School Board Names Warren as GSCS Superintendent
On Tuesday, January 13, the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education appointed Dr. Donald Warren as the superintendent of the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS).
Dr. Warren has 33 years of experience in education and has served GSCS for almost 10 years. He has served as the interim superintendent for the last eight months and also for four months in 2020. He has served as the GSCS Deputy Superintendent since 2021, overseeing district operations. Warren began with GSCS in 2017 as the GSCS Executive Director of Secondary Education, where he supervised all middle and high school principals along with career and technical education.
Dr. Warren came to GSCS after serving as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction & Director of Learning and Leadership for Henry County Schools for five years. He spent much of his career in the Houston County School District as a high school mathematics teacher, assistant principal (elementary and middle) and principal in Warner Robins.
READ MORE: https://5il.co/3tdgc
On Tuesday, January 13, the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education appointed Dr. Donald Warren as the superintendent of the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS).
Dr. Warren has 33 years of experience in education and has served GSCS for almost 10 years. He has served as the interim superintendent for the last eight months and also for four months in 2020. He has served as the GSCS Deputy Superintendent since 2021, overseeing district operations. Warren began with GSCS in 2017 as the GSCS Executive Director of Secondary Education, where he supervised all middle and high school principals along with career and technical education.
Dr. Warren came to GSCS after serving as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction & Director of Learning and Leadership for Henry County Schools for five years. He spent much of his career in the Houston County School District as a high school mathematics teacher, assistant principal (elementary and middle) and principal in Warner Robins.
READ MORE: https://5il.co/3tdgc
All GSCS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In December, GSCS held its annual Literacy Days competition. Students across the district expressed their creativity in: K-2 Read Aloud, K-8 Poetry Recitation, K-8 Drama and grades 3-8 Ready Writing. There was a high level of participation from all elementary and middle schools, with almost 200 participants. First-place winners will represent GSCS at the Griffin RESA Regional Literacy Days competition in February 2026. Congratulations to these first-place winners!
GSCS Parent University is offering a free 30-minute workshop for families on Safe & Positive Social Media on Thursday, January 15. Scan the QR code to register.
Spalding High School is hosting a STEM Night on February 6 for students in grades 3-5. Register now by scanning the QR code!
Happy New Year from GSCS! Remember, staff and students return on Monday, January 5!
GSCS families and community: Thomaston Milk Company would like to bless Spalding County families with free milk before the holidays. They will be in the Orrs Elementary parking lot, 1553 Flynn Street, on Monday, December 22, 2025, from 10 AM – 12 PM, while supplies last, distributing ½ pints of regular and chocolate milk. This distribution is a donation on behalf of Thomaston Milk Company. We appreciate their support of our community.
Please complete the ThoughtExchange at the link below to provide input for the questions that will be asked of the superintendent finalists at the town hall meeting on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at 6 p.m in the Griffin Auditorium. The town hall event will also be live-streamed. Thought Exchange Link: https://my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/474844673/welcome
Today, all GSCS School Principal Secretaries were celebrated at a Jingle & Mingle Heart of the School Christmas Luncheon. They were all recognized for their dedication, hard work and joy that they bring to their schools. Thank you, school principal secretaries! Happy Holidays!
All GSCS schools & offices will be closed Dec. 22, 2025 - Jan. 2, 2026, for holiday break. GSCS staff & students return on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
Register to attend the next GSCS Parent University and learn how to navigate your students' screen time. Scan the QR code to register!
On Dec. 11, GSCS families can log in to learn about resources to help improve their child's English language development.
GSCS December Parent University. Scan the QR code to register.
EXCITING NEWS!!!! JRE is honored to be a Georgia "Beat the Odds" school!!!
A Georgia “Beat the Odds” (BTO) school is a public school that performs better than expected when compared to schools with similar student characteristics across the state of Georgia.
