Scholars Academy

MPMS/Scholars Academy Yearbooks are now on sale! $25 until Februrary 13th, $30 after that date. Get yours today! Click this link to order online: https://plicbooks.com/go/TE5CAU See Mrs. Brewster in the media center for more info!

🌻🤠 Congratulations to our 2024 Sadie Hawkins Representatives! 🤠🌻 We are so proud of this amazing group of students chosen to represent their peers. 6th Grade: Ellie Dunlap and Grant Harpe 7th Grade: Caiden Hartzog and Ari Slusher 8th Grade: Chloe Hall and Luke Ridley

🙌 Hands On Thomas County wants to let you know about a volunteer project that would be a great opportunity for our students!🙌 🧑‍🎄HOTC is helping Davidson Law Offices stuff 1300 goodie bags that they will distribute to local senior residences ahead of the holidays. Volunteers are invited to come to the HOTC office on select weekdays throughout November and December to make the bags from 3-5 p.m. 🧑‍🎄 Attached is a flyer and the online registration, which lists out all the days and times: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/socksfromsanta24#/

🌿 Join us at the 29th Annual Wildlife Arts Festival this weekend at the Thomasville Center for the Arts! Perfect for the whole family, with free hands-on activities, live wildlife encounters, and an inspiring fine art show and artisan market! 🗓 Saturday, Nov. 16 | 10 AM - 4 PM 🗓 Sunday, Nov. 17 | 12 PM - 4 PM 🎉 Don’t miss these highlights: Wildlife Walkabout Stations – Kids can learn about conservation, enjoy trivia, and earn prizes! Jr. Wildlife Art Competition Awards – Sat. at 12:30 PM under the oaks 🌳 Beguiled by the Wild Workshops – Hands-on art for youth with artists Dave Junker and Karen Stauffer (Sat. 1 PM, Sun. 3 PM) Land + Lore Film & Speaker Series – Explore the beauty of local ecosystems (Sat. 1:30/2:30 PM) Celebrate art, nature, and community with us! Visit thomasvillearts.org for more info. 🎨✨ #WildlifeArtsFestival #ThomasvilleArts #FamilyFun #SupportTheArts #community #ThomasvilleGA

📚✨ Immersed in Spanish Culture! ✨📚 Mrs. King’s Spanish culture class dove into the beauty of Spain’s traditions, exploring authentic realia like intricately designed fans and ceramics. Students got hands-on learning about the vibrant customs and craftsmanship that make Spain so unique.

🌟 Hands-on Science Fun! 🌟 Students in Mrs. Jones’ Physical Science class have been hard at work creating tea lights and lava lamps to explore the Kinetic Molecular Theory and the different phases of matter! 🧪💡This exciting activity helps reinforce the concept that all matter is made up of molecules in constant motion, and their energy depends on the state of matter they’re in. 🔥💧🌬️ Learning through creativity and discovery—science in action! 👩‍🔬👨‍🔬✨

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Jennifer Rayburn 🌟 We’re excited to shine the spotlight on Mrs. Jennifer Rayburn! With a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education 🎓 and a Master’s in School Counseling 💼, Mrs. Rayburn brings 16 years of experience in elementary education and counseling, plus five years in ministry, to our Scholars Academy family. This year, she’s celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary 💍! Mrs. Rayburn and her husband love cheering on their three children in dance 💃, sports ⚽, orchestra 🎻, and drama 🎭. Outside of work, she enjoys reading 📚, camping 🏕️, and cooking 👩‍🍳. Mrs. Rayburn shares, “I love being part of an educational family that genuinely strives to build caring relationships with students and with each other. I’ve watched my own children benefit academically, emotionally, and socially from the family atmosphere and support they've received at Scholars. It’s exciting to join this amazing team and contribute to our unique community!” Thank you, Mrs. Rayburn, for your dedication and for being such a positive influence on our students! 💫

Concerned parents called to the attention of Thomasville City School administrators a highly offensive social media post made by a now former school system employee. The system immediately placed the employee on leave and launched an investigation of the matter. Following a meeting with system administrators this morning, the employee is no longer employed with our school system. Thomasville City School system regrets the conduct of this employee and assures the community that this type of conduct by our employees will not be tolerated.

