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Stay ConnectedRecognitionsDirectoriesGovernanceTop Links
GCS Media Room
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GCS News Briefs
June 19, 2009 We Want to Hear from YouAt GCS, we are constantly trying to improve our methods of relaying information to you. You can help us by taking this short survey. We will use the results to improve our communication and help keep you on top of what’s going on in our schools. We appreciate your participation! 2008-09 Comes to a Close - A Message from Superintendent GreenHallways are quiet, desks are empty, but the memories of the 2008-09 school year still linger in schools across Guilford County. It’s hard to believe that this school year has come to a close. This was an exciting time of transition for me. I was honored to be selected by the Board of Education as your new superintendent last July. For me, education is our most powerful weapon, and moving into this role is very important to me. I spent my first few months getting to know you and listening to what you had to say about our district. My staff called this campaign “Mo wants to Know,” and it was a fitting name. I continue to be interested in hearing your thoughts, and I will remain as transparent as possible when keeping you informed about GCS. In January, we launched the strategic plan, the first for GCS. The bar is set high for our schools, employees, students and the community. By working together we can provide opportunities to our students to help them achieve educational excellence, so they can compete at the highest level in the 21st century. This summer we will launch our regionalization, a major initiative of the strategic plan. This reorganization not only saves administrative dollars, but it puts services and resources closer to our communities. I’m confident that our regional superintendents will be an asset to this district, and I’m excited to introduce these individuals to you. As I said many times, the economic downturn has hit many industries, and unfortunately, this included public education. Earlier this year, we learned about the severe budget shortfalls on the state level. We worked hard to revert more than $8 million back to the state while keeping our students’ education our top priority. While planning the budget for 2009-10, we were faced with potential budget cuts more severe than any we have seen in the past. We continue to do our best to protect GCS while awaiting a final budget decision from the state. Over the summer, I will continue to keep you informed of district news through my blog, on our Web site and through our weekly e-newsletter, GCS News Briefs. Next year brings its own set of goals and opportunities. I look forward to the work we will do together and the progress we will accomplish for our children. Governor Perdue Issues Challenge at RallyA crowd of more than 300 teachers, principals and education supporters from across the Piedmont enthusiastically greeted Governor Beverly Perdue at a rally Wednesday afternoon at Smith High. Smith was the second of many rallies across the state for the Governor as the House and Senate begin negotiations on the 2009-10 state budget. According to Perdue, the state must raise taxes to protect the jobs of thousands of teachers and teacher assistants across the state. She said that the state needs $1.5 billion to avoid drastic cuts in education and an increase in class size starting this fall. Perdue challenged the crowd to let lawmakers in Raleigh hear their voices through letters to state representatives in support of adequately funding public education. Click here for a list of addresses. State funding accounts for 60 percent of the budget for Guilford County Schools. The house budget proposal would mean a loss of approximately $27 million for GCS. We will keep you updated on our Budget Web site as more information becomes available. 2009 Central Office Summer ScheduleGCS central offices will operate on a summer schedule from June 22 through August 14. 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 17. We will revert to normal office hours during the first week of July (June 29 – July 2) due to the July 4 holiday. Important Transportation DeadlinesThere are two important deadlines approaching for students who plan to ride the bus during the 2009-10 school year. Transportation request forms must be submitted within the below deadlines to ensure a bus assignment for the first day of school.
Upon receipt of a magnet school transportation request form, the GCS Transportation Department will mail a notification post card to parents/guardians. The post card serves as the student’s receipt of submission of the transportation form. If individuals do not receive a post card within seven business days after submitting a request, they should contact the GCS Transportation Department at 370-8920.
