This week’s Good News Spotlight is Tyler Ellis and Christy Ballew from Instructional Technology. Tyler and Christy support our teachers and students by helping elevate learning experiences across our schools and bringing creativity and excitement into student celebrations and more!
Principal Audre Allen shared that Tyler and Christy visited CES twice in one week to make two already special events—even better! They transformed the StarLab into an interactive Snow Globe for the after-hours Winter Wonderland event, then returned later that week to spend the day celebrating hard-working Chiefs with turns on the 360 camera.
The students and staff loved every minute, and lasting memories were made. Thank you, Tyler and Christy, for always going above and beyond to support our schools and for creating moments our students will never forget!
What a special night for Murray County Schools! We were thrilled to announce our 2024–2025 District Teacher of the Year, Sloane Singleton, during last night’s Murray vs. North Murray game.
Sloane, we are so excited for you and so grateful for the love, dedication, and heart you pour into your students each and every day. You represent the very best of Murray County Schools.
A heartfelt thank you to Chatsworth Ford for helping us award Sloane with a brand-new vehicle to drive for an entire year. Partnerships like this mean so much to our schools and our teachers.
Our teachers in Murray County are truly something special, and we are thankful for every opportunity to recognize the incredible work they do. Congratulations to all of our outstanding school TOTY nominees, and congratulations once again to Northwest Elementary’s Sloane Singleton, our 2024–2025 District Teacher of the Year!
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We will be naming our Murray County Schools - District Teacher of the Year tomorrow night between the varsity girls and boys games as Murray hosts North Murray at Murray High.
Girls game begins at 6:00 pm.
Please help us congratulate all of our school-level Teachers of the Year!
📸 As pictured (with Dr. Wright):
Back row (left to right):
Wade Owens – MCHS
Grace Queen – NMHS
Monica Watson – CKE
Sara Green – CES
Zac Fields – WLE
Tommy Pettyjohn – PVIS
Front row (left to right):
Haley Chambers – GMS
Sydnee Higdon – BMS
Sloane Singleton – NWE
Lacey Bailey – EES
Kaysie Hendrix – Pre-K
Joanna Long – SPE
Come cheer on these incredible educators as we celebrate their dedication and impact in our schools!
Following the signing, some of our Healthcare Pathway seniors participated in a pledge ceremony, committing to continue their education and dedication to the healthcare field. This in-person opportunity allowed students to see firsthand the support and career possibilities waiting for them right here in Murray County.
We are proud to recognize the students who signed their commitment:
Murray County High School: Chloe Davenport and Kalyn Bennett
North Murray High School: Landon Atkins, Raychel “Rose” Revis, Reece Norman, Carly Clark, and Tatum Tuck
A special thank you to our Healthcare teachers, Brittany Ross and McKensi Vaughn, and our outstanding CTAE Department for making moments like this possible.
Our School Resource Officers play a vital role in keeping our students and staff safe while building strong relationships on our campuses. We are truly grateful for their service, dedication, and commitment to our community.
We want to take a moment to say thank you to our Nutrition and Maintenance Departments who worked with such care to pack holiday food boxes for our students and families to pick up on Friday.
Much of their work happens quietly and behind the scenes, but it is so important and so appreciated. Because of their hard work and servant hearts, families were able to head into the holiday season with a little less worry and a lot more support.
We are truly grateful for these teams and the difference they make every single day.
Today we’re shining a light on Mistie Banks!
A parent, Mary Elizabeth Mahan, shared these kind words:
“Ms. Banks is a very caring and loving teacher. She puts so much into making sure her students truly understand what they are being taught. She’s easy to communicate with and always willing to work with your child in multiple ways to help improve their grades and ensure they succeed. Ms. Banks is AWESOME!”
Way to go, Ms. Banks—keep up the good work! 💛
Holiday Meal Box Pick Up Reminder
Just a quick reminder for families who registered for our holiday meal boxes.
