1% raise across the board in 13-14!
When the Board of Education approved the FY14 budget Tuesday night, included was a 1% raise for all employees. Director of HR Stephanie Dobbins says that new salary schedules will be posted on our web site (look under Staff Resources) and contracts will not be reissued.
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Infinite Campus will be down for system maintenance
Friday, June 28 - Monday, July 1.
Infinite Campus should be available again Tuesday, July 2, but some custom reports may not be available again until Monday, July 8.
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Race to the Top: the Final Year?
a message from Alan Barge, coordinator
2013-2014 will be the final year for the Race to the Top initiative for Griffin-Spalding County School System...or will it? While true that funding for RT3 will officially end the fall of 2014, plans are presently being finalized to insure that the progression of school transformation continues long after the dollars have vanished. With that being the case, what can we, as a part of GSCS, expect in 2013-2014?
TKES, LKES, SLOs, and CCGPS have been a huge portion of RT3 in GSCS, and the emphasis on these initiatives will continue. But as this work moves ahead, you will hear more often the terms "building capacity" and "sustainability plan" as procedures are outlined for life after RT3.
Professional learning opportunities will be instrumental in building the capacity of those who work the plan...you! The electronic platform is undergoing changes in an attempt to make it more user friendly, expert teachers will create SLOs this summer so that additional course data will be accessible to inform instructional decisions that increase student achievement, and teachers are reviewing aspects of CCGPS for unit revisions. These and other changes will necessitate training, and you may expect that to occur. As capacity increases with more of us being able to work the plan, the initiatives begun during RT3 should flourish and be sustained down the road.
RT3 has never been only about what we can do with additional dollars, but has also focused on a commitment to improvement and a willingness to put in the time necessary for positive change to happen. Our job in the years to come will be to protect and maintain what works, and in that endeavor, you are the key!
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Jackson Road recognized for wellness practices
Laura Jordan, Jackson Road principal, and Andrea Woodruff, PE teacher, have been invited by the GA Department of Public Health to highlight the school's innovative work and programming this fall in a Power Up for 30 webinar. Congratulations, Jackson Road school family, for being recognized as a champion of school wellness and physical activity.
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EOCT Shows Improvement for Students
This year students taking the End-of-Course Tests (EOCT) in American Lit, Biology, Physical Science, U.S. History, Economics and Math II increased their scores while English 9 scores remained the same. Math I scores saw a decline at both the state and local level. Math I is a repeat class for students struggling in math. This is the first year for Coordinate Algebra so there are no comparisons.
EOCT in Griffin-Spalding County School System are aligned with Georgia's state mandated content standards and include assessment of specific content knowledge and skills. These tests are taken by 9-12 graders at the end of their course in English 9, American Lit, Biology, Physical Science, U.S. History, Economics, Math I and II and this year in Coordinate Algebra.
"Our work at aligning GSCS instruction with the state mandated content standards are showing success for our students," said Denise Burrell, deputy superintendent.
Superintendent Dr. Curtis Jones remarked, "The EOCT results represent up to 20% of a student's final grade. It is important that we prepare our students for success."
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GSCS Students Make Strides in CRCT
Key findings from the recently released CRCT (Criterion Referenced Competency Test) show Griffin-Spalding County School System students making academic improvements.
In Grade 3, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade level standards increased in reading, math, science and social studies while English/Language Arts dropped by one percent.
Grade 4 results show students meeting or exceeding grade level standards increased in reading, math and social students while science dropped one percent and English/Language Arts made a small drop.
Grade 5 students met or exceeded standards in reading, math and social studies while making small drops in English/Language Arts and science.
Grade 6 saw English/Language Arts, math and science improving while reading and social studies dropped in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards.
Seventh graders met or exceeded standards in reading, English/Language Arts, Science and social studies while making a slight drop in math.
Grade 8 students met or exceeded standards in math, science and social studies but made a very small drop in reading and English/Language Arts.
"This year we established a district focus on differentiated instruction while increasing the rigor and acceleration of learning in our system," said Denise Burrell, deputy superintendent.
Schools also included improvement goals to increase the percentage of students who exceeded grade level standards.
"I am pleased with our progress," said Dr. Curtis Jones, superintendent. "Our academic plans are focusing instruction on the skills that will make our students competitive in the world."
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Construction and facilities plans for 2013-14
Bruce Ballard, Construction and Facilities Director, shared these plans with administrators at their June meeting:
- Update and provide additional safety training at custodian and maintenance employee meetings
- Establish a better means to address vandalism and attempts to alter normal thermostat readings
- Continue with remaining SPLOST III projects ( Griffin High, Spalding High, Taylor Street campus, Memorial Stadium, etc.)
- Begin SPLOST IV design efforts and projects:
- Cowan Road Middle - bathrooms, kitchen and locker room refurbishing
- Install camera systems at the elementary schools
- Re-roof at Anne Street Elementary and Elementary Enrichment Center
- Begin design efforts in accordance with the approved Local Facility Plan priorities (1. Futral Road Elementary 2. Jackson road Elementary 3. Cowan Road Middle 4. Orrs Elementary 5. Atkinson Elementary 6. Crescent Elementary and 7. Beaverbrook Elementary)
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The next Communicator will be published on July 15, 2013. Please have a fun and safe holiday!
Click here for our non-discrimination statement
Judy Parker APR Editor
Griffin Spalding County School System
P.O. Drawer N
Griffin, GA 30224
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