The “Beating the Odds” designation is calculated and awarded by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) using a statistical model that predicts a school’s performance on the College and Career Reading Performance Index (CCRPI) and compares it to the actual CCRPI score the school earned. Schools with higher than predicted CCRPI scores receive the GOSA “Beat the Odds” award.
JRE was predicted to score 72.1; however, JRE surpassed the prediction with a score of 81.8.
Congratulations to JRE students and teachers!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳
A Georgia “Beat the Odds” (BTO) school is a public school that performs better than expected when compared to schools with similar student characteristics across the state of Georgia.
The “Beating the Odds” designation is calculated and awarded by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) using a statistical model that predicts a school’s performance on the College and Career Reading Performance Index (CCRPI) and compares it to the actual CCRPI score the school earned. Schools with higher than predicted CCRPI scores receive the GOSA “Beat the Odds” award.
JRE was predicted to score 72.1; however, JRE surpassed the prediction with a score of 81.8.
Congratulations to JRE students and teachers!! 🥳🥳🥳🥳
GSCS will host a job fair on December 16, 2025, at the Flint River Regional Library. Scan the QR code to register!
GSCS Department of Exceptional Students is hosting a Parent Expo on December 4 from 5-7 p.m. at the Griffin Region College & Career Academy.
If you missed the last one in October, Griffin-Spalding County Schools invites grandparents to attend a Town Hall Meeting for grandparents helping their GSCS student grandchildren.
This meeting, hosted by Board of Education Chairman R. Syntel Brown with district leaders, is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the parent resource center in the GSCS Central Office "B Building" (facing Taylor Street). The address is 234 E. Taylor Street, Griffin, Georgia 30224. Grandparents will receive updates and learn about helpful resources.
Please use the following link to sign up to attend. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWqzm_B76SxeFH39VH_kiR1V4iIDzua3nbRGvv-3S1I2Dkig/viewform
This meeting, hosted by Board of Education Chairman R. Syntel Brown with district leaders, is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the parent resource center in the GSCS Central Office "B Building" (facing Taylor Street). The address is 234 E. Taylor Street, Griffin, Georgia 30224. Grandparents will receive updates and learn about helpful resources.
Please use the following link to sign up to attend. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWqzm_B76SxeFH39VH_kiR1V4iIDzua3nbRGvv-3S1I2Dkig/viewform
Today, Thursday, November 20, 2025, is the 31st National Parent Involvement Day. On this day, we recognize and celebrate the powerful role parents and families play in supporting student success. The GSCS Department of Federal Programs would like to take this opportunity to honor parents, caregivers and families for their dedication and commitment. Let's continue to work together to strengthen our partnership to enhance your scholar's educational journey.
GSCS Schools Make Strong Strides in 2025 CCRPI Performance! The College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) is Georgia’s statewide accountability system used to measure how well schools and districts are preparing students for success at the next grade level, graduation and postsecondary opportunities. The 2025 CCRPI results were released on November 12, 2025. The data reveals that Griffin-Spalding County Schools (GSCS) improved in 12 of the 13 components. READ MORE: https://5il.co/3sfsw
GSCS Interim Superintendent Dr. Donald Warren said, “These gains reflect the hard work of our teachers, leaders, students and families. While we still have work to do, this momentum shows that GSCS is on the path toward sustained improvement and we will continue pushing forward together. These results show what is possible when everyone is aligned and working with purpose. I am incredibly proud of our staff and students, and I know this is only the beginning of what GSCS will achieve.”
GSCS Interim Superintendent Dr. Donald Warren said, “These gains reflect the hard work of our teachers, leaders, students and families. While we still have work to do, this momentum shows that GSCS is on the path toward sustained improvement and we will continue pushing forward together. These results show what is possible when everyone is aligned and working with purpose. I am incredibly proud of our staff and students, and I know this is only the beginning of what GSCS will achieve.”
Spalding High invites 3rd-5th grade students for a fun night of STEM!
