GSCS COMMUNICATOR
System-wide straight talk for employees
March 4-11, 2016
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In This Issue
GSCS MIDDLE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
JR. TAB RUN & SAFETY EXPO
SPRING IS IN THE AIR AT GRIFFIN RESA
GRIFFIN-SPALDING RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
MARCH BOE BRIEFS
FLUKER NAMED DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES
MOORE ELEMENTARY PREPARES STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN THE MODERN WORKFORCE
PROJECT AWARE STUDENT ART & FILM FESTIVAL
MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
GSCS MIDDLE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH

CARVER ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Carver Road Middle School would like to recognize  social studies teacher Sidney Wilson, Academic Coach Angel Pugh and Media Specialist Donna Watkins as this month's Employees of the Month. Mr. Wilson is recognized for his outstanding instruction in the classroom. He keeps students engaged and excited about learning. Ms. Pugh is resourceful and helps provide quality professional learning. Ms. Watkins is awesome at getting our new technology into the hands of teachers in a timely manner. #2185Pride
 
COWAN ROAD 
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Cowan Road Middle School would like to recognize Ryneshia West and Jaynessa Miller as our Employees of the Month. These ladies took the lead on our February celebration of black history and culture and did an outstanding job helping us to learn, remember and celebrate. They planned outstanding events that brought together students, staff and the community.  The events included a cultural celebration luncheon,
Showtime at the Apollo and a culminating celebration of art, history and culture. Thank you Ms. Miller, Ms. West and all of the committee members for a job well done!
 
KENNEDY ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Kennedy Road Middle School would like to recognize Jerome Barkley as our Employee of the Month.  Mr. Barkley serves as our head custodian and does such an awesome job of making sure that our school is clean and looking beautiful. He takes great pride in ensuring that our school looks its best every day. He is always willing to give a helping hand whenever needed.  Mr. Barkley always has a big smile on his face and handles any issues in a positive way.  He is a vital part of the success of our school.  KRMS is lucky to have such a wonderful employee.
 
REHOBOTH ROAD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Joseph Blalock is the Employee of the Month for RRMS. Mr. Blalock is a paraprofessional that works with students with special needs. He is a wonderful asset to our school and the students that he serves. He has formed great relationships with the teachers and the students and goes out of his way to help anyone in need.
JR. TAB RUN & SAFETY EXPO
Picking Up the Tab for the Ronald McDonald House
Saturday, April 30, 2016
10 a.m. - noon
Griffin City Park

Click HERE to view the flyer.
SPRING IS IN THE AIR AT GRIFFIN RESA

Click HERE to check out April's Professional Learning Classes.

GRIFFIN-SPALDING RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
 
A memorial scholarship of $1,000 is being given to encourage and reward a GSCS employee who desires to become a certified public school teacher (including substitutes and classified employees).
The deadline is
April 25, 2016.
 
Click HERE for the scholarship guidelines and application.


The curriculum audit team has come and gone, but the work continues.  Four seasoned professional educators spent five days in our district gathering a mountain of information on instructional practices and operational procedures adopted, taught or assessed. Data was collected from various sources. Perception data came from interviews and online surveys, observation data was gathered via visits to classrooms and documentation was obtained through written records. Several focus groups were convened providing feedback to specific questions posed by the auditors. Individuals involved in those groups have commented on the high level of professionalism displayed by the auditors and the depth of the conversations and comments elicited. I want to thank all of you who interacted with the team during their visit. The audit team was impressed with you as well. In the end, a curriculum audit is designed to be a gap analysis leading to recommendations for improvement. The audit team had not concluded its' work upon departure last week and has a large amount of data to be reviewed, sorted, characterized, collated and triangulated before a report can be prepared, a process that will take several weeks. I expect we will learn a lot about ourselves as a result of undertaking the audit process. Thanks again for your help.

Have a great weekend.

Jim Smith
Superintendent
District-level MVP Ellee Hilley from Crescent Elementary.
BOE BRIEFS

Click HERE to view the
March 1, 2016, Board of Education meeting briefs.
Pictured (L-R): SHS STAR Student Lance Holden, SHS STAR teacher Anthony Kluemper, GHS and District STAR Student Iris Smith and GHS STAR Teacher Kristine Ahrens.
2016 GSCS Griffin RESA Literacy Days winners
2016 GSCS Griffin RESA Regional Science and Engineering Fair winners.




