Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

July 13, 2007

Our Vision, Mission/Thematic Goals and Core Values

Our vision – what we will become, Our mission/thematic goals- how we will get there -- Our
core values - what we believe -- solidify the underlying foundation for all Guilford County Schools’ decisions and actions.

Summer School Graduation

The Guilford County Schools 2007 Summer Graduation Ceremony will be held Thursday, August 2 at 11 am in the Smith High Auditorium. The ceremony is for all summer graduates from throughout the district. All parents, family members, and friends of the graduates are welcome to attend. For more information, please contact SCALE Greensboro main office at 545-2031.

GCS District School Facility Changes

Please note the following school facility changes within our districts.

• Allen Jay Middle is now Southern Guilford Middle, located at 5747 Drake Road, Greensboro, 27406 
• Phone: 336-674-4266
  
• Union Hill Elementary is temporarily located at the old Allen Jay Middle, 1201 E. Fairfield Road, High Point, NC 27263
• Phone: 336-819-2930
  
• Guilford Primary is now Guilford Elementary and is for grades K-5, located at 920 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro, NC 27410
• Phone: 336-316-5844
  
• The GCS Newcomers School is located at the old Guilford Primary site, 411 Friendway Road, Greensboro, NC 27410
• Phone: 336-370-8982 (temporary)
• E.P. Pearce Elementary is scheduled to open August 2007, located at 2006 Pleasant Ridge Road, Greensboro, NC 27410
• Phone: 336-643-8410 ext. 4326 (temporary)
• Reedy Fork area elementary is now officially Reedy Fork Elementary, scheduled to open August 2007,  located at 4501 Reedy Fork Parkway, Brown Summit, NC 27214
• Phone: TBD
  
• Northern area elementary is now officially Northern Elementary, scheduled to open January 2008, and located at 3801 NC Highway 150, Greensboro, NC 27455
• Phone: 336-643-8400
• Students will attend Laughlin Elementary or Reedy Fork Elementary until the opening in January
  
• Northern High is scheduled to open January 2008, located at 7101 Spencer Dixon Road, Greensboro, NC 27455
• Phone: 336-605-3342 (Northern Middle number, temporary)
• Students will attend Northwest High or Northeast High until the opening in January

For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator – Communications, at 370-3200.

GCS Urges Parents to Register Incoming Kindergartners

With the start of school less than two months away, it is time for parents to register their five-year-olds for kindergarten in Guilford County Schools. In addition, parents need to register children of all grades who will be new to the school district this year.

Since the number of teachers assigned to a school is based on total enrollment, it is imperative that GCS has an accurate number of incoming kindergartners so schools can provide the best possible education for students. Children must turn five years old on or before October 16, 2007 to enroll in kindergarten.

To register, parents should take their children to the school they have been assigned.

Information needed to register includes:

• Certified Copy of Birth Certificate
• Kindergarten Health Assessment Report
• Immunization Records
• Proof of Residence

To find their assigned school, parents can visit the GCS Web site, www.gcsnc.com and click on the “School Locator” tab under the Top Links section on the left-hand side of the home page or they can call the Student Assignment Office at 370-8303.

EC Parent Summer Institute

The Department of Exceptional Children Services and the Exceptional Children’s Parent Advisory Committee are proud to partner with The Exceptional Children Assistance Center of North Carolina (ECAC) to sponsor a Parent Summer Institute on August 6 and 7.

The session on August 6 will target parents with elementary age special needs students.  Topics on that day will focus on Literacy for All as it relates to the General and Adaptive Curriculum, Positive Behavior Support, and Navigating the Special Education System. The target audience on August 7 will be parents with secondary age special needs students. Topics will include Literacy for All as it relates to the General and Adaptive Curriculum, Pathways to Graduation, and Bullying. Both sessions will be held at Westover Church located at 505 Muirs Chapel Road, Greensboro, NC from 8:30 – 3:30.  Lunch will be provided to Institute participants.

