COMMUNITY COMMUNICATOR
January 2019
GSCS CELEBRATES GA PRE-K WEEK
On October 1-5, 2018, GSCS and community leaders celebrated the eighth annual Georgia Pre-K Week. Volunteers showed their support for early childhood education and literacy by visiting Pre-K classrooms and reading the book, Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin.
Griffin Books-A-Million Assistant Manager Melissa Turgeon read to students at Atkinson Elementary.
Georgia State Representative Karen Mathiak (D73) read to students at Cowan Road Elementary.
Board of Education Vice Chairman Zachery Holmes read to students at
Moreland Road Elementary.
2018 REACH GEORGIA SCHOLARS
Five Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) middle school students were awarded $10,000 in REACH Georgia Scholarships. For the second year, the REACH Georgia Scholarship signing ceremony was held for the five scholars at the Kiwanis Club of Griffin on October 31.

REACH Georgia Scholars are selected in middle school and sign a contract along with their parent/guardian to maintain a 2.5 GPA, remain crime, drug and behavior issue free and meet with a volunteer mentor and academic coach until they graduate from high school. Each scholar who completes all program requirements will receive up to $10,000 that was earmarked to him/her in the eighth grade. REACH Georgia Scholars will receive up to $2,500 per year, for up to four years, to be used towards the cost of attendance to a two or four-year Georgia REACH program eligible institution of their choosing.

The GSCS 2018 REACH Georgia Scholars are:
• Ethan Akins, Cowan Road Middle School
• Hannah Greer, Carver Road Middle School
• Asiyah Moten, Cowan Road Middle School
• Joshua Perez-Venancio, Kennedy Road Middle School
• Nathaniel Wilson, Rehoboth Road Middle School

The five GSCS Scholars along with their parents signed REACH scholarship commitments before GSCS Superintendent James D. Smith, mentors, principals, GSCS cabinet members and Kiwanis Club members.
SUPERINTENDENT'S STATE OF THE DISTRICT ADDRESS
Superintendent James D. Smith delivered his Superintendent's State of the District October 25, 2018 at the Griffin Region College and Career Academy.

The event was a huge success!

Watch the video as Superintendent Smith talks about his journey and where the district is heading.
WILSON NAMED GSCS
DISTRICT-WIDE TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Jordan Hill Elementary Music Teacher Jennifer Wilson is the 2018-19 Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) District-wide Teacher of the Year. She will now represent the district in the 2020 Georgia Teacher of the Year competition. Wilson was surprised with the news in her classroom on Tuesday, Oct. 2, and recognized during the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education meeting held that evening.

Wilson has been a music teacher for 15 years serving elementary, middle and high school students at both private and public schools. She has taught music at Jordan Hill Elementary for two years. Wilson also helps with the school’s Literacy Days competition, organizes music performances for PTO and special holiday programs and serves as the accompanist for the elementary and middle school Griffin-Spalding Honor Chorus events. For the district, Wilson has edited and written nationally aligned middle school chorus curriculum, created Student Learning Objectives and served as a mentor to new choral teachers. Wilson received her bachelor’s degree in music from Clayton State University and her master’s degree in music education from the University of Southern Mississippi.  

In her application Wilson stated, “As an educator, it is my goal to help all students reach their fullest potential by providing a classroom environment that is positive, challenging and allows for self-discovery. I truly love what I do and give my students all of my focus and energy. I strive every day to be a better teacher than the day before. My teaching motto is to do what you love, do it better every day, every hour and for every child.”
GRIFFIN KIWANIS HONORS GSCS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
The 2018-19 GSCS Teachers of the Year (TOTY) were recognized during the annual TOTY luncheon sponsored by the Griffin Kiwanis Club. The 2019 Georgia Teacher of the Year Allison Townsend from Fulton County School System was the special guest speaker.
GSCS Executive Director of Communications & Partnerships Kimberly Willis Green presented gift baskets and gift cards donated by Kroger Community Affairs. Gift baskets were presented to all three GSCS Teacher of the Year finalists along with $250 gift cards to our two finalists Kathy Duke from Rehoboth Road Middle School and Rhonda Grubb from Crescent Elementary and a $500 gift card for GSCS District Teacher of the Year Jenny Wilson!
Thank you to Herff Jones Representative Rick Strewsberry for providing the
2018-19 GSCS District-wide Teacher of the Year Jenny Wilson with a custom TOTY ring.
RIGOROUS CURRICULUM DESIGN (RCD)
What is the Rigorous Curriculum Design (RCD)?

Watch this video and find out!
GSCS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN LITERACY DAYS
On December 4-6, 2018, GSCS students in grades K-8 had the opportunity to show off their outstanding literacy talents in the annual Literacy Days Competition. Students competed in poetry recitation, drama and writing competitions. GSCS district winners will advance to the Griffin RESA Regional Literacy Days Competition in February.

