GCS News Briefs

July 30, 2010

New Administrative Announcements

Guilford County Schools (GCS) has announced the following administrative appointments effective Aug. 1:

• Principal – Linda Kidd will be the new principal at Brooks Global Studies. She is currently the assistant principal at Page High. Kidd was also a secondary instructional specialist, a teacher at Grimsley High and a teacher at the American Hebrew Academy.
• Principal – Denise Ebbs will be the new principal at Joyner Elementary. She is currently the assistant principal at Summerfield Elementary. Ebbs also was a teacher at both Gillespie Park and Archer Elementary Schools.
• Assistant Principal – Jan Ertzberger will be the new assistant principal at Weaver Academy. She is currently the assistant principal at Western High. Ertzberger was also an assistant principal at Dudley High and an exceptional children’s (EC) teacher with the Alamance-Burlington Schools.
• Assistant Principal – Sherman Graves will be the new assistant principal at Ragsdale High. He is currently a career & technical education teacher at Dudley High. Graves was also a teacher and coach at Reidsville High School and an EC teacher assistant at Reidsville Middle.
• Assistant Principal – Shervawn Sockwell will be the new assistant principal at Eastern High. She is currently the assistant principal at North Asheboro Middle. Sockwell also was an assistant principal at Irving Park Elementary and a teacher at Eastern Middle.
• Assistant Principal – Donald Caudle will be the new assistant principal at Dudley High. He is currently a career & technical education teacher at Dudley High. Caudle also was a business education teacher at Dudley High, a head coach at the Sandhills Basketball Club and a school board member with the Chesterfield County School District in South Carolina.
• Assistant Principal – Kristen Vecchione will be the new assistant principal at Northern High. She is currently a teacher at Mendenhall Middle. Vecchione also was a curriculum and instruction internship supervisor at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, a curriculum facilitator at Jones Elementary and a teacher at both Hunter and Rankin Elementary Schools.
• Assistant Principal – Janice Clark will be the new assistant principal at Hairston Middle. She is currently the curriculum facilitator at Falkener Elementary. Clark was also a teacher at Aycock Middle, Falkener Elementary and Erwin Montessori.
• Assistant Principal – Kerrie Douglas will be the new assistant principal at Northwest High. She is currently a Title I program specialist. Douglas also was a curriculum facilitator at Ferndale Middle and a teacher at Northwest High.
• Assistant Principal – Karen Dean will be the new assistant principal at Jones Elementary. She is currently an assistant principal at Guilford Middle. Dean also was an assistant principal at Andrews High and a teacher at Dean B. Pruette SCALE School.
• Assistant Principal – Edward Teasley will be the new assistant principal at Southeast High. He is currently a teacher at Dudley High. Teasley was also a teacher at Everett High and an education and leadership director in Lansing, MI.

GCS Completes Work on First Habitat House

For the past 20 weeks, GCS teachers, staff, administrators and student volunteers have built a house from the ground-up for a deserving family. On Saturday at 11 a.m., Habitat for Humanity will hold a dedication ceremony to celebrate the completion of the house.

The helping hands of about 290 GCS employees and students completed the work at the house, which is located at 906 Dunbar St. in Greensboro. Participants donated more than 2,000 hours of service to the project.

The district’s Habitat house project was first announced during the State of Our Schools address in January, when GCS announced a generous donation from Housing Opportunities Inc., which made the project possible. This experience supports the character development initiative of the Strategic Plan. The building of the Habitat house provided an opportunity for volunteers to connect a meaningful service opportunity in the community with learning and personal growth. For more information, please contact Brenda Elliott-Johnson, executive director of student services, at 370-8397.

GCS Hosts Cool to Be Smart Sunday

More than 400 of the district’s top-performing 2010 graduates will gather one last time to celebrate their achievements at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion. After tough budget conditions resulted in losing the event last year, the Businesses for Excellence in Education committed to reward these outstanding students by bringing back Cool to Be Smart. In order to qualify for the event, graduating students must have passed five Advanced Placement (AP) exams with a score of 3 or higher, five International Baccalaureate exams with a 4 or higher, or have a combination of the two. During the program, students will have the chance to win 55 products from Apple, including iPads, and all qualifying students present will have the opportunity to win a 2011 Scion xB from Rice Toyota. Special guests will include Garson Rice of Rice Toyota and Laura St. Cyr, the 2005 Cool to Be Smart winner, who just graduated college and has returned to GCS to teach AP English. Final invitations were mailed to qualifying AP/IB graduates last week. For more information, contact Lillian M. Govus, communications manager, at 370-8997.

