GCS News Briefs

June 5, 2009

GCS Takes Steps to Address Possible State Budget Cuts

The North Carolina state legislature is considering significant budget cuts to K-12 education. For GCS, these proposals could result in a $40 million cut in state funding.

As a result, GCS must take some significant measures now in order to develop a balanced budget for 2009-10 and meet the legal requirements for notifying probationary teachers (non-career status teachers). Probationary teachers must be notified of the status of their contracts for next school year by June 15. During these tough economic times, the district also wants to give any employees who may be affected by these budget reductions as much notice as possible.

To meet the $40 million reduction, GCS officials are recommending to the Board of Education that the district cut 13 percent from central administration budgets and consider increasing class size by one student, potentially impacting about 145 to 150 positions. About 12 to 13 elementary foreign language teacher positions also could be eliminated, excluding foreign language immersion and International Baccalaureate (IB) foreign language teacher positions. 

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding the state budget, the district also will delay renewing contracts for all interim employees. Interim employees who may be affected by these decisions have been notified by human resources. “It is our hope that the budget situation in Raleigh will stabilize and that we will be able to provide more definitive information soon regarding contracts for next year,” said Dr. Peggy Thompson, chief human resources officer.

All affected employees will receive more information regarding their particular situations during the next two to three weeks, once schools make further revisions to their staffing plans.

“We recognize that this is distressing news, and we want to emphasize that we are taking this step in order to deal with potentially catastrophic budget reductions at the state level,” said Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “This action is not a result of any performance-related concerns, nor is it a reflection of how much we value the hard work of our employees.”

GCS encourages any employees feeling stressed by these tough economic times or other issues to take advantage of the resources offered through human resources and the online Employee Support Center, http://www.gcsnc.com/hr/rif/index.htm.

If you have questions, please e-mail feedback@gcsnc.com.

Scholarships for GCS Graduates Rise for 2008-09

The amount of academic and athletic scholarships awarded to this year’s class of graduating GCS seniors rose by nearly $2 million, jumping to $78.9 million from a little over $77 million last year.

The reported scholarship earnings are based on data submitted by May 29 and are likely to go up as graduating seniors are expected to continue to receive scholarship offers through August. Approximately 4,673 seniors are expected to graduate at the end of this school year. The final figure will be available after June 15.

Dudley High recorded the largest number of scholarship earnings with approximately $9.8 million in academic and athletic scholarships. Dudley was followed closely by Northwest High with $9.3 million in scholarships and Grimsley High with $8.79 million.

“I want to congratulate all of the scholarship winners, their parents, teachers and counselors who worked so hard to make this happen,” said Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “You’ve made your families proud. You’ve made your individual schools proud. You’ve made GCS proud.

“I also want to congratulate all our graduating seniors for their hard work over the last four years, as well as the parents, teachers, counselors, school administrators and other school system employees who assisted these students as they traveled the road to success. This is a wonderful accomplishment.”

For more information, please contact Laurie Hogan, program administrator – communications, at 370-8307.

Health Department Plans Tdap Clinics

All rising sixth-grade students who have not had a Tdap vaccination since July 2004 must have a booster shot before school starts. The Guilford County Department of Public Health will hold clinics for students to receive a free vaccination.

Parents/guardians should bring a copy of the child’s shot record with them to the clinic. Appointments are also available daily at the Guilford County Department of Public Health. For more information or to make an appointment, please contact the health department at 845-7655 in High Point or 641-5563 in Greensboro.

 GCS Student Artwork to Be Displayed in the US Capitol

A GCS student has a newfound talent in art and the honor of having his self-portrait hang in the U.S. Capitol for a year. Tyquan Easton, a junior at Andrews High, received the “Best in Show” award from U.S. Rep. Mel Watt in the 12th Congressional District Art Competition.

Although Easton just learned of his artistic talent while taking his first art class at Andrews, his self-portrait pencil drawing won the highest award in the competition. His artwork competed against 23 other pieces by high school students who live or attend school in Watt’s congressional district.

Each spring, the U.S. House of Representatives holds a nationwide high school arts competition. The winning piece from each congressional district is displayed for one year in the tunnel that leads from the Cannon House Office Building to the U.S. Capitol. Easton’s artwork will be included among the 435 pieces that represent each district in the country.

Easton is invited to attend a congressional reception for the student winners on June 24 in Washington, D.C. He is also eligible to receive a scholarship from Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga.

For more information, please contact Principal Monique Wallace, at 819-2800.

Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council is Off To Great Start

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC), the first of its kind for GCS, completed its first year. Members of the SAC serve as advisors to the Superintendent’s decision-making process, and provide feedback and suggestions on major district-wide initiatives and programs. In addition, the SAC serves as a liaison between other students in order to identify, express, and resolve concerns across the district.

