INSIDER

In This Issue4 Relay for Life: Support your Community 2 Tips on Eating Healthy During March Madness 3 The Money Page 4 Youth Art Month 5 the MARCH 2009 INSIDER Giving GCS Employees the INside Scoop Every Month Work Begins on the Strategic Plan’s First Major Initiative District moves toward plan that will improve communication and responsiveness Providing quality service and support to whomever we come across throughout our day is a goal of the district’s 10,000-plus employees. This is a main focus of the 2012 GCS Strategic Plan, which the Board of Education voted to accept and support at Tuesday’s board meeting. The Board also voted to approve the Strategic Plan’s major initiative - the reorganization of academic services and regionalization of the district. This reorganization is being designed to provide quality, timely and cost-effective support to schools. The proposed plan divides the district into four geographic regions and an Enrichment Region to place resources closer to schools and enhance responsiveness. There are four different regional options, which can be seen here (link). Staff will bring two of the strongest options back to the board for approval at a later meeting. The new organization will improve services that are provided through central administration, and by appointing liaisons from each central office department to support the regions, communication will be streamlined. With the regional reorganization, people will be affected at many levels. The district’s School Support and Instructional Improvement offices will be eliminated. Where possible, current employees will be reassigned to new positions created. Additionally, as budget decisions are being made for the 2009-10 school year, other departments may be redirecting resources to support the new organization. With the new structure, it is proposed that each geographic region have a superintendent, executive director and five other academic and support personnel. As part of the proposal, the Enrichment Region would have a similar structure to the other regions, but would have 11 staff members, including a regional superintendent and executive director. The Enrichment Region’s superintendent will report directly to Superintendent Green. Altogether, 15 to 25 new positions may be created through the proposed reorganization, depending on the number of regions that are ultimately selected. The district is currently in the process of filling the positions with external candidates or reassigning current employees, and the changes are set to be in place starting July 1. While change is hard, staying focused, working efficiently and supporting others around you are steps that can go a long way. “As always, I want there to be open communication to our employees,” said Green. “I believe this regional model will allow resources to be closer to our schools and give parents, community members and of course, our employees, the quality service our stakeholders all deserve.” As always, your feedback is welcome. Send any comments to feedback@gcsnc.com. Project Teams Set for Strategic Plan’s Execution Teams will ensure successful implementation of plan’s strategies There are 44 goals and 99 strategies included in the Strategic Plan. To ensure the successful implementation of the strategies, deployment project teams - 45 of them - were developed. In February, the district provided training to more than 30 project team managers. There are 31 project deployment teams currently functioning to organize and carry out strategies that are planned to launch by December 2010. Project managers, employees who will drive dayto-day efforts necessary to implement the strategies, identified team members who will assist in the work outlined in the project. Project managers also appointed an advisory team consisting of employees and members of the community to assist in a consultative capacity. “The establishment of project teams will ensure the successful implementation of the GCS Strategic Plan,” said Dr. Eric J. Becoats, Chief Administrative Officer. “Project managers and their team members will work cohesively to implement strategies on time and within budget.” Project teams will present deployment projects to the Strategic Plan Accountability Committee (SPAC) for approval. The SPAC, comprised of senior administration will oversee the implementation of the Strategic Plan, and will meet each week to review project status. (Le Boler assisted in this article.) Click here to read the plan. www.gcsnc.com Weaver Guitar Teacher to Serve on National Committee Patrick Lui has expanded Weaver’s classical guitar program since joining in 2005 At Weaver Academy, students have the unique opportunity to learn classical guitar in Patrick Lui’s class. And soon, thanks to Lui, guitar students across the nation will have defined guidelines that will advance the level of guitar playing in the U.S. Lui has been invited and agreed to join the Curriculum Committee for Guitar for America String Teacher Association (ASTA) Certificate Advancement Program - a national committee of five to six members. The goal of the committee will be to create guidelines and curriculum