Wayne County School System
Empowering ALL to reach their highest potential through GROWTH and SERVICE
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As we wrap up the first week of school, we want to thank our students, families, and staff for helping make the start of the school year a great one. We would like to make you aware of some transportation challenges we are currently experiencing due to a bus driver shortage. Please know that we are working each day diligently to accommodate the needs of our students and families while maintaining safe and reliable transportation services. Our school district has 43 routes, and we drive 3,713 miles in one day, transporting students to and from school. This does not include additional transportation needs such as athletics, field trips, etc. As you can imagine, this is a major undertaking.
As we navigate these staffing challenges, you may notice that your child has a different bus number and/or driver in the morning than in the afternoon. This occurs because some drivers are only available to operate morning routes or afternoon routes.
Additionally, there may be times when a school bus experiences mechanical issues and must be taken out of service. When this happens, we use a spare bus to transport students, which may result in a different bus number than usual.
There may also be occasions when regular bus drivers are absent, and substitute drivers are assigned to routes. If substitute drivers are unavailable, our transportation staff may need to combine or adjust routes. As a result, different bus numbers may be used, and some routes may experience delays.
During the first week or so of school, some parents take their kids to school and pick them up in the afternoon. After the student adjusts to school, they begin riding a bus. This sometimes causes issues when the bus driver is not aware that the students need to be picked up. If you have been transporting your student to school, but need transportation assistance in the future, please contact your child’s school, and they will notify the transportation department.
We understand that these changes can be inconvenient, and we greatly appreciate your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we work through these unforeseen circumstances. Our transportation team remains committed to providing safe and dependable service for all students.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Wayne County School System
As we wrap up the first week of school, we want to thank our students, families, and staff for helping make the start of the school year a great one. We would like to make you aware of some transportation challenges we are currently experiencing due to a bus driver shortage. Please know that we are working each day diligently to accommodate the needs of our students and families while maintaining safe and reliable transportation services. Our school district has 43 routes, and we drive 3,713 miles in one day, transporting students to and from school. This does not include additional transportation needs such as athletics, field trips, etc. As you can imagine, this is a major undertaking.
As we navigate these staffing challenges, you may notice that your child has a different bus number and/or driver in the morning than in the afternoon. This occurs because some drivers are only available to operate morning routes or afternoon routes.
Additionally, there may be times when a school bus experiences mechanical issues and must be taken out of service. When this happens, we use a spare bus to transport students, which may result in a different bus number than usual.
There may also be occasions when regular bus drivers are absent, and substitute drivers are assigned to routes. If substitute drivers are unavailable, our transportation staff may need to combine or adjust routes. As a result, different bus numbers may be used, and some routes may experience delays.
During the first week or so of school, some parents take their kids to school and pick them up in the afternoon. After the student adjusts to school, they begin riding a bus. This sometimes causes issues when the bus driver is not aware that the students need to be picked up. If you have been transporting your student to school, but need transportation assistance in the future, please contact your child’s school, and they will notify the transportation department.
We understand that these changes can be inconvenient, and we greatly appreciate your patience, flexibility, and understanding as we work through these unforeseen circumstances. Our transportation team remains committed to providing safe and dependable service for all students.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Wayne County School System
The 4th Annual Touch-a-Truck and Story Walk is taking place this Saturday, August 8, from 9:00-1:00, in downtown Jesup. The story walk will feature "The ABCs of a Teacher by local educator Sherna Spearman-Lott.
Georgia's Distraction-Free Education Act prohibits personal electronic devices in public schools for grades K-12, aiming to reduce distractions and improve student focus. Please see the very important graphic regarding cell phones and other personal electronic devices in Wayne County Schools.
Georgia's Distraction-Free Education Act prohibits personal electronic devices in public schools for grades K-12, aiming to reduce distractions and improve student focus. Please see the very important graphic regarding cell phones and other personal electronic devices in Wayne County Schools.
From Toni Williams, Superintendent of the Wayne County School System:
Parents/Guardians:
Student attendance is one of the most important factors in a child’s academic success. When students are present each day, they have the opportunity to engage in meaningful learning, build relationships with teachers and classmates, and develop the skills and habits that support long-term success.
This year, Wayne County Schools will place a strong emphasis on attendance for both students and staff. Across the nation, schools are seeing the impact of increased absenteeism, and we want to ensure every child has the opportunity to benefit from consistent learning experiences. Most importantly, we value every student and genuinely enjoy having them in our schools. We want our students here—learning, growing, participating, and feeling connected to their school community. Regular attendance not only supports academic achievement but also helps students develop responsibility, perseverance, and a strong work ethic that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Attendance is also one of the indicators included in Georgia’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), the state accountability system used to measure school and district performance. Because all absences count toward this measure, consistent attendance helps support both individual student success and our district’s overall performance. Your child’s consistent attendance helps increase our scores!
