Weekly Update 11/17/25

Parents, Students, and Faculty,

We wrapped up our football season on Friday in the first round of the playoffs with a tough loss to Washington-Wilkes. While the outcome wasn’t what we hoped for, we are extremely proud of our players and coaches for their hard work, perseverance, and dedication throughout the season. They represented Seminole County with heart, grit, and class, and we are grateful for the excitement and pride they brought to our school and community this year. In other athletics news, the varsity basketball teams began their season with a scrimmage game at Cairo and the boys team came out with a victory. We are excited to get the new season started!

Looking ahead, next week brings several important events. Middle school basketball will have games on both Monday and Thursday, and we encourage everyone to come out and support our young athletes. Our 7th graders will take a field trip to the McFadden Nature Center on Thursday, giving them a chance to experience hands-on learning in an outdoor setting. On Friday, our One-Act Play cast and crew will perform for our high school students as their final rehearsal before heading to the State competition on Saturday. We wish them the very best of luck—break a leg, Indians!

This Sunday, we will host the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for our new Seminole County Schools K–12 building at 2:00 p.m. Community members, parents, students, and staff are all invited to attend and tour the new facility as we celebrate this exciting milestone in our school system.

Lastly, we will move into Thanksgiving Break next week, November 24–28. We hope everyone enjoys a safe, restful holiday with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on December 1 to Seminole County Middle High School, the best school in southwest Georgia!

Monday, November 17:

• MS Basketball @ PCA - 4:30 PM

Tuesday, November 18:

• Leadership Team - 3:30 PM

Wednesday, November 19:

• Club Rotation A
• Faculty Friendsgiving Celebration

Thursday, November 20:

• McFadden Nature Center - 7th Grade
• MS Basketball @ Whigham - 4:30 PM

Friday, November 21:

• One Act Play - 11th & 12th - 9:00 AM
• One Act Play - 9th & 10th - 1:30 PM

Saturday, November 22:

• State One Act Play Competition

Sunday, November 23:

• K-12 Building Dedication and Ribbon-Cutting - 2:00 PM

Monday, November 24-Sunday, November 30 - Thanksgiving Holiday 🦃🍰🍂

On Wednesday November 12, 2025, Seminole County Schools signed five students as REACH Scholarship candidates. REACH stands for Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen. REACH Georgia is the State's first needs-based mentorship and college scholarship program. The mission of REACH is to ensure that Georgia’s academically promising students have the academic, social, and financial support needed to graduate from high school, have access to college, and achieve postsecondary success. Each REACH scholar will be assigned a mentor from the community, as well as an academic coach to provide support and encouragement throughout their high school career. REACH Scholars who maintain the requirements of the scholarship throughout their high school career will receive $10,000 towards their college education. We would like to congratulate the following students for being selected as Seminole County's 2025-2026 REACH Scholarship candidates: Ke’Miyah Gardner, Rhy’leigh Handford, Kerrason Johnson (Not pictured), Ja’khia Lewis, and Seymon Wright

Seminole County Middle/High School seniors took an important step toward their futures during the school’s Apply to College Day, held as part of Georgia’s Apply to College Month. Each November, this statewide initiative encourages high school seniors to begin or complete the college application process and explore opportunities that align with their postsecondary goals. Throughout the month, many colleges and universities across Georgia waive their application fees, making the process more accessible for all students.

During the event, admissions representatives from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Southern Regional Technical College, and Valdosta State University were on campus to assist students. Their presence offered seniors the chance to ask questions, receive personalized support, and gain confidence as they move forward with their plans. Seminole County Schools extends sincere appreciation to these institutions for their continued partnership and commitment to student success. We would also like to give a shoutout to our AV Tech class and Seniors who helped make our video presentation for this event.

Hillary Roberts is a senior at SCMHS and is completing her work-based learning hours at Miller County Hospital. A successful CTAE student since the eighth grade, Hillary has completed multiple pathways, so it comes as no surprise that she consistently receives excellent on-the-job evaluations.

Hillary spends most of her time in the Emergency Department, where she scans charts, restocks supplies, assists in interviewing patients, and obtains or verifies personal information. She also helps schedule patient appointments and communicates effectively with departments outside the ER.

Hillary is well on her way to becoming an outstanding nurse! Thank you, Miller County Hospital, for partnering with the WBL program and helping our students reach their goals.

• 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 Seminole Stix fishing team had a strong showing this past Saturday at the local tournament held out of the Bainbridge Boat Basin on Lake Seminole. Reid Phillips earned 3rd place for the senior team, and Liam Shingler finished 2nd for the junior team with an impressive day on the water. Liam’s boat captain, Steve Stewart, was also recognized, winning the Captain’s gift card. We are proud of all our anglers for representing Seminole County so well—great job, Seminole Stix! Their next local tournament will be held on December 6 at Big Jim's.

A big shout-out goes to Miss Lawhorn and her students—Caleb Key, Everett Gingery, Koi Thorton, Tristen Hopkins, Zy’Mear Barber, Ryan Reed, and Kason Dukes—for their hard work and community spirit this week. These elementary students took it upon themselves to help prepare our football stadium for the playoff game, removing approximately 25 pounds of trash from the field and bleachers. Their teamwork and leadership made a noticeable difference, and we are proud of their efforts. Special thanks to Miss Lawhorn for guiding her students in this project and to Mr. Johnson, Elementary School Principal, for supporting this initiative.

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