Gordon County Schools -

Gordon County Schools is on an early release schedule Wednesday, March 13th and Thursday, March 14th for Parent Conferences. We hope families were able to schedule time to meet with teachers to discuss your child's progress this year. If not, you are encouraged to stay in contact with your school and connect with teachers to find time to discuss academic achievement and future goals. Friday, March 15th is an At-Home Learning Day. We hope that your child or children are able to explore learning opportunities that day and catch up on assignments, projects, and materials as we approach End-of-Course and End-of-Grade Milestones testing.

This week is National School Social Worker Week, and we'd like to show our appreciation for the social workers who make a difference in our students' lives each day. Thank you Ty Bonner, Rachel Wood, and May Corbin for your care, love, and service to our Gordon County community.

March is Gifted Education Month in Georgia, and we are celebrating the talents and abilities of our students in Gordon County Schools. That also means acknowledging the amazing educators providing acceleration, creativity, and challenge in the classroom.

School Board Appreciation Week is March 11-17. The week-long celebration serves to recognize the positive impact local boards of education make in their community. Our Board of Education members work tirelessly alongside Superintendent Mrs. Alice Mashburn to ensure students are in schools that are safe, rigorous, and relationship-driven. Their outstanding contributions to our school system, students, and community they serve are instrumental to the success of Gordon County Schools.

Congratulations to Gordon Central High School for being recognized by Superintendent Richard Woods and the Georgia Department of Education as a 2024 AP Honor School. Advanced Placement (AP) courses require hard work by both teachers and students, and the award recognizes this commitment. GCHS is on the AP Challenge School list for schools with enrollments of 900 or fewer students and exams administered in English, mathematics, science, and social studies with a minimum expected participation rate met. Gordon Central is also recognized on the AP Access and Support List for schools with at least 30% of AP exams taken by students who identified as African American and/or Hispanic (minimum of 16 students) and 30% of all AP exams earning scores of 3 or higher. At least 25 exams must be administered.

Congratulations to the Lady Phoenix and Phoenix basketball teams for their state tournament play!

Congratulations to the following Red Bud Middle FBLA students for their recent accomplishments at the State FBLA Conference in Columbus, Georgia: Preslie Parish- 3rd place State winner in Mission and Pledge Emma Osmanovic- 5th place State winner in Public Speaking Jet Johnston and Julio Rodriguez- 2nd place State winners in Critical Thinking Jet Johnston- 7th place State winner in Exploring Computer Science

We are starting March with lots of celebrating: a happy birthday treat for Dr. Seuss's March 1 birthday is quickly followed by some tropical beachy breakfast dishes featured during National School Breakfast Week March 4 - 8. Have breakfast at school and try a Point Break Potato Bowl, a Big Wave Waffle Stick, or a Shark Attack Yogurt Cup, among other new treats. And look for some special celebrity breakfast servers in your school cafeteria.

📣 Gordon County Schools Pre-K Registration 🍎 📅 Registration Period: February 1st - March 8th 🎉 Pre-K Lottery: March 14th Pre-K registration for Gordon County Schools opens February 1st. Parents and guardians, mark your calendars as the registration window closes on March 8th. 🔍 Lottery Information: Don't miss the chance to secure a spot for your little one in our Bright From the Start Pre-K programs at each of our six elementary schools. The Pre-K Lottery will take place on March 14th. The goal of every Georgia Pre-K classroom is to provide our four-year-olds with the experiences that they need to prepare for kindergarten. In 1993, Gordon County Schools had the foresight to be instrumental in establishing one of the first Pre-K sites in the state of Georgia. Currently, Gordon County Schools has sixteen Pre-K classrooms. Children must be four years old on or before September 1. Children who are five years old by September 1, may attend Pre-K if they have not previously attended a Georgia Pre-K. 🏫 Belwood Elementary Preschool Play & Learn Program: Additionally, Gordon County Schools is excited to kick off registration for the Preschool Play & Learn Program at Belwood Elementary. Parents interested in this program can also register starting February 1st. The Preschool Play and Learn (PAL) Program for 3-year-old children during the 2024-25 school year. This tuition-based program is housed at Belwood Elementary School and is open to children throughout Gordon County, regardless of residence attendance zone. 📌 How to Get More Information: For detailed information about both the Pre-K Registration and the Preschool Play & Learn Program at Belwood Elementary, simply follow the links provided or scan the QR Code from the graphics. 🌐 Pre-K Registration Information: https://www.gcbe.org/page/prek-program 🌐 Preschool Play & Learn Program Details: https://www.gcbe.org/o/bes/page/preschool-play-and-learn 🤔 Questions? If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to the elementary school where you are registering your child, or contact Belwood Elementary for more information about the Preschool Play & Learn Program. You may also contact Pre-K and PAL Director, Ms. Beth Herod, at bherod@gcbe.org or by calling 706-629-7366. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Join us in shaping a bright future for our little learners! 🌟

