Designated as one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, unprecedented growth continues to be a motivating factor in the life of Henry County Schools.

This remarkable growth seems appropriate for a school system that traces its educational roots back to 1850.  In her extensive account of the evolution of Henry County, The Mother of Counties, Vessie Thrasher Rainer recounts the dedication of the county to education.  Mrs. Rainer reports the existence of the following schools in the mid to late1800s: Henry County Academy, the McDonough Institute, and McDonough High School.  On January 9, 1905, the City Schools of McDonough, under the supervision of the Board of Education, opened with 160 students in attendance in the primary grades, grammar school and high school levels.