Greene Notes
News & Notices for Team Tigers - November 2023
Dear GCSS Family,
As we find ourselves swiftly approaching the end of this semester, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for the incredible dedication and hard work you have exhibited thus far. Your unwavering commitment to our students' success has been nothing short of exceptional, and I am immensely proud of the remarkable progress and achievements we've witnessed together.
Throughout these past months, you have continuously exemplified the true essence of what it means to be educators: to educate, inspire, challenge, and support our students. Your passion for teaching, coupled with your endless determination, has been the driving force behind our collective success. Your impact extends far beyond the walls of our classrooms, shaping the futures of those in our care. I am continually inspired by your creativity, resilience, and unwavering dedication to providing our students with a nurturing and impactful learning environment. Despite the challenges we've faced, your adaptability and innovative approaches to teaching have been nothing short of remarkable.
As we approach the final weeks of this semester, I encourage you to stay the course and maintain the same level of enthusiasm and dedication that has defined this semester. Your efforts are making a profound difference in the lives of our students, and your hard work does not go unnoticed.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of wrapping up the semester, I also want to remind you of the importance of self-care and well-being. Please take the upcoming holiday break as an opportunity to rest, rejuvenate, and spend quality time with your loved ones. You deserve this time to recharge and return refreshed for the challenges and successes that lie ahead in the new year.
I am deeply thankful for you and your invaluable contributions to our school community. Your commitment to excellence serves as an inspiration to us all. Wishing you and your families a joyous holiday season filled with peace, happiness, and restful moments.
With gratitude,
Dr. Chris Houston
Superintendent
Greene County Primary School has been recognized by the Georgia Department of Education as one of the top performing Title I schools in the state. GCPS has received the GADOE Reward School designation, recognizing it as among the greatest-improving top 5% of schools when comparing the content mastery scores from the most recent two years of statewide assessments.
For example, GCPS’s 2023 Georgia Milestones results showed that 64% of 3rd graders were proficient and distinguished in Math, exceeding the state average by 18 percentage points. The state of Georgia as a whole was 46% at proficient and distinguished.
“This is a great honor and achievement for Greene County Primary and the Greene County School System,” said Superintendent Chris Houston. “We have seen GCPS achieve better and better results each year since the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is a great validation of the hard work that the staff, students, and parents have done to make the school such a success.”
Congratulations to the newest inductees of the Anita White Carson Middle School National Junior Beta Club! The National Beta Club is the largest independent, nonprofit, educational youth organization in America and its mission is to promote the ideals of academic achievement, character, service and leadership among elementary and secondary school students. National Beta Club prepares today's students to be tomorrow's leaders and requires high academic achievement and community service as students exemplify the organization's ideals of service and leadership.
- ACHIEVEMENT - Recognizing and honoring high academic achievement
- CHARACTER - Preparing young people for life and empowering them to be successful
- LEADERSHIP - Developing the leaders of tomorrow
- SERVICE - Demonstrating our motto: Let Us Lead by Serving Others
We are grateful to all the parents who came out to Parent University earlier this month! This successful event attended by more than 50 middle and high school parents featured presentations from GCSS staff such as “Parenting Tips & Growth Mindsets,” “Keeping Parents in the Know,” “Social Media Savvy for Parents,” and keynote presentation “Hands-on Street Drug Identification for Parents” by School Resource Officer Sgt. Don Gause, CMS D.A.R.E. instructor.
Thank you also to Jeremy’s Wing Shack for serving dinner on-site and donating a portion of the proceeds to the 2024 CMS Orlando field trip. Congratulations to the evening’s door prize winners who took home a variety of Tiger Football t-shirts, gift cards, and other door prizes.
The next Parent University session will be on Thursday, Feb. 8th at CMS for elementary and middle school parents (K-8). The evening will feature more great informational sessions designed to equip parents with tools and knowledge to help their children succeed in school, along with a presentation from the Magical Storyteller's Dino-Squad with a scavenger hunt for students and their families to participate in together.
