By Barry H. Hendrix
School enrollment in the Thomasville City Schools district is predicted to remain essentially unchanged from the last school year.
The first of two public hearings on the school system’s Fiscal 2026 budget was held Aug. 26 as part of the meeting of the Thomasville City Board of Education.
Preliminary data on the budget was provided by Anjelica Gibson, Chief School Financial Officer. The final budget figures will be presented at the second public hearing on Sept. 9.
Projections are that enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year will be a total of approximately 960.95 students (a change from 964.75 last school year). Enrollment is likely to increase some in the coming weeks.
Due to demand, enrollment for out-of-district students has been shut down for kindergarten, third, fifth and sixth grades to preserve room for in-district students.
The number of students in the system will be formally counted for ADM (Average Daily membership) during a 20-day class day period after Labor Day. That number will dictate state Foundation funding for the 2026-2027 school year.
In other action from the Aug. 26 board meeting, Gibson gave the Financial Report for July 2025. Accounts payable totaled $605,718.02, and payroll totaled $1,029,032.35.
• The board approved a renewal of the board’s Liability coverage with Risk Management. The annual renewal amount is $486.00, effective Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2026.
• There was a first reading of a Paid Parental Leave policy.
• The board approved the Foster Care Plan, the LEA Consolidation Plan and the EL District Plan for the 2025-2026 school year.
• There was a first reading of a Confidentiality Statement for school employees.
• The board approved revisions to the school system Procurement Plan and the HAACP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) Food Safety Plan.
• The following personnel actions were approved Aug. 26 by the Thomasville City Board of Education:
(Rescind Employment)
Velma Harris, Child Nutrition Program Assistant at Thomasville Elementary School;
(Employment in Positions)
Brandy Nichols, Behavioral Counseling Interventionist, contract professional services, effective Aug. 7, 2025, through May 22, 2026;
(Volunteers)
Jamie Fontan
Mary Posey
Stephanie Reed
Robert Walter Anderson
James Newton
Linda Pugh
(Employment in Supplemental Positions)
Katherine Huggins, Attendance Coordinator and Registrar;
Clint Anderson, Head Football Coach;
Russell Stephens, Assistant Football, (OC), Head Wrestling and Head Track Coach;
Cody Drinkard, Assistant Football (DC) Coach;
Adam Elliott, Athletic Director, Assistant Football and Assistant Softball Coach;
John Phillips, Assistant Football and Head Varsity Baseball and JV Baseball Coach;
Brian Allen, Head Middle School Football, Head Middle School Baseball and Head Middle School School Basketball Coach;
Natasha Griffin, Head Girls Varsity Basketball Coach and Head Middle School Girls Basketball Coach;
Elizabeth Ledkins, Varsity Cheerleader Coach;
Brandy Nichols, Middle School Cheerleader Coach;
Mary O’Guynn, Head Varsity Volleyball, Head JV and Middle School Volleyball Coach;
Latoria McCall, Assistant Girls Varsity Basketball Coach;
Ryan Anderson, Assistant Varsity Football, head Boys Varsity Basketball, JV Basketball abd Assistant Track Coach;
Carmen Maness, Assistant Volleyball Coach;
Robert Carpenter, Athletic Director, Head Softball and Head JV Softball Coach;
James Russell, Assistant Middle School Football and Assistant Wrestling Coach;
Barry Hendrix, Webmaster;
James Boyett, Band Director;
Jessica Hallford, Dance Sponsor and Mental Health Grant;
Johanna McNair, Majorettes Sponsor;
Katherine Sparks, Senior Sponsor;
Kelli Davis, Junior Sponsor;
April Bouler, THS Assistant Principal;
Aundre Williams, TMS Assistant Principal;
John Sheffield, TES Assistant Principal;
Ellen Pope, National Board Certification;
Charlyn Vick, TES Powerschool Help Desk;
LeAnn Moore, TMS Powerschool Help Desk;
Elizabeth Ledkins, THS Powerschool Help Desk.
(Board members Rita Nichols and Jim Davis abstained from the personnel vote in instances where family members were involved.)
• The next meeting of the school board will be held at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 9 in the Thomasville High School Library. The meeting will include the second public hearing of the FY 2026 budget.