk to your child about this important topic today! Need more support? Don't forget to come join us as we host Sgt. Jesse Hambrick with the Douglas County Sheriff's office on Thursday, October 19th at 5:30pm in the Ware Middle School auditorium. Sgt. Hambrick will tell us what we need to know to keep children safe in a digital world. Mark your calendar!  #teamware #getinthegame#teamworkmakesthedreamwork

The Ware County Health Department will be offering flu shots to students and staff in October. Flu forms are due October 5th. Please contact the health department for more information. Forms will be sent home with students, but English and Spanish versions are also available at the link below.

English Newsletter

Spanish Newsletter

All schools in the Ware County School District will resume a regular operating schedule on Monday, September 18th. Students will not be required to make up the lost days resulting from Hurricane Irma; however, all staff members will be required to make up the missed days to meet the terms of their contracts. All scheduled holidays will remain intact for students and staff members at this time. We look forward to seeing  all students and staff members on Monday, September 18th. 

We would like to take a moment to thank the community for their support during this difficult week. The hospitality you showed to evacuees and the unified spirit we felt as everyone pulled together is proof that we live in a fine community. Thank you!

Mrs. Guess and Mrs. Corbitt’s class had fun performing a STEM activity after reading the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The students were placed into cooperative learning groups and built a coconut tree with Legos and craft sticks. Next, they were given magnetic letters and had to predict how many letters they could put on top of the coconut tree before those letters fell off. They learned about prediction, weight, and balance while having lots of fun. Picture L-R:  Jasiyah Y. and Colton D.

Nationally recognized speaker Sgt. Jesse Hambrick of the Douglas Co. Georgia's Sheriff's Office will provide a FREE seminar at Ware County Middle School's auditorium on October 19, 2017 at 5:30pm. Sgt. Hambrick will share what every adult and student needs to know to stay safe in a digital world during the 90-minute event. Seminar content will include helping adults learn to recognize vault apps and other dangerous online/social media practices common to students, such as cyberbullying, sexting (audience appropriate), and making good choices with digital footprints. Please share this message with anyone in the southeast Georgia area who you think would be interested in attending. The public is invited to attend.

All Ware County Schools will be closed for students the remainder of the week. Staff members who are able should report to school at 9:00am both days.

‪The Ware Co. vs Northside football game scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15 has been moved to Friday, Sept. 22, 2017 at 7:30pm‬. Additional information will be released once power has been restored. Please help us spread the word, and stay safe! 

GOOOOO GATORS!

The American Red Cross will open a shelter at Ware County High School on Friday, September 8th at 5:00pm for families and individuals seeking relief from Hurricane Irma. The school, which is located at 700 Victory Drive in Waycross, GA, will have 500 cots available for use.

Evacuees must bring medications, bedding (pillow and blanket), towels, hygiene items, and clothing. Service animals are permitted within the shelter, but evacuees should make other arrangements for pets. We anticipate that the Okefenokee Fair Grounds will open as a shelter for pets and will post more information on Facebook and our website when it becomes available.

Click "READ MORE" for details.

Ware County School System officials are working closely with Emergency Management Agency officials to monitor the status of Hurricane Irma. We are studying forecast track models as they are released several times daily to determine what effect the storm may have on our area so that any decisions affecting Ware County students and employees, as well as the greater community, can be made as soon as possible with the most accurate information available.

We will advise all stakeholders via One Call, social media, school/system websites, radio, and television should a decision be made to cancel or alter school services.

The latest briefing from the National Weather Service for the Jacksonville, FL area can be found at this link: http://www.weather.gov/media/jax/briefings/nws-jax-briefing.pdf.

The WCHS Softball Team is partnering with Campground Clothing Company and Mattie's Mission to help strike out cancer. Come support the Lady Gators as they take on Appling Co. and enjoy the festivities during the game on September 5th. JV game starts at 4:00pm, and the Varsity game begins at 6:00pm, with Opening Ceremony scheduled for 5:40pm.

There will be activities for the whole family, including Camp Rock painting, a raffle, "In Memory Of" balloons, Butterfly Release, and the opportunity to purchase Campground Clothing shirts or Mattie's Mission shirts. Please like and share to help us get the word out. #gogold #CampgroundClothing #MattiesMission #strikeoutcancer

Ware County Schools has unveiled a new slogan this school year: We are Team Ware!

Team Ware members believe that involved parents make a substantial difference in the academic life of their children and in our school and community. Every staff member, parent, and community stakeholder plays an important role in supporting parental engagement in our schools. No one can do it alone. Team Ware is in the game to win, and the reward is our children's success!

Parents set the foundation for a child's success in school. So, use your home for the home field advantage! Check out these four tips to get in the game. #teamware #getinthegame

Click the image to read the inaugural edition of the CTAE Gator Futures newsletter!