Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

November 2, 2007

Our Vision, Mission/Thematic Goals and Core Values

Our vision – what we will become, Our mission/thematic goals- how we will get there -- Our
core values - what we believe -- solidify the underlying foundation for all Guilford County Schools’ decisions and actions.

Daylight Savings Time Ends This Weekend!

Just a reminder to move your clocks back by one hour beginning at 2 a.m., Sunday, November 4.

American Education Week

The salute to American Education Week kicks off with an event on November 13 at Murphey Traditional Academy and continues through November 16. Several GCS schools are participating in this week-long celebration which includes:

• November 13 – Invite Parents to School Day
• November 14 – Education Support Professionals Day
• November 15 – Educator for a Day
• November 16 – Student Appreciation Day

Additionally, at their November 8 meeting, the Board of Education and the Guilford County Association of Educators will recognize American Education week through the signing of a joint proclamation. The Aycock Middle Drumline and Step Team will perform in front of the Eugene Administration Building prior to the meeting.

For more information, please contact Mark Jewell, President of Guilford County Association of Educators, at 299-9601or go to www.nea.org or contact the District Relations Office at 370-8386 to learn more about this important tribute to education.

Make Your Vote Count on November 6

Guilford County is at a critical point in its history, and on November 6, your vote could determine the future of our community. Voter turnout for the October 9 primary was very low, resulting in a few voters determining the candidates for the November 6 election. These leaders will have an impact on our county’s future economy and quality of life. New leadership can also have an impact on education and our schools. Therefore, it is imperative that you do everything possible to participate and encourage participation in the general election. Click here for more information about the Guilford County Board of Elections or by calling 641-3836.

Northern Middle - Sustainable Design Provides Learning Opportunities and Operational Cost Savings

Northern Middle was featured in the October edition of School Planning & Management as a model of sustainable design.  The article explains that the school is designed to use half the energy of a typical school and is in the top 10 percent of all schools in the country when it comes to energy efficiency. Among other sustainable design features the school  has an energy efficient insulated metal roof, a rainwater collection system for flushing toilets (accounting for over 75 percent of the schools water requirements),  a solar water heating system, a photovoltaic system and a daylighting system-features that can all be used as teaching tools for students. The architect, Bae-Won Koh of Innovative Design, calculates that the sustainable design features added only seven cents per square foot in construction costs to a typical middle school design, but the school is expected to reap a 50 cents per square foot return on its investment in annual energy cost savings. Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer, notes that we have to move the conversation of construction costs from solely discussing the initial construction cost to also discussing the total life cycle cost. In being good stewards of the public trust we must consider not only the cost today, but also what it will cost the community to own these facilities for many decades.  Mr. Koh believes that the school may serve as a benchmark for new public schools across the country. For more information, please contact Mr. Bobadilla at 819-2763.

Dudley High Renovation Receives National Award

Dudley High received a citation award from the 2007 AIA/CAE Educational Facility Design awards program.  The American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education received 110 submittals for award consideration from across the country.  Dudley High is one of 14 that were honored by receiving an award, and the only recipient from North Carolina.  Schools receiving the award were judged on, “Integration of function and aesthetics in designs that also respect the surrounding community and context.”  The recent additions and major renovations to Dudley’s original 1929 buildings were designed by Gantt Huberman Architects based in Charlotte.  Dudley has also been awarded an AIA Charlotte Merit Award for Design.  For more information, please contact Mr. Leo Bobadilla, Chief Operations Officer, at 819-2763.

GCS Participates in 2007 School Design Institute

GCS participated this week in the 2007 School Design Institute in Raleigh, NC.  This event was hosted by the American Architectural Foundation (AAF), in partnership with North Carolina State University, College of Design.  GCS was one of six school districts invited to participate in this event. Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer and Joe Hill, facilities consultant, presented a concept for a future High School project and worked with a resource team of design experts along with superintendents and facilities staff from other schools districts to explore opportunities for continuous improvement in the design of school facilities. The presentation was well received and the feedback will help GCS continue to provide the children in our community with the best learning environment possible. For more information, please contact Mr. Bobadilla at 819-2763.

