GCS News Briefs

August 1, 2008

Reminder - Sales Tax Holiday Weekend

Just a reminder -- This weekend is the North Carolina Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday.  The holiday began this morning and will continue through Sunday, August 3. The legislature created this holiday in 2001 to help give tax relief to consumers and to support local businesses.  Click here for more information and to view a list of items that are tax-free all weekend.

It’s Cool to Be Smart

The Crown Automotive Cool to Be Smart event, which honors the district’s AP/IB students who graduated successfully with top scores in their class, is this Sunday, August 3 at 2 p.m. at the Coliseum Pavilion. This year, a record number of high achieving students – 375 in all - have a chance to win one of five laptops, six scholarships and a brand new car! We wish to express our appreciation to Crown Automotive, Harris Teeter, Visiting International Faculty and WGHP Fox8 for making this event possible. For more information, please contact Cecilia Adams, manager of community partnerships, at 370-8355.

Salute to GCS Retirees

On Friday, August 8, GCS honors more than 200 employees who spent their careers helping students get a good education. We celebrate their dedication with a reception, a touching video and tokens of our utmost appreciation. If you know people who retired from GCS in the 2007-08 school year, this event is for them. For more information, please call Lillian Govus, program administrator – communications, at 370-8997.

Teacher Supply Warehouse Opens on Tuesday

Teachers – if your school has a population of 50 percent or more students that qualify for free or reduced price lunch, you are eligible to shop at the Teacher Supply Warehouse! The warehouse once again, opens its doors next Tuesday for teachers to stock their classrooms with free supplies. Teachers can click here to register to shop.

We still need your help! If your business or community group has gently used items, such as books, notebooks or office supplies, please join us in our effort to recycle and give back to the schools and students that need it most. While some items may seem unusable to you, they can become valuable in the hands of a creative teacher. The Teacher Supply Warehouse also accepts new supplies. You can stop by any Wal-Mart during the month of August to donate to WFMY News 2’s Tools for Schools supply drive. You can also donate to NewBridge Bank’s Stock the Bus campaign. All items collected from these drives support the warehouse.

GCS is thankful for our partners - Guilford Education Alliance, Welfare Reform Liaison Project and Leadership Greensboro - that work together to make the warehouse available to our teachers. For more information, visit the Teacher Supply Warehouse Web site or contact Cecilia Adams, manager of community partnerships, at 370-8355.

Wellness Run/Walk

Fifty central office employees completed the Wellness activity, Walk 100/Run 200 Miles. The grand prize winner was Sandy Woodard, of the Transportation Department.  Sandy is a Zone Routing Specialist for the Northwest-Northern Zone. Congratulations! For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, director of benefits, at 370-8092 or kinkadp@gcsnc.com.

Benefits Annual Enrollment

Annual enrollment for:

• Cafeteria Benefits, Dental Insurance and Pre-Paid Legal/Identity Theft Protection will be August 4 - September 12
• Internet enrollment for the Cafeteria Benefits begins August 4, while the onsite visits by the Mark III counselors will be August 25  - September 12
• Pre-Paid Legal counselors will meet with interested bus drivers and safety assistants on August 4 - 5 

The plan year is October 1-September 30; however, this school year, there is a change in the plan year. Our new plan year for Cafeteria Benefits, Dental and Pre-Paid Legal/Identity Theft Protection will change to January 1-December 31 of each year.   In order to make this change, during the 2008-09 school year, two plan years and two enrollments must occur. Our short plan year will be October 1-December 31, 2008 with enrollment taking place August 4-September 12.  The new or second plan year will be January 1-December 31, 2009 with enrollment taking place October 27-31, 2009. After the 2008-09 school year, all annual enrollments EXCEPT health insurance will take place in October.  Health Insurance is managed by the State and annual enrollment is in March of each year. For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, director of benefits, at 370-8092 or kinkadp@gcsnc.com.

Personal Leave Days

The 2008-09 General Assembly enacted two changes in the payment of personal leave days for classroom teachers and media specialists. The first change allows classroom teachers and media specialists to use accrued personal leave days on non-protected teacher workdays and receive full salary.  No substitute payment will be deducted from these employees’ checks.  There are 10 non-protected teacher workdays. 

The second change allows classroom teachers and media specialists to use up to one day of accrued personal leave on a protected teacher workday or on an instructional day and receive full salary.  Classroom teachers and media specialists who use more than one accrued personal leave day on a protected teacher workday or an instructional day will receive full salary minus the required substitute deductions.  There are five protected teacher workdays.  This second change will be effective only through June 30, 2009 at which time it will end unless reinstated by the General Assembly. For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, director of benefits, at 370-8092 or kinkadp@gcsnc.com.

Save with Employee Express

As prices keep going up, we’re proud to offer GCS employees ways to save through our Employee Express program. Several local businesses have partnered with us to offer special discounts. Click here to view the list. For more information, please contact Jennifer Landes, program administrator – communications, at 370-8353.

GCS Calendar of Events

Click here to view the district’s upcoming calendar of events.

Central Office Summer Schedule

GCS central offices will operate on a summer schedule from Monday, June 16 through Friday, August 15. Summer office hours are:

• 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday
• 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. on Friday
  

Normal office hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) resume on Monday, August 18. 

GCSTV2

Academic All-Star Camp

Some of GCS’ best and brightest take part in a summer camp that tests their verbal, reading and math skills, while testing their physical abilities in the process. This program runs daily at 8:57 a.m.

Teacher Supply Warehouse

Our community helps our schools in so many ways, but one of the most tangible ways is through the Teacher Supply Warehouse. See how the warehouse helps in your child’s classroom and how you or your company can pitch in. This program runs daily at 12:51 p.m.

Summer Reading Lists

GCS encourages students to continue reading during their summer vacation to keep their skills sharp and broaden their knowledge base. GCSTV 2 periodically shows summer reading lists for the various grades throughout the day. See our hourly Program Guide for times.

“Taking Initiative:  A Look Inside Guilford County Schools”

GCSTV 2 is showing this UNC-TV documentary on the innovative approaches and educational accomplishments of GCS. The program explores how initiatives like GCS’ Mission Possible, Home Field Advantage and Newcomers School are leading the way to better opportunities for our students. This documentary is made possible thanks to the Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, the Cemala Foundation and the Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation.  The program runs daily at 9:01 a.m. and 10:01 p.m.

Rappers’ Tribute

It’s an original composition and a tribute to the late Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King. High Point Central High seniors Amos Mobley and Kenneth Ledbetter’s rap is attracting attention within the music industry. GCSTV 2 has produced a music video for the song featuring these two members of their school’s Men of Valor Excelling (M.O.V.E.) chapter. This video runs Tuesday through 12:15 p.m. and 8:55 p.m. and Friday through Monday 11:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Driver’s Edge-Driver’s Education Special

Take this in-depth driver’s education course that gives real world examples and advice on how to safely handle a car. The advice is handed out generously by some of the drivers who should know best - Indy Series racers. This program runs Friday through Monday at 5:59 a.m. & 4:59 p.m. and Tuesday through Thursday at 4:59 a.m. & 5:59 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.

It’s Cool to Be Smart
For their wisdom and hard work, academically gifted GCS students get a chance to parlay their talent into a new laptop computer or even a brand new car.  We’re there as the lucky one tries the winning key to a new ride!  This newsbreak airs Friday, August 8.
 
Back To School Rally
The August start of the new school year is just around the bend, but the celebrations have already begun along with efforts to make sure students have the supplies they need.  This newsbreak airs Wednesday, August 6.

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