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GSCS HIGH SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH
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A.Z. KELSEY ACADEMY
A.Z. Kelsey's entire staff are the Employees of the Month. Our staff has shown great teamwork as we have been administering the Georgia Milestones End of Grade exams to our middle school students. Our high school teachers have willingly given up their rooms and time for testing. The flexibility and professionalism that everyone has shown is greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone at AZK!
GRIFFIN HIGH
Kimberly Wimbush is Griffin High School's Employee of the Month. She teaches in our special education department and is a total team player. She has developed a Griffin Top Model program for our students. Thank you Mrs. Wimbush for working tirelessly to support our students and staff.
MAINSTAY ACADEMY
Mainstay Academy's Employees of the Month are Ms. Reeves, Ms. Ross, Mr. Goodman and Ms. Evans! These talented support teachers are responsible for keeping things together inside our self-contained classrooms while teachers attend meetings or work through crisis behavior outside the classroom. They are extremely flexible and are able to change plans or create new plans in an effort to keep students engaged in learning. They are quiet, composed and compassionate professionals without whom we would be lost!
SPALDING HIGH
The JROTC Department at Spalding High School is being recognized as the Employees of the Month. These gentleman go above and beyond to ensure the success of their students, their program and the school. If students need academic support they are there to assist. If students need a mentor they are there to listen and provide guidance. If the school is seeking out new opportunities for our students they are on board. They are dedicated and dependable in all aspects. We are proud of each and every one of them and their commitment to the students and this school.
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Do you have what it takes to be a Google Ninja?
These GSCS employees took on the challenge and earned all four Google Ninja belts and are now Google Masters! Congrats!
| Josh Griffis | Central Office Admin. Technology Director
| | Karen Oot | Jackson Road Elementary Principal | | Patricia Parcells | Cowan Road Middle Teacher |
Google Ninja School Standings:
Beaverbrook is currently in the lead for the elementary schools, Cowan Middle has the lead for the middle schools and Griffin High is in the lead for the high schools.
If you want to take on the challenge visit classroom. google.com to join the Google Classroom. Once you access the class, you will see a plus (+) sign in the upper right hand corner. Click the sign and choose to join a class. The class code for the Ninja Academy is ctbid6.
Access the Google Ninja FAQ's HERE!
For more information on the Google Ninja challenge and tips from the GSCS Instructional Technology Department be sure to check out the Tuesday's Tech Tips e-newsletter. Click HERE for the latest edition.
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SAIL INTO SUMMER WITH PL CLASSES
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Click HERE for the current Griffin RESA class list for June 2016 for teachers, administrators & paraprofessionals. |
| APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH |
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We all need to work together to improve the health and well-being of our children. Each year more than one million children in the U.S. are victims of child abuse and neglect. How can you do your part to prevent child abuse?
- Be a nurturing parent.
- Help a friend, neighbor or relative.
- Take time to relax so that you don't take out your frustrations on your child.
- Monitor your child's television and internet
viewing/usage. - Volunteer at a local child abuse prevention program (Call 800- CHILDREN to find volunteer opportunities in your area).
- Report suspected abuse or neglect. ALL GSCS employees are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect immediately. Each employee has been trained to follow their campus protocol in reporting. If unsure of correct protocol report incident to your school principal or supervisor.
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For the past few weeks I've been listening to schools and departments present budget and improvement plans for the coming school year.
The level of thought supporting those plans has been impressive. Each school has discussed, in detail, areas of strength, weakness and priority for improvement. At this point, the hard work begins when our leadership team has to sort out budget requests we can fill versus those we can't at this time. Requests run the gamut from additional personnel to support services to professional development to technology resources and beyond, all with the purpose of supporting classroom instruction. Decisions are difficult.
I brought up the subject of budget planning a few weeks ago so let me delve a little deeper here. As you may already know, the revenue stream for school districts is not very wide. We receive funding from state allotments based on student counts, federal and state grants targeted to specific populations or issues within the district and local property taxes. In a nutshell those are the primary sources of revenue. We don't have many options outside those to widen the revenue stream. State allotments are dictated by legislative appropriations. This year, the Governor and legislature are restoring to the appropriation $300 million in formula earnings that has gone underfunded for years. I am sure you have heard the sound bite from Atlanta about money being included in the budget to provide raises and reduce furlough days where they still exist. However, no changes were made to the state teacher salary schedule at all. In fact, the "additional money" is really funds already owed to us based on salary and cost values that have gone unchanged for the past six or seven years. I say that to say this. I want to be able to provide financially for our teachers and staff but only in a manner that is sustainable while still allowing room for other improvement initiatives. Budget decisions are always about choices, choices made weighing various options to determine what ultimately allows the best instructional program to be placed in front of the students of Spalding County.
Many other factors affect our budget and those will be addressed as we move along in the process. I'll keep you updated.
Enjoy the weekend!
