Weekly Update 11/3/25

Parents, Students, and Faculty,

It was an outstanding weekend for Seminole County! Our football team pulled off a last-minute victory over Mitchell County on Friday night to clinch second place in the region. The Indians will now host Washington-Wilkes in the first round of state playoffs on November 14. Our Cross Country teams also had a great day at Sectionals on Saturday, with the girls capturing the Region Championship and the boys finishing as Region Runners-Up. Congratulations to all of our runners and coaches for an incredible showing! Adding to the celebration, our One-Act Play cast and crew earned the Region Title with their performance of Hairspray on Saturday!

Looking ahead, we have another full week. Nations will meet to review goals and check progress, and several of our seniors will serve as poll workers on Election Day, demonstrating leadership and civic responsibility. On Thursday evening we will host FAFSA Parent Night to help seniors and families complete financial aid forms for college. To close out the week, our Cross Country team will travel to compete in the State Meet on Saturday. Best of luck to our runners as they represent Seminole County at the state level!

We are looking forward to another great week at Seminole County Middle High School, the best school in southwest Georgia!

Monday, November 3:

• Panther Nation - 8:54 AM
• Bird Nation - 9:25 AM
• Impact Team - 3:15 PM
• MS Basketball vs Spring Creek Charter - 4:30 PM

Tuesday, November 4:

• Alligator Nation - 8:54 AM
• Otter Nation - 9:25 AM

Wednesday, November 5:

• Club Rotation C

Thursday, November 6:

• Deer Nation - 8:54 AM
• Toad Nation - 9:25 AM
• MS Basketball vs Early - 4:30 PM
• FAFSA Parent Night - 6:00 PM

Friday, November 7:

• Bear Nation - 8:54 AM
• Fox Nation - 9:25 AM

Saturday, November 8:

• State Cross Country

We’re getting closer to move-in day, and excitement is building! Take a look inside our brand-new Seminole County K-12 School building and see a few of the spaces our students and staff will soon call home. We can't wait to get started in our new school!

Seventh-grade science students recently explored genetics through a hands-on activity called “Coin Toss Genotypes to Determine Phenotypes.” In this project, students simulated how traits are inherited by flipping coins to determine genetic combinations. After identifying the resulting phenotypes, each group brought their results to life by drawing what they imagined their organisms would look like. The activity was a fun and creative way for students to visualize how genes influence traits.

Students in U.S. History classes recently stepped into the role of detectives as they entered a full-scale crime scene set up in their history classroom. The room was transformed with caution tape, “blood” splatter, witness statements, and scattered pieces of historical evidence, with each representing clues connected to the growing political, economic, and social tensions between the North and South before the Civil War.

Working in teams, students examined primary sources, analyzed artifacts, and followed a trail of clues to determine "who or what" was most guilty of causing the conflict that divided a nation. Through this engaging hands-on activity, students met key learning targets:

• I can explain how the political, economic, and social tensions between the North and South contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War.

• I can use historical evidence to make and defend a claim about who or what was most responsible for the Civil War.

By combining historical analysis with investigative fun, Mrs. Thompson’s classroom turned history into a living mystery, challenging students to think critically, argue with evidence, and uncover the complex causes of America’s deadliest conflict.

Biology students recently took a closer look—literally—at the fascinating inner workings of plants using microscopes. Through hands-on observation, they explored plant cell structures that play vital roles in keeping plants alive and thriving.

Under the microscope, students identified cell walls, the rigid outer layer that gives plant cells their structure and protection. They also examined chloroplasts, the green organelles responsible for photosynthesis, converting sunlight into energy. The vacuoles (large fluid-filled sacs) stood out as storage centers that help maintain the cell’s shape and balance water within the plant.

To complete their exploration, students observed stomata, the tiny openings on leaf surfaces that regulate gas exchange and water vapor, offering an up-close view of how plants “breathe.”

This engaging activity not only strengthened students’ understanding of cell biology but also inspired a deeper appreciation for the complexity and beauty of life at the microscopic level.

Biology students then used virtual reality technology to explore plant cells and the process of photosynthesis. The immersive experience allowed them to see how chloroplasts convert carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into energy to create glucose for the cell and oxygen as a by-product. This unique experience helped bring complex science concepts to life in an engaging way.

Our FFA members had a fantastic time at the Fall Festival last week! The afternoon was packed with fun games, tasty snacks, and lots of laughter. Members took part in apple bobbing, pumpkin bowling, the egg toss, and a pumpkin painting contest.

Congratulations to our FFA Vice President, Christian Albritton, for winning the pumpkin painting contest with pumpkin #10!

A huge thank-you to everyone who participated and helped make the event such a success—it was the perfect way to celebrate the season with our FFA family!

• 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.

Seminole County Middle High School’s One-Act Play cast and crew took home first place at the Region Competition with their performance of Hairspray! The talented group impressed judges with their energy, teamwork, and professionalism both on and off stage.

In addition to the team’s win, several students earned individual honors. Bryce Register was named Best Supporting Actor, and Milan Richardson earned Best Actress. Both were also selected for the All-Star Cast.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and directors for their outstanding performance and for bringing home another region title for Seminole County! They will travel to Warner Robins on November 22 to compete for the State title. Go Indians!

The Seminole County Indians pulled off a thrilling 36–32 victory over Mitchell County on Friday night! After trading leads throughout the game, Kamauri Smith sealed the win with a 70-yard touchdown run in the final minute. The victory secured second place in the region, earning the Indians home-field advantage for the first round of state playoffs on November 14 against Washington-Wilkes.

Go Indians! 💚🏈

The Seminole County Indians had a standout showing at the Sectionals meet! The girls team captured the Region title, while the boys team finished strong as the Runners-Up. Their performances set the stage for the upcoming State Meet, and we’re proud of each runner and coach for their effort and commitment. Good luck at State — go Indians! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

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