Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

April 20, 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.

New Administrators Named

We are pleased to announce the assignment of two new principals for the 2007-08 school year.  Dr. Peggy Thompson, Chief Human Resources Officer, and her staff will work with the PTA of these schools to arrange a time for staff and parents to meet their new school leaders.

For more information, please contact Dr. Thompson at 370-8340.

Board of Education to Host Public Forums on Possible Bond Referendum

The board will host two public forums in April to listen to concerns and answer questions about proposed projects to be included in a possible November 2007 bond referendum.

Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m.
Smith High School Auditorium
2407 South Holden Road, Greensboro, N.C.

Monday, April 30 at 7 p.m.
Penn-Griffin School of the Arts Auditorium
825 East Washington Drive, High Point, N.C.

Board Conducts Line Item Review of Superintendent’s FY08 Budget Request
The board will hold a special called meeting for the purpose of conducting a line item review of the Superintendent’s FY08 Budget Request on Monday, May 7 starting at 7:30 a.m. in the Board Room of the Administrative Offices, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, N.C.  The meeting will also air live on GCSTV 2. For more information on board items, please contact Sonya Conway, Chief District Relations Officer, at 370-8386.

(In)formative Assessment

As our teaching and administrative staffs know, the GCS has continued to work hard this year to improve Formative Assessment tools.  Yet, the concept of frequently formatively assessing our students through a “benchmarking” system is still confusing to many teachers.  Our benchmark tests are designed to inform instruction through timely feedback—providing indicators to teachers of what students don’t understand.  Teachers can then re-teach the concept to ensure mastery before moving to the next portion of the lesson.  By contrast, end-of-unit test, end-of-term exams, and end-of-grade or end-of-course standards-based accountability test are called summative assessments because they provide a summary of what students have learned over longer periods of time.    

We currently administer benchmark tests each quarter.  Many districts use them on a more frequent basis.  In the December 2006 Harvard Education Letter, Robert Rothman, a principal associate at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, writes that formative assessment has been found to narrow achievement gaps while it raised achievement overall.  He goes on to state, “We know of no other way of raising [achievement] standards for which such a strong prima facie case can be made on the basis of evidence of such large learning gains.”

Our own experience in GCS shows that EOG and EOC state tests provide too little information too late, to help teachers help students in their classes.  By the time test results come back, students have moved on to another grade level.  We need to clearly understand the intent of our benchmarking process is not to assess individual students. Our benchmark tests are designed to obtain information about groups rather than individual students. For example, if the majority of a class misses the same questions, the teacher knows that she needs to stop and re-teach the topic. Benchmark test should be used to provide students with a clear understanding of their learning goals, useful feedback on where they stand, and what they need to do to improve their academic performance. 

I would recommend Rothman’s article to the attention of anyone interested on a more detailed explanation of the benefits of a good formative assessment program and clearer explanation of the difference in formative and summative assessment.  Please call me at 370-8992, should you have additional questions. 

Teacher of the Year

School nominee portfolios are due to the Human Resources Department by 5 p.m. on April 20.  Special thanks to the following individuals who have volunteered their time to serve on the Teacher of the Year (TOY) Reading Committee:  Linda Lyon, Cheryl Lowe, Patty Kinkade, Mary Hamlin, Darcy Kemp, Betty Anne Chandler, Nola Taylor, Jackie Burney, Rhonda Blue, Valerie Bridges, Todd Cayton, Benita Lawrence, Bill Hurt, Grenita Lathan, Revonda Johnson, Jake Henry, Alison Yates and Lynne Brandon.  Those teachers selected to move forward to the interview round will be announced in the June 8 issue of Friday Notes.

Our current Teacher of the Year, Shawn Watlington from Greensboro Middle College, will attend the State TOY banquet on May 1 in Cary.  She is one of eight regional finalists for NC Teacher of the Year.  Congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Watlington. For more information, please contact Carla Alphin, Program Administrator for Employee Relations, at 378-8821.

Mentor of the Year Finalists

Thirty-nine beginning teachers nominated their mentor for the “Mentor of the Year” award.  We are pleased to announce the following finalists:

            Doreatha Amouzou – Parkview Elementary
            Tracey Janetta – Guilford Primary
            Phil Smith – Southeast High
            Tom Soth – Northwest High
            Cathy Spencer – Alamance Elementary
            Jane Williams – Pleasant Garden Elementary

The winner of the “Mentor of the Year” award will be announced at the May 24 Board of Education meeting.  For more information, please contact Martha Snavely, Executive Director for Induction and Success, at 335-3290.