Jim Smith
Superintendent
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BOE BRIEFS
| Click HERE to view the April 5, 2015 Board of Education meeting briefs.
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|  | | March MVP Tatree Lyons from Atkinson with Parent Engagement Coordinator Jessica Layfield and Atkinson Principal Tiffany Campbell | |
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| | SkillsUSA Region and State Competition winners (L-R): Jordan Westbury (GHS), Walter Preston (GHS Advisor), Jeremy Stevens (SHS), Badar Ahmed (SHS) and Chad Pruitt (SHS Advisor) |
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| SHS FCCLA Region Competition winners (L-R):
Aiden English, Madison McKinney and Lea Folds
(SHS Advisor) |
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| | GHS HOSA State Competition winners (L-R): Fatima Humayun, Kellie Kirkland, Captain John Hamilton (Instructor) and Brenda Rutherford (GHS Advisor) |
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SHS Region 4AAAA Literary Competition winners (L-R): Isaac Garland, Emily Huckaby, Darin Dozier, Michael Smith, Jacob Joiner and Avery Lunsford
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NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR 2016 GRIFFIN-SPALDING EDUCATOR HALL OF FAME
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 The Griffin-Spalding County School System is seeking nominations for the 2016 Griffin-Spalding County School System Educator Hall of Fame. The Educator Hall of Fame was created in 2013, for the school system's 60th anniversary and is now an annual event. Now in the fourth year, nominations are open from April 4 - May 4, 2016, to induct more GSCS educators into this Hall of Fame. Former GSCS educators should be nominated for his/her outstanding and significant contributions to students, staff, parents and the community during their employment. Nominees must have been employed at GSCS for a minimum of 10 years and be retired for at least five years. An independent panel of out-of-town judges will select those inducted into the Hall of Fame. The first class to be inducted into the Educator Hall of Fame include Dr. Richard Beaton, Anne-Marie Lombardo, and Frank Touchstone Jr. Elizabeth Watkins, Nina Melton Jones and Chappelle Wesley Calhoun represent the second class of inductees. Nancy Gresham, Margery King, Juliette McCann and Lemuel (Lem) Watkins represent the third class of Griffin-Spalding Educator Hall of Fame inductees.
Read more... Click HERE for the nomination form. |
| GSCS OPEN ENROLLMENT TIME |
 GSCS Open Enrollment is right around the corner! Open Enrollment will be April 25 - May 6, 2016. Meetings are scheduled
for April 26 at 9:30 am
and 4:15 pm in the GSCS Learning Center. More important information will be coming soon so be sure to check your emails and read the Communicator.
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"Physical environment has a noticeable effect on behavior. A tidy, clean look, with lots of pride and open space, sparks an immediate understanding in students-without you saying a word-that excellence is expected. Clutter, on the other hand, whispers to all who enter your classroom, "Mediocre will do."
~ Michael Linsin
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| REGIONAL CERTIFIED EDUCATOR JOB FAIR |
Who should attend?- Certified Educators
- Those eligible for teaching certification for the 2016-17 school year
What to expect:- Information about South Metro Suburban Region & Schools
- Meet staff and representatives from eight South Metro Suburban School Systems representing 125+ schools and over 100,000 students
What to bring with you:- At least 15 copies of a one-page resume to provise system HR and school reps
Date: Saturday, April 30, 2016
Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Location: Griffin RESA
440 Tilney Avenue
Griffin, GA 30224
*Pre-registration is not required
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APRIL IS MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD - GET YOUR PURPLE READY!
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 The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) is celebrating April as the Month of the Military Child, a time to recognize our military and veteran-connected children and youth for their service and sacrifice.
Join GSCS in honoring the children of military families in our community by wearing purple on April 15.
Today, nearly two million military-connected children and youth (birth through age 22) live with perpetual challenges presented by frequent moves, parental deployments, and a host of life transitions that include reintegration and dealing with profoundly changed parents. The well-being of these children depends heavily on a network of supportive adults.
Here are more ways to show your support for military connected children...
- Click HERE to download an 11" x 17" 2016 Month of the Military Child printable poster to hang in your school or office!
- Click HERE to download some PURPLE UP stickers to wear on April 15 (Use Avery Labels #85395)
- Click HERE to download a Month of the Military Child certificate of recognition
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TAKE A DEEP BREATHE AND FOCUS
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 You may have heard of mindfulness - after all, it has been around for thousands of years. But what exactly is mindfulness and why should you learn more about it? Mindfulness can provide you with tools for living with greater joy, depth, resilience and balance. Below are some compelling reasons from the Huffington Post why you might want to consider mindfulness.
- It lowers stress.
- It lets you know your true self.
- It can make your grades better.
- It protects against mental illness.
- It helps the brain to have better control over processing pain and emotions.
- It helps you to be a better person.
- It could help the elderly feel less lonely.
- It lowers depression.
- It supports your weight loss goals.
- It helps you sleep better.
Take steps to unclutter your mind and be more present.
Sources: National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) and The Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com) |
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