Message from the Superintendent
Welcome! Bulloch County is a great place to raise children. The Bulloch County school district is recognized as one of only 20 Georgia High Flying School Districts based on student academic performance. From students with special needs to students vying for admission to Ivy League schools, our District offers quality, student-based programs.
Bulloch County supports education. Voters have passed three education special local option sales taxes (ESPLOST) in recent years with more than 90 percent approval. With the support of Bulloch County voters, our district is putting the infrastructure and technology in place to provide our students with a world-class education.
Three years ago we launched an aggressive plan to replace our aging facilities. Since August 2010, we have opened new facilities for Portal Middle High School, Julia P. Bryant Elementary School, and Sallie Zetterower Elementary School. A new Mattie Lively Elementary School is currently under construction and will open in January 2012. All of these facilities feature design elements and technology that lead the nation.
We are excited with the new concept of using the buildings’ walls and floors to teach children in a museum-like atmosphere. Although the economy has lowered our ESPLOST revenue, we have found our buying power is greater for every dollar spent. Our final step will be to upgrade our athletic venues.
The recession has forced us to revise our staffing formulas, and we will see small increments in class sizes. It is our hope that with our information systems, technology, and SMARTboard instruction these increases will not impact student achievement. Our District with its facilities, technology, student information system, technology-based instructional programs and the greatest staff on Earth continues to make great gains in student achievement.
The District has analyzed financial projections and developed scenarios that should allow us to maintain the District, so that with reasonable patience, we can endure this economic storm. We are placing maintaining jobs at a premium, allowing natural attrition to place us in the economic position needed to sustain the District. As individuals and as a District, we must live within our means. By maintaining internal sustainability we build strength and momentum. We remain committed to continuing our mission and goal to place students’ needs first and serve them diligently.
We learn more on the difficult stormy days than we do on the sunny, pleasant days. We must maintain purpose and not panic. We must develop a tolerance for adversity. Our approach to these challenges must rely on our leadership principles of vision and action, coupled with good judgment and decision making. I am certain our District is resilient and will emerge stronger and better than ever before.
The Bulloch County School District is growing, passing 9,400 students this year. To serve them we have nine elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools, and one Transitions Learning Center. Our web page provides continuous complete information on enrollment, attendance zones, busing and special programs. It is our honor to serve your children.