GCS News Briefs

April 3, 2009

Budget Reductions, Redirections Questions Answered

Since announcing the anticipated budget reductions and redirections last week, Guilford County Schools (GCS) has received many questions concerning how this may impact this school year and the next. For the next several weeks, we will feature these questions in this newsletter.

Q. Are you cutting classroom teachers or increasing class size?”
A. At this time, GCS is not considering a change to the formulas used to allocate K-12, classroom teachers to schools. Principals are currently using the same funding formulas that were in place last year. Student enrollment drives these formulas. If a school is projected to gain or lose students, they can also expect to gain or lose teaching positions, based on the formulas.

In addition, the district is withholding approximately 50 percent of the discretionary Weighted Student funding dollars. The Weighted Student Funding Formula is the calculation used to tie additional budget dollars to individual students based on specific needs. At this time of year, the district typically holds back 25 percent of these dollars, so we’re being a little more cautious this year in response to current economic conditions.

At schools that may see some loss in positions, principals may choose to buy back some of these impacted positions using discretionary school-based budget dollars. Some additional positions may be cut or added due to changes in projected student enrollment and/or position exchanges made by principals as well. This is a process that occurs every year, and is not related to the need to cut budgets. This process also isn’t tied to the reorganization and redirections currently underway – changes that were outlined as part of the strategic plan launch in January.

To the best of our ability, we want to find homes for displaced employees within GCS. The district is offering assistance to employees by providing an online support center of information and resources regarding employment opportunities, benefits and related services.

A list of the most common questions is available on the budget update page on the GCS Web site. Click here to see the full list. You also can find more information on the budget in this week’s superintendent’s blog.

Please let us know if you have questions about the budget, the reorganization of central office services or the district’s regionalization plan. Send your questions to feedback@gcsnc.com.

The Draft LEA Improvement Plan Is Available Online

The GCS Draft 2008-09 Local Educational Agency (LEA) Improvement Plan is now available on the district’s Web site here and at each school in the district. The LEA Improvement Plan describes what the district will do to help low-achieving students meet challenging academic achievement standards. In revising the plan, GCS will consult parents, school staff and community members.

Parents and community members have an opportunity to review and provide input until Tuesday, April 14 by e-mailing LEA_ImprovementPlan@gcsnc.com.  Please include your name, address and phone number with your comments.

Click here for more information or contact Kelly Hales, director of Title I, at 370-2368.

Guilford County Board of Education Approves Regionalization Option

As a part of GCS’ progress toward regionalization, one of the major initiatives in the strategic plan, the Board of Education approved a regionalization plan organizing a way for the district to place central administration resources closer to schools.

The plan groups schools into four geographic regions and one Enrichment Region, which will include nine schools that need intensive support. The regional structure does not affect current school attendance zones or student assignment.

Click here for details on regionalization. For more information, please contact Lewis Ferebee, instructional improvement officer on special assignment, at 370-8301.

Three GCS Employees Receive Statewide NCAE Awards

Three GCS employees recently received statewide recognition from the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE). NCAE presented the awards last week at its state convention in Raleigh, N.C.

Dr. Benita Lawrence, principal of Monticello-Brown Summit Elementary, was honored as the 2009 NCAE Principal of the Year. Martha Snavely, the district’s executive director of induction and professional development, received the 2009 NCAE Central Office Administrator of the Year Award, and Lena Murrill-Chapman, a media/technology specialist at Hairston Middle, received the 2009 NCAE Student Services Division Outstanding Leadership Award.

Congratulations to these three well-deserving GCS employees. For more information, please contact Mark Jewell, GCAE president, at 299-9601.

Guest Artist Teaches Dance at Weaver Academy

Weaver Academy is proud to welcome internationally renowned dancer Nina Watt as a guest instructor. Watt is leading a two-week intensive study of Limón dance technique and repertory for Weaver’s dance department. She also will audition dancers for a special performance of a portion of the historical piece, “Dances for Isadora,” for Weaver’s spring dance concert, May 1 and 2.

Weaver is fortunate to bring Watt to the district through a Teacher Art Grant from the United Arts Council. For more information, please contact Emily Brenner, dance teacher, at 370-8282.

Southeast Robotics Team Headed to FIRST World Championship

Robotics Team 668 from Southeast High was part of a three-team alliance that won the North Carolina FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge. As a result of its success, Team 668 will advance to the FIRST World Championship at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 15 - 17.

Team members Jon Bennett, Bethany Boring, Jaclyn Coble, Kameron Eason, Korey Eason, Michael Hall and Bryan Helms spent weeks designing, constructing and programming a mechanical robot to compete in the challenge. FIRST promotes the applications of science and technology and emphasizes professionalism among the participating teams. For more information, please contact Principal Ralph Kitley at 674-4300.

Ragsdale High Takes Top Spots in National History Day Competition

Two teams from Ragsdale High won first and second place in the category of Group Exhibit at this year’s National History Day Regional Competition at UNCG. Martha Delvecchio, Ashley Ebright, Edward Ho, Britney Smith and Sarah Zamamiri took first place with their exhibit on Carrie A. Nation.  Second place went to Kate Cook, Trang Nguyen, John Ritter, Tia Sutton and Brandon Walker for their entry on Ishi: Last of the Yahi. The first- and second-place finishes make each team eligible to participate in the state competition at the end of April. 

