Volume 28, Number 2 October–November 2007

IN THIS ISSUE…• EB News: TOTY,

achievement awards, redistricting, MRSA, water conservation (pgs. 1–6)

• EB Bulletin Board: state BOE forum, new F&O numbers, Communications Database, upcoming deadlines, Commuter Rewards, travel opportunities (pgs. 7–8)

• EB Spotlight: Staff and school honors (pgs. 8–10)

• Click here Connection (pg. 10)

2008 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year:

McKendree’s Mandy Collins named GCPS’ top teacherMandy Collins of McKendree ES has earned the title of 2008 Gwinnett County Teacher

of the Year. The announcement came at a Nov. 1 banquet at the Gwinnett Center celebrating all of the school system’s local school winners. Also honored were Martha Brick of Five Forks MS as the county’s Middle School Teacher of the Year and Greg Field of Grayson HS as the county’s High School Teacher of the Year. Before being named the county winner, Ms. Collins was honored as the school system’s Elementary School Teacher of the Year. She was chosen from a field of 105 local school nominees, which had been narrowed to six final-ists through a two-phase selection process. The other finalists were Mitzi Ethridge of Mar-garet Winn Holt ES, Doug Callahan of Glenn C. Jones MS, and Joey Nunn of Frank N. Osborne MS. Following are short profiles of the level winners. Watch for a Q&A with 2008 Gwinnett TOTY Mandy Collins in the next issue of Education Briefs. Mandy Collins— K–5 Gifted Education Teacher, McKendree ES2008 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year and Elementary School Teacher of the Year

Mandy Collins joined Gwinnett County Public Schools and McKendree ES in August of 1998 as a fourth grade teacher. She has taught for more than two decades, and she has been a gifted program teacher for grades K–5 since 2001. Her career in education started in 1986, as a teacher in Bristol, England. Mrs. Collins holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, both from State University of New York–Fredonia.

Mrs. Collins has demonstrated leadership inside the class-room, and in her school community. She currently serves on the Gifted Curriculum Revision Committee, where she works with other educators to align gifted standards with the school sys-tem’s Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum.

To help her students retain and track the accomplishments of their learning, she assisted the students with keeping portfolios of their work and through the FOCUS finale, they shared the learning highlights of their year with their parents. Mrs. Col-lins is also passionate about environmental education, which is why she donates her time to the Gwinnett Clean & Beauti-ful Education Steering Committee. She has created a waste management and recycling tool kit for adoption by Gwinnett County. Through her involvement with this committee, she has been able to include McKendree ES students and teachers in the implementation of clean air initiatives for the school and several beautification projects.

2008 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year Mandy Collins

of McKendree ES

“I believe children are great judges of character. They know passion when they see and feel it. Value each child, love what you are doing, empower others to become experts, and be a leader through your own choices in life.”

(continued)

In future issues, read a Q&A

with GCPS’ top teacher, plus Title I school honors,

American Ed Week, legislative priorities

and more.

Information and celebrations forGwinnett County Public Schools

and district employeesE riEfsDucation

B

Page 2 of 10 Education Briefs

The mission of Gwinnett County Public Schools is to pursue excellence

in academic knowledge, skills, and behavior for each

student, resulting in measured improvement against local, national, and

world-class standards.

Education Briefs is produced by the Office of Publications

& Public Information.EB Staff: Laura Nurse,

Kondria Woods, and Martha Dyer

2007 GWiNNEtt COuNtyBOarD OF EDuCatiON

Louise Radloff, chair;Carole C. Boyce, vice chair;

Dr. Robert McClure;Dr. Mary Kay Murphy; and

Daniel D. Seckinger

CEO/SupEriNtENDENtJ. Alvin Wilbanks

www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us

Teacher of the Year (continued)Martha Brick— 8th Grade Mathematics and Science Teacher, Five Forks MS2008 Gwinnett County Middle School Teacher of the Year

An educator for two decades, Martha Brick believes in the power of lifelong learn-ing, and has modeled that belief throughout her career. Mrs. Brick started her teaching career with GCPS as a science and mathematics teacher at Annistown ES (1987–88). From 1989 to 1993, she taught at Tilson ES in DeKalb County, then later returned to Gwinnett in 1993 to join Five Forks MS as a science and mathematics teacher where she has taught ever since. Mrs. Brick holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from Georgia State University, and a master’s in Secondary Science from Mercer University.