📅 Friday, December 19
⏰ 1:00–6:00 PM
🚗 Drive-thru pickup — please remain in your vehicle and follow traffic flow
📍 Please pick up meals at the location you selected when you registered:
• Bagley Middle School
• Northwest Elementary
• New Hope Baptist Church
• Center Hill Baptist Church
* If you did not register, we do have a limited number of extra meal kits that will be available at all locations except Center Hill Baptist Church.
• Unregistered families are limited to 3 meal kits per car. Meals are for children ages 0–18.
If you need help remembering your pickup site, please call 706-517-0155
We’re thankful to be able to support our families and pray this helps make the holidays a little brighter. 💛
Friday - December 19, 2025 - Early Dismissal - 11:30 - Check your students' individual school pages for details.
The Murray Madrigals — a combined elementary chorus from across our district — stopped by to share their beautiful voices and sing Christmas carols for our staff.
What a joyful reminder of the season and the talent growing right here in Murray County Schools.
We are so grateful for the joyful hearts serving our students each day, and today we’re celebrating one of Woodlawn Elementary’s brightest lights — Ms. Kyra Copeland, Speech Language Pathologist.
Her coworker, Kaitlyn Cantrell, shared this precious praise:
“Kyra has been absolutely amazing the past 2 years she has been at WES. She comes in happy to do her job each day. All of our students enjoy working with her and get excited to go to Speech. She is hands on and willing to help do anything we need beyond her required services. We love her!”
Way to go, Kyra! Keep up the good work!
✨ Happy Purposity Day, Murray County! ✨
We need your help spreading the word!
Our Purposity Tree still has over 50 needs waiting for our students this Christmas. If you feel led, here are a few simple ways to help:
How to Give:
🎄 Visit the Giving Tree at Christmas in the Park and pick an ornament.
✨ Can’t make it to the park? Just scan the QR code below or select the link here:https://purposity.com/organization/Murray-County-Schools
🎁 Choose a gift — it ships straight to our MCS Wellness Department, and our counselors and social workers hand-deliver it to the family before Christmas.
If you need anything or have questions about Purposity, call our MCS Wellness Department at 706-422-4560.
This morning, we made a joyful stop at Spring Place Elementary, where Transportation Director Randall Morrison and Transportation Supervisor, Adam Kilgore surprised our district winner of the School Bus Safety Poster Contest — Spring Place’s own Layla Herrera! 💛🚌
Layla’s beautiful artwork, featuring a bright yellow bus in front of a welcoming school and clearly marked safety zones and emergency exits, will now advance to the state competition. We couldn’t be prouder of this talented Spring Place Tiger!
Please help us cheer her on as she represents Murray County Schools. We’ll share more once state judging is complete. Way to go, Layla!
The Giving Tree is an opportunity to bring joy and meet the needs of students who could use a little extra cheer this season. Through Purposity, we can easily and directly connect with these needs—whether it’s a warm coat, shoes, a Christmas gift wish, or other essential items. Every contribution makes a tangible difference in the lives of our students and their families.
Here’s how you can participate:
Visit the Giving Tree at Christmas in the Park and choose an ornament from the tree.
Each ornament will have a QR code that links directly to Murray County School System's Purposity page, featuring a student's wish or need.
If you cannot visit the tree in the park, you can scan the QR code below to help.
Select a gift to fulfill—the gift will be sent directly to the MCS Wellness Department. From there, our counselors and social workers will ensure it is delivered to the family before Christmas Day.
We are so grateful for your generosity and kindness in supporting this initiative. Together, we can make this holiday season unforgettable for the students we serve.
If you have any questions or need assistance with Purposity, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the MCS Wellness Department at 706-422-4560.
Thank you for being a part of this meaningful effort!
As we step into this season of gratitude, our Superintendent reflects on the many blessings within Murray County Schools — from our hardworking staff, to our incredible students, to a community that pours out support day after day.
Read the Full Article Here: https://www.murray.k12.ga.us/o/mcs/page/superintendent-articles
