Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

November 9, 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.

GCS Observes Veteran’s Day

GCS central offices and schools will be closed on Monday, November 12 in observance of Veteran’s Day.

Proposed 2008-09 School Calendar

During its October 25 meeting, the board of education approved a proposed calendar to be posted on the district’s Web site for a period of public comment. If you would like to review the calendar and submit feedback, click here. Input on this item may be made to gcscomments@gcsnc.com or via courier or U.S. mail to District Relations, Guilford County Schools, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27401. The district will be receiving comments until November 19, 2007. For more information, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

Seeking Teachers for Exciting New Opportunity

GCS will open a new evening school for high school students.  The school will assist those students who are unable to attend school during traditional school hours.  Tentative hours will be 3:30-8:30 p.m. daily.

GCS is seeking enthusiastic, relationship oriented teachers who are skilled in their content and want to make a difference for students.  Teachers certified in secondary English, math, science, social studies, Exceptional Children, as well as social workers and counselors are eligible for this opportunity.  If selected, individuals can earn a bonus of $5,000.

For more information, please contact Dr. David Roper, Executive Director of Saturn, at 370-8191 or if you wish to apply, please contact Terrik Higgins in the Office of Employment at higgint2@gcsnc.com or 370-8342.

Public Forum – NC Dropout Reform Initiative

The Speaker’s House initiative on dropout reform will meet November 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Smith High’s gymnasium for a public hearing on how to improve the state’s graduation rate. This meeting is one in a series of public hearings on dropout reform. Representatives Alma S. Adams, Earline Parmon and Susan Fisher organized the event along with other leaders of the initiative. Members of the public are encouraged to attend this significant forum regarding issues facing students at-risk for dropping out. For more information, please contact the office of Representative Alma Adams at 919-715-5723. For more information, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

Community Leaders Participate in Principal for a Day Program

On November 14, 41 community leaders will visit GCS as part of the Principal for a Day program hosted by the Guilford Education Alliance. Participants will spend the morning shadowing a principal and experiencing daily life in GCS. Following the school visits, participants will discuss their experiences with the principals and participants.  For more information, please contact Mack McCary, Chief Academic Officer, at 370-8106.

GCS Participates in North Carolina College Application Week

Smith High and Dudley High are two of approximately 100 schools across the state selected to participate and host the statewide 2007 North Carolina College Application Week event. It provides an opportunity for seniors in participating schools to complete and submit the College Foundation of North Carolina online application to colleges and promotes application to college in general. The goal of the event is to get more students applying to North Carolina colleges early in their senior year.

The event takes place on November 13 at Smith High and November 15 at Dudley High. For more information about College Application Day at either school, contact college adviser Camille Cates, at 252-717-8947 or collegeadviser@gmail.com. To view an application, go to www.cfnc.org.

Enrichment Fund Teacher Grant Deadline

The Enrichment Fund for GCS has money to fund teachers who are planning creative, innovative, student-centered projects for their classes.  An individual teacher can receive up to $300 for a project and a group of teachers can receive up to $1,000.  Click here for details on the easy-to-submit mini-grant application form. The deadline is Friday, November 16.  For more information, please contact Cecilia Adams, Manager of Community Partnerships, at 370-8355.

School Psychologists Around the Country Celebrate School Psychology Awareness Week November 12-16

School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school. In Guilford County, most full-time school psychologists serve three schools. Responsibilities include consultation and collaboration, psychological evaluations, and assisting with educational planning for effective instruction, data-based decision making and program planning. There are several psychologists who also serve on specialized teams and/or provide district-wide trainings.  Additional services include participation on the autism evaluation team and exceptional children preschool evaluation team, positive behavior support program coordination and training, suicide intervention training and intervention support team training.   

School psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education. They must complete a minimum of a specialist-level master’s degree program (60 graduate semester credits) that includes a 1200-hour internship. School psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board. Click here for additional information or contact Karen West, Supervisor for Psychological Services, at 370-8170.

The Early College at Guilford Receives Recognition for Exceptional Achievement

The College Board's Advanced Placement (AP) Program offers students the opportunity to take challenging college-level courses while still in high school, and to receive college credit, advanced placement or both for successful performance on the AP exams. About 18 percent of the more than 1.4 million high school students in more than 16,000 secondary schools worldwide who took AP exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.

