Greene Notes
News & Notices for Team Tigers - August 2024
As we reflect on the first few days of the new school year, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude and enthusiasm to all teachers and staff. The energy and commitment you have brought to our classrooms and hallways have set a positive tone for the year ahead.
Your dedication to creating a welcoming and engaging environment for our students has not gone unnoticed. Whether it's through innovative lesson plans, thoughtful classroom setups, or simply the warm smiles you greet our students with each day, you have made a significant impact on their first impressions of this school year. Thank you to the entire team at each school—teachers, support staff, administrators, custodial staff, nurses, bus drivers, and nutrition staff. Your collective efforts have ensured a smooth and successful start, demonstrating once again the strength and unity of our school community.
One of our most important goals this year is to ensure that every student attends school regularly. Chronic absenteeism negatively impacts learning to such a degree that we recognize it as a top priority. Everyone in our school community can make a difference by helping students and families understand that going to school every day is critical to their academic achievement. Teachers can play an especially important role by setting a good example for students by having solid attendance, being on-time to your classrooms or morning duties, and making school fun. We understand that everyone may need to stay home from time to time, due to illness or emergency circumstances, but let’s do our best to be at work as much as possible and set a great example for our students.
As we move forward, I am filled with excitement and optimism for what we will achieve together. This year promises to be one of growth, learning, and continued success for both our students and staff. I am confident that, with your passion and perseverance, we will overcome challenges and celebrate many accomplishments. Thank you for everything you do for our students and our school district. Here’s to a fantastic school year ahead!
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris Houston
Superintendent
The Greene County School System is pleased to welcome Dr. Kimberley Simmons to the district leadership team as the Director of Special Education. In this role, Dr. Simmons is primarily responsible for overseeing the district’s Special Education program and collaborating with teachers, support staff, and administrators to foster a supportive and engaging learning environment for students with disabilities. Dr. Simmons said she is looking forward to her new role, especially the opportunity to lead initiatives that promote educational excellence for all students: “I look forward to collaborating with stakeholders to create inclusive environments where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally,” she said.
Dr. Simmons comes to Greene County from the Dekalb County School District, where she served as Special Education Coordinator. She also previously served as the Mental Health and Wellness Facilitator in Henry County Schools and has served as a school counselor, curriculum consultant, and special education teacher in several school districts across the state of Georgia, including with the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice.
Dr. Simmons says that her approach to education is driven by an unwavering commitment to student success and belief in the power of inclusive education. She strives to create a nurturing and supportive environment where every student feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential: “I chose a career in special education because I am passionate about advocating for students with diverse needs and ensuring they have access to a quality education that prepares them for future success,” Dr. Simmons said. “Every student deserves the opportunity to learn in an environment that recognizes their unique strengths and challenges.”
To learn more about Dr. Simmons's vision for her new role and career so far, please click here to continue reading on our website.
This summer, Greene County High School's own Tavaris (TJ) Turner was named State President for Georgia CTI! TJ's goal for the 2024-2025 school year is to support disabled students and excel in his role as President. His favorite quote is, "Be careful who you call a role model because a lot of these models out here playing roles." TJ dreams of becoming a real estate agent or a chef. He is a dedicated football player, enjoys playing Xbox, and loves meeting new people. TJ says he is deeply inspired by his mom and GCHS CTI Coordinator Ms. Didi Davis, who have both taught him a lot and never give up on him. Congratulations, TJ!
Georgia CTI's mission is to provide meaningful transition activities through leadership and employability experiences for students with disabilities in grades 9-12 identified through career, technical, and agricultural education courses in order to increase postsecondary outcomes. Georgia CTI works with students with disabilities seeking to explore multiple career interests by offering leadership and work readiness conferences in various settings through groups and/or individually.
At GCPS, Ms. Hearn’s art students have been busy during the first week of school! They have learned about famous artists such as Henri Rousseau and Leonardo Da Vinci, and even tried their hands at re-creating the Mona Lisa! They drew and decorated clowns as they studied portraiture, shape, and color, and designed rockets while learning about line types. Each lesson this week has been tied to a book or a famous artist, or both, like when the students drew tigers and giraffes while reading “The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau.”
Ms. Hearn said her goal during the first week of school is always to get the students creating and allow them to display their work to build confidence. “They love to have their work displayed, and they take so much pride when we hang it in the hallways,” she says.
The Greene County School System is proud to announce that Dr. Chris Houston, Superintendent of Schools, attended his first meeting as a member of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s Superintendent Roundtable. The group met in Atlanta at the Governor’s Mansion in July. Dr. Houston is one of only 10 superintendents statewide selected for this panel.
“I am honored to be a part of this amazing group of educational leaders from across Georgia,” said Dr. Houston. “The topics on the meeting’s agenda focused on building a stronger, more vibrant public education system for all of Georgia. The conversations were meaningful and very worthwhile. I applaud the Governor for prioritizing the voices of his school system leaders as he makes decisions regarding public education.”
Dr. Houston was actively engaged in discussions that included matters related to the use of social media and cell phones during the school day, improving student attendance, enhancing conditions for learning through effective disciplinary measures, bolstering enrollment efforts across the state, recruiting and retaining educators, and promoting the Georgia Match initiative for high school graduates.
Tiger Stadium will see several upgrades over the course of this summer and early fall, including brand-new turf which has already been installed, and a resurfaced track and new video scoreboard coming later this month! At the June Board of Education meeting, the BOE approved the purchase of a new, state-of-the-art video scoreboard and advertising marquee at Tiger Stadium. The new scoreboard and marquee will be a hands-on learning opportunity for the audio-visual, marketing, and business pathways at the high school, as students work with local businesses to sell, design, and display ads for the marquee, which is the only billboard-style advertisement venue on Highway 44 within the city of Greensboro, and produce video highlights to show during gametime.
The Georgia Department of Education, in partnership with Acentra Health, formerly known as Kepro, is providing the opportunity for us to participate in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The counseling sessions are focused on building and maintaining mental and emotional well-being for ALL public schools, PreK-12 teachers, and K-12 employees who work at least 29 hours a week. Additionally, Acentra Health offers valuable benefits including free counseling, training, complimentary legal and financial consultations, and other valuable work-life services with 24/7 support. The 2025 EAP program benefits are in effect until June 30, 2025. Click on this link or on the attachment below to view the EAP Flyer. If you have any questions about the GaDOE Employee Assistance Program, please contact Darryl Felker at Darryl.Felker@doe.k12.ga.us
Connect 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: 706-454-1109
Facebook: facebook.com/gcsstigers
Instagram: @gcss_tigers
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