• The Ware County Board of Education held a work session Monday, February 10 and its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, February 11 at the board office. Present were Chairman Barry Deas, Vice-Chairman Alisa “Toni” Nelson, Wendell Bagley, Karen Ethridge, Rusty Ganas, Edward “Buster” Tyre and Brandi Waters. Following are the highlights of those sessions: Ware County Board of Education Superintendent Dr. Lynn Barber recognized CTAE student Caden Smith as part of the CTAE Month for February being honored across the state.
Smith, an 11th-grade student at Ware County High School who completed the Marketing and Management Pathway in 2024 as part of the CTAE (Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education) program, also is the co-President of DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America), an extracurricular activity in high schools and colleges around the world.
She shared how the Marketing and Management Program impacted her life as well as discuss how DECA shaped her outlook in a career path.
Supt. Dr. Barber presented the 2024 Georgia School Board Association’s Exemplary School Board Recognition Award. The award recognizes the Ware County School System as a system which showcases best practices in school governance and leadership.
The superintendent gave the Enrollment Report which, as of February 4, 2025, reflects 5,935 students. Last year’s number was 5,940.
Dr. Barber said everything is on track and progress is being made on the new Waycross Middle School.
Action items discussed/ approved were:
• The board approved Payroll and Disbursements for the month of January 2025, in the amount of $6,838,493.62. Finance Director Mary Ann Chaney gave the financial report at the work session on Monday.
• The board approved the annual SPLOST Reports for publication in accordance with H1013 and the Annual Financial Audit Report for Fiscal Year 2024.
• A request to revise the 2024-25 School Calendar changing February 18, 2025 from a Professional Learning Day for staff to an instructional day for students was approved.
This adjustment was recommended to demonstrate the district’s commitment to ensuring students receive educational opportunities planned for the academic year while minimizing the need to extend the school year into the summer. This request was tentatively approved January 28, 2025.
• The board approved the revision to the 20242025 Local Board Training Plan for the Ware County Board of Education Members.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ware County Board of Education and the Waycross Gators United Soccer Club for the use of the Soccer Complex fields and restrooms in the concession building only was approved.
• The board approved the request from Blake Spradley, Kindergarten teacher at Ruskin Elementary, to apply for Georgia Teachers Initiative funding in the amount of $1,500 to purchase manipulatives designed to support classroom instructions in the science of reading and foundational math skills.
• Field trip request for Waresboro Elementary, Williams Heights Elementary, Ware Middle, Waycross Middle, and Ware County High School were approved.
• Fundraising requests for Ruskin Elementary, Wacona Elementary, Williams Heights Elementary, and Ware County High School were approved by the board.
• The board approved the request for the use of the Rifle Range Complex for the 2025 Georgia High School Association’s (GHSA) Riflery Championship set March 14-15, 2025, with a waiver of fees. The request was made by Tim Scott.
• Board members approved the Facility Use Request to revise the date of Satilla REMC’s annual meeting at the stadium. The previous scheduled date was October 15, 2024, but was canceled due to Hurricane Helene.
The new date is October 14. The request was made by Matt Parker. The original Facility Use Request for the use of the stadium was approved by the board on April 23, 2024.
• Approved the Facility Use Request for the WCHS gym for Waycross Supersonics to host their Rumble in the Swamp basketball tournament April 19, 2025, at usual and customary fees. The request was made by Derrian Ward.
• The board approved the following personnel report: ∞ Classified employment: Todd Fanton, CDL trainee — Transportation; Linda Harden - bus monitor — Transportation; Gregory Kinlaw — School Resource Officer at Waycross Middle School; Yunisdelsis (Junie) Carballo-Quesada — RTI Parapro at Ware Middle ∞ Classified transfers: Gregory Schultz from School Resource Officer at Waycross Middle School to Williams Heights; Rachel Tuten from SpEd Records/Data Manager at Central Office to bookkeeper at Waycross Middle.
∞ Classified resignations: Nikki Martin, Reflection Parapro at Ruskin effective May 23, 2025; Shelby McBee, Parapro at Wacona effective January 13, 2025; Makenzie Strickland, SpEd Parapro at Wacona effective May 23, 2025; ∞ Classified retirement : Kathy Gray, SpEd Parapro at Center effective May 22, 2025.
∞ Certified employment: Kim Callahan, CTAE Director at Ware High; Abbie Howell, Elementary teacher at Waresboro; Dontavious Sapp, Health & Physical Education teacher at Ware High.
∞ Certified resignation: Yunus Chacall, Science teacher at Waycross Middle effective May 23, 2025; Mary Chappell, 49% ESOL Teacher for Ware County School District effective May 23, 2025; Laura Cox, Elementary teacher Center effective May 23, 2025; Reagan Herring, Social Science teacher at Ware Middle effective May 23, 2025; Mary (Teresa) Jones-Simmons, Science teacher at Ware Middle effective May 23, 2025; Bruce Thomas, Elementary teacher at Wacona effective May 23, 2025; Amanda Turner, Math teacher at Ware High effective May 23, 2025; Amy Tyre, Healthcare Science teacher at Waycross Middle effective June 30, 2025.
∞ Certified retirements: Anthony Nazworth, Coordinator at Ware Learning Center effective May 30, 2025; Anita Sapp, Elementary teacher at Ruskin effective June 1, 2025; Stacie Sheys, SpEd Teacher/Coordinator at Ruskin effective June 1, 2025; Susan Tison, Instructional Coach at Center effective May 30, 2025; Tony Wheeler, Health & Physical Education teacher at Ware Middle effective May 30, 2025.
∞ Coaching recommendations approved: Joshua Cave, boys’ golf assistant community coach at Waycross Middle; Christian Gaona, boys’ soccer assistant community coach at Ware Middle; Jennifer King, assistant girls’ track coach at Waycross Middle; Molly Moye, tennis assistant community coach at Ware Middle; Matthew Peters, boys’ and girls’ golf community coach at Ware High; Dontavis Sapp, defensive coordinator and head boys’ track coach at Ware High.
• Approved Worked Based Learning Students employment for Linden Butler, office assistant at Ware High; Haleigh Cox, Media assistant at Williams Heights; Mikaela Jones, Media assistant at Center; Madison McLendon, Media assistant at Williams Heights
• Approved the resignations of Abi Sills, Media assistant at Williams Heights effective January 6, 2025; Lucas Tuten, office assistant at Ware High effective January 31, 2025; Rebecca Waters, Media assistant at Center effective January 12.
• The Board approved the Director of Student Services’ request to provide the tribunal hearing officer an annual supplement. Funding for this supplement will be allocated within the Student Services budget.