Kernodle Recognized as National SAVE Chapter of the Year

The Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Chapter at Kernodle Middle was recognized by the National Association of SAVE for their efforts in preventing school violence.  At the 11th Annual SAVE Summit in Raleigh, the Kernodle SAVE Chapter received the Chapter of the Year Award. 

The Kernodle SAVE Chapter had a busy year, participating in the National SAVE Rock-A-Thon, hosting an information booth at their local YMCA and sponsoring a production by Periwinkle National Theatre for the student body and for the community.  The chapter has had more than 20 meetings this year, stress crime prevention and conflict management skills for their members.  SAVE’s vision is for all students to be able to attend schools that are safe and secure, free of fear and conducive to learning.  For more information, please contact Principal Charles Burns at 545-3717.

Athletic Department

DePaul Mittman, Head Women’s Track Coach at Western High, has been named statewide winner by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for the “Homer Thompson 8 Who Make A Difference“ award. The award is given annually to eight coaches around the state who show exemplary sportsmanship in working with student-athletes. Coach Mittman’s award will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the NC High School Athletic Association on May 3 in Chapel Hill.

Page High has had four teams recognized for the highest GPA in the state in their respective sports by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association. Teams must have at least an overall 3.1 GPA (on a 4 point scale) to qualify. Three hundred and twenty-five fall and winter sports teams from around the state qualified for the award and Page had the following four top teams: Women’s Golf – 3.880, Women’s Tennis – 3.934, Cheerleading – 3.769 and Women’s Swimming – 3.837. These teams will be recognized and the awards presented at the Annual Meeting of the NC High School Athletic Association on May 3 in Chapel Hill.  For more information, please contact Herb Goins, Director of Athletics, at 370-8950.

The 34th annual NC SkillsUSA Leadership Conference and Skills Championship

Andrews High made its return to the conference for the first time in many years, and its first trip to compete in any of the Information Technology competitions.  Three students competed in two different events.  In the Computer Maintenance Technology event, Andrews’ students Shannon Wellington placed first and Javier Velasquez placed second.

Javier is one of the leading students in the IT classes at Andrews.  He has already earned his Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification and will be testing soon for his Network+ and A+ certifications from CompTIA.  Javier is a junior who plans to continue taking IT classes at Andrews next year and is already preparing to improve his place in next year’s competition.

Shannon has currently achieved the most certifications at Andrews.  He is MCP and Network+ certified, and will be testing for A+ and another Microsoft certification this year.  Shannon is also a junior who plans to continue taking IT courses at Andrews next year and is currently preparing to represent North Carolina in the 42nd annual National SkillsUSA Leadership Conference and Skills Competition in Kansas City in June.

Andrews High is already preparing for next year’s competition and hopes to not only compete in more events, but to also earn gold medals in those events.  For more information, please contact Chris Shore, SkillsUSA Advisor, at 819-2800.

The Early College at Guilford - First NC Early College to Receive Accreditation                   

Congratulations to The Early College at Guilford (ECG) on becoming North Carolina’s first SACS-CASI (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement) accredited early college high school. The Early College at Guilford hosted a three-member peer review visit on March 19 - 20. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) school improvement process includes a candidacy period during which schools conduct a Guided Self-Study to prepare for a Quality Assurance Review or Peer Review.  The guided self-study is the primary source of documentation for the peer review. The peer review is a means for SACS trained educators to provide meaningful feedback about the school’s improvement efforts, as well as progress made towards goals for student learning.

The team of educators led by Dr. Emily Bivins of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools gave ECG very high commendations on academic rigor, student-teacher relationships, the implementation of a school improvement plan for the past four years and plans for continued school improvement. The team met with parents, guardians, students, faculty and staff as a part of the visit.  ECG now enters into a five-year cycle of continuous improvement that will culminate in another peer review visit.
The Early College at Guilford was established in 2002 as North Carolina’s first early college high school and offers a writing-intensive, fast-paced curriculum in partnership with Guilford College. The mission of the school is to graduate confident, ethically responsible, lifelong learners who are prepared to succeed in higher education and in the changing world beyond. For more information, please contact Principal Charles Blanchard at 316-2860 or Barry Williams, Instructional Improvement Officer, at 574-1687.