In addition to teaching middle schoolers, Mrs. Brick also enjoys teaching adult students, in the classroom and in the community. She has assumed several leadership roles at Five Forks MS and taught science to her colleagues as part of a science staff development activity, and she actively mentors new teachers and student teachers. She is working on enhancing scientific literacy and achievement for schools in the Brookwood Cluster through a new science vertical team. When she is not at school, this Tae Kwon Do black-belt instructor teaches martial arts and self defense to women and children, and she volunteers her time to officiate Tae Kwon Do tournaments at the local, state, regional, and national levels.

Greg Field— Advanced Placement Calculus Teacher, Grayson HS2008 High School Teacher of the Year

It took a four-year stint in the Peace Corps to help Greg Field find his calling as a teacher. Mr. Field started his teaching career on the other side of the world as a mathematics, chemistry, physics, and English teacher in a small village in Kenya. While he was there, he led the effort to obtain textbooks for the students and staff, growing a collection of 20 books into more than 500 books before he left. He joined the school system and Grayson High in 2004. Mr. Field holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame, and a master’s degree in Curriculum and In-struction from Wichita State University. In addition to teaching his scheduled classes, Mr. Field shares his teaching strategies with colleagues, extending an open invitation for fellow teachers to see problem-solving come alive as he conducts a murder mystery in his Calculus classes. Mr. Field’s creative teaching strategy has been recognized with an Innovative Teaching award by Grayson’s administration. As the number of students taking advanced placement calculus continues to grow at his school, he meets daily with his co-instructors to share best practices to ensure all students are academically successful. Mr. Field also has taken a leadership role at several school system staff development activities.

Middle School Teacher of the Year

Martha Brick of Five Forks MS

“By revealing their own natural curiosity, teachers demonstrate that learning

is a lifelong endeavor that fosters the ability

to produce tremendous self-satisfaction and pride in one’s own accomplishments.”

High School Teacher of the Year

Greg Field of Grayson HS

“I believe that humor and enthusiasm facilitate the learning of math. If students see that we can indeed have fun while

learning math, they often learn without realizing that they are learning.”

Page 3 of 10 Education Briefs

Teacher of the Year (continued)

Congratulations to our 2008 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year, level winners, finalists, and local winners. Thank you for what you do

in your classrooms each day for the schoolchildren of Gwinnett County.

Thanks to TOTY sponsors

for generous support of

excellence in education…

This year’s corporate sponsors of the Gwinnett County

Teacher of the Year competition and banquet were

AIG Valic

Coca-Cola Enterprises

Georgia Power

Gwinnett Federal Credit Union

Hayes Chrysler

Dodge Jeep

Herff Jones

IBM

Lifetouch

Photography

and

Mellon Global Securities Services.

Teacher of the Year Finalist

Mitzi Ethridge— K–5 Gifted

Education Teacher, Margaret Winn Holt ES

“When we create environments that encourage creative

thinking, we validate a child’s self-worth. We help them realize they

have a voice, that they are heard, that they matter.”

21 years in education, 20 years with GCPS— Bachelor’s degree in

Middle Grades Education from Mercer University;

master’s degree in Middle Grades Education from Emory University; and specialist’s degree in

Middle Grades Education from Mercer University

Teacher of the Year Finalist

Joey Nunn— 8th Grade Physical Science Teacher,

Frank N. Osborne MS

“Successful teachers must be multi-taskers

who embrace quality in all roles they assume. I teach with a credo of ‘Give Quality, Expect

Quality’.”

