Weekly Update 12/1/25

Parents, Students, and Faculty,

We hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break! As we welcome students back for the three important weeks leading up to Christmas break, we’ll be focused on strong finishing efforts across the board. During this time, students will complete mid-year diagnostic and benchmark testing, wrap up nine-weeks grades, and work on culminating projects in their classes.

This week is also a big one for athletics and student events. Middle school basketball will play at home on Tuesday and Thursday, and our first home varsity basketball game will be Friday night against our rivals, the Miller County Pirates. We want to “green out” the gym and pack the stands with Seminole County pride! Our student section needs to be full and loud, and we will be selling student tickets at school on Friday for $1 each. In addition, our Seminole Stix fishing team will be competing this Saturday out of Big Jim’s—best of luck to all anglers!

Our fine arts department is also in the spotlight this week. Hairspray, our region-winning One-Act Play, will be performed for the public on Saturday at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, and again on Sunday at 2:00 PM. We invite everyone to come out and support our talented cast and crew.

As we prepare to finish the move and begin classes in our new K-12 building in January, we are grateful for the support of our families, staff, and community who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony before the break. Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate this milestone with us. We look forward to many years in our new, modern, and safe facility. Have a great week at Seminole County Middle High School, the best school in southwest Georgia!

Monday, December 1:

• ELA Benchmark
• iReady Reading Diagnostic

Tuesday, December 2:

• ELA Benchmark
• iReady Reading Diagnostic
• MS Basketball vs Spring Creek Charter - 4:30 PM

Wednesday, December 3:

• Club Rotation B
• Math Benchmark
• iReady Math Diagnostic

Thursday, December 4:

• Math Benchmark
• iReady Math Diagnostic
• MS Basketball vs Bainbridge - 4:30 PM

Friday, December 5:

• Science Benchmark
• iReady Math Diagnostic
• Varsity Basketball vs Miller - 6:00 PM
• Gym Dedication - 7:00 PM

Saturday, December 6:

• Hairspray - 2:00 PM; 6:00 PM
• Seminole Stix - 3:00 PM
• JV/Varsity Basketball @ Bainbridge - 6:00 PM

Sunday, December 7:

• Hairspray - 2:00 PM

On Sunday, November 23rd, Seminole County Schools proudly held the ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for our brand-new K–12 building—a historic moment for our school system and community. The event was attended by Board of Education members, Superintendent Mark Earnest, representatives from the Seminole Tribes of Oklahoma and Florida, delegates from our partner school in the city of Landshut, Germany, JCI Contractors, administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community supporters.

Following a meaningful program in celebration of this milestone, guests were invited to tour the new facility, including both the Elementary School and Middle High School wings. The tours offered families and stakeholders an exciting first look at the modern, spacious, and innovative learning environments that will soon welcome all Seminole County students.

It was truly a great day for our school system, filled with pride, gratitude, and anticipation for the future. We are excited about this new beginning and look forward to opening the doors and starting school in our new building in January.

Our Seminole County Middle High School staff enjoyed a wonderful Friendsgiving celebration last week! Teachers and staff members brought in a delicious variety of soups, dips, desserts, and other treats to share, filling the room with fellowship and plenty of fall flavors.

As part of the fun, we hosted a friendly food competition featuring several categories. Congratulations to this year’s winners! It was a wonderful time of community, laughter, and great food—another reminder of how special our staff truly is.

Seminole County Middle High School is proud to recognize School Resource Officer Jeffrey Lawson and his K-9 partner, Magic, for their outstanding performance at the South Georgia K-9 Workshop, hosted by the Dooly and Houston County Sheriff’s Offices. This event brought together highly trained K-9 units from across the region for intensive training, collaboration, and skill-based competitions.

Officer Lawson and Magic represented Seminole County with excellence, participating in a variety of detection and handling exercises throughout the workshop. Magic impressed everyone with his exceptional scent-tracking abilities, earning 1st Place Top Nose—the highest recognition for detection work at the event. This award highlights Magic’s sharp skills, strong work ethic, and the dedication Officer Lawson puts into training and partnership.