For more information or to register, contact Stephanie Antkowiak, Exceptional Children Services Parent Liaison at 370-8329 or via e-mail at ankows@gcsnc.com.  You may also register by contacting Margaret Campbell with the Exceptional Children Assistance Center at 1-800-682-9617, ext 17. 

Administrative Assignment

The following administrative appointment will be effective August 1, 2007:

For more information, please contact Dr. Peggy Thompson, Chief Human Resources Officer, at 370-8340.

School Nutrition Association – Outstanding Director of the Year Award

On June 21, Cynthia Sevier, GCS Director of School Nutrition Services, was named Outstanding Director of the Year by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) of North Carolina. She will be recognized on Sunday, July 15 at the National SNA Conference in Chicago.

Nominees for this honor were judged based on how their efforts in the following five areas have helped enhance the school foodservice and nutrition program in their respective districts:

• program enhancement (how well the person manages the foodservice program)
• staff development (training provided to staff)
• school involvement (what the nominee has done to promote school foodservice programs in their district)
• association involvement (what the nominee has done to promote involvement in SNA and their state association to their employees)
• community involvement (what the nominee has done to contribute to their community through involvement in community-based organizations)

We congratulate Cynthia on the state recognition and wish her well in the upcoming regional and national competitions. Please contact Sharon Ozment, Chief Financial Officer, at 370-8343 if you have questions or need any additional information about the School Nutrition Association Outstanding Director of the Year Award.

Wachovia Teacher and Principal of the Year Celebration  

We are proud to welcome Wachovia as our new partner for the GCS Teacher and Principal of the Year Awards.  Wachovia is the sponsor for the North Carolina Principal of the Year event, and we are honored to have them join us in a district-level partnership.  The 2007 GCS Teacher and Principal of the Year will be announced at a reception in late September, and our committees have been hard at work in preparation for the event.  After reviewing portfolios and interviewing top scorers, the Teacher of the Year Committee selected these five finalists for the 2007 award:

The deadline to submit nominations for Principal of the Year is July 13, 2007.  Nomination forms can be found on the GCS homepage.  We plan to announce our Principal of the Year finalists the first week of September.  We are looking forward to recognizing all of these outstanding educators at the Wachovia celebration in September.  For more information, please contact Carla Alphin, Program Administrator for Employee Relations, at 378-8821.

District Vacancies

GCS is hiring assistant principals at the following schools:

If you are interested in one of these assistant principal vacancies and you have completed the GCS online application and screening process, please contact the principal.  If you have not completed the online process and need more information about the application process, please contact Rebecca Warren, Office of Employment, at warren2@gcsnc.com. 

Math Mentors Needed

North Carolina A&T State University is hiring four math mentors to work with high school teachers in nine GCS high schools during the 2007-08 school year.  These mentors will receive training from NC A&T State University, and will work with a cohort of math teachers.  Minimum requirements include certification in math or math education with at least 10 years of teaching experience.  To learn more about these positions or to apply, please contact David Boger at bogerd@ncat.edu or Tracey Howell at thhowell@uncg.edu.

GCS Employees Walk/Run to the Finish Line for Wellness

The Walk 100 or Run 200 miles wellness activity that began in April concluded in June.  The Run Wellness event was a success with 59 central office employees completing the 100 mile walk or run.  Franklin Boulevard had 18 employees to complete the walk followed by Eugene Street with 11, Washington Street with seven, Maintenance with six and 17 other employees located at various sites.  Special recognition goes to Sandra C. Clark, Robin Bergeron Nolan and Janice Sapp who completed the entire 200 miles.
Congratulations to the grand prize winners, Randy Wagoner, Program Administrator III in the Facilities Division, and Ouida Milton, Office Support III in the School Support Office.  Randy won a weekend in Cape Carteret, and Quida won a weekend at Biltmore Estates.  For more information, please contact Patty Kinkade, Director of Benefits, at 370-8092.

GCSTV 2

Reading Comprehension

Join faculty and staff at Monticello-Brown Summit Elementary for this look into the “Power of Retelling.”  It is an in-depth illustration of a comprehension strategy that helps children more fully enjoy reading and listening to stories and ultimately, develop into lifelong readers.  This special program airs nightly at 10 p.m.

