Back-to-School message from Whitfield sheriff and school superintendent

Published 8:30 am Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Whitfield County Sheriff Darren Pierce and Whitfield County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Ewton addressed citizens in a social media post on Monday, reminding the public that many students return to school today, Aug. 5, resulting in a potentially significant increase in traffic on roadways, especially near schools, where school buses and parents will be traveling to drop off and pick up students.

“Please be mindful of the congested areas around the schools,” Pierce said. “Don’t worry, we are going to have our school resource officers out, and we’re also going to have our deputies out at those intersections making sure everyone gets in and out (of the schools) safely, so please pay attention to them.”

Ewton also stressed that, in continuing partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, there will be a school resource officer at every school in the Whitfield County School System this year.

“We feel like this is a very important measure for school safety,” he said. “Our community has been very clear that they want this.”

Over the weekend, the Sheriff’s Office, in preparation for the opening of the school year, hosted a backpack and school supply giveaway, which organizers have labeled a “huge success,” stating, “The Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce that our Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway…drew a crowd so large that lines extended well beyond the parking lot. In less than 30 minutes, our team handed out 300 backpacks to students from across Whitfield County, each one packed with school supplies to help kickstart the year on the right foot.”