GCS News Briefs

April 4, 2008

Did You Know?

The deadline to register for the May 6 election is April 11. Voter registration forms are available in school offices, as well as at the GCS administrative buildings.

Teacher Working Conditions Survey Available

The 2008 Teacher Working Conditions Survey is available for educators to complete at www.ncteachingconditions.org through April 21. The survey gathers feedback from the state’s teaching professionals to help shape state education policy, strengthen classroom working conditions and enhance the learning environment for students.

The survey includes several new features order to ensure all educators have the opportunity to participate to create supportive environments for all North Carolina educators. All schools with 100 percent participation are eligible for a weekly drawing of a $1,000 grant to improve teaching conditions. Additionally, educators from those schools are eligible for a weekly cash prize of $1,000 and are eligible for a grand prize: a $2,500 plasma TV from AT&T at the end of the survey. Survey results will be ready for release on June 1, 2008.

For survey assistance, call the toll-free help desk at 877-NCTWC08 or 877-628-9208.  Help desk is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the administration of the survey. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, program administrator – communications, at 370-3200.

Administrative Appointments

The following administrative appointments are effective April 1:

For more information, please contact Dr. Peggy Thompson, chief human resources officer, at 370-8340.

GCS Receives Nearly $1 Million to Improve Teaching of American History

GCS has been selected to receive a $919,762 federal grant to improve the quality of American history education, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced this week. GCS is one of 121 school districts nationwide to receive this grant from the Teaching American History program.

"These grants will provide teachers with the resources they need to engage their students and provide them with a better understanding of our nation's history and the principles of our democracy," said Secretary Spellings. "A strong foundation in American history will ensure that our young people grow up to become active and informed citizens."

GCS will use the grant to develop, implement and strengthen programs to teach American history to students from elementary to high school.  

Much applause goes to Social Studies Specialist Jonathan McRae, Project Coordinator Morris Johnson, Grant Writer Emily Scott and other staff members for their tremendous effort in securing this grant. This is an exciting opportunity for history teachers throughout Guilford County.  Teachers will have an opportunity to strengthen relationships with museums and universities while learning content and techniques to more effectively teach American history in their classrooms.  This is the second Teaching American History Grant awarded to GCS.

The Teaching American History discretionary grant program supports three-year projects to improve teachers' knowledge and understanding of traditional American history through intensive, on-going professional development. Grantees must work in partnership with one or more organizations that have extensive knowledge of American history, including libraries, museums, nonprofit history or humanities organizations and higher education institutions.

History is one of the core academic subjects under the landmark No Child Left Behind Act; however, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, which is commonly known as the "Nation's Report Card," shows that less than one-quarter of America's students in fourth, eighth and 12th grade are proficient in American history. To improve student achievement, the Teaching American History grant program will immerse history teachers in American history content and researched-based teaching strategies to help them teach American history in an exciting and engaging way. For more information, please contact Beth Folger, chief curriculum and organizational development officer, at 370-2313 or Haley Miller, program administrator-communications, at 370-3200.

Curtain Rises for On Stage! April 17

GCS and the Guilford Education Alliance will present “On Stage!,” a student talent showcase on April 17 at 7 p.m. in the War Memorial Auditorium in Greensboro. On Stage! will feature dazzling student performances that highlight the outstanding talent represented in GCS. From dance to choral productions to drum lines representing schools across the county, On Stage! celebrates the talents and abilities of local youth.  Proceeds from this event support the work of Guilford Education Alliance and arts education in our schools.

Tickets are $15 and are available at the Coliseum Box Office, TicketMaster.com, or charge by phone at 852-1100.  Please join us for this wonderful performance! For more information, contact the Guilford Education Alliance at 841-4332 or Cecilia Adams, manager of community partnerships, at 370-8355.

Grimsley High Student Named National Achievement Scholar

Devin R. Holland, a senior at Grimsley High, is a National Achievement Scholarship recipient. The 44th annual Achievement Scholarship program honors academically promising African-American youth throughout the nation.

Devin received the National Achievement PPG Industries Foundation Scholarship and is one of more than 800 students who will receive scholarships totaling more than $2.6 million. Recipients may use the scholarship for undergraduate study at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university. Forty corporate organizations and professional associations, along with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, fund the awards.

Of the 800 winners, 700 students received National Achievement $2,500 Scholarships, while only 100 students received corporate-sponsored Achievement Scholarship awards. Almost all corporate-sponsored scholarships are renewable and provide stipends that vary from $500 to $10,000 per year.

