The Ware County Board of Education discussed/voted on the following agenda items during the Monday, July 14 work session and Tuesday, July 15 regular meeting.
The board had a moment of silence to offer prayer to the families of 2025 Ware County High graduates and former Gators football players Joey Brandon Nelson and Randall Darnell Martin III, who tragically died July 10 in a weatherrel ated accident.
• Rifle Range dedication: The Board of Education recognized the remarkable dedication of coach Maurice England and his wife, Mrs. Louise England. A plaque will be hung in their honor at the Ware County Shooting Complex facility.
The two have led the rifle program with passion and excellence for 44 years since it was started in 1981 with 4-H BB shooting and expanding to air rifle.
Over the years, they achieved 150plus regular season wins, 30 undefeated seasons, 16 consecutive region championships and two national titles in air rifle. They have mentored over 700 athletes 22 earning scholarships.
• Golden Achievement for Transportation: Debra Ann Taft was recognized as the Transportation Department’s Golden Achievement recipient.
Taft has worked as a bus driver for 27 years and eight months. She has been named Bus Driver of the Year for the Okefenokee District by the Georgia Association for Pupil Transportation.
Taft goes above and beyond to ensure students are transported safely every day.
Her dedication, loyalty, and team spirit shine in everything she does, whether it’s picking up a student in need, mentoring a new driver, or stepping in to help her coworkers without hesitation.
• Payroll and Disbursements: The board approved the Payroll and Disbursements as of June 30, 2025, in the amount of $6,773,984.90.
• Superintendent’s report: Dr. Lynn Barber presented significant calendar dates:
‡ July 31-Aug. 1: Professional Learning Day/Pre-Planning.
‡ Aug. 4-7: Professional Learning Day/Pre-Planning.
‡ Aug. 8: First Day of School.
• Disposal of Assets: The board unanimously approved declaring the following items surplus.
‡ 5 Blodgett Combi Ovens ‡ Steamer 2-Compartment ‡ Groen Steamer ‡ GMC 2500 3/4 Ton ‡ Dodge D350 ‡ John Deere Backhoe ‡ Ford Tractor - 3910 ‡ Hobart AM14 Dishwasher ‡ Norvell Combi Oven ‡ Pole Vault Package ‡ Rational Combi Oven ‡ Canon IR Advance 6255 The items require board approval to remove them from the capital asset listing as of June 30, 2025.
• Timber Act Resolution: Board members unanimously approved a resolution for temporary property tax relief for eligible standing timber located in a disaster area in Ware County.
The board is eligible for this relief.
• Bright From The Start Grant: The board unanimously approved the Bright From the Start 2025-26 School Year Grant.
The purpose of the grant is to coordinate and provide services for four-year-old children and their families served by Georgia’s Pre-K Program.
• Agreements, Contracts, and Memorandums of Understanding MOU): Board members unanimously approved four MOUs and an agreement with Magnolia House.
‡ The MOU with Georgia Southern University is to continue the practice of placing students in semester- long and year-long clinical experiences. The MOU would remain in effect until June 30, 2028.
‡ MOU with Coastal Georgia for Clinical Practice is to continue the practice of placing students in semester- long and year-long clinical experiences. It will remain in effect until July 31, 2028.
‡ MOU with South Georgia State College for Nursing Clinical Practice is a partnership to host nursing students for clinical practice placements.
These placements provide essential applied learning experiences aligning with the college’s Schools Nursing Program. The Memorandum of Understanding will remain in effect for a term of three years.
‡ MOU with the Etowah Foundation and South Georgia College to collaborate to help increase graduation outcomes and economic impact by providing students a clear path to post-secondary educational and workforce opportunities.
‡ Agreement with Magnolia House was a request from the Director of Student Services and Special Education to continue working with the Magnolia House for the 2025-26 school year.
This agreement acknowledges the intent of agencies to work collaboratively to achieve the highest quality of services to the community.
• Local board Local Board Governance Annual Training Report form: The board unanimously approved the form for the state law requiring new board members to have 15 hours of training and veteran board members to have have hours of training.
The Ware County Board of Education is an Exemplary Board of Distinction and is required to have an additional three hours of training.
All board members have met or exceeded the number of required hours.
• Nutrition bids: Board members unanimously approved bids for School Year 2025-26 from ‡ Food, produce, milk and paper products with Williams Institutional Foods.
‡ Bread with Flowers Bakeries Sales of Georgia, LLC.
‡ Paper and chemical with Pineland Paper Company.
‡ Commodity processing is a participation with Lowndes County and Carollton City Schools with the funding source being the School Nutri tion Funds.
• Transition of NextGen from server-based to cloud-based: The board unanimously approved the request to move to NextGen from server-based storage to cloudbased storage.There is a one-time transition fee of $9,000 and an annual fee of $25,868.
The technology is for accounting software used by Finance, Payroll and Human Resource departments. This transition will ensure if the office was destroyed, personnel could go somewhere with internet and continue to operate.
The cost was in the FY26 Technology Budget.
