GSCS
HIGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
A.Z.KELSEY ACADEMY
Stephanie Evans is A.Z. Kelsey's Employee of the Month. She is loyal and dedicated to our school and the school system. She goes above and beyond her duties and expectations every day. She wears many hats to ensure student achievement is the focus and that it is done with consistency and fidelity. She stays late and comes in on weekends when needed to make sure everything gets done. We at AZKA appreciate Mrs. Evans and her commitment.
GRIFFIN HIGH SCHOOL
Becca Valdez, Media Specialist is Griffin High's Employee of the Month. Mrs. Valdez has done an outstanding job managing the entire GHS library efficiently and effectively. Mrs. Valdez oversees our entire Title 1 inventory and monitors our school webpage, as well as many other social media outlets. She was recently featured in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Students love to go to the library to enhance what they have learned in the classroom. Our media center is truly the hub of our school.
MAINSTAY ACADEMY
Ms. Donya Henderson is the Mainstay Academy Employee of the Month. Ms. Henderson has recently returned to Mainstay Academy from her student teaching and she has jumped right back into the saddle. She has planned, provided instruction and assisted with a variety of classrooms to cover staff absences. She has been a huge help to our program each and every day. She approaches all assignments with a positive and professional attitude and does a wonderful job.
SPALDING HIGH SCHOOL
Spalding High is pleased to recognize Amanda Breland as our Employee of the Month. Mrs. Breland is our "Jag-of-all-Trades." She works tirelessly throughout the building to ensure our technology is working properly for teachers and students. She maintains an excellent school webpage and multiple social and educational networking sites to keep SHS connected with students, parents and the community. Above all, she displays passion and enthusiasm working with the students of SHS. Thank you Mrs. Breland for all that you do for SHS!
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RRMS
Congrats to Rehoboth Road Middle School for receiving 2nd place in Division 1
at the Griffin RESA 2015 Regional Middle School
Math Contest!
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CRMS LADY EAGLES
ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP
Carver Road Middle School
Lady Eagles clinched the
region 12-0. They will advance to the Championship. They
will host Gray Station on
Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. at Carver
Road. Come out & show your support! Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for students.
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SHS STUDENTS ATTEND DISTRICT VI HONOR CHOIR
Members of the Spalding High Chorus recently attended the Georgia Music Educator's District VI Honor Choir. They rehearsed with students from surrounding counties and performed a concert at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center on Jan. 24th. We are very proud of these students and the way they represented the Griffin-Spalding County school system! Go Jags!
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RRMS STUDENT SELECTED IN
ALL-STATE BAND
After passing two strenuous auditions, RRMS 8th grader Sarah Smyly has been selected as a member of the Georgia
All-State Band. She will
attend the All-State Band
Clinic on Feb. 26-28 in
Athens and the concert will
be performed on Sat., Feb. 28
at the Athens Classic Center.
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 GHS RFL DANCE
Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
GHS Commons
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COWAN DUCK HUNTERS
Mandy Colwell's Cowan
Road Elem. third grade class
wants to share their blog about one of their exciting STEM projects:
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GHS COACHES SHOW SUPPORT
Last week Griffin High coaches supported Coaches vs. Cancer and wore Suits and Sneakers to promote cancer awareness.
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GRIFFIN HONOR BAND CONCERT
 Griffin Honor Band
(7th & 8th grade students from all GSCS Middle Schools)
Community Concert
Sat., March 14, 2015
2:30 PM
Griffin Auditorium
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FUN FEBRUARY
OBSERVANCES
Feb. 8-15, 2015 -
Bacon Week & Jell-O Week
Feb. 22-28, 2015 -
National Engineers Week
Feb. 26, 2015 -
Tell a Fairy Tale Day
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The Griffin Region College and Career Academy is on the eSPLOST. I have heard a few comments like, "We don't need a college and career academy. It is nothing new. Dual enrollment has been around for a long time." I understand that viewpoint to a certain degree. But I also know that many years ago, some very wise people said we did not need to spend tax money on building new highways like I-75; after all,
we have US 19/41 and it is fine!
Dual enrollment was once seen exclusively as a way for high-achieving students to gain a head start on college. Today dual enrollment is increasingly viewed as a potential bridge to college for all students including those traditionally underrepresented in higher education such as minorities and those from low-income families.
It's estimated there are currently 7,000 career academies nationwide, enrolling more than one million students generally in grades 10 through 12. Career academies have traditionally been located in urban school districts but in recent years have expanded to suburban and rural areas as well.
Extensive data proves the effectiveness of career academies in improving students' academic performance, preparing them for post-secondary education and boosting their earning potential after high school. In particular, numerous studies show how successful career academies are in encouraging the success of students who otherwise were likely to fall between the cracks.
