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the gscs 
COMMUNICATOR
system-wide straight talk
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Employee newsletter published by the
Communications & Partnerships Department February 3-7, 2014
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Hello Everyone, 
This has been an uncertain week. It is always challenging making decisions concerning the weather.
We made the decision to have school on Tuesday because we want students in school and because the threat of icy roads was to begin around 5:30 p.m. We therefore decided on an early dismissal that would have all students home by 3:30 p.m., a full two hours before the predictions of icy roads.
On Tuesday, 8,489 GSCS students attended school, received instruction and were delivered home safely. The students that came to school on Tuesday received instruction and enhanced their learning. Staff had an affect on each of those students and that impact might have been the key piece of instruction needed to ensure future success.The possibilities are endless.
But Tuesday was just the beginning! Wednesday and Thursday kept us all at home. We made the decision on Friday to have a prep day without students due to the issue of black ice on the side of our roads and on rural roads. I hope that you used this day to plan exciting lessons for the days to come.
I want to commend the teachers for keeping students focused, our transportation department and bus drivers for safely delivering our students, the nutrition staff for being flexible with lunches, the administrators for their leadership, and central office staff for their support. Thank you all for sticking together as a part of this truly great team even when the going gets tough. I am proud of our team and appreciate your vested interested in the education and well-being of our students. You are everyday heroes and we are proud of you.
By the way, I know many of you are curious about make-up days. This item will be discussed at February's Board of Education meeting. We will let you know the decision shortly after.
Have a great week.
Curtis
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GSCS CENTRAL OFFICE
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Bruce Ballard,
Maintenance and Facility Director
Bruce's dedication to this school system is remarkable. I am not sure most people know just how much he does. He always has his hands full and goes above and beyond to make sure our school system is well maintained and a safe place for our students.
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Griffin High School teacher, James Lindsey, has been chosen as an
11Alive Class Act. This is a recognition award that honors/showcases teachers in the metro Atlanta area. Donna Lowry (and crew) will visit GHS on Feb. 4th to interview Mr. Lindsey and present the award.
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Southern Regional Education Board brought staff members from Lanier High School in Gwinnett County to visit Griffin High School on Tuesday, January 28, 2014. GHS Principal, Keith Simmons, answered their questions about the GHS Freshman Academy.
The GHS Freshman Academy program continues to get accolades and inquiries throughout the state. |
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GSCS KIDS COMMUNICATE
Please send your
students humorous communications to laura.beaber@gscs.org. All entries will remain anonymous.
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ATTENTION ALL GSCS STAFF -DID YOU GET THE CALL???
On Monday, January 27, 2014, a call concerning the winter weather conditions was sent out to all staff. Per the delivery report, 50 percent of the calls were not received. That means half of our staff's phone numbers are currently missing or incorrect in the MCALEER system. If you did not receive Monday's call, please contact Human Resources to ensure that your phone number is correct in the MCALEER system.
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 2014 TEACHERS RETIREMENT WORKSHOP
(TRS Members only)
The Teacher Retirement System annual retirement planning workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, 2014 from 4:30-5:30 in the GSCS Learning Center. Individual sessions for Wednesday, February 26th and Thursday, February 27th are full.TRS has agreed to come back for individual sessions in April. Notifications will be communicated once the dates are confirmed. You may register for the workshop on-line by following the instructions below.
To register for either event, follow these easy steps:
- Visit www.trsga.com
- Click on "Account Login" link in the upper navigation bar
- Select "Active Member" and proceed to the Account Login page
- Register for and/or log in to your TRS account
- Click on "Register for an event"
- Pick the event and time of your choice
You will receive an automatic e-mail confirmation upon your successful registration.
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 PIE TUITION REIMBURSEMENT SCHOLARSHIP
Griffin-Spalding Partners In Education is offering scholarships for up to $1,000 each to Griffin-Spalding County School System teachers who are currently seeking additional certification or advanced degrees related to their teaching/educational field.
To qualify, applicants should:
* Have at least one year of service as a certified employee in the Griffin-Spalding County School System.
* Complete the online application at www.gspie.org
between February 1, 2014- February 28, 2014.
Recipients must:
* Provide 2013 grades and a tuition receipt (or loan statement) for reimbursement up to $1,000 (Scan and attach to the application).
* Agree, upon completion of certification or degree, to serve as a teacher or administrator in the Griffin�-Spalding County School System for at least one year if offered a position.
* Remain in good academic standing while receiving scholarship funding by maintaining passing grades and a 3.0 GPA or higher.
The tuition reimbursement scholarships may be used for tuition, books, or lab fees.
Recipients will be notified in April 2014.
Visit www.gspie.org or click HERE for application.
