Welcome to the McDuffie County School System! As Superintendent of Schools, it is my great privilege to work with parents and students, teachers and administrators, and members of our community to provide the best opportunities available for every pupil in our school system. As a parent of a Thomson High School graduate and an 11th grader in McDuffie County Schools, I recognize that it is not enough for our graduates to be college and career ready. They must also be fully prepared to compete internationally and to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
McDuffie is On the Move! You will continue to see this message throughout our community this school year, and it is more than a slogan. We are working to provide our students with the best possible facilities, technology, staff, opportunities and resources. To exemplify our commitment to our community, our system has served 625 students this past summer through our Rising Kindergarten Summer Transition Program; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) camps for grades 1-12; Summer Bridge Program; and credit recovery options for our high school pupils. We’ve also held family literacy workshops and distributed materials to over 59 families. We launched the Bulldog Express, the area's first STEM and literacy bus, in October 2023. As we recognize the need to maintain the best facilities possible, in the last five years we have replaced the roof of Maxwell Elementary School, built Norris Elementary School, completed facility upgrades on all campuses, with a specific focus on major renovations at Thomson High School, Norris Elementary School, and Dearing Elementary School. In the area of technology, we are stronger than ever before, demonstrated through a ratio of 1 student per system device and wireless access points in all buildings. We are fortunate to have educators who hold award-winning credentials in their fields and who recognize students are our number one priority. Throughout the school year, our teachers and administrators have been immersed in professional learning opportunities to enable our system to afford students the best education possible. Over 300 job-embedded professional learning opportunities have been offered in the last year, including our newest partnership with CSRA RESA providing an instructional coach to Thomson-McDuffie Middle School. We are blessed with a supportive community, and we are working diligently to add innovative programs that meet the unique needs and goals of our students. The most recent graduation rate is the highest since the inception of the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), with a CTAE graduation rate of 97.99% and over 90% of graduates completing one or more pathways. We are proud that these efforts were rewarded in 2022 with the highest Cognia accreditation score in the system’s history.
McDuffie is Where Tradition Meets Innovation to actively prepare all learners for their future endeavors. We honor our tradition while recognizing the need to apply innovative programs and methods to equip our students with the ability to embrace changes in the world around us. I believe that with every bus ride, daily lesson, friendly smile, healthy lunch, well-maintained school building, and carefully planned school day we are moving forward into a bright future. A great education is the vehicle for a stronger workforce and a stronger community, and we are committed to moving our students toward success. Whether you are an employee, student, parent, business owner, community leader or resident, you play an important role in what we do. We welcome your involvement in our schools, and we hope that you will feel comfortable reaching out to us if we can be of service. Working together, we will continue to provide a high-quality education for all students.
Dr. Mychele Rhodes
Superintendent
McDuffie County Schools