We are incredibly proud of Officer Lawson and Magic for their commitment to keeping our campus and community safe. Their success at this regional workshop is a testament to the professionalism and dedication they bring to Seminole County every day. Congratulations to SRO Lawson and K-9 Magic on this impressive achievement!

AP Biology students wrapped up Unit 3: Cellular Energetics with a fun, hands-on “bread-in-a-bag” investigation exploring the power of anaerobic respiration. Using simple materials - flour, sugar, salt, yeast and warm water - students created miniature fermentation chambers to observe how living cells convert energy without oxygen.

As the yeast began breaking down sugar molecules, students watched the bag inflate, providing a clear visual of carbon dioxide production during anaerobic respiration. This engaging activity helped students connect abstract biochemical pathways to real-world biological processes while reinforcing key concepts of cellular respiration.

The lab was student-centered, energetic, and a delicious way to bring cellular biology to life!

AP World History students recently transformed the lunchroom into a network of “Oasis Stops,” each representing a major trade route from 1200–1450. Working in groups, students researched the Silk Roads, Indian Ocean, and Trans-Saharan routes, as well as key trading cities, and the spread of religions, then built tri-fold displays showcasing goods, technologies, crops, ideas, and cultural exchanges that shaped the world from 1200-1450. Each stop featured “wares,” primary sources, and student-created infomercials explaining major historical concepts. This creative project brought global interactions to life and helped students deepen their understanding of how trade networks connected societies across Afro-Eurasia.

The annual fall leadership competition conference training gives students the opportunity to learn vital leadership, work readiness, employability, and communications skills. Students compete in an Academic Quiz Bowl which incorporates core classes which helps students practice effective test-taking skills. FLC includes a formal dinner in the beautiful grand ballroom where students learn and explore social skills and business etiquette needed for a helpful transition to after high school. The training offers access to business and industry tours, connections to post-secondary education and numerous breakout sessions covering topics such as dress for success, financial management, interviewing skills, self-advocacy, self-regulation tools and much more.

• Support the arts at SCMHS by joining our Fine Arts Booster Club! Your involvement helps provide resources and opportunities for our talented students in band, chorus, visual arts, and drama. Whether it's volunteering your time or offering financial support, every contribution makes a difference. Join us in celebrating and strengthening the arts at SCMHS! Email seminolefinearts@gmail.com for more information.

Our Fall Esports Team wrapped up an impressive postseason run after an exceptional season that carried them all the way to the Sweet Sixteen of the state playoffs—an outstanding accomplishment for both our program and Seminole County High School.

During their playoff match, the team was performing at a high level and was on track to defeat the number-two ranked team in Georgia. Unfortunately, a sudden power outage at the school caused an unexpected loss of connection. Despite efforts to reconnect, league rules required an automatic forfeit.

Although the ending was disappointing, our players demonstrated remarkable skill, dedication, and sportsmanship from start to finish. They represented SCHS with pride and proved that our Esports program can stand toe-to-toe with the top teams in the state. We are extremely proud of their hard work and accomplishments this season. Thank you to Mr. Royce Robinson for coaching this group!

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) voted to amend its policies regarding Name, Image, and Likeness payments to prep student-athletes. The changes are focused on curtailing any activity from what is known as NIL Collectives, a system that has permeated and fundamentally altered college athletics. NIL Collectives are shell corporations that function to exploit loopholes in NIL policy and allow donors to pay student-athletes for their athletic talents and enrollment at specific institutions –– these payments are often used in a recruiting context to maintain current players, solicit transfer athletes, or sign top level high school recruits.

With fear of the NIL Collective system seeping down from the NCAA and into the high school level, the GHSA has taken swift action to amend its rules. The new language to GHSA policy was formally voted in yesterday: “No student-athlete may be a member of nor receive compensation or any other benefit from a Collective or NIL Club. A Collective is defined as any group organized or existing for the purpose of compensating or benefiting an individual student[-]athlete or group of student athletes of a member school. NIL Clubs are defined as a group of student athletes organized or existing for the purpose of soliciting funds or other benefits from fans, members or other sources, managing or promoting NIL activities of student athletes or otherwise providing funds or other benefits to an individual student athlete or group of student athletes.”

School Attendance public service announcement from GaDOE and Georgia Public Broadcasting