Thank you to K-12 ELA Curriculum Coordinator Melanie Lockett, Ed.S., English Curriculum Coordinator Shevette Miller-Payton and Director of Curriculum Ashley Crawford for organizing this year's GSCS Literacy Days Competitions. Special thanks also go to all of the Literacy Days school coordinators, participants, judges, volunteers, etc. for making this such a wonderful event for our students!
4th Grade Poetry Recitation
3rd-5th Grade Ready Writing Competition
6th-8th Grade Drama
Kindergarten Poetry Recitation
GRIFFIN-SPALDING
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION NEWS
17th ANNUAL PARTNERS IN EDUCATION GOLF TOURNAMENT A SUCCESS

The Griffin-Spalding Partners in Education (PIE) raised over $21,000 during its 17th annual golf tournament to benefit the teachers and students of the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS). Twenty teams played in the tournament held at the City Park Golf Course on October 5, 2018.

Proceeds from the tournament were used for classroom grants, field trip grants and teacher tuition reimbursement scholarships.

Congratulations to this year’s first place team United Bank! 

PIE AWARDS $31,559 IN GRANTS TO GSCS EDUCATORS

The Griffin-Spalding Partners In Education (PIE) “Prize Patrol” awarded 37 classroom and field trip grants to GSCS teachers and counselors totaling $31,559. In November, PIE board members visited 18 schools to surprise the 2018 PIE Grant winners.

Click HERE to read more and see the full list of 2018 PIE Grant recipients.
PIE AWARDS 11 TEACHER TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS

At the December Griffin-Spalding Board of Education meeting, Griffin-Spalding Partners In Education gave out $11,000 in teacher tuition scholarships!

Click  HERE  to see a list of the 2018 PIE Teacher Tuition Scholarship winners.
A.Z. KELSEY ACADEMY CLASS OF 2018
Fourteen A.Z. Kelsey Academy seniors received their high school diplomas on
December 20, 2018. Congratulations to the Class of 2018!
TOP 10 REASONS TO WORK FOR GSCS
Take a look at the new "Top 10 Reasons to Work for GSCS" teacher recruitment video! Please feel free to share the video on your social media channels using the hashtags: #TeachInGriffin #HopeAndDreams
2019 GSCS JOB FAIRS
LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTE SURVEY
Please tell us what attributes you think are important in a new school leader. Your Feedback is greatly appreciated as we search for the best leader for Cowan Road and Moreland Road Elementary Schools.


GRAHAM & KENDALL HONORED FOR YEARS OF SERVICE
Thank you James "Pete" Graham (21 years) and Michael Kendall (8 years) for your many years of service to the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education!
GSCS CELEBRATES
 INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS WEEK
On December 3-7, 2018, the Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCS) joined school districts and communities around the world to celebrate Inclusive Schools Week (ISW). GSCS students, teachers and support staff participated in classroom activities to raise awareness of educational practices that reach students with disabilities or students with diverse backgrounds.
In celebration of ISW, the Department of Special Education recognized parents, teachers and staff members as “Agents of Inclusion.” The 2018 Griffin-Spalding County Schools Agents of Inclusion are:

  • Lisa Bates – Title III ESOL Parent Liaison/Interpreter
  • Brandon Crook – Gifted Parent Group President
  • Brent Fortson – Special Olympics Coordinator, Griffin High School
  • Natalie Wood – Principal, Crescent Elementary
  • Aimee Youngblood – Parent, Jackson Road Elementary

This is the district’s second year participating in the international campaign. For more information about inclusive schools week, visit www.inclusiveschools.org.
The Agents of Inclusion were recognized during the Griffin-Spalding Board of Education Meeting on Dec. 4, 2018. 

Watch the Inclusive Schools Week video featuring our five 2018 GSCS Agents of Inclusion:
STUDENTS SUPPORT LOCAL TROOPS
Members of the Georgia Army National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Griffin were deployed to Afghanistan on November 26, 2018. To show support, GSCS students were asked to write letters of encouragement to the soldiers or create posters or banners on behalf of their school. These items were presented to the soldiers at the Kiwanis building prior to their departure.
On Nov. 26, 2018, Crescent Elementary students lined the street outside the school to give our local National Guard a heartfelt send off!
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS SWORN IN
On December 19, Board members R. Syntel Brown and Sue A. McDonald were officially sworn in at the Spalding County Courthouse. Zachery Holmes, who was reelected to serve on the board, was also sworn in.

Brown and McDonald participated in their first public board meeting on January 8, 2019. This marks Holmes 19th year on the school board.

Click HERE to view the full news release.
State Court of DeKalb County Judge Ronald Ramsey Jr. administered the oath of office to R. Syntel Brown
Spalding County Probate Judge Jan Hunt administered the oath of office to Sue A. McDonald
Spalding County Probate Judge Jan Hunt administering the oath of office to Zachery Holmes
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTS 2019 CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN 
The Griffin-Spalding Board of Education elected Will Doss to serve as chairman and Zachery Holmes as vice chairman during their meeting held January 8, 2019. 

The terms for the new chairman and vice chairman begin immediately and will end January 2020. Doss was appointed to the board in 2016. Holmes, previous board chairman, was appointed to the board in 2001.
Will Doss
Zachery Holmes
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