for guitarists around the country. “We want students from North Carolina to California to have the same expectations for each level they are playing at so each student has a better understanding of their skills,” said Lui. The committee will provide a continual feedback through an examiner’s comments on student progress, documentation of achievements that can be used when applying to youth orchestras, summer music camps and college admission. An accomplished guitar player himself, Lui is certainly familiar with curriculum after teaching at both the college and high school level. Arriving from Hong Kong to finish his bachelor’s degree at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, Lui began teaching at Arizona State University before moving back to North Carolina to teach at several local colleges. In 2005, the opportunity to teach at Weaver Academy opened, and he grabbed the chance. “I was reluctant to teach at the Lui frequently lectures and performs throughout the U.S. QUICK NOTES GCS and High Point Alliance Launch “Hands Up High Point” “Hands Up High Point” will connect adult volunteers with second-grade teachers in High Point from March through May to help children improve reading skills. Click here to learn more. Attention Parents of Rising Sixth-Graders A state law that went into effect last year requires all rising sixth-graders who have not had a Tdap vaccination since July 2004 to get a booster shot by August 25, 2009. The law requires schools to exclude students who have not been vaccinated. The state has also informed us that appointment cards will not keep children from being excluded from school, so please ensure that your sixthgrader is vaccinated before the new school year begins. Rising sixth-graders must be 10 years old in order to be vaccinated. You may visit your family physician to get your child vaccinated. Vaccinations also may be obtained at no cost at the Guilford County Department of Public Health. The health department’s phone number is 336641-7777. GCS Grant Guide Available Online The Guilford County Schools Grant Guide is available online. Learn how to suport your students’ education and help them achieve excellence. Ecolab Visions Grant Application Due Soon The Ecolab grant program for school educators encourages and rewards individual teacher’s creativity and innovation in the classroom. The program provides materials and resources through grants up to $3,000 to teachers in communities surrounding Ecolab facilities. The deadline to apply is April 3. For more information, click here. I Save, You Save, WeSave Are you familiar with WeSave? WeSave is a leading online savings community in the United States. Under contract with state governments, WeSave delivers a no-cost benefits program designed for an exclusive workforce - active and retired public employees at the state and local government level. You can save at restaurants, clothing stores and even get discounts on your Verizon, AT&T and Alltel cellular plans! Click here to sign up for your free WeSave card. And don’t forget to check out Employee Express! Guitar continued on page 5 Running to Support Survivors and a Good Cause Relay for Life® is a way for staff to come together for a unique experience Once a year, dedicated volunteers gather to celebrate survivors and caregivers, remember loved ones lost to cancer and gain inspiration for the fight in Relay for Life. Each of the more than 4,800 relays nationwide is a fun-filled, overnight event that helps communities celebrate survivors and raise money for the fight against cancer. Teams of eight to 15 members gather with tents and sleeping bags with the goal of keeping a person on the track at all times. Teams from Northeast Middle, Hairston Middle, Sternberger Elementary, Page High, which is also hosting a race, Ferndale Middle, Wiley Elementary and Shadybrook Elementary already have active teams for this year’s event in May. Shadybrook has been a Relay for Life participant for more than 10 years. The school has several plaques, which a team receives when it raises more than $1,000, in its front office. “We see this as a time to support and celebrate those staff, parents and friends within our Shadybrook family who have been affected by cancer,” said David Strickland, a fourth-grade teacher and long-time Relay for Life participant. Relay March 2009 continued on page 5 2 Employee Express for Guilford County Schools “Mr. D” Named Employee of the Month for March GCS Bus Driver Has 10 Years Experience Behind the Wheel When Elton Davenport makes his bus routes every morning, parents can rest assured that their children are in good hands. Known simply as “Mr. D,” Davenport has made a real bond with the families he serves. They know they can count on him to go beyond his duties as a bus driver – he is a role model, a teacher and a leader. And with 10 years of experience behind the wheel, Davenport knows how to take care of his precious cargo. Many nominations were made on Davenport’s behalf for this honor. In one nomination, a parent said, “His reliability, hard work and dedication, all combined with his friendly disposition, make him exceptional and deserving of recognition.” In another, a student said, “Every single morning when I get on the bus, he says, ‘Good Morning, John.’ This gives me an extra boost for my day.” As Employee of the Month, Davenport received a $50 gift card from Sam’s Club, which has generously partnered with GCS to support the employee recognition program. During the month of March, his photo will hang at the district’s central offices, the schools he serves and the Sam’s Club on Wendover Avenue. In addition, the Guilford County Board of Education recognized him at its March 10 meeting. John Holt’s Cornerstone Stress and the Economy Money and the economy topped the list of stressors for at least 80 percent of those recently surveyed by the American Psychological Association. Finances now overshadow the more typical daily stressors of work and relationships, with 46 percent reporting being worried about providing for their family’s basic needs. Some stress is adaptive and motivating. Too much is not. Help reduce your anxiety about the economy and your personal finances by: • Exercise and eat a healthy diet. Mr. D was surprised by Sam’s Club representative Steve Drewery at Northern Elementary. • Experience gratitude. Think of the positive things in your life. • Slow down. Try not to multi-task, it requires more mind-body energy. Doing things more slowly and deliberately helps calm the body down. So when feeling stressed, do a common activity Know someone like Davenport who settles for nothing less than excellence? Nominate him or her to be the GCS Employee of the Month here. March is National Nutrition Month and Madness Stay Active While Watching the NCAA Basketball Tournament March is National Nutrition Month, but it’s also college basketball’s most exciting time. Most of us have favorite teams that we watch all season, and when it comes time for March Madness, we tend to sit down and watch exciting game after exciting game, usually while snacking on some unhealthy foods. Here are a few tips to stay active and eat healthy while waiting for this year’s upsets. 8 Read restaurant menus carefully for clues to fat and calorie content. (Good: baked, braised, broiled, grilled, poached, roasted and steamed. Bad: batter-fried, pan-fried, buttered and creamed.) 8 It’s acceptable to make special requests, just keep them simple. For example, ask for a baked potato or side salad in place of French fries. 8 Hold the bread or chips until your meal is served. Out of sight, out of mind. 8 Split your order. Share an extra large sandwich or main course with a friend or take half home for another meal. 8 Think about your food choices for the entire day. If you’re planning a special restaurant meal in the evening, have a light breakfast and lunch. 8 Boost the nutrition in all types of sandwiches by adding tomato, lettuce, peppers or other vegetables. 8 Watch the game while at the gym or on the treadmill. Kick up the intensity while the opposing team has the ball and hustle right along with your team. 8 During time outs and commercial breaks do sit-ups, lunges, push ups and jumping jacks to keep the energy going. slowly, carefully and attentively. • Learn to say “No.” It’s not selfish to be nice to yourself, especially when health is involved. Financially, cut back on “luxuries” such as cable television or change your cell phone plan. Even within the economic crisis, there is optimism. While financial advisors and experts have had to talk friends and clients out of cashing in their investments because of the market nosedive, they, and now Barack Obama, have also noted the opportunity for bargains. Remember, you still have to attend to your IRA and 401k plans. Recognize that things may be bad for now, have Jesse Wharton Elementary Smart, Moves More Eats Jesse Wharton Elementary is having fun, while losing weight with a spinoff of television’s popular show The Biggest Loser. Mr. Fox and Mr. Gilmer, the school’s physical education teachers, facilitate the program. Two teams are competing, and have lost a total of 412 pounds so far. What does your staff do to stay motivated and eat healthy? E-mail your ideas to landesj@gcsnc.com. confidence in your ability to deal with a setback, seek help from reliable people (a financial advisor, for example) and make plans for handling the situation. Even doing nothing and riding out the stock market until it rises, and it will, is a valid choice you have made. John Holt Cornerstone Psychological Services 378-8806 3 www.gcsnc.com Ask the Expert Dennis Stearns, CFP, President Stearns Financial, Answers Your Questions Question: I have an IRA that I’m not putting any money into. Should I leave it alone or roll it over into something else? An IRA is a great place for building investment capital outside of your state pension program for three reasons. First, it grows tax-deferred, meaning you pay no taxes on interest or gains until you withdraw the money in retirement. Second, if you invest with one of the low-cost custodians like Schwab or Vanguard, you’ll have plenty of options to invest in and on-line educational tools to make the right selection. Third, since it is less accessible than a savings account, you’ll