Gordon County College and Career Academy

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.

We are excited to host the College and Career Academy of Design and Advanced Manufacturing on August 31st.

At the Gordon County College and Career Academy, Inc. students are encouraged to immerse themselves in the world of creativity with our dynamic Graphic Design class. In this engaging course, students discover the power of visual communication as they learn to meld artistry with technology. Through hands-on projects, students unravel the secrets of design principles, exploring everything from color theory and typography to layout techniques. Under the guidance of our experienced design instructor, Ms. Shelia Johnson, students harness industry-standard software to bring their imaginative concepts to life. Whether crafting compelling logos, designing striking posters, or envisioning captivating digital graphics, this class equips students with the skills to thrive in a visually driven world while fostering their unique artistic voices. #GoCoSchools #GCSTogetherWeThrive #CTAE

Get ready to embark on an incredible learning adventure because TOMORROW is the first day of school! We're so excited to welcome back our amazing students and greet new faces with open arms. Teachers and staff are all set to make tomorrow a day to remember. Let's make it count! Also, when you post those first day of school photos make sure you tag us! Use the hashtag #GoCoFirstDay or email them to kpannell@gcbe.org. We will be featuring back to school photos on our social media channels and the September issue of the Gordon County Schools Connection newsletter. Parents and families - thank you for entrusting us with your children's education. We promise to make this school year unforgettable! #GoCoSchools #OneBIGFamily

🚍 It's back-to-school season, and that means it's time to brush up on school bus safety! Let's ensure our kids have a safe and enjoyable journey to school every day. 🎒📚 SCHOOL BUS SAFETY TIPS - AT THE BUS STOP: •Arrive at the bus stop five minutes before the bus is scheduled to come. •Wait at the bus stop in a safe place, 12 feet away from the road. •Wait in an orderly group: Form an orderly line as the bus approaches, with the first student in line standing 12 feet away from traffic. •If you miss the bus, return home and get help or phone a parent/guardian for assistance •NEVER chase after the bus. •NEVER wear headphones/ear buds or hoodies while loading or unloading the bus: the driver needs to be able to make eye contact and communicate. •NEVER walk or drive to another bus stop:your bus driver will not be expecting you. #SchoolBusSafety #GoCoSchools #OneBIGFamily

📢 Attention parents and families! Don't miss out on the opportunity to apply for free and reduced meal benefits for your child. It's a simple process that can provide significant support. Visit our website by visiting www.gcbe.org/mealapplications for more information. #MoreThanJustAMeal #GoCoSchools #GCSN

Gordon County Schools (GCS) is pleased to announce the 2023-24 School Teachers of the Year Winners. In the spring semester each school year, each GCS school is asked to select its own Teacher of the Year using nominations received from fellow staff members and community stakeholders. All school-level winners then become eligible to compete for the honor of being named the Gordon County Schools System Teacher of the Year. The annual system-wide competition is judged by a panel of community partners, retired educators, and system leadership based on applications submitted by school-level winners and classroom observations. Three system finalists will be announced the week of March 27th and the 2023-24 Gordon County Schools System Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual banquet tentatively scheduled for May 2nd. The winner of the system-wide honor will represent Gordon County Schools on the state level for the Georgia Teacher of the Year competition. Gordon County Schools 2022-23 School-Level Teachers of the Year: Ashworth Middle: Judson Peacock Belwood Elementary: Brenda Gilmor Fairmount Elementary: Christy Smith Gordon Central High: Neal Crawford Red Bud Elementary: Brooke Cigainero Red Bud Middle: Jacqueline Cascio Sonoraville Elementary: Heidi Murphy Sonoraville High: Carmelita Everett Tolbert Elementary: Cathy Musacchio W.L. Swain Elementary: India Bennett Learn more about the 2023-24 School-Level Teachers of the Year by visiting www.gcbe.org/2023-24teacheroftheyear #GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily

Given the latest timing of the impending storms and its impact on today’s dismissal, Gordon County Schools will be dismissing elementary schools today at 12:30 p.m. and middle and high schools at 1:30 p.m. Aftercare will operate as normal. Schools will communicate individually about the status of any other after-school activities that are scheduled for this afternoon and evening.

Gordon County Schools, in collaboration with local safety officials, is closely monitoring weather conditions expected for this afternoon. We stand ready to alter today’s dismissal in the interest of student and staff safety. Should an official change of schedule (delay, early dismissal, etc.) be warranted, we will notify staff and families via our website, all social media handles, mass notification system, and share information with local media outlets.