PPG Industries Foundation has a continuing aid to education program, which broadens academic opportunities of the nation's exceptionally capable youth. Through scholarships and educational grants, PPG Industries Foundation demonstrates its belief that investing in careers of young people is an investment in the welfare of the country. A diversified industrial complex, PPG Industries Inc. has worldwide glass, chemical, coatings and resins, and fiberglass manufacturing and marketing operations. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, program administrator – communications, at 370-3200.

Jackson Middle Students Participate in “Preparing Our Youth” College Tour

The Gentlemen of Jackson from Jackson Middle participated in a “Preparing Our Youth” college tour during spring break.  The Gentlemen of Jackson is comprised of 10 non-white male middle school students ranging from ages 12 to 15. The colleges attended were North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, UNC- Chapel Hill, Hampton University and Norfolk State University.  The students learned about campus life and the criteria to enter college. For most of the students, it was their first time on a college campus in that capacity, and they appeared engaged and receptive to the information given. Principal Rodney Wilds and Principal Intern Rydell Harrison work along with Advisor Keith Pemberton, to assure these young men receive the needed support.

The Gentlemen of Jackson have been very active in making an impact on the community and the school environment.  Some of the activities include participating in Read Across America and The Black History Month Program, serving on the JMS Student’s Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) executive board, and holding membership in the local NAACP.  Upcoming activities  include the SAVE Summit at North Carolina State University this Saturday, Greensboro Beautiful Clean Campus Program the week of April 7–12, “Mother to Son” Program on Thursday, April 17 and the Brotherhood Induction Ceremony on April 19.  For more information, please contact Principal Rodney Wilds at 294-7350.

High Point Students Participate in National Anti-Violence Campaign

On April 3, buses carrying nearly 100 students from three High Point schools left for Memphis, Tenn. to lead a historic boycott against violence in honor of the 40-year anniversary since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students from High Point Central High, Andrews High and Ferndale Middle are participating in the national event to build capacity for the national youth civil rights movement. At the event, High Point youth will be recognized for their national leadership in the 2007-08 Pen or Pencil Building Unbalanced Systems (B.U.S.) Boycott.

Since the inaugural kickoff of the B.U.S. Boycott by High Point Central students, more than 41 schools across the nation have participated in one of two 40-day curriculum-driven or service learning cycles. Efforts to empower the students from High Point for 2007-08 are supported exclusively by Communities in Schools of High Point and the National Alliance of Faith and Justice of Washington, DC. For more information, please contact Carrie Richburg, Pen or Pencil Project Coordinator, at 638-5878.

Encouraging Parents to Get Involved  

Research proves that a key to successful schools is parent involvement. GCS is encouraging all parents to get involved with school-based leadership teams, which work to improve student achievement and their school’s climate.

Each school in the district has a team, which consists of school administrators, licensed and classified personnel and at least two parents. The elected parents may serve up to two years.

“The school leadership team is not complete without parent representatives,” said Debra Barham, instructional improvement officer, for GCS. “Receiving meaningful input from all parents in the school community is vital to ensure success for our students.”

The teams are responsible for the following:

• Collecting and analyzing data
• Setting priorities for improvement
• Planning strategies for the year to achieve goals/objectives
• Monitoring progress and adjusting strategies
• Providing training for team
• Increasing communication to stakeholders

Although only elected parent representatives serve on the team, all parents are urged to get involved. The team meetings are open to the public. Additionally, parents can share opinions with team members and work to recruit/elect representatives. For more information, parents should contact their child’s school.

Students Participate in Eighth Annual German Day

The North Carolina Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German hosted its eighth annual German Day, a day of competition for middle and high school students, March 6 at Elon University.  Students came from all over the state to participate in a wide range of fun activities, including verb and spelling bees, skits, song and art contests, the Kulturpokal competition (cultural knowledge about German speaking countries), and a Gummibärchen (gummi bear) guessing game.  Congratulations to Northwest Guilford High and Grimsley High for placing in several of the competitions.   Click here to view the results. For more information, please contact Gisela Hood, world languages specialist, at 370-4207.

Pilot Elementary and Jamestown Middle to Host Locks of Love Hair Drive

Pilot and Jamestown will host the Third Annual Locks of Love Hair Drive on Tuesday, April 8 throughout the day and evening at Nouveau Salon on High Point Road. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Students and community members at both schools are encouraged to participate in the free event to better understand the importance of children helping each other. All participants will receive coupons from Taekwondo America and Biscuitville. For more information, please contact Lori Price, Pilot Elementary inclusion facilitator, at 316-5820.

