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new policy. This policy comes as a result of the state’s adoption of House Bill 340, which outlaws personal electronic devices in schools for students in elementary and middle school.
“We have discussed it, and I have met with numerous groups – staff, students, parents – and we have landed on a K-12 policy,” Superintendent Ronda Hightower emphasized. She shared that at a recent conference for school superintendents, the Education Committee Chairs for the State House of Representatives and Senate had shared that they hope to expand the legislation through to high school.
“We will be ahead of the game with that. Even with the absence, if that does not happen, we need our kids focused on school when they come to school. This decision really becomes clear when you look at what is best for kids,” she emphasized.
All-Service School
Montgomery County High School was named a National Beta Club All-Star Service School in June in recognition of the chapter’s outstanding community service.
Being named an All-Star Service School is an honor that does not come to many schools, as around 130 schools nationwide are selected for the honor each year. Anderson said that the Class of 2025 was a driving force in earning the award during the 20242025 school year, as these recent graduates alone did over 5,000 community service hours. “I’m very proud of them,” Superintendent Ronda Hightower remarked.
In addition to this, Hightower recognized Anderson, Montgomery County Middle School Beta Club Sponsor Payton Spell, and Montgomery County Middle/High School Principal Tracy Mc-Neal for helping the school system to earn the National Beta Club District of Distinction award, which is given to districts who have an active Beta Club at all levels and schools – elementary, middle, and high. This year, the honor was only given to 78 districts nationwide.
The group received plaques to display in their respective school lobbies commemorating the award.
Second in Area Land Judging Treutlen County Schools Future Farmers of America (FFA) found success at the Area 4 FFA Land Judging Career Development Event in September, as both the Treutlen Middle School and Treutlen High School Land Judging Teams placed second in the competition.
The Land Judging Career Development Event provides students the opportunity to determine land classification, use and treatment practices for selected sites. During the event, the students must consider topsoil texture and thickness, effective depth, permeability of subsoil, slope, erosion, drainage, and land capability.
The Treutlen FFA Land Judgement Team includes the Senior team – Drew Thornton, Ashley Lumpkin, Trystan Mc-Guinn, Aliyah Morris, and the Junior Team – Lindsey Forehand, Gabby Spivey, Middle School Team – Ian Dickens, Anderson Horne, Caleb Ring, Oliver Daughtry.
Both teams placed 2nd in the competition and Senior Team Member Drew Thornton was the highest scoring individual in the Area 4 competition. Highest Grad Rate in School History Vidalia High School set a new standard of excellence for their school, as the new graduation rate, which was announced in September, is the highest in the school’s history.
On Tuesday, September 30, Vidalia City Schools announced that this year’s graduation rate had reached an unprecedented level, as the rate was reported to be 96.8% for the 2024-2025 academic year. This new graduation rate not only demonstrates the dedication of students and staff, but also soars above the state average graduation rate of 87.2%.
The school’s performance also ranks it among the top schools in the state, as the district placed 26th out of the total 193 school districts in Georgia – 134 of which had graduation rates at or above 90%. Only 60 districts, including Vidalia, had a rate of over 95%.
Land Judging State Champions In October, Wheeler County Future Farmers of America (FFA) found success at the annual State Career Development Event (CDE) Competitions, as both the Junior and Senior Land Judging teams took home the title of state champions.
The Land Judging Career Development Event provides students the opportunity to determine land classification, use and treatment practices for selected sites. During the event, the students must consider topsoil texture and thickness, effective depth, permeability of subsoil, slope, erosion, drainage, and land capability.
To qualify for the state competition, the Wheeler FFA Junior and Senior Land Judging Teams first competed at the Area 4 Land Judging CDE, which was held at Riverbend Wildlife Management Area in Rockledge on September 16. In the area competition, the Wheeler FFA Junior Land Judging Team placed first in the region, as Kaden Knight had the top individual score in the competition, while Savannah Purvis finished in second place, Chassity Knight finished in fourth place, and Noah Page finished in fifth place. Meanwhile, the Wheeler FFA Senior Land Judging Team also took home top honors in the region, as Trent Butler had the second highest individual score, Carson Ford finished in fourth place, Ginnie Connell took fifth place, and Lane Connell was awarded eighth place.
At the State Competition, the Wheeler FFA Junior and Senior Land Judging Teams continued to show their excellence in the competition, as the teams swept first place. In the Junior Division, Chassity Knight was the highest placing individual in the competition, while Savannah Purvis took third place, and Kaden Knight placed fourth. In addition to these individual placers, the team also included Noah Page.
In the Senior Division, Trent Butler was one of four students to tie for first place with a perfect score, while Ginnie Connell placed third, Lane Connell finished in seventh place, and Carson Ford took tenth place. Wheeler County FFA Adviser Hannah Henry Snively emphasized that this state championship was extra special for Lane Connell, Ford, and Butler, as the trio won the Junior Land Judging State Championship three years ago, alongside their former teammate Brody Adams.
Exemplary Board
In November, the Montgomery County Board of Education (MCBOE) was recognized for its effectiveness and excellence in governing the school system through the Georgia School Board Association (GSBA) 2025 Exemplary Board Recognition.
This recognition is the highest level of achievement in the GSBA’s recognition program, and acknowledges the Board’s steadfast commitment to effective governance, continuous improvement, transparency, and collaboration, all of which contribute to fostering strong schools and maximizing opportunities for every student in the district.
To earn this distinction, the Board had to meet 9 rigorous criteria that tested the Board’s strategic planning, vision, selfassessment, superintendent, board training, board norms and protocols, accreditation, board members’ ethics, and fiscal responsibility. The standards for Exemplary Boards are designed to ensure that local school boards provide outstanding leadership and accountability in service to their communities.
Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Ronda Hightower commented on the achievement. “Receiving this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our governance team,” she remarked. “We are committed to making decisions that reflect what is best for students first and foremost.” This board has demonstrated time and time again their belief that “The right decision becomes clear when the focus is on students.” Farm to School Award
Treutlen County Schools was awarded the Georgia Farm to School Award in November.
The award recognizes school districts that do an outstanding job educating students about agriculture, and that incorporate agriculture into their school nutrition. The award – which is given out annually by Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division, in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, the University of Georgia Extension Program, and the Georgia Department of Public Health – is presented to schools with locally grown items in school meals, farm to school promotions and marketing done throughout the school environment, schools who have edible gardens, and schools that have farm to school language adopted into policy or procedure.
The Treutlen County School System not only utilizes fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, but also teaches the students about these goods and where they come from. The district thrives on connecting students with the agriculture industry, and teaching them about healthy options that they can find in the surrounding areas.
Conclusion
Overall, 2025 was a year of growth, change, and achievement for the area schools, who continue to work hard and showcase excellence inside and outside the classroom.
tendent Alex Alvarez, Wheeler County High School Principal William Bell, Trent Butler, Ginnie Connell, Wheeler County FFA Adviser Hannah Henry Snively.