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BOARD OF COMMUNITY HEALTH APPROVES 2014 PLAN DESIGN CHANGES 
Message from Kathy Gossett, Benefits/HR Department
On January 27, 2014 the Board of Community Health voted 5-0 to approve changes to the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) plan designs for 2014. The design changes enhance the health plan options for SHBP members by replacing co-insurance with co-pays for medical and pharmacy benefits. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGA) will administer SHBP's enhanced plan designs. Co-pays will become effective on March 14, 2014, and will be retroactive to January 1, 2014. Premiums, deductibles, out-of-pockets and HRA contributions will not be affected. SHBP members do not need to take any action to receive these new benefits. SHBP members will remain in the plan they chose during Open Enrollment for the balance of 2014.
Click link for entire news release:
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FLEX SPENDING
 If you enrolled in the Flex Spending for 2013, this is a reminder that the grace period for reimbursements will end the middle of Feb. You can obtain information on our benefits website: www.mygscsbenefits.com under the employee benefits tab by clicking on Flex Spending.
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STATEWIDE TORNADO DRILL FEB. 5, 2014 AT 9:00 AM
Governor Nathan Deal has declared February 3-7 as Severe Weather Awareness Week. During Severe Weather Awareness Week, this year's statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5. If there is a threat of severe weather on that day, the drill will be postponed until Friday, February 7. Before the drill, please review your school's severe weather emergency preparedness plan with teachers, students, and staff. Make sure everyone knows where safe areas are located within the school where students and staff can find shelter during an emergency. On drill day, an actual Tornado Watch will NOT be issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). In addition, the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will NOT be activated by radio and television stations. For drill purposes, please assume that a Tornado Watch is in effect when school begins and do what your emergency plan specifies during a Tornado Watch. At 9:00 a.m., the NWS will issue a Required Weekly Test (RWT) on NOAA Weather Radio. The RWT will be the Tornado Warning for the drill. To determine when the drill begins, you must monitor the display screen on your NOAA Weather Radio to see the RWT scroll. Some NOAA Weather Radio models sound a tone alert for a RWT, other models do not. If your Weather Radio receiver does not sound a tone alert for a RWT, proceed with the drill at 9:00 a.m. Students and staff should seek shelter immediately. There will be no all-clear message when the drill concludes at 9:30 a.m. Updated Severe Weather Awareness Week's specific observations are: - Monday, Feb. 3 - Family Preparedness and NOAA
Weather Radio - Tuesday, Feb. 4 - Thunderstorm Safety
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 - Tornado Safety and Statewide Tornado Drill (issued by NWS)
- Thursday, Feb. 6 - Lightning Safety
- Friday, Feb. 7 - Flood Safety (alternate drill date)
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"We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed."
~Charles Caleb Colton
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ATTENTION TEACHERS: MORE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN HOW TO CREATE A TEACHER PAGE THAT POPS!
Workshop will focus on:
- webpage & calendar features
- creating content
- news & links
- blogs & discussion
- posting assignments
Workshop presented by:
Designs Created Intl.
Go to PDExpress to register for one of the FREE workshops:
March 6, 2014 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. SHS Media Center March 12, 2014 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. GHS Mac Lab in room 304 March 18, 2014 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Computer lab A2-11 upstairs at Central Office March 24, 2014 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. SHS Media Center Teachers will need to bring the following with them to training: - Photos of your students, and 1 of yourself
- Contact Information - (Name, Email, Telephone number, etc.)
- Pertinent links relative to their grade level/classrooms
- Actual assignments that can be categorized into specific Course folders
- A Welcome/Introduction Message
- Any events that are soon coming up
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MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
GIVEN BY THE GRIFFIN-SPALDING RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
Purpose: A Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 is being given to encourage and reward an employee of the Griffin-Spalding School System who desires to become a certified public school teacher. (This includes substitutes and any classified employees.)
Guidelines:
- Applicant must currently be enrolled in a teacher education program or accepted into a teacher education program (A form to verify this is included with the application). Applicant must be seeking his/her first certification. Previous winners of this scholarship are ineligible; however, those who have previously applied and did not win are encouraged to reapply.
- Funds may be used for fees, tuition, books or any other educational need.
- Three reference forms must be completed, signed and included with the application below. (Please make copies of the reference form.)
- A transcript that shows GPA and SAT or ACT scores must also be included with the application.
Deadline: April 25, 2014.
Mail applications to:
Kathryn Lance, Scholarship Chairman
Griffin-Spalding Retired Educators Association
139 Morris Mill Rd.
Griffin, GA 30223
For more information:
Contact Mrs. Lance at klance97@comcast.net.
This scholarship will be presented on Monday, May 19, 2014, at the regular meeting of the Griffin-Spalding Retired Educators Association.
Click HERE for complete application, reference form, & verification sheet.
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Click HERE to view 15 most egregious grammar goofs helpful infographic. With this handy reference, you'll never look silly again.
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Click HERE for our non-discrimination statement.
Laura Beaber, Editor
GSCS Communications and Partnerships Department
PO Drawer N
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