We have attached a “vacation planner” with the dates of all school breaks to help you plan family time without affecting your child’s attendance.
We understand that illnesses and unexpected situations occur, and we appreciate the efforts families make to prioritize school attendance whenever possible. Thank you for your partnership and support. By working together, we can help ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute to a strong, thriving community.
Parents/Guardians:
Student attendance is one of the most important factors in a child’s academic success. When students are present each day, they have the opportunity to engage in meaningful learning, build relationships with teachers and classmates, and develop the skills and habits that support long-term success.
This year, Wayne County Schools will place a strong emphasis on attendance for both students and staff. Across the nation, schools are seeing the impact of increased absenteeism, and we want to ensure every child has the opportunity to benefit from consistent learning experiences. Most importantly, we value every student and genuinely enjoy having them in our schools. We want our students here—learning, growing, participating, and feeling connected to their school community. Regular attendance not only supports academic achievement but also helps students develop responsibility, perseverance, and a strong work ethic that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Attendance is also one of the indicators included in Georgia’s College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), the state accountability system used to measure school and district performance. Because all absences count toward this measure, consistent attendance helps support both individual student success and our district’s overall performance. Your child’s consistent attendance helps increase our scores!
We have attached a “vacation planner” with the dates of all school breaks to help you plan family time without affecting your child’s attendance.
We understand that illnesses and unexpected situations occur, and we appreciate the efforts families make to prioritize school attendance whenever possible. Thank you for your partnership and support. By working together, we can help ensure that every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute to a strong, thriving community.
The Wayne County Health Department is hosting a Back-to-School Clinic for children needing immunizations and dental, vision, or hearing exams.
One last reminder about Open House on Friday, July 31:
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
Online Registration is required for all NEW and RETURNING students prior to August 4. Please see the attached information to complete the registration process or if you need any assistance: https://aptg.co/HngBn9.
Open House for students and their families at the following times on Friday, July 31:
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
Online Registration is required for all NEW and RETURNING students prior to August 4. Please see the attached information to complete the registration process or if you need any assistance: https://aptg.co/HngBn9.
Online Registration is required for all NEW and RETURNING students prior to August 4. Please see the attached information to complete the registration process or if you need any assistance: https://aptg.co/HngBn9.
Online Registration is required for all NEW and RETURNING students prior to August 4. Please see the attached information to complete the registration process or if you need any assistance: https://aptg.co/HngBn9.
Open House Reminders - Open House for students and their families at the following times on Friday, July 31
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
• Pre-K Open House is from 10:00-11:00 AM at the elementary schools.
• WCHS Freshman Orientation is from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM at the high school.
• K-12 Open House is from 2:00-5:00 PM at all schools.
On Tuesday, May 12, the Wayne County School System proudly honored 22 retirees. We thank these wonderful people for their many years of service and dedication to the children of Wayne County: Serran Aaron, Amy Adams, Tammy Bibens, Kristi Brewer, Amy Broadhurst, Mary Elizabeth Channell, Wendy Creager, Mary Flowers, Jane Floyd, Mary Frye, Raeghan Given, Annette Groover, Christy Hursey, Lynn Keith, Chrisine Paul, Jackey Peebles, Melissa Perkins, Melanie Sapp, Teresa Scarborough, Linda Smith, Sue Smith, and Shirley Thomas.
Please note this important information for those who will be attending the South Effingham-Wayne County spring football scrimmage this Wednesday, at 6:00 pm, at Jaycee Stadium - Game Day Procedures-https://aptg.co/krGP7G); Security & Clear Bag Policy - https://aptg.co/7bg-4x.
We are continuing to closely monitor the wildfire situation and remain in ongoing communication with Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials and other emergency personnel.
At this time, we are still planning to have school on Tuesday, April 28. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to assess conditions and share any updates as needed.
As a reminder, if you feel that you cannot safely travel to school, please send a note with your child when they return.
We encourage all families to stay informed and take time to review their emergency plans and ensure they are prepared should conditions change.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to monitor this situation.
At this time, we are still planning to have school on Tuesday, April 28. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to assess conditions and share any updates as needed.
As a reminder, if you feel that you cannot safely travel to school, please send a note with your child when they return.
We encourage all families to stay informed and take time to review their emergency plans and ensure they are prepared should conditions change.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to monitor this situation.
Please know that we are closely monitoring the situation and are in ongoing communication with Emergency Management Agency (EMA) officials and other emergency personnel.
At this time, we are planning to have school tomorrow. The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we will continue to assess conditions and share any updates as needed.
If you feel that you cannot safely travel to school, please send a note with your child when they return.
We encourage all families to stay informed and take time to review their emergency plans and ensure they are prepared should conditions change.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to monitor this situation.
Kindergarten Registration is now open: https://www.wayne.k12.ga.us/page/k-12-online-registration
*If your child is already enrolled in Pre-K in Wayne County, you will not need to complete the registration process.
