Elephant Tracks 1/27/12

ELEPHANT TRACTS – GCSS NEWSLETTER 
1/27/2012
 
If you no longer want to receive the newsletter or know someone who would like to receive it and is not, please e-mail beverly.nordholz@gcssk12.net
 
Information on our students, faculty/staff, or graduates and any information that would be beneficial to the GCSS family is always welcome.  Please e-mail to beverly.nordholz@gcssk12.net.
 
ALL SCHOOLS
1/30 Fine Arts Teachers  @ SBO Conference Room 4:00 pm
1/31 Goal 4 Work Group SBO Conference Room 8:30 am
2/1 System-wide Spelling Bee @ GMS Middle School 9:00  Elementary Schools 1:45
2/2 Superintendent’s Luncheon w/12 Wood’s Mill Academy Students 11:30 am
2/6 School Board Work Session @ SBO 6:00
2/7 Progress Reports
2/11 Pay Period Cut-Off
2/13 Time Sheets Due
 
FACULTY/STAFF BUDGET PRESENTATIONS
1/30 WMHS 3:00
1/31 Fair Street 2:55
2/1 New Holland 2:45
2/2 Enota 3:00
2/7 GEA 2:50
2/8 GMS 4:00
2/9 Mid-Year Retreat
2/15 GHS 3:45
       
COMMON CORE GPS STATE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING JANUARY SCHEDULE
Content Area                                       Audience                               Date                       Time
      ELA                                      2^nd Grade            1/31/12                10-12
      ELA                                      7^th Grade             1/31/12                 2-4
 
       
COMMON CORE GPS STATE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FEBRUARY SCHEDULE
Content Area                                       Audience                               Date                       Time
      ELA                                      4^th Grade               2/1/12              10-12
      ELA                                      11^th & 12^th            2/1/12                2-4
     Math                                      Kindergarten       2/2/12                 10-12
     Math                                      6^th Grade             2/2/12                 2-4
     Math                                      1^st Grade             2/7/12                 10-12
     Math                                      7^th Grade             2/7/12                  2-4
     ELA                                       9^th & 10^th             2/15/12               10-12
     ELA                                       5^th Grade             2/15/12                 2-4
     Math                                      2^nd Grade            2/16/12                10-12
     Math                                      8^th Grade             2/16/12                2-4
     Math                                      3^rd Grade             2/28/12               10-12
     Math                                      9^th Grade              2/28/12                2-4
      ELA                                      6^th Grade               2/29/12               10-12
      ELA                                      3^rd Grade              2/29/12                  2-4 
 
CENTENNIAL ELEMENTARY
1/27 Boosterthon 1^st Collection
        Georgia Power Program Grade 5
1/31 K,3,4 Grade Level Meetings During Planning
2/1 Dibels Due to E.Wiley
      RTI
      1^st Grade Bake Sale
2/2 1^st Grade Bake Sale
      Sp Ed, Mpact Grade Level 2:50
      Tech Support/Creasman
      Skate Country Night 6:00
2/3 Chci-Fil-A $2.50
      Boosterthon 2^nd Collection
      Lit Art 4^th Grade 11:15
      Lit Art 5^th Grade 12:35
      Lit Art 3^rd Grade 1:30
2/4 Reading Bowl Competition @ Chesatee Middle School 9:30 am
       
ENOTA ELEMENTARY
1/30-2/3 ACCESS Testing for ESOL Students Continues
1/30 Grade Level/Team Planning Meetings
1/31 Stomp Zone for 1^st Semester @ Skate Country 8:15-11:30
        Faculty Meeting/PTA Boosterthon Presentation
2/1 Spelling Bee @ GMS 9:00 am
      Collaborative Team Meetings
2/2 3^rd Grade Arts in School 8-11
      Student Council Meeting in Culinary Arts 12:15-12:45
     Faculty/Governing Council Meeting on Budget 3:00 pm
     Skate Country Night 6-8
2/3 3^rd Grade Arts in School 8-11
      Reading Bowl Pep Rally 2:00 pm
2/4 Reading Bowl Competition @ Chestatee Middle School 9:30 am
 
FAIR STREET ELEMENTARY
1/31 Kindergarten Planning Session 8-11
        1^st Grade Planning Session 12-3
2/1 2^nd Grade Planning Session 8-11
      3^rd Grade Planning Session 12-3
2/2 4^th Grade Planning Session 8-11
      5^th Grade Planning Session 12-3
           
