GCS Special News Brief

April 26, 2007

Striving. Achieving. Excelling

It is no secret that Guilford County Schools (GCS) is Striving. Achieving. Excelling. In fact, you see and hear it everywhere. 

Public education is a key factor in economic development. The quality of public schools has a direct impact on the business climate; therefore, public awareness of GCS is vital to the economic development of Guilford County.

With this in mind, in 2001 Action Greensboro initiated the Commitment to Excellence program. In six years, more than 30 Guilford County businesses and organizations have generously invested more than $5 million in a variety of initiatives to recognize and reward the numerous GCS achievements of teachers and students that directly affect the Triad economically.

Known as, “Businesses for Excellence in Education,” organizations that make up the Commitment to Excellence fully funded an informational campaign called, “Striving. Achieving. Excelling.”

What does Striving. Achieving. Excelling. represent?

Striving
GCS is striving to achieve more. This includes having all current kindergarten students reading at or above grade level by the end of the 2009-10 school year. Additionally, by the end of the 2008-09 school year, the math achievement gap will be eliminated for current sixth-graders. Furthermore, all rising ninth-grade students this school year will graduate from high school in four years.

Achieving
GCS is achieving success. Since 2000, student enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) courses has skyrocketed 149 percent. This is an excellent illustration that GCS is building rigor and relevance into our student’s educational experience. In addition, our dropout rate remains one of the lowest in the state at 3.41 percent. Another example that GCS is achieving success is evident through the increase in scholarship dollars offered to GCS seniors since 2000—from $31million to $58 million.

Excelling
GCS is excelling. We understand that quality education in the classroom begins with outstanding teachers. Our beginning teacher salary has risen from eleventh in the state in 2000, to number one this year. This year, the district implemented GCS Mission Possible. This innovative incentive program designed to attract, retain and reward educators to teach in our impacted schools has received national media attention. A variety of educational opportunities must be offered if our students are to excel. As a result, GCS offers nearly 40 elementary and secondary magnet programs, two Montessori schools and three foreign language immersion schools.

Striving. Achieving. Excelling. makes the data come to life. Featuring actual GCS students, educators and community volunteers, the campaign represents excellence. The campaign targets our local business community who are opinion leaders and key influencers. The campaign utilizes a variety of different components to illustrate striving, achieving and excelling that is taking place everyday at GCS. Components utilized to communicate these inspiring success stories include: TV, newspaper and magazine ads, mobile marketing, ambassador teams, editorials, brochures, public service announcements, the Internet and signage at the airport. The strategy for the airport display was another opportunity to reach the opinion leaders and influencers not only locally, but also individuals traveling in and out of the Greensboro/High Point area who might be considering relocating to the Triad. 

Recently, the Businesses for Excellence in Education unveiled a wall size mural at the PTI Airport that depicts many exciting stories about GCS educators, students and programs. We hope that you take time to see the mural on your next trip to the airport.

For more information on the Striving. Achieving. Excelling. campaign, please visit the Businesses for Excellence in Education Web site at http://biz4schools.actiongreensboro.org or our site at www.gcsnc.com and click on the Striving. Achieving. Excelling. banner under the District Events calendar.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the passionate business leaders and businesses who have so graciously supported GCS throughout the years. Your investment in public education has yielded a return that is priceless for tomorrow’s leaders and our future economy.

Please call me at 370-8992, should you have any questions.