The Home Field Advantage

Changing schools during the year creates a disadvantage for students when it comes to their studies.  Research indicates that children who study at one school throughout the school year do better academically than those who change schools one or more times during the year.  GCS offers students at select schools the “Home Field Advantage.”  The initiative gives children a chance to stay at their original school if their family moves during the academic year.  Get the latest information on this program that helps students stay in the game.  Home Field Advantage airs five times daily at 7:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 

Tus Hijos y GCS (Your Children and Guilford County Schools)

The Guilford County Board of Education has authorized a new school for the coming year.  The Newcomers School is being established to serve newly arrived immigrant students. It will open August 28 on the current campus of Guilford Primary. Join host Karin Young for this latest edition of our Spanish and English language program, Tus Hijos y GCS.  Karin provides the latest information about the Newcomers School and how it will serve students and their families.  Tus Hijos y GCS airs daily at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.          

Young Drivers - The High Risk Years

If you have a teenager who is already driving or will be getting their licenses soon, don’t miss this program.  The focus is on ways to reduce injuries and death among our young.  It is told from the perspective of teens and parents who know the consequences of a simple mistake made behind the wheel.  This program airs daily at noon, 9 p.m. and midnight.

Sci-Vis

It’s a modern day art.  Sci-Vis is short for scientific visualization, and it’s a field that is wide-open for students enrolled in GCS.  Come along as students at The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC explain their Sci-Vis class and how the technology has an effect on everything from medicine to architecture and entertainment.  This program airs daily at 8 a.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC

The Middle College of Entertainment Technology at GTCC is one of the exciting educational choices students have within GCS. It’s here where they can get hands on experience in television production and other aspects of the entertainment industry. This program is a sample of how students apply their skills to producing, videotaping, reporting, editing and creating their own show.  This program airs daily at 9 a.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

GCS/ABC 45 Partnership Continues

GCS continues its partnership with ABC 45 television to share the current news and feature stories about our district. The segments run on ABC 45 (Cable Channel 7) during “Good Morning America” each Wednesday and Friday at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. Also, learn more about GCS by tuning in to GCSTV 2 (Cable Channel 2).

Boot Camp for Teachers
It is part of continuing education for one GCS teacher, but she’s sharing with her colleagues. See how this fitness “boot camp” is helping middle school teachers keep their commitment to get in or stay in shape during the summer.  This newsbreak airs Wednesday, July 18.                

Academic All-Star Camp
Developing leadership skills and exploring their academic interests.  That’s what is in store for rising ninth graders as they embark on the adventure of Academic All-Star Camp.  This three week summer camp is the culmination of hard work and studying that dates back to their earliest years.  Eligibility for the camp is determined by PSAT scores taken in the seventh grade.  This newsbreak airs Friday, July 20.

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, Broadcast Production Manager, at 370-8167.

Central Office Summer Schedule

GCS central offices will operate on a summer schedule from June 11 through August 17. 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 20. 

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

U.S. Data Show Rapid Minority Growth in School Rolls

The nation's population of minority students has risen to 42 percent of public school enrollment, up from 22 percent three decades ago, according to an annual report issued by the government. The changes come with important implications for educators and policy makers. Click here to read more.

Schools Shun Civic-Minded Names

Across America, fewer new schools are bearing names like Jefferson High or Lincoln Elementary -- names that have long honored historical figures and connected students to the ideals and institutions we celebrate each Fourth of July, a think tank has concluded. Instead, modern school boards have taken to geographic- or nature-themed names such as Windy Pointe or Timber Hill, and the republic is worse off for it, says a report by the Manhattan Institute. It argues that boards prefer such benign references because even towering historical figures can provoke negative reactions. Abraham Lincoln, for instance, can be seen either as a man who preserved the union or trampled states’ rights, reports Mike Sherry in The Kansas City Star. Fewer than five percent of the nation’s schools are named after a president. Lincoln is the most popular (674 schools), followed by Washington (558) and Jefferson (480). Of almost 3,000 schools in Florida, five honor George Washington, while 11 are named after manatees, 54 after palm trees and 91 after wooded areas. "What we name our schools reflects and shapes our values -- and part of the civic mission of public education is to provide future citizens with models of civic behavior they can imitate and learn from," said lead study author Jay Greene. Click here to read more.