GAINESVILLE ELEMENTARY
1/27 Career Day for 3^rd-5^th
1/30 Leadership Meeting 7:20 am
2/1 GAN Meetings During Planning
2/3 Doughnut Sale Begins
2/7 Progress Reports Go Home 

NEW HOLLAND ELEMENTARY
1/27 PLC K,4, 5
1/31 PLC
        ESOL/EIP/Connection
        Leadership Meeting 2:45
2/1 PLC
        ESOL/EIP/Connection
        Faculty Meeting 2:45
2/2 PLC 3, 2, 1
2/3 PLC K,5, 4
      
GMS
1/28 State Robopachyderms @ Georgia Tech 10:00 am
2/1 System-Wide Spelling Bee 9:00 am
2/2 GMS Band Winter Fundraiser Begins
2/4 Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl @ Chestatee 10:00 am
 
GHS     
1/27 Wrestling Hall County Duals @ Johnson
        JV Basketball Johnson @ Home Girls 4:00 pm Boys 5:30 pm
        Varsity Basketball Johnson @ Home Girls 7:00 pm Boys 8:30 pm
1/28 SAT
         Wrestling Hall County Duals @ Johnson
         Honda Battle of the Bands & College Fair Georgia Dome 10-6 (See Below)
1/31 JV Girls Basketball Lanier @ Home 4:00 pm
        Varsity Basketball Lanier @ Home Senior Night Girls 6:00 pm Boys 7:30 pm
2/1 Wrestling @ Home vs. Riverside and White County 5:30 pm
2/2 NJROTC Varsity Air Rifle Tournament Creekview @ Home
      Cheerleading Banquet in Media Center Center 5:00pm
      Poetry Out Loud Competition in Pam Ware PAC 7:00 pm
2/3 Final Deadline to Order Yearbooks With Name Imprint
      Regional Wrestling Tournament @ Chestatee High School
2/4 Regional Wrestling Tournament @ Chestatee High School
      Academic Bowl State Finals @ Flowery Branch High School 8:00 am
       JV Basketball @ East Hall Girls 3:00 pm Boys 4:30 pm
       Varsity Basketball @ East Hall Girls 6:00 pm Boys 7:30 pm
2/7 Balfour Taking Graduation Announcement Orders, Ring Payments or Orders,
              Letter Jacket Orders During Lunches in Lobby
 
Directions to:

Chestatee High School-Go Highway 60 N. over bridge.  Go to first light past Ingles.  Turn left on Ledan Road.  Go to intersection of Sardis Road and go left again.  School will be on right on Sardis Road.

ChestateeMiddle School– From Lakeshore Mall, go 4.7 miles.  Turn right onto Sardis Road.  Go .8 miles.  Turn left onto Fran Mar Drive.  2740 Fran Mar Drive.

East Hall High School - Go Jesse Jewel Parkway .  Go under I-985.  Road changes into Old Cornelia Highway.  School will be approximately 2 miles on your right.  Baseball & football fields are approximately on mile down Old Cornelia Highway on the opposite side of the road as the school.

Flowery Branch High School-Take 985 South to Spout Springs Road exit.  Turn left at the end of the exit ramp.  Go 2.5 miles.  School is on left hand side of road.  6603 Spout Springs Road.

Georgia Dome- Go I-985 S. 20.2 miles until it merges into I-85 S. Go 29.8 miles.  Take Exit 249 towards Williams St./ World Congress Center/ Ga. Dome.  Go .3 miles.  Turn right at Ivan Allen, Jr. Blvd.  Go .3 miles and continue onto Jones Avenue.  Go .4 miles & turn left at Northside Drive. Go .5 mile. Turn left at Georgia Dome Drive.  You can see the dome from this spot.

Johnson High School-Go 985 South to Exit 16 (Oakwood).  Go left when you get off the Interstate.  Go approximately 1/2 mile to big intersection and take left onto Atlanta Highway .  Entrance to school will be just past South Hall Middle School on your right.
3305 Poplar Springs Road, Gainesville, GA

Registration Information 2012-13
 
School registration and choice enrollment for Gainesville City Schools for the 2012 – 2013 school year will take place from January 9, 2012 – February 24, 2012.
 
Current K – 11 Students

• All students currently enrolled in grades K–11 must complete a preliminary enrollment form and provide the school with a copy of a current verification of address (i.e. lease agreement or electric, water, or gas bill) in order to be enrolled for 2012-2013.  The deadline for returning forms and residency verification is February 24, 2012.

 
Kindergarten and Newly Enrolled Students Grades 1-8

• Registration for Kindergarten and for new students enrolling in grades 1-8 will take place at the Wood’s Mill Registration Center.

