ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH: Did you know? Missing 10% of school (more than 2 days a month) can make it harder to:
· Gain early reading and math skills
· Build relationships
· Develop good attendance habits
Help your child by ensuring he/she is at school every day and on time, sending notes when they must be absent due to illness, and supporting your child to develop good attendance habits!
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
We are so proud of the dedicated administration inside of each Gordon County School. Throughout the year, we will be introducing our Principals and Assistant Principals that serve as school leaders in our #OneBIGFamily
Please help us to celebrate Matt Fox, Assistant Principal at Belwood Elementary, by getting to know more about him below:
Q: Why did you want to join the field of education?
Mr. Fox: “There's no better way to have a career that has an impact than through education. The opportunity to help someone find success is a what makes this career special.”
Q: Did you have a teacher (or teachers) who made an impact on you as a student?
Mr. Fox: “I had several teachers that had an impact on me. On the elementary level, Mrs. Williams, my first grade teacher showed tremendous patience and love for each one of us. At the middle school level, Mrs. Robbins helped push me and saw potential I didn't know I had. In high school, Coach Pitts is one that gave all of us a strong individual to look to and a role model within the school building.”
Q: What advice would you give to new teachers?
Mr. Fox: “Know that you are having an impact whether you realize you are or not. Keep finding ways to reach kids and don't ever stop learning new ideas.”
Q: What is your favorite piece of advice to give to your students?
Mr. Fox: “Learn your environment and make good choices. These two simple things will carry anyone a long way.”
Q: What motivates you each day?
Mr. Fox: “We have a sign in the office at Belwood that we are the leaders of future generations, and I will never take that for granted.”
Q: Is there anything that you would like the GCS community to know about you?
Mr. Fox: “I love this community and school system. There's no place I would rather be and I appreciate the opportunity to serve.”
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS
AP SCHOLAR CELEBRATION: The College Board recently named 13 Gordon County Schools students as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school. Students can earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP exams.
College Board recognizes three levels of achievement based on student performance and AP exams.
Five students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are Addison Baker, Isaac Campuzano, Catherine Hughes, Drew Luginbuhl, and Matthew Spence.
Three students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are Yadira De Leon-Matute, Kayla Silvers, and Austin Tims.
Five students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of 3 or higher. The AP Scholars are Aranxa Campos, Nathan Clance, Breanna Manning, Priya Patel, and Ava Perez.
Not Pictured, 2022 Graduates: Addison Baker, Aranxa Campos, Isaac Campuzano, Yadira De Leon-Matute, Drew Luginbuhl, Breanna Manning, Priya Patel, Matthew Spence, and Austin Tims.
Learn more by visiting www.gcbe.org/news.
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
Our theme for the 2022-2023 school year is #OneBIGFamily.
We asked Christina Cote, third grade teacher at W.L. Swain Elementary and the 2022-2023 Swain Teacher of the Year, what it means to be part of our One BIG Family:
“I am thankful that I am a part of Gordon County One Big Family because we are very supportive of one another. We encourage and support one another as teachers and in our classrooms. When there are needs in our classroom, whether it be curriculum or students, we can count on our coworkers and administrators to help. We want the best for each and every student and teacher. That is something that is very valuable in this field.
As an example, one year I had larger class sizes and needed to complete an assessment for every student. I asked for help in assisting in getting the assessments completed and administration asked other teachers to come help. The specials teachers and ELL teacher gave up time from their planning to come help me so I could the assessments. They had a great attitude too as I was very appreciative of their time and help. It was so great knowing that others would help when we needed it.”
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS
September is Attendance Awareness Month!
To celebrate school attendance, we will have a friendly competition among our schools. The school with the highest attendance percentage during the month of September will win an ice cream party. The school with highest attendance percentage on September 30th will receive an attendance trophy!
Help your child by ensuring he/she is at school every day and on time, sending notes when they must be absent due to illness, and supporting your child to develop good attendance habits!
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TIP OF THE WEEK: Family Engagement plays an important role in helping kids to feel connected to their families, caregivers and the community.
