GCS News Briefs

January 16, 2009

This is What You Said

We asked you to send us your thoughts on how to make Guilford County Schools (GCS) one of the nation’s leading public school systems. We are thankful to the thousands of you who responded. Here is what one of you suggested:

“Expand on arts programs - they are proven to improve academic performance and they save some children from lives of underachievement and exclusion. Music is known to improve math and abstract reasoning skills.”

Update on 2008 Bond Projects

GCS received great news on Jan. 13. Guilford County notified the district that it sold $130 million in school bonds. This figure includes $45 million for Eastern High. 

With the sale of these bonds, GCS will proceed with projects already under construction, including Jamestown Middle. A groundbreaking ceremony for Jamestown will take place on Jan. 23 at 10 a.m. The district also will continue land acquisition efforts for this year, including sites for the following projects:

• Special education west
• Southeast area elementary school
• North Greensboro elementary school
• Airport area high school and middle school land

In addition, GCS will move forward with the design of projects on the 2008 School Bonds list. The Guilford County Board of Education has already approved the short-list of design firms for at least nine projects. In the next few months, staff will continue to work with the Board to develop the short-list design firms for the remaining projects on the 2008 School Bonds list.

GCS plans to adhere to the Board’s priority list and move forward with construction efforts on other projects once land acquisition, design and permitting is concluded.

The Board did approve a decrease in the amount of our projected cash flow needs as requested by the county. The good news is that GCS is not stopping projects. However, a tighter cash flow may limit how aggressively we are able to proceed. For more information, please contact Leo Bobadilla, chief operations officer, at 370-3482.

Interim Staff Reassignments

• Dr. Barbara Zwadyk will serve as interim Chief Curriculum & Organizational Development Officer, overseeing Curriculum and Instruction, Induction and Professional Development, Career and Technical Education, Advanced Learning and Federal and Special Programs, effective immediately. Dr. Zwadyk’s responsibilities will include the management, direction and evaluation of the district’s pre-K-12 teaching and learning processes and initiatives.
  
  
• Mr. Lewis Ferebee will serve the district as an Instructional Improvement Officer (IIO) on Special Assignment, effective immediately. These changes will be designed to improve service to the schools, decrease response time to teachers and staff, enhance operations and create smaller, unified communities of learners. Mr. Ferebee will work with all GCS departments, principals and community members to gather input and to maximize stakeholder involvement in the process.

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

Greensboro Elks Lodge #602 Presents American Flags to Schools

On Thursday, Jan. 8, the Greensboro Elks Lodge #602 presented American flags to 93 schools in our district. Through its “Flags in Every Classroom” campaign, the Greensboro Elks Lodge held a local fundraising event supported by area motorcyclists and received considerable donations from the Greensboro Board of Realtors – Realtors Commercial Alliance, Gate City Rotary Club and the Greensboro Harley Owners Group. As a result, a total of 1,117 American flags were presented to our schools. Larry Shaver, president of the Greensboro Elks Lodge, hopes to make this an annual event to ensure all GCS classrooms are provided an American flag. For more information about “Flags in Every Classroom,” please contact the Greensboro Elks Lodge at 288-5100.  

Guilford County Schools to Host Magnet/Choice Fair

GCS will showcase its magnet and high school choice options at a Magnet/Choice Fair on Saturday, Feb. 7 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion.

Representatives from the 44 magnet schools, which provide 50 programs and 17 themes as options, will be available at the fair to answer questions and talk to students and families about the unique opportunities available at their schools. Students may also submit applications during the event.

“GCS is known nationally for its magnet and choice schools,” said Michelle Ungurait, director of magnet and choice schools. “These schools inspire students by immersing them in real life and relevant experiences. Our magnet and choice schools aim for student engagement, emphasize teamwork and provide a rigorous, diverse and focused learning environment.”