This year, Superintendent Green received input on various topics including the strategic plan, standard mode of dress, character education and the advantages of traditional scheduling versus block scheduling. During the 2008-09 school year, SAC meetings were held from March through May, and will reconvene this fall. 

“The students, with their keen analytical skills, have offered me tremendous advice on a wide variety of matters,” commented Superintendent Green. “Through our discussions, my thinking on various topics has been enriched and the work of the district has been and will be enhanced.”

For more information about the SAC, please contact Samara Johnson, supervisor of high school counseling, at 370-2331.    

Science Students Attract Bats and Owls

The sixth-grade students in Beth Rickerts’ science class at Northwest Middle learned that bats and owls are beneficial creatures to humans.

Through a $500 grant from the N.C. Zoo and GlaxoSmithKline, the class created bat and owl sanctuaries behind the school. Students researched the habitats of both animals to learn how they are attracted and if they could coexist in the same area. The class used the grant money to purchase a bat house and owl box and planted a “bat garden” to attract bats to its new habitat.

Through the project, the students discovered how to make the environment more adaptable for animals which, in turn, helps humans. The class hopes the bats will help eliminate mosquitoes from the school’s practice fields. For more information, please contact Principal Bill Stewart or Ms. Rickerts at 605-3333.

Grimsley Teacher Selected for American History Workshop

Silvana Mazo, a media specialist at Grimsley High, was selected from a national applicant pool to attend a Landmarks of American History and Culture workshop through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Mazo will study the topic "Ellis Island, Public Health and the American Workforce 1891-1924” with humanities experts.

The workshop, which is based on Ellis Island and in New York City, is financed through a stipend that covers travel, study and living expenses. This is just one example of the ways GCS teachers use professional development opportunities to continue learning and bringing new ideas to their students. For more information, please contact Principal Anna Brady or Ms. Mazo at 370-8180.

Introducing GEMS Version 2.0

As the school year ends, we conclude the first full year of implementation of GCS’ Educational Management System (GEMS).  GEMS continues to be an invaluable resource for teachers and staff throughout the district at every grade level by providing curriculum guides, lesson plans and other instructional resources. 

When teachers return in August, a new version of GEMS with updated features and functionality will be in place. Teachers and staff who desire an early introduction to GEMS 2.0 can register at GCS-CUI: Introduction to GEMS 2.0 for training sessions to be held in June and July.  For more information, please contact Christopher Bronson, GEMS curriculum specialist, at 312-4096 or bronsoc@gcsnc.com.

Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year Reading Committee is in the process of reviewing and scoring the portfolios submitted by school-level winners from across the district. The top 10 scorers from the portfolio round will meet with the interview committee on June 24 and 25.  Special thanks to the members of the Reading Committee who include: Darcy Kemp, Linda Lyon, Betty Anne Chandler, Rodney Morgan, Tony Watlington, Jason Cayton, Cecilia Adams, Pam Stewart, Alison Yates, Susie Britt, Pauline Brown and Revonda Johnson. Semifinalists selected to move forward to the interview round will be announced in next week’s News Briefs. Congratulations to these outstanding educators and all of our school-level winners. For more information please contact Carla Alphin, program administrator for employee relations, at 378-8821 or alphinc@gcsnc.com.

See GCSTV 2 on the Web

GCSTV 2 programs are now just a mouse click away.

GCS is streaming GCSTV 2 live on the district’s Web site, including Board of Education meetings. In addition, previous board meetings are now archived online.

Prior to the live streaming, only Guilford County residents who subscribe to Time Warner Cable could watch GCSTV 2. The live streaming was made possible by the use of existing equipment and did not require any additional purchases.

To view GCSTV 2 online, go to the district’s Web site, www.gcsnc.com, and look for GCSTV 2 under Quick Links for Community. Past board meetings are archived with the board materials in the Board of Education section of the Web site.
GCSTV 2 is the district-produced cable television channel. GCSTV 2 covers school-related topics, school events and academic programs. GCSTV 2 also shows Board of Education meetings live, construction updates and special events. For more information, contact Leonard Simpson, GCSTV 2 production manager, at 370-8167.

Deadline Nears to Apply for Youth Advisory Committee

The N.C. Civic Education Consortium, a program of University of North Carolina’s School of Government, is currently accepting applications from rising ninth- through 12th-graders for its Youth Advisory Committee. 

The Consortium’s Youth Advisory Committee is composed of 20 high school students from across North Carolina who serve as an advisory body and ensure the Consortium’s activities continue to meet the needs of its target audience - young people.  Committee members travel to UNC-Chapel Hill quarterly to offer input on all Consortium youth initiatives.  Members of the committee also serve as role models for civic engagement, as well as spread news of the Consortium’s initiatives in their own schools and communities. 

