Administration

 

Dear Dutchtown Community,

I hope you had an amazing summer break and had the opportunity to enjoy time with family, create lasting memories, and disconnect from the routine of school. As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, I am excited to welcome our scholars, families, staff, and community partners back to Dutchtown Middle School!

As I begin my third full year as principal of Dutchtown Middle School, I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together and even more excited about where we are headed. Our school community continues to demonstrate what is possible when we come together with a shared commitment to excellence and student success.

With 26 years of experience in education, including experience in both middle and high school settings, I bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to my role as principal. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Education, Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, and Doctoral degree in Teacher Leadership.

Throughout my career, I have served in numerous capacities, including special education teacher, department chair, Student Support Facilitator, assistant principal, and principal within the Henry County School System. Each experience has strengthened my belief that meaningful relationships, strong systems, high expectations, and a relentless commitment to students are essential to school success.

My leadership philosophy remains rooted in the belief that every student, staff member, family, and community member should feel empowered, inspired, connected, valued, and included.

LIFT: Launching Inspiration, Focus, and Togetherness

This year's theme is LIFT — Launching Inspiration, Focus, and Togetherness.

Our goal for the year is simple:

Be Present. Be Prepared. Be Proud.
Every Bulldog. Every Day.

LIFT represents who we aspire to be as a school community. We will launch inspiration, maintain focus on student achievement and growth, and strengthen the togetherness that makes Dutchtown Middle School special.

This year, we are committed to LIFTING our expectations, our scholars, our staff, our families, and our entire community.

Celebrating Our Growth

As we reflect on our 2025–2026 achievement data, we have much to celebrate. Dutchtown Middle School increased the percentage of students scoring Proficient and Above in every reported assessment.

Our growth included:

• 6th Grade Math: +3 percentage points
• 7th Grade Math: +5 percentage points
• 8th Grade Math: +7 percentage points
• Algebra: +18 percentage points
• 8th Grade Science: +11 percentage points
• Physical Science: +22 percentage points
• 8th Grade Social Studies: +17 percentage points

These results represent much more than numbers. They represent the dedication of our scholars, teachers, staff, leaders, families, and community partners.

Every percentage point represents students who worked hard, educators who remained committed, families who supported learning, and a community that continued to believe in what our Bulldogs can accomplish.

We are proud of our progress, but we are not finished.

We are expecting greater impact—together.

Our work this year will focus on building upon these gains, strengthening instruction, supporting our scholars, and ensuring that every Bulldog has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.

At Dutchtown Middle School, we believe in excellence.

We are number one—not number two, not number three, but number one!

We are committed to setting the standard for student achievement, school culture, leadership, and excellence.

A New Chapter: The 900 Hall

We are also excited to celebrate an important milestone for our school community—the opening of our brand-new 900 Hall!

We proudly celebrated this milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the opening of our new wing and another investment in the future of Dutchtown Middle School.

The new space provides additional instructional opportunities for our scholars and represents the continued growth and development of our school.

We are excited about this new chapter and grateful to everyone who helped make this vision a reality.

Celebrating Our Teachers and Their Impact

One of the greatest strengths of Dutchtown Middle School is our educators. Our teachers continue to demonstrate creativity, innovation, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to our scholars.

We are proud to celebrate our teachers who received Empowered Hub Grants:

• Ms. Cottrell
• Ms. Bryant
• Ms. Thomas
• Ms. Moore
• Ms. Hermon
• Ms. Rhyne
• Ms. McKinnon-Gary

We are also excited to celebrate Ms. Moore, who received a $500 Ross grant to support her work and provide additional opportunities for our scholars.

These accomplishments demonstrate the passion and initiative of our educators and their commitment to going above and beyond for students.

Exciting Changes for 2026–2027

We are beginning this school year with several exciting additions and improvements:

• We have welcomed new teachers who bring a wide range of experience, expertise, and passion to our school.
• We have added three new teacher allotments, helping to reduce pressure on classroom sizes and provide additional support for our scholars.
• We have successfully moved all scholars into the main building and closed our temporary trailer classrooms.
• We are excited to welcome our scholars into the new 900 Hall.

These improvements are more than physical changes. They represent our continued commitment to creating an environment where scholars can learn, teachers can thrive, and families feel connected to our school.

To Our Scholars

To our Bulldogs, this year is about you.

I want to know your dreams, your goals, your ideas, and your vision for Dutchtown Middle School. Your voice matters. Your leadership matters. Your choices matter.

I challenge every scholar to:

Be Present.
Be engaged in your learning and present in every opportunity.

Be Prepared.
Come ready to learn, grow, lead, and give your best.

Be Proud.
Take pride in yourself, your accomplishments, your school, and your community.

Let's make this a year where Every Bulldog. Every Day. is learning, growing, leading, and LIFTING one another higher.

To Our Families

Thank you for entrusting us with your most valuable gift—your children.

Your partnership is essential to the success of Dutchtown Middle School. We need you beside us as we continue to build scholars who are prepared for high school, college, careers, and life beyond the classroom.

I encourage you to stay connected, attend our events, communicate with our staff, celebrate your child's accomplishments, and continue to be an active partner in your child's education. The best way to stay connected is attend all School events and join the DMS PTO. 

When schools and families work together, our scholars benefit. 

To Our Dutchtown Community

To our community partners, businesses, organizations, churches, civic leaders, and supporters—thank you for investing in Dutchtown Middle School.