Gordon County Schools took a total of 43 students from Red Bud Middle School and Sonoraville Elementary to compete in the Northwest Georgia Regional Technology Competition. A total of 26 projects were entered across 12 categories in this annual NWGA RESA event. First-place winners will compete at the state competition. Congratulations to all students who competed, and good luck to the 1st place winners who will go on to state competition March 2nd at the Henry County Advanced Learning Academy! 1st Place Winners: Sonoraville Elementary Raelynn Stickler, Grades 5-6 Graphic Design Red Bud Middle School Maddie Beth Gulledge, Grades 7-8 Animation Brexten Camp, Grades 7-8 Internet Applications Emma Osmanovic & Preslie Parish, Grades 7-8 Productivity Design Here were the rest of our great competitors! We are so proud of our GCS students, and thank you to the educators who worked with these students and took them to participate in this event. Sonoraville Elementary School Hadley Evans & Leny Mendoza-Reyes, Grades 3-4 Graphic Design Reid Roddy & Bryer Gibson, Grades 3-4 Animation Emma Brookshire & Ella Benton, Grades 3-4 Robotics Kellin Hendrix & Jake Farley, Grades 3-4 Video Production Harper Moore & Ally Proper, Grades 3-4 Productivity Design Jacob Watkins & Roczen Garland, Grades 5-6 Multimedia Applications Carly Bailey & Peter Obi, Grades 5-6 Productivity Design Red Bud Middle School Kevin Tirador & Jesus Taboada-Hernandez, Grades 5-6 3D Modeling Langston Loudermilk & Reagan Hughes, Grades 7-8 3D Modeling Haidyn Jones, Grades 5-6 Animation Elijah Dacus & Oliver Monica, Grades 5-6 Audio Production Maksym Aloshyn, Grades 7-8 Audio Production Wren Sision & Mikayla Thurman, Grades 5-6 Photo Production Paityn Goldston & Ellie Wofford, Grades 7-8 Photo Production Declan Wang & Desmond Worley, Grades 5-6 Game Design Camden Thompson, Grades 7-8 Graphic Design Eva McDougle & Darcy Owen, Grades 7-8 Multimedia Applications Slater Morss, Grades 7-8 Programming Parker Holland & Jacoby Weaver, Grades 5-6 Robotics Lukas Holmes & Lincoln Lessis, Grades 7-8 Robotics London Carter, Grades 5-6 Video Production Sarah Nic Dutton, Grades 7-8 Video Production Congratulations!

February menus for your school cafeterias - Gordon County School Nutrition is excited to share lots of fun special days and special treats in February.

Gordon County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay tomorrow, Wednesday, January 17, due to tomorrow's Wind Chill Advisory in our area. Please adjust your child's morning drop-off time by two hours. Buses will also operate on a two-hour delay behind their usual route times. Thank you for your cooperation and stay safe! #GoCoSchools #GCSWeThriveTogether

Gordon County Schools Families: Due to current severe winter weather conditions and tomorrow's forecast, Gordon County Schools will be closed Tuesday, January 16th, to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community. We will continue to closely monitor weather and road conditions this week and will alert families about any decisions regarding school operations immediately. Thank you for your cooperation and please stay safe and warm.

Gordon County Schools is on a two-hour delay this morning. We encourage everyone to exercise caution when driving. Families of bus riders will be notified by our Transportation Department if hazardous road conditions interfere with morning pick-up. Stay safe and have a great day.

Due to inclement weather conditions, Gordon County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay Tuesday, January 9, 2024. This delay is implemented to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and families during adverse weather conditions, including potential high winds. Please adjust your child's morning drop-off time by two hours. Buses will also operate on a two-hour delay behind their usual route times. We will continue to monitor the situation and encourage everyone to follow local news and GCS social media outlets for any changes to the current situation. Thank you for your cooperation, and stay safe.