15 years in education, three years with

GCPS— Bachelor’s degree in Speech and

master’s degree in Communication, both

from Western Kentucky University; master’s degree in Health and

Human Performance and teacher certification, both from Austin Peay State

University; and master’s degrees in Recreation and Leisure Services and in Organizational Communication, both

from Murray State University

Teacher of the Year Finalist

Doug Callahan— 7th Grade

Mathematics Teacher, Glenn C. Jones MS

“I feel that no other role or position in society has the potential to shape the future, or to inspire our

young people, as does the role of a teacher. While the time we have with

our students is short, the impact that we have on them can last forever.”

11 years in education, nine years with GCPS—

Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education

from the University of Georgia (UGA); master’s degree in Middle Grades Education from Georgia

State University; and specialist’s degree in

Mathematics Education from UGA

“Success in

any endeavor

depends on

the degree to

which it is an

expression

of your true

self.”

—Ralph

Marston

Page 4 of 10 Education Briefs

Schools honored for achievement, progress under state’s accountability system

Under Georgia’s Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS), a number of Gwinnett schools are earning high marks for high student achievement and significant achievement gains. Eighteen Gwinnett schools were among the 250-plus schools recognized for student achievement and academic improvement in 2006–07.

The Governor’s Office of Student AchievementW, in collaboration with Gov. Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Department of Education, recognizes schools for their continuous improvement in raising student achievement and closing achievement gaps. The state recognizes schools in two categories: 1) Highest performance, indicating the percentage of students

meeting and exceeding academic standards; and 2) Greatest Gains, indicating the greatest gain in percentage of

students meeting and exceeding academic standards. In each category, there are four school award levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, based on factors such as numbers of years making Adequate Yearly Progress, percentages of students meeting and exceeding standards, and achievement gain levels. Gwinnett County Public Schools’ SSAS award-winning schools for 2006–07 are:

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze

Highest Performance

Simpson ES Parson ESRiverside ES

Alton C. Crews MS

Brookwood HS

Camp Creek ESDuncan Creek ESFreeman’s Mill ES

R. D. Head ESFrank N. Osborne

MS

Brookwood ESSuwanee ES

Collins Hill HSNorth Gwinnett

HSParkview HS

Greatest Gains J. P. McConnell MS Annistown ES Simonton ES

J. p. McConnell MS Principal paula Everett-truppi is new to the position, but knows exactly how the school earned the platinum-level recognition for greatest academic gains under retired principal Dan Hicks. “Our faculty is very committed to using research-based strategies in their classrooms,” she says. “They have such a focus on the Quality-Plus Teach-ing Strategies. Regularly meeting and planning together, our teachers’ focus has made a difference to our children.”

Public meetings next step in redistricting processDrawing new boundaries for 15 schools and three new clusters is a multi-layered, months-

long process that involves the whole community. Consider the nearly 3,000 written responses to proposed boundary maps submitted during a 29-day public review period.

“This redistricting is one of the school system’s largest to date, with a total of 36 school communities affected and up to 23,000 students involved in the redistricting process,” says Bobby Crowson, associate superintendent for Academic Support. “While many families would prefer to stay with their current schools, every change made to redistricting plans has a ripple effect on some other boundary, some other family. Difficult as these changes may be, it’s in everyone’s best interests to make long-term plans that benefit the most children as we work to ease crowding and balance enrollment across the school system with

(continued)

Principal Paula Everett-Truppi and Assistant Principal Daniel Skelton hold the banner touting J. P. McConnell MS as a 2007 Platinum Award winner for achievement gains.

Page 5 of 10 Education Briefs

Redistricting (continued)

these 15 new schools, keeping in mind that another 20 or so schools on the drawing board also will affect boundaries in the future.”

School system planners made the proposed maps available at affected schools and on the web site on Oct. 4, accepting feedback through a Nov. 1 deadline. Feedback was forwarded for consideration to the boundary committees for the 12 new schools and three replacement schools that will open in the next two school years. Based on the written feedback, the com-mittees suggested map revisions, if any, to GCPS’ Planning Department by Nov. 5. Planning may post revised drafts prior to public sessions set for Nov. 13 and 15. Final recommenda-tions will be considered by the School Board at its Dec. 13 meeting.

