The OPENGATE Security System is an advanced, walk-through weapons detection system designed to enhance school safety while maintaining a smooth flow of student entry. Unlike traditional metal detectors, OPENGATE uses advanced sensors to detect weapons and prohibited items without requiring students to stop, empty their pockets, or remove backpacks. This allows for efficient and non-intrusive screening, making it ideal for high-traffic areas such as school entrances.
OPENGATE provides an added layer of protection for students and staff. The system is portable, quick to set up, and built to detect a wide range of threats while minimizing false alarms. With its modern design and cutting-edge technology, OPENGATE supports the district’s commitment to creating safe, secure, and nurturing learning environments across all grade levels.
We encourage families to continue emphasizing the importance of school safety and working together to help keep the Bearcat Family safe on every campus, every day.
See how OPENGATE is making a difference in some of the largest school districts in the country, like Brevard County:
https://youtu.be/0_bNqaGNh9g
We are proud to honor the exceptional leaders who helped make December a remarkable month at HES!
🌟 Students of the Month
Congratulations to our outstanding scholars who consistently demonstrate excellence, kindness, and a positive attitude. Your dedication to learning and leadership inspires everyone around you. Keep shining—your future is bright! ✨📚
🌟 Staff of the Month
A special round of applause to our incredible staff honorees! Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and for creating an environment where learning and success thrive. Your impact is felt throughout our school community!
Join us in celebrating these shining stars of our HES Learning Community! 🎉
#HuttoStrong #StudentOfTheMonth #StaffOfTheMonth #ExcellenceStartsHere #HappyNewYear
Flu season is upon us and here are a few reminders to help keep our schools healthy :
🦠 Wash hands often with soap and water
🦠 Cover coughs and sneezes
🦠 Keep students home if they have a fever or flu-like symptoms
🦠Students must be fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications before returning to school
🦠Consider talking with your child’s health care provider about the flu vaccination
🚨🤒When to keep your child home:
If your child has a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, severe cough, or feels unwell please keep them home and allow time to recover before returning to school.
💜 Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students, staff, and schools healthy throughout flu season.
🎁📚 Our teachers hopped inside a Christmas box — literally — to share their favorite book recommendations! ✨ The students were so excited to see their administrators and teachers on display in the Media Hub!
🎄✨ Christmas At Hutto Elementary School✨🎄
We thoroughly enjoyed the sounds of Christmas cheer as our learners filled the room with joy, music, and holiday spirit! 🎶❤️
Our Learners did an amazing job showcasing their hard work, confidence, and talent. From cheerful songs to bright smiles, the program truly captured the magic of the season. Thank you to our Educators, staff, Tiger Families, and supporters for making this celebration such a memorable experience.
What a wonderful way to celebrate the season together! 🎄 #ExcellenceStartsHere #HolidayCheer #HuttoStrong
Space Lightning!
Did you know lightning can happen above the clouds? Dr. Levi Boggs will be teaching the 5th graders at Hutto Elementary School about sprites, jets, and other “space lightning” — strange, colorful flashes in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Learning is electric at Hutto Elementary School!
We are so proud of these amazing Tigers who did an outstanding job at Monday's Spelling Bee! Each student showed hard work, determination, and incredible spelling skills.
1st place winner- Jace Heard
2nd place winner- Maura Trolinger
3rd place winner - Bailey Davis
4th place winner- Payton Swatts
Congratulations to all of our winners and participants!
You represented Hutto Elementary with excellence!
Sizzle! Crack! Pop! The Science of Lightning
4th Grade students at Hutto Elementary School are excited for today's GaTECH Direct to Discovery session. Students will have a live zoom session to see lightning up close! Dr. Levi Boggs will be sharing how clouds, air, and tiny charges create lightning — with amazing high‑speed video of real strikes. Can't wait to see what our 4th graders discover when they get to ask question of Dr Boggs. Everyday is an adventure in learning at Hutto Elementary School! After all, that's the Bearcat Way!
You're invited — Robots in Action! 🤖
Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Join us at Bainbridge Middle School for the FIRST LEGO League Southern Regional Qualifier Tournament — Saturday, December 13, 2025, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM. The theme is Archaeology and students have been "digging in" to develop innovative solutions, showcase their engineering design skills, and dazzle us with their autonomous robots on the tables.
Bainbridge Middle School
3130 Thomasville Road, Bainbridge, GA 39819
Saturday, December 13 — 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
Highlights:
🤖Live robot rounds in the GYM (9:30–11:30 & 12:00–1:15) — free for the public to watch
🤖Teams competing include Decatur County’s 66302–Techno Treasures & 66305–Sand Stormers
🤖Students will present innovation projects and autonomous robots on the competition tables
🤖Robot PITS will feature interactive activities and team Innovation Project and Robot Design displays
🤖Hutto Elementary students will host a Robot Expo in the lobby showcasing projects as they prepare for the GA STC competition
🥤🍫 Concessions available all day from Bainbridge High School’s Buddy & Bella’s (specialty drinks $3.50; Pepsi & Gatorade $2.50; snacks $1–$3) — all proceeds benefit the BHS Entrepreneurship Program and 🍕LUNCH will also be for sale in the cafeteria with all proceeds benefiting the BMS Drama Club
Seating for family and spectators in the bleachers; follow ENTER/EXIT signage via Thomasville Road
Come cheer on our local teams, explore innovation projects, try interactive pit activities, and support student programs — see you there! 🎉
Here’s a quick look at important dates as we head into the holiday season!