GORDON COUNTY SCHOOLS RECEIVES VISION AWARD (CALHOUN, GEORGIA) – The Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL) has recognized Gordon County Schools as a recipient of the 2022-2023 GAEL Vision Award. The Vision Award is presented to school districts in five categories based upon their commitment to encouraging and supporting teachers, principals, and district office staff in professional learning. “Learning is a lifelong process. In order for us to do the best for our students, we all must continue to grow professionally. For this reason, Gordon County Schools places an emphasis on professional learning opportunities for all of our staff members," says Dr. Kimberly Fraker, Superintendent. The Vision Award was presented during the GAEL Winter Conference, January 22-24, in Athens. Pictured on behalf of the system are Gordon County Schools’ principals: Amy Beason, Kelly Rampy, Shelly Allen, Debra Brock, Sket Angland, Monica Holt, Rebecca Champion, Amy Stewart, Justin Timms, and Tara Green. Not pictured- Brian Hall.

🚨🚨DELAYED DISMISSAL ANNOUNCEMENT🚨🚨 Due to inclement weather, Gordon County Schools will be delaying student release today, January 12th, by approximately 30 minutes. The Afterschool Program (ASP) at our elementary schools will operate as normal. Please continue to monitor the Gordon County Schools website, all social media handles, and notifications received from the mass notification system for the most up to date information.

LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS HOST GEORGIA COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY NETWORK REGIONAL MEETING Gordon County Schools, in partnership with the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce & Calhoun Schools, co-hosted the Georgia College and Career Academy Network (GCCAN) 2022 Northwest College and Career Academy Regional Meeting yesterday at Georgia Northwestern Technical College. Nearly 100 local stakeholders, community partners, educators, and district and state leaders were in attendance to discuss local economic development, meeting workforce needs, innovations in industry and education, and highlighting the successes of college and career academies in the region. Gordon County Schools College and Career Academy of Design and Advanced Manufacturing Principal, Leah Newsom, discussed the recent re-branding of the GCS career academy and the expanding opportunities GCS is providing to our students to meet the needs of the growing local workforce. GCS students Hannah Jones and Tyler McGhee shared their experiences as students currently enrolled in the GCS career academy and provided insight as to how the program is helping to shape their career paths after they graduate. Gordon County Schools would like to thank technical college partner, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, and lunch sponsor, Georgia Power, for hosting the event. #GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily

VIRTUAL LEARNING ACADEMY APPLICATIONS: Gateway Virtual Learning Academy is now accepting applications for the second semester of the 2022-2023. Gateway Virtual Learning Academy is a program designed for high school students who desire a non-traditional route to a high school diploma. The program has both an in-person and online component with flexible scheduling options. All applications are due by December 13, 2022. For more information, visit: https://www.gcbe.org/gatewayacademy To apply today, visit: https://www.gcbe.org/gatewayapplication #GoCoSchools #OneBIGFamily #GETGCS

We encourage all members of our #OneBIGFamily community to complete the Gordon County Moving Forward Together Survey from our friends at the NW GA Regional Commission. This survey offers the opportunity for people that live or work in Gordon County to provide guidance about improving various aspects of our community. Link to survey: http://s.alchemer.com/s3/Gordon-County-Moving-Forward-Together-Survey #GoCoSchools #GETGCS

ATTENDANCE AWARENESS MONTH: We all play a role in promoting good attendance! Help your child develop good attendance habits by: ·Setting a bedtime and morning routine ·Laying out clothes and packing backpacks the night before ·Know your school start time and/or bus schedule #GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily

STATEWIDE LEADERSHIP AWARD: Gordon County Schools Special Education Director, Alecia Segursky, was announced as the winner of the prestigious 2022 Phil Pickens Leadership Award by the Georgia Department of Education’s Parent Mentor Partnership! The Phil Pickens Leadership Award is a statewide honor recognizing outstanding leadership in the collaborative work between home, school, and community to improve outcomes for students with disabilities, outstanding contributions to the Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership program, and consistent outstanding leadership accomplishments in special education. “I am honored to receive this award,” said Ms. Segursky. “It is a blessing to work in Gordon County Schools and have the opportunity serve our students with disabilities and their families.” Segursky won the award during a virtual conference held yesterday in front of the Special Education Services team, her family, Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Fraker, Assistant Superintendent Alice Mashburn, Director of Early Learning and Elementary Education Beth Herod, and Director of Federal Programs and Professional Learning Patricia Boswell. Please join us in congratulating Ms. Segursky in the comments below! To learn more about the award, visit www.gcbe.org/news #GoCoSchools #GETGCS #OneBIGFamily

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

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

September is Attendance Awareness Month! To celebrate school attendance, we will have a friendly competition among our schools. The class 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