Public Meetings on RedistrictingMeeting schedule: Public comments from the following schools:

Tuesday, Nov. 13, 7–9 p.m., Instructional Support Center (ISC)

North Gwinnett HS, Lanier MS, Riverside ES, Sugar Hill ES, Sycamore ES, Grayson HS, J. P. McConnell MS, W. J. Cooper ES, Grayson ES, Lovin ES, Pharr ES, Central Gwinnett HS, J. E. Richards MS, Simonton ES, Margaret Winn Holt ES, Dacula HS, Dacula MS, Alcova ES, and Harbins ES

Thursday, Nov. 15, 7–9 p.m., ISC

Mill Creek HS, Glenn C. Jones MS, Frank N. Osborne MS, Duncan Creek ES, Fort Daniel ES, Freeman’s Mill ES, Ivy Creek ES, Collins Hill HS, Creekland MS, J. G. Dyer ES, McKendree ES, Rock Springs ES, K. E. Taylor ES, Walnut Grove ES, Dacula ES, J. C. Magill ES, and R. L. Norton ES

MRSAPreventable staph infections in the news

MRSA. That acronym is becoming increasingly familiar in our communities due to recent news reports. MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, a skin infection caused by staph bacteria that is resistant to penicillin and other commonly used antibi-otics. While most often seen in hospitals and nursing homes, MRSA infections have been reported in school systems around the country and the state, with a hand-ful recently identified here in Gwinnett.

“Staph infections actually are fairly common, but recent news reports have heightened awareness of the MRSA strain,” says David Johns, GCPS’ director of Health and Social Services. “ Most staph infections are minor and can be treated easily. While MRSA infections are more serious, they, too can be treated. However, prevention— through good hygiene, environmental cleaning, and appropriate wound care— is the best way to combat staph and other infections.”

Health officials say that anyone can get a staph infection. In fact, many people carry staph germs on their skin or in their nose without becoming infected themselves. Staph is most commonly spread by direct skin-to-skin contact. Staph also can be spread when an infected person uses and shares items with an uninfected person without cleaning or sanitiz-ing the item first, like sharing towels, soap, razors, or athletic equipment.

The school system’s web site includes a number of resources from the Health Depart-ment and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help parents and school person-nel better understand prevention, control, and treatment of MRSA and other types of staph infections.W

“B ecause there is no

vaccine, prevention and control of these infections relies on consistent and excellent hand hygiene, personal hygiene, and environmental cleaning.”

Dr. Stuart Brown, Director, Division of Public Health,

Ga. Department of Human Resources

Page 6 of 10 Education Briefs

Green GCPS:Reduced water use part of GCPS’ conservation culture

High-level talks could be bringing an end to a decades-long water war between Geor-gia and its neighbors. However, the state’s water woes and the advancing shoreline of Lake Lanier continue to make headlines and prompted a water ban earlier this fall. Georgia officials imposed a total ban on outdoor water use in response to Level 4 Drought conditions in the state. Under the ban, residents are prohibited from watering lawns, running ornamental fountains, washing cars at home or conducting charity car washes, and fill-ing swimming pools. Some exceptions exist, including 30 days of watering for new landscapes installed by professionals (not homeowners) and limited watering, such as irrigation for food gardens, using reclaimed water and water from alternate sources (see sidebar to left).

But, even before these more stringent statewide water restric-tions, Gwinnett County Public Schools has been doing its part to conserve water. Here are some highlights of the school system’s water conservation efforts:

• GCPShasconvertedurinalsandcommodestothelow-flush-minimumwaterdesignand is now converting hundreds of urinals to the no-water-needed design. This will save millions of gallons of water annually.

• GCPShaslow-flowattachmentsontoiletsandshowerheads. The school system is making sure that even the oldest school showers have been retrofitted with low-volume heads.

• ThegroundsforGCPSfacilitiesarexeriscapedwith low-water, low-maintenance vegetation and do not require irrigation. The exception is ball fields, which are irrigated with recycled/reused water that comes from rain runoff, wells, and on-site streams and ponds. This practice saves well over 35 million gallons of water from the county water system annually and saves a lot of money for the taxpayer.

