THOMASVILLE- The Thomasville City School Board of Education honored Dr. Mary Williams Scruggs on Tuesday night, as she retired from the board after 10 years of service. 

Scruggs was elected to the TCS BOE on November 3, 2015, where she served as a proud product of the Thomasville City School System. 

Prior to her time on the board, Scruggs worked inside the classroom, shaping the young minds of kids across Thomas County. 

“We know Dr. Scruggs as a dedicated and astute educator, who rendered 34.5 years of service before retirement from the county school system,” said Superintendent Dr. Scott Sweeting. 

Scruggs was a teacher at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary, Magnolia-Chapelle Elementary, and Cross Creek Elementary for 22 years, before working as an assistant principal for 12.5 years at Cross Creek Elementary and Thomas County Middle School. 

“She paved the way for other African-American females to serve as an administrator at Thomas County Schools,” Sweeting said. 

Since retirement, Scruggs has joined the Thomasville- Thomas County Retired Educators Association and continued to hold a membership with the Georgia School Board Association, and Thomasville City School Board. 

When not inside the classroom, Scruggs was actively participating in the community alongside her sorority and church. 

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and has held numerous positions, including president for the Lambda Chi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. 

There, she was selected as the Lambda Chi Omega Chapter Soror of the Year for 2021 and was presented with the Golden Soror Award for 50 years of service. 

Through her sorority and time on the Board of Education, Scruggs said she made it her mission to serve others and be pleasing to God. 

Sweeting told Scruggs she should be proud, as she has lived up to her life’s mission. 

He and Board Chair Britney Glass then presented Scruggs with an arrangement of flowers and a plaque to commemorate her years of service. 

“It’s a bittersweet moment, but we love you and this is just a token of our appreciation,” Sweeting said. 

Glass added to Sweeting’s comments, sharing she had no idea what she was getting into when she joined the BOE in 2019, but Scruggs walked alongside her, helping her whenever needed. 

“We’ve been through a lot, and I’m so thankful I was able to serve on this board with you,” Glass said. “We thank you for serving.” 

Scruggs appreciated the kind gestures, saying she would miss the board and the time she had spent with them had been a pleasure. 

“Keep up the good work and make sure you continue to focus on the children because they need you,” she concluded.