ESPLOST - For the Kids
On March 19, Upson County citizens will vote to renew the ESPLOST. The Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (or ESPLOST) is a one penny tax that is dedicated for use by school systems to help fund public education. This is NOT a new tax. It is a continuation of a current one penny sales tax - a penny for the kids. This one penny sales tax spreads the responsibility of funding public education to EVERYONE who shops in Upson County, residents and visitors alike. If renewed, ESPLOST pennies will allow the Thomaston-Upson School System to raise $15 million dollars over a five-year period, funding critical safety & security, technology, transportation, and facility needs that would be difficult or even impossible to fund out of the general operating budget. Upson County voters have approved four previous ESPLOSTs - in 2002, 2006, 2009, and 2015. ESPLOST pennies have allowed TU Schools to eliminate all bond indebtedness; renovate the James R. Atwater building, which now houses Upson-Lee Pre-K; build the Upson-Lee Fine Arts Center; purchase school buses with onboard cameras; make numerous security and safety improvements at all schools; make improvements to Matthews Field; purchase band uniforms and band instruments; implement 1:1 computing, Google classrooms, and STEM classrooms...The list goes on and on! Check out the ESPLOST Informational Flier for more items that have been funded by ESPLOST pennies and to view the list of items proposed for ESPLOST 5.
Welcome to Thomaston-Upson Schools
In 1990, the community voted to consolidate the Thomaston City and Upson County School Systems creating one system that would serve all students within Thomaston and Upson County. The Thomaston-Upson School System opened its doors at the beginning of the 1992-1993 school year. With a little more than 4,100 students in grades PK-12, the Thomaston-Upson School System is small enough to maintain a friendly and safe environment while offering students an array of resources and opportunities often found in only the larger school systems. The Thomaston-Upson School System enjoys a strong connection with the community and views this as crucial to the long-term success of our schools. We encourage students to form bonds with local individuals and groups through community service and community involvement. Our employees are active in local civic organizations and volunteer their time for community events. The unity of school and community enriches our students’ and employees’ lives, improves our schools’ environments, and ultimately creates a community where young people can thrive. Together, our schools and community are working to fulfill the mission of Thomaston-Upson Schools, which is Excellence in education. . .every individual, every day.
Substitute Jobs for Furloughed Federal Employees
The Thomaston-Upson School System is reaching out to furloughed federal workers in the T-U area who are currently affected by the government shutdown. According to Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, the district wants to help those government employees whose work and home lives have been disrupted and offer them the opportunity to join the Thomaston-Upson School System as substitute teachers. “We have a plan in place to expedite the hiring and training process for these furloughed government workers,” stated Derico. “Sheriff Dan Kilgore has offered to partner with the school district in these efforts. The Upson County Sheriff’s Office will be waiving the background check fees for furloughed employees seeking temporary employment with T-U Schools. In addition, Sheriff Kilgore has agreed to fast track these background checks in order to have them completed in 1 day, if at all possible. We cannot end this crisis, but we can help just a little by offering temporary employment to furloughed workers in our area.” Non-certified substitute teachers earn $60 - $75 daily, depending on their education level. For information on joining the Thomaston-Upson team as a substitute teacher, furloughed federal employees should call Jenny Williams, Thomaston-Upson School System’s Human Resources Specialist, at 706-647-9621.
Infinite Campus Mobile Apps
Parents & Students: Infinite Campus (IC) has released two new mobile apps, Campus Student, and Campus Parent. Both apps allow for enhanced features and have a new look designed specifically for students or parents, depending on the app. All students and parents are encouraged to download these new apps through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The mobile apps provide real-time access to grades, assignments, attendance, schedules, announcements, and more. If you are a Thomaston-Upson Parent or Student having issues accessing the parent/student portal, please contact your/your child's school. View the IC Quick Link box to find important information about downloading and using the new mobile apps.
Download the Mobile Apps
Campus Student:
for iOS
for Android
Campus Parent:
for iOS
for Android