Guilford County Schools Asks Students to be the Influence

Students Mentoring Awareness Resource Teams (S.M.A.R.T.) from across GCS will come together for the annual S.M.A.R.T. Summit on Saturday, April 21 form 8:30 a.m. -2 p.m. as part of GCS’ ongoing efforts to encourage students to remain free of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. S.M.A.R.T. students will perform skits designed to motivate and educate other students and parents on how to improve substance abuse trends. In addition, facilitators will lead small breakout sessions, enlightening students about media influence and how to talk to peers about drugs, resistance and leadership. Overall, participants will learn and share strategies of how to inspire others to make smart choices about tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. The event will take place at Guilford Technical Community College – Medlin Building; 601 High Point Road; Jamestown, NC 27282. For more information, please contact Vernice Thomas, Safe & Drug Free Schools Program Supervisor, at 621-4026.

Nationally Recognized Leader in School Reform to Visit GCS

GCS will host a visit from April 30 through May 2 by a team of progressive educators led by Deborah Meier, recognized for her pioneering work in school reform in New York and Boston.  She first gained national attention for establishing Central Park East Secondary School, a public high school in New York city in which more than 90 percent of entering students went on to college.  She was the founder and teacher-director of a network of highly successful elementary schools in East Harlem, and went on to successfully redesign two failing city high schools, created dozens of new small schools and founded and served as principal of the K-8 Mission Hill public school in the Roxbury community in Boston.

She has written extensively about the experiences and philosophy of her school reform work, based on principles of progressive education, democracy, community building and social justice.  She received a prestigious McArthur Fellowship in 1987 for her ground-breaking work in school reform, and continues her work nationally for numerous boards, reform movements and school districts.  Her work has been referenced frequently by the New Schools project in North Carolina funded by the Gates Foundation.

She will be accompanied in her visit by two other educational reformers: Jane Andrias, who served as principal of Central Park East for 10 years, and Ayla Gavins, who is now principal of the Mission Hill School in Boston.

The major focus of the team’s visit will be assisting the faculty, staff and community of Peeler Elementary as they seek to build upon their traditions as an open education and performing arts magnet, yet address the need to improve student achievement and the increasing demands of No Child Left Behind and standardized testing.  While she has been an outspoken critic of the limitations and side effects of standardized testing, she and her colleagues have also operated highly successful public schools that have developed measures and expectations that go far beyond those tests.  The Peeler faculty and parents have read her book In Schools We Trust, and secondary principals will receive a copy of The Power of Their Ideas.

Peeler Elementary will host a welcome to the team April 30 at 6:30 pm.  The Community Dialogue on Education will host a breakfast for Deborah Meier May 1, and she will address secondary principals on May 2, 9-11am.  For more information, please contact Principal Terri Collins at 370-8270 or Dr. Mack McCary, Chief Academic Officer, at 370-2365.

Licensure Programs for Special Education Teachers

UNC-Chapel Hill is offering a program for teachers seeking either add-on licensure or Lateral Entry licensure in General Curriculum. Click here for applications to the program. Deadline for application to the add-on program is May 1, 2007.  Deadline for applications to the lateral entry licensure program is July 1, 2007.  Program coordinator: Dr. Harriet Boone 919-962-9371, haboone@email.unc.edu -- Program Assistant: Ms. Cadie Blalock 919-843-4409, ceblaloc@email.unc.edu

UNC-Charlotte is offering a tuition assistance program through their Office of Distance Education for people who hold a Bachelor’s degree and are seeking licensure in the Adapted Curriculum area of Special Education.  Classes are offered online in “real time.”  Click here for Information about the program.

For more information, please contact Melia Neale, Ph.D., Academic Advisor, Department of Special Education and Child Development, at 704-687-8720 or by e-mail at nmhicks@uncc.edu or Alison Yates, Director of Staffing, at 370-8094.

Providing Nutritious Meals for Students, Even in the Summer

GCS Nutrition Services is reaching out to organizations to help provide students with nutritious and healthy meals throughout the summer.  The district is sponsoring the Seamless Summer Food Service Program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. This program ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session, primarily during school vacations or during emergency school closures. Reimbursement is provided for meals that meet the meal pattern, meet with proper sanitation and health standards and are served to eligible children at eligible sites.  The meals are available at no charge to children 18-years-old or younger and are offered in conjunction with other programs that give students supervised summer activities.

To become a summer feeding site, organization representatives must attend one of these workshops, offered in both Greensboro and High Point. 

For more information, please contact Tica Green, School Nutrition, at 370-3280.