be less tempted to spend part of it on cars, boats or other depreciating assets that won’t help you make ends meet when you retire. Going to “no-load” (no up-front commission) IRAs and mutual funds at custodians like Schwab, Vanguard or TD Ameritrade can be a better choice. Since you aren’t investing more right now, the fund you’re in should be fine since it has low annual expense costs and should bounce back nicely in a few years after this recession has run its course. You can always open another IRA at one of the no-load custodians for new contributions. The current meltdown in the stock market and the economy is very scary for many investors. It is not unusual in the depths of a bad recession for there to be many doom and gloom articles and talking heads on TV. Going back almost 50 years, if you invested in stocks at the height of the doom and gloom, you would have made many, many times the amount if stock holdings had been moved over into CDs or the bank of Sealy (the mattress). It’s hard to do when everything looks bleak, but this time will likely not be an exception to some of the investment experts who predicted this mess was coming are now saying it’s time to start bargain hunting in stocks. Resist the urge to bailout now. Dennis Stearns is an award-winning financial planner, former member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Financial Planning and President of Stearns Financial Services Group in Greensboro, NC. Stearns Financial is a fee-only planning and investment management firm which was selected by Goldline Research as one of the Ten Most Dependable Wealth Managers of the Southeast U.S. for 2008 as featured in Forbes Magazine. Have a general financial planning or investment question? Send it to landesj@gcsnc.com, and it could be answered in the next edition. How is My North Carolina Pension Doing? Below are Questions From a Press Conference Regarding the North Carolina Pension and what affect the economic downturn may hold. On Feb. 19, State Treasurer Janet Cowell held a news conference regarding the state’s actuarial report on the status of North Carolina’s pension fund. State actuaries estimate that the N.C. Pension Fund will need $359 million from the General Fund in the next two years to pay future contributions. Below, are some answers to questions you may have. Q: What does this mean for my pension? (For Retirees) A: Your benefit payments are not at risk. The state’s pension plan is a defined benefit plan. That means we are contractually obligated to pay your benefits. We currently have enough assets to cover benefits. Q: What does this mean for my pension? (For Active Members) A: Your benefits are not at risk. The state’s pension plan is a defined benefit plan. That means we are contractually obligated to ensure that funds are available. You will continue to receive your pension checks. We currently have enough assets to cover benefits. Q: What does this mean for my cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)? A: While COLAs are not guaranteed, the Retirement Systems and its board of trustees will continue to advocate in front of the General Assembly for cost-of-living increases. Q: How did this happen? Why do we need $359 million? A: We anticipated that the lower investment returns would have an impact, causing most pension plans to experience higher required contributions as a result of market declines. The 19.7 percent decline in the value of the state’s pension plan in 2008 led to the need to increase the state’s contributions to ensure that benefits are covered in the long term. Q: So what will happen next? A: State Treasurer Janet Cowell is working with the General Assembly and Governor Purdue to identify possible solutions and next steps. But, rest assured that your pension is safe and guaranteed. Q: What will happen after two years? A: We cannot predict what will be needed after two years. As we all know from our current experiences, investing is a dynamic process: it is constantly evolving. State Treasurer Cowell and our staff will continually assess the situation and adjust accordingly. Q: Where can I get more information? A: The results will be posted on www.nctreasurer.com. 2009-10 GCS Budget Developments The district continues to gather information for the 2009-10 budget On Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Sharon Ozment presented an update of the GCS 2009-10 budget to the Board of Education. County Commissioners have asked the school system, along with every county department, to produce a flat budget. District staff has been gathering information to develop the 2009-10 budget, but there is still a lot of information missing, such as salary increases, health benefit rate changes and utility rate increases. What happens at the state and federal level could also have an effect on the district’s budget. The state has told school districts that budget reductions of 3 to 7 percent may be likely, but GCS has been keeping this in mind when preparing next year’s budget. In terms of federal funding, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction does not know what impact the Economic Stimulus Package will hold