Vision, Mission, and Beliefs

The Mission of the Echols County School System is to provide an excellent education for all students

Our vision is to be a school system that develops independent, responsible, lifelong learners

Our Beliefs (Core Values)

We believe:

All children learn in different ways and at different rates

All children should have an equal opportunity to learn

Environmental, socio-economic, and life experiences influence students’ learning

Parents should be meaningfully engaged in their child’s education

Parents should instill in their children the value of education and the importance of regular attendance, acceptable behavior, and academic success

The school system should communicate clear, high, and attainable expectations for all students, staff, and stakeholders

All students should be provided a broad, coherent, and challenging curriculum related to the real world

Schools should strive to prepare students to be productive, self-sufficient, and contributing members of society

Schools should make educational decisions informed by data and in the interest of all students

School should provide a safe and caring environment for all

The community should have a vested interest in the education of all its children

Together, the school system and the community serve as the foundation for quality of life, growth, and sustainability of the community

ECHOLS COUNTY SCHOOLS

Echols County is a rural county in south Georgia with great pride in its school system. We are located in Statenville, Georgia, about 18 miles east of Valdosta. Echols County School District is home to 861 Pre- Kindergarten through 12th grade students (Oct 2020). 

Between 1898 and 1945 small schools were located throughout the county, 47 schools for white students and 30 schools for black students. In 1898, the schools were open six months out of the year. If the schools could not maintain an average roll of ten students they were closed.

Mr. W.A. Ham was the School Commissioner, now called School Superintendent. He operated all of the schools in the county with a budget of $3,216.85.

Teachers who taught in the first schools of the county were trained in short summer sessions, called "Institute Sessions", and taught by the County Commissioners. A License to teach was granted after passing an exam. If the teacher did not live near a school, he would board with the family of a student.

 In 1917, for the first time bus transportation to school was provided for some students. Mr. S.M. Carter was the first bus driver to be hired for the county.

The small schools scattered across the county served the citizens until 1927, when plans were made to consolidate many of the schools. By 1928 there were fourteen schools in the county. In 1931, the brick school was built in Statenville and called the Echols Consolidated School.

Water had to be carried to the new school from the Rizer's well across the road. The school had its own water pump installed in 1939. The school was heated with wood heaters. The wood cost the school $3.00 a cord in 1939.

In the years following the smaller schools in the county gradually consolidated with the school in Statenville. In 1945, flush toilet systems were installed at the Statenville School. In 1948, the school had expanded to include a lunchroom and Home Economics Department. By 1950 all of the white schools in the county were consolidated.

By 1941 many of the black children of the county were attending school north of Statenville, near the Hercules Powder Company Camp. In 1948, the Herctoma School was built for the black students. In 1955, water coolers were installed. In 1962, ECS was re-wired and butane heaters installed. In 1963, the first televisions were installed in the Echols County School. Herctoma consolidated with Echols County School in Statenville in 1970.

In January 1994, the Technology Building was completed and occupied by classroom for High School English, a computer lab, a Music room, Science classrooms and a Science lab.

In 2000, an other high school building was added the to Echols County Schools site. Building 300 was positioned between the Ag building and the High School building. Building 300 consisted of additional classrooms for High School English, High School Math and a computer lab.

Until August 2010, our school system was composed of one K-12 school. In 2009-2010, a new K-8 school was built, and the high school stayed in the original buildings.  In August 2014, the system decided to have two principals; Mr. Wade Beale at the Elementary/Middle School, and Mr. Dave Rosser at the High School. The Elementary/Middle School has one assistant principal, Mrs. Shannon King.

The Elementary school building became storage for a short amount of time.On January 8, 2015 the Elementary building was demolished. 

Source for School History:
Chinkypin Volume I Number I Copyright 1975 by The Echols County High School Composition Class, Statenville, Ga.