Friday Notes from Guilford County Schools

August 17, 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.

GCS Summer Schedule Ends

Please note that central office summer hours will end on August 17. GCS central offices will resume normal business hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 20.  The first day of school is August 28.

2007-08 Open House Schedule

Are you ready? GCS announces its 2007-08 Open House schedule for all schools. Click here to view the schedule. For more information about Open House events, parents should contact the individual school.

Back-to-School (BTS) Guide Now Available on GCS Web Site

The 2007 Back-to-School (BTS) Guide is now available for staff, parents and students to refer to as you start the new school year at GCS.  This valuable resource will help to keep parents informed regarding important information about transportation, inclement weather procedures, nutritional services, registration and more.  Important GCS phone numbers and directories are also included.

• A PDF version can be found on the Parent and Back-to-School Web pages for parents to download as needed
• A MS Word version is available via the Principals’ Portal for schools to download and customize with specific school information as desired

We hope you enjoy the 2007 BTS Guide and that you have a successful and safe new school year. Please provide us with your comments and any information that should be considered for inclusion in future editions. For more information, please contact Lynne Brandon, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-8353.

New Assignments

The following personnel action was taken during the August 14 Board of Education meeting:

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

Salary Increases for 2007-08

The following is provided as an overview of salary increases approved for 2007-08.  New salary schedules will be posted on the GCS Web site as soon as they are finalized.

Teacher Salary Schedules
Provides bachelor level teachers with a recurring salary increase of $1,240 per year.  In conjunction with step increases, teachers will receive on average a 5% pay increase in 2007-08.  Salary increase ranges from 4.05% for teachers moving from 28 to 29 years of service to 9.5% for teachers moving from 2 to 3 years of service.  A 31st step has been added to the top of the schedule (2% above the 30th step.)  Teachers paid on Step 0 during FY 2007-08 and employed for the entire school year shall receive an additional one-time sign-on bonus of $250, payable at the end of the school year.

School Based Administrator Salary Schedule
Provides assistant principals and principals with a recurring salary increase, which, when combined with a step increase provides on average a 4.44% overall pay increase in 2007-08.

Central Office Salaries
Increases salary ranges for central office personnel by 4% in 2007-08.

Non-certified Personnel Salaries
An increase of 4% was approved for all non-certified personnel.

• ACES Group Leaders and ACES Clerks are not eligible for this increase and will maintain their current salaries for 2007-08.
• The minimum salary for Teacher Assistants has been increased to $1,821 per month.  After the 4% legislated increase is computed, those making equal to or more than $1,821 per month are not to receive an additional increase.

Bonuses for Certified Personnel at Top of Range
Provides a one-time lump sum bonus of 2% to school-based administrators at the top of their respective pay schedules.

For more information, please contact Steve Foster, Executive Director for HR Operations, at 378-8822.

SIMS Operator is August Employee of the Month

For more than 20 years, Trudy Iddings, a Student Information Management Systems (SIMS) operator, has been the backbone of operations at Jackson Middle. She leads the yearbook staff, helps teachers with grading and provides a comfortable chair and open ear to those who need to take a little break. She decorates classrooms, greets visitors and is the person to ask if you have a question about Jackson Middle. After two decades of selfless, relentless commitment to Jackson, Trudy retired on August 1, but not before she was recognized for her outstanding service as the GCS Employee of the Month for August 2007. A mainstay of the school family, Trudys’ presence will be greatly missed.

As Employee of the Month, Trudy received a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club, which has partnered with GCS to support the employee recognition program. In addition, the Guilford County Board of Education recognized her at its August 14 meeting. For more information, please contact Lillian Govus, Program-Administrator-Communications, at 370-8997.

NWMS Chorus to Perform

The Northwest Middle School Chorus has been selected to perform at the North Carolina Music Educators In-Service conference on Monday, November 12 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC. Only two middle school choirs in North Carolina are selected to perform at the conference. Congratulations to these outstanding students! For more information, please contact Dena Adams, Northwest Middle Choral Director, at 605-3333.

UNCG and Hunter Elementary Host Teacher Educator Camp

The School of Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro believes that central to the closing of the achievement gap is the need to close the university-public school gap. As such, the School of Education at UNCG and Hunter Elementary, the university’s oldest professional development partner, will host a unique camp at UNCG’s Teaching Resource Center on August 20 at 8:30 a.m. The camp will underscore the importance, role and responsibilities of the public school cooperating teacher to the effective preparation of pre-service teachers.  The onsite teacher educator (OSTE) camp will be co-chaired by Drs. Samuel Miller and Gerry Duffy and Mr. Seth Parsons from the School of Educations’ Department of Curriculum and Instruction and a committee from Hunter including, Michelle Thompson, Sue Mercier, Claudia Siegal, Bonnie Larson, Sharon Kowalski, Salem Metzger, Lizzie Horne and Stephanie Maltais. For more information, please contact Principal Michelle Thompson at 294-7345 or 669-4672.