City Residents:  January 17-February 10
Non-Residents:  February 13- February 24
 
                Parents should bring a birth certificate, immunization form #3231, ear,
                eyes, and dental certificate #3300, social security card (if available) and 
                residency verification (i.e.  lease agreement or electric, water or gas bill).
               
                Parents of non-resident students must complete a non-resident application 
                upon registration.  Tuition fees will be not be collected until acceptance is
                confirmed.  Parents (of non-resident students) will be notified on March 5,
                2012 of their status of acceptance.
 
Newly Enrolled Students Grades 9-12

• Registration for students enrolling in grades 9-12 will take place at Gainesville High School.

 
Pre-K Lottery Drawing                         

• Pre-K sign-up for the lottery drawing will occur on Monday, March 19, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Wood’s Mill Registration Center.   The drawing will take place by April 1, 2012.

NEXT TUITION PAYMENT IS DUE ON FEBUARY 11, 2012.

DO SOMETHING AMAZING-SAVE A LIFE
The GHS Student Council will sponsor a LIFE South Blood Drive on Thursday, February 9^th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm in the GHS Horseshoe.  Teachers, parents, and community supporters are welcome anytime. Any student who wishes to donate must be on a sign-up sheet. Donors must be 17 or older, (16 year olds may donate with written parental concent), weigh 110 pounds or more and show I.D.  All donors receive a tee shirt and a cholesterol screening.
 
The UGA Young Scholars Program is a six-week summer internship for high school students interested in math, science, agriculture, or engineering. Through the program, young scientists are given the opportunity to study within an agricultural field, such as entomology, poultry science, genetics, etc., and learn about applied science in agriculture. Students work side by side with a mentor, with whom they will interact on a daily basis to develop a research project and create a presentation. At the end of the program, each participant presents their research and findings. One of the benefits of the program is that students will have the opportunity to earn money for six weeks during the summer working with animals, plants, insects, machinery, scientific lab equipment, etc.
Students who might be interested should come to the Guidance Office for more information.


The Princeton Prize in race relations recognizes high school age students who are helping improve race relations in their schools or communities. Help us identify young leaders who make our country more tolerant and inclusive day by day, school by school, community by community. Winners receive up to $1,000 and an invitation to Princeton University for an expense-paid weekend symposium on race. All students in grades 9 - 12 are eligible to participate.  All students are encouraged to come to the Guidance Office for more information. The application deadline is January 31, 2012.
 
The Honda Battle of the Bands and College Fair will be held at the Georgia Dome on Saturday, January 28th, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. The college fair will have admissions counselors from various schools and the battle of the bands will feature eight of the best marching bands in the nation! Ticket prices are $10.00 per person. The bus will leave from Gainesville High School at 8:00 a.m. and return about 8:00 p.m. Any student interested in going should sign up in the Guidance Office. All money must be turned in to the Guidance Office no later than Thursday, January 26th. So come join us for the college fair and some of the best bands in the land!
 
Young Americans are coming to Gainesville High School on Feb 23-25.

The Young Americans company of 50 staff, singers and dancers present a 3 day workshop program filled with music, dance and fun!!  The college - age members of The Young Americans are from throughout the usa and other countries around the world.  The workshop is aimed at providing an experience that brings every student enjoyment and benefit.  The first 2 days of the workshop are filled with classes, staging and rehearsal exercises (the students are placed into grade groups for ease in teaching and learning on appropriate levels).  On the 3rd day, the students perform with The Young Americans on stage in a concert for the community, featuring the students and their personalities, talents, and newly discovered abilities.
The Workshop is open to 4 - 12 grade students from Gainesville City Schools and Lakeview.

 Forms can be found at each school.  $57 total -  $47 plus $10 for a t-shirt
checks should be made payable to ghs theatre friends


 For more information about The Young Americans visit www.youngamericans.org.
 
The Beulah Rucker Museum and Brenau University's WBCX Radio will present African American Places of Hall County,  beginning February 1st and running through February 29th in observance of Black History Month. 
 
As a follow up of the series, African American Achievers of Hall County Georgia, these are vignettes of historical establishments, recreational facilities, schools, or churches that no longer exist, but served as an integral part of the success of African Americans in the early years.  You can listen for these individual sites each day in the month of February,  multiple times daily on 89.1, WBCX-FM. Listeners will be surprised at what once stood in places that they pass on a daily basis.  February is traditionally celebrated as "Black History Month" and this 29 part series will celebrate the month, and honor these former places that was once in the African American community.
 