Forty-two students at The Early College at Guilford have earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college level AP Exams. Students took the AP Exams in May 2007 after completing challenging college level courses.

Mark Draelos of High Point and Tyler Loftin of Greensboro, both seniors at The Early College at Guilford, qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of four or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken and grades of four or higher on eight or more on these exams.

The following 18 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams: Casey Butler, Megan Cherry, Mark Draelos, Ellis Driver, Aniesha Dukkipati, Jin Kilp, Alexa Lee, Daniel Lee, Tyler Loftin, Edward Markus, Taylor McClean, Sean Myers, Rachel Olsen, Stephen Padgett, Jeffrey Pudlo, Ami Rao, Annie Segal and Liza Triplett.

The following 16 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of three or higher on four or more of these exams: Eric Cheek, Poorna Dharmasri, Courtney Fenters, Scott Ferris, Samantha Harding, Hannah Hemphill, Brad Hennings, Max Holder, Dana Horlick, Erin McMurtrie, Rachel Olsen, Lili Parrish, Josh Ransom, Liz Sheffield, Sean Simpson and Emily Sorge.
                       
The following seven students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three of more AP Exams with grades of three or higher: Quynh Doan, Greg Janesh, Terrence Phillips, Kat Robertson Alex Schultheiss, Kerri Smoot and Amy Wenner. For more information, please contact Principal Charles Blanchard at 316-2860 or Catherine Brooks, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 378-8802.

GTCC Middle College Students Get Hands on Webcasting Experience

On Thursday, November 1, a segment filmed by students of the Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC was seen and heard around the world. Seniors Janie Carter and A.J. Carter worked as video journalists, Webcasting Presidential candidate Barack Obama's appearance at North Carolina Central University in Durham. The segment was broadcast live on the World Wide Web, and other candidates, world leaders and interested citizens logged on to watch and listen to what the Democratic candidate had to say. 

Janie and A.J. made a return trip to Durham on Saturday with fellow senior Max Taro. Once again Web casting live to the world, the three worked cameras on the broadcast of the Shaw University vs. St. Augustine College football game. For more information about the opportunities available to the students of The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC, please contact Principal Jennifer Topper at 819-4111 or Catherine Brooks, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 378-8802.

Page Women’s Tennis Team Excels

The Page High women’s tennis team won their fourth straight 4A state tennis championship last Saturday.  Page women have won their last 78 straight matches.  The school celebrated this accomplishment with cake, which was served by the team and their parents to the students and staff. Congratulations to these outstanding students. For more information, please contact Principal Marilyn Foley at 370-8200 or John Eldridge, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 370-2360. 

North Carolina Art Education Association Honors Two GCS Educators

The North Carolina Art Education Association recently honored two GCS educators for their contributions to art education in the district. Dr. Susan Hines received the 2007 Friends of the Arts Award 1 for outstanding leadership, dedication and vision in promoting arts education in GCS through music education, visual arts and drama. Susan began her career with GCS in 1989 and is currently the assistant principal at The Academy at Lincoln.

Veteran arts educator Nancy Fisher received the 2007 Retired Art Educator of the Year Award for 25 years of service promoting education through art to the students and teachers of GCS. Nancy’s talent, skill, humor and wisdom will be greatly missed by students, teachers and colleagues whom she served for many years. The Board of Education will recognize Susan and Nancy at its November 20 meeting. For more information, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

GCS Honored for Global Communications

The Global Communicators program and the North Carolina State Board of Education recently honored GCS as a Global Communicators school district for its outstanding K-12 language immersion and world-language programs. The Global Communicators program identifies, supports, recognizes and promotes school districts in North Carolina that make a long-term commitment to the development of K-12 proficiency-based world language programs.

A primary goal of the Global Communicators program is that at least 10 percent of all high school graduates will be proficient in at least one language other than English by the year 2020. The program is a part of North Carolina in the World initiative, which aims to make public education more internationally relevant and competitive in order to better prepare students for a global economy. GCS is one of only five school districts in the state to receive this designation. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200.