• Repairs to Ford F-350 Super Duty XLT: Board members approved the request from the Director of Transportation to use Mike Burch Ford to replace the engine in the 2016 F-350 truck at a price of $15,922.50.
The price covers parts and labor and comes with a three-year warranty. The funds will come from the transportation budget.
• Fundraisers: The board unanimously approved fundraisers for Waycross Middle School.
• Facility Use requests: Board members unanimously approved two Facility Use request.
‡ The use of the parking lot at Ware County High School was approved for the Ernest Jones IV Back to School event. The request was made by Ira Turner.
‡ The use of WCHS’s Performing Arts Center and gym, if needed, for the family of Joey Nelson’s July 18, 2025 funeral service with a waiver of fees. The request was made by Kelly Dickerson.
• Personnel report: The board approved the full-time classified employment hiring of seven bus drivers (Melissa Gilbert, Jeffrey Joyce, Cortney Martin, Skylar Norman, Dale Purvis, Rory Teitsch and Sarah Turner.
Patricia Salgado was approved as a parapro at Ruskin. Olivia Williams was approved as a RTI (Response to Intervention) parapro at Memorial Drive.
‡ Classified transfers were approved for Bernice Duggan from School Nutrition manager at Daffodil to Waycross Middle; Beth Dryden from School Nutrition assistant at Wacona to Ware Middle; Raeonna Eunice from School Nutrition assistant at Ware High to Ruskin; Manda Herring from School Nutrition manager at Ruskin to Daffodil; Julian King from School Nutrition assistant at Ruskin to Ware High; and Tonya Merritt from School Nutrition assistant to School Nutrition manager at Ruskin.
‡ Classified resignations: Hayden Pritcher, parapro at Ruskin effective May 23, 2025; Kayla Tomblin, RTI parapro at Williams Heights effective July 7, 2025; and Whitney Walker, SpEd parapro at Wacona effective July 8, 2025.
‡ Classified retirements: Tina Bordine, School Nutrition assistant at Waycross Middle effective October 1, 2025; and Robert Yaun, Memorial Stadium manager/assistant director grounds effective January 1, 2026.
‡ Certified personnel hires: Calvin Brown, JROTC Instructor, Ware High (pending fingerprints); James Banks, 49% school counselor for Ware County Academy; and Qua’shaiila Jackson, SpEd teacher at Ware County Academy (pending fingerprints).
‡ Certified internal recommendation: Savannah Woodard, SpEd co-teacher at Memorial Drive.
‡ Certified transfers: Melanie Cox from SpEd teacher at Williams Heights to SpEd Coordinator at Daffodil/Headstart; and Blake Spradley from Classified BT-4 student teacher to certified teacher at Ruskin.
‡ Certified resignation: Melissa Herrin, SpEd co-teacher at Ware Middle effective July 31, 2025.
‡ Rescind certified employment: Marissa Smith, ELA teacher at Ware High effective June 26, 2025.
‡ Coaching recommendations: LeDeric Castellanos, assistant community football coach Ware Middle; Calvin Johnson, assistant football coach at Waycross Middle; Sarah Beth King, 6th-7th grade head girls basketball coach at Ware Middle; Taylor Meadows, head baseball coach at Ware Middle; Jalen Melvin, assistant boys basketball coach at Ware High; Jimmy Price, assist. football coach at Ware Middle; and John Ryan Williams, assistant wrestling coach at Ware Middle ‡ Work-based Learning : The following students were approved at Ware County High pending background checks: Carlie White, Jasmine Anderson, Natasha Anderson and Jacey Thrift. Ella Cox was approved.
‡ Contract Services: John Chancey, Student Achievement Consultant Services at the Central Office for 2025-26; Melissa Wheeler, SpEd Services (FY25/26); and Carlos White, Counseling Support Contract Services/Special Education/ Student Services (FY25/26).
‡ Coaching Recommendation for Terence Harvey (board relative): The board approved the recommendation of Terence Harvey as an assistant football coach at Waycross Middle School.
Board member Karen Ethridge abstained from the roll call vote.
‡ Employment of Erin and Terence Harvey (board member relatives): The board approved the employment of Erin Harvey as an Elementary Assistant Principal at Waresboro Elementary, and Terence Harvey as the Special Education Coordinator at Ruskin Elementary for the 25/26 school Year.
Board member Karen Ethridge abstained from the roll call vote.
‡ Employment of Jenna Warren (board member relative): Board members approved Jenna Warren as an elementary teacher at Memorial Drive for the 25/26 school year.
Board member Brandi Waters abstained from the roll call vote.
‡ Employment of Hannah Cochran (board member relative): The board approved the employment of Hannah Cochran as a CTAE teacher/coordinator at Ware County High School for the 25/26 school year.
Board member Rusty Ganas abstained from the roll call vote.
‡ Employment of Philip Tyre (board member relative): Board members approved the employment of Philip Tyre as a Special Ed coteacher at Williams Heights.
Board member Edward Tyre abstained from the roll call vote.
‡ Certified staff lists: The board unanimously approved the certified staff lists for Ware County Schools.
