For more information on any of the following items, please click here.
Recognitions
GCS Employee of the Month for November 2009
The board recognized Phillip Fulton, GCS electrical foreman, as the November 2009 Employee of the Month.
GCS Volunteer of the Month for November 2009
The board recognized Louis Chaney, volunteer at Jamestown Middle, as the November 2009 Volunteer of the Month.
Cynthia Sevier Earns Friend of Child Nutrition Award
The board recognized Cynthia Sevier, director of school nutrition services, for receiving the Friend of Child Nutrition Award at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s Fall Conference for Child Nutrition Administrators.
American Education Week Proclamation
The board, along with the Guilford County Association of Educators, presented a proclamation in support of American Education Week (Nov. 15-21).
Consent Agenda
The board approved the following items on the consent agenda:
- Meeting Minutes
- Personnel Reports
- 2009-10 Budget Amendments and Transfers Report
- 2009-10 Local Options for Alternative Schools
- Sale of House Constructed by the Weaver Academy Construction Technology Class
Staff Reports
Proposed 2010-11 Traditional Calendar Options
GCS is seeking feedback on four traditional school calendar options for the 2010-11 school year. Parents, school staff and community members can provide comments through Dec. 10.
A committee of parents, community members and faith community representatives along with teachers, principals and central office employees developed three of the calendar options. A fourth option was developed by GCS staff in response to feedback from district administrators. Each option aligns with state law and attempts to reconcile concerns expressed previously by parents, educators, the board and community members.
All four options use Aug. 25, 2010 as the first day of school. Two options choose June 9, 2011 as the last day of school, one uses June 7 and another uses June 10. Student breaks, teacher workdays and make-up days fall differently within each calendar. North Carolina students must attend school 180 days each school year.
The calendar options are posted on the GCS Web site and in district offices during the public comment period. Input on this item may be made to gcscomments@gcsnc.com or via courier or U.S. mail to District Relations Department, ATTN: Calendar Options Guilford County Schools, 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401.
After the public comment period ends, the board will review the comments and approve a traditional schools calendar at their Dec. 17 meeting. Employee and non-traditional school calendars will be developed after the board has finalized the traditional calendar.
Update on Oak Ridge Elementary School
Work has begun on the re-commissioning of the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system at Oak Ridge Elementary School. There is still not a timeline for when students and staff will be able to move back in to the Oak Ridge facility.
The district is continuing to work with Turner Group and other outside firms to complete the remediation efforts on the items identified by the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH). Click here for a progress update that outlines the projects taking place, the completion date for each item and the project status.
Report on Facilities Design Standards
The GCS facilities staff is working on Design Guidelines that define the physical requirements and specific systems necessary to build or renovate schools within GCS. The guidelines will provide a way to achieve consistency in facilities throughout the district and will provide a consistent way to evaluate projects during the design process and to maintain facilities.
GCS is also working with school designers to implement strategies that will result in school designs that are energy efficient and environmentally sound. In fact, the district developed the “Guilford Green Guide (G3),” which includes energy-efficient and environmentally sound architectural and engineering specifications that have been developed for GCS. The Design Guidelines and the Guilford Green Guide can both be found on the facilities Web page.
Update on Proposed Autism Wing at Ragsdale High School
GCS is considering changes to the proposed autism wings that were part of the 2008 School Bond referendum. The original proposal approved by voters included three autism wings that would serve approximately 48 students each.
The Building Advisory Team, which consists of parent and community representatives, staff members and board members, is recommending reducing the number of autism wings from three to two; increasing the size of each wing to accommodate more children and placing one of the wings at Ragsdale High and the other at a location to be determined.
The recommendations come after the team has reviewed a variety of data, including where students with the most intensive needs live within the county. The team also looked at the costs associated with the autism wings. Highly impacted children have communication, cognitive and behavioral needs that require costly materials and supplies such as augmentative communication devices, sensory equipment and gross motor equipment.
