GCS News Briefs

May 8, 2009

Budget Questions Answered

For the next several weeks, we will feature answers to your budget questions in this newsletter. If you have a comment about the budget, please e-mail feedback@gcsnc.com .

Q. I am very concerned about what state budget cuts and the county’s request for no budget increases will do to the quality of education. What can I do to help?

A. There are several ways you can share your concern with those who make budget decisions that affect our schools.

• The Guilford County Board of Education Unanimously approved a resolution at their April 23 meeting. Please feel free to share this resolution with other interested parties.

• The Guilford County Council of PTAs unanimously passed a resolution at their annual banquet Tuesday night. You can print out and sign this resolution and send to the PTA council by May 14. The council will deliver the resolution and signatures to our state legislators. Mail or drop-off signed resolutions to Guilford County Schools, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27401, attn: PTA Council. You may also fax the signed copy to 574-3863.

• On May 16 beginning at noon, the teachers of North Carolina will hold a rally at the capitol in Raleigh to support education funding.  You are welcome to join them to show your support.

• Send a brief e-mail to your state representatives to let them know you support fully funding education. You can get a list of e-mail addresses here.

• The Guilford County Board of Commissioners will have a public hearing on the county budget at 5:30 p.m. on May 21 at the courthouse in Greensboro. Sign up to speak, and let our county commissioners know how important it is to fund education, or attend the hearing to show your support. You can also send a short email to our commissioners. Here is a list of their e-mail addresses.

GCS Searches for Community Partners to Provide Summer Meals

GCS needs help from local organizations in providing students with healthy meals during the summer. GCS Nutrition Services offers the Summer Food Service Program to ensure that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session.

Nutrition Services prepares meals daily, and local organizations that offer supervised summer activities pick up the meals and provide them to children aged 18 years or younger at no charge. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services, which reimburses GCS Nutrition Services for meals served to eligible children that meet the federal guidelines.

Organizations that sponsor supervised camps or activities in the summer may be eligible to become one of the feeding sites for the program. To become a summer feeding site, organization representatives must attend one of the following training workshops:

• May 13, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
  GCS Washington St. Annex, Room 223, 501 W. Washington St., Greensboro

• May 20, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  Dean B. Pruette SCALE Academy, 900 English Road, High Point

• May 27, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
  GCS Washington St. Annex, Room 223, 501 W. Washington St., Greensboro

Information for parents on the locations of the meals will be provided prior to the last day of school on June 15. Organizations that have questions about becoming a feeding site for the Summer Food Service Program should call the GCS Nutrition Services Summer Feeding Program at 370-3263 or 370-3266.

Guilford County Schools Receives Transition to Teaching Grant

Guilford County Schools received a Transition to Teaching grant Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Education to support the development of lateral entry teachers. The district is the only recipient in North Carolina.

The grant will bring additional resources to GCS, including funding for three staff positions, training, professional resources and technology. It will total as much as $2.2 million over the course of the next five years. The initial grant award for 2009-10, the district’s start-up year, is $388,979. Each year, the grant amount will be adjusted up or down depending on annual goal achievement and need.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded the grant to 14 education programs that develop and implement comprehensive efforts to train, place and support teacher candidates, either through existing or alternative paths to certification. GCS currently operates a Lateral Entry Resource and Advising Center to provide the support and orientation lateral entry candidates need to teach in the district.

The district also offers the Guilford County Schools Alternative Certification Track (GCS-ACT) as one of three ways lateral entry teachers can earn licensure to teach in North Carolina. The 18-month program, operated in conjunction with Guilford Technical Community College, is a low-cost option of course offerings and coaching designed specifically with lateral entry teachers in mind. For more information, please contact Amy Holcombe, executive director of talent development, at 335-3294.

Grimsley High teacher Sarah Joy Daniels named Rookie Teacher of the Year

Sarah Joy Daniels believes math is fun even if it is not her students’ favorite subject. As a first-year teacher at Grimsley High, Daniels brings creativity and enthusiasm into her classroom by relating math problems to real life.

For motivating her students in fresh and creative ways, the Guilford Education Alliance and GCS named Ms. Daniels the Rookie Teacher of the Year on Wednesday. She also was named the Secondary Rookie Teacher of the Year.

One school official described Ms. Daniels’ approach as a teacher to that of a coach. In the classroom, she takes time to get to know her students and incorporates their interests into math problems on tests. She also recognizes that students have different learning styles, so she includes games, group work and technology into her lessons. As a faculty member at the school, Ms. Daniels is a team player. She spreads enthusiasm to veteran teachers as she shares her ideas for bringing relevance to the math curriculum.