Child Find Requirement Notice for Gordon County Schools: Gordon County Schools has a duty to locate, evaluate and identify any child residing in the district who are suspected of, or have a disability or developmental delay. Children eligible for special education include those children with disabilities who have autism, deaf-blindness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, acquired brain injury, visual impairment or developmental delay and who, because of such an impairment, need special education services. If you suspect your child has a disability and may need special education services or if you would like additional information, please contact the District’s Special Education Director Amy Beason at 706-629-4474.

Students -- school starts again on January 5, and we will have a hot breakfast and lunch ready for all of you! Here are our January menus, featuring some special new items: Fun and Fruity Waffles at breakfast and Chicken Parmesan at lunch, just to name a few. Enjoy the rest of your break, and come see us in your school cafeteria on Friday, January 5th.

The weather outside might be frightful, but breakfast and lunch in your school cafeteria is soooo delightful! Gordon County School Nutrition will be celebrating with some special foods in December: brownies for National Brownie Day and a special holiday-flavored Jolly Sidekick frozen fruit treat on December 8. Then, on December 13, we will feature freshly baked cinnamon rolls as part of our Christmas Brunch for Lunch. Finally, on a date set specifically for each school, we will serve a traditional Christmas lunch with turkey, ham and the sides we all love. Call your child's school for the date of their Christmas luncheon.

Discover the road to responsible driving with Gordon County Schools! Unlock the keys to safe and responsible driving with our Georgia Department of Transportation approved Driver's Education program, exclusively tailored for high school students. At Gordon County Schools, we believe in empowering our students to navigate the roads confidently, and that's why we're excited to present our comprehensive Driver's Education Program. Tailored to meet the requirements of Joshua's Law, our program ensures that all 16 and 17-year olds fulfill the mandatory certified driver education course before hitting the open road or waiting until the age of 18 to obtain their license. Embrace the journey of becoming a responsible driver with our engaging behind-the-wheel instruction, designed to prepare students for a lifetime of safe driving. Key Features: •Available to all students with a learner's permit, regardless of their school affiliation. •Comprehensive 30 hours of classroom instruction for $75. •Optional driving instruction class, including 6 hours of invaluable on-road experience, available for $220. •All classes and tests conducted using AAA How to Drive 15th Edition, ensuring a top-notch learning experience. •Proudly certified through the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). Don't miss the chance to equip your student with essential driving skills in a program that goes beyond the basics. Join the Gordon County Schools' Driver's Education Program and drive into a future of safe and responsible motoring! The road to responsible driving starts here - enroll online today at www.gcbe.org/driverseducation #GoCoSchools #GCSTogetherWeThrive

Parent and Family Engagement Month Contest - Week 3 is Here! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🎉 We're thrilled to kick off our annual competition, and you won't want to miss out on the fun and fantastic prizes we have in store! Here's what's in store for Week 3: •Night 1: Use this fun conversation starter to get your family talking about the talking about the Thanksgiving holiday and planning for future holidays: Imagine a future Thanksgiving. Tell that story. How will your descendants celebrate? What stories will they tell? •Night 2: Celebrate the holidays with a game of “Would You Rather?” Try these holiday questions and take turns making up new ones. Would you rather... -Eat only turkey or only mashed potatoes for an entire year? -Watch a parade or perform in one? -Wear an ugly sweater every day for a year, or wear antlers in every school picture? -Have an annoying song stuck in your head, or have to sing one in public? -Eat pumpkin pizza or pepperoni pie? -Listen to holiday music nonstop for 24 hours, or dress like a turkey in public? -Celebrate Christmas on the moon or on Mars? -Go to school in a boat or in a sleigh? •Night 3: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Activity. Use this activity to help “cool down” and regulate. Each family member takes turns naming: -5 things they can see -4 things they can touch -3 things they can hear -2 things they can smell -1 thing they can taste, OR 1 thing they would like to eat right now. -For an extra boost of calm, try encouraging family members to take one slow, deep breath before sharing, speaking in a whisper, or sitting as still as possible while they share. •Night 4: This is a great conversation starter for sharing old family traditions and for planning new ones: What is your favorite family tradition, and why? •Night 5: Cookie Face Race. This hilarious cookie face race challenge doesn’t have to be played with cookies – any flat-bottomed food item, like crackers, bread, slices of cheese, or dried fruit strips, can work! Each player tips his or her head back. Place a cookie (or other chosen food item) on each person’s forehead. Set a timer for one minute and say “On your mark, get set, go!” See who can get the cookie from their forehead to their mouth first – but no hands! Players can only use their facial muscles to move their cookies. If you missed any activities from Week 1 or Week 2, you still have time to make those up!! Visit www.gcbe.org/pfemonth for more information!