Eastern Guilford Shows Its Appreciation

After experiencing a devastating fire on November 1, 2006, Eastern High students, faculty and staff quickly felt the generosity and support of the community.  To thank the individuals, businesses and organizations who reached out to help, the school hosted an Appreciation Celebration on Wednesday, April 18.  Students and staff were on hand to greet guests and take them on a tour of the campus.  Entertainment and refreshments were also provided.  For more information, please contact Mary Crum, Media Specialist, at 375-6307.

National Education Association (NEA) President Visits GCS

On Wednesday, April 18, I had the pleasure to bring greetings, on behalf of our Board and central office staff, to NEA President Reg Weaver when he met with area representatives at Smith High for the Guilford County Education Alliance (GCAE) Representative Assembly.  Weaver concluded his trip to GCS with a visit to Gateway Education Center.  As an advocate for public schools, this 30-year teaching veteran had an opportunity to observe the use of technology with augmentative communication devices in a high school classroom.  For more information, please contact Haley Henderson, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200.

Parent Workshop to Explain Current Trends in Substance Abuse

Knowledge is power for parents, especially when it comes to current trends in substance abuse. To help keep kids drug and alcohol free, the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Program, along with Alcohol and Drug Services, sponsored a workshop for parents to provide them with the latest information on current trends and substance abuse prevention at the Millis Health Education Center in High Point on Thursday, April 19.  For more information, please contact Vernice Thomas, Safe & Drug Free Schools Program Supervisor, at 621-4026.

Eberhart Scholarship Deadline Approaching

The Enrichment Fund for GCS is pleased to offer the Eberhart Scholarship to a GCS graduating senior who may not otherwise be able to attend college.  The $1,500 scholarship award provides financial assistance for attendance at a state or private four-year college or university in North Carolina.  The application deadline is May 23, and the winner will be announced on June 1.  Click here for a copy of the application.  For more information, please contact Gwen Adamson, HS Counseling Supervisor, at 370-2331 or Cecilia Adams, Manager of Community Partnerships, at 370-8355.

GCS Celebrates School Volunteers

During the 2005-06 year, volunteers spent 243,647 documented hours helping our students achieve great things.  To ensure that these selfless volunteers be recognized, GCS created a Volunteer of the Month program.  Each month, GCS will select a volunteer who has made a difference in their school and in the lives of the students, based on nominations.  Persons who volunteer at GCS full- or part-time are eligible to be nominated.  All nominations must be received by the tenth day of each month and are valid for 30 days.  Click here to nominate a volunteer who goes above and beyond.

Those selected as the district's Volunteer of the Month will receive a $25 gift card from American Express and will be acknowledged at a Guilford County Board of Education meeting.  For more information, please contact Lynne Brandon, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-8353. 

GCSTV 2

GCS is Building Futures

With GCS growing by more than 1,700 students each year, the challenge is keeping up with the demand to educate them in a safe, comfortable environment.  More than two dozen construction projects are currently underway within our school district to help reach that goal.  The new Southern Middle School is on schedule to be finished in April.  Guilford Elementary will be completed by August and Northern Elementary by December.  In addition, enhancement construction is underway at Oak View Elementary and Ferndale and Southern Middle Schools.  Come along for a tour with GCSTV 2 to see how our school construction bond money helps to make these improvements possible.  Join hosts Lillian Govus and Dave Burnett for this edition of GCS Building Futures.  The program airs daily at: 12:20 a.m., 12:20 p.m. 4 p.m. & 9:20 p.m.

Legislative Luncheon

As enrollment grows, so does our need for fiscal support.  High quality public education is dependent upon local, state and federal governments to provide the funds to meet the educational needs of our children.  Join us as board and staff members discuss school needs with those who represent Guilford County at the local, state and federal levels of government.  This program airs daily at 10 a.m.

Tus Hijos y GCS (Your Children and Guilford County Schools)

It’s time to register for next year’s classes.  If you need help with the process, there is help available.  Join host Karin Young for this newest edition of our Spanish and English language program: “Tus Hijos y GCS.”  Karin provides the latest information on registering for school next year including tips that will help make the transition to the next grade level a bit smoother.  Tus Hijos y GCS airs daily at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

The Home Field Advantage

Changing schools during the school year creates a disadvantage for students when it comes to their studies.  Research indicates that children who study at the same school throughout the school year do better academically than those who change schools one or more times during the year.  GCS offers students at select schools the “Home Field Advantage.”  The initiative gives children a chance to stay at their original school if their family moves during the academic year.  Get the latest information on this program that helps students stay in the game.  “Home Field Advantage” airs five times daily at: 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30p.m.

