NCS Board Notes - MARCH 2026 | Smore Newsletters

Welcome to Newton County Schools Board Notes

The Newton County Schools Board of Education conducted its regularly scheduled Work Session on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, and its Business Meeting on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. All documents presented to the Board are available to the public and can be accessed on our website.

Please note that Newton County Schools Board Meetings may be viewed live on the district’s YouTube channel. Additionally, archived meetings are also available for public viewing.

Board Chair Abigail Coggin opened the Work Session by highlighting the work that is underway as the school district prepares for the end of the 2025-26 school year. Development of the FY27 budget, summer programming, state assessments, and graduation season are all garnering the attention of staff and other stakeholders across the district. Mrs. Coggin encouraged everyone to continue following the progress of the district over the next few months through board meetings and supporting documents.

Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley began his remarks during the Work Session by acknowledging March as Women’s History Month. He spoke about the impact women have had on our communities, our public institutions, and our shared progress, noting that the impact of women is especially evident in Newton County Schools. “It begins with this Board where we are guided by the leadership of our Chair, Mrs. Abigail Coggin, and Vice Chair, Mrs. Shakila Henderson-Baker. Their work reflects the very best of public service,” said Dr. Bradley. Indeed, across Newton County Schools, you can find women serving throughout every corner of the organization, and we are proud to join the rest of the nation in recognizing and honoring them.

Dr. Bradley also saluted the members of the Newton County Board of Education as the district celebrated School Board Appreciation Week. With almost sixty collective years of service to the Newton County community, current board members have seen the highs and the lows that come with their work and have navigated challenges and celebrated victories, all while remaining advocates for the students and families of Newton County.

He continued his remarks by noting the district’s observance of National School Social Work Week and National Maintenance Worker Day. These commemorations represent the many ways the school district remains committed to our students’ well-being and safety.

Dr. Bradley concluded his remarks during the Work Session by highlighting the district’s Mid-Year Awards Program, which was held in February to recognize the many support professionals who serve students, families, and staff. He recognized Dr. Tomeka Stringer from the STEAM Academy as the district’s 2026 Counselor of the Year; Ms. Nicole Pullens as the 2026 Support Professional of the Year; and Ms. Batini Farris as the 2026 Media Specialist of the Year.

To see highlights from the Mid-Year Awards Program, watch our video below:

During the Business Meeting, Dr. Bradley commended Newton County Schools staff for their responsiveness and the district’s parents for their flexibility and patience during a recent weather event, noting it is never an easy decision when modifications have to be made to normally scheduled operations. He pointed out that district staff are not just reviewing protocols and weather reports but also considering the people who are impacted by these decisions. “Now, we won’t always make decisions that everyone agrees with, but I appreciate the understanding of our community,” said Dr. Bradley.

Dr. Bradley also highlighted the district’s second annual HERO Awards Program, which salutes Newton County Schools outstanding classified employees. Twenty-seven individuals will be honored at this year’s event, and, from this group, three people have been named finalists for HERO of the Year – Diana Caid from Oak Hill Elementary School; Andrea Cummings from Rocky Plains Elementary School; and Heather McCullough from the Newton College and Career Academy.

To see highlights from the announcement of the finalists, watch our video below:

Literacy Days Winners Recognized

Students were recognized during the Work Session for their outstanding achievements at the Griffin RESA Regional Literacy Days competition, where Newton County Schools students competed against their grade-level peers from Butts, Fayette, Spalding, Pike, Lamar, and Upson counties in a variety of literacy-based events. Mathias Deacon and Simi Fakunle each won third place awards in the poetry recitation competition. In the ready writing competition, Jordan Russell won first place, and Ella Oshiyemi and Kaitlyn Wood both won second place awards.

The cast of” Wickedly Wonderful: Zephira’s Tale at Porterdale Academy” from Porterdale Elementary School won third place in the elementary schools’ drama team competition. Recognized for their performances were Peninah Abong, Willow Smith, Kaylani Snipes, Aaliyah Armorer, Felicity Obando, Steven Ellison, Jr., Briella Walker, Jaliyah Nash, Jordan Russell, and Kylie Snipes.

In the middle schools’ drama team competition, the cast of “I Am Not Your Fairytale” from Cousins Middle School won third place. Michele Jones, Janay Middleton, Messiah Brooks, Chamiyah Daniel, Julianna Folson, Skye Jones, Kyron Allen, and Sadie Robinson were recognized for their performances.