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Lori Sumner 🌟 📐 Mrs. Lori Sumner is a dedicated educator currently teaching 7th-grade math at Scholars Academy. With 19 years of teaching experience, nine of which have been with Thomasville City Schools, Mrs. Sumner brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her classroom. She is certified in middle school math and science, high school science, and holds a Gifted Education certification. 🌟 Mrs. Sumner also has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, a Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. 🎓 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Mrs. Sumner is married to Corey, a THS graduate, and they have two children. Their daughter, Emily, is a Scholars program graduate and now attends Georgia Southern, while their son, Preston, is currently a student at Scholars Academy. Outside of school, Mrs. Sumner enjoys reading 📚, gardening 🌱, cooking 🍲, spending time outdoors 🌞, and caring for her chickens 🐔. ❤️ What Mrs. Sumner loves most about teaching at Scholars Academy is the supportive leadership, which encourages teacher leaders to use their unique gifts. She also cherishes her students’ love of learning and takes pride in watching them tackle challenging concepts and progress toward mastery. A huge thank you to Mrs. Sumner for her dedication and all she does for Scholars Academy! 🙌🎉

🐝The Scholars Academy Spelling Bee 2024 was quite a thriller! 🐝 Thank you to each one of the students who participated in the Scholars Academy Spelling Bee 2024! Pursuing mastery, Eli Johnson earned 1st place in Round 15. Tension filled the room as Destiny Jordan strove with Aiden Mimbs to the end of Round 20. The audience gave a collective audible sigh for Destiny on her last word and cheered for Aiden Mimbs as he earned 2nd place. What a memorable and historical afternoon for our students to be a part of the 100 Years of the Bee! Congratulations Eli and Aiden and Destiny on a job well done!

🤠 Get ready for a rootin' tootin' good time at the Sadie Hawkins Dance! Dust off those cowboy boots and hats! 🎶🤠 Parents and guardians, we need your help to make this night a success! Please sign up to be a chaperone or bring supplies using the link below. Your support keeps these events safe and fun for everyone. Yeehaw, let’s make it a night to remember! 💃🤠🕺 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E49A5AB2DA2F85-sadie

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Rebecca Ramsey Nicolay 🌟 Meet Mrs. Rebecca P. Ramsey Nicolay, an inspiring educator and proud Thomasville native! 🎓 A 1999 salutatorian graduate of Thomasville High School, Mrs. Nicolay went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Science, Technology, and Culture from Georgia Tech 🐝. She began her teaching journey with Thomasville City Schools in 2007 as an ELA teacher at MacIntyre Park Middle School 📚, where she taught for six years while completing her Master’s at Valdosta State University 🎓. A standout moment in her career was participating in the prestigious Blackwater Writing Project Summer Institute ✍️, where she explored new ways to teach writing for students from K–12 to college. Since joining the Scholars Academy in 2013, Mrs. Nicolay has taught Honors English to 7th, 10th, and 12th graders 📖 and now focuses on AP Language, AP Literature, and Honors American Literature at the high school level. A true leader 🌟, she has twice been named Scholars Academy Teacher of the Year 🏆 and served as District Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024 🏅. Mrs. Nicolay also lends her expertise as the English Department Chair, District Coordinator for PBIS, and advisor for Thomasville High School’s Helen M. Fortney Chapter of the National Honor Society 🌟📜. Passionate about student growth and community involvement 💪, Mrs. Nicolay serves on the Keep Thomas County Beautiful Board 🌎, is a member of the Junior Service League 💃, and actively participates in her church’s music ministry 🎶. As she says, “I love supporting, guiding, and working with young people, and I love learning, so as a teacher, I am privileged to thrive in my happy place on a daily basis!” ❤️📚 Now in her 18th year with Thomasville City Schools, Mrs. Nicolay’s dedication and enthusiasm for learning continue to inspire everyone around her 🌟. Fun Fact: Mrs. Nicolay absolutely loves to dance—anytime, anywhere 🕺💃—and if there’s live music, you can count her in! 🎶 Thank you, Mrs. Nicolay, for your passion, leadership, and dedication to your students and community! 🐾