Rising Ninth-Graders Get a Preview of High School, College

Class was in session during the month of July for rising ninth-graders participating in the GCS Academic All-Star Camp. About 160 students attended the program for three weeks.

High-achieving students from each of the district’s middle schools were selected to attend Academic All-Star Camp based on their end-of-grade test scores. They participated in leadership and teamwork-building activities, received SAT preparation and attended classes in a subject area of interest. GCS hosts the camp annually with the support of local business and university partners. Classes were held at three campuses – Dudley High, High Point Central High and Weaver Academy.

Each day, students participate in SAT prep classes that teach test-taking strategies and math, verbal and writing skills. Students take full SAT tests at the beginning and end of the camp, and each year the camp has a proven record of boosting students’ scores. In years past, students’ SAT scores have increased as much as 200 points on average by the end of camp.

Academic All-Star Camp also provides students with a taste of the college experience. This year, students took field trips to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They visited the library, art galleries, recreation facilities and classroom buildings, including the Center for Research Excellence in Nanobiosciences and the Department of Interior Architecture. Students were able to ask questions about college life and learn about opportunities like study abroad and service-learning.

The camp concluded Thursday with a closing ceremony for parents, district administrators and community supporters at noon in the auditorium at Dudley High. For more information, please contact Lee Ann Segalla, executive director of advanced learning, at 370-8361.

Open House Dates Announced for Guilford County Schools

GCS will hold open houses for 121 of its elementary, middle, high and alternative schools before the start of the school year. Parents and guardians are invited to join their students at these open houses to meet teachers, visit classrooms and learn more about special programs.

The dates and times selected by schools for the open houses are listed on the GCS website. They are subject to change by the school. Updates to this list will be provided at the following link. Go to http://www.gcsnc.com/pdfs/openhouseschedule1011.pdf for the complete list.

GCS Alternative Certification Track Graduates Second Class

From a phlebotomist to a chemistry process engineer to an accountant, 31 teachers earned a North Carolina Standard Professional I licensure to teach in the state through Guilford County Schools’ (GCS’) Alternative Certification Track (ACT) program. The celebration took place at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro on Friday. The graduation celebrated their accomplishments and featured several guest speakers, including State Superintendent Dr. June St. Clair Atkinson and Brian Haderlie, dean of business and industry at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC).

With the licensure obtained through GCS ACT, a teacher is able to teach throughout North Carolina, but the district’s goal is to retain highly qualified teachers. GCS ACT is the only program in the state to offer lateral entry teachers an in-house teacher preparation program that leads to full licensure. Developed and operated in conjunction with GTCC, the 18 month-long program is offered at a low cost with on-site classes.

In addition to the intense coursework, GCS ACT prepares its participants to be successful in the classroom by providing coaching and mentoring. The Lateral Entry and Advising Center, which was created in 2008, supports all lateral entry teachers across the district. The resource center has expanded diversity among teachers and helped increase the retention of lateral entry teachers, moving it from 66 percent to 95 percent in two years.

Each of the GCS ACT graduates holds hands-on skills and years of experience in the workplace, a benefit to students who are now competing in a global economy.

This year’s graduating class features teachers of different ages and backgrounds including James Jeffries, a science teacher at Smith High, Kerrie-Jean Hudson, a dance teacher at Northern High, Tammy Knight, a science teacher at Eastern High and Steven Edwards, a math teacher at Welborn Academy.

Jeffries and Knight both come from a science background with Jeffries spending 14 years in the health care field and Knight experiencing a successful career as a chemical process engineer. Hudson earned a Master’s in Fine Arts and was an adjunct professor at UNCG, while Edwards came to education by way of accounting. “I have had educators in my family and have always had an interest in teaching,” said Jeffries. “After the death of my nephew, I especially wanted to reach young students and be a role model for them and show them that there are so many positive opportunities for kids.”

Lateral entry teachers have a proven track record in the district. Many earn the title of Rookie Teacher of the Year at their school, including three from this year’s class. Samuel Mattison from Washington Montessori was one of the five district finalists for the overall Rookie Teacher of Year. For more information, please contact Dr. Amy Holcombe, executive director of talent development, at 335-3294.

Rising Senior Places Second in National SkillsUSA Competition

When Allison Hassard entered the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at Weaver Academy, there were not many girls in her classes. She says her male classmates were surprised that a girl could be interested in information technology. This summer as a rising senior, Hassard came in second place in the telecommunications cabling contest of the national SkillsUSA competition in Kansas City, Mo. She was one of seven high school students from North Carolina to place at the national level.

