GHS ELA TEACHERS CHOSEN BY GaDOE TO LEAD AS CHANGE AGENTS 

Griffin High School's English Language Art (ELA) teachers Leslie Fagin and Joy Thompson and AP Tiffany Taylor have been chosen by the GaDOE as "Change Agents." As "change agents" they will lead a workshop at the 2014 ELA Summer Academy "Teachers: Classroom Change Agents."

These teachers will emerge as teacher-leaders and share their experience and expertise before their peers from across the state of Georgia.

Congratulations!

Click HERE to view the 2014 ELA Summer Academy flyer

BOOK BAGS...NO NEED!

Help us create a safe learning environment and quality assessment time by encouraging your students not to bring book bags next week, June 2-6.  Let's work to keep items not needed at school away from our buildings.

GaDOE RELEASES VIDEO ON STUDENT GROWTH PERCENTILES 

The GaDOE's Georgia Student Growth Model (GSGM) video is now available! This animated video provides a friendly, brief overview of Student Growth Percentiles (SGP). GaDOE hopes this video is useful in continuing to roll out SGPs to principals, teachers, parents, and students.

Click this link to view the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watchfeature=player_embedded&v=dyArv7184ZY

MERCER HOST COLLEGE FOR KIDS & YOUTH UNIVERSITY

Mercer College for Kids and Youth University are summer enrichment programs for 1st - 8th grade students. These summer enrichment programs encourage and nurture academically talented students through instruction and activities in the areas of creative writing, mathematics, and science. 

The 2014 Mercer Youth Programs are scheduled for three weeks (June 9 -13, June 16-20 or June 23-27) in Macon, Henry County, and Douglas County. Individual classes are one week for 15 hours of instruction - 3 hours daily, morning or afternoon. Each corse cost $180.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Summer Break 

www.teacherlife365.com/

• Consider the year that has come to a close. While things are still fresh in mind, take the opportunity to reflect on the past year. What were 3 successes from your year?  What are 3 things you'd like to improve upon for the upcoming year?  Write down your thoughts so you'll remember them once August rolls around.
• Make some plans to catch up with those things that you've put on the back burner over the last 9 months. Plan to meet friends for dinner, shopping or a movie. Take the kids to the park with a picnic lunch. Crack into the stack of books on the nightstand. Put these things on your calendar. Honor them as you would any other important appointments.  These are non-negotiable items and are just as critical to your happiness and well-being as eating and sleeping.
• Try one new thing. Now is the time to: learn to knit, skydive, fix your golf swing, figure out how to refinish that dresser in the garage, start a running program...the list can go on and on.  Don't pick 10 things - but do choose one and give it a go.  You might find a new passion!
• Plan for down time. Again...PLAN FOR DOWN TIME.  This is something that really should be done all year long, but usually gets pushed to the side when things get busy. It's not a waste of time to sit on your deck with a cup of coffee and a magazine. Allow yourself to do it, and give yourself permission to not feel as though you should be doing something else. You'll find that when you tackle something requiring more cognitive power, you'll be able to get through it faster and will produce a much better product.
• Consider disconnecting from technology periodically. Technology has invaded every aspect of our lives, from the time our feet hit the floor in the morning until we go to bed at night. Consider blocking one day per week to shut everything down and give your brain and body respite from the 24/7 audio and visual assault. I promise there will be no life changing pins or status update revelations that will not still be there on the following day.

SUMMER READING LIST FOR EDUCATORS

 Here are some good reading suggestions for you  while you are relaxing on the couch, sitting poolside or lying on the beach. 

• Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning by Best-Selling Author Mike Schmoker. This book will help students who are depending on leaders and policymakers to listen to the evidence, give up the fad of the day and focus on learning.
• Teaching the Critical Vocabulary of the Common Core: 55 Words That Make or Break Student Understanding - ASCD author Marilee Sprenger explains the compelling reasons to teach these 55 crucial words and provides fun, memorable strategies for making these words stick in students' minds.
• Learning -Driven Schools: A Practical Guide for Teachers and Principals by Barry Beers. This book is a rallying cry and how-to-guide rolled into one, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone passionate about learning.
• Better Learning Through Structured Teaching: A Framework for the Gradual Release of Responsibility, 2nd Edition - In this updated edition, teacher leaders Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey dig deeper into how teachers can equip students with what they need to develop content understanding and be self-directed learners.
• Learning in the Fast Lane: 5 ways to put ALL Students on the Road to Academic Success -Veteran classroom teacher and education consultant Suzy Pepper Rollins identifies eight high-impact, overarching practices to foster academic achievement, including increasing students' vocabulary, building students' motivation, and addressing gaps within the context of new learning.

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style."

~ Maya Angelou

 "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it."

~ Maya Angelou 

STATE 

HEALTH 

DATA ISSUES

State Health implemented a new portal in August, 2013. Since the implementation, State Health has experienced data issues that affect our active employees, retirees, terminated employees and employees who have transferred from other school systems in Georgia. GSCS HR is responsive within the limits of what we can control. State Health will not deal with anyone other than the affected party on some issues. Please see the guidance on the appropriate place for results.

Contact State Health at 1-800-610-1863 for the following types of issues: 

• To declare a qualifying event.  This can also be handled through the new portal on our benefits website:  www.mygscsbenefits.com
• To Resolve "Pending"  status for the qualifying event, you must submit the required documentation (copies of: birth certificate, marriage license, social security cards, credible coverage letters for gain/loss of coverage, etc.)  When submitting the documentation, please write your social security number on each document.  Fax the supportive documentation to 1-866-828-4796
• To Report that you received a health insurance card and you did not elect coverage for 2014

Contact Blue Cross Blue Shield if you did not receive a new insurance card for self and/or dependents:

• To request a card call 1-855-641-4862  -OR-
• To print a temporary card go to the bcbsga.com link from our benefits website above where you will register using your Social Security Number as your member number

We apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced.  It is our goal to provide excellent customer service to all GSCS employees. However, we ask for your understanding of these issues which are outside our control that are causing the bulk of these problems. We appreciate your patience in working with our office as we go through this temporary trial.