Thomaston-Upson Schools

Upson-Lee High School's 2024 graduation ceremony will be Friday, May 24, 2024, at 8:00 PM at Matthews Field. Gates open at 6:30 PM. This is a private ceremony, and everyone who enters the stadium must have a ticket, regardless of age. No tickets will be available at the gate. Please do not bring balloons, umbrellas, tripods, personal chairs, signs, or noisemakers, as these items are not allowed. Please see the Acceptable Behavior Guidelines for additional information. #ULclassof2024 #weareUL #ULProud

ULHS Announces Inclement Weather Plans for 2024 Commencement Ceremony The Upson-Lee High School Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony will take place on Friday, May 24, at 8 p.m. at Matthews Field. This is a private ceremony, and all guests must have a ticket to attend. While our hope is for a beautiful evening, please note our plans for inclement weather: In the event of light rain or drizzle, graduation will continue as planned. Students and faculty will be provided with clear rain ponchos to wear over their graduation regalia. Guests should come prepared with appropriate rain gear – ponchos, raincoats, something to cover wet seats, etc. Please note that umbrellas are not allowed at Matthews Field during the graduation ceremony. In the event of heavy rain or severe weather, graduation may be delayed that evening or postponed until the following morning. If postponed, the ULHS Commencement Ceremony will be held on Saturday morning, May 25, at 9 a.m. at Matthews Field. Students should arrive at the stadium by 8 a.m. Gates will open at 7:30 a.m. for guests. ULHS Commencement will be live-streamed on the Thomaston-Upson Schools’ YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@T-USchools

Congratulations to ULHS senior Milea Caldwell, who signed to play basketball for Wesleyan College in Macon, GA! Milea will join the Wesleyan Wolves following graduation from Upson-Lee High School on May 24. Way to go, Milea!

The Thomaston-Upson School System will be closely monitoring the weather throughout the school day. Current reports do not predict severe weather during school dismissal times this afternoon. Please review our district protocol for student dismissals during a tornado watch or warning: 1. Students may be checked out or picked up at school during a Tornado Watch. 2. Students may NOT be checked out or picked up at school during a Tornado Warning. 3. If a Tornado Warning occurs during release time on a school day, students will be held at school until it is deemed safe by the National Weather Service or the Georgia Emergency Management Association. This protocol is in effect to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and parents/guardians/others who may be picking up students at the end of the school day. This information is also available on the T-U School System's Severe Weather Guide webpage at: https://www.upson.k12.ga.us/page/severe-weather-guide

UL ATHLETIC PROJECTS: PHASE I Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico and the Thomaston-Upson Board of Education are excited to inform the community that Phase I of the T-U School System Athletic Facilities Projects has begun. Phase I involves upgrades to Matthews Field, home of the Upson-Lee Knights football and soccer teams. Brickwork and some minor electrical work are ongoing, but things will kick into high gear following ULHS graduation on May 24. Over the summer, major changes will occur: • Artificial turf (See art rendering of field.) • Stadium lighting + entertainment package • Fencing around field • Minor construction to the visitors’ stands The tentative completion date for Phase I is August 30, 2024. This will not mark the completion of Matthews Field renovations, but most work will pause at that site for the duration of the 2024 football season. Phase II begins on September 2, 2024, and includes ULMS Baseball & Softball Complex (north side of Matthews Field), Upson-Lee Athletic Complex (behind ULHS, to include Track & Field facility, etc.) and the completion of Matthews Field. More information about Phase II will be released as Phase I nears completion. The tentative completion date for Phase II is December 31, 2025. Information about Matthews Field sod giveaway: Once graduation celebrations are completed on Friday night, May 24, crews will begin removal of the sod from Matthews Field. Pieces of sod will be cut and stacked and available to the public on Saturday morning, May 25 (1st come, 1st served, 1 per person while supplies last). If you would like to pick up a piece of Matthews Field, we will have detailed information about this process as we get closer to the date.