• Thosefamiliaryellowbusesaren’tbeingwashedas frequently as before. Even though our bus washes use recycled/reused water, the school system has cur-tailed washing, running buses through the wash only when required for safety or visibility. Of course, the inside of GCPS buses get a thorough cleaning daily, as they always have.

• Theschoolsystemsavesmorethan17milliongallons of water annually by recirculating treated water in the more than 200 cooling towers in use in GCPS facilities around the county. The towers remove heat from buildings and release it to the atmosphere.

• ManyofGCPSlunchroomsusepolystyrenefoamplatesandcupsalongwithplasticutensils, eliminating the need for washing. (About a third of our schools also recycle the foam trays. Read about it online in the Communiqué Connection.W) All schools are looking into making this conversion to foam trays and plastic utensils as GCPS does its

Your at-home plant survival guide:Surviving a total outdoor water ban• Reclaimwater.

When it does rain, catch the showers in a rain barrel. When you’re showering, place a bucket to catch runoff while the water’s heating. Save rinse water when you handwash dishes. Use the reclaimed water on your plants.

• Prioritize. A tree or prized rose bush is more valuable and harder to replace than ornamental pansies. Know that most grasses will go dormant and return with normal rainfall.

• Becarefulwithalternate sources. While you can use water from a well or personal creek, be aware that these sources likely will not recharge during the drought and could have an impact downstream.

• Usethesestrategiesto maintain plants. Mulch helps maintain moisture, while rocks increase moisture loss. Avoid disturbing soil and “stressing” plants. Don’t encourage growth (and water demands) by fertilizing. Control weeds as they compete with plants for water

• Getmoretips.Contact the County Extension Office at 678-377-4010 or check out resources online for more about helping your plants survive the drought.W

Source: Gwinnett County Water Resources.

Watering ban questions? Call 678-376-7100, or send an e-mail to

dwrwaterbanquestions@gwinnettcounty.com

Gwinnett County Public Schools is a leader in

environmental stewardship, Earth-friendly operational practices, conservation

education in the classroom, and “green” community

service. You can read more about these efforts in the fall issue of Communiqué and in extended resources

available on the GCPS web site. Look for the

“Communiqué Connection” online.W

(continued)

Page 7 of 10 Education Briefs

Water conservation (continued) part for water conservation. Without the need to wash traditional lunch trays and silver-

ware, schools save an estimated 8 million gallons of water per year.• Polymeric,chemically-engineeredfinishesareusedforhardsurfacefloorsinour

schools, essentially eliminating the need for floor stripping and saving an enormous amount of water, labor, and money.

• Anumberofoperationalpracticessavemorethanhalfamilliongallonsofwaterevery year, including routine preventive plumbing maintenance, a utility management program, an electronic work request system, and a system to monitor usage patterns and levels of water consumption.GCPS will continue to look for ways to save water as the region is faced with ongoing

drought. “Now, more than ever, when it comes to water, the school system must set the example in environmental stewardship,” says Jim Steele, chief operations officer. “No

single action will suffice. We must identify and implement many ways to conserve water. Each one of us needs to take this philosophy and apply it at home as well.”

Watch for more at-home conservation tips in future newsletters.

EB Bulletin Board

Norcross HS to host meeting with State BOE’s Perez Public education in Georgia is making positive strides, and everyone’s input is needed to

keep the momentum. Don’t miss the opportunity to speak directly to State Board of Educa-tion Member Jose perez, who represents the Seventh Congressional District. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Norcross HS Media Center, located at 5300 Spalding Drive in Norcross.

The State Board of Education and the State Superintendent of Schools work together to ensure that all Georgia students are receiving a quality and effective education. Every idea is important, so teachers, parents, students, and concerned citizens are all encouraged to partici-pate and provide feedback. Those who would like to comment at the meeting are asked to sign in when they arrive. For more information, call Lynn Roberts of the Georgia Depart-ment of Education at 404-657-7410 or contact her by e-mail at lroberts@doe.k12.ga.us.