Furthermore, academies focus equally on college preparation and career preparation because in many cases they are the same. One national report states, "Even students who are determined to attend the most selective four-year college can benefit from a career academy because they can gain a better understanding of academic subjects when these subjects are applied to problems and situations in which the students are interested. For example, students who are interested in health and medicine can enroll in a health academy and gain additional insight into biology and chemistry by using them to perform actual lab tests." (Stern, Dayton, & Raby, 2010)
The Board of Education has joined me in a long-term commitment to a College and Career Academy. Our students deserve the best. They deserve every opportunity we can provide. Join us in our enthusiasm for the College and Career Academy.
Have a great weekend!
COLDR
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From the PAGE Legislative Alert
ALERT ON PROPOSED HEALTH INSURANCE ELIMINATION
 This week, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget released the Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) budget. In the Department of Community Health's (DCH) budget, two provisions (number 11 and 12 on page 137 of the budget) will eliminate State Health Benefit Plan coverage for non-certified public school employees who work fewer than 30 hours a week after January 1, 2016. In the Joint Appropriations Committee meeting on Tuesday, January 20, DCH Commissioner Clyde Reese cited that the state currently incurs a deficit of close to $135 million for covering these employees. He also stated that he expects most of these employees will find coverage elsewhere including the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health exchange.
Currently, SHBP regulations state that local school systems must contribute to the health insurance fund a certain portion of costs as established by local boards of education. However, local boards can opt out of participating in SHBP with the option of enrolling the schools in their system as a group with a private insurance company. With these two provisions that are included in the FY16 budget, systems will no longer cover non-certified employees thus allowing the districts to establish their own contracts with insurance companies or encouraging these employees to apply for coverage through the ACA health exchange.
Read more...
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 2015 INCENTIVES WELL-BEING PROGRAM KICKOFF
FOR ALL PLANS UNDER BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AND UNITED HEALTH CARE ONLY:
All well-being incentive actions must be completed by December 15, 2015 to count towards the 2015 Incentives. Click HERE to see chart.
FOR KAISER PERMANENTE ONLY:
The above 2015 Incentives DO NOT apply to Kaiser Permanente. Click HERE for information regarding Kaiser Incentives.
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SUPERINTENDENT WOODS ON ESEA REAUTHORIZATION: WE MUST FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
January 26, 2015 - State School Superintendent Richard Woods today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, members of Georgia's congressional delegation and members of the U.S. Senate and House Education Committees about the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In his letter, he calls for a balance between accountability and responsibility with regard to testing requirements.
 "With the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act comes an opportunity to address the valid concerns of students, parents, teachers, and communities regarding the quantity and quality of federally mandated standardized tests," Superintendent Woods wrote in the letter. "As a nation, we have surrendered time, talent, and resources to an emphasis on autopsy-styled assessments, rather than physical-styled assessments. With the reauthorization of ESEA comes an opportunity for a real paradigm shift in the area of assessment."
Read more...
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Heroic Choices: Step Up
Click HERE for handout.
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 BECOME A TEACHER! APPLY FOR A GSCS TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP
The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS), in an effort to develop committed, qualified teachers has allocated two (2) scholarships for paraprofessionals or other classified applicants who are employees of GSCS. The scholarships provide financial assistance toward teacher certification. We believe some of the school system's best teacher candidates are already working within our school system.
Who Can Apply: Any GSCS classified employee pursuing an approved teacher preparation program in a Georgia college or university with at least one year of service in our system.
Funding: Provides scholarship funding of $1,000.00 per recipient.
The Application deadline is March 6, 2015.
Click HERE for requirements, instructions and application.
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GRIFFIN - SPALDING RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
 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.)
Deadline: April 24, 2015.
For more information email klance97@att.net.
Click HERE for the guidelines and application.
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ARE YOU RELAY READY?!?!
The 2015 Relay For Life of Spalding County kicked off this month. Save the date and prepare to fight back against Cancer at this year's RFL event!
Friday, May, 15, 2015
7:00 PM - 1:00 AM
Kiwanis Fairgrounds
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A.Z. KELSEY ACADEMY COLLEGE TOUR TO SCAD ATLANTA
A.Z .Kelsey Academy strives to motivate each student to continue their education after graduation. Part of planting that seed is exposing their students to different institutions of higher learning. A.Z. Kelsey Academy students toured the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD): The University of Creative Careers in downtown Atlanta. The students had a great time touring the campus and seeing all of the artwork and creative pieces displayed.
*This experience was made possible through a grant funded by the Griffin-Spalding Partners in Education.
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If you currently give to the Griffin-Spalding Partners in Education Teachers Giving to Teachers fund your current contribution will continue in 2015 unless you notify payroll by emailing roz.rathbun@gscs.org.
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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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