GCS will accept magnet school applications for elementary and middle schools Feb. 7 through March 6 at 5 p.m. Magnet applications must be turned in during the Magnet Fair or at the Student Assignment Office at 120 Franklin Blvd. in Greensboro. Applications received after March 6 will be placed in a waiting pool.

The district will accept high school options applications Feb. 7 through March 6 at 5 p.m. High school options applications must be submitted to the specific school. Applications received after March 6 may be considered on a space-available basis.

For school brochures, a listing of schools and schedules for Magnet Mondays, Evening Open Houses and Regional High School Options Nights, please visit www.gcsnc.com/magnet.

Sam’s Club Recognizes Social Worker as Employee of the Month

Some students need a little extra support to stay on track to graduate. That’s where Debbie Dowd comes in. She tracks down students who are absent from classes. She also serves on the Graduation Intervention and Positive Behavior Support Teams. Students know they can count on her to really listen to them.

According to Principal Dr. Travis Reeves, who nominated Dowd for the recognition, “She goes above and beyond in everything she does, and she truly exemplifies the excellence that Superintendent Green talks about when outlining his vision for the district.”

This social worker makes children her top priority and serves as a voice of reason in what can be a tumultuous time in a student’s life. For those reasons and so many more, Dowd was selected as the GCS Employee of the Month.

As Employee of the Month, Dowd received a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club, which has generously partnered with GCS to support the employee recognition program. In addition, the Guilford County Board of Education recognized her at its Jan. 13 meeting.

Know someone like Dowd who approaches each workday determined to make our students’ lives better? Click here to nominate him or her. For more information, please contact Lillian M. Govus, program administrator – communications, at 370-8997.

American Express Recognizes Erwin Montessori Volunteer

When Gina Hicks saw a need for new playground equipment at Erwin Montessori, she sprung into action. She planned and organized the school’s first walkathon, and with more than $6,000 raised, she was able to provide improvements to the school’s playground. That’s not all; this dedicated volunteer is at the school nearly every day, lending a hand wherever necessary. Hicks served as treasurer for the Parent Teacher Association for two years, then moved to co-president.

According to Dr. Deborah Parker, Erwin’s principal, Hicks serves to rally the troops. “We are blessed to have so very many outstanding volunteers at Erwin Montessori, and it is difficult singling out just one,” Parker said. “Gina’s volunteerism is simply representative of the wonderful parents we have who serve our school unselfishly.”

District and American Express representatives surprised Hicks with Volunteer of the Month honors. American Express has generously partnered with GCS to support the volunteer recognition program. Her photo will hang at the district’s central offices. In addition, the Guilford County Board of Education recognized her at its Jan. 13 meeting.

Know someone like Hicks who plays a part in helping our students, schools and staff strive, achieve and excel? Click here to nominate that person to be the next Volunteer of the Month. For more information, contact Lillian M. Govus, program administrator – communications, at 370-8997.

Career Explorations Day at Kiser Middle

Recently, Kiser Middle hosted its first Career Explorations Day. The event began with breakfast for the 61 presenters who represented a variety of professions including doctors, lawyers, nurses, radio and TV personalities, law enforcement officials, engineers, photographers and more. Students attended three sessions of their choice, having made their selections online through the school Web site. The sessions were 30 minutes in length, and during this time, the presenters gave students an overview of their profession including the educational requirements. The Career Explorations Day was designed to coincide with the completion of the eighth-grade research paper, the topic being possible career paths. Students then were able to explore further career options. The event concluded with a panel discussion about high school options in Guilford County broadcast live over Kiser TV for eighth-grade students. The panelists included Dr. Michelle Ungurait, director of Magnet Programs; Suzanne Weaver and Tom Lauer, Grimsley High Counselors; Latryl Adams, Dudley High counselor; and three students from Grimsley High. The panel discussion was moderated by two Kiser eighth-grade students. For more information about this event, please contact Principal Sharon McCants at 370-8240.