SkillsUSA is an annual competition for students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. Telecommunications cabling is just one of the 96 career-based contests held during the national competition. It is studied by students who are interested in creating and installing cables for voice and data networks. During the competition, Hassard was tested on industry standards for building cables, putting cables in order for an Internet connection, troubleshooting and customer service. A judge for cabling construction was reportedly amazed by her work and called it, “textbook perfect.”

Hassard’s focus as a CTE student is computer technology, but she was open to learning a new skill. With the help of one of her male classmates, she started preparing in February for the regional SkillsUSA competition. After only a few months of studying telecommunications cabling, she won at the regional and state levels, including defeating her more experienced classmate to become the state-level gold medalist.

Hassard became interested in technology at a young age. She learned about Guilford County Schools’ CTE program while attending a Tech Girls camp in the ninth grade. She began taking classes part-time at Weaver during the 10th grade. She has taken courses in computer engineering, network engineering and electronics. She also has earned A+ certification and is trained in customer service.

She says girls should not be afraid to learn technical skills and she recognizes that her talents and skills in telecommunications cabling are highly marketable in today’s workforce. For more information, please contact Judy Harrington, CTE program specialist, at 370-8338.

Advanced Placement Teachers Prepare for the Upcoming School Year

Teachers of AP courses prepared for the past two week for the classes they will teach in the fall. GCS held an AP Teachers Institute for the district’s AP teachers and teachers from counties across the state.

In GCS, AP teachers are required to attend a week-long training each year to learn about changes to the course curriculum and tests. A federal grant, the AP Incentive Program Grant, has made the AP Teachers Institute possible for the past four years. This year, the program trained as many as 80 GCS teachers in nine subject areas.

The district also invited teachers from counties across the state to take advantage of the training. Participants came from Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Person, Randolph and Scotland counties.

For more information, please contact Guy Ferguson, AP/IB and PSAT/SAT program coordinator, at 370-8244.

Character Development Policy Approved by the Board

A new policy approved by the Guilford County Board of Education will make character development an established part of the education students receive in GCS. The board adopted Policy JCDAF – Character Development at its meeting Thursday.

Character development is a major initiative of the GCS Strategic Plan and was launched during the district’s State of Our Schools event in January. Since its beginning, the character development program has mobilized students, teachers and other staff to build a house for Habitat for Humanity from the ground up. Character Development Week was celebrated in March to highlight the program’s three fundamentals – character education, civic education and service learning.

The adopted policy emphasizes that character development is an important part of a student’s education and that it must be a deliberate effort undertaken by schools, families and the community. During the 2010-11 school year, character development will be enacted in schools through monthly character traits, the addition of character to the curriculum, collaborative partnerships with community groups and service learning opportunities. Teachers and school staff will be expected to be examples of character for students and provide opportunities for students to participate in service that is tied to what they are learning in school.

The policy also establishes a high school service learning award and a service learning diploma for students who achieve a designated number of hours in service to the community. For more information, contact Brenda Elliott-Johnson, executive director of student services, at 370-8397.

New Times for Teacher Supply Warehouse

The Teacher Supply Warehouse will reopen for shopping on Tuesday, Aug. 10. New hours for the 2010-11 school years are 2:30-5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Now you can register to shop one of three days per week.

Here are the guidelines for shopping for the 2010-11 school year:

• You must have your GCS ID badge with you to shop.
• Only school-based educators are allowed to shop.  
• You can register to shop once every four months
• You can take up to 25 products per trip. Some products have multiples. For example, 25 pencils equal one product.
• Leave your checkbook at home! The only payment we ask is that you write a thank-you letter to one of our donors.
  

If a business or organization would like to conduct a school supply drive for the warehouse, click here for instructions. For more information, please contact Cecilia Adams, manager of community relations, at 370-8355 or adamsc4@gcsnc.com.

WFMY News 2 and Walmart Team up for Tools for School

Beginning this weekend, shoppers at area Walmart stores can donate school supplies while they shop. The Tools for School supply drive, sponsored by WFMY News 2 and Walmart, annually collects more than $100,000 in school supplies for the Teacher Supply Warehouse. Volunteers are needed to help pick up the donations and bring them to the warehouse. Call the Guilford Education Alliance at 841-4332 if your company or group is able to help.

