COMMUNICATOR
System-Wide Straight Talk for Employees
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What an exciting week! It is the end of another successful school year with our students successfully moving on to the next grade level or next stage in their life.
This year, we have made GREAT progress and while we still have a ways to go, we are moving in the same direction being agents of change, transforming our students into future-ready learners and contributing members of society.
I want to recognize each of you for the dedication, talent and compassion you bring to work each day. Together we are making a difference for our students, families and community.
I hope you have an opportunity to rest and re-energize over the summer. Take time to travel, enjoy the company of friends and family and return with new insights for the 2017-18 school year.
Sincerely,
Jim Smith
Superintendent
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 Griffin High School (GHS) announced its top honors for the Class of 2017 at its senior honors night on Tuesday, May 16. The 2017 GHS valedictorian is Jeramie Paz and the salutatorian is Mohammad Butt. At the Griffin High honors program, graduating seniors received almost $3.5 million in scholarships.
On Tuesday, May 23, Spalding High School (SHS) hosted their senior honors night. The 2017 SHS Valedictorian is Francisca Zepeda and Salutatorian is Turner Jordan. 2017 Spalding High seniors received $1.2 million in scholarships.
Congratulations Griffin-Spalding Country School System seniors for receiving over $4.7 million in scholarships.
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| GHS TEACHER VIDEO GOES VIRAL! |
 GHS Special Education Teacher Kimberly Wimbish brought her student to tears by surprising him with his cap and gown. After capturing the moment on video, she posted it to her Facebook page. The video now has over 5 million views!
Click HERE for the story on Good Morning America. |
COWAN ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES A LIBRARY GRANT FROM THE LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION
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 Cowan Road Elementary received a $7,000 grant from The Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries. More than $930,000 in grants will be distributed to 160 school libraries across the country this year for the purchase of books and reading materials.
"As a former librarian, I know school libraries play an important role in improving student achievement and encouraging students to love reading," said Mrs. Laura Bush. "With this grant, your librarian will make your library the perfect place for students to fall in love with reading."
Allison Baker, media specialist at Cowan Road, stated, "The grant was written to help update our nonfiction sections, focusing on a few specific sections that were outdated yet in high demand. This grant will allow us to get these sections up-to-date and fresh for our students!"
Read more... |
| 2017 NATIONAL BETA SCHOOLS OF MERIT |
 Congratulations to Cowan Road Elementary, Carver Road Middle and Kennedy Road Middle for being named a 2017 National Beta School of Merit.
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"I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're doing something.
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- Neil Gaiman
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| AUTHOR DAV PILKEY AND SCHOLASTIC SELECTED COWAN ROAD ELEMENTARY TO RECEIVE A SUMMER LIBRARY |
 Worldwide bestselling author Dav Pilkey and Scholastic rewarded Cowan Road Elementary School as the winning school in Georgia in the Dav Pilkey Summer Reading Educator Contest. The prize will provide Cowan Road Elementary a set of 500 books to build their school library and help kick off summer reading. The contest is in support of the 2017 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge - a free online and mobile summer reading program that helps kids take a "summer leap" into books and keep kids reading-ready during the summer months. Parents and educators can learn more about the challenge and sign-up kids to participate at www.scholastic.com/summer.
Cowan Road Elementary Media Specialist Allison Baker stated, "It is very important to us to get our students excited about summer reading and we are thrilled to be a contest winner. Through winning this contest and book fair sales, we are proud to say that all of our students are able to pick a book to take home and keep this summer!
Read more... |
SEAMLESS SUMMER FEEDING PROGRAM
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 The GSCS Nutrition Program will be participating in the federally funded Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Under the program, nutritious meals are provided to all children 18 years and under free of charge at 13 sites from June 5-July 21. No meals will be served the week of July 3-7.
Click HERE to view the schedule.
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| SHBP RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS |
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGA) Members
 BCBSGA Future Moms Maternity Program. Ever wish you had a go-to source for all of your questions about pregnancy? Now, you do. Future Moms is a program that can help you make good choices and follow your health care provider's plan of care. Sign up as soon as you know you're pregnant. Just call us toll free at 866-901-0746, option 2. One of our registered nurses will help you get started. You can now make appointments for online video visits with a certified lactation consultant, counselor or registered dietitian, at no extra cost, using Future Moms with Breastfeeding Support on LiveHealth Online. These professionals can provide personalized support to help you with breastfeeding techniques, learn about milk production, baby hunger cues, foods to avoid, nutrition while breastfeeding and more.
 UnitedHealthcare Members
Diabetes: Manage Diabetes with Small Changes. If you
or members of your family have diabetes and are not enrolled with one of our Nurse Case Managers and taking advantage of the SHBP Copay Waiver program, please, call our UHC Advocate4Me Customer Care 888.364.6352 and ask them to transfer you to a Nurse.
 Kaiser Permanente (KP) Members
Depression is hard to put into words. Depression affects millions of people but few talk about. It's hard to put into words. We've created a new website, findyourwords.org to help identify depression and offer assistance.
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On May 16, FFA had their annual awards banquet at SHS. Thirty-four Greenhand Degrees and 12 Chapter Degrees were handed out to FFA Members. Also winning awards were two Area 3 Proficiency award winners. Spalding County Farm Bureau awarded scholarships to FFA Members to further their education in the pursuit of agriculture.
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| SAIL INTO SUMMER WITH RESA'S JUNE PL CLASSES! |
 Click HERE for the current Griffin RESA professional learning class list for June 2017 for teachers, administrators & paraprofessionals. |
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Pictured (L-R): Susie Greene, Mondrell Gary (AP), Deanne Tunstall (Home Depot Rep.), Dr. La'Tesa Parker, Vetrece Jefferson and Barbara Hood.
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Kelsey Property Trust donates $1100 to
A.Z. Kelsey Academy. Pictured (L-R): Assistant
Principal Gabriel Burnette and Vice Chairman of
Kelsey Property Trust Charles Releford Jr.
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Last week, Atkinson Elementary held a ribbon-cutting for their new butterfly garden made possible by funds from a Partners In Education (PIE) Grant and generous donations from The Home Depot.
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| GSCS SCHOOLS AND CENTRAL OFFICE CLOSED MAY 29 |
| BEST BOOKS TO GET YOU FLIPPING THIS SUMMER |
 Best Books To Read In Summer 2017
Click HERE and check out this selection of 20 books that will get you flipping all summer!
The Top 50 Best Books for Teachers
Click HERE and check out this list of the best books for teachers. |
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The next
GSCS Communicator will be on August 11, 2017.
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