Greetings GCSS Families,

We’ve made it to Spring Break! I hope your family is able to take some well-deserved time to rest and recharge over the next week as we prepare for testing season beginning next month.

Your involvement has been especially visible this month during our schools’ STEM Expos. Thank you! Each school had record-breaking parent attendance at STEM night, and we were grateful to see every one of you. However, attendance at Parent University this year has been low. The creation of Parent University was our response to a request from parents for the school district to provide educational sessions to help parents understand the many tools and programs we offer to your student and your family, and to give parents practical tools to help your children succeed in school. Each of the sessions offered at all four Parent University programs this year have been designed to do just that. Yet, we have very few parents in attendance. Please come to the Parent University at the end of next month on Saturday, April 29th. There are some great sessions planned, as you will see on the flyer below. Next year we hope to even better tailor both the timing of Parent University sessions and the workshops offered at them to your needs and interests. In return, we ask that each of you be more involved by attending and giving us your feedback.

As we prepare for Georgia Milestones testing season, I want to congratulate you and your students on the improved NWEA test results we saw in January. Many of our students have made great gains this year, and we are excited for them to demonstrate their progress on the state tests. There are many practical steps you can take at home to help your student prepare for test day. A good night’s sleep will help them to feel well-rested and stay alert throughout long testing sessions. A balanced breakfast will help them to have a great start to the day and feel energized throughout the morning. And just like in athletics, proper hydration plays an important role in helping your student deliver their best performance.

Enjoy Spring Break and this beautiful weather, and we look forward to seeing to seeing your students return on April 10th.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Houston

GCHS senior Jai’Lyn Armour has committed to attending the University of Georgia close to home in Athens this fall, although he did not have a shortage of options. Jai’Lyn has been accepted to 50 colleges and universities, as far north as Pennsylvania (Lincoln University) as far west as St. Louis, Missouri (Harris-Stowe State University) and as far south as Miami, Florida (Florida Memorial University).

Jai’Lyn said he applied to so many schools because the current college admissions scene is extremely competitive. He had heard that many students are often waitlisted or deferred from the schools at the top of their lists. “I knew I couldn’t have just a plan A, B, and C,” he said. “I also wanted to have a plan X, Y, and Z.”

So, he started early, in July 2022, and applied to a college or two each week until January. He was accepted everywhere he applied but was especially overjoyed to receive the acceptance letter from his first choice. “UGA has always been my dream school,” he said. “I am very grateful that I get to attend my Plan A school.”

Jai’Lyn plans to major in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. Read more of Jai'Lyn's story here on our website.

On the evening of March 3rd, more than 5,000 Georgia high school students found out whether or not they'd been admitted to Georgia Tech. But GCHS's own Aiden Turner (Class of 2023) found out before anyone else. The GA Tech admissions team, along with local alumni such as Jamie Reynolds and Josh Nesbit, surprised Aiden in class that morning to hand him his acceptance letter in person and present him with plenty of GA Tech swag. His mom, dad, and grandmother were all there to share the moment.

We have another 1 MILLION word reader! Congratulations to “Magnificent” Mikel Callaway, 2nd grader at GCPS, who has read 1,075,853 words and 319 books so far this school year! Mikel reached the one million word milestone on March 7th during a bedtime reading session with his mom, Eula Davis, who is a parapro at GCPS. Ms. Davis says that Mikel’s love of reading began when he was younger during their bedtime partner reading sessions, and it blossomed as he began reading more difficult books on his own and also reading to his younger brother at bedtime. Mikel says he loves reading because it takes him to different places, and that his favorite types of books are adventure books and graphic novels. Some of his favorite series are Junie B. Jones, Big Nate, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Ms. Davis says she loves being able to encourage her own children in their love of reading along with her other students at school. Her favorite part is how reading opens their young minds and how each of them absorb the information and stories they read in unique ways. Congratulations on this achievement, Mikel!

Greene County Primary School celebrated Read Across America Week with themed dress-up days throughout the week!

Monday - "Hats off to reading!" (Wear a hat)

Tuesday - Reading jogs your mind. (Wear exercise clothes)

Wednesday - Dress for success! (Dress up as your favorite profession)

Thursday - Reading gives you superpowers! (Dress like a superhero)

Friday - Cozy up with a good book. (Wear your pajamas)

Greene County High School celebrated Read Across America Day on March 2nd by welcoming guest author Karen Robertson. Mrs. Robertson talked to GCHS ELA students about her book "Epiphany: Journey to Finding the Real You." The GCHS Band continued the Read Across America celebration with music in the media center: Connecting Music with Literacy. Music teaches children how to hear: Scientists say that Music teaches an essential skill of the human brain to hear minute sounds within words and thus translate them into sound.

There was a great turnout for the 2nd Annual Parent Expo: Connecting Resources One DisAbility at a Time on March 11th! This event was designed to provide access and connection for parents and families of special education students in Greene County and the surrounding area to information about the resources and services available to them. The event included a vendor fair, keynote speakers, and family activities. Thank you to all who attended, to all of our community partners who shared services and resources available to our students and their families, and to GCSS Parent Mentor Jacqueline Evans for organizing such a wonderful event for our students' families!

Congratulations to Greene County Primary School on an exciting career day event on March 8th! It was a "Career Carousel" where 13 participants including Georgia Power, Drip and Dip, city and county police, 911 dispatch, a golf course superintendent, fire department, a dog groomer, 4H, EMS, social workers, and Miller Grading parked their work vehicles around the bus area of the school. Students circled around and learned about different jobs. Participants engaged students with their experience, provided live examples of their work, and tirelessly answered over 400 questions. Students enjoyed the tour, and we look forward to another great career day next year. Thank you to our community partners for your presentations and demonstrations for the students.