GCS Principals’ Leadership Institute

GCS principals will participate in a leadership development institute the week of July 28 at Kernodle Middle.  This is an opportunity for GCS administrators to review district goals for the 2008-09 school year, collaboratively plan for the effective implementation of district goals and provide leadership training for major district initiatives in order to standardize implementation.  Additionally, administrators can network and build a professional learning community as they grow both personally and professionally.  For more information, please contact Beth Folger, chief curriculum and organizational development officer, at 370-2313.

New Requirement for Exceptional Children Teachers

In an effort to ensure compliance with “No Child Left Behind” legislation in the area of Exceptional Children (EC), effective February 2008, the district is requiring all Middle and High School EC teachers to become “highly qualified” in the EC Content areas by taking the PRAXIS II test number 30511”Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge” within their first year of employment.  Those teachers beginning employment after January 1st of the current school year will have until the end of the following school year to take and pass the test.  Elementary teachers and teachers employed at Gateway and McIver have the option of taking the test.  Letters were distributed in February to current EC teachers who were not licensed in the EC multiple-subject areas.  The district is providing a one-time reimbursement opportunity for those teachers who take the test.  A second reimbursement opportunity is available with presentation of passing PRAXIS II scores.  All newly hired EC teachers will receive the same information regarding the requirement to take the multiple-subject PRAXIS II (optional for Elementary, Gateway and McIver EC teachers) within their first year of employment with reimbursement.  For more information, please contact Alison Yates, director of staffing, at 370-8094.

New Minimum Admissions Requirements for Entrance to University of North Carolina Campuses

The University of North Carolina has introduced a set of minimum admissions requirementsthat will become effective in fall 2009, with incremental increases through fall 2013.  The new GPA and SAT scores are minimum scores, and most of the 16 UNC campuses currently have requirements that are well beyond these minimum scores.  Students should contact the individual campus to determine the specific admissions requirements for that campus.  Click here for more information. For more information, please contact Gwen Willis, executive director of student services, at 370-8397 or Samara Johnson, supervisor of secondary counseling, at 370-2332.

GCSTV2

2008 Bond Presentation

GCS faces significant enrollment growth with a pressing need to upgrade or replace aging facilities and build new schools. This presentation outlines some of those needs included in a proposed school bond referendum for 2008. The program runs five times daily: Tuesday through Thursday at 1:10 a.m., 7:16 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 7:47 p.m. and 9:17 p.m. and Friday through Monday at 1:10 a.m., 7:16 a.m., 11:38 a.m., 7:51 p.m. and 9:17 p.m.  

Planning the Best Schools

While GCS is in need of new schools and upgrades at existing schools, planning for those improvements is no small task. District facilities managers are gathering with the community as well as construction industry representatives to get input on what to include to provide the best schools possible. This program runs daily at 5:57 p.m.

Building Futures-Your Construction Update

See how our community provides for the education of our children in this latest edition of Building Futures. In this program, see the finished product of three new GCS schools built with funds from the 2003 Bond. This is telecast daily at 8:01 a.m., 4:01 p.m. and 8:01 p.m.

The Edition

Students of television production at Weaver Center show off their talents and skills in this student-written, -photographed and -edited production.  GCSTV 2 is featuring two episodes of The Edition. One runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 11:15 a.m. and 9 p.m.  Another runs Tuesday through Thursday at 9:36 a.m. and Friday through Monday at 5:03 p.m.

Eat Smart

The right nutrition is important to maintain good health. GCS offers some healthy advice on choosing the right foods and portion sizes to cut down on the extra fat and calories that may be lurking in our diets. Join Registered Dietitian Amanda Hester and Ashley Mathis for our series: Eat Smart. Your guide to healthier eating is shown daily at 6:57 a.m., 7:56 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday at 9:52 p.m. and Friday through Monday at 9:55 p.m.

GCSTV 2 & ABC-45

GCS continues its partnership with ABC-45 television to share the following current news and feature stories about our district. The segments air on ABC-45 (Cable Channel 7) during Good Morning America each Wednesday and Friday at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m.

Choosing Education
In this program, students are urged to stick with academics and discipline and avoid violence at school and beyond to become productive citizens. Presented at Ferndale Middle School, the program also features guest speaker Darryl Hunt. This Newsbreak airs Wednesday, April 9.

The New Northern
The new Northern High School fulfills a need to meet the demand of a constantly growing student body. Built with proceeds from a 2003 bond, the facility is the first new high school for the district in nearly thirty years. Watch as this “green” facility is officially dedicated. This Newsbreak airs Friday, April 11. 

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, broadcast production manager, at 370-8167.