The team also feels that there would be a stronger sense of community for families, staff and support agencies. “The stress of caring for an individual with severe needs requires in-depth support systems for all involved,” said Betty Anne Chandler, executive director of exceptional children. “There would more resources for parent support available with larger numbers of students.”
Approximately 97 percent of students with disabilities are currently served in traditional schools, either in general education or self-contained classrooms. This includes 95 percent of students with autism. Over the next several weeks, staff will be out in the community meeting with parents about the proposed autism wings. A joint meeting is scheduled on November 18 at 6 p.m. between the Autism Society, GCS staff and Building Advisory Team members. The meeting will take place in the EC Training Room at 120 Franklin Blvd. in Greensboro.
Community members have 30 days to comment about the Building Advisory Team’s proposal. To make comments, click here or send an e-mail to gcscomments@gcsnc.com or via courier or U.S. mail to District Relations Department, ATTN: Autism Wings Comments, Guilford County Schools, 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. The district will be receiving comments until Dec. 10, 2009.
School Safety Issues Update
Gwen Willis, chief student services officer, and Tony Scales, school safety officer, presented to the board an overview on crime and discipline across the district. The Safe Schools Act requires school districts to report specific types of crime and violence to the State Board of Education, which has identified 17 criminal acts that are included in an annual report, 10 of which are considered dangerous and violent. The data shows reductions in reportable crimes, long-term suspensions and short-term suspensions for the 2008-09 school year.
Reportable crimes were down approximately 15 percent for GCS to 545 acts in 2008-09. The most common violations – possession of a controlled substance and possession of a weapon (excluding firearms and explosives) – declined by 14 percent and 15 percent respectively. Short-term suspensions lasting up to 10 days decreased slightly by less than 1 percent, while long-term suspensions of more than 10 days for more serious offenses showed a larger decline, down 59 percent from 2007-08.
The board voted to invite representatives from the High Point Police, Greensboro Police and the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to a meeting to talk about the use of tasers in schools.
Board Discussion
Legislative Committee Update
The board approved to post the proposed 2009-10 legislative agenda for a 30-day public comment period. The agenda includes a No Child Left Behind Reauthorization Position Paper which states that the legislation should be modified. Other topics outlined in the legislative agenda include critical state funding issues, barriers to Minority Women Business Enterprise, support for high-quality employees, the classified pay scale, pre-kindergarten programs and local board operation and authority.
The legislative agenda and the position paper are posted on the GCS Web site and in district offices during the public comment period. Input on this item may be made to gcscomments@gcsnc.com or via courier or U.S. mail to District Relations Department, ATTN: Legislative Agenda, Guilford County Schools, 712 North Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401. The district will be receiving comments until Dec. 10, 2009. The board will vote on the legislative agenda at their Dec. 17 meeting.
Governance Review Committee Update
The board approved to place changes made to Policy JCDAD, Student Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination-Free Environment out for a 30-day public comment period. The policy was adopted by the board in June. The proposed changes are in alignment with the School Violence Prevention Act (S.L. 2009-212), which was adopted by the General Assembly during last year’s legislative session. The act added information to the law that pertains specifically to bullying in schools.
The revised policy can be viewed on the GCS Web site and in district offices during the public comment period. Input on this item may be made to gcscomments@gcsnc.com or via courier or U.S. mail to District Relations Department, ATTN: Bullying Policy, Guilford County Schools, 712 N. Eugene St., Greensboro, NC 27401. The district will be receiving comments through Dec. 10.
Closed Session
The board voted against an extension to a contract through February 28, 2010 signed by William G. Staley, as Trustee of the William G. Staley Revocable Trust dated February 4, 2004, and by Mary Louise R. Watterson (widow). The contract was for 55 acres in the eastern part of the county. The board also directed board counsel to give timely notice of the board’s option extension decisions to the property owners and to transmit to them appropriate option extension fee payments on behalf of the board.
Guilford County Board of Education meetings are broadcast live on GCSTV 2 (cable channel 2) and also online at http://www.gcsnc.com/depts/gcstv2/gcstv2live.htm. The meetings re-air the day after the meeting at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and the Saturday following the meeting at 1 p.m.
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