A great school does not exist in isolation. It takes a community.

Your support provides opportunities, resources, encouragement, mentorship, and experiences that help our scholars see possibilities beyond the classroom. We value the relationships we have built and look forward to strengthening those partnerships throughout the 2026–2027 school year.

My door is always open. I welcome your conversations, feedback, ideas, and partnership.

Together, we can create a Dutchtown Middle School that our entire community is proud to call its own.

Let's LIFT Dutchtown Higher!

As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, let us remember that our greatest accomplishments will not come from what any one person does. They will come from what we accomplish together.

L — Launch Inspiration
I — Inspire Focus
F — Foster Togetherness
T — Togetherness 

This year, let's LIFT our expectations.
Let's LIFT our scholars.
Let's LIFT our educators.
Let's LIFT our families.
Let's LIFT one another.
Let's LIFT Dutchtown Middle School to new heights.

Be Present. Be Prepared. Be Proud.
Every Bulldog. Every Day.

I am proud of what we have accomplished, grateful for the support of our Dutchtown community, and excited about what is possible when we continue to work together.

Welcome to another incredible year at Dutchtown Middle School!

Let's continue to LIFT Dutchtown Higher—Together!

With Bulldog Pride,

Dr. Crystal Williams
Pround Principal
Dutchtown Middle School

Email: Crystal.Williams@henry.k12.ga.us

 

Hello Dutchtown Middle School Family!  I am extremely proud and humbled to serve as the 7th grade assistant principal. It is my belief that EVERY child, no matter their circumstances, can learn. Therefore, I consider it my duty and my calling to ensure that every child has the necessary tools to do so.  

My educational journey began at Hamilton County High School (FL) teaching 10th grade literature and AP literature. In 2014, I continued my teaching career at Valdosta High School (GA) where I instructed students in International Baccalaureate (IB) Literature, Multicultural Literature, and American Literature. I also had the honor of leading as the English department chair. During my tenure at Valdosta High School, I was named the 2018 Teacher of the Year and the Valdosta City Schools’ District Teacher of the Year. Over the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure to assist teachers and students as an instructional coach working at the high school and middle school level; with most recently serving as the instructional and personalized learning lead for Austin Road Middle School. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling and park hopping with my husband and two daughters.

Again, I am very eager to bring my experience and talents to the Dutchtown cluster and I look forward to working with each and every stakeholder. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at Jessica.whylly@henry.k12.ga.us. Let’s make this year AMAZING!  

Education:  

• B.S. Secondary Education/English-Valdosta State University  
• M.S. Leadership in Educational Administration-Capella University 
• Ed.S Teacher Leadership-Valdosta State University 

 

Dear Dutchtown Middle School Community,

It is with great excitement and deep gratitude that I introduce myself as the new Assistant Principal of Dutchtown Middle School. I am truly humbled and honored to serve such a vibrant and committed learning community.

My journey in education began 27 years ago, and it has been a rich combination of classroom teaching and coaching. Throughout my career, I have been privileged to work with incredible students and educators, and I was honored to be named Teacher of the Year in 2003, 2015, and most recently in 2025. These milestones represent not only my commitment to excellence in education, but also the powerful impact of collaboration and community.

Originally from California, I made the exciting move to Georgia, and my family is proud to now call this state—and Dutchtown—our home. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Middle Grades Education from Clark Atlanta University, and later went on to obtain my Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Columbus State University. These academic experiences, paired with nearly three decades of hands-on service, have shaped my deep passion for teaching, learning, and leadership.

I look forward to partnering with each of you as we work together to support our students’ academic success, personal growth, and overall well-being. Together, we will continue to build on Dutchtown Middle School’s tradition of excellence in a nurturing and inclusive environment.

Thank you for welcoming me into the Bulldog family. I am truly excited about the journey ahead and look forward to working with you all. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at  betina.bryant@henry.k12.ga.us.

With appreciation,

Betina K. BryantAssistant Principal

Dutchtown Middle School

 

Welcome to Dutchtown Middle School! I am honored to serve as an Assistant Principal and to be part of the Bulldog family. With more than 18 years of experience in education, I have had the privilege of teaching Music, Personal Finance, English Language Arts, middle grades mathematics, and high school mathematics. Throughout my career, I have also served as an instructional leader, working alongside educators to support student achievement and create meaningful learning experiences.

Before joining Dutchtown Middle School, I proudly served as an administrator in another district, where I continued my passion for building positive school communities and supporting both students and staff. 

I believe in the power of education and in leading with a servant's heart. I am passionate about building strong relationships with students, families, and staff while creating a positive, supportive environment where every scholar can thrive. As a lifelong learner, I look forward to beginning my journey toward earning a doctoral degree in the near future. I am excited to serve the Dutchtown community and to celebrate the growth, achievements, and success of our scholars throughout the year.

Have an amazing school year, and as always—Let's go Bulldogs!

mailto:Candi.Cottrell@henry.k12.ga.us

 

Mr. Hughley serves as the administrative assistant here at Dutchtown Middle School. He is passionate about creating a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment where every student can thrive. Mr. Hughley is committed to building strong relationships with students, families, and staff while leading with integrity, compassion, and excellence. He holds a bachelor's degree in education and is currently pursuing a master's degree in educational leadership. His goal is to inspire, empower, and positively impact the lives of students while helping develop the next generation of leaders through education.

 

mailto:Louis.Hughley@henry.k12.ga.us