Board Briefs: April 2026

Posted Date: 04/17/26 (07:09 PM)

Scroll for a summary of the April 2026 BCSS Board of Education Meeting.

Finances & Infrastructure

Salary Supplement for All BCSS Staff

Thank you to the Board of Education for approving a salary supplement for all eligible BCSS staff. The one-time salary supplement from Governor Brian Kemp included teachers and support staff, and our Board voted to expand it to include all eligible employees, contracted custodians, and contracted school food nutrition staff.

Free Admission to Extracurricular Events for Senior Citizens

Individuals age 62 and older are eligible for free admission to all BCSS extracurricular activities with a valid photo identification showing date of birth. Hope to see you at the next event!

Other Finance & Infrastructure Items:

School Dog safety audit app update
System-wide access card reader upgrade
Middle School & High School gymnasium and cafeteria sound system upgrade

Academics & Student Success

Early Literacy Instruction Update

Elementary school principals Mindy Reid and Dr. Lauren Carter updated the Board on Early Literacy efforts in our schools. During this school year, BCSS has engaged teacher leaders and instructional coaches to support educating students with the new ELA standards. Ongoing work will continue to align instructional materials and assessments with grade‑level standards.

BOLD SPOTLIGHT: Westside Middle

This month’s BOLD Spotlight featured Westside Middle School. Principal Albert Smith highlighted the school’s strong community and family engagement efforts and the positive impact they have had on the school.

Watch their spotlight.

Other Academics & Student Success Items:

140th day of school enrollment – 15,158

Superintendent's Recognitions

Kindergarten Registration Campaign Actors

Kindergarten Registration is Now Open!

Kindergarten registration is now open for the 2026-2027 school year! Register now so your new student doesn't miss the May 7th Kindergarten Signing Day at our elementary schools! Six of our Kindergarten students were recognized at this month’s meeting for their starring roles in our 2026 Kindergarten Registration campaign video.

Learn more about registration.

Jackson EMC Bright Ideas Grant Winners

Thank you to our District Partner in Education Jackson Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) for their continued support of our schools! For the 2025-2026 school year, 8 of our middle school teachers applied for and received Jackson EMC Bright Idea grants totaling $11,317!

Georgia Scholar Program Honoree

Congratulations to Winder‑Barrow High School senior Josie McElhannon for being recognized as one of only 162 graduating seniors in the state of Georgia to earn the honor of Georgia Scholar through the Georgia Department of Education. Josie is the only student from Barrow County School System to receive this recognition for the Class of 2026. She earned it for her excellence in school and community life.

Governor's Honors Program

Congratulations to our students who advanced in the Governor’s Honors Program! Semifinalists include Ben Stockwell from Barrow Arts & Sciences Academy and Lilly Sheller from Winder‑Barrow High School. We’re proud to share that Ben advanced to the finalist round.

Apalachee High School Winter Student Athletes

Winter Sports Achievements

Congratulations to our student-athletes and coaches for their achievements during the winter sports season. They demonstrate dedication and discipline. They were recognized for their top placements at the regional and state levels.

See the full list of achievements.

Winder-Barrow High School Student Athletes

Bear Creek Middle School winter student athletes

Transportation team recognizes school staff

Transportation Recognition

This month, the Transportation Team recognized three BCSS receptionists who were nominated by transportation staff for their outstanding support and kindness.

Kory Hiers – Austin Road Elementary
Savannah Goins – Bethlehem Elementary
Nicole Grisaffe – Holsenbeck Elementary

Custodial Team Recognition

We are proud to recognize the Clean School Team of the Month: the Holsenbeck Elementary School custodial team! “These professionals work diligently to ensure that classrooms are ready, our hallways are spotless, and our events run smoothly. Their commitment to our school and attention to detail does not go unnoticed."

Lening Rivera – Head Custodian
Darrely Wilkerson – Day Porter
Johandry Ferrer
Maria Najera
Steluta Falamas

Presentation of Colors

Thank you to Apalachee High School JROTC Cadets who presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance at the meeting.

Cadet Major Armando Martinez
Cadet Captain Aiden Clifton
Cadet First Sergeant Kody Austin
Cadet Private Angela Herrera

The Barrow County Board of Education (BOE) has nine members. Board members serve a four-year term, with three districts elected at-large and six elected by district. The Board is the official governing body of the Barrow County School System. The regular business BOE meetings take place on the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Professional Development Center (PDC) at 179 W. Athens St., Winder, GA 30680. BCSS uses eBoard to be transparent in governance and operations. You can find the most recent information concerning the BOE meetings on eBoard.

Visit eBoard Transparency Portal

Board of Education meetings are live-streamed on our YouTube Channel.

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Upcoming BOE Meetings:

Work Session: April 28, 2026
Board Meeting: May 5, 2026
2026 BOE Calendar