Georgia Department of Education Website
Data Requests & Contact

August 3, 2026 – Principals

Below are your weekly updates and reminders from the Georgia Department of Education. Here are your links to the District Deadlines and To-Dos Dashboard and the Digest Archive.

Welcome Back to School!

As many students and educators across Georgia return to classrooms this week, we want to wish everyone a strong and successful start. Thank you to the teachers, leaders, support staff, families, and community members whose hard work makes the first day — and every day — possible. We look forward to working alongside you throughout the year to support Georgia’s students and schools.

First-Year Teacher Spotlights

New classroom. New students. New possibilities. We’re looking for first-year teachers whose stories represent the many pathways into Georgia’s classrooms. Teachers may nominate themselves, or nominations may be submitted by colleagues, school and district leadership, students, families, or community members. Nominate a teacher teaching for the first year during the 2026-2027 school year. As part of our Teach in the Peach initiative, State School Superintendent Richard Woods may visit them in their classroom. We’ll be celebrating educators from across Georgia and sharing their stories throughout the school year.

  • Additional Information: Nomination Form
  • Contact: Kimberly Wetzel, kimberly.wetzel@doe.k12.ga.us

Georgia RISE Award Nomination Window

The 2026 Georgia Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award nomination window is open August 10-September 30. District superintendents and principals may nominate a full- or part-time classified school employee who provides exemplary service to students in pre-kindergarten through high school.

Full- or part-time classified employees in the following job categories are eligible for consideration:

  • Transportation Services
  • Clerical and Administrative Services
  • Custodial and Maintenance Services
  • Food and Nutrition Services
  • Health and Student Services
  • Paraprofessional
  • Security Services
  • Skilled Trades
  • Technical Services
  • Additional Information: Georgia RISE Award Webpage
  • Contact: Arlecia Brooks, arlecia.brooks@doe.k12.ga.us
  • Deadline: September 30 at 5 p.m.

U.S. Senate Youth Program Application

The 2027 U.S. Senate Youth Program application window is open from August 10 to September 30. High school juniors or seniors may apply, provided they meet all program qualifications outlined by the U.S. Senate Youth Program. The application, program criteria, and informational brochures are on the Excellence Recognitions U.S. Senate Youth Program webpage. Applications are due by September 30 at 5 p.m.

U.S. Presidential Scholars Application

The 2027 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program application window is open from September 1 to November 1. High school seniors may apply, provided they meet all program qualifications outlined by the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The application, program criteria, and informational brochures are on the Excellence Recognitions U.S. Presidential Scholars webpage. Applications are due by November 1 at 5 p.m.

Statewide Day of Service

GaDOE invites schools and districts to participate in the 2027 Georgia Statewide Day of Service on Thursday, March 18, 2027. Inspired by the leadership of 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year Rachel Kinsaul, this initiative encourages students to engage in meaningful service-learning projects that strengthen community connections while reinforcing classroom learning. Schools may participate on March 18 or choose another date that best fits their schedules; planning resources and the Commit to Participate form are available on the Statewide Day of Service webpage.

District Spotlight

Clinch County Schools was recently featured in Georgia Tech CEISMC’s Impact Magazine for its participation in the FarmBot project. Through the project, Clinch County High School students are using an automated farming system to connect computer science and coding with agriculture, gaining hands-on experience with high-tech farming. Clinch County is one of 50 rural school districts that have participated in Georgia Tech’s Rural Computer Science Initiative since 2022.

Inside GaDOE

We are extremely proud of Dr. Stephanie Johnson, GaDOE’s Deputy Superintendent for School and District Improvement and Chief Turnaround Officer, who was just named Superintendent of Rockdale County Public Schools.

Superintendent Woods has appointed Dr. Tanzy Kilcrease, who currently serves as GaDOE’s Director of School Turnaround, as the agency’s new Deputy Superintendent for School and District Improvement and Chief Turnaround Officer.

From Superintendent Woods:

“Dr. Stephanie Johnson has raised the bar for student achievement throughout the state and transformed our approach to supporting struggling schools. The word ‘can’t’ is not in her vocabulary, and that springs from her fundamental belief that every district, every school, and every student can succeed. I’m grateful for all she’s accomplished at the state level and look forward to working with her as a local superintendent. I know she will do an excellent job in Rockdale County. Likewise, I know that Dr. Tanzy Kilcrease will do a phenomenal job stepping into this role and continuing our efforts to help all schools improve.” 

Additionally, don’t forget to explore the Professional Learning Catalog (also linked below) for upcoming GaDOE conferences, trainings, and events.