Regional Science Fair Winners Honored

Students were honored during the Business Meeting for their outstanding achievements at the Griffin RESA Regional Science and Engineering Fair. These students won first-place awards at Newton County Schools’ District Science Fair, which earned them the opportunity to compete against some of the region’s brightest young minds from Butts, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Pike, Spalding, and Upson counties.

In the middle school competition, first-place winners at the regional science fair were Zettie Johnson; Cole Boudoucies, who also won the Office of Naval Research Award; Mason Walker, who also won the Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovator’s Challenge Award; and Jaya Watkins¸ who also won the Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovator’s Challenge Award. The Thermo-Fisher Junior Innovator’s Challenge Award is the highest honor a middle school student can receive at the regional fair.

Recognized as second-place winners at the regional science fair were David Bastida, Caden Payne, Abbas Rana, Malia Cunningham, Karter Gilmore, Bonham Ketcham, Rakiya Smith, A’King Robinson, Bryan Sanchez, and Zayan Syed.

In the high school competition, Branson Moore was recognized for winning a first-place award. Second-place winners were Robyn Asbell, MJ Birdsong, and Lizbeth Serrano Tzintzun.

Quarter Two Quarterly Report – Mr. Benjamin Roundtree, Chief of Staff

Benjamin Roundtree, Chief of Staff, presented the Quarter Two Quarterly Report. Quarterly Reports are designed to both monitor and communicate progress toward implementing the Board’s priorities for the year. They are an important tool that is used to ensure broad awareness about the district’s productivity, performance, and current organizational status.

View the presentation.

Mr. Roundtree reported that after a mid-year review at the request of the Board of Education, adjustments have been made to accommodate strategic workload reductions across the district. From the organizational priorities, work on developing a Tier I Behavior Support and Intervention Framework has been paused. Regarding strategy initiatives to support this priority, work to create a districtwide counseling program aligned to standards set by the American School Counselor Association also is paused. Within the priority to deepen community and stakeholder engagement, staff are re-evaluating the district’s Hispanic Family Engagement initiative. Elements of these priorities and initiatives may continue, albeit in a different capacity, but reporting on the progress or outcomes of these efforts will not be in the same way the district does for other priorities.

Advancing Academics, School Improvement, and Student Supports

For 2025-26, the Board’s Organizational Priorities in the area of Advancing Academics, School Improvement, and Student Supports are

Strengthen the district’s literacy foundation; clarify and document the district’s literacy improvement philosophy, strategy, and resources
Strengthen the instructional core (implement research-based instructional practices, interventions, and support systems in service of ensuring rigorous, Tier 1 Instruction, districtwide)

The district’s literacy initiatives continue to strengthen students’ foundational literacy skills through the implementation of research-based instructional practices, targeted interventions, and comprehensive support systems. During Quarter Two, the NCS Literacy Leaders Committee, along with principals, division leaders, teachers, and instructional coaches, provided feedback on the draft Literacy Blueprint to shape and inform the blueprint, ensuring it reflects the unique needs, priorities, and opportunities inherent in the district’s overarching goal of assuring its students receive the very best literacy instruction. Also, during Quarter Two, literacy unit planning guides that embed structured literacy strategies into all subjects were fully implemented, and all teachers in grades 4-12 completed Adolescent Literacy Training.

The Teacher Advisory Council met throughout Quarter Two to provide feedback on the draft Excellence in Teaching Framework, using a shared feedback document to capture implementation efforts and to identify any barriers that may affect the successful implementation of the framework.

Advancing Operational Effectiveness

Under Advancing Operational Effectiveness, the Board’s Organizational Priorities are:

Advancing school safety through a coordinated improvement strategy
Ensuring the development of a multi-year Strategic Plan
Identifying and implementing necessary operational efficiencies to streamline core systems and enhance organizational effectiveness
Evaluating district-wide facilities to explore opportunities for future use, right sizing, efficiency, upgrades, and modernization

Newton County Schools is enhancing safety by holding district-wide safety meetings, which are attended by representatives from every school along with key district-level personnel. During these meetings, attendees review districtwide safety data, look at trends, and ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. In addition to serving as a foundational component in ensuring staff are prepared to respond effectively during emergencies, these meetings also are part of a coordinated effort by Newton County Schools to receive the Ready Georgia Seal of Preparedness, which recognizes schools and districts for meeting high standards in emergency planning, training, and safety technology.