locally. Continue to check the Web site for budget updates. March 2009 4 Arts Education Shines at Youth Art Month Exhibit GCS Opened its Youth Art Month With on March 1 Arts education gives students a platform for expression, communication, exploration, imagination and cultural and historical understanding. Scientific research confirms that arts education strengthens problem-solving and critical thinking skills. In March, elementary schools around the country highlight the importance of arts education with Youth Art Month, an annual observance to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs. On Sunday, March 1, the Atrium of the Cultural Arts Center in downtown Greensboro was buzzing with young artists, family and friends to kick off GCS Youth Art Month exhibit. As you zig-zag your way through the Atrium you will find amazing drawings, paintings, mixed media, collage, sculptures and much more, all created by GCS elementary students. Students learn to make choices, develop patience and perseverance, expand their sensory awareness and discrimination, find solutions, develop an awareness of art in our world, both past and present. Invitations were designed by students and posted in all the schools. Parents, students, families and the GCS staff were given invitations for the opening reception. The purpose of the exhibit is to showcase the artistic talents of elementary students,and celebrate the idea of having art included in all schools for the cultural benefit of all students. (as told by Nathan Street and Joy Hudson) Superintendent Mo Green attended the opening reception of the exhibition on March 1. Art Wins at All Levels Middle and High School Students Recognized Students from Mendenhall Middle, Northwest High and Grimsley High received gold and silver key awards at the National Scholastic Art Awards for the Eastern/Central North Carolina Region. The artwork of the gold key award-winners will be sent to New York City for judging against other regional winners. Click here to see the winners’ work. The exhibit will be on display in the Atrium of the Cultural Arts Center, 200 N. Davie St., through Thursday, March 26. If you have any questions, please contact Nathan Street, Arts Curriculum Specialist at 574-2645 or streetn@ gcsnc.com. Relay continued from page2 Guitar continued from page 3 We currently have at least seven members of our staff who are cancer survivors. We also enjoy the good food we usually have, too.” Strickland also serves as the student council advisor. His students sponsor the annual “Change for Change” event that leads up to Relay for Life. The group collects change, cash or checks for two weeks, and as people donate, they can recognize a loved one who has either passed away or survived cancer. “We allow them to write the person’s name on stars that are attached to a large pink banner in our lobby. At the end, we bring the banner to display on our tent at Relay for Life. Over the past 10 years, we have contributed over $10,000 dollars in the names of over 800 people, which we think is cool.” Is your school supporting a staff member? Interested in participating? Click here to find out more information or contact Jennifer Landes at landesj@gcsnc.com. high school level, but now that I am here, I know this is where I should be and what I should doing,” Lui said as his students began to enter his classroom. “It’s great to be able to provide these students a quality education and to be able to lay the groundwork of guitar.” Music in Our Schools Month Through the National Association of Music Education, schools around the country celebrate Music in Our Schools Month (MIOSM) in March. The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children and remind citizens that school is where all children should have access to music. “Music is an extremely important part of a student’s education. It enhances students’ abilities, such as hand-eye coordination, attention to details, problem solving skills, mental awareness, aesthetics and most importantly, discipline,” said Lui. Customer Service Tip Help people understand your systems. You may have the world’s best process for getting things done, but if customers don’t understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don’t reduce the human element of your school or office. 5 www.gcsnc.com march SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 Read Across America School Social Work Week 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Daylight Savings Time Begins Board of Education Meeting 15 16 17 18 19 20 First Day of Spring 21 St. Patrick’s Day Early Release Day 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Board of Education Meeting 29 30 31 GCS Green Tip Reduce Paper Use 1. Print on both sides of the paper 2. Shred old paper to use as packing materials 3. Save and reuse old boxes 4. Use old sheets of paper for scrap or for note-taking Teacher Work Day March is: Women’s History Month National Nutrition Month Youth Art Month (Feb. 26-March 26) Music in Our Schools Month Resources for March Insider: www.relayforlife.org; www.acminet.org; About.com “The Ten Commandments of Customer Service” March 2009 6