Vandalia Elementary Service Project Honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students at Vandalia will provide 400 bagged lunches to a community kitchen in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Friday, Jan. 23. In a school-wide effort, students in pre-K, kindergarten, first and second grades will hand-decorate lunch bags, third- and fourth-graders will stuff the bags with healthy snacks, and fifth-graders will make sandwiches.

Members of Vandalia’s Cougars Care Club will march one mile to deliver the bags to the Greensboro Urban Ministry Potter’s House. The project is made possible by a $250 grant from Kids Care Clubs and Quaker Oats. This is the sixth grant received by the Cougars Care Club, which Quaker Oats has chosen to be the Kids Care Club of the month for February 2009. A story about the club will be featured at www.kidscare.org. For more information, please contact Principal Keisha McMillan at 370-8275.

Oak Hill Elementary Receives Gift from Food Lion

Oak Hill received a $1,500 grant from the Food Lion Charitable Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase a SMART Board, an interactive white board that interfaces with a computer and video projector. It will be used to integrate the Internet, video presentations, classroom lessons and other educational media into instruction, while stimulating student interest in technology. For more information, please contact Principal Sara Roberts at 819-2925.

GCS and NC A&T Visual Arts Partnership for 2009-10

North Carolina A&T State University (A&T) Galleries will host an art show in their main galleries displaying the works of GCS high school students. Each school will have the opportunity to display work from their art students. This work will undergo a vetting process by each of the school’s visual art educators. The work will be on display from Nov. 20 until Dec. 18, 2009. The university will also be prepared to purchase the best work for permanent display at the university. A&T art professors also will recruit through this process, allowing students more opportunities for college enrollment. Opening night festivities will be held on Nov. 20 at the Dudley Building on the campus of A&T. If you have any questions, please contact Nathan Street, arts specialist, at streetn@gcsnc.com or Jocelyn Becoats, middle school curriculum and instruction officer, at becoatj@gcsnc.com.

Grants Offered for Summer Study in the British Isles

The Greensboro branch of the English-Speaking Union is offering grants to help cover the costs of study in a credit-granting program during the summer of 2009 or the 2009-10 academic year. A total of $4,000 will be available for all grants, allocated among two or three recipients, for study in the British Isles: England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Among those eligible for these grants are secondary school teachers in GCS or in an accredited private or charter school in Guilford County or the City of High Point who are enrolled in a graduate program or seeking recertification. Participants may attend the British University Summer School 2009 (BUSS), in part sponsored by the English-Speaking Union. This program is designed to meet the special needs of high school teachers of English, drama or social studies. BUSS will offer the following:

• a three-week course at the Shakespeare Globe Centre in London (July 6-24);
• three- to six-week courses at the University of Oxford in creative writing, English literature and history, politics and society (July/August); and
• the Scottish Universities International Summer School and its courses in creative writing (August 3-21) and British and Irish Literature 1900-Present (July 13-31) and Postmodernism (August 3-21) at the University of Edinburgh.

Applications must be postmarked no later than Feb. 17. Teachers can find more information on GEMS under High School English Language Arts. File names begin with ESU. For more information, please contact Angie Kratzer, high school English curriculum specialist, at 370-3272 or kratzea@gcsnc.com.

Training on Bullying and Gender Diversity Issues

The GCS Diversity Office invites GCS educators to participate in a unique opportunity for Training on Bullying and Gender Diversity Issues in our schools.  A six-hour (CEU) training is being offered, which will give them a deeper understanding of and tools to address these pressing concerns. GCS administrators are encouraged to enroll at least one person from a school’s staff to take advantage of this important training and serve as a resource for faculty. On Feb. 19, participants will view a film screening with Academy award-winning producer/director, Debra Chasnoff. Chasnoff is the creator of the “Respect for All” series of films and curriculum guides that help children, teens and educators take a closer look at diversity issues in schools. You can learn more about these films at www.groundspark.org. Participants will have a private session with Chasnoff in which they will view and discuss the film “Let’s Get Real,” which takes a close look at bullying at the middle school level. The accompanying curriculum guide will be included as part of the package. Training participants will also attend a public local premiere screening of her newest film, “Straightlaced,” which addresses gender identity and homophobia in teens. On March 19, participants will attend a follow-up training led by staff and student leaders of the National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad. The fee for participation is $15 per person and includes the curriculum guide and two meals. The training enrollment is limited to 60 persons.  For more information and registration, please contact Annette Green at Annette@gsafe.org.

