Tattnall County School System Superintendent Dr. Kristen Waters informed Glennville Chamber of Commerce members at their August 27, 2024, meeting about the positive start to the 2024-25 school year. Also accompanying her were South Tattnall Elementary School (STES) Principal Destiny Levant and South Tattnall Middle School (STMS) Principal Tori Flowers, both new in these positions this year. Katie DeLoach, the new Work-Based Learning Coordinator at Tattnall County High School (TCHS), also was introduced along with TCHS Career, Technical, Agriculture Education (CTAE) Director Dr. Dina DeLoach.
Waters commented on the networking among the staff during the summer, which included a three-day retreat held at the Board office in Reidsville. The administrators reviewed their requirements for attendance, discipline, and expectations so that there will be consistency across the system.
"Each administrator shared changes that are happening in their school this year, and we all reviewed the intricate details that comprise the budget and how our school system is funded and the money distributed. Mark Wilson, who is a former National School Principal of the Year, shared leadership training," said Waters.
"We also were involved in several community service activities, and some of us were quite competitive. We distributed books to children at the Splash Pad at the Jack Hill State Park, helped a UPS employee deliver packages, bought a soft drink for a city worker, and added some fun activities for all of us to get to know each other better," she added.
Waters stated that recruiting staff is a tough job now, whereas in past years an overflow of teachers was available. Also, new teachers undergo professional learning training along with teacher credentialing. New mandates are in place this year for literacy training, too.
"Willie Spears is a motivational speaker, and our educators were engaged with his comments and enjoyed the fun sessions and downtime as well one day during the summer," said Waters.
She commented on the numbers of staff and students in each school, and the continuing growth. TCHS was built in 1993 for 800 students, and the enrollment this year is 1096 students.
"This is the largest enrollment this year in TCHS history," said Waters.
Transportation continues to be a challenge, and bus drivers are always needed as well as bus monitors. (A bus monitor makes $13.75 an hour and works about five hours a day.)
"We are implementing a new software for bus routing, which should provide us with the most efficient fuel costs, lead time, and shortest time on the bus for students. Soon we will have a GPS on every bus that will aid in the smooth operation of our buses. We are grateful for the collaboration with our cities and county related to our road needs, too," said Waters.
She also commended the Nutrition Dept., with TCHS cafeteria staff receiving a 100 percent score on Food Service Inspection for the third consecutive year.
"The system is also now 100 percent in Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This means that we are fully reimbursed for our free breakfasts and lunches in all our schools, whereas in past years we were only reimbursed about 80 percent while feeding 100 percent. Now this breakfast and lunch program is fully self-sufficient," said Waters, adding that local food is used as much as possible.
Another plus for the system is the addition of Coastal Plains High School, which is now on the TCHS campus from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday nights. This school also provided summer school at TCHS this past summer, with no expense to the school system. Best of all, 53 credits were earned by students.
In closing, Waters noted that the BOE millage remains at 14 mills, which allows the school system to continue to earn over six million dollars in Equalization Funds from the State. She expressed her concern with House Bill 581, which will be on the ballot in November. The approval of this meaure that would cap inflationary growth could negatively impact the school system.{
