Our
Employees
of the Week
...daring to do better! |
Anne Street Elementary
Katie Johnson
Cafeteria manger
for making sure all students and staff receive nutritious meals everyday that meals are served with love. She truly cares about our students and staff.
Heather Pelham
for being a relentless worker & a caring individual
Beaverbrook Elementary
Kathy Johnston
for spending many hours preparing & presenting a DI Literacy Center course for K-3 staff
Cowan Road Elementary
Eurnika Colquitt
Paraprofessional
for a Joyful spirit & for constantly reminding us that prayer still works
Crescent Elementary
Amy Daniels
Computer Lab/Music/Art Teacher
for organizing & coordinating after school Club Day -
268 students are participating
Futral Road Elementary
Sharon Totman
Interrelated Special Education Teacher
for her dedication to students and her excellent organizational work with the special education program
Jackson Road Elementary
Norma Gardner
Clerk
for being hyper-efficient & great multi-tasker; also for greeting all visitors with a smile and meeting their needs creating smooth daily operations
Jordan Hill Elementary
Joanna Johnson
Kindergarten teacher
going the extra mile and always having the best interest of students on her mind
Moore Elementary
Gary Henley
for his willingness to work before & after school to help students with homework & to reteach students for mastery of skills
Moreland Road Elementary
Nicki Gore
1st Grade Teacher
for dedication and for being a very active PBIS team member with obvious love for teaching children
Orrs Elementary
Cindy Cummins
Jackie Maynard
for outstanding job coordinating 2nd Annual Character Education 5-K Run
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Carver Road Middle
Chandra Bell
Math teacher
for being selected to serve on State Superintendent Bradley Bryant's Teacher Advisory Council
Cowan Road Middle
Dorothy Dennis
Custodial team member who enjoys & takes pride in her work
Kennedy Road Middle
Shelley Worley
for phenomenal instruction in English language arts
Rehoboth Road Middle
Julie Joiner
for doing a phenomenal job organizing & getting sponsorships for Jack-O-Lantern Jog
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Griffin High
Kay Moore
For her work behind the scenes to ensure that school operates efficiently. Thank you!
Clint Philips
for taking a special needs student to home football games. (Student could not attend otherwise.) ~~~
Fiesta T. Kagler
Newton County site Fulbright Fellowship
(see story on right)
Transportation
Renee Davis
Secretary
Without her tireless efforts the entire transportation system would come to a standstill.
Nutrition
Lorraine Akins
Cowan Road Middle
for preparing tasty baked items for Teacher of the Year & September's Adminstrative Meeting
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You continue to surprise me
a message from Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones
The GHS Interact Club won the "Most Spectacular Sinking Award" at the 2010 United Way Boat Race. | Last weekend, the Griffin-
Spalding County United Way campaign conducted its third annual boat race at Dundee Lake. The event gave Pacesetter organizations, such as ours, a chance to come together and build awareness of the importance of United Way to our community.
When I arrived at the boat race, I was surprised and happy to see Moore Elementary participating.
The school took the challenge and involved students in building a paper and cardboard boat. For their first race, they did exceptionally well! They had fun as their boat made its way across the lake. It even made the return trip! It was great to see the Griffin-Spalding County School System represented by Moore Elementary. Yay Moore!
Moore Elementary teachers Carmar Walker (back) and Wendy White (front) designed and paddled Moore's boat. |
But, the surprises did not stop there.
As I looked around, I saw a structure with a logo on it indicating it was the Interact Club. The GHS Interact Club had also decided to become a first-time participant. The students who actually built the boat also paddled it across the lake and back. Their boat was unique. When it started the course, it looked like a raft. When it crossed the finish line, it looked like wet paper! They also had fun! Congratulations, Griffin High School!
It was good to see two schools in the boat race.
A
s a pace-setter with United Way, we try to raise as much support as we can for local agencies before October. As you may know, our total contributions raised as of that day was $15,560. Our goal is $25,000. So we're still short. Click here to see where individual schools are in their pledging. (don't have the link yet)
I shared with those attending the boat race that we would continue to ask for your support for this very worthwhile effort. As you know, United Way is not for students and families to give, but rather for us to.
As a leader in our community, we also benefit from United Way. The day before the boat race was the Griffin Spalding Education Foundation Golf Tournament. Funds raised at the tournament benefit our teachers and classrooms through $1000 Education Foundation grants and $300 Partner in Education mini-grants.
During the tournament, I was told that about $19,600 had been raised. Now, it's looking more like $22,000 - over 10% more than last year!
Griffin-Spalding organizations are going out of their way to say, "We want to partner with teachers to improve education."
So the question is, "How can we respond?"
I believe the proper way to say thank you is by participating in United Way. We should lead the way in Spalding County. We can help the community as the community helps us. We're in this together, and together we can improve.
So, if you've already made your United Way contribution, thank you. If not, I ask you please consider supporting this very worthwhile effort. If you know a colleague who has not given, dare them to support United Way.
I know times are tough. We haven't had a pay raise in 3 years. Step increases are few and far between. Yet, I believe the more you give, the more you receive. So, I dare you to think about it and to contribute.
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 Mainstay Teacher Receives Fulbright Fellowship
Mainstay Academy teacher Fiesta T. Kagler has been named a Fulbright Fellow. The Griffin-Spalding County School System employee, currently completing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, was selected by the American Institute for Resource and Human Development (AIRHD) to participate in an intense five week program in Tanzania, Africa.
During the summer break, she served as the program's Assistant Project Director. The group, consisting of 17 educators, attended lectures at the University of Dar es Salaam, participated in book studies, developed curriculum, traveled to historical sites, and lived with the people of Tanzania.
She also visited various cities throughout Tanzania, including the capital city Dar es Salaam, Bagamoya, Arusha, and the island of Zanzibar.
Ms. Kagler enjoyed visiting the public schools and learning Kiswahili, the national language of the Tanzania. She said, "The children were very excited to have visitors from the U.S., and I was inspired by their dedication to learning."
Fulbright recipients have a unique opportunity to make an impact on their host communities and then share their experiences at home upon return. In keeping with the Fulbright philosophy, Ms. Kagler, who works at Mainstay Academy's Newton County site, is available to share her experiences.
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SHS students receive AP Scholar Awards
Fourteen students at Spalding High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams during the 2009 - 2010 school year. The College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 18 percent of the more than 1.8 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students' performance on AP Exams. At Spalding High School:
- Brittany Truitt qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
- Michael Weitzel qualified for the AP Scholar with Honors Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
Twelve students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Thomas Adams, Sarah Bakr, Paul Cronan, Jordana Jarrett, Benjamin Johnston, Megan Matthews, Erik Pasto, Megan Poole, Kevin Ray, Haythem Shata, Elizabeth Turner, and Kerrah Wood. |
| Employee Assistance Program
a message from our Human Resources Department
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