Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

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June 22, 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.

Commissioners Slash District Budget

Last evening, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners approved a county-wide budget that significantly reduced funding to GCS for the 2007-08 school year.  In statements made during the meeting, Commissioners did not include education as one of the basic services of the county.  They under-funded our operations budget by $3.5 million; did not provide requested additional funding to address school safety issues; did not restore the $3 million they cut from our capital outlay budget last year; and, took $4 million of the district’s $8 million in state lottery funds to repay previously acquired debt service and are holding the balance as a possible Eastern High funding source should the future bonds fail.  They also postponed placing the district’s construction bond referendum on a county-wide ballot until May 2008. 

This action will result in the Board of Education having to make painful cuts to its budget and could result in the district cutting positions.  Our system’s budget is approximately 85 percent personnel and benefits.  That leaves little room to recover $3.5 million in non-personnel areas.   Please call me at 370-8992, should you have questions.

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

GCS has been selected to receive a $985,412 federal grant to improve the quality of American history education, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today. GCS is one of 122 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 traditional American history to secondary students.

Much applause goes to Jonathan McRae (GCS social studies specialist) and other staff members for their tremendous effort in securing this grant. This is an exciting opportunity for history teachers throughout Guilford County it will give teachers an opportunity to strengthen relationships with museums and universities and expand their knowledge of American history.

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 Mack McCary, Chief Academic Officer, at 370-8106 or Haley Miller, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200.

William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board Principal Award

I am pleased to inform you that Valerie Bridges, principal of Jesse Wharton Elementary, has been nominated and selected for participation in the Brazil Program for award–winning Principals to be held in Brazil, August 4-18.  This exchange is intended to enhance cooperation among educators in Brazil and the United States.  Valerie will have the opportunity to travel to different Brazilian states to visit award-winning schools and participate in the National School Leadership and Management Conference held in Sao Paulo.  She will collaborate with other Brazilian and U.S. principals to share best practices in school leadership and management. Last year, former Principal of The Early College at Guilford and current Magnet School Director, Tony Burks participated in the program as an exchange partner with a principal from Thailand. The district is strongly committed to student and staff exchange programs, which help us to better understand the world’s cultures and people.  Please call me at 370-8992, should you have questions. 

High Schools Honored

Four Guilford County high schools were recognized by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association as winners of the Wachovia Conference Cup for 2006-07. The Wachovia Conference Cup recognizes high school sports programs that achieve the best overall performance within their respective conferences. Points are awarded based on participation and standings in conference play. Those Guilford County high schools recognized are:

Mid-Piedmont 3A Conference – Ragsdale
Piedmont Triad 3A Conference – Southwest
Triad 3A Conference – Western
Metro 4A Conference – Northwest

For more information, please contact Herb Goins, Athletic Director, at 370-8950.

Two GCS Students Selected to Attend LeadAmerica’s Leadership University

Lorin Gilmore, a rising ninth-grader at Dudley High and William C. Erwin II, a rising ninth-grader at Southwest Guilford High, will spend part of their summer at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.

These two hardworking students, who are also first cousins, were selected to attend the 2007 Leadership University sponsored by LeadAmerica.  The college-accredited invitational leadership program is for academically talented and promising young leaders.  Exceptional high school students with a record of academic achievement and extracurricular or community involvement are invited to participate.  Students learn and develop vital leadership skills, including: effective communication, conflict resolution, team building and time management.

LeadAmerica is the nation’s premier youth leadership organization. Its mission is to transform the world’s next generation of leaders by educating, inspiring and instilling in them ethical and principled leadership values, attitudes and skills. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator – Communications, at 370-3200.

Northwest Guilford High Principal Participated in Tour of the People’s Republic of China

Angelo Kidd, the principal of Northwest Guilford High, was one of 800 U.S. educators who traveled to China for a one-week tour in an effort to build and expand Chinese language programs in U.S. schools. 

The Chinese Bridge Delegation aims to expose school decision-makers to the rich history and culture of a country whose language is the most widely spoken in the world.  The sponsors who took part in this program aspire to foster a better understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in the language among U.S. students.