Health Foundation Continues Support for Project Fit America Sites

The Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation funded four additional Project Fit America sites for the 2007-08 school year.  Project Fit America is a program that was designed to get kids fit.  The four elementary school sites implementing Project Fit America this year are:  Guilford, Northern, Pearce and Reedy Fork.  We are fortunate to have an ongoing partnership with the Moses Cone-Wesley Long Community Health Foundation.  Congratulations to the students, staff and communities at each of these schools!  For more information, please contact Robin Bergeron-Nolan, Director of Health Services, at 370-8333.

Homeless Education in GCS

During the 2006-07 school year, 1,175 children and youth experiencing homelessness were enrolled in GCS.  That number was recently reported to the Department of Public Instruction in keeping with their annual data collection. Students are identified as homeless when they enroll by completing an “Affidavit of Homelessness.”  This form is completed by the parent or an unaccompanied youth with the help of office support staff, registrars, counselors and school social workers.  Students experiencing homelessness have the right to enroll without the documentation required by their housed counterparts according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act of 2001.  In addition, upon enrollment, students are entitled to:

• stay in their current school even if they move again
• ride the bus to and from school
• participate in pre-school and other programs
• receive any services the schools provide
• have concerns or disagreements settled quickly
  

The Student Assignment office receives the affidavits, initiates the request for transportation and maintains a database for homeless education.  The district also has a homeless liaison whose role is to review local policies and procedures that impact homeless children and youth, ensure that students are enrolled and receive appropriate services, share information with parents and assist with settling enrollment disputes. Click here for board policy JBC – School Admission and the accompanying procedure, JBC-P regarding the rights of homeless.  For more information on homeless education, please contact Susan Eubanks, District Liaison, at 574-2637.

AL Department to Hold Professional Development for GCS K-2 Teachers

The Advanced Learning (AL) Department is pleased to announce Saturday morning professional development opportunities for school staff who want to learn more about differentiated instruction.  All GCS teachers in Grades K-2 are invited to the first of the series on Saturday, November 3 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the mutli-purpose room at Kernodle Middle. Workshop participants will have opportunities to:

• Celebrate the gifted characteristics of all children in K-2
• Learn about creating environments that nurture and grow gifted characteristics through practicing Habits of Mind
• Develop an understanding of research-based strategies that transform classrooms into vibrant learning communities
• Understand the partnership between AL department and the entire Guilford County community to ensure rigorous and nurturing environment for all K-2 classrooms
  

Presentations on nurturing gifted and intelligent behaviors through Habits of Mind will be conducted by Frank Beck, Advanced Learning Program Facilitator, David Cook (Jamestown Elementary), Mark Moore (Brooks Global), Sandra Rayne (Pilot Elementary), Carolyn Dixon and Cheria Madison (Sedgefield Elementary), Beverly Deprez and Leslie Garner (Allen Jay Elementary), Barbara Szombara (Murphey Elementary), Chris Addington, Betty Devine and Ellen Overbeck (Northwood Elementary). For more information, please contact the Advanced Learning Department at 370-8361.

Benefits Department

The next two Retirement Seminars will be held on November 15 at GTCC Middle College Entertainment Technology, 901 S. Main St. in High Point from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and at Johnson St. Global Studies K-8 Magnet, 1601 Johnson St. in High Point from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. The seminars will include the retirement process as well as explaining changes the General Assembly  has made with regards to retirees returning to work exempt from the earnings cap. One major change is the following: employees retiring on or after November 1, 2007 must retire with full service in order to return to work, after a six months break, as a classroom teacher exempt from the cap. Full service is age 65 with at least five years of creditable service, age 60 with 25 years of service or 30 years of service at any age.  For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, Director of Benefits, at 370-8092.

Lateral Entry Information Sessions

The Office of Employment will be holding lateral entry information sessions for the public at Barnes and Noble bookstore at Friendly Center. Through coordination with Ms. Becky Carignan, Community Relations Manager for Barnes and Noble, the following five dates are confirmed for use of their facility: 

The sessions will be held twice daily with the first session from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. and the second session from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  We will provide handouts and resource materials and facilitate the sessions.  The sessions will consist of an overview of the NC Lateral Entry licensing program, procedures for determining eligibility for the license, and information on applying to GCS for employment consideration as a teacher.  For more information, please contact Tracey Dungee, Program Administrator, at 370-8967.

