The Ware County Board of Education discussed/voted on these agenda items at its September 15 business meeting.
• Finances and enrollment: The board unanimously approved payroll and disbursements of $6,861,314.15 as of August 31, along with the monthly financial report.
Enrollment stood at 5,746 as of Friday, September 11, down from 5,840 a year earlier. Upcoming dates approved included a PL day for Friday, October 9; and fall break the week of October 12-16.
• Helene damage and surplus: Board members declared a piece of playground equipment (Asset ID EQU000076), damaged in Hurricane Helene and later upgraded, as surplus. The item will be removed from the capital asset list retroactive to June 30.
• Agreements and community use: Approved without dissent were: ∞ A contract with Action Pact (Head Start) in which the district will contribute $25,000 toward one teacher assistant in an inclusion classroom, funded by the federal preschool disabilities grant.
∞ A clinical experience agreement and a fall dual-enrollment memorandum of understanding with Coastal Pines Technical College.
∞ Continuation of a school-based probation memorandum of agreement with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
The board also waived fees for Okefenokee Fellowship of Christian Athletes to use Ware County Middle School’s outdoor athletic facility November 12 (or the auditorium in poor weather) for Fields of Faith.
• CTAE, maintenance and buses: The FY27 Career, Technical and Agricultural Education (CTAE) local plan and several CTAE purchases funded by state constructionrelated equipment bond grants were approved, including a floral cooler, welding simulator, patient skills trainer and embroidery machine for Waycross Middle School labs.
Maintenance items included luxury vinyl plank flooring at the central office (not to exceed $135,000, including abatement) and a section of roof at Waresboro Elementary (not to exceed $99,000 via cooperative purchasing).
The sole divided vote came on two 2026 Blue Bird Vision 72-passenger gas buses from Yancey Bus Sales, not to exceed $312,808. The state is expected to reimburse $176,220; the district would cover the rest.
Chairman Barry Deas voted no while the other six members voted yes. The chairman stated in discussion he doesn’t believe gas buses can hold up as well diesel buses.
• Scholarships, grants and student activity: The board authorized staff to seek additional community and business donors for the REACH Scholarship Program while keeping the partnership with the Satilla REMC Foundation.
Grant-seeking approvals included up to $31,000 for a rural teaching apprenticeship program and smaller agriculture grants for hydroponics stations at Ruskin Elementary.
• Field trips: Field trips from six schools and fundraisers from several campuses and the Exceptional Children’s Fund were approved.
• Personnel: A speech-language pathologist position will be converted to a school psychologist starting in 2026-27.
Classified hires included a school nurse, mechanic, school resource officer (SRO), high school secretary and substitute bus driver.
Certified additions included an interim special education director (49 percent), a physical education teacher and two 49 percent RTI (Response to Intervention) teachers.
Several transfers, resignations, contracted consultants, coaches and two work-based learning student workers also were approved.
The 2026-27 local board training plan was adopted. The next meetings are scheduled for Monday, October 19 (work session) and Tuesday, October 20 (business meeting).
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