Dr. Pedro Noguera to Speak at Smith High

The GCS Diversity Office and the Office for Student Services invites GCS staff, administrators and the general public to participate in a presentation by New York University (NYU) Scholar and Author, Dr. Pedro Noguera, who will be discussing his latest book, “The Trouble with Black Boys….and other Reflections on Race, Equity and the Future of Public Education” on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Smith High auditorium. Noguera is a professor in the department of Teaching and Learning and Humanities and Social Sciences at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Development and in the Department of Sociology at NYU. Noguera has published more than 150 research articles, monographs and research reports, as well as several books, including “Unfinished Business: Closing the Achievement Gap in our Nation’s Schools.” This event is sponsored through the Character Education Grant. For more information, please contact the Diversity Office at 370-3284.

Teacher Transfer Fair

The Annual Teacher Transfer Fair, sponsored by the GCS and Guilford County Association of Educators (GCAE), will be held on Thursday, February 19 from 4:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Smith High. All teachers eligible for transfer within GCS are invited to meet with principals and school staff at the fair. It is an excellent opportunity to learn more about other schools within the district. If you have questions regarding your eligibility, please contact the Staffing Office at 378-8806. For more information regarding the transfer fair, please contact Melissa Harrelson in the Office of Employment at 370-8055 or harrels2@gcsnc.com 

Transition to Teaching

This week, GCS submitted a grant application to the U.S. Department of Education for $2.25 million in funding to support lateral entry teachers. If awarded, the Transition to Teaching (T3) grant would provide hundreds of lateral entry teachers with an intensive teacher preparation program, ongoing professional development, laptop computers, annual leadership retreats, on-site coaching and support, a professional library and more. Each year, 25 percent of newly hired teachers are lateral entry. Retention rates of lateral entry teachers and traditionally prepared teachers are comparable. Lateral entry teachers help the district to fill our hardest to staff positions in the areas of math, science, exceptional children, English as a second language and foreign language. For more information, please contact Dr. Amy Holcombe, executive director of talent development, at 335-3294 or holcoma@gcsnc.com.

Nominations for 2009 Arts Education Teacher of the Year Accepted

The United Arts Council of Greater Greensboro (UAC) in partnership with GCS is pleased to offer the 2009 Arts Education Teacher of the Year Award. The award, established in 2006, has been made possible by the generous support of New Xperience Entertainment.
 
The Arts Education Teacher of the Year Award recognizes outstanding arts educators in GCS. To be eligible, a nominee's primary role must be as an arts educator. Arts educators are those in the visual or performing arts, including drama, music, dance and visual art. The winner will receive $1,000 and two finalists will receive $300 each to use for professional development. Nominations must be submitted to the UAC no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 16. Nomination forms are available at www.uacARTS.org.

Attention Student Environmentalists

North Carolina's Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance and Time Warner Cable announced the 2009 RE3.org Recycling Commercial Contest for high school students. Students may submit a 30-second ad to be shown across North Carolina on cable television. The ad must have a recycling message geared toward other high school students, but how the message is delivered is entirely up to the entrants. Submissions should be original and unique, so entrants have complete creative license.
 
All entrants must be in high school. Any high school group, high school class or high school student may enter as long as the teacher or a group leader over 18 years of age submits the entry. Only one entry per high school group/class/student will be accepted. Submissions must be received by March 30. The winning entry will have its commercial aired on cable television throughout the state, and all members of the winning group will receive a prize pack from the sponsors that has an approximate retail value of $100. The high school or high school group will receive a $500 American Express gift card.
 
