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Leaking Boiler Room at Washington Elementary
State of Our Schools: GCS Tries to Keep its Head Above Water as Facilities Needs Flood In

A firefight. That’s how long-time Guilford County Schools (GCS) operations employees describe the work needed to repair the district’s aging facilities. 

Currently, GCS is comprised of 120 schools and more than 300 facilities totaling over 12 million square feet. Many of the buildings were built before Neil Armstrong’s 1969 moon landing. Just like Armstrong, GCS has taken steps forward to address infrastructure challenges, but funding limitations and deferred maintenance have often caused us to lose ground. Why? The short and fast answer is money. But GCS leaders say it will take a little more than cash to get facilities where they need to be. 

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Students at Brooks Global Studies in their new media center
21st-Century learning: Guilford County Schools Opens Four New Schools

Guilford County Schools (GCS) is ushering in a new era of education with the opening of four new state-of-the-art facilities.  

In the 2024-2025 school year, four new schools welcomed students and staff through their doors: Claxton Elementary, Peck K-8 Expeditionary Learning, Brooks Global Studies and Foust Elementary schools.  

Each building has brought new life into its community. Students, staff and parents alike are all excited about the possibilities for their children. “There is no other elementary school that I would want for my 2nd grade daughter and young son,” Tiffany Estes said.  

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Discover GCS

GCS is a great place to work, learn, live and grow.

When you join the GCS community, you belong to more than a team, a school, or a district. You become part of a vibrant community that will enrich your life with opportunities for recreation, entertainment, dining, cultural arts, and building connections with your fellow neighbors and community members. Guilford County is a welcoming place to call home — with people who care, nonprofits who are committed to advancing quality of life, a variety of colleges and universities as well as businesses that span exciting start-ups, established corporations, and a growing sector of high-tech and aerospace companies who’ve identified our region as a great place to invest in.

Get to know our friendly, active, and growing community and see why GCS families, teachers and staff members love it here.

 

Diversity, exciting choices and a culture of opportunity

GCS is the third-largest district in North Carolina, serving nearly 70,000 students across 126 schools in urban, suburban and rural areas. As a larger district, we’re able to offer families and teachers opportunities that smaller districts, charter and private schools just can't. For example, 48 magnet and choice schools with 66 programs offer concentrations such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), performing or visual arts, advanced academics, Spanish immersion, Montessori, health sciences or aviation. We’re proud to help all kinds of students with all kinds of interests cultivate success.

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Here's what quality of life looks like in Guilford County

Our region thrives with a variety of ways to build a meaningful quality of life. At GCS, we love our region so much, we want to give you a picture of the many opportunities you’ll have as a member of our community. There’s no way to capture all that we have to offer, but this list will give you a good starting point. 

Colleges and Universities

In addition to having the opportunity to attend classes and earn credentials, community members love to attend sporting and cultural events on campuses and just to be surrounded by an environment that values learning and advancement. In Guilford County, we’re proud to be a “college town” that is home to North Carolina A&T, UNC Greensboro, High Point University, Guilford College, Greensboro College, Bennett College, Elon School of Law, Guilford Technical Community College and more.

Family Time

Families love the Children’s Museum, where kids can learn through play and explore a variety of interactive activities. At the Greensboro Science Center, you’ll find an aquarium, museum, zoo, and even a ropes course, making it a great place for kids of all ages. Plus, NC Zoo is just down the road — and, of course, we are just a short drive to Winston-Salem, Raleigh and Charlotte.

Recreation

Spend a few hours on or near the water, enjoying one of our many beautiful lakes. Go for a hike or a bike ride and enjoy miles of natural surface trails. Or, take a stroll through one of our beautiful parks and gardens. From LeBauer Park, Center City Park, Tanger Family Bicentennial Garden, Country Park, Oak Hollow Festival Park and Piedmont Environmental Center, parks and gardens span the county. 

Cultural Arts

Take in a concert, an intriguing public talk or even a Broadway show — for starters we’ve got Art in the Park, Music in the Park, FolkFest, the Eastern Music Festival, the Bryan Series, community theater, opera, the Greensboro Coliseum, the Carolina Theater, High Point Theatre, Jamestown Arts Center and the brand new Tanger Performing Center for the Performing Arts. You can also get your culture fix with a visit to the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center, Weatherspoon Art Museum, Elsewhere Artist Collaborative and many more.

Dining

Here, you’ll find a delicious meal, no matter what you’re craving: fine dining, southern cuisine, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, authentic Italian pizza — and so many more great places to dine. We’re also emerging on the craft beer and distillery scene, with a number of fantastic local brewers and distillers in our charming downtowns. 

Road Trips

A moment’s notice, you can be at any number of beautiful beaches and breathtaking mountains, just a short drive away! Community members also enjoy visiting local southern downtowns for festivals, furniture shopping, antiquing or a change of scenery.