GCSS Community Update

• Message from the Superintendent
• Day One Photo Gallery
• Student Spotlight: Georgia CTI State President
• Classroom Spotlight: Art at GCPS
• Staff Spotlight: The Director of Special Education
• Career Coach Kickoff
• Updates and Enhancements to Tiger Stadium
• Superintendent Invited to Join Governor's Superintendent Advisory Council
• How to Get Involved
• Upcoming Events & Important Dates

As the new school year unfolds, I am excited to share with you the tremendous start we’ve had across our schools. Our students have returned to their classrooms with energy and excitement, and our dedicated educators are already hard at work guiding them toward success. We are fortunate to be part of a community that values education and supports our schools in so many ways. Your ongoing commitment to our students and staff is evident, and it plays a crucial role in creating a positive and nurturing environment for learning.

As we continue to build on this strong start, I want to extend an invitation to you—whether you are a parent, grandparent, local business owner, or simply a neighbor who cares about our future generations—to get involved with our schools. There are numerous opportunities to volunteer and make a meaningful impact, from mentoring students as Career Coaches at our high school, reading with second graders as a Reading Buddy at our primary school, assisting with school events, helping in the school libraries, or even sharing your unique skills and career experiences with our classes. Your involvement not only enriches the educational experience for our students but also strengthens the bonds that make our community a vibrant and supportive place to live. Whether you have a few hours a week or just an occasional day to give, your presence and participation can make a significant difference.

If you are interested in volunteering, I encourage you to reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator Mrs. Beth Thomas at beth.thomas@greene.k12.ga.us or 706-347-0750 to learn more about the opportunities available. We would be thrilled to welcome you into our schools and work together to ensure that our students continue to thrive. Thank you for your continued support and for being such an integral part of our community. Together, we can make this school year one of the best yet.

Sincerely,

Dr. Chris Houston

Superintendent

Click on the gallery below to view a collection of photos from across the district

on the first day of school!

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 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 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.

On August 1st, all 450 students at Greene County High School (GCHS) returned for classes in the morning, and their 120 volunteer career coaches from the community returned for a kickoff event in the afternoon. The kickoff began the seventh year of the Career Coaching Program at the Greene College and Career Academy at GCHS, and the program welcomed about 20 new coaches and 7 returning coaches for the class of 2028. Some coaches work with their students for 4 years and then become involved in other community activities such as Reading Buddies, but many return to the program. For the class of 2024, every student in the career coaching program (83) graduated and 16 of the 28 career coaches returned—7 to start over with 3 more freshman students each. With around 30 career coaches working with each class, the career coaching program has about 120 active volunteers in any given year, and the total number of career coaches who have been a part of the program over 7 years is almost 200.

Career coaches work with GCHS students to help them develop a career plan that will take them beyond high school graduation into their chosen profession. These volunteer mentors meet with students throughout their high school career and are matched to students based on the coaches' professional experience and the careers the students have chosen to pursue. If you are interested in becoming a career coach at the Greene College & Career Academy, contact Dave Thillen at dthillen3@gmail.com.

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 will be the only billboard-style advertisement venue on Highway 44 within the city of Greensboro, and produce video highlights to show during gametime.

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.

Help a 2nd grader at Greene County Primary School by becoming a Reading Buddy! You can make a REAL difference with just 1 hour per week by sparking conversations, building relationships and social skills, and helping children foster a love of reading. Interested? Contact Beth Thomas at beth.thomas@greene.k12.ga.us or 706-347-0750, or Mike Holland at Mikeholland711@gmail.com or 210-216-6624.

The first orientation sessions for new Reading Buddies are coming up soon! Join us on August 15 or August 20th at 1:15 at GCPS (1401 Highway 77 North Union Point, GA 30669 – 706-486-4117) for one of these sessions to learn more about the program. Click here to RSVP for either session. New Reading Buddies will begin working with your students in September 2024. Thank you for your interest!

Focusing on the “whole child”, GCSS Wraparound Services address student needs that exist or occur outside the classroom but may impact the student’s ability to be successful in the classroom. These may include physical needs such as clothes, food, hygiene products, and bedding, or other types of support such as mental health counseling.

You can donate to our Care Closet by bringing clothing and shoes, backpacks, school supplies, and hygiene products to the school. To view and contribute to specific needs that have already been identified, please visit our Purposity page. For cash donations, you may make a check payable to GCHS with Wraparound in the memo. Thank you for your support!

August 15, 2024

Board of Education Regular Monthly Meeting

The Greene County Board of Education will hold its August Regular Meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room located at 101 E. Third St. in Greensboro. To view Board of Education agendas and minutes, please click here.

August 22, 2024

Budget Hearing

A public hearing discussing the Greene County Board of Education 2024-2025 budget will be held on August 22nd, 2024, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Greene County Board of Education Office Building at 101 East Third Street, Greensboro, Georgia.

August 26, 2024

Board of Education Special Called Meeting

The Greene County Board of Education will hold a Special Called Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Board Meeting Room located at 101 E. Third St. in Greensboro to approve the FY25 Budget and Millage Rate. To view Board of Education agendas and minutes, please click here.

August 26, 2024

Parent University - Middle School Edition

This year's middle school edition of Parent University will take place on Monday, August 26th from 5:30-7 p.m., immediately following the school's annual Title I meeting. Join us for sessions on a variety of topics designed specifically for the parents of middle school students! Parents can learn more about the specific needs and characteristics of tweens, how to help their children with reading/math, special programs available to CMS, and more. Childcare and Spanish translation/interpretation will be provided.

Some of the sections in this newsletter were topics suggested by your fellow community members. What subjects would you like to read more about in this newsletter? Please share your feedback by emailing us at gcsscommunications@greene.k12.ga.us.

Please also share this newsletter with your communication circle and encourage them to sign up on this form so we can include them on our mailing list for future updates, and thank you for helping spread the word about the great things going on in Greene County Schools. As always, we appreciate your support as we strive to educate, inspire, challenge, and support Greene County’s students.

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: 706-453-7688
Facebook: facebook.com/gcsstigers

Instagram: @gcss_tigers

YouTube: Greene County School System GCSS