Majority of GCS College Tech Prep Completers Enrolls in Post-Secondary Education

GCS Career and Technical Education staff recently completed a follow-up study by calling 1,429 high school graduates from the class of 2006 who completed a College Tech Prep (CTP) course of study. Students who earn four or more high school credits in a Career and Technical Education course sequence in addition to meeting course requirements for graduation and college admission are considered to be CTP completers. CTP completers have the opportunity to earn advanced placement credit at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) for their high school Career and Technical Education courses and can qualify for a scholarship which pays the tuition for an associate degree at GTCC. 

The purpose of the follow-up study, which has been conducted annually since 1999, is to find out the actual post-secondary pursuits of students who complete a CTP course of study and to determine if their college major or employment is directly related to their high school course of study.   Of the 1,429 CTP completers who were contacted, 74% reported that they are continuing their education with 41% of them attending four-year college or university programs and 33% attending community colleges or trade schools.  Seventeen percent reported that they are employed full time and 3% are currently serving in the military. The majority of all of the CTP completers who were contacted reported that they are working or pursuing education that is directly related to the Career and Technical Education courses and the CTP course of study that they completed in high school.  For more information, please contact Sylvia Anderson, Director of College Tech Prep and Career and Technical Education, at 370-8357.

Fill the Bus and Tools for Schools Provide Teachers and Students with School Supplies

Local businesses are partnering with schools in GCS to provide needed supplies for the classroom.  Fill the Bus (FTB) is a business/school partnership program that begins each year with fulfilling the wish list of teachers for school supplies.  The latest figures from the National School Supply and Equipment Association (NSSEA) report show that on average, teachers annually spend at least $826 on school supplies, and often the figure is higher. 

To date 46 schools have been matched, but the drive to reach more schools will continue.  Additionally, the FTB initiative encourages volunteer relationships that will keep businesses and GCS connected the entire year.  Returning teachers will receive their supplies, next week in preparation for the beginning of school.

The Tools for Schools program in partnership with WFMY News 2 helps to put the right tools into the hands of students whose families may not be able to afford to buy items such as pencils, paper, markers, backpacks and more. The Tools for School program will continue throughout the month of August.  As you are shopping, be sure to pick up a few extra school supplies for the Tools for School bins located at the front of all Guilford County Wal-Mart locations.  You can view the list of school supplies at http://www.gcsnc.com/pdfs/tools4schools.pdf. For more information, please contact Lynne Brandon, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-8353.   

GCS AED Initiative Provides Northern Middle with Defibrillator

The GCS Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Initiative received a $1,500 donation from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro in memory of David Olin, former board and community grants committee member.  The donation was used to purchase a defibrillator for Northern Middle, thus completing the middle school portion of the GCS AED Initiative. All GCS high schools currently have defibrillators.  The next phase of this initiative will put defibrillators into GCS elementary schools.

Defibrillators are machines used to re-start a stopped heart or to restore normal heart rhythm. For more information, please contact Linda Helle, Office Support Academic Improvement, at 370-8962, or Herb Goins, Athletic Director, at 370-8950.

Teachers Bring Agriculture to the Classroom

Two GCS teachers spent time this summer learning how to emphasize the importance of agriculture in today’s society. Colfax Elementary teachers Lee Lashley and Ronda Redden attended the North Carolina Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom Summer Reading Teacher In-service Workshop.

The workshop hosted 54 kindergarten through fifth grade teachers from across the state. Educators in attendance learned strategies and lesson plans for teaching reading to elementary students while promoting an appreciation for North Carolina’s food and fiber production from the raw source to the consumable product.

Lee and Ronda participated in various activities at the workshop that included lesson demonstrations, hands-on learning activities, a “movie night” for previewing Ag in the Classroom video lessons and a full day of farm tours. For more information, please contact Haley Miller, Program Administrator-Communications, at 370-3200.

GCSTV 2

Principal Institute  

While a lot of educators were taking a summer break, principals in Guilford County Schools were spending their time preparing for the upcoming school year.  Discussing their goals and hearing from the experts is just part of the hard work that goes into planning for a successful year.  This program airs daily at 7:57 a.m. and 8:57 p.m.  

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 GCS 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 GCS 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.                

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).

Well-Earned Retirement
They have provided invaluable service to the students of Guilford County, but the time has come to retire.  A couple of hundred dedicated employees are honored with a reception in gratitude for their service.  For some, it’s time to relax and take it easy.  For others, it’s on to a new career or even back to the classroom.  This newsbreak airs Wednesday, August 22.         

Eastern Guilford High’s New Principal
It’s been a year of adversity and progress for the students, faculty and staff at Eastern Guilford High.  The November 2006 fire that destroyed the building disrupted lives and the educational experience for so many.  A new school year brings promise and a new principal who will help the Wildcats adjust to the move back to their campus.   This newsbreak airs Friday, August 24.   

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

NON-GCS EDUCATIONAL NEWS

Study: New teachers Quickly Near Average School Absentee Rate

Shortly after teachers start at a new school, their absentee rate nearly matches the school's average rate, according to an Australian economics study of 20,000 teachers published in the journal Labour Economics. "Individual behavior is affected by ... group behavior -- whether that is positive or negative," said lead researcher Steve Bradley. Click here to read more.