The Pulse Post
Vol 2, Issue 20 | January 16th-20th
Student Holiday - Monday, January 16th
Ways to Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Activities for Kids
Ready to teach your children about Dr. King's inspiring legacy? Start by sharing why his life and actions have improved our current world, then consider completing some of these MLK Day activities for kids.
Read Books About Martin Luther King Jr.
Many great stories have been written to teach about Dr. King and the civil rights movement, including the following:
- The Story of Martin Luther King Jr.: A Biography Book for New Readers by Christine Platt
- I Have a Dream by Martin Luther Dr. King Jr. and illustrated by Kadir Nelson
- Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport
- Martin Luther King: The Peaceful Warrior by Ed Clayton
- Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles
- Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges
9 Anti-Racist Children's Books to Teach Kids About Diversity
Watch movies with themes of racial injustice.
Kids might resonate with lessons about social justice played out on film. Here's a few popular movies to watch, depending on your child's age:
Health Tip of the Week
Benefits of coffee: Lowering disease risk
The various ingredients in coffee add up to a drink that is greater than the sum of its parts. Drinking java on the regular has been shown to decrease the risk of several illnesses:
Type 2 diabetes: Multiple studies found that regular coffee consumption lowers the odds of developing Type 2 diabetes. That’s true for decaf as well as the high-octane variety.
Neurological diseases: Regular daily caffeine intake — like the kind you get from your daily cuppa — is linked to a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as well as Parkinson’s disease.
Liver disease: Coffee seems to protect against liver cirrhosis in people at risk of the disease, such as those with alcohol use disorder or fatty liver disease.
Cancer: Researchers have found that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of liver cancer and colorectal cancer — two of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the world.
Depression: That pick-me-up you get from a foamy cappuccino may not be a figment of your imagination. Several studies have found that the more coffee a person drinks, the lower their risk of depression.
For more information, check out the article here!
About the ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 Assessment
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Jessie Zaretsky at jessie.zaretsky@gcpsk12.org or 770-806-7821.
Upcoming GNR Vaccination Clinics
Weekly Pulse Show
Virtual Events
Community Mindfulness Meditation
Date & Time
Weekly on Mondays
5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public, these weekly drop-in sessions are intended to support anyone interested in developing and sustaining a regular mindfulness meditation practice. This opportunity is for the anyone including the curious, former students, and seasoned practitioners. Inspired by the essential principles of MBSR (Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction), each session includes guided mindfulness meditation practice and discussion on practice related themes.
Register here!
Access to Work: Mental Health Support Service
Date & Time
Days vary - Register below
With a success rate of 93 per cent, we have already supported thousands of people with mental health issues, to stay in or return to work through this service.
Funded by the Department for Work and Pensions, this service helps people who are struggling at work or off sick due to mental health conditions. It's confidential, provides nine months work-focused support tailored to the individual’s needs, at no cost to you.
We'll provide an overview of the service, including:
Facts and statistics around mental health
Aims of the service
Details of the eligibility criteria and referral process
The support and interventions available.
What’s included?
Access to the live webinar and Q&A session
A link to download the recording and slides
Further advice and support as required.
We are hosting this free webinar as part of our commitment to supporting mental wellbeing in the workplace.
Register here!
GCPS Policy JCDI Midcourse Correction Plan for Second Semester
In December 2022, Phase I of the GCPS Discipline Task Force brought together a cross-section of internal and external stakeholders charged with providing recommendations for midcourse corrections to Policy JCDI implementation.
While this information was shared with teachers and school staff before students returned on Thursday, January 5, we want to ensure that all members of Team GCPS are aware of this work and the updates that have been made to the Handbook Information for Students & Families on our website:
The primary GCPS Discipline Task Force goals were to:
- Ensure that stakeholder feedback and voice are heard and reflected in any decision regarding Policy JCDI moving forward.
- Identify strengths and challenges of policy JCDI.
- Review the current rule-level assignments and provide recommendations for changes as needed.
- Provide recommendations for professional development regarding policy JCDI.
The Task Force’s feedback will be used to develop a matrix for the five levels.
Thank you to those of you who participated on the Task Force, provided feedback, or had staff, community members, parents, and/or students represent your schools and clusters. The insights provided were highly beneficial and solution-oriented, and it was a perfect example of what we can accomplish when we make intentional efforts to work together! We have included a list of top themes from the Phase 1 Task Force Recommendations on our website.
Help keep your school safe!
If you think that someone is carrying a weapon, drugs, or alcohol on school property, or if you believe that you have been the target of violence or threat of violence, or have witnessed violent or threatening conduct by another person, please call or text the tip line at 770-822-6513. You do not have to give your name.
Other Important Telephone Numbers for Reporting:
- Violence/Threats/Crime— First, call the Local School Principal, then call Safety and Security at 770-513-6715
- Student Discipline— First, call the Local School Principal, then call the Office of Student Discipline at 770-513-6607
- Racial Discrimination/Sexual Harassment— First, call the Local School Principal, then call the local Title IX Coordinator at 678-301-6811
GCPS staff will continue to be vigilant regarding our security protocols while ensuring that each and every child experiences a safe and supportive learning environment in all of our schools, as this is our top priority.
GCPS Blueprint for the Future
Join Team GCPS!
GCPS is made up of teachers and staff passionate about supporting students in their journey through elementary, middle, and high school. If you are interested in joining a regionally and nationally recognized team dedicated to helping students find their own passions, you’ve come to the right place! Apply today!
At McClure Health Science HS, we strive for our students to have quality learning experiences to build their promising future.
Regular attendance in school develops good habits that will carry over later in life. Good attendance, including being on time to each class, correlates very strongly with improved grades in school.
Our school is committed to continuous communication with our families to support the whole learner.
Please contact your child's teacher, counselor, the parent center coordinator, or administrator for any support you may need. Below you will find school personnel contact information.
Parent Center Coordinator
Mirielle Nurinda - (770) 806-7911 / Mirielle.Nurinda@gcpsk12.org
Front Office
Carla Moreno - (770) 806-7900 / Carla.Moreno@gcpsk12.org
Counselors
9-11 A-K: Marcellus Howell - (770) 806-7915 / Marcellus.Howell@gcpsk12.org
9-11 L-Z: Jordyn Tinsley - (770) 806-7916 / Jordyn.L.Tinsley@gcpsk12.org
12th: Sylvia Rowe - (770) 806-7857 / Sylvia.Rowe@gcpsk12.org
Counseling Clerk
Lizette Mayo - (770) 806-7917 / Lizette.Mayo@gcpsk12.org
Administrators
9-11 A-K: Jessie Zaretsky - (770) 806-7821 / Jessie.Zaretsky@gcpsk12.org
9-11 L-Z: Dr. Tom Myers - (770) 806-7902 / Tom.Myers@gcpsk12.org
12th: Dr. Jimmie McKinley - (770) 806-7909 / Jimmie.McKinley@gcpsk12.org
Social Worker
Brittany McGrady - (770) 806-7954 / Brittany.McGrady@gcpsk12.org
Principal's Office
Administrative Assistant
Maria Salazar - (770) 806-7905 / Maria.L.Salazar@gcpsk12.org
Principal
Nicole Mosley - (770) 806-7901 / Nicole.Mosley@gcpsk12.org