Jumaane Smith, a renowned trumpeter and world-famous musical artist, recently hosted a band Masterclass at GCHS. Presented by the Oconee Performing Arts Society, the Masterclass was also attended by students from Lake Oconee Academy and Putnam County High School. Students had the opportunity to work one-on-one with Smith and receive tips and pointers on their technique. Smith also answered questions from the group about how he built his career, his experiences touring worldwide, and his vocal and musical talents on a variety of instruments. Smith said he found the students to be talented and well-prepared.
With a mastery of jazz, pop, and classical genres, five-time Grammy award-winner Jumaane Smith has collaborated with music legends like Michael Bublé, Quincy Jones, and Stevie Wonder. His expertise extends beyond performing, delving into producing and arranging, contributing to albums and Hollywood soundtracks. Smith has spent the last 15 years touring extensively and recording with Michael Bublé as lead trumpeter and vocalist. A sought-after musician, Smith's vibrant performances on global stages, including renowned venues and television appearances, showcase his remarkable skill and passion for music.
Juniors and seniors from GCHS and LOA had the opportunity to collaborate on several college visits around the state this fall. Looking for opportunities to build bridges and opportunities for the two schools to work together, Coach Greg Simmons from GCHS and Mr. John Noto from LOA teamed up for a small tour of colleges that allowed the students from both schools to visit the University of Georgia in October and Mercer University and Georgia Tech in November. Thank you to the administration of both schools for supporting this opportunity for the students.
Michael Green is the founder of Science for Everyone, a 20-year-old, Atlanta-based science and technology company committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of leaders, scientists, mathematicians, innovators and engineers. In addition to traveling the United States and abroad to present incredible science shows, he has been featured on the ABC, CBS and NBC television networks and served as a featured education presenter for the Atlanta Braves, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, The Home Depot Backyard at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Six Flags Over Georgia, and many more.
Thank you to Stephanie of Metro Water Filter of the South for taking our GCCA students on an amazing tour of a couple of Lake Oconee Area Builders Association businesses. Students were able to walk through a home that is about 30% complete and then another that is about 85% complete so they could see the home building process. Students also toured Stair South where they saw woodworking, welding, and powder coating. They then toured Gutter Solutions and watched gutters being molded right in front of them! LOABA provided lunch and had three former students tell their stories. There are so many trade jobs available in Greene County and GCCA helps train students for those jobs. It was a great day of learning and growing!
First grade teacher Cameron Shuler received the prestigious title of District Teacher of the Year for the Greene County School System during a reception in October.
Ms. Shuler was named Greene County Primary School's Teacher of the Year in September. Ashlie Miller, GCPS Principal, introduced her at the reception and said, "She has been a breath of fresh air since we got her right out of Georgia College and State University. She came to us from Wilmington Island where she sold ice cream on Tybee Island during the summer. I was intrigued with her from the very beginning."
Ms. Shuler stated, "As long as I can remember, teaching has always been my "thing." From teaching my brother to read at the age of three to donating my own Happy Meal toys for a little box labeled "Treasure Box," school was not just a fun game to me, it was serious!"
Her philosophy about teaching goes beyond what we envision as "just teaching." She states, "It is often said that we have no idea what our students go home to, what they may or may not be exposed to outside of the classroom, and what the relationship of the adult and child looks like. With that being said, we can only control what happens in the four walls of our school. However, these four walls can hold so much potential for our students. We can assist in the dreams envisioned of future careers, we can serve as role models for positive self-talk; we can be the smile that changes the trajectory of their entire day. Teaching is so much more than the curriculum we use, the pacing guides we plan, or even the test scores that we receive. It's about the relationships we form, the differences we can make, and the lives we change day to day." Click here to read more on our website.
Stay connected with us!
Email: gcsscommunications@greene.k12.ga.us
Website: www.greene.k12.ga.us
Location: Greene County Board Education, 101 E 3rd Street, Greensboro, GA, USA
Phone: 706-453-7688
Facebook: facebook.com/greenecountyschools
Twitter: @gcsstigers