Notes from the Tuesday, April 16, Board of Education meeting:

The Thomaston-Upson School System has received the results from “Clean Water for Georgia Kids” testing at Upson-Lee Primary, Upson-Lee Elementary, Upson-Lee Middle School, and Upson-Lee High School. All drinking and cooking taps in the schools were sampled and tested for levels of lead, and all results showed no lead levels over 1 part per billion (ppb), the limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Many results at Thomaston-Upson Schools revealed levels less than 0.1 ppb (the lowest amount detectable at RTI International’s testing facility) and equal to less than a drop in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico stated, “The safety and security of our students and staff is a top priority at Thomaston-Upson Schools. Using federal COVID-relief funds, our school system had already prioritized safe drinking water for students and staff by removing water fountains at all Thomaston-Upson schools and replacing them with filtered water bottle filling stations. These stations have waterways that are lead-free in materials and construction with filters for taste, odor, lead, and chlorine reduction. Each water filling station has a built-in micron strainer that stops particles before they enter the waterway.” Upson-Lee Pre-K and Upson-Lee Alternative were not included in the original free-testing authorization received by the school district from the Georgia Department of Education, but T-U Director of Operations Mr. Marc Ellington stated that he is currently looking into testing for both of these schools. Results for ULPK and ULAS will be released once tests atr completed and results are received. According to Ellington, both ULPK and ULAS contain water filling stations for all drinking water and neither of the schools use water for cooking, as meals are delivered to the schools from Upson-Lee Primary (ULPK) and Upson-Lee High School (ULAS). “We’re very happy with these test results, but we still plan to ensure water safety at all Thomaston-Upson schools,” Ellington commented. The Clean Water for Georgia Kids™ Program is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Education and RTI International. Its goal is to identify and get the lead out of drinking and cooking water where children learn and play across Georgia. Voluntary testing is available at no cost to public schools and childcare centers across Georgia courtesy of a federal Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) grant. Full results can be viewed online at: ULPS: https://5il.co/2hoe4 ULES: https://5il.co/2hodz ULMS: https://5il.co/2hoe2 ULHS: https://5il.co/2hoe1 In addition, water safety test results for schools throughout the state of Georgia may be viewed on the Clean Water for Georgia Kids Public Map at: https://www.cleanwaterforuskids.org/georgia/data

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UL Soccer celebrates Senior Night TONIGHT at Matthews Field! UL vs. Peach County High School: Girls' game at 5:30 PM; Senior Recognition at 7 PM; Boys' game at 7:30 PM. game at 7:30 pm. Get your purple on and come support UL!!! Tickets will be available at the gate or on GoFan at: https://gofan.co/event/1477496?schoolId=GA5360

CONGRATULATIONS to the ULPS 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Amanda Gunnels!!! Mrs. Gunnels teaches 2nd grade. Teachers of the Year are selected for this honor by their peers. School Teachers of the Year now advance to the System contest where one teacher will be named Thomaston-Upson School System's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. L-R: Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, ULPS Principal Mrs. Tracy Wainwright, ULPS Teacher of the Year Mrs. Amanda Gunnels, and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Miller. #TOTY #ULProud

CONGRATULATIONS to the ULES 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Donna Gravitt!!! Ms. Gravitt teaches 4th grade E/LA and Social Studies. Teachers of the Year are selected for this honor by their peers. School Teachers of the Year now advance to the System contest where one teacher will be named Thomaston-Upson School System's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. L-R: Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Miller, ULES Teacher of the Year Ms. Donna Gravitt, and ULES Principal Mrs. Nesha Campbell. #TOTY #ULProud

CONGRATULATIONS to the ULMS 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Kristi Bosworth!!! Mrs. Bosworth teaches 7th grade Math. Teachers of the Year are selected for this honor by their peers. School Teachers of the Year now advance to the System contest where one teacher will be named Thomaston-Upson School System's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. L-R: Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, ULMS Teacher of the Year Mrs. Kristi Bosworth, ULMS Principal Mrs. Rhonda Gulley, and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Miller. #TOTY #ULProud

CONGRATULATIONS to the ULHS 2024-25 Teacher of the Year, Mr. Charles Canady!!! Mr. Canady is a CTAE teacher and UL Knights Head Soccer Coach. Teachers of the Year are selected for this honor by their peers. School Teachers of the Year now advance to the System contest where one teacher will be named Thomaston-Upson School System's 2024-25 Teacher of the Year. L-R: ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English, ULHS Teacher of the Year Mr. Charles Canady, Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico, and Deputy Superintendent Dr. Amy Miller. #TOTY #ULProud

March is National Social Work Month, and we want to give a BIG shoutout to our Thomaston-Upson School System Social Worker, Mrs. Geana Ellington!!! Mrs. Ellington's commitment to enhancing the well-being and success of T-U students impacts our schools and our community. THANK YOU for all you do!!! #ULProud #weareUL