GCSTV 2

Celebration of Excellence

Our schools and our business community unite to showcase the accomplishments and potential of GCS students. Join us for a look at this year’s Celebration of Excellence. Fifteen schools are recognized for their improvements in academic performance and are awarded cash prizes courtesy of Businesses for Excellence in Education. This program airs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.   

GCS/ABC 45 Partnership Continues

GCS continues its partnership with ABC 45 television to share the current news and feature stories about our district. The segments run on ABC 45 (Cable Channel 7) during “Good Morning America” each Wednesday and Friday at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. Also, learn more about GCS by tuning in to GCSTV 2 (Cable Channel 2).

Celebrating Success
How does one Guilford County school celebrate its academic success?  Millis Road Elementary marked the occasion by gathering the entire student body on the neighboring Ragsdale High football field and releasing scores of balloons with the help of a brass band and cheerleaders. This Newsbreak airs Wednesday, November 7.       

Learning from History
Students from High Point Central High speak out against crime and violence as they replicate the tenacity of the pioneers of the Civil Rights movement. See the local kick-off of a nationwide movement of young people dedicating themselves to non-violence. This newsbreak airs Friday, November 2.      

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, Broadcast Production Manager, at 370-8167.

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Spring Enrollment Open for Learn & Earn Online

Spring enrollment is open for the Learn & Earn Online dual enrollment program for high school students.  Learn & Earn Online offers University system (UNC-Gi) and Community Colleges courses at no cost to the student. Students receive high school course credit and college credit upon successful completion of the course. Textbooks are provided through a special appropriation from the General Assembly.  Click here for more information on the program.

2008 AP/IB and Honors Forum Scheduled for February 13

The 2008 AP/IB and Honors Forum will take place Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at the Twin City Quarter, Winston-Salem.  Registration for the all-day forum is $75 and includes handouts, continental breakfast and lunch.  Deadline to register for the conference is Friday, January 11, 2008.  Click here for conference details, including registration and accommodation information.

Register Online for 2008 Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference

Online registration is now available for the 2008 Raising Achievement and Closing Gaps Conference, “Connecting the Village.”  Click here to register. Please remember registration is not complete until your payment is processed.  Those that register online will receive an automated email response that provides instructions for completing the registration process. The deadline to register for the conference is Thursday, January 24, 2008.

Minnesota District Poised to Become First to Require IB for All

Minnesota's 3,200-student South St. Paul district is neither wealthy nor exclusive, but it is on the verge of becoming the first public school system in the country to require the rigorous International Baccalaureate for all students, according to this article. "These are skills that typical adults don't achieve until their 30s or 40s," said the IB's director general, Jeffrey R. Beard. "Parents tell us, 'I can't believe my kid is thinking this way.'" Click here to read more.

The War on Poverty is Not Over: In One In Five States, More Than Half of Students Live in Poverty

For the first time in more than 40 years, the majority of children in public schools in the South are poor, according to results from a Southern Education Foundation report. Typically, low-income students begin school at a disadvantage for being the least prepared.  The increase in population has amplified the need to find the best ways to educate underprivileged kids, reports Halimah Abdullah in the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer. School districts like the one in Memphis, Tenn., where 80 percent of students come from low-income homes, have adopted models that specifically address children living in poverty, and the Miami-Dade district has strengthened efforts to improve all students’ math and reading scores and curb dropout rates. Still, it cannot all be laid at education systems’ feet. It is up to a nation, which champions equality for all, to ensure that no child is forced to be at the back of the pack because of their parents’ economic status. Unfortunately, this issue might not be isolated to Southern states, as public schools in the West may face similar problems in the coming years. Click here to read more.

Quality of Home Life Key in Closing or Opening Achievement Gaps

The gaps in critical home conditions and experiences of young children mirror the achievement gaps that begin early in life and persist through high school, according to results from a new study conducted by the Education Testing Service. The study’s researchers examined the factors that influence early childhood learning and found that 33 percent of children live in families in which no parent has a full-time, year-round job. Additionally, by age four, children of professional families hear 35 million more words than children of parents on welfare. According to Paul Barton, who co-authored the report, "single-parent families, parents reading to children, hours spent watching television and school absences, when combined, account for about two-thirds of the large differences among states in National Assessment of Educational Progress reading scores." The study suggests that in order to improve schools and student achievement, reform efforts must go beyond the public policy arena and focus on creating home and community environments that aid in educational development. Click here to read more.