Along with the Rookie Teacher of the Year honor, Ms. Daniels received $500 and a scholarship to pursue a master’s degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was one of five finalists who were recognized for impressive accomplishments early in their teaching careers. Dorinda Carver, a teacher at Archer Elementary, received the Elementary Rookie Teacher of the Year award and $500. Finalists Virginia Ann Elliott from Parkview Elementary, Robin Britt Jr. from Brown Summit Middle and Melissa Young from The Early College at Guilford each received $100. BB&T sponsored the awards.

For more information, please contact Martha Snavely, executive director for induction and professional development, at 335-3290.

“Change for a Change” Benefits Relay for Life

The student council at Shadybrook Elementary is raising money for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society through its annual “Change for a Change” fundraiser. The students are collecting coins for two weeks leading up to the Relay for Life in High Point on May 15. As people donate, they are able to recognize a loved one who has either passed away or survived cancer by attaching a star to a large banner in the school’s lobby. The banner will be displayed at the school’s team tent during Relay for Life. The school has eight cancer survivors on staff. Through the past 10 years, Shadybrook has contributed more than $10,000 in the names of about 800 people. For more information, please contact Principal Dennis Foster at 819-2950.

GCS Students Participate in State FBLA Conference

Students from Ferndale Middle and Weaver Academy recently attended the state conference of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) in Raleigh. The students took time out of spring break to participate in competitive events at the conference in areas such as business math, public speaking, computer programming and community service. Weaver students Luke Blackwood, Joey Davis, Neil Shah and Harsh Parikh, along with Ferndale students Jacqueline Poston, Katie Cottam, Cole Baldwin, Demoris McCoy, Caitlyn Chu, Antonio Johnson, Trang Ton and Virginia Bland, placed in the state competition and will attend the national conference in Anaheim, Calif., in June.

FBLA is a national organization that prepares students for careers in business-related fields. For more information, please contact Pete Kashubara, Weaver principal, at 370-8282, or Mark Harris, Ferndale principal, at 819-2855.

GCS College Tech Prep Students Win State SkillsUSA Conference Awards

Students from Weaver Academy’s College Tech Prep program competed in leadership and skills contests at the N.C. SkillsUSA conference in Greensboro. Two students won first place awards and advance to the national competition in Kansas City, Mo., in June. Jonathon Bradshaw won first place in Diesel Technology, and Nicholas Smith won first place in telecommunication cabling. Other students competed in electronics, precision machining, Internetworking, computer maintenance, television production and residential wiring. For more information, please contact Principal Pete Kashubara at 370-8282.

GCS Students Receive Coca-Cola Scholarships

Two GCS students received $10,000 scholarships from the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. Robert French, a senior at High Point Central High, and Andres Ballesteros, a senior at Southwest High, were selected for their academic excellence, school involvement and community leadership.

French is receiving an International Baccalaureate Diploma from High Point Central and will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall. Ballesteros will attend Harvard University in the fall to study music composition.

French and Ballesteros were selected by the Coca−Cola Scholars Foundation as scholarship finalists from a field of more than 2,100 semifinalists and an initial applicant pool of more than 74,000 high school seniors. The scholarships are sponsored by the local Coca−Cola Bottler and The Coca−Cola Company.

Math Students Win Big at First GCS High School Algebra Competition

Three high schools competed in the first GCS Algebra Competition on April 25 at Smith High. Students from Smith, Andrews High and Dudley High participated in five different events: Jambalaya, a team math logic competition; Ciphering, a fast-paced individual and team competition; Inter−School Competition, a team problem solving activity; Math Bowl; and individual tests.

Student award winners are as follows:
1st Place Overall Champion – Andrews High
Staci Burnette, Jonathan Curtis, De’andre Davis, Christopher Fairley, Patricia Geigel, Porchea Harrington, Quishon Robbins, Alecia Truitt, Stepvoni Walker, Jason Ware

1st Place Math Bowl Championship – Smith High
Shannae Alston, Antoinette Armstrong, Patrick Chipthomvong, Gabriel Murphy

Top Four Ciphering and Math Bowl Contestants  - Andrews High
Christopher Fairley, Patricia Geigel, Porchea Harrington, Stepvoni Walker

Top Four Ciphering and Math Bowl Contestants  - Dudley High
Farah Cuthbertson, Tina Lugor, Phil Siu, Daquana White

Overall Individual Test Champion – Smith High
Shatara Williams  

Top Individual Test Scorers
D’Endrae Allred (Dudley), Staci Burnette (Andrews), Jirapa Jaranukul (Smith), Quishon Robbins (Andrews), Keyana Rogers (Smith), Sevon Tinsley (Smith)

Organizers of the competition hoped to reinforce students’ aspirations to excel in math and to provide them with opportunities for recognition based on math achievement. They also wanted to give students a fun way to review and consolidate what they know before taking the End-of-Course exam, encourage teamwork, stimulate math conversations between students and foster interest among students in taking more advanced math courses. For more information, please contact Susan Ikenberry, Andrews math coach, at 819-2800.