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Jackie King 🌟 Meet Mrs. Jackie King, our amazing Spanish teacher in her sixth year at Scholars Academy! 🇪🇸 Mrs. King’s love for language started with her time in Peru and Bolivia, where she served as a missionary and developed a deep appreciation for other cultures. After attending BYU for a year, she earned her cosmetology license 💇‍♀️ from Paul Mitchell The School. She later returned to BYU to complete her degree in Latin American Studies and then earned her Master’s in Foreign Language Education from Valdosta State University. 📚 Originally from the West, Mrs. King grew up in California, Idaho, Utah, and Washington. Her dad was a computer engineer who worked with Lucasfilm/Pixar in its early days! 💻 She is the 5th of 9 siblings and enjoyed growing up playing sports and games with her family. 🏀🎮 Mrs. King is not only passionate about teaching Spanish but is also a professional hairdresser with over 20 years of experience. ✂️ She runs a salon from her home and loves experimenting with different hairstyles—never wearing her hair the same way two days in a row! At Scholars Academy, Mrs. King enjoys the close-knit community. 🏫 She teaches most students across multiple grades and loves watching them grow from middle to high school. She also chose this school to be actively involved in her own children's education, supporting them and their peers during their formative years. 💙 We are so lucky to have Mrs. King at Scholars Academy! 🌟

🙌 Check out these Hands on Thomas County opportunities to earn community service hours during the month of November!🙌

Mr. Kirkley's middle school Computer Science classes have enjoyed using Music Lab , which is a platform that allows students to make music with code. They are developing foundational coding skills and an appreciation for the connection between music and technology.

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Mr. Seth Kinneer 🌟 Meet Mr. Seth Kinneer, an exceptional English Language Arts (ELA) teacher who is in his second year at THS/Scholars Academy and his 6th year of teaching overall! 📚 Mr. Kinneer holds a bachelor's degree and two master's degrees, bringing a wealth of knowledge to his classroom. Originally from just outside Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Kinneer has called Georgia home for nearly 20 years. His wife, Charity, is an assistant principal at Valdosta High School, and they have two sons: Caleb, who is in the marching band at Georgia Tech, and Elijah (Eli), a student at THS. 🎶🏫 Mr. Kinneer enjoys sports, reading, and vacationing with his family. Fun fact: he played high school basketball in Ohio and once held the school record for three-pointers in a game! 🏀 He was also a 1994 second-team all-conference award winner for his free throw shooting percentage. What he loves most about teaching at the Scholars Academy is getting to know his students and witnessing their achievements. He treasures the conversations with former students who share how his class helped them succeed in other ELA courses. Mr. Kinneer also values the collaborative spirit among teachers as they work together to prepare students for future success. 💡 We are lucky to have such a dedicated and passionate educator at THS/SA!

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Miss Anna Kate Pomeroy 🌟 Meet Miss Anna Kate Pomeroy, our talented and dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist! 🎓 She earned her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Valdosta State University in May 2024 and is currently completing her clinical fellowship. This is her first year as an SLP outside of grad school, and we are thrilled to have her on our team! Anna Kate is passionate about helping children communicate in any way they can—whether it's through words, signs, AAC devices, or more. She loves making a difference in the lives of her students, helping them express their thoughts and feelings. 🗣️💬When she's not at school, you can find her spending time with her four beloved fur babies—two dogs and two cats—who are her world! 🐾🐶🐱We are so excited to have her expertise and heart here with us this year!

✨REMINDER ✨ 🎗️Red Ribbon Week is coming up TOMORROW! 🎗️ 📅 October 28 - November 1 Join us as we come together to raise awareness about the importance of staying drug-free! 💪 Let's support our community and encourage healthy choices for a brighter future. 🌟 🎈 Show your support by wearing red and participating in activities that promote a drug-free lifestyle! 🙌 📸 Share your photos using the hashtag #RedRibbonWeek and let's make a difference together! ❤️ #BeDrugFree #HealthyChoices #StayStrong #thomasvillecityschools

Congratulations to our Middle School Teacher Top Readers! Thank you all for your participation and showing our students that readers really are leaders!

📚✨ Thank You, Thomasville! ✨📚 A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at last night’s Literacy Fair! Your energy and enthusiasm made the 15th Annual Literacy Fair an unforgettable celebration of reading and community. Special thanks to Malcolm Mitchell for inspiring us all with his passion for literacy and storytelling! We’re so grateful to each participant, volunteer, and guest for helping us make this event a success. Together, we're making a difference, one page at a time! #ThankYou #LiteracyFair2024 #ThomasvilleCommunity #ReadwithMalcolm #LiteracyMatters #thomasvillecityschools