Try these tips to help both you and your child connect with your school:
-Get to know your child’s teacher at the beginning of the year;
-Attend school events and teacher conferences;
-Volunteer;
-Encourage reading at home;
-Ask your child about their day.
Visit www.gcbe.org/pfe to learn more about GCS Parent & Family Engagement today.
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
GORDON COUNTY GROWN: Did you know we have a 3-year-old preschool program in Gordon County Schools? Check out some of the activities happening in our Preschool Play and Learn (PALs) classroom at Belwood Elementary!
Learn more about the PALs program by visiting www.gcbe.org/palsprogram
#GoCoSchools #OneBIGFamily #GETGCS
✨WORK-BASED LEARNING SPOTLIGHT✨
Ryder Smith is a Senior Work-Based Learning student from Sonoraville High School, working at the Tom B. David airport. After graduation, Ryder plans to attend a technical college and study construction management. He aspires to own his own business and focus on general contracting.
Interested in learning more about the Gordon County Schools work-based learning program? Visit www.gcbe.org/workbasedlearning
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #WorkBasedLearning #CTAE #OneBIGFamily
WELCOME ANONYMOUS ALERTS: Students, parents, staff and community members are now able to download and utilize the new GCS Anonymous Alerts app!
The Anonymous Alerts safety system empowers students, parents, and community members to anonymously report issues related to bullying, threats, harassment, drugs, and mental health concerns using the safety system. Use of this system allows for 1-way or 2-way anonymous encrypted communications between those who submit a report and district administration and/or school administration.
Download the Anonymous Alerts app today and use activation code: gocoschools
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
CYBERSECURITY TRAINING: Gordon County Schools recently hosted Cybersecurity Training in collaboration with Northwest Ga RESA and Georgia Department of Education Technology Services at the Gordon County College and Career Academy of Design and Advanced Manufacturing.
#OneBIGFamily #GETGCS #GoCoSchools
Our theme for the 2022-2023 school year is #OneBIGFamily.
We asked Mari Casole, School Social Worker & Homeless Liaison, what it means to be part of our One BIG Family:
“As one of the school social workers, I work with families and students with a wide range of needs. I'm very grateful to our faculty, staff, and community partners who are always willing to help meet our students' needs. They go above and beyond, and without a doubt, are making a positive difference in the students' lives. I feel very blessed to be part of a community that cares about one another as if we all were one big family! ”
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #GCSNutrition
TOTY CELEBRATION: We have some amazing teachers at Gordon County Schools. Please help us to celebrate the 2022 Belwood Elementary Teacher of the Year, Meghan Vess!
Vess has been at Belwood Elementary as an educator for the last nine years and has served the BES community in multiple grades including pre-k and first grade in addition to her current role.
As long ago as she can remember, Meghan wanted to chase her passion and become an educator. “Becoming a teacher is all that I have ever wanted to do. When I was younger, you could always count on me to be playing school. I would always come home and repeat everything I saw or heard my teachers say during the day,” said Meghan. “I knew I wanted to make a positive impact on those around me. I absolutely loved school myself and knew I wanted to pass my passion for learning on to others.”
Vess hopes to instill a love of learning for each student she has the opportunity to teach. “ I was fortunate enough to have had many amazing educators growing up who inspired me to become a teacher. The ones who made the biggest impact on my life are Ms. Dawn Pruett and Ms. Jenny Chadwick. These two ladies invested in me both in the classroom and outside of the classroom. They pushed me to become the best version of myself. To this day, they still reach out to me and support me. I am not sure how I would have made it through high school without these two ladies. I am forever thankful for their continued love and support.”
“I am so honored to represent Belwood Elementary School as the Teacher of the Year. Belwood holds a special place in my heart, and I am so thankful to work alongside some of the most amazing students, staff, and administration,” said Ms. Vess.
Colleagues describe Vess as being poised, articulate, and loving her students. She is known to always go above and beyond to build relationships and ensure her students are successful while learning in a fun environment.
Congratulations Ms. Vess!
