Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

September 28, 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 and Wachovia Announce the 2007-08 Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year

A passion for teaching was the theme during the Wachovia Best in Class Awards for GCS Teacher and Principal of the Year. The district’s highest honors went to two dedicated educators: Valerie Akins, the principal at Aycock Middle, former principal at Vandalia Elementary, and Carolyn Hiatt, a second-grade teacher at Hunter Elementary. Both clearly have passion for their profession whether they are working with students, teachers, parents or community. They each won a total of $1,500; $1,000 for winning the overall award and $500 for winning at their grade level. Valerie was also named elementary Principal of the Year and Carolyn was named elementary Teacher of the Year.

Other principals receiving awards include Revonda Johnson from High Point Central High. She received $500 for being the secondary school Principal of the Year.

Principal of the Year finalists each received $300:

• Darcy Kemp from Morehead Elementary
• Dr. Grenita Lathan from Washington Elementary
• Pam Misher from Pearce Elementary, former principal of Alderman Elementary

Teacher of the Year winners each received $500:

• Janice Clark from Aycock Middle – Middle School Teacher of the Year
• Kristal Britton from Dudley High – High School Teacher of the Year

Michael Joncas from Summerfield Elementary and George Eckart from The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC were the remaining Teacher of the Year finalists and received $300 each.

We appreciate Wachovia’s commitment in recognizing and honoring these exceptional administrators and teachers who do so much for the students of Guilford County.  For more information, please contact Carla Alphin, Program Administrator for Employee Relations, at 378-8821.

New Assignments

The following personnel action was taken during the September 25, 2007, Board meeting:

For more information, please contact Dr. Peggy Thompson, Chief Human Resources Officer, at 370-8340.

GCS Athlete makes World Age Group US Team

Stewart Pritchard, a sixth grader at Brown Summit Middle, recently qualified for the United States Gymnastics World Age Group Tumbling & Trampoline Team.  He will compete in the World Championship event in November in Quebec, Canada.  Stewart is one of five boys in his age group (11 – 12) who will represent the United States.  He will be competing against boys his age from 40 different countries.  This event is held in tandem with the Olympic Qualifying event for Beijing, for the older athletes. Stewart trains at Tumblebees Ultimate Gym in Greensboro.  He is coached by Scott Lineberry, Heather Carr and Alexei Kirichenko.  For more information, please contact Principal Valerie Collins at 656-0432.

Students from GCS Named Semifinalists for National Achievement® Scholarship

Two seniors from GCS high schools were named semifinalists for the 44th annual National Achievement Scholarship program, which honors academically promising African-American youth throughout the nation.

Both students have an opportunity to continue in the competition for approximately 800 achievement scholarship awards, worth at total of $2.5 million. Achievement scholarship winners are selected based on abilities, accomplishments and potential for success in college.

The GCS semifinalists include the following students:

• Andrews High - Tiara McClure

• Grimsley High - Tierra Hurley

The national achievement program, conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), is a privately financed academic competition that operates without government assistance. Achievement scholarship awards are supported by corporations, foundations, professional organizations and NMSC’s own funds. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200.

Athletic Awards and Recognitions

Twelve Guilford County high schools with athletic programs were recognized by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) at its regional meeting in Winston-Salem as being “Ejection Free” schools during 2006-07. Being ejection free means that no athletes or coaches were ejected from a contest during the entire year for unsportsmanlike behavior. The schools recognized for being ejection free were: Dudley, Eastern, Grimsley, Northeast, Northwest, Page, Ragsdale, Smith, Southeast, Southern, Southwest and Western.

Also recognized and presented awards by the NCHSAA for outstanding service to the NCHSAA were the following:

Alton Tyree, track coach at Southeast
DePaul Mittman, track coach at Western
Herk Degraw, soccer coach at Grimsley

In addition, Ragsdale High Principal Kathy Rogers received the Spirit of the NCHSAA award for outstanding service to the NCHSAA through the years.  For more information, please contact Herb Goins, District Athletic Director, at 370-8950.

Board of the North Carolina Art Education Association Honors Assistant Principal 

The Board of the North Carolina Art Education Association (NCAEA) honored Dr. Susan Hines, assistant principal of The Academy at Lincoln, as a Friend of Arts. As an exemplary art educator and advocate of the arts, Dr. Hines and other “Art Stars” will celebrate their accomplishments during the NCAEA Professional Development Conference later this fall. For more information, please contact Dr. Hines at 370-3471. 

