HCS Superintendent Unveils New Five-Year Plan in ‘State of Our Schools’ Address

HENRY COUNTY, GA – Henry County Schools Superintendent Dr. John Pace III unveiled the school district’s 2026-2031 Community-Inspired Strategic Plan in his second annual “State of Our Schools” address Sept. 1 at the McDonough Performing Arts Center.

Attendees included board members, district leaders, school principals and assistant principals, educators, students, parents, local elected officials, and community partners.

In his address, Dr. Pace highlighted the five goal areas of the district’s new community-inspired strategic plan.

Student achievement and readiness

 Dr. Pace celebrated HCS students’ significant growth in various metrics while promising that the district will continue to perform better.

“We are improving, and we still have more improvement to do,” he said.

The percentage of HCS students who scored “proficient” or higher increased on 12 of the 13 Georgia Milestones Assessments reported last month. On 10 of the assessments, those percentages increased over multiple consecutive years. HCS outpaced statewide growth on eight of the tests and matched statewide growth on two others.

Over the past year, 26 schools in HCS were recognized as “Beating the Odds” schools after outperforming schools across Georgia with similar demographics, according to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. Additionally, 26 schools in HCS improved in all CCRPI components, 20 schools were recognized as literacy and math leaders by the Georgia Department of Education, seven schools exited the Georgia Promise Scholarship list, and four schools exited federal improvement designations.

HCS is the only school district among the 20 largest in Georgia where all traditional high schools were named Advanced Placement Access and Support Schools.

The district’s new strategic plan aims to increase literacy, mastery of standards, and opportunities for students to become college, career, and life ready.

HCS aims to report 80% of students reading at or above grade level by 2029. Henry County STEM High School, scheduled to open in 2027, will begin accepting applications Sept. 29, preparing students for high-paying, high-demand jobs in the global economy.

Fine arts programs have expanded, as shown during the address by performances from middle and high school orchestra students; the elementary honor chorus; “The Experience” dance ensemble from the Academy for Advanced Studies; the Woodland Middle School concert band; and “The Sound of Dutchtown” marching band.

HCS boasts the fifth-largest Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education enrollment in the state. To highlight the district’s success in career readiness, Dr. Pace invited Dutchtown High School junior Lola Stanley to speak about winning first place in the county and third place in the state Foundational Leadership and Entrepreneur X-perience (FLEX) competition. Stanley said a former CTAE teacher encouraged her to create her prize-winning beauty line.

“He took my ideas seriously and encouraged me to keep developing them,” Stanley said. “Since then, Dutchtown has given me so many opportunities to grow.”

Organizational and operational effectiveness

Henry County voters’ May approval of an Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax extension will provide funding for projects including safety and technology upgrades, modernized school infrastructure, additions to schools, new buses, and renovations to the eastern transportation hub.

Amid financial challenges including unfunded state mandates, limits to local funding control, and declining birth rates, HCS has maintained 4.0 Financial Efficiency Star Rating on a 5-point scale. HCS is one of eight school districts in Georgia with a purchasing department that recently received the National Procurement Institute’s Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award.

As an example of employee dedication, Dr. Pace recognized Darlene Campbell, a special education bus driver who on Aug. 30 marked 50 years of driving for HCS.

“While organizational and operational effectiveness is about having great systems in place, great systems start with great people,” Dr. Pace said.

Culture, climate, and community engagement

Dr. Pace highlighted the Henry County Schools Welcome Center, which provides family and student services, including medical care through a partnership with Southside Medical Center. A new standalone health clinic will open later this fall next to Oakland Elementary School.

“One of the main purposes of public education is to care for and serve the needs of all that walk through its doors,” Dr. Pace said. “That is what makes public education one of the most important investments in America and Henry County.”

Community partnerships are boosting HCS in other ways as well. Mercer University and Southern Crescent Technical College help train future teachers, while Piedmont Henry Hospital and Gordon State College help train future healthcare workers. Kaiser Permanente is training the Mental Health and Wellness Facilitators who work in every HCS school.

The Henry County Public Schools Foundation will celebrate its second anniversary in February. With donations from the community, the foundation has supported new teachers, funded innovative student and staff projects, and helped families and employees in need.

This year, HCS established the Office of Exceptional Student Education Advocacy and Family Navigation to assist families who have questions or concerns about special education services.

During Dr. Pace’s address, student-athletes Ariel Collins (Luella High School) and Jonah Valenzuela (Union Grove High School) announced a $330,000 grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation to support golf and swim programs.

“This three-year grant will be used to break down financial barriers to increase participation in these sports,” Collins said.

“Henry County Schools Athletics looks to exceed the standard and continue to grow into a perennial power for athletics in metro Atlanta,” Valenzuela added.

High-quality employees

Dr. Pace spotlighted professional development programs such as the para-to-teacher grant, which reimburses up to $5,000 in expenses for paraprofessionals who complete eligible teacher certification programs.

Courtney Bell, who worked as a paraprofessional before becoming a special education teacher at Pate’s Creek Elementary School, shared her story. Bell was recently named Teacher of the Year among more than 80 educators in the Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (TAPP) program at the Griffin Regional Education Service Agency (RESA).

“I never imagined becoming a teacher, but every year, watching my scholars grow from August to May reminds me why I am here,” Bell said. “I push them to become the best versions of themselves, and without realizing it, they have pushed me to become the best version of myself.”

HCS has also established programs to support employees who aspire to become principals, assistant principals, district leaders, or special education leaders.

Dr. Pace recognized Hampton High School Athletic Director Dr. Brian Gwyn, Luella High School Athletic Director Michelle Ahmad, Stockbridge High School Athletic Director Andre Byrd, and Coordinator of Athletics Beau Edwards for completing the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Quality Program Assessment. Only two other athletic programs in Georgia have completed the process, which evaluates the programs’ planning and improvement practices.

Director of Advisement and Counseling Dr. Chon Hester was applauded for winning the Supervisor of the Year award from the Georgia School Counselor Association.

“Effective teachers, leaders, and staff produce excellent results, and that shows up in the work of our outstanding students,” Dr. Pace said.

Safety

HCS is the first district in the state to designate safety as a primary goal area of its strategic plan, according to the Georgia School Boards Association.

Early initiatives in this goal area include a Code of Conduct informational campaign, research into school bus stop-arm cameras, and the development of a Henry County Schools Police Department.

With collaboration from Henry County government, police, fire department, sheriff’s office, and others, HCS held a first-of-its-kind active assailant drill this year that will be further refined and expanded.

Security monitors, clinic aides, Community Emergency Response Teams, and student safety patrols operate at every school. A total of 39 county police officers work as School Resource Officers in the district.

“The work of safety and security is constant, comprehensive, and involves us all,” Dr. Pace said. “Sometimes that work can make all the difference for families.”

Parent Rosan Campbell-Henry told the audience how Impact Academy staffers saved her son’s life using a defibrillator when he experienced a cardiac event at school. Clinic aide Renee Yawn and School Resource Officer Mikal Jones were called to the stage and applauded.

“As a parent, knowing there are people prepared to act when a child’s life depends on it means the world to me,” Henry said. “To everyone who played a part in saving my son’s life, and who continued supporting, encouraging, and checking in on him afterward, my family and I are forever grateful.”

Dr. Pace thanked community members, elected officials, business partners, parents and other guests for supporting the school district.

“We firmly believe that family and community involvement is critical to student success – and that starts with you all,” he said.

Dr. Pace completed his second year as superintendent of HCS just two days later on Sept. 3.