As communicated throughout each quarter, Newton County Schools’ Strategic Plan is under development. During Quarter Two, data from the responses gathered from the district’s governance team meeting, community engagement meeting, and the online survey were compiled and summarized into the Newton County Schools Community Engagement Report, which will be used to inform the development of the strategic plan.

The district takes very seriously its objective to achieve more organizational efficiency and transparency. Towards that effort, the Division of Business Services has transitioned an additional twenty-six vendors to ACH payments. By moving away from manual payments, the district reduces the time it takes for vendors to receive payment, eliminates the risk of checks being lost or delayed in the mail, and makes it easier for vendors to conduct business with the district.

During Quarter Two, the Division of Operations completed its evaluation of the district’s facilities. The evaluation was conducted to determine if the district’s buildings and facilities are used efficiently, maintained effectively, and positioned to meet the district’s needs. The review also sought to identify opportunities for future use, right-sizing, efficiency, upgrades, and modernization. The results of the evaluation have been compiled into a report that will be used to complete the district’s Local Facilities Plan, which will be submitted to the Board of Education for approval.

Advancing Culture and Engagement

Under Advancing Culture and Engagement, the Board’s Organizational Priorities are:

Develop a commonly applied, Tier I behavior support and intervention framework
Deepen community and stakeholder engagement

In an effort to deepen community and stakeholder engagement, the district carried out its Newton for Newton Initiative during Quarter Two to strengthen its role as a trusted connector of resources in the community. Specifically, the first phase of Newton for Newton focused on linking food-insecure families with local food providers. For the second initiative, five days of both breakfast and lunch meals were provided to students for the first week of winter break. These support structures for students and their families very clearly show the Board recognizes that the district’s academic goals cannot be achieved unless we are working to address the full range of students’ needs.

Also, two Community Conversations were held during Quarter Two, which provided both internal and external stakeholders opportunities to gain clarity and offer feedback regarding the work underway in the district.

Advancing Innovation and Organizational Stability

Under Advancing Innovation and Organizational Stability, the Board’s Organizational Priorities are:

Strengthen pathways and programs for students that support workforce development, aligned with community needs and industry partnerships
Evaluate and modernize policies to promote coherence and to correspond with the current state of the district
Invest in the professional growth of current and aspiring leaders to strengthen executive capacity.

During Quarter Two, Newton County Schools hosted a Workforce Development School Tour and Human Resources Roundtable, which brought together twenty-five Human Resources executives from leading local businesses and industry partners including Archer, Bridgestone, and Michelin, along with representatives from the Industrial Development Authority. This initiative highlighted this priority’s focus on talent pipelines, workforce readiness, and ongoing collaboration between education and industry.

In direct alignment with the Board’s organizational priority of Advancing Innovation and Organizational Stability, the work of conducting a comprehensive policy update is one of the district’s most important strategies. During Quarter Two, district staff began engaging with the Georgia School Boards Association and another external partner regarding the comprehensive policy review to develop a road map for completing this work.

Progress was made during Quarter Two in continuing expansive professional development for Newton County Schools’ personnel, particularly in working with the district’s leaders. The members of the inaugural cohort of the THRIVE Executive Leadership Program completed their year-long professional development series. Also, staff from the Division of Operations received professional development specific to those who are responsible for the day-to-day operations in school system facilities, planning and maintenance, transportation, school nutrition, safety and security, and technology infrastructure. These personnel were enrolled in the School System Operations Personnel Certificate Program that is administered by the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government.

Reflections and Comments from School Board Members

Mr. Trey Bailey praised everyone throughout the school district for what he called “their great work”. He specifically highlighted the work that is occurring with the Literacy Blueprint, Strategic Plan, and Workforce Development. He also expressed his appreciation that almost 2,000 responses were gathered from the Community Engagement survey in support of the Strategic Plan.

Mrs. Shakila Henderson-Baker sought clarity regarding what groups of employees are reviewing the Literacy Blueprint.

Advancing Operational Effectiveness: Construction and ESPLOST Report – Dr. Michael Barr, Chief Operations Officer

View the presentation.

Finance: Financial Report– Ms. Erica Robinson, Chief Financial Officer

View the presentation.

Finance: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Update – Ms. Erica Robinson, Chief Financial Officer

View the presentation.

Erica Robinson, the district’s Chief Financial Officer, presented an overview of the budget development process for Fiscal Year 2027. The development of the district’s budget defines how resources are allocated to meet the needs of students, staff, and other stakeholders. Periodic updates on the process are a part of the district’s goal to maintain transparency.