The North Carolina History Day program is designed to promote interest in history among students and helps them develop skills in historical research, analysis, critical thinking, organization and presentation. Using these skills, students can design an exhibit, write a paper, produce a documentary, create a performance or develop a Web site.

For more information, go to http://www.nchistoryday.org/about.html or contact Morris Johnson, high school social studies curriculum specialist, at 370-2349 ext. 1 or johnsom@gcsnc.com.

Western High Theatre Named “Chapter Select” at N.C. Thespian Festival

At last week’s 2009 N.C. Thespian Festival in Winston Salem,  Western High students Kim Edmunds and Andrew Sabol performed David Ives’ play “Sure Thing,” directed by student Mary Lavey and stage managed by Rachel Lavey.

Western’s troupe performance received a superior rating and was named chapter select, giving them the opportunity to represent North Carolina in June at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska.  For more information, please contact Linda Veneris, teacher of theatre arts, at 316-5800 or veneris@gcsnc.com.

S.A.V.E. Winners receive 2008-09 National Honors

The national Students Against Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.) organization honored Jackson Middle as the National S.A.V.E. Chapter of the Year and Mike Moser from Kernodle Middle as the National SAVE Advisor of the Year. Keith Pemberton, the S.A.V.E. Advisor from Jackson Middle, received Honorable Mention as an advisor.

These prestigious awards exemplify the commitment of our students and staff to maintain safe schools and community environments.  S.A.V.E. is an international student-initiated and student-managed program organized to reduce violence in schools and communities.  In addition, S.A.V.E. members engage in meaningful violence prevention efforts, education and service-learning opportunities while encouraging positive peer influences.

For more information, please contact Vernice Thomas, GCS Safe and Drug-Free Schools Supervisor, at 621-4026. 

Teen Grant making Council Seeking High School Students

The Teen Grant making Council (TGC), a division of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro is seeking new candidates to serve on the council.  Scheduled during the school year, TGC teaches leadership skills, consensus building, analytics thinking and teamwork using the grant making process as a vehicle. Applications are due July 1, 2009. 

For more information, please contact Traci Poole, program assistant at the Community Foundation, at 379-9100 x125 or tpoole@cfgg.org.   

Social Workers Host Community Resources Fair

More than forty community-based providers, including representatives from the Guilford County Department of Social Services, attended the Resource Fair sponsored by GCS Social Workers.

The fair provided parents and guardians with valuable information about the many community services available to the diverse population of students in our schools.
The goals of the Resource Fair were to:

• Expand social worker knowledge of the community support agencies and options for families.
• Provide more in depth access to the multiple programs and benefits that single agencies may provide.
•  Maintain the cooperative relationships with community agencies to facilitate ease of contact and referrals for parents.

For more information, please contact Richard Tuck, director of school social workers/dropout prevention, at 621-4027 or Gwen Willis, executive director of student services, at 370-8397.

Change in Graduate Pay Policy

Effective July 1, 2009, the State Board of Education approved changes to the Graduate Pay policy. The Licensure Section of the Department of Public Instruction shall authorize salary on the master’s level (or other appropriate) salary schedule for professional educators who hold master’s degrees or advanced degrees from a regionally accredited Institution of Higher Education. Regional Accrediting agencies are as follows:

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
• Western Association of Schools and Colleges

Note the effective date of the policy is July 1, 2009 and does not allow for retroactive pay. An e-mail was sent to all licensed employees from Human Resources on Friday, April 3 notifying them of the appropriate action to take in order to possibly benefit from this change in policy.  For more information, please contact Alison Yates, director of staffing, at 370-8094 or your staffing specialist at 378-8806. 

GCSTV 2

Here’s a sample of what you can see on GCSTV 2 on Time Warner Cable.

Tdap Alert – Vaccinations Required to Attend School

GCSTV 2 NEWS ALERT-Tdap. These news alerts air at 10 a.m., 11:16 a.m. and 7 p.m.  

New Rules for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Kickoff Newsbreak Video

News from GCS- GCSTV 2 Newsbreaks

The Latest GCSTV 2 Newsbreak

Also on GCSTV 2:

NASA 360

NASA explores new frontiers in science, helping to develop and inspire technological innovation.  This program runs daily at 3:35 a.m., 9:02 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

World’s Largest Concert

The Alamance Elementary chorus performs as part of the National Association for Music Education’s “World’s Largest Concert,” airing on television stations across America.  You can see it right here daily on GCSTV 2 at 11:16 a.m. 

All County Chorus

The All County Chorus performed recently at Western High. See their performance daily Friday through Monday at 6:13 a.m., 5:05 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. 

MCHP Rocks

See the many talents of the students of the Middle College at GTCC-High Point as they produce, shoot, edit and host their own television production. This program runs at 6 p.m. daily.

The Edition

Weaver Academy broadcast production students produce this news and events program featuring Weaver and other GCS campuses. This program runs daily at 9:30 a.m.

Showcase Your Talent on GCSTV 2

GCSTV 2 is now accepting student, faculty, staff or parent produced programming.  See the Details for submissions here or Watch the video.

GCSTV 2 Programming Guide

Find out what else is showing on GCSTV 2 here: GCSTV 2 Programming Guide

GCSTV 2 & ABC-45

GCS continues its partnership with ABC-45 television to share current news and feature stories about our district. These Newsbreak segments are broadcast 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 contact: Leonard Simpson, broadcast production manager, at 370-8167.