Greensboro Mayor Speaks at “Muffins for Mom” 

Greensboro mayor Yvonne Johnson will speak at the “Muffins for Mom,” an annual gathering for mothers at Frazier Elementary, on Monday, May 11 at 8 am. The mayor will speak to mothers about the importance of parental involvement in schools and share with moms how making a commitment early leads to greater accomplishments for students in the future. About 100 mothers attended last year’s gathering. For more information, contact Principal Laverne Bass at 294-7340.

Service Learning Opportunity for High School Students

The Volunteer Center of Greensboro’s Service Learning Impacting Citizenship Camp (SLICC) is scheduled for August 3 - 7.  SLICC is a service learning camp for high school students that combines educational group activities with volunteer service and reflection activities. 

Last year, Senator Kay Hagan and Mayor Yvonne Johnson visited the camp in addition to various other speakers from local nonprofits and Greensboro based agencies.  Group leaders and campers earned 30 volunteer hours at nonprofits such as Greensboro Urban Ministry, Reading Connections and LifeSpan.  This year the camp will focus on agriculture and hunger issues and how they impact our community.  Students should not miss this opportunity to learn about their community, meet new friends, learn new skills and earn 30 volunteer hours in one week. For more information, call the Volunteer Center of Greensboro at 373-1633.

Are you the Fastest Kid in Guilford County?

On June 18 at 7 p.m., the National Scholastic Sports Foundation (NSSF) in conjunction with the Nike Outdoor Nationals will host a race to determine the Fastest Kid in Guilford County. Any student in elementary or middle school is encouraged to submit an entry to run in the 100-meter dash. Finalists from Thursday’s races will compete on Friday night during the Nike Outdoor Nationals. The winners of each race on Friday evening will also receive two tickets to the UniverSoul Circus.

All elementary and middle school students are welcome to join NSSF and the Nike Outdoor Nationals for a free track clinic on June 18 from 3 - 6 p.m. taught by running professionals. The first 150 children who register receive a free t-shirt. All entries for the Fastest Kid must be completed online. Click here to register. For more information, please contact Jennifer Landes, program administrator – communications, at 370-8353.

National Teacher Appreciation Week

This week, during National Teacher Appreciation Week, we said thank you to the thousands of educators in Guilford County Schools who play such an essential part in our student’s lives every day.

Each day, our students’ world is put on these educators’ shoulders. They provide students with the tools they need to achieve excellence. The lessons they teach go beyond a students' four classroom walls. The lessons travel with them as they become confident young men and women, ready to enter the workforce and serve their communities. It’s an awesome responsibility, and all our educators do a wonderful job. 

We treasure their hard work and commitment to our students.

National School Nurse Day

National School Nurse Day was recognized on May 6. This year’s theme, School Nurses: Meeting the Needs of Today’s Students, reflects the overall impact school nurses have on the health and well-being of students, who face more challenging issues today than ever before. The school nurses work closely with school staff, students and parents to keep kids healthy and ready to learn. Their multiple roles and the many services they provide make school nurses a valuable school and community resource. Let’s be sure to let our school nurses know how much we appreciate them. For more information, please contact Robin Bergeron-Nolan, director, health services, at 370-8333.

GCSTV 2

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

The Latest News from GCS- GCSTV 2 Newsbreak:
GCSTV2 Newsbreak

Also on GCSTV 2:

Singing Success

Rising country music star Jason Michael Carroll stopped by Stokesdale Elementary recently to treat the students to a concert and to remind them that success is within their reach if they stay in school.  This segment airs daily at 6 p.m., 8:04 p.m. and midnight.         

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

New Regional Superintendents:
New Regional Superintendents Named

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

“Keeping Teachers Teaching and Students Learning”

This newest program from the U.S. Department of Education explores the impact on education of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” The program airs daily at 11 p.m.

NASA 360

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

All County Chorus

The All County Chorus performed recently at Western Guilford High School. See their performance daily Friday through Monday at 6:13 a.m., 5:05 p.m. and 10:05 p.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 & 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, please contact Leonard Simpson, broadcast production manager, at 370-8167.