High Schools Prepare Students for October 6 SAT

SAT “Champions” -usually teachers- have surveyed students at each high school to determine who will take the SAT on October 6, and to make a variety of support services available to them.  These champions are focusing especially on seniors who are seeking scholarships such as the NC Teaching Fellows, early admission to selective colleges, athletic eligibility or their final effort to qualify for admission to their most desirable colleges. The champions have been trained and are encouraging all of these students to take advantage of the district-provided College Board Online SAT preparation course.  They are monitoring student use of this resource and encouraging its use.

In addition:

• Most schools are offering either a school SAT prep class or a school-sponsored SAT “blitz” to ensure that students are prepared for the unique format of the SAT.
• Guidance counselors are taking a more active role in student SAT achievement by using SAT results to register, schedule and plan with students.
• Curriculum and Instruction is integrating SAT problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and test-taking strategies into the core curriculum.
• District Relations is developing a marketing plan for raising SAT awareness among students, parents, and the community.

Six high schools, Andrews, Dudley, Eastern, Northeast, Smith and Southwest are offering even more intensive support to their students taking the SAT October 6.  At these six schools, over 233 students are registered to take the October administration.  Fifty-four students have been selected to participate in a one-on-one SAT tutoring service offered through TutorVista, which has been nationally recognized for providing economical individual tutoring to families.  GCS has partnered with TutorVista to provide this individualized assistance, and to evaluate the effectiveness of online tutoring in public schools.

Each of the six schools is also offering SAT Workshops, and school-wide SAT practice tests.  Their students taking the October test will also hear a motivational speaker Dr. Joe Barontovitch on October 4 and 5 to give them tips and encouragement.  For more information, please contact Dr. Jane Fleming, Executive Director for Advanced Learning, at 370-2316.

GCS Receives Grant to Expand Magnet Programs

The U.S. Department of Education selected GCS to receive funding under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP). The grant will allow the district to establish an aviation academy and expand the International Baccalaureate (IB), Montessori and Science and Technology programs.

Andrews High is the proposed location for the Aviation Academy. The program provides students with a unique opportunity to learn aviation-related science, mathematics and technology. The program also capitalizes on engineering and advanced technology courses currently offered at Andrews and engages students in learning by asking them to solve authentic, “real world” problems.

The grant also funds the IB programs at Northwood Elementary, Hairston Middle and Ferndale Middle, allowing them to accept new students from other schools, giving more children an opportunity for a high-quality, challenging and international education. Additionally, the MSAP grant allows GCS to expand the Montessori program to Washington Elementary and add a Science and Technology program at Welborn Middle. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200 or Tony Burks, Director of Magnet & Choice Programs, at 378-8832.

Jackson Middle Receives Dell Grant Gift Card

In 2004 Dell Inc. launched the Dell Leadership Technology Grant program, an initiative to recognize local organizations helping make communities great places to live, work and conduct business.  Each recipient selected by Dell receives a gift card redeemable through Dell Home and Home Office. 
Jackson Middle was selected for this grant because Dell Inc. views Jackson Middle School as a key contributor to the region’s quality of life and positive influence.  Jackson Middle was rewarded with a $500 Dell Leadership Technology Grant gift card. For more information, please contact Principal Rodney Wilds at 294-7350 or Lewis Ferebee, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 370-8301.

The Early College at Guilford Participates in the Harvard Model Congress Asia Conference

Students from The Early College at Guilford recently returned from participating in the Harvard Model Congress Asia conference in Bangkok, Thailand on September 4-11, 2007. All nine of the students earned recognition and Awards of Special Distinction for extraordinary contributions. The Early College at Guilford was the only school from the United States and one of only two from the Western Hemisphere to participate in the conference. Student participants were Seniors Diya Jost, Eric Cheek, Vincent Lim, Melanie Corbett; Juniors Casey Butler, Megan Cherry, Stephen Padgett and Sophomores Shelley Bradley and Medha Gargeya. Harvard Model Congress is a simulated Government activity fostering deeper knowledge and appreciation of the American political system and function. The organization has 25 years of history teaching youth civic responsibility, having been praised by former Presidents Reagan and Clinton for its efforts.

