Today is National First Responders Day! Thank you for your service and support.
Our staff are our first line of safety. For that reason, Jennifer Wilson, our school's Safety and Communications Supervisor partnered with Kevin Stanfield, from Homeland Security to provide school safety and stop the bleed training for every team member - because a safe school is a strong school.
All schools are on Fall Break this week (October 13-17, 2025). The District Office is open regular hours.
Congratulations to our September Dragon Award Winners!
Josephine Griffin - Harmony Elementary
Lisa Stoker - Jasper Middle School
Christi Hobgood - Pickens High School
Josephine Griffin - Harmony Elementary
Lisa Stoker - Jasper Middle School
Christi Hobgood - Pickens High School
Reminder that Fall Break is next week, October 13-17th!
The Georgia REACH scholarship recipients for the class of 2030 were announced earlier this week. The recipients are (L-R): Emma Schake, Rosalie Brown, Vivian White, Blain Farrow and Owen Johnson.
These students will be expected to follow various guidelines over the next four years as they approach graduation. By doing so, they will receive $10,000 through the Georgia Finance Commission towards the cost of attending a Georgia college or university upon graduating from high school.
Just a reminder that today is a Virtual Learning Day for all students to allow for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
We all know that our school’s staffing attendance is directly related to student outcomes – including student attendance. That is why we want to congratulate Hill City Elementary for having the Best Staff Attendance for the month of August.
Our academic coaches were recognized at our September Board of Education meeting. These are professionals who provides personalized support to students, helping them develop essential skills and develop independent, confident learners by addressing both academic and personal challenges and connecting them with resources to improve their academic journey.
Reminder that September 26th will be a Virtual Learning Day for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Keeping our schools safe is a top priority! Our Safety and Communications Supervisor, Jennifer Wilson, recently attended the Georgia School Superintendents Association (GSSA) Safety and Security Workshop, learning about legislation, funding, school-based policing, and facility management to better serve our students and staff.
Friday night lights are amazing, but Monday mornings are where our Dragons really shine! #AttendanceMatters
Student success is at the heart of every conversation. Our assistant principals meet monthly with Superintendent Dr. Travis Thomas to collaborate on academics and achievement in support of our district’s goal to have every student either enrolled, enlisted, or employed upon graduation.
We all know that our school attendance is a powerful predictor of student outcomes. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Here at PCSD we encourage building this habit early as good attendance will help our children do well in high school, college, and at work. That is why we want to congratulate Harmony Elementary for having the Best Student Attendance for the month of August.
Congratulations to our 4th Grade math teachers who received excellent scores on the Georgia Milestone Assessments in 2025. Their scores were among the best in all of Georgia and led the mountain counties of North Georgia!
Celebrate Arts in Education Week with us as we encourage our students to engage in artistic disciplines like dance, music, theater, and visual arts to enrich learning and enhance student development. Arts education can lead to improved student engagement, social-emotional development, and the cultivation of creative and critical thinking skills.
The carryover in benefits from last year’s Free & Reduced Meal Program will end September 15, 2025. After this date the student will return to full pay status unless a new application is submitted to re-establish the student's eligibility before the end of the carryover period.
For households that meet the income requirements we encourage you to submit a new free and reduced application now.
https://www.pickens.k12.ga.us/o/pcs/page/free-reduced-meals
For households that meet the income requirements we encourage you to submit a new free and reduced application now.
https://www.pickens.k12.ga.us/o/pcs/page/free-reduced-meals
Congratulations to our August Dragon Award winners! Devin Shoemake, Nestor Rodriguez, and Billy Reed
At approximately 8:30 AM this morning, Pickens Sheriff’s Office Campus Law Enforcement was made aware of threatening posts appearing on TikTok and showing up on students’ “For You” pages.
The Pickens Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is actively investigating the matter and is working in partnership with State and Federal authorities to track the identity of the account’s creator.
Sheriff’s Office officials emphasize that there is no viable threat to student safety at this time. All campuses remain secure, and deputies will continue providing a visible presence throughout the school day to reassure students, parents, and staff.
“Our priority is always the safety of our students and school communities,” said Sheriff Donnie Craig. “We will exhaust every resource to identify who is behind this threat and hold them accountable.”
The Pickens Sheriff’s Office will provide additional updates as new information becomes available.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Pickens Non-Emergency 911 at 706-253-8911 or submit a tip through Tip 411 by texting PSOINFO and your message to 847411.
The Pickens Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division is actively investigating the matter and is working in partnership with State and Federal authorities to track the identity of the account’s creator.
Sheriff’s Office officials emphasize that there is no viable threat to student safety at this time. All campuses remain secure, and deputies will continue providing a visible presence throughout the school day to reassure students, parents, and staff.
“Our priority is always the safety of our students and school communities,” said Sheriff Donnie Craig. “We will exhaust every resource to identify who is behind this threat and hold them accountable.”
The Pickens Sheriff’s Office will provide additional updates as new information becomes available.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Pickens Non-Emergency 911 at 706-253-8911 or submit a tip through Tip 411 by texting PSOINFO and your message to 847411.
We're hiring for school nurse, food service assistant and student information specialist. For information on all of our job opportunities, go to https://www.pickens.k12.ga.us/o/pcs/page/human-resources