‘What’s New’ on the Communications Database?Last spring, we told you about a number of databases full of lots of great resources.

Periodically, we’ll let you know “What’s New” in the Communications Database (located on IntranetLN04). Here are a few of the latest updates:• Health and wellness resources, such as the latest on MRSA.• Promotion flyers for grades 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8, including links to translations., as well as the

HS Gateway flyer. Look for a new flyer on the state’s HS Graduation Tests later this fall.)• Updated principal lists. (Note: These lists are updated when a new principal starts in the

position, not when the appointment is announced.)• The grid section of the 2007–08 employee calendar, as well as PDFs of some of the most-

requested information from the calendar… schools by cluster, schools by district, and the map with schools list

• Cluster assignments and maps by area.• The Board’s beliefs and commitments, along with GCPS’ vision, mission, and goals.

Renew your passport for

summer travel…

• ParistoCopenhagen:Visit Paris, Amsterdam, Hamburg, and Copenhagen. 9 days for $2,688. Depart June 2, 2008.

• RussianRhapsody: Includes Moscow and St. Petersburg. 9 days for $3,027 Add two days in Stockholm for a total of $3,566. Depart June 16, 2008.

• Spain, France and Italy: Travel to Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Carcassonne, Provence, Avignon, Nice, Pisa, Florence, Assisi, Vatican City, and Rome. Available space is limited. 12 days for $3,090. Extend to 14 days for $3,496. Depart June 30, 2008.

• GrandTourofItaly:10 days for $2,804. Departs June 1, 2009

• England,IrelandandWales: 11 days for $3,092. Departs June 18, 2009.

• ParisandtheChateaux: 9 days for $2,682. Departs July

3, 2009.

All the trips include airfare, hotel, two meals daily, special attractions, adult supplement, and more. Prices increase

after Sept. 30. For information contact Linda Waters at 770-205-9442

or send an e-mail to Lindawaters200@aol.com.

(continued)

Page 8 of 10 Education Briefs

Honors

Database (continued)• Updated newcomer information

about the curriculum, assessment, registration, instructional services, budget and finance, school gover-nance, and more.

• 2007-08 student/parent handbooks, plus links to translated versions and information on ordering English and Spanish handbooks from stock control.

• The state manual on testing accommodations for students with disabilities.Check back often. We’re always adding something new.

Nov. 9 is a big day… Last chance calendar notesOpen Enrollment ends Nov. 9: The Open Enrollment window for adding and changing benefits runs through Nov. 9. All employees who carry medical insurance through their GCPS employment must go online during Open Enrollment to either re-enroll and answer surcharge questions or to cancel their coverage. Traffic on the State Health web site will be heavy as the open enrollment period winds down, so don’t delay. AKS Review Forms due Nov. 9: The deadline’s looming if you haven’t submitted your AKS Review Form to Joyce Berube at the Instructional Support Center (ISC). Consider sending one in by Nov. 9 if you’d like to make an addition, deletion, or revision in the Academic Knowledge and Skills (AKS) curriculum. Next spring, an oversight committee will review submitted feedback in recommending changes to the Superintendent for adoption by the Board.

EB Spotlight

Schools recognized for SAT gainsOver the past three years, Grayson HS and Mill Creek HS have made significant gains

on average SAT scores on the math and critical reading sections of the college-admissions test, earning the two schools recognition from Gov. Sonny Perdue in the Governor’s Cup Challenge. The two Gwinnett schools were selected to receive the Governor’s honor in their respective regions. Mill Creek HS (Region 7, Class AAAAA) had an average gain of 11.5 points, while Grayson HS (Region 8, Class AAAAA) saw an average gain of 4.5 points. Both school received a trophy to recognize the achievement and each earned a $1,000 grant. The schools will use their grant awards to continue and expand SAT preparation efforts.