The Early College at Guilford also holds the distinction of being the only school in the world to have participated in all four of the Harvard Model Congress simulations, in Bangkok, Europe (formerly Paris and currently Athens, Greece), San Francisco and at the main conference in Boston. The Early College at Guilford also began an interaction with the American School in Bangkok regarding global and local environmental activity and consciousness. Students also made a campus visit at the Benchama-rach-rung-sarit 2 School in Chachoengsao, Thailand. Students from "Ben 2" and their director, Sali Kasemrat, spent two months in the United States observing and as students at The Early College at Guilford during the 2006-07 school year as part of a Fulbright Scholarship partnership between the two schools. Schools looking for information concerning Harvard Model Congress or feedback on the experience should either log on to www.harvardmodelcongress.org or contact Guy Ferguson, faculty advisor for HMC at The Early College at Guilford at fergusl@gcsnc.com. For more information about The Early College at Guilford, please contact Principal Charles Blanchard at 316-2860 or Catherine Brooks, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 378-8802.

Math Initiative:  Mathematics Can and Must be Learned by all Students

Thanks to all the hard work and dedication of teachers, writers and curriculum staff, the elementary math initiative is off to a great start. The math initiative ensures high levels of rigor in classrooms throughout the district and establishes a “math learning” community. Through this learning community, teachers are able to speak the same math language, share best practices and provide an education that promotes critical thinking and problem solving. The math initiative allows children to discuss the meaning of mathematical ideas, their reasoning for solutions, work with a variety of manipulatives and fine tune the art of cooperative learning. This initiative ensures that students are making connections between abstract and concrete ideas and that they are exploring alternatives to problem-solving, while working with a partner or in a small group.

The goal of the math initiative is for students to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for mathematics. According to Principals and Standards for School Mathematics, excellence in mathematics education requires equity, high expectations and strong support for all students. A curriculum is more than a collection of activities: it must be coherent, focused on important mathematics and well articulated across the grades. Effective mathematics teaching requires understanding what students know and need to learn and then challenging and supporting them to learn it well. Students must learn mathematics with understanding, actively building new knowledge from experience and prior knowledge. Assessment should support the learning of important mathematics and furnish useful information to both teachers and students. Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students’ learning.

Monthly training for lead teachers in grades three to five will continue throughout the year.  For more information, please contact Lee Ann Segalla, Elementary Curriculum Officer, at 370-2339.

Enrollment for SES Tutoring in Eligible Title I Schools

Title I schools offering Supplemental Educational Services (SES) continue to host provider fairs and school meetings so parents may talk with the providers and choose the one they feel is best for their child. Oak Hill Elementary, Kirkman Park Elementary, Jackson Middle, Alderman Elementary, Archer Elementary, Oak View Elementary, Union Hill Elementary, Hairston Middle, Northwood Elementary, Rankin Elementary and Fairview Elementary have held their fairs and are accepting applications from parents. Hampton Elementary, Bessemer Elementary, Gillespie Park Elementary, Wiley Elementary, Washington Elementary and Ferndale Middle will hold their provider fairs next week and applications will be available at these schools at that time. Click here to view the provider fair schedule.

The Title I staff has attended many Title I annual parent meetings to share information and answer questions about SES tutoring. Staff members have participated in professional development and faculty meetings to share with teachers how they can best assist parents in selecting providers and submitting applications.

SES tutoring is provided under the NCLB law and will take place twice a week beginning the week of November 26. Transportation home will be provided by the schools for most students. Parents will be notified in writing of their child’s acceptance in October.

Applications are available at participating schools in several languages. The deadline for submitting an application is October 12. For more information, please contact Linda Mendenhall in the Title I office at 370-2368.

Mapping the Road to Exit School Improvement

Principals, teachers and parents from 22 schools in School Improvement attended the NC Department of Public Instruction’s 2nd Institute for Mapping the Road to Exit School Improvement this week.  The institute focused on providing instructional strategies in reading and math, differentiation of instructional methods and innovative leadership.  Schools attended as teams consisting of the principal, a staff member and a parent representative. Teams were provided the opportunity to discuss strategies that will help students, staff members and parents increase student achievement. 