Students enrolled in traditional schools who received transportation last year and will attend the same school do not need to submit a request form unless:
Additional information about transportation, including request forms for traditional schools, is available on the GCS Web site at www.gcsnc.com/transportation/transmain.htm. For more information, please contact Jeff Harris, director of transportation, at 370-8920. School Cafeterias Earn A+ Sanitation GradesGCS cafeterias received an average health sanitation grade of 100.4 this school year. In addition, 65 of these school cafeterias scored 100 or higher on at least two of four inspections. Each school year, all 111 school cafeterias receive quarterly health inspections from the Guilford County Department of Public Heath to ensure that they are clean and safe eating establishments. During these inspections, the kitchens are graded on food temperatures, food handling procedures, proper labeling and storage of food items, pest control and overall cleanliness. The high scores exceed the sanitation requirements set forth by the state Child Nutrition Services department, which requires a grade of 95 or better, without regard to ServSafe certification. GCS cafeteria managers are required to be ServSafe certified by attending training sessions and passing a written exam. ServSafe training teaches food safety operations by covering the entire process of food preparation from the time purchases are received in the facility through the serving of the meals. Other cafeteria employees and maintenance staff also take similar ServSafe classes. For more information, please contact Cynthia Sevier, director of school nutrition services, at 370-3257. Summer Food Service Provides Healthy Meals for FreeSome GCS cafeterias will be open during the summer to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Through the Summer Food Service Program, GCS School Nutrition Services will prepare meals and serve them to children 18 and under at no cost. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which reimburses the district for meals served to eligible children. In 2008, GCS prepared about 5,000 meals a day to be served at more than 100 locations in Guilford County through the summer feeding program. During the school year, GCS provides students with one or two meals on weekdays. This includes 49.9 percent of the district’s students, who receive free or reduced-cost lunch. However, when school is out, families on tight budgets may find it more difficult to provide nutritious meals. Children are not required to qualify for free or reduced lunch to benefit from the summer feeding program. Meals will be free to children who go to a designated school site during the scheduled service dates and times. Children who participate in summer camps and other programs in Guilford County also have access to free meals through the summer feeding program. The district has partnered with dozens of community organizations to provide the meals. School Nutrition Services will prepare the meals daily and local organizations that offer supervised summer activities at parks, community centers and churches will pick up the meals and serve them at their sites. A list of these organizations is available here. Parents who are interested in having their children attend these sites should call the organizations directly in advance. For more information on the summer feeding program, please contact GCS School Nutrition Services at 370-3263 or 370-3266. The following school cafeterias will be open to serve free meals to children 18 and under at the specified dates and times: Monday through Friday, June 22 to July 31, at 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday, July 6 to July 31, at 11 a.m.
Southeast High Jazz Ensemble to Perform at North Carolina Music Educator's ConferenceThe North Carolina Music Educators’ Association selected the Southeast High Jazz Ensemble to perform at the annual conference. The group was chosen by a state committee through application and audition. This is a prestigious honor for the ensemble directed by Jeremy Ray. For more information, please contact Principal Ralph Kitley at 674-4300. “Window Into Creativity” Jump-Starts Donation Drive for Teacher Supply WarehouseIf students can transform a few dozen rolls of packing tape into life-sized human sculptures, imagine what they could do with a warehouse full of donated business, school and art supplies. The spectacle helped kick off a summer campaign to stock up the Teacher Supply Warehouse, a facility operated by the Guilford Education Alliance, Guilford County Schools and the Welfare Reform Liaison Project. The Warehouse collects surplus and leftover supplies and materials donated by Triad businesses and individuals, and makes them available at no cost for teachers to issue to students or to use as classroom instruction aids or materials for art and other classroom projects. The Window Into Creativity project was conceived by Bouvier Kelly, Inc., a Greensboro marketing, advertising and public relations firm that is helping promote the Teacher Supply Warehouse as a pro bono project. Please click here for more information on the project. GCS Students Qualify for Fastest Kid FinalsThe finals of The Fastest Kid in Guilford County are set with 32 of the fastest GCS students. After participating in a free track clinic Thursday evening, more than 150 students took part in the preliminary races, which determine tonight’s finals. The races begin at 5:15 p.m. at Irwin Belk Track on NC A&T’s Campus. The clinic and races are made available to GCS students through the generosity of the Nike Outdoor Nationals and the National Scholastic Sports Foundation, as well as the track team of NC A&T. The finalists for the elementary girls are: Kendi Haris, Kiya Oviosun, Oshiana Simmons, Chelsea Pettiford, Lakala Hatchett, Micah Pierce, Nia Bell and Laken Robertson. The finalists for the elementary boys are: Bill Flumo, Melvin Bailey, Willie Davis, Julian Gray, Dwight Gray, Jarrett Boyd, Tyrece Cheek and Brandon Ewing. The finalists for middle school girls are: Paisley Simmons, Daijia Ervin, Courtney Crawford, Dejah Hayes, Shapiria Pegram, Rachel Bayler, Myra Henderson and Amber Morris. The finalists for middle school boys are: Ramone Ramsey, Jamal Petty, Davidson Arrington, Jamel Harris, Nick Jones, Aaron Herring, Emmanuel Amu and Jered Henderson. At tonight’s finals, the winners of each race will receive a trophy and two tickets to Universoul Circus. For more information, please contact Jennifer Landes, program administrator – communications, at 370-8353, or Lillian Govus, program administrator – communications, at 370-8997. Walk/Run Wellness ActivityMs. Sidonie Lysiak, a physical education teacher at Guilford Middle, won a bed & breakfast getaway weekend at the Inn on Biltmore Estate. She completed the Walk/Run Wellness Activity for school-based employees and was the winner of the drawing for the September event. For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, director of benefits, at 370-8092 or kinkadp@gcsnc.com. GCSTV 2Graduation Gallery
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