#GoCoSchools #OneBIGFamily #GETGCS
Our September menus are full of tasty, healthy meals and some special food celebration days: National Pancake Day on Sept 26, World School Milk Day on Sept 28, and Georgia Crunch 4 Lunch Day on Sept 30. View and print all the menus from our webpage: https://thrillshare.com/s/documents-gcs-gordoncountyschoolsga/browse/260285
PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TIP OF THE WEEK: Try these conversation starters that can help you and your child have meaningful conversations. These are great to use during dinner, short rides in the car, or even while you are waiting for an appointment.
-Tell me about the best part of your day.
-What was the hardest thing you had to do today? And why was it hard?
-Tell me about what you are reading in class.
Visit www.gcbe.org/pfe to learn more about GCS Parent & Family Engagement today.
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
Our theme for the 2022-2023 school year is #OneBIGFamily.
We asked Katy Waters, First Grade Teacher at Fairmount Elementary and the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year, what it means to be part of our One BIG Family:
“Gordon County Schools is such a special place to work. It doesn't matter which campus you walk onto; you are always greeted with a kind smile and a helping hand. Being a teacher is such a rewarding career, but it has its days of hardship and frustrations. I am thankful for my Gordon County Family, who I can lean on for support and guidance. Our schools build each other up and are always willing to share strategies and ideas to help all the students within our county succeed.
I am grateful for my colleagues who make each workday so much fun and offer an endless supply of knowledge, strategies, and resources. My students, they bring such joy to my world and remind me to always be humble. Some days, I believe they are teaching me. It is a blessing to be a part of a school system that provides the best possible learning and working environment for our students and staff and want to see everyone be successful. Thank you, Gordon County Schools, for helping me become a better educator every day.”
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS
The Gordon County Schools Board of Education plans to lower the Tax Millage Rate for 2022 from 18.50 to 18.25. This rate reduction will offset some of the increase in property fair market values in recent higher appraisals.
Georgia law requires the advertisement of NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE if the proposed millage rate is higher than the calculated "rollback rate." The Gordon County Schools Board of Education will hold three public hearings in August and September to discuss the Tax Millage Rate.
The dates, times and locations of said hearings as well as additional information about the tax millage rate can be found at www.gcbe.org/millagerate
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS
PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT TIP OF THE WEEK: Infinite Campus is a great tool that allows parents real-time access to their student’s grades, missing assignments, attendance, and schedules. If you are not familiar with this tool or have questions about how to access your child’s information, check with your school about upcoming training sessions with your school’s Parent & Family Engagement Specialist.
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
✨WORK-BASED LEARNING SPOTLIGHT✨
Kannon England is a Senior Work-Based Learning student completing an internship at The Oaks at Fairmount Assisted Living Facility. Kannon has completed the CTAE Healthcare Pathway, and this is his second year in WBL at The Oaks. The Healthcare Pathway and WBL placement have allowed him to obtain valuable skills and knowledge in the medical field. He is being recruited by multiple colleges and universities to play baseball at the next level, and after that, plans to become a physician.
Interested in learning more about the Gordon County Schools work-based learning program? Visit www.gcbe.org/workbasedlearning
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #WorkBasedLearning #CTAE #OneBIGFamily
Thank you Northwest Metro Association of Realtors for allowing our Superintendent, Dr. Kimberly Fraker, to join you to share information about our tremendous school system.
Dr. Fraker was joined by Calhoun City Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle Taylor, Cartersville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Marc Feuerbach, and Bartow County Schools Deputy Superintendent Dr. David Chiprany.
Among those in attendance at the luncheon were several local realtors and supporters of our local school systems; Justin Childress, Flipper McDaniel and Diane Kirby. We are thankful for your continued support!
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily
Our theme for the 2022-2023 school year is #OneBIGFamily.
We asked Sawyer Patterson, a student at Fairmount Elementary, why he likes to be part of our GCS Family: “Fairmount is the best school, they have the best teachers, I love everything I get to learn, I have good friends, and I get to make new ones every year."
#GoCoSchools #GETGCS