Spotlight on…• BradCoury and Denise Laskowski, both of Environmental and Supply Services—

honored with the Outstanding K–12 School Program Award at the National Recycling Coalition’s 26th Annual Congress and Expo. Mr. Coury and Ms. Laskowski designed and implemented Georgia’s first Polystyrene Lunch Tray Recycling Program, which is in use in about a third of GCPS’ cafeterias.W

®

Earn Commuter Rewards: It’s as easy as 1-2-31 Visit www.logyourcommute.com/gcps and

register. 2. If applicable to your commute, complete

application for Cash for Commuters or Carpool Rewards programs to earn rewards.

3. Log your commute weekly.4. Qualify for a chance to win a $25 VISA

gift card in a monthly drawing for GCPS participants who log on and track their alternative commute. (Laura Bell of

Alcova ES and Dorsey Lee of the Lawrenceville Maintenance District Shop are the September winners in GCPS’ drawing.)

How to add a database icon to your LotusNotes workspace

1. In the LotusNotes workspace, click <File>, then <Database>, then <Open>;

2. In the “Open Database” window, select the server (PikeLN03) in the drop-down list;

3. Scroll through the list of databases and highlight (click once) the database you want to open;

4. Click the <Open> button. A database icon will be placed on your LotusNotes workspace.

Page 9 of 10 Education Briefs

Presentations

Degrees

This issue of Education Briefs

includes 50 GCPS honors and

recognitions.

Something to celebrate?

Share your good news with your colleagues in

Education Briefs.

If you have earned a state or national award,

earned a degree, made a presentation,

or had work published, send the information

to the Education Briefs mailbox via Lotus Notes, or to

the Communication and Media Relations department through

the courier.

Honors• Gary petmecky of Parkview HS— named HS Social Studies Teacher of the Year by the

Georgia Council for the Social Studies.• Mike Lasseter of Mill Creek HS— nominated for Georgia HS Art Teacher of the Year,

awarded by Georgia Art Education Association (GAEA).• Eeoni Hollingsworth of Corley ES— received the Outstanding Member Award from Pro-

fessional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) for District 4, representing Gwinnett County and part of Fulton County.

• Laura Kohnke of Peachtree Ridge HS— awarded the LINK Award from Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful for her work in helping all schools in the Peachtree Ridge Cluster qualify for the organization’s Environmental Achievement Award.

• CentralGwinnettHS— honored by Lawrenceville Mayor Rex Millsaps and the City Council for being honored among the “Top 1,000 Schools” by Newsweek magazine. Mayor Millsaps called the school “The Pride of Lawrenceville since 1957,” presenting a key to the city to Dr. Valerie Clark, the school’s principal, for continuing to open doors of opportunity for the students of Lawrenceville.

• Sabrina McDow of Sweetwater MS— featured with her family in an article, entitled “Raising Fit and Healthy Children,” published in the September 2007 issue of Black Health.

• Dr.KathyDean of Arcado ES— earned a doctoral degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden University.

• Dr. Sally Duerr of Arcado ES— earned a doctoral degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden.

• Dr. Janet Lewis of Fort Daniel ES— earned a doctoral degree in Language and Literacy Education from the University of Georgia.

• Dr.KimberlyM.Smith,Suwanee ES principal— earned a doctoral degree in Education-al Leadership from Argosy University.

• Dr. David ulkins of Creekland MS— earned a doctoral degree in Teacher Leadership from Walden.

• LindaElsonof Sycamore ES— earned a specialist’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

• MariaFernandezof Central Gwinnett HS— earned a specialist’s degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial.

• JenicaJohnson of J. A. Alford ES— earned a specialist’s degree in Leadership and Ad-ministration and leadership endorsement from Lincoln Memorial.

• PatiTurpinof Berkeley Lake ES— earned a specialist’s degree in Curriculum Adminis-tration from Lincoln Memorial.

• CatherineHurd of Craig ES— earned a master’s degree in Reading and Literacy from Walden.

• DavidJahner, director of foreign language— delivered the keynote presentation, “Dis-cover Languages: Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere,” at the Nebraska International Language Association state conference last month. He also presented a concurrent session, “Discover What’s Essential.”