FLUKER NAMED DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES

The Griffin-Spalding County Board of Education named
Dr. Bonita Fluker as the new Director of Student Services for the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS).
 
Fluker began her career in education at GSCS in 1991, as first a teacher at Jordan Hill Elementary then became the district's Reading and Family Literacy Specialist in 2000. In 2003, she decided to pursue her career in school administration. She served as the assistant principal at Hood Avenue Primary in Fayette County for five years, the principal of Pike County Primary for two years and has been the Stockbridge Elementary principal since 2010.
 
She led Stockbridge Primary School to receive the award of Georgia Title 1 Distinguished School, Georgia School of Excellence, Georgia High-Progress School and Georgia Platinum School.
Read more...
MOORE ELEMENTARY PREPARES STUDENTS FOR SUCCESS IN THE MODERN WORKFORCE
 
Innovative hands-on learning that was engaging and motivating. That is how I would describe the new 21st century lab at Moore Elementary taught by their Teacher of the Year Ashley Reid.
 
Moore Elementary Principal Dr. Gloria Brown stated, "Moore Elementary strives to provide students with opportunities that will create global thinkers. With that mission in mind, the 21st century lab was created this year to provide students with opportunities to explore math and science through real-world experiences."
 
The 21st century lab is an extension of fourth and fifth grade to help improve and enhance the academics of the students in math and science. Ms. Reid collaborates with the fourth and fifth grade teachers to ensure all of her lessons incorporate the current math and science standards being taught.
 
The students have been working through many lessons learning the connection between symbols and actions, which is coding.
 
One way the students used their coding skills was to build, design and create their own video game. The students used problem-solving skills, logic and creativity to design a journey through puzzles and obstacles for their player. Though the students are having fun they are also learning key programming concepts and computational thinking skills as they play. Read more...
















PROJECT AWARE STUDENT ART & FILM FESTIVAL

Project AWARE is so excited to announce their first student art and film festival Awareness in Motion.
 
Students create artwork and 60 second films intended to end stigma of mental health, prevent suicide and end bullying by increasing kindness in our communities.
 
Students and schools will be awarded prizes at the Red Carpet Awards Ceremony on April 29, 2016, at 6pm at the Griffin Auditorium!
 
Schools associated with the winning film are eligible to receive the following prizes to support suicide prevention and mental health awareness programs and activities at their school.  A short narrative outlining planned activities will be required.
* $5000 worth of evidence-based material or curriculum
* $1000 worth of evidence-based material or curriculum
* $500 worth of evidence-based material or curriculum

Winning films will be featured on the Project AWARE compilation DVD and the program website.
 
The evening will be full of art, special speakers (including an internationally known youth mental health advocate), a special viewing of films and an opportunity for students to win a People's Choice Award! Students are encouraged to bring their family and friends for this unforgettable evening.
 
Themes for this year:
Middle & High School:
Ending the stigma of mental health
Elementary: Kindness Matters!
 
The deadline for submission is April 15th, 2016

For full rules & regulations click HERE and join the Facebook group or click HERE to go to the folder on Google Drive.
 
Click HERE for the flyer. If you or any students might be interested in this please pass this information on. For any questions please contact Kelly.Pettacio@gscs.org or Ethan.engelhardt@gscs.org
 
Please join us as we #AIMHigh to #EndStigmaNow because #KindnessMatters!
MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Colorectal cancer (commonly known as colon cancer) remains the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States among men and women and is expected to cause about 49,190 deaths during 2016. However, routine testing starting at age 50 can actually prevent many cases of colorectal cancer or find it at an early stage. But because many people are not getting tested only about four out of 10 are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful.
 
Click HERE to view the American Cancer Society infographic focused on the benefits of getting tested, identifying the people at greatest risk for developing colorectal cancer and the steps you can take to detect colorectal cancer early or even prevent it altogether.
Click HERE for our non-discrimination statement.
 
Laura Beaber, Editor 
GSCS Communications and Partnerships Department 
PO Drawer N 
Griffin, GA 30224