The vignettes will air multiple times daily, at 9:00 am, 12:00 noon, 2:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm.   The series was produced by Rojene Bailey, Volunteer Executive Director of the Beulah Rucker Museum, and researched by Linda Rucker Hutchens and Ella J. Wilmont Smith, authors of the Black America Series, "Hall County Georgia."  WBCX is located at 89.1 on your FM dial.
 
Additional programs offered in recognition of Black History Month by the Beulah Rucker Museum are "Movie Night At The Museum."  Each Tuesday evening in February we will show videos on the history of Gainesville and Hall County, and The African-American Journey and Experience to this country from 1450 through 1865. This is a great opportunity for the entire to learn some history of Gainesville, and African-American history in general. You will see documentaries on the Underground Railroad, The Tuskegee Airmen, and even local African American History on Palmour Street, and our namesake, Beulah Rucker...This is the perfect outing for the family, students, or anyone that wants to learn about the rich African American History......
 
The showings are free to the public on a first come first serve basis and seating is limited. You may also reserve your seat by emailing rojene@charter.net. Show times are 7 pm each Tuesday in February. The Beulah Rucker Museum is located at 2101 Athens Highway.... Movie Night at the Museum is every Tueday night,  February 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th.
 
For additional information, email Rojene at rojene@charter.net, or visit the web site at www.brmuseum.org.

Students in grades K-6 who participate in the online program Read to Succeed can earn a free ticket when they complete six hours of non-school-related reading.  Teachers with 10 or more students who complete the program also can earn free tickets.  Register at discoveryeducation.com/readtosucceed.  The deadline for registration is March 1, but teachers should register early to give students enough time.

Please consider joining the Gainesville Booster Club.  The Booster Club provided approximately $10,000 in funds last school year to the GCSS classrooms and sports that were not sanctioned by GHSA.  The membership drive is the sole source of fundraising for the club. The club needs your support.  For additional information, e-mail Karen.jackson@gcssk12.net  
 
Balfour will be at Gainesville on Monday, February 6^th during lunch.  If students have not ordered Graduation Announcements and would like to do so, they can take care of it then.  Also, if they would like to order a class ring or letter jacket they may take care of those as well.  Finally, if they have already ordered a ring and would like to make a payment or finishing paying for it, that would be a great opportunity to do so!                                                                                                  
 
J. Geyer Advertising (located across the street from the high school) has letter jackets for sale with a 2 week turn-around.  For additional information contact  Lisa Geyer @ (770) 718-0062 or lisa@jgeyer.com.
 
The Boys & Girls Club is offering free membership for all high school students this school year. Please contact the Boys & Girls Club for more information.

The Hall County Quilt Guild is sponsoring the 2012 Chicken Festival Quilt Show dContest for students grades 5-12.  The Show will be April 28 at the Georgia Mountain Center.  Students are encouraged to create a quilt wall hanging 20 inches by 20 inches.  The quilt must represent the quilter as a chicken.  For ex., a quilter who is a bus driver makes her quilt of a chicken driving a school bus or a student makes his/her quilt pertaining to school.  There will be prizes given to each age group and to the viewer’s choice.  The deadline is April 1, 2012.  For more information or questions contact:  Judy Wangemann @ 770-534-5861 or jartwang@yahoo.com.
 
Gainesville High School is a gold award winner in the 2011 Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) awards. 
 
Schools must meet 3 criteria to be determined winners:

1. Make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2 consecutive years;
2. Demonstrate that at least 30% of students exceed standards in all test areas as measured by state assessments;
3. Demonstrate that at least 97%of students meet or exceed standards as measured by state assessments.

GHS is one of only 11 high schools in the state of Georgia to receive this award for the 2010-11 school year.  It takes the collaborative effort of teachers, principals, and parents working with students to reap this level of success.
 
Gainesville Varsity Basketball Teams swept Monroe Area last Friday.  The boys won 81-57.  Shaquan Cantrell led the Red Elephants with 22 points, five rebounds, and four assists.  Lance White also scored in double figures with 12 points.  The girls won 67-22.  Rebecca Webster scored a game-high 29 points.
 
The Times Athlete of the Week Honor Roll:
Basketball
 
Shaquan Cantrell -22 points, five rebounds and four assists in win over Monroe Area.
 
Rebecca Webster – Averaged 22 points scored in a pair of wins last week.
 
Swimming
 
Colin Monaghan-Won the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke at the Hall County Championships.
 
Andy Doan- Won the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke at the Hall County Championships