Angelo traveled with a variety of educators, including teachers, administrators and language coordinators. The tour began in Beijing, and participants traveled to other cities and provinces where they met with local education commissions.  Kidd had an opportunity to speak with Chinese education leaders to build sister schools and network with other U.S. educators who are working toward the same goal of offering Chinese language programs to their students.  For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator – Communications, at 370-3200.

GCS and Nike Outdoor Nationals Hold Third Annual Fastest Kid Competition

GCS, along with Nike Outdoor Nationals, found the fastest elementary school boy and girl, as well as the fastest middle school boy and girl at the third annual Fastest Kid competition at North Carolina A&T State University last Friday.

Gabrielle Gray from Welborn Middle was the quickest middle school girl, running the race in 12.47 seconds. Gray also holds the meet record with a time of 12.33 during preliminaries.  Xavier Jones from Jamestown Middle was the fastest middle school boy. In the elementary division, Janera Reid from Brooks Global Studies was the quickest girl and Izell Jenkins from Alamance Elementary was the speediest of the boys.

The event kicked off on Thursday with a clinic open to all students.  The clinic was followed by preliminaries.  At the finals on Friday, the top six competitors of each division received a medal for their hard work. The complete results are:

For more information, please contact Lillian Govus, Program Administrator – Communications, at 370-8997.

Assistant Principalships in GCS

GCS employs 115 assistant principals. Nine assistant principals have been promoted to principalships recently.  Of those, two were placed in the principalship during the 2006-2007 school year, and the remainder will assume their roles beginning July 1. 

GCS currently has assistant principal vacancies.  If you are interested, please make sure that you hold a valid license, have a current application and resume on file, and have been interviewed.  If you are interested and have not met these criteria, please contact Rebecca Warren (warrenr2@gcsnc.com or 336-370-8319). If you have met the requirements above, please contact principals at the following schools where openings exist:

Elementary:                  
Claxton (Anessa Burgman)
Guilford (Eunice Isley)
Oak View (Heather Bare)
Rankin (Gerri Cox)
Shadybrook (Dennis Foster)

Middle:                     
Northern (Sam Misher)

High:                           
Andrews (Monique Wallace)
Dudley (Phyllis Martin)
Grimsley (Kevin Fleming or John Eldridge)
High Point Central (Revonda Johnson)
Weaver (Anna Brady)

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

Purchasing Department Hosts Vendor Fair

The GCS Purchasing Department will host a Vendor Fair on Wednesday, July 11, at Gillespie Park Elementary. The purpose of this vendor fair is to allow school treasurers, principals, custodians and other staff members to become more acquainted with some of our vendors and the commodities they provide to Guilford County Schools.

More than 40 vendors have been invited to attend this event, representing various products such as office supplies, furniture, school supplies, computers, printers, cartridges, music, science, audio visual equipment and custodial products.  We have scheduled a “meet and greet” opportunity, which allows interested staff to gather catalogs, chat, and ask questions of vendors if they choose. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m.  Staff members may visit the fair at the time most convenient for them.  The vendors will have a brief lunch break from Noon until 12:30 p.m.  During the lunch break, vendors may be away from their booths, but the booths will remain open.  This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the products we purchase and to get answers to any questions regarding the product lines.
It is our hope that the vendor fair will be a great resource that will provide a better understanding and more detailed information on some of the products we purchase for the students and staff of Guilford County Schools. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the Vendor Fair, please contact John Mann, Purchasing Officer, at 370-3238.

Legal and Identity Theft Plans Offered to GCS Employees

GCS will offer comprehensive legal and identity theft plans to employees in the 2007-08 school year.  These plans are being made available to our employees through Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.  The enrollment for these two plans will be held separately from our annual enrollment of supplemental benefits.

Information/enrollment meetings will be held in late August and early September at select locations around the district.  For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, Director of Benefits, at 370-8092.

Walk 100/Run 200 Miles Wellness Activity

The Central Office Walk 100/Run 200 Miles Wellness activity concluded on June 13, 2007.  Fifty-nine employees completed the walk/run.  Congratulations to all the employees who participated, and a job well done for those who completed the mileage.  For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, Director of Benefits, at 370-8092.