Using Socioeconomics to Diversify Schools

In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's new limits on using race to attain diversity in classrooms, a less controversial option is gaining attention: a student's socioeconomic background. Baltimore, Cambridge, Mass., and districts in a dozen other states already consider students' income and other non-racial factors in seeking to mix school enrollments -- a system that advocates say can result in some degree of racial integration, as well. While the idea is not universally supported, reports John Mooney in the Star Ledger, officials and experts said it could prove the winning constitutional ingredient for other districts that have openly sought to integrate their schools by race but may now be challenged by the court's latest ruling. "There's no doubt it is perfectly legal, and I think you'll see a lot more districts looking at going in this direction," said Richard Kahlenberg, a senior fellow of the Century Fund in Washington, and one of the strategy's biggest supporters. "I use as comparison our income tax system, where we treat the rich differently than those of low-income," he said. "There is no constitutional controversy about that; it is perfectly accepted. But if we did that by race, there would be outcry." Angelo Genova, an attorney who represents several school districts, said the ruling will bring lots of discussions about what is now acceptable and what is not. He said the court's decision and especially the concurring opinion from Justice Anthony Kennedy allowed for some wiggle room. Kennedy wrote that while he agrees with the majority in striking down the Louisville and Seattle plans, he did not rule out race as a factor in school assignments as long as it wasn't the deciding factor. In that context, Genova said he understands the allure of the race-neutral plans like those that depend on socioeconomic factors, but called them a "cop-out" in the battle to integrate schools. "While appealing, I don't know if they get you over the hump," he said. "If you are going to deal with race, I think you need to deal with race head-on." Click here to read more.

Segregated’ Schools Hinder Reading Skills

Children in families with low incomes, who attend schools where the minority population exceeds 75 percent of the student enrollment, under-perform in reading, even after accounting for the quality of the literacy instruction, literary experiences at home, gender, race and other variables, according to a new study. The majority of black and Hispanic children in the United States attend such “minority segregated” schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

The study, by the FPG Child Development Institute (FPG) and the School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, examined reading development from kindergarten to third grade for 1,913 economically disadvantaged children. The children were part of the Children from Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Cohort, a nationally representative sample of more than 22,000 children enrolled in approximately 1,000 kindergarten programs.
“Good instruction is essential, but it’s not enough,” said Kirsten Kainz, an investigator at FPG, senior research associate in the School of Education and author of the study.

“Most current reading instruction initiatives and policies are aimed at improving classroom instruction,” Kainz said. “This research shows that characteristics of the child, the home, the classroom and the school influence reading development, and that maximally effective reading policy should address all four systems simultaneously.”

Kainz and her colleagues found that classroom and school characteristics had a larger affect on low-income students’ long-term reading abilities than the method of instruction or a child’s background, such as the parents’ employment patterns or size of the household.

The study also showed that the percentage of struggling readers in a classroom negatively influenced every student’s reading performance, erasing any benefits of comprehensive literacy instruction. Children attending kindergarten classrooms with higher percentages of students reading below grade level demonstrated constrained performance in reading at the end of kindergarten. The same was true for children in first grade.

Children were assessed in basic reading skills, vocabulary and comprehension. Researchers then considered how four levels of variables – child, family, classroom and school – affected reading skills. Data was collected as part of a national survey via telephone interviews and written questionnaires with caregivers, teachers and administrators.

“These findings support policies that promote comprehensive reading instruction, but indicate that just as much attention needs to be paid to ensuring that schools are integrated and to reducing classroom concentrations of children reading below grade level,” said Lynne Vernon-Feagans, a fellow at FPG and co-author of the study. Click here to read more.