📆 Thursday, December 18, 2025
➡️ Early Release (More details on early release times for individual schools to follow.)
📆 Friday, December 19, 2025
➡️ Teacher In-Service — Professional Development Day
📆 Monday, December 22, 2025 – Friday, January 2, 2026
➡️ Christmas Break — Student Holiday
📆 Monday, January 5, 2026 – Tuesday, January 6, 2026
➡️ Teacher In-Service — Professional Development Days
📆 Wednesday, January 7, 2026
➡️ First Day Back for Students
We hope everyone has a safe, restful, and joyful holiday season! 🎁✨
Come celebrate the season with our 3rd & 4th graders!
• 3rd Grade — "Starbucks: The Musical"
• 3B — 10:00 AM
• 3A — 11:00 AM
• 4th Grade — "Cold Snap: Celebrating the Winter Holidays with a World of Friends"
• 4B — 8:15 AM
• 4A — 9:00 AM
📍 Hutto Elementary Gymnasium
Bring family & friends! See you there! ✨
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EAAAC2DA7FBCE9-60421743-connecting#/
🎉 Hutto Elementary School – November Student & Staff of the Month! 🎉
We are proud to honor the exceptional leaders who helped make November a remarkable month at HES!
🌟 Students of the Month
Congratulations to our outstanding scholars who consistently demonstrate excellence, kindness, and a positive attitude. Your dedication to learning and leadership inspires everyone around you. Keep shining—your future is bright! ✨📚
🌟 Staff of the Month
A special round of applause to our incredible staff honorees! Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our students and for creating an environment where learning and success thrive. Your impact is felt throughout our school community!
Join us in celebrating these shining stars of our HES Learning Community! 🎉
#HuttoStrong #StudentOfTheMonth #StaffOfTheMonth #ExcellenceStartsHere
Our students spoke — and family won! ❤️
Last week in the Media Hub, students participated in a thankfulness poll and the majority voted family as what they're most grateful for. It's clear our students and staff cherish their loved ones — and we are thankful for you being part of our Hutto Tiger family. Wishing everyone a warm, joy-filled Thanksgiving break full of FAMILY time! 🦃🍂
Click here to see the video! https://youtu.be/6vBnahD2d_k
Our 3A students kicked off Thanksgiving week with an exciting STEAM + ELA adventure inspired by Balloons Over Broadway! After listening to the story of Tony Sarg—the creative puppeteer behind the giant Macy’s Parade balloons—students were challenged to design their own New York–style cityscape. 🏙️🎨
Through this hands-on project, students incorporated key ELA skills like main idea, key details, cause and effect, and sequence of events. They also used math to build their cityscape buildings, designing arrays to create window patterns.
Beyond academics, this lesson encouraged problem-solving, engineering thinking, artistic innovation, and creativity. And the best part? The students loved it. Their imaginations soared just as high as the parade balloons Tony Sarg once dreamed up! 🦃
We’re so proud of their hard work and can’t wait to see where their creativity takes them next! 💛
#DirectToDiscovery #BearcatWay #STEM #AerospaceLearning
🎓 Progress Reports Coming Soon! 🎓
Decatur County Schools students’ progress reports will be released on November 20th.
📊 Don’t wait to stay informed!
Parents and guardians can check grades, attendance, and more anytime through the Parent Portal (Infinite Campus):
👉 https://campus.dcboe.com/campus/portal/decaturco.jsp
#BearcatPride #DecaturCountySchools #TheBearcatWay
Huge congratulations to the students at HES for an outstanding showing at Saturday’s 4‑H Project Achievement Contest! Their hard work, confidence, and passion truly shone through — from polished presentations to thoughtful project displays. A big thank‑you to all the volunteers, parents, and teachers who supported our youth and helped make the day such a success. We’re so proud of every student who participated — keep up the amazing work! 🎉🌟👏
Frankie Doss – 3rd place - Earth and Space Sciences
Grayson Vetter – 1st place - International
Owen Smith – 2nd place - Health
Malia Strong – 1st place – Environmental Sciences
J’Myra Davis – 4th place – Horse
Taylor Williams – 1st place – Entomology
Peter Alvarez – 3rd place – General Recreation
Iren Thomas – 2nd place – Historic People
River Zorn – 2nd place – Physical Science
Adella Kirbo – 3rd place – Individual Sports
Samuel Bryant – 2nd place – Engineering and Mechanics
Cohen Williams – 2nd place – Target Sports
Holden Jones – 1st place – Veterinarian Science
Perry Wade – 2nd place – Ag Awareness
Savannah Neuman – 1st place – Poultry
Naomi Scott – 4th place – Individual Sports
Jaxen McCoy – 1st place – Human Development
Noah Bodiford – 3rd place – Outdoor Recreation
Kyson Reffitt – 1st place – Physical Science
