The Griffin-Spalding County School System is an outstanding school system. It is outstanding because of the individuals who work in all of our schools - teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, nutrition workers, custodians, and yes, even administrators.

 

We have individuals who come to work and do their very best to help students learn and to better understand the world in which they live and the world that one day they will lead.

 

Research tells us that the single most important variable in helping a student learn is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. So, I looked at data to see how well we are doing with our attendance - with being at work every day.

 

Collectively we have taken more than 10,700 days of leave from July 1, 2009, to January 20, 2010.  This includes sick leave, personal leave, professional leave, leave for jury duty, leave for student support team, and vacation days.

 

10,700 days. That's an average of more than 6.5 days out of work for every employee.

 

The employee absences in dollars alone cost us more than $895,000 for substitute pay not to mention the instruction lost or other work not completed.

 

On the plus side, we do receive $150 per position for a substitute teacher. Multiply that by our 700 teacher employees eligible for substitutes, and the total is $105,000. That leaves a huge gap between our costs and our eligible revenue.

 

I know that when you're sick we don't want you to come to school or work.  I also know that we have people who come to work everyday.

 

In these economic times, when we are trying our best to find the most effective ways to save money, shouldn't one of them be to decrease the amount of money that we spend on substitute pay?

 

Years ago the system tried awarding employees with perfect attendance with a monetary incentive. Our data showed there was no improvement in staff attendance. But I don't think we ought to give up.

 

I ask you:

• What ideas do you have to help us increase the number of employees who come to work everyday?
  
• What ideas do you have to decrease the amount of money being spent on substitute teachers' pay?

It will benefit all of us if we can find good answers. So please, if you have ideas, share them with me.

 

My number is 4. I've taken 2 personal days and 2 professional learning days. What's your number?

 

And as always, I dare you to do better.

At the Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, January 26, there was no action taken by the Board of Education to appoint a principal to Griffin High School.

 

Following an executive session on personnel, Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones withdrew his recommendation of Eclan David, the current Carver Road Middle School principal, for GHS principal.

 

Dr. Jones said, "We will open the application process again this week to seek the best fit for Griffin High School. The job should be re-posted shortly. 

 

"We are confident in the re-appointment of Mr. David as principal of Carver Road Middle School made by the board of education at its January 12 board meeting. During Mr. David's time at that school, Carver Road Middle has met AYP and decreased student discipline referrals. We have confidence that Carver Road Middle School will continue to experience success under Mr. David's leadership."

 

Dr. Jones said he expects a decision by the board to fill the principal position at Griffin High School in early March

The Griffin-Spalding County School System will hold Pre-Kindergarten registration the week of March 1-5, 2010.

 

Registration will be held in each public elementary school from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Parents must register their child at their zoned school. 

 

To participate, children must be four years of age on or before September 1, 2010, and must be a resident of Georgia.

 

Click here for more information.

S

 

tudents enrolling in the kindergarten program must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2010.

 

 

Parents are urged to register their children on March 4, 2010, in order that the school personnel can effectively arrange for staff members and classrooms.