GCSTV 2

Reading Comprehension

Join faculty and staff at Monticello-Brown Summit Elementary for this look into the “Power of Retelling.”  It is an in-depth illustration of a comprehension strategy that helps children more fully enjoy reading and listening to stories and ultimately, develop into lifelong readers.  This special program airs nightly at 10 p.m.

The Home Field Advantage

Changing schools during the year creates a disadvantage for students when it comes to their studies.  Research indicates that children who study at one 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 7:30 p.m. 

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

The Guilford County Board of Education has authorized a new school for the coming year.  The Newcomer School is being established to serve newly arrived immigrant students.  It will open August 28 on the current campus of Guilford Primary.  Join host Karin Young for this latest edition of our Spanish and English language program, Tus Hijos y GCS.  Karin provides the latest information about the Newcomer School and how it will serve students and their families.  Tus Hijos y GCS airs daily at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.                

Young Drivers - The High Risk Years

If you have a teenager who is already driving or will be getting their licenses soon, don’t miss this program.  The focus is on ways to reduce injuries and death among our young.  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.

Sci-Vis

It’s a modern day art.  Sci-Vis is short for scientific visualization and it’s a field that is wide-open for students enrolled in GCS.  Come along as students at The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC explain their Sci-Vis class and how the technology has an effect on everything from medicine to architecture and entertainment.  This program airs daily at 8 a.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC

The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC is one of the exciting educational choices students have within GCS.  It’s here where they can get hands on experience in television production and other aspects of the entertainment industry. This program is a sample of how students apply their skills to producing, videotaping, reporting, editing and ultimately creating their own show.  This program airs daily at 9 a.m., 3 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. Also, learn more about GCS by tuning in to GCSTV 2 (Cable Channel 2).

Eastern High Tour
A new school year is just two months away, and GCS is planning for Eastern Guilford High students to return to their campus.  Modular classrooms are being placed at the campus after fire destroyed the main building there last November.  It’s a monumental undertaking, but work is on schedule.  Get a look at the Wildcats’ temporary home as crews start the work to build a new high school.  This newsbreak airs Wednesday, June 27.

Tech Fair
Technology drives our modern society.  That’s one reason why students at General Greene Elementary get a firsthand look at how and where technology is being used in our community.  From the police department to the robotics lab, the Tech Fair has a taste of tech for everyone.  This newsbreak airs Friday, June 29.

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

Central Office Summer Schedule

GCS central offices will operate on a summer schedule from June 11 through August 17. Office hours will be 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. on Friday. Normal office hours will resume on Monday, August 20. 

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Dropouts

Dr. Ken Gray, Penn State University Professor, recently made the following points about dropouts during a presentation at The Waterbury Summit on Secondary Education.

• Nationally, 30 percent of entering ninth grade students will drop out of high school
• Twenty-one percent of entering ninth-graders graduate and work full time
• Forty-nine percent of entering ninth-graders graduate and go on to college
• Of that 49 percent, 14 percent dropout out of college their freshman year
• Twenty-three percent of these entering ninth-graders will graduate from college in SIX years
• Eleven percent of the rising ninth graders will finish college as underemployed, “gray collar,” workers

Dr. Gray went on to list the following predictors of high school dropouts.

• Retained students who have repeated grades
• Over-age students
• Poor academic skills when they enter ninth grade
• Lack of attachment to high school/poor or no relationship with teachers in high school
• Did not take a career or technical education course during ninth or 10th grade
  

According to Dr. Gray, only 11 percent of all work in today’s society requires a college degree.   He advocates a strong mix of 60 percent academic and 40 percent career and technical education courses for most high school students. He believes that all students should have a transition plan (mentoring, shadowing, part-time work experience, etc.) that allows them to move out of high school into work or college. 

Poll: Americans wish they had taken more languages, math in school

Nearly two in three U.S. adults wish they had taken more foreign-language classes in high school, according to a Scripps Howard News Service and Ohio University survey of 1,010 adults. Another 36 percent wished they had taken more math classes, and 41 percent wished they had taken more science. Click here to read more.