GCS News Briefs

February 27, 2009

GCS Students “Read Across America”

On Monday, March 2, GCS students join millions across the country in the ninth annual “Read Across America Day.” The day coincides with Dr. Seuss’s birthday, and many schools and community organizations are hosting events to encourage children and adults to read a book.

At Archer Elementary, parents, community members and students will attempt to read 12,000 books in one day. If they reach their goal, students will vote on a challenge for Principal Patrice Brown to complete at the end of the school year, including wearing roller skates for a day or kissing a pig.

In addition, The Guilford County Association of Educators (GCAE) is hosting a reading event at the Jamestown Public Library from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on these events, please contact Mark Jewell, GCAE president, at 299-9601 or Principal Brown at 294-7335.

Northwest High Advances to State Science Olympiad Competition

Northwest High received the second place honor at the Regional Science Olympiad competition on Feb. 21 at UNC-Greensboro. Northwest’s team advances to the state competition at N.C. State University in Raleigh, April 24 and 25.  

Grimsley High, Page High, Ragsdale High and The Early College at Guilford also participated in the regional competition. For more information, please contact Principal Angelo Kidd at 605-3300.

Ragsdale High Wrestler Becomes Four-Time State Champion

On February 21, Jacob Creed, a senior from Ragsdale High, wrestled his way into North Carolina high school wrestling history. Creed entered the 3A NCHSAA State Individual Championship Tournament as a three-time state champion. He pinned all his opponents on his way to the championship finals Saturday night.

In the finals, he defeated his opponent from Parkland High in a 12-1 major decision earning him his fourth state title. This makes Creed only one of eight wrestlers in the history of North Carolina high school wrestling to have achieved this honor. He finishes his high school wrestling career with a record of 209-3.

For more information, please contact Leigh Hebbard, athletic director, at 370-8950 or hebbarl@gcsnc.com

Three Guilford County Seniors Earn Wrestling State Titles

Two wrestlers, in addition to Jacob Creed from Ragsdale High, earned titles as state champions during the NCHSAA State Individual Wrestling Championships. Timdarius Thurston, defending state champion from T.W. Andrews, wrestled in the 112 lb. division and earned his second state title with a major decision of 12-4 in his championship match. Thurston finished the season with a perfect 44-0 record.

Brandon Hodges of Ragsdale finished his season with a record of 55-0 and earned his first state title defeating his opponent by decision in the 130 lb. division. For more information, please contact Leigh Hebbard, athletic director, at 370-8950 or hebbarl@gcsnc.com

Battleground Kia Students of the Month

Battleground Kia named Peyton Sterlin Echols of Sumner Elementary, Courey Casterlow of Kiser Middle and Lauren Shepard of Southeast High the January Students of the Month. The students each received a $50 Visa gift card, a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card and a plaque congratulating them on their success.

Teachers nominate students each month who have demonstrated a positive spirit, a willingness to help classmates and who are exemplary students. For more information, please contact Brian Clarida, Sumner principal, at 316-5888; Sharon McCants, Kiser principal, at 370-8240; or Ralph Kitley, Southeast principal, at 674-4300.

GCS Teacher Needs Votes to Win Classroom Makeover

Kimberly Cofer, an eighth-grade teacher at The Academy at Lincoln, needs your vote. As one of six semi-finalists in Expo’s Classroom Makeover Contest, Cofer needs to accumulate the most number of votes to win a $25,000 classroom makeover.

Her classroom already received $2,000 in Expo supplies, but the next step to the grand prize is up to you. Voting is underway at www.expoclassroommakeover.com/officedepot  and will be open until March 8. For more information, please contact Principal Rodney Boone at 370-3471.

ANYTOWN Registration Begins

Students can now register to be a part of ANYTOWN, NCCJ's nationally acclaimed human relations and leadership development program for rising juniors and seniors. There are two sessions this year - June 14 - June 19 and July 26 - July 31. Click here to register. For more information, please contact NCCJ at 272-0359.

Kiser Middle Multicultural Showcase

Kiser Middle will celebrate the variety of cultures represented in Guilford County at its “Passport around the World” showcase on March 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Students and families will get “passports” stamped at each display as they enjoy cultural food, music and dancing.

In preparation for the event, students are studying different cultures in their social studies classes and making decorations for the displays. For more information, please contact Principal Sharon McCants at 370-8240.

GCS Students Are Presidential Scholar Applicants

Six students from GCS are eligible to apply to the prestigious Presidential Scholars program. These students are Benjamin Bucior, Emily Ford and Rajlakshmi De from Northwest High, Elizabeth Rodenbough and Jack Woolard from Grimsley High and Alexander Koceja from Weaver Academy.

In May, the Presidential Scholars Foundation announces the 141 students chosen from across the country to participate. For more information, please contact Samara Johnson, supervisor of high school counseling, at 370-2331.

Running Start Program for Young Ladies

Running Start is seeking applications from rising sophomore, junior and senior girls for the 2009 Young Woman's Political Leadership Retreat, July 15-19 at American University in Washington, D.C. The program is free, and travel scholarships are available.

Participants will meet extraordinary women leaders of diverse backgrounds and learn the importance of having more women in political leadership and running for office.  This is an opportunity for students to build self-esteem, practice public speaking and learn to collaborate with other young women. Click here to apply.

Running Start is a national non-profit organization that encourages high school girls from across the country to channel their leadership into politics.

For more information, please contact Susannah Shakow at 202-421-4102 or info@runningstart.org.