The budget development process for the district consists of four phases. Phase one focused on planning, gathering information, and establishing priorities through discussions with school board members. As the facilitators of the budget development process, the Business Services team led planning meetings with division chiefs, directors, and principals to provide guidance in developing their budget proposals.

During phase two, schools and the district’s executive divisions submitted budget proposals that were reviewed by Superintendent Dr. Duke Bradley and Ms. Robinson to ensure alignment with district priorities and to assure financial capacity. During this time, detailed salary and benefit projections were completed, including staffing allocations, step increases, and benefits obligations.

Ms. Robinson reported the district now is in phase three of the budget development process. The proposed budget is being refined, with a focus on updated revenue projections and comprehensive internal reviews. She noted this year’s process has required a slightly different approach than in prior years. Based on conditions that have been discussed over the past two years - including the rising costs of doing business, substantially elevated insurance premiums, changes to the local digest, and shifts in local fair share— the district has begun implementing strategic reductions in expenditures while also evaluating whether additional revenue will ultimately be necessary.

Even as staff look to identify areas for strategic reductions, Newton County Schools remains committed to supporting student achievement and investing in its employees through competitive compensation and benefits. Approximately 89% of the budget is allocated to salaries and benefits, with the remaining funds supporting instructional materials, operations, maintenance, and other essential services. Right now, the overall percentage increase in proposed FY27 General Fund budget is approximately 1.3%. Revenue is derived from approximately 54% state funds and 46% local sources.

Ms. Robinson noted that Newton County Schools operates with lower per-pupil spending than several of its regional counterparts, including Rockdale, Social Circle, Griffin-Spalding, and Morgan Counties. Despite that reality, the district has recently demonstrated meaningful gains in student achievement, showing improved outcomes with comparatively fewer resources.

District leaders are monitoring state budget developments, including House Bill 974, which has reduced projected increases in employer health insurance costs and provided some budget relief. Staff also are closely tracking proposed property tax legislation and its potential impact on local revenues.

Ms. Robinson acknowledged the possibility that a full senior homestead exemption has emerged as an important topic in the larger Newton County community. The district is working with the Tax Commissioner to determine the exact impact a full exemption would have on Newton County Schools, but it is clear that such a measure would create a significant revenue shortfall that would need to be offset through other means. Indeed, this is a fundamental matter of mathematics and solvency.

Some additional points:

The Newton County Board of Education has a well-documented history of financial restraint as evidenced by consistent millage rate reductions. In fact, the district’s current millage rate trails many of its regional counterparts by a good amount, including Henry, Rockdale, Social Circle, Fayette, and Morgan counties. The Board approved a 0.25 millage rate reduction just under one year ago, representing approximately $1.5 million in reduced revenue. This reflects a clear pattern - a willingness to reduce revenues even as financial demands persist.
Newton County Schools ranks in the bottom third of districts statewide in central office spending. While lean operations have value, operating below average in a district of this size can create additional strain and administrative burden on existing staff.
Newton County Schools’ per-pupil spending remains lower than that of comparable districts, even as expectations and performance demands continue to increase.

The remaining steps in the budget development process include the presentation of the tentative budget, required public hearings, and final adoption. As the district moves through these steps, district leaders will maintain transparency while also preparing the community for the financial realities ahead. Some decisions will be difficult, but they are necessary to ensure the long-term strength and sustainability of Newton County Schools.

Business Items and Informational Items: Enrollment Report – Mr. Benjamin Roundtree, Chief of Staff

As of March 2, 2026, there are 18,350 students enrolled in Newton County Schools.

A. Requested Board Action Relative to One-Time Pay Adjustment

The Board approved accepting and using funds from the Fiscal year 2026 Amended State Budget, as approved by the Governor and Georgia General Assembly, to provide a $2,000 one-time pay adjustment to all eligible employees. Additionally, the board approved Superintendent Bradley’s recommendation to extend the $2,000 one-time pay adjustment to all remaining full-time school system employees and amending the district’s FY 2026 Budget accordingly to appropriate the necessary funds for the payment. The State Budget included $3,974,298 in funding for Newton County Schools to provide a $2,000 one-time pay adjustment to eligible employees. To ensure consistency across the organization, Superintendent Bradley recommended and the Board approved extending the pay adjustment to all remaining full-time school system employees who were not included in the state-funded allocation. The estimated cost to provide the one-time supplement to these employees is $1,200,000.00.