The Benefits Department

Returning retirees, exempt from the earnings cap, must transfer their health insurance coverage from the Retirement System Division to GCS. The benefits department will contact these employees and provide the appropriate forms in order to complete the transfers.  The effective date of this transfer will be the first of the month following the date the retiree was hired into a benefits eligible position or July 1, 2007, whichever is later.  Upon separation of employment with GCS, the retirees, exempt from the earnings cap, must transfer their health insurance coverage back to the Retirement System Division.  The benefits department will provide the appropriate forms for these transactions.  It is very important that these transfers occur; if they do not the retirees, will not have proper health insurance coverage.  All transfers will be handled by the Benefits Department; principals do not have to become involved.

If any returning retiree, exempt from the earnings cap, is 65 or older and on Medicare, the State Health Plan will now become the primary insurer and Medicare will be secondary.  Any health plan claims since July 1, 2007, will be reprocessed with the State Health Plan paying primary.

Effective January 1, 2008, state agencies will no longer be able to pay the TRICARE supplement in lieu of the State Health Plan premium.  This change has been made due to the John Warner National Defense Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (H.R. 5122), a provision that was enacted by Congress in 2006. This provision prohibits public and private employers with 20 or more employees from providing a financial incentive to TRICARE-eligible retirees to utilize TRICARE as the primary payer for health care rather than the employer-sponsored group health care plan. All TRICARE members who currently have this coverage will be contacted via letter by TRICARE.
Options:
State employees and retirees who currently have supplemental TRICARE coverage have two options:

1. Continuation of TRICARE supplement:
   The employee or retiree may continue TRICARE supplemental coverage on an individual basis by paying the $60.50 per month for employee coverage.  Please note that this option will only be available on a direct bill basis through TRICARE supplemental coverage and will not be available through payroll deductions as it has been in the past.
2. North Carolina State Health Plan participation:
   The employee or retiree may elect to participate in the State Health Plan.  For employees who choose this option, you must complete an Enrollment Form (C9) for a January 1, 2008, effective date.  The enrollment form should be received by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) no later than December 1, 2007, in order for these individuals to be included on the January bills.  To ensure BCBSNC does not apply preexisting conditions to these members’ enrollment applications, please write TRICARE in the comments section of enrollment application.

Employees currently on the TRICARE supplement should evaluate their personal and / or family health care needs to determine the best coverage for them and their family. If an employee or retiree has questions regarding the TRICARE supplement or would like to continue this coverage on an individual basis, please have them contact TRICARE Customer Service at 1-800-638-2610 x 256. The Benefits Department will be contacting employees with the TRICARE coverage.

GCSTV 2

Success by the Numbers

GCS outpaces other large school districts in the state in improvements in academic achievement in the latest measurements. This program airs daily at 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Magnet Showcase

GCS shares information about its magnet and choice schools in a public showcase to be followed by a Magnet Fair in February 2008. The Magnet Showcase provides information about the themes available for students who may want an alternative to the traditional learning environment. This program airs daily at 7:32 a.m., 10:08 a.m., 1:32 p.m. and 9:31 p.m.      

Tus Hijos y GCS

Tune in for this new edition of our Spanish language program. Tus Hijos y GCS visits the GCS Newcomers School and talks with Principal Jake Henry, as well as provides other information useful in helping families during the school year. This program airs daily at 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC

Television production students at The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC show off skills that allow them to produce, videotape, edit, report and host programs, ultimately creating their own show. Join us for this latest installment beginning next week.
 

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).

Teacher of the Year/Principal of the Year
GCS celebrates the excellence of its faculty and staff in the annual Teacher and Principal of the Year ceremony. Wachovia and Harris Teeter: Your Neighborhood Food Market provide sponsorship for these recognitions. This newsbreak airs Wednesday, November 14. 

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 16.    

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

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Study: Teachers Key to Top School Systems' Success

The world's top school systems have a common feature: high-quality teachers for every child, according to a McKinsey & Co. report. Massive spending increases that focus on areas other than recruiting and training teachers are simply not as effective, the report says. Click here to read more.

By Starting Early, Connecticut District Became Language Powerhouse

The Glastonbury, Conn., public school district, encompassing a small farming community, has quietly become a foreign-language powerhouse, with half of all graduates having studied two foreign languages, and 40 percent having been exposed to three. Glastonbury's reputation makes it a draw for foreign-language teachers, this article says, which means the district doesn't have to grapple with the challenges of finding and retaining qualified teachers. Click here to read more.