Please visit www.re3.org to read the full rules and download the contest entry form. Any questions may be directed to re3.org@gmail.com.

Talk With Your Child About Tobacco and Marijuana

On Jan. 22, an information session about how to talk to your student about tobacco and marijuana will be held at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Branch of the Greensboro Public Library at 1420 Price Park Road. The session will run from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Get the facts about tobacco, expose marijuana myths and learn how each drug affects the body. For more information, please call the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Office at 621-4001.

$10 “Dancing With the Stars” tickets for GCS Employees

As a thank you from the cast of “Dancing With the Stars,” a limited quantity of $10 tickets to the “Dancing With the Stars” show at The Greensboro Coliseum on Jan. 27 are available to GCS employees. This special ticket price will be available through 10 p.m. Jan. 26, while supplies last. This offer is not valid on previously purchased tickets and no refunds or exchanges will be given. There will be a limit of eight tickets per purchase. Employees can purchase the $10 tickets with the password “THANKYOU” here.

Pack the House with Wake Forest Women’s Basketball

The Wake Forest women’s basketball team invites all GCS employees to help pack the house on Feb. 3 when the team faces Georgia Tech at 7 p.m. Tickets are only $2. To order tickets, please visit www.wakeforestsports.com or call 758-3322.

GCSTV 2     

Legislative Luncheon

Educators and Legislators get together to discuss the most pressing issues facing GCS and school districts across the state. This program runs daily at 11:30 a.m.

Building Futures-Your Construction Update

Find out the latest on what’s being built or upgraded within GCS through this tour of the latest projects. Join Executive Director of Facilities, Andy LaRowe, and host Lillian Govus to learn how School Bonds are helping our district build excellence. This program runs daily at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Tus Hijos y GCS (Your Children and GCS)

The district’s Spanish language program is designed to help parents and guardians with their children’s education and school experience.  Hosted by ESOL teacher Karin Young, this program is in Spanish and English and can be seen daily at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Inside Out

This documentary is a stark reminder of the importance of staying in school.  A series of stories features inmates who ponder the world outside prison walls as they talk about how dropping out of school dramatically changed their lives for the worst. GCSTV 2 presents this emotionally gripping film with stories told by those who live with the consequences every day. This program runs daily at 2 p.m. and midnight.

Jazzing It Up

Tune in and turn on the cool jazz stylings of the GCS All County Jazz Band.  Some of the district’s best musicians showcase their talents at a recent concert, and GCSTV 2 shares the performance with you.  This program airs daily at 10:28 p.m. and 1 a.m.

GCS Basketball Highlights

GCSTV 2’s “Friday Night Rivalries” is sure to delight GCS high school basketball fans!  With football season behind us, FNR turns its attention to round ball with highlights of top team matchups and interviews with coaches and players. The program is produced by Mike Crenshaw’s TV group at Weaver Academy. It runs at 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily. 

Showcase Your Talent on GCSTV 2

GCSTV 2 is now accepting student-, faculty-, staff- or parent-produced programming for possible showing on GCSTV 2.  We’re interested in your complete, compelling, ready-to-run productions of school sports, concerts, recitals, plays, debates, academic competitions, school news and more. These projects can be videos you produce at school or on your own time that educate and entertain. See the GCSTV 2 page at www.gcsnc.com for details.

GCSTV 2 and ABC-45

GCS continues its partnership with ABC-45 television to share the following 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.

Resolving Conflict
GCS students are among those honored for their efforts to bring peaceful resolution to potential conflicts at school and in their communities. This Newsbreak airs Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Honoring MLK Through Art
Students at Oakview Elementary honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through their artistic expression.  This Newsbreak airs Friday, Jan. 23.

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