First day of school August 1st on staggered start
The summer break is winding down, with students set to return to class on either Friday, August 1 or Monday, August 4. See full school calendar below.
School leaders are enthusiastic about the upcoming year, and many capital improvement projects have been completed over the summer including renovations at Pickens High School. Find a welcome note from Pickens School Superintendent Dr. Travis Thomas on Page 6A.
The school year will start on a staggered schedule, which allows students new to each campus to get their bearings before every grade level returns.
Kindergarten, 1st, 5th, 7th, and 9th grades will report to class on August 1. All other grade levels will report on August 4.
Parents are invited to visit the new Back to School Hub on the Pickens County Schools website, pickens.k12.ga.us, where they will find important information about transportation, school menus, the code of conduct, contact information, the free and reduced lunch application, and more. The information is presented in a clear and easy-to-use format.
Dress Code Updates
The school system has made changes to their dress codes and will strictly enforce new rules. Information has been sent to parents and can be found in the Code of Conduct.
Open House Times
Parents are encouraged to attend the Open House events to learn more about their child’s school and teachers. The following are Open House times for each campus.
Harmony Elementary: Wednesday, July 30
4-6 p.m.
Hill City Elementary: Wednesday, July 30
4-6 p.m.
Tate Elementary:
Wednesday, July 30
4-6 p.m.
Jasper Middle:
Monday, July 28
2-6 p.m.
Pickens Junior High: Tuesday, July 29
3-7 p.m.
Pickens High:
Wednesday, July 30th
Seniors – 8-9:30 a.m.
Juniors – 9:30-11 a.m.
Sophomores –
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Freshman – 1:30-3 p.m.
Apply for Free
and Reduced Meals
School leaders also encourage parents to apply for free and reduced meals for their students for the 2025-2026 school year. Applications are available now at the Back to School Hub webpage. Parents/Guardians can print a paper application from that page as well.
A Frequently Asked Questions link is also available on the website, which includes an eligibility chart with family income amounts and household size needed to qualify.
The Pickens School System is not eligible for across-the-board free lunches for students due to the county’s per capita income, which is too high to qualify it for that benefit.
According to the school website, “During the 2025-2026 School Year, households that qualify for reduced meal benefits will not be required to pay the reduced price $0.30 for breakfast and the $0.40 for lunch due to the state of Georgia budget covering these costs.”
Submitting an application has other benefits for the school system, including increased funding to support student education, additional funding for technology and internet access, discounts for college application fees, and fees for the SAT, ACT, and AP tests.
Harmony Elementary
706-253-1840
Hill City Elementary
706-253-1880
Tate Elementary
706-253-1860
Jasper Middle
706-253-1730
Pickens Junior High
706-253-1830
Pickens High
706-253-1800
District Office
706-253-1700