School Partnerships Needed for 2010-11

Schools are becoming increasingly reliant upon the development of effective community partnerships that share a common vision of student support and achievement. There’s no better way for a business or community group to support a school than by sharing resources, services, time, talent and knowledge with students, teachers and staff.

Recently, the Guilford County faith community has answered the call for partnerships. Currently, there are 49 schools with at least one faith partner. If your group is interested in partnering with a school, please contact Cecilia Adams, manager of community relations, at 370-8355 or adamsc4@gcsnc.com

GCSTV 2

The district’s television channel broadcasts throughout Guilford County on Time Warner Cable channel 2 and LIVE on the GCS website.

The Latest News from GCS:

GCS Newsbreak

Pearce Elementary student helps pass new hearing aid law and Murphey Traditional Academy teacher wins Burroughs Wellcome Fund award. This Newsbreak is broadcast daily at 7:16 a.m.

GCS Newsbreak

School gardens at Washington Montessori and Lindley Elementary. This Newsbreak is broadcast daily at 9:48 a.m.

GCS Newsbreak

Peeler Open Elementary artwork on display at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum and character development workshop at Kiser Middle. This Newsbreak is broadcast daily at 10:29 a.m.

Preliminary EOC/EOG scores show gains for the 2009-2010 school year. 

Superintendent’s Media Briefings

See previous Media Briefings, during which Superintendent Green and others address topics important to GCS and answer reporters’ questions on a variety of topics.

GCS Newsbreak

Willy Wonka at Grimsley High, Dudley Honor Society students volunteer at Blind Bowlers National Championship. This Newsbreak is broadcast 8:08 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily.

GCS Newsbreak

Alamance Elementary groundbreaking ceremony, Academic All-Star Camp, Summer Arts Institute at Penn-Griffin School for the Arts. This Newsbreak is broadcast daily at 4:27 p.m.   

Building Futures-Construction Update

See the plans and progress already made on upgrades and renovations on campus at Alamance Elementary. This program is broadcast at 8 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Graduation 2010 Coverage:

Click Newsbreak links to watch

Graduation Newsbreak:
Northeast High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 8:26 a.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Gateway Education Center, McIver Education Center
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 8:30 a.m. 

Graduation Newsbreak:
Northern High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 9:30 a.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Western High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 10:28 a.m.

Student Spotlight: Tyler Daniel
Tyler Daniel was named a 2010 Beta Scholar and received a $1,000 check from the National Beta Club, an honor organization in 42 states and eight countries that recognizes high academic achievers who are leaders and committed to service. Tyler was presented with a plaque and the check in May. Tyler has been president of the Western High chapter of Beta Club since his sophomore year when he was inducted. In addition to his high grade point average and SAT scores, Tyler was chosen for this award because of his extensive volunteer work, which includes the N.C. Special Olympics for four years, Urban Ministries for six years, counselor at Camp Carefree for children with critical illnesses and Precinct Captain for Kid’s Vote. He is also active in his church, sports and was captain of the high school soccer team.

Student Spotlight: Alexandria John
Alexandria John has overcome a lot of obstacles in her young life to make it to graduation. She has been accepted to Fayetteville State University where she plans to study business.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Southwest High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 11:20 a.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Northwest High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 11:40 a.m.
 
Graduation Newsbreak:
The Middle College at Bennett, The Middle College at GTCC-Greensboro, The Middle College at N.C. A&T
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 12:30 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Grimsley High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 1:07 p.m.

Student Spotlight: Khaliliah Matthews
Khaliliah Matthews graduated from Grimsley as an IB Diploma Candidate and enters the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the fall. These remarkable accomplishments are occurring despite some obstacles she had to overcome.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Weaver Academy, Smith High, Eastern High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 1:29 p.m. 

Student Spotlight: Brian Lindberg
IB student Brian Lindberg battled thyroid cancer and gave back to his school in the form of his Boy Scout Eagle project. He's now headed to N.C. State University to study computer and electrical engineering.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Dudley High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 2:41 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Southern High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 3:28 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
The Academy at Central and High Point Central High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 4:28 p.m.

Student Spotlight: April Barnes
April Barnes is the recipient of a full Army ROTC scholarship to attend the University of Miami and the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship, which is a full scholarship to the school of her choice. She was one of only 1,000 students to receive the Gates Millennium Scholarship. These are miraculous accomplishments despite living in high poverty, which she overcame to be a dedicated student and role model for younger students. She was voted by the High Point Central as the Daughters of the American Republic (DAR) Student of the Month, an honor awarded by the Rotary Club.