GCS Powergirls make a Powerful Noise

On March 5, GCS Powergirls join with women across the nation and the world, to view the premiere of “A Powerful Noise,” a documentary that takes you inside the lives of three women in Vietnam, Mali and Bosnia to witness their daily challenges and their significant victories over poverty and oppression.  All GCS high school young women are invited to attend, which begins at 6 p.m. at College’s Bryan Auditorium.

At the end of the film, the students, along with Guilford College’s Bonner Scholars and Bennett College’s O. Lavelle Bond Scholars, will join in a town hall meeting with local experts to discuss the impact of poverty in the lives of women. 

One of the primary goals of the gathering is to engage young women in a service project to address poverty and women’s empowerment in our own community. For more information, please contact Monica Walker, diversity officer, at 370-3284 or walkerm3@gscnc.com.

Mentor of the Year

First and second year beginning teachers have the opportunity to nominate their mentor for the "Mentor of the Year" award. Teachers are encouraged to nominate school-based mentors who have provided exemplary support for them during their first two years in the profession. 

Nomination packets are available on the Induction and Success website or from the Induction Coordinator at each school.  Nominations packets are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5. 

For more information, please contact the Induction Coordinator at your school or Martha Snavely, executive director of induction and professional development, at 335-3290 or snavelm@gcsnc.com.

GCS Students Experience the Civil Rights Movement through The Life and Times of Fannie Lou Hamer

As part of a generous grant from the Lincoln Financial Foundation, the Touring Theatre of North Carolina  will present The Life and Times of Fannie Lou Hamer  at 11 GCS high schools as part of the US History curricula.

This production chronicles the life of Ms. Hamer, the daughter of a Mississippi sharecropper, who grew to become an exceedingly effective civil rights organizer.  For more information, please contact Morris Johnson at 370-2349, ext. #1 or johnsom@gcsnc.com.

Allotment Training for Principals

The Human Resource Department will complete allotment training for principals on Friday, February 27. This training gives principals a refresher on the tools and procedures we use during the allotment process.

The training has been well attended and well received. We look forward to a successful allotment season. For more information, please contact Stephen Foster, executive director - HR operations, at 378-8820 or fosters@gcsnc.com.

GCSTV 2

GCSTV 2 Newsbreaks

Find out the latest news within GCS by watching GCS Newsbreaks airing throughout the day.  Check our on-line programming guide for broadcast times.  Click here to see the latest Newsbreak: The Latest GCSTV 2 Newsbreak

Strategic Plan Launch Newsbreak

Watch GCSTV 2 coverage and get reactions as Superintendent “Mo” Green outlines details of the GCS strategic plan.  This Newsbreak airs daily at 4:30 p.m.  See it here: Strategic Plan: Newsbreak Video
This GCSTV 2 Newsbreak is also available on YouTube.

GCS Strategic Plan

Watch the full presentation of Superintendent Green’s unveiling of the strategic plan taped January 27 at GTCC’s Koury Auditorium.  Click here:  Strategic Plan Launch: Video
The program runs daily at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. 

Media Briefing

Keep up with the latest information within GCS by watching the superintendent’s Media Briefing.  These meetings are held twice monthly on Wednesday.  When they occur, see them the same day on GCSTV 2 at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Thursday at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Magnet Schools

GCS is a leader in the nation with Magnet and Choice Schools.  See this preview of the multitude of choices students have in getting their education.  This program runs daily at 2:55 p.m. and 8:53 p.m.  Click here to see the Magnet/Choice Schools preview: Magnet Preview

Kindergarten Kickoff

Kindergarten registration begins March 2.  There is a new cutoff date by which your child has to be five years old to be eligible to attend next year.  Find out that and more in this GCSTV 2 Newsbreak.  See it here: Kindergarten Kickoff Newsbreak Video

Access to Your Board

GCSTV 2 carries all regular Board of Education meetings live and runs the meetings the following day at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the following Saturday at 1 p.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.  It’s your guide to how construction bond funds are being spent to help our school district build on its excellence.  This program runs daily at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.  See the latest edition here:  Construction Update

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 daily at 7 a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

In Honor of Black History Month-February One

This documentary chronicles the story of four NC  A&T State University students who sat down at the Woolworth Store lunch counter in Greensboro in 1960 and helped change American history.  This hour-long program runs daily through February at 11:58 a.m.

Inside Out

This documentary is a stark reminder of the importance of staying in school.  It is a series of stories from inmates who ponder the world outside prison walls as they talk about how dropping out of school dramatically changed their lives for the worst.  Produced by the Mattie Stewart Foundation, GCSTV 2 presents this emotionally gripping film daily at 8 p.m. & midnight.

GCS Spotlight

GCSTV 2 puts the spotlight on entertainment and educational events within the district from musical performances, drama, dance, to the spoken word.  Join us throughout each day for GCS Spotlight at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. 

GCSTV 2 Programming Guide - On TV and on the Web

GCSTV 2 upcoming program times are posted on screen on the hour throughout the day and evening. Check out the GCSTV 2 homepage for a program guide that lists the entire day’s programming  Click on GCSTV 2 at: GCSTV 2 Programming Guide

Showcase Your Talent on GCSTV 2

GCSTV 2 is accepting student, faculty, staff or parent produced programming. We’re interested in your complete, compelling 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. Click here for details. Watch the video: Showcase Your Talents

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.

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, GCSTV 2 production manager, at 370-8167.