• TiffanyEnglish of Sugar Hill ES — presented a workshop, “Introduction to Orff Schul-werk,” at Augusta State University. Ms. English also presented “Orff Schulwerk 101: An Innovative Process of Teaching” at the Collegiate Music Education National Conference at Columbus State University.

• Dawn Hobbins of Walnut Grove ES— presented “Using ‘Classroom Suite’ to Provide Ac-cess to the General Curriculum for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities” at the Georgia Project for Assistive Technology (GPAT) Summer Institute Conference.

Page 10 of 10 Education Briefs

Grants

ClickHereConnection

WVisit the GCPS Web site for more on achievement

gains, redistricting, MRSA, Green GCPS, AKS Review, recycling,

and more…www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us

W

Participants

• Melanie abad of Nesbit ES— presented “Simple-to-Use Assistive Technology Solutions for Young Children with Vision and Physical Disabilities” at the GPAT conference.

• These social studies educators made presentations at the annual state conference of the Georgia Council for the Social Studies in October: Debbie Daniel, GCPS’ social studies director and a board member of the Georgia Association of Economic Educators (GAEE), co-presented three sessions, “Economics for the Elementary School GPS, “GPS Frame-works for the Primary Grades: Teaching Social Studies Through Biography,” and “Wide World of Trade.” Dr. Doug Eskew of Meadowcreek HS presented two sessions, “How to Develop Participatory American Citizenship in the Lives of Your Students” and “Why Character Development is Vital in the Social Studies Classroom.” Cheryl Hall of Berkmar HS presented “Strategies for Team Teaching with Technical Students, Resource Students, and ESOL Students— Working Smarter not Harder!” Parkview HS’ Gary petmecky, a GAEE board member, co-presented two sessions, “2008 National Economics Chal-lenge” and “How to Incorporate the Stock Market Game into the High School Economics Course.” Debra peeble and patra Schultz, both of Dacula MS, co-presented “Making Reflections and Connections: An Interdisciplinary Approach to World Studies.” Connie Schutte of Level Creek ES presented “Teaching Vocabulary and Content to Your ELLs us-ing Social Studies Content.” Susan W. thompson of Collins Hill HS presented “The Cost of War: A Reality Check.”

• The following GCPS teachers presented at the Georgia Art Education Association’s fall conference last month: Jackie Ellett of Duncan Creek ES co-presented “Collaborative Textiles and other works by Alexander Calder.” Kelly Guyotte of Mill Creek HS pre-sented “Integrating Writing into the High School Art Class.” Lauren Christine phillips of Norcross ES presented an art and literacy lesson, using the book Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino. patricia Spencer of Sycamore ES presented “A Kindergarten Experience: We All Live Together, Integrating Social Studies.” Debi West of North Gwinnett HS pre-sented “Narrative Necklaces and Beyond!” amber Whelchel of Level Creek ES presented “Storytelling with Collage.”

• Joanne Giel— elected president of the Georgia Association of School Nurses for 2007–2009.

• renée Wicker of Grayson HS— elected to serve a two-year term as chair of the Choral Music Division for the Georgia Music Educators Association.

• Sweetwater MS— awarded the Jeff L. Townsend Award for its use of “Second Step,” a national program composed of advisement lessons embedded in academics. The $1,000 grant will be used toward expansion of the program.

• SingleStatewideAccountabilitySystem… http://www.gaosa.org/ssas.aspx• Waterconservationresources… http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/departments/DWR/pdf/faq_drought_level4.pdf (ban details) http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/cgi-bin/gwincty/egov/ep/gcbrowse.do?channelId=-35845&chan

nelPage=%2Fep%2Fchannel%2Fdefault.jsp&pageTypeId=536880236 (residential conservation) http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/departments/publicutilities/pdf/watersavebrochure.pdf (tips) http://county.ces.uga.edu/gwinnett/ (County Extension Service)• CommuterRewardswithTheCleanAirCampaign…www.logyourcommute.com/gcps• StateBoardofEducation… http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/pea_board.aspx?PageReq=PEABoardDist7

Presentations