2024-25 Upson-Lee Knights Football Schedule:

Upson-Lee High School has announced Class of 2024 Honor Graduates. Honor Graduates have a 93 or better cumulative numeric average, as calculated by School/Student Information System. Congratulations to these students: Nolan Addison, Abigail Bakoledis, Dennasia Bellamy, Maia Brown, Madison Brundidge, Kamryn Cathcart, Jeremy Clay, Jack Corley, Nicholas Davis, Kaitlyn Duncan, Jillian Gassman, Avery Gomez, Jaxon Harrison, Bryainterius Hickman, Campbell Hinson, India Jackson, Patrick Jacobs, Lauren Jenkins, Harley Johnson, Russell Kaczmarek, Damani Kenan, Savannah Lane, Natalee McGee, Angel Montfort, Jackson Moore, Jacob Moore, Teonna Moore, Lanier Newell, Kameron Peugh, Sarah Salter, Jeremiah Searcy, Hannah Smiley, Taylor Snipes, Cameron Spillers, Lileigh Spraggins, John Stevens, Dulce Ventura, Ellie Watson, Lane Weatherford, and Jordan Weed. Students are pictured with Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico (right) and ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English (left). #ULProud

Upson-Lee High School has announced Freshman Class Knights of Academic Distinction. Knights of Academic Distinction have a 95 or better cumulative numeric average and are on Valedictorian/ Salutatorian track for graduation: Hadley Belle Chastain, Ansleigh Bryce Ford, Luke Oliver Fry, Chastin D'Andre Haynes, Tyler Rion Jordan, Ke'Nilah Zamaury Shontaijah Robinson, Grayson Tucker Seymour, Alaina Brooke Simpson, Cason Miles Waddell. Students are pictured with Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico (right) and ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English (left). #ULProud

Upson-Lee High School has announced Sophomore Class Knights of Academic Distinction. Knights of Academic Distinction have a 95 or better cumulative numeric average and are on Valedictorian/ Salutatorian track for graduation: Carsen Elizabeth Barfield, Sarah Katherine Bennett, Avery Reece Beverly, Aubrey Anna Butler, Anna Claire Dean, Aisha Carolina-Marie Derico, Boston Cole Fulcher, Avery Jana Greer, Alanna Grace Kelso, Krissa Nevaeh Lewis, Brody Alexander Moss, Wyatt Christopher Pettis, Morgan Elizabeth Reed, Jordy Ruiz, Ethan Cain Scogin, Hayden Mackenzie Smith, Aiden Tyler Tindell, Nicholas Wells. Students are pictured with Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico (right) and ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English (left). #ULProud

Congratulations to the ULHS Junior Class Knights of Academic Distinction!!! Knights of Academic Distinction have a 95 or better cumulative numeric average and are on Valedictorian/ Salutatorian track for graduation: Lily Dover Entrekin Baity, Colton Douglas Cagle, Fiona Marie Chambers, Landry Brandon English, Lexi Noel Greene, Kit Marie Logan, James Ian Mayer, Athens Clarke McGlon, Lauren Grace O'Linger, Ronik Jayesh Patel, Karsen Lanier Pitts, Alexa Zuleyka Velasco, Kayden Danielle Wisham. Congratulations!!! Students are pictured with Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico (right) and ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English (left). #ULProud

Upson-Lee High School has announced the Class of 2024 Knights of Academic Distinction. Knights of Academic Distinction have a 95 or better cumulative numeric average and are on Valedictorian/ Salutatorian track for graduation. Congratulations to the following students who earned this distinction: Valedictorian Julian (Jules) Sloan Passmore, Salutatorian Baleigh Ashlan Moore, Anna Beth Adams, Chacie Lanier Bailey, Jackson Glenn Blakely, Jayme Annagail Carroll, Trent Felix Coker, Emily Paige Goggins, Molly Grace Greer, Matthew Thomas Hickmon, Ella Kate Hinson, Katherine Elizabeth Montano, Addison Kaylee Mulling, Alley Jeneace Patterson, Madison Lynn Patterson, Joy Marie Smith, Macey Lauren South, Elizabeth Grace Stewart, Benjamin Luke Willis, Sawyer Harp Wilson. Students are pictured with Superintendent Dr. Larry Derico (right) and ULHS Principal Mr. Ricky English (left). #ULProud