Student Spotlight: Noel Niyoyankunze, Juilely Nyirugoshima and Eveline Hamenimana
Noel, Juilely and Eveline are siblings who came to the United States from a refugee camp in Tanzania about two years ago. They first attended the Doris Henderson Newcomers School for one year and then became students at High Point Central High. Until recently, they had not seen or had contact with their father since they left Tanzania. The siblings and their father were recently reunited with the help of a teacher at the Newcomers School.

Student Spotlight: Katie Rogers
Katie Rogers is the recipient of the Horatio Alger Scholarship, which is given to a student who has overcome significant obstacles. As a freshman, she lost her mother and moved in with her grandmother. The scholarship gave her a week in Washington, D.C., which she said was a life changing experience. “Now I know there’s a whole world out there,” she said. Katie plans to attend Wake Forest University in the fall.  

Graduation Newsbreak:
Page High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 4:43 p.m.

Student Spotlight: Russell Sineni
Russell Sineni has been honored as a scholar athlete by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. He was chosen because of his involvement in football and wrestling, while maintaining a 3.6 grade point average. He was also credited for his volunteer activities within his church youth group. Russell has been awarded a scholarship to play football at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. He plans to study sports medicine and minor in religion.

Student Spotlight: Jessica Kincaid
Jessica Kincaid is the recipient of an Aubrey Lee Brooks scholarship. She plans on attending The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill this fall.

Student Spotlight: Opetoriste Adefolalu
Opetoritse Adefolalu is the Poet Laureate from Page High. He will attend Harvard University this fall and wants to study creative writing.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Ragsdale High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 6:53 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Andrews High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 7:28 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
The Middle College at GTCC Jamestown, Greensboro College Middle College, The Academy at Smith
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 9:30 p.m.

Student Spotlight: Eric Montague
Eric Montague graduates from The Middle College at GTCC-Jamestown with his high school diploma, and with 40 college credit hours, he’s also receiving his Associate’s degree. He plans to continue his college studies at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and wants to become a nurse.

Student Spotlight: Judy Sisouvong
Judy Sisouvong is the co-salutatorian from Smith High in 2010. She's been awarded the Aubrey Lee Brooks scholarship and a Rotary Scholarship. She'll attend N.C. State University this fall and wants to study forensics.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Southeast High
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 9:37 a.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Penn-Griffin School for the Arts
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 10:30 a.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:

The Early College at Guilford
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 1:18 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
Twilight School
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 6:28 p.m.

Graduation Newsbreak:
The Middle College at GTCC-High Point
This graduation coverage is broadcast daily at 12:34 p.m.

Ragsdale Construction Delay Temporary

GCS will complete promised bond work at Ragsdale High School
This Newsbreak is broadcast daily at 7:27 p.m.

On Stage 2010

Watch this showcase of talent from Guilford County Schools sponsored by the Guilford Education Alliance broadcast nightly at 8 p.m.

ExiTotal

Watch this primer designed to help Spanish-speaking parents and their children be successful in school and in life. This program is broadcast mornings at 7 a.m.

Space Shuttle/ISS Downlink to GCS

Watch this historic event from Eastern High during which GCS students talk directly with the astronauts of Space Shuttle Mission STS-131 while docked at the International Space Station.   GCSTV 2 partnered with WFMY-TV News 2 broadcast this event live as it happened. See encore presentations daily at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on GCSTV 2 and on demand.

GCS Newsbreaks and other GCS video productions are also available on YouTube. 

GCSTV 2-LIVE

Watch our live broadcast now streaming on the World Wide Web.

Guilford County Board of Education

Watch GCS Board of Education meetings live. Encore presentations of board meetings are telecast the day following the meeting at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the following Saturday at 1 p.m. You can also watch Board of Education meetings at your convenience. The meetings are now archived and available online at gcsnc.com. See them here.

Also on GCSTV 2:
GCSTV 2 Programming Guide

Find out what else is showing on GCSTV 2 here: GCSTV 2 Programming Guide

Showcase Your Talent on GCSTV 2

GCSTV 2 is now accepting student-, faculty-, staff- or parent-produced programming. See the details for submissions here or watch the video.

GCSTV 2 & ABC-45

GCS continues its partnership with ABC-45 television to share current news and feature stories about our district. These Newsbreak segments are broadcast on ABC-45 (Cable Channel 7) during “Good Morning America” each Wednesday and Friday at 7:25 a.m. and 8:25 a.m.

For more information, please contact Leonard Simpson, broadcast production manager, at 370-8167.