Applications will be reviewed by a student selection committee.  Once accepted onto the committee, students serve until they graduate from high school.  Students must have transportation so that they may travel to Chapel Hill four times per year; however, the Consortium offers mileage reimbursements, as well as hotel accommodations for students traveling more than 300 miles roundtrip. Click here for application details.

Governor Perdue Announces Summer Reading Plan

Summer is finally here – a time for our kids to have a break from school and spend time with family. Studies show that summer is when our students are at risk to lose some of the reading skills they learned during the school year, so the Governor’s office would like to make sure they can have a good book in their hands while away from the classroom.

With the Find-a-Book Web site, your students can do just that. They can find books that will help them continue learning – and learn to love reading.

The Find-a-Book site uses a student’s Lexile reading measure to determine appropriate reading books for your child. A Lexile measures a student’s reading ability and a book’s text difficulty, and it is the most widely-adopted reading measure in use today. Students in grades 3-8 as well as high school students taking the English I state assessment, will receive a Lexile measure in their end-of year test results. Click here for more information or call Cecilia Adams, manager of community partnerships, at 370-8355.

Read this Summer and Win!

WMAG-FM is encouraging kids to read books this summer and qualify to win a Nintendo Wii gaming system and a family outing at Emerald Pointe’s Wet ‘N Wild. Click here for information on how to participate.

Well-Rounded Weaver Graduate Bound for UNC-Chapel Hill

Alex Koceja earned perfect SAT scores in mathematics and critical reading. He has completed eight advanced placement (AP) classes, has a 4.607 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. In the fall, he will attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he’s considering several majors, including journalism.

But his talents extend beyond the classroom. He is also a musician, actor and leader.

Alex’s band, called “Stretch and the Funk,” won first place in the Battle of the Bands contest during the 2007-08 school year. They’ve since released a CD, which is an eclectic mix of jazz, Caribbean and folk sounds. 

He is a member of the International Thespian Society and has had roles in both Weaver and  Greensboro City Arts productions. Alex also helped begin the new Weaver tradition of student-faculty basketball games.

Alex says he’s enjoyed his four years at Weaver because the school gave him an opportunity to merge his passions for academics with the performing arts. “People here want to be here,” he said. “Weaver offers a very intense AP/IB curriculum. My four years at Weaver have been wonderful.”

The son of Brett and Lisa Koceja, Alex is active in his youth group at church, and will attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church Association National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer.

For more information about Alex and other outstanding GCS graduates, please contact Lekan Oguntoyinbo, district relations officer, at 370-8389.

Home for the Summer Food Drive

Many families rely on healthy school meals for their children during the school year. But what about those summer months when children are at home? United Way of Greensboro Women’s Leadership Group is sponsoring a summer food drive to help those in need of that vital nutrition over the summer.

You can help by dropping off non-perishable food items Friday, June 12 before 6 p.m. or Saturday June 13 before 10 a.m.at the United Way of Greater Greensboro, 1500 Yanceyville Street. For more information, contact Samantha Lyons Kittrell, women’s leadership volunteer opportunities chair at 358-8121, slyonskittrell@hotmail.com or Carley Williams, leadership giving manager at 378-5055, carley.williams@unitedwaygso.org.

American Flags for the Classroom Project

The Greensboro Elk’s Lodge has set a goal to put American flags in every GCS classroom. This is their way to help students learn more about our country and the freedoms we enjoy. If you would like to help, please contact Rick Baker at 549-6083.

GCSTV 2

Graduation Gallery
Highlights of GCS Graduations

Watch Them Here

Superintendent’s Media Briefing

Superintendent Green is joined by a few of the seniors who helped boost academic and athletic college scholarships this year to a record of almost $79 million. Green also addresses how GCS is dealing with the current budget crisis.  This program runs Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily and is also available on the GCS Web site at: www.gcsnc.com

GCSTV 2 Goes World-Wide-Live
Now Streaming on the GCS Web site:

Watch Now:  GCSTV 2-LIVE Streaming

The Latest News from GCS- GCSTV 2 Newsbreak:

GCSTV2 Newsbreak
HPU Scholarships, Reading Rocks! at Gibsonville and Get Healthy Guilford Awards

Also on GCSTV 2:

GCSTV 2 Media Center
A Library of GCS News

GCS Newsbreaks-Media Center

Watch GCS Board of Education Meetings On Your Schedule

In addition to live broadcasts of GCS Board of Education meetings, the meetings are now available for watching online anytime.
Watch Now

Tdap Alert – Vaccinations Required to Attend School:

GCSTV 2 NEWS ALERT-Tdap  These news alerts run 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

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.