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Thank you! | |
recipients on Friday, May 7, 2010, to see foundation grant projects in action.
Thank you to these teachers for sharing their classrooms with the foundation:
Beaverbrook Elementary
Carrie Davis
Hollie Jeffcoat
Cowan
Road Middle
Jamie Churchman
Nicki Gore
Christi Whitson
Pictured: Dick Brooks of First National Bank talks with a Beaverbrook Elementary School student about math while working with division manipulatives. |
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Need some classroom
roll paper? | |
a message from Bruce Ballard, Director of Facilities & Maintenance
You may recall that during the 2009 Norcom Education Celebration & Free Store for Teachers, large rolls of white paper were given away.
We still have some.
If you want a roll, please tell your principal how many you want by Friday, May 14, so this paper can be delivered to your classroom by the maintenance department.
***Please note that this
is not copy paper.*** |
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Judge rules in favor of state created charter schools | |
A judge for Fulton County Superior Court ruled today that the charter schools created by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission are constitutional.
The Griffin-Spalding County School System along with the school systems of Gwinnett, Atlanta, DeKalb, Bullock, Candler, and Henry had sought a declaratory judgment on the constitutionality of provisions of the Georgia Code concerning the Georgia Charter School Commission and Commission charter schools.
Additionally, the suit sought injunctive relief preventing the Georgia Charter School Commission from diverting state and local funds away from local school systems to fund the creation of Heron Bay Academy.
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Where did the summer go?
a message from Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones
 Okay, I know you're saying, "It's just the first part of May... we haven't gotten to summer yet! I can't wait for it to start!"
And yet, as soon as June rolls around, you're gonna close your eyes, open them, and realize that June has flown by.
Our June is action-packed.
First, we are very excited about our Teachers as Learners Conference. Our guest speaker, Dr. Carolyn Coil, will share ideas about how to implement differentiated instruction with fidelity.
We've been asking for practical differentiated instruction that people can relate to and use in the classroom and are excited about having a conference of this quality for our teachers. I can't wait to see that conference happen - an exciting time!
Almost at the same time, there will be Positive Behavior Support training for our elementary schools. Many of you know we implemented Positive Behavior Support, or PBS, in our secondary schools this year. We will continue to cascade Positive Behavior Support throughout the school system by having excellent PBS training for elementary schools (as well as refresher training for secondary schools) at the Welcome Center.
Another exciting opportunity this summer is the free summer school for our students in grades 3, 5 and 8. We've done summer school before, but this will be different. We are taking a look at each individual student who didn't pass the CRCT to see if that student will be placed into 4th grade, 6th grade, or 9th grade. A large part of that decision will be based on summer school attendance.
While summer school will not be mandatory, it should be strongly encouraged by all of us because just as football teams prepare for their seasons, we will be preparing for our next school year this summer. Join us as our students get ready to be promoted to the next grade and not placed. Exciting - free summer school!
We will also have what I hope will become an exciting celebration for us. This past Wednesday, I drove a van of individuals to the Georgia Department of Education where we received a critique of Griffin High School's school improvement grant application. This grant, advertised as an extreme makeover for Griffin High School, could be up to $6 million dollars.
Well, they did not approve the grant. In fact, they said they had reviewed 29 applications so far, and only two might be approved at the June State Board of Education meeting.
I'll be honest, the individuals from both Griffin High and Central Office who worked so hard on this grant weren't feeling too good. But, then the next thing we were told is, "Griffin High School's application might be one of the two applications to be presented to the State Board of Education" - if we make a few requested modifications.
Believe me, we will make those modifications! There so many possibilities for Griffin High School with this grant. We can't wait for it to be revised and submitted to the state board, and, hopefully approved!
So, June is going to be a fast paced month - Teachers as Learners Conference, PBS training, and summer school for grades 3, 5, and 8. I didn't mention the Griffin RESA Retreat for aspiring and young leaders that continues professional development locally.
Good things are happening, and good things will be happening this summer with all the work this summer, especially during the month of June.
I can't tell you how excited I am about the potential we have for continuing to make major gains next school year. June is going to be action-packed, but it's going to give us great dividends.
So, I hope you can be a part of it. Join us as we continue to roll up our sleeves and continue to dare to do better!
Have a great week-end! |
 2010-2011 Employee Work Schedule Approved | |
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| School system moves to 4-day summer work week |
At the Board of Education retreat on Friday, April 9, board members agreed to support a 40 hour, 4-day summer work schedule for employees that begins the week of June 7 and ends the week that begins on July 12, 2010.
In addition, our system will be closed the entire week of July 5th for all employees with the exception of our maintenance workers. Maintenance will observe the schedule set out by Bruce Ballard for that week.
This is one of the measures to cut costs and improve operational efficiencies in light of worsening budget conditions.
We will work the 40 hour week through four 10-hour days for those selected weeks in June and July. All facilities will be closed on Fridays.
We estimate that potential savings on utility costs alone through the closing of all facilities one day per week are $8,000 - $10,000 daily.
The cost saving measure will be widely publicized to our stakeholders so they will know when services/ information will be available to them so they are not negatively affected.
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| Staggered School Start Times | |
Facing a projected $4 million cut in revenue for FY11, the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education at its retreat meeting prior to spring break made the decision to begin staggering school start times in August to save almost $1 million in bus transportation costs alone over a three-year period.