Young Drivers-The High Risk Years

If you have a teenager who is already driving or will be getting their license soon, don’t miss this program.  The video focuses on ways to reduce injuries and death among our young drivers.  It is told from the perspective of teens and parents who know the consequences of a simple mistake made behind the wheel.  This program airs daily at noon, 9 p.m. and midnight.

On Assignment

For the latest in news and information that chronicles programs and events throughout the school district, join host Leonard Simpson for “On Assignment.”  This newest episode airs daily at: 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 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. You can also learn more about GCS by tuning in to GCSTV 2 (Cable Channel 2).

Grasshopper GCS Game Day
It’s the season.  GCS students are not only gearing up for the end of the school year, they’re helping celebrate the opening of baseball season.  GCS pitched in to cheer on the Greensboro Grasshoppers as the “Hoppers” played host to middle school students for a home game.  This Newsbreak airs Wednesday, April 25.

Educators Welcome NEA President
He’s a bit of a hero to teachers across the country.  That’s because Reg Weaver steps up and speaks up for the interests of teachers and students as president of the National Education Association.  The veteran educator paid a visit recently to some of his constituents in Guilford County Schools and talked about his philosophy of education.  This Newsbreak airs Friday, April 27.

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

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Teacher Panel Calls for Overhaul of Pay Across Profession

The plan calls for paying teachers for the quality and quantity of their contributions to the schools and communities where they work. Click here to read more.

Assessing Whether a Student Might Commit A Violent Act

 After every school shooting, the Center for Mental Health in Schools at UCLA is asked about how schools should assess students who may be a threat. The threat assessment approach asks the person conducting the inquiry to gather information, and answer key questions about the instant case, to determine whether there is evidence to suggest movement toward violent action. The questions focus on: 1) motivation for the behavior that brought the person being evaluated to official attention; 2) communication about ideas and intentions; 3) unusual interest in targeted violence; 4) evidence of attack-related behaviors and planning; 5) mental condition; 6) level of cognitive sophistication or organization to formulate and execute an attack plan; 7) recent losses (including losses of status); 8) consistency between communications and behaviors; 9) concern by others about the individual's potential for harm; and 10) factors in the individual's life and/or environment or situation that might increase or decrease the likelihood of attack. Taken together, the information learned from these questions -- as gathered from the student and from corroborating sources (family members, friends, teachers, classmates, school and mental health records, etc.) -- should provide evidence to answer the question of whether the student is moving on a path toward violent action. The answer to the last set of questions in particular can inform the development of a risk management plan. For example, school officials could decide to take active steps to minimize factors that could put the student at greater risk for an attack, such as through referral to appropriate services. Or they could opt instead to monitor the student (perhaps with assistance from family and others close to the student) for changes in factors that could increase the student's targeted violence risk . . . ." The American Academy of Pediatrics also has assembled a collection of resources to help parents, teachers, students, schools, and pediatricians cope with the aftermath of this terrible event. Additional resources are provided on violence prevention, school safety, and promoting mental health. Click here to read more.

Closing the “Expectation Gap”

One-quarter of all states have implemented significantly tougher graduation requirements, and virtually every state has taken steps to ratchet up expectations for high school students, according to a national survey of high school reform efforts conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Achieve, Inc. The survey updates the efforts of all 50 states to align their high school standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and accountability systems with the demands of college and work, and finds that at least 48 states are now actively engaged in reform efforts of some kind. There is more momentum in the states now than at any time since education reform became a national priority with the release of A Nation at Risk in 1983. Some of the most dramatic progress has been made in the area of graduation requirements, where 13 states, up from just two in 2004, now require high school students to complete a college- and work-ready curriculum in order to earn a diploma. According to the survey report, "Closing the Expectations Gap 2007", 16 additional states are taking steps to implement similar graduation requirements, which include four years of challenging mathematics at least through Algebra II and four years of rigorous English. States also have achieved significant progress in making academic standards rigorous enough in English and mathematics so that they accurately reflect real world expectations, but have moved more slowly in developing complementary assessment systems and holding high schools accountable for the college-readiness of their students. "While the federal government has been driving K-8 education policy, states are leading the way on high school reform," said Michael Cohen, president of Achieve. "This is a heavy lift for governors, but their leadership is urgently needed as states take the steps to prepare young people to succeed in the global economy where good jobs increasingly require some postsecondary education. College-ready skills are a must for every high school graduate today." Click here to read more.