Additionally, Montlieu Elementary Principal Folice Bailey was one of four principals participating in a panel discussion about exiting school improvement status.  She shared Montlieu’s success story, including the various strategies implemented at the school that contributed to the school’s academic progress.  Since Montlieu made Reading AYP for two consecutive years, they are no longer in school improvement for the current school year.  For more information, please contact Kelly Hales, Director of Title I, at 370-2368.

Kamishibai Man Pedals Way into the Hearts of Johnson Street Global Studies Students

Kamishibai performer, Laurie Wolf, pedaled her way to Johnson Street Global Studies Magnet School on September 20 to entertain kindergarten through third grade students using traditional Japanese Kamishibai stories.  As the character “Mr. Wolf”, Laurie Wolf began each storytelling session with background information about Paper Theater (“Kamishibai”), a Japanese art form that was introduced to the United States by Allen Say’s children’s book, Kamishibai Man. Students were mesmerized by “Mr. Wolf’s” animated storytelling. Kamishibai Man tells the tale of a Japanese gentleman who traveled the countryside by bicycle calling children to hear his Kamishibai stories as he made a living selling his homemade candies.  Kamishibai stories are characterized by artful story boards that tell a tale in a puppet theater-like stage mounted on the back of a bicycle.  Sponsored by the Asian/Pacific Studies Institute of Duke University, “Mr. Wolf” brought the magical stories to life at with dramatic voices, sound effects and interesting props to represent the characters and actions. For more information, please contact Dr. Sue Elder, Media Specialist, or Kym Gould, Magnet Coordinator, at 819-2900.

GCSTV 2

 
Building Futures

They are among the newer GCS schools. Both feature innovative construction methods and energy efficiency. Come along on this guided tour of Guilford Elementary and Reedy Fork Elementary as we highlight how these facilities serve our growing school district. This show airs beginning next week on GCSTV 2.

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).

The Gift of Reading
Professional athletics come to GCS via the Charlotte Bobcats basketball team. It just so happens that the team’s chief operating officer attended Bluford Elementary while growing up in Greensboro. He returned recently with some members of the team to give back to the school that gave him so much as a child. This newsbreak airs Wednesday, October 3.

Celebration of Excellence
Fifteen schools are honored for their improved academic performance. It’s a celebration of excellence, courtesy of our business community that offers up more than $150,000 in prizes for the schools, teachers and students who have helped make a difference. This newsbreak airs Friday, October 5.      

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

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Study: Secondhand Smoke Harms Academic Performance

Teens exposed to secondhand smoke at home may be 30 percent less likely to pass standardized achievement tests, according to a new Temple University study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. "It's important that we help smoking parents learn how to reduce their children's exposure to secondhand smoke," said lead author Bradley Collins, an assistant professor of public health. Click here to read more.

Many Leadership Options Available to Teachers

Principals can't be experts in all subjects nor meet all the demands placed on their time, so experienced teachers are increasingly taking on new roles. Teachers are often seen as "custodians of the school culture" and can take on formal and informal leadership roles. Click here to read more.

Analysis: Black Students Disciplined More Than Whites

In every state but Idaho, black students are being disproportionately suspended, according to a Chicago Tribune analysis of 2004-05 U.S. Department of Education data. “The data indicate that African-American students are punished more severely for the same offense," said Russell Skiba, an educational-psychology professor at Indiana University. Click here to read more.

Wake Schools Relax Goals on Student Diversity

Wake County is relaxing its nationally recognized student diversity policy because its schools are having a harder time meeting the program's goals.  School leaders plan to raise the ceiling for the percentage of low-income students at each school from 40 percent to 50 percent. ... "The guideline that is being proposed is a reflection of the reality we're now facing," said Superintendent Del Burns.  Since 2000, the number of schools above the 40 percent goal has increased from seven to as many as 51 of the 149 schools this year. Raising the bar to 50 percent would cut the projected number of schools out of compliance by more than half to 24 schools. Click here to read more.

Study: Leadership Doesn't Equal Assertiveness

The best leaders know when to assert themselves and know when to sit back -- being perceived as too assertive or not assertive enough is one of the most common weaknesses of aspiring leaders, according to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. "Aspiring leaders who are low in assertiveness can't stand up for their interests," said Daniel Ames, a professor at Columbia Business School, and one of the lead researchers. "On the other hand, people high in assertiveness are often insufferable." Click here to read more.