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New school start /end schedule for 2010-11 |
Current school start/end schedule | |
High school:
7:40 am to 3:00 pm |
High school:
8:00 am to 3:20 pm | |
Elementary school:
8:00 am to 2:30 pm |
Elementary school:
8:15 am to 2:45 pm | |
Middle school:
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Middle school:
8:00 am to 3:10 pm |
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| 2010 Cost containment committees meet for first time to cut $4 million dollar from budget |
Two cost containment committees, appointed by Griffin-Spalding County School System Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones, started meeting Wednesday, May 5, 2010, to determine how to cut the Griffin-Spalding County School System's budget up to $4 million because of reduced state revenues.
The board of education has already implemented 2010-2011 staggered school start times and a 4-day 40-hour summer work week to begin cutting the budget.
Members of the two cost containment committees are:
Group A:Sara Jones, Chair - Jackson Road Elementary School
Lynn Baade - Program Challenge Center
Bruce Ballard - Central Office, Facilities & Maintenance
Stephanie Dobbins - Central Office, Human Resources
Valeria Gladney - Griffin High School
Lonnie Harper - Kennedy Road Middle School
Aleshia McCray - Crescent Elementary School
Lisa Miller - Moreland Road Elementary SchoolLaverne Sims - Central Office, School Nutrition ProgramEvan Stitt - Incoming Partners in Education Chairman & VP of Finance and Human Resources, Norcom
Group B:Eclan David, Chair - Carver Road Middle School
Leslie Benefield - Futral Road Elementary School
Dee Collier - Central Office, Student ServicesJosh Griffis - Central Office, Administrative Technology
Ryan McLemore - Central Office, FinanceRasheeda McNeal - Anne Street Elementary parent
Jan Obert - Jordan Hill Elementary
Rhonda Shields - Cowan Road ElementaryBen Steele - Cowan Road Middle School
Teisha Waller - Spalding High School
These cost containment committees will work independently to seek solutions for the budget situation. Once both committees have determined their priorities, they will make recommendations to the superintendent, who will then in turn make recommendations to the board of education.
The committee will start with ideas that have already been suggested and will suggest more ideas about how best to absorb this $4 million dollar deficit.
Those ideas, many from GSCS employees, include: staff work schedule adjustments; elimination of step increases (where legally permissible); review of staffing patterns of Kids in Action employees; elimination of middle school athletics programs; cost sharing of competition travel with high schools; reducing number of elementary school specials; reducing number of middle school resource officers; reducing allocation of state professional development; standardizing paraprofessional work day and work year; reducing allocation of 20 day extension program; reducing number of kindergarten paraprofessionals; millage rate increase; and strategic use of reserve fund.
School system personnel, parents, and community members are invited to share any cost-cutting ideas with these committees. Public FY11 budget meetings will be held in June.
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| Our high schools to offer instructional extensions and credit recovery in June |
A.Z. Kelsey Academy, Griffin High School, and Spalding High School will be offering instructional extension and credit recovery programs during the month of June.
This summer program will replace the traditional summer school program that has been offered in the past.
Each high school will offer a summer program, free of charge, for its own students June 7 - June 24. Funding for staff will come from federal Title I funds and 20-day instructional extension funds.
There will be three kinds of instructional programs:
- Math I and Math II Repair: Students who do not pass Math I or Math II will have the option to
participate in this summer repair program (taught by math teachers) in order to be considered for moving up to the next level course in 2010-2011.
- Credit Recovery: Students who did not receive credit (due to failing grades or absences) will have the option to take one or two half- unit courses to recover credit.
- Credit Accrual: Students who need to accrue credit in order to graduate at the end of the summer session will have the option to take one or two half-unit courses.
School counselors will be recommending students for the appropriate programs. For more information, high school students and their parents are encouraged to speak to their assigned school counselor. Registration for these programs begins Monday, May 10, 2010.
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| Board Briefs |
At the regular meetings on April 27, and May 4, 2010, the board of education. . . .
Heard reports on:
Announced:
- Toby Ray, business teacher at Griffin High School, has been named Graduate Student of the Year by the Georgia College & State University Educational Leadership Masters Program.
- Spalding High School student Jordan Tapley has been named as her school's Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership winner for this year.
- Griffin High School Artistic Touring Ensemble, directed by teacher James Lindsey, placed 1st at the nationally recognized Heritage Music Festival. The group also received the festival's Spirit Award for "Best Representation of Community and School".
- Kennedy Road Middle School eighth grade student Sara Hockett was recently named the first place winner in the Georgia Farm Bureau essay contest.
In other business the board recognized. . .
- Griffin High School
- Emily Lamb - STAR Student
- Elizabeth Todd - STAR Teacher
- Spalding High School
- Elizabeth Turner - STAR Student
- Joshua Todd - STAR Teacher
- Twenty-one Elementary Math Madness Winners and competition organizer Beth Gaff (Principal, Crescent Elementary School). - Six Spalding High School students for placing at the Region 4AAA Literary Competition and their advisor and competition organizer Janet Prothro (SHS). - Griffin High School and Spalding High School National Latin Exam winners and their teachers Sabra Hope (GHS) and Todd Benz (SHS). - Griffin High School and Spalding High School National German Exam winners and their teacher Patrick Wallace (GHS & SHS). |
| COMMUNICATOR will continue during summer! | |
Stay informed!
We will continue to email the gscs COMMUNICATOR to you during the summer.
You may also access our e-newsletter by simply visiting the GSCS website. Look for COMMUNICATOR in Staff Resources.
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