March 15, 2018                                                 ebulletinboard Archive

ebulletinboard is e-mailed on pay dates in August - May (except during extended holidays) to all employees to inform you about events, workshops and other matters of interest.  Principals and other location supervisors should post one copy for employees who do not have e-mail.  Editions are archived for reference.

AWARDS/APPLICATIONS/CONTESTS/GRANTS

Spring 2018 Employee Spotlight Award Winners – Congratulations to these employees on their selection as Employee Spotlight Award Winners, presented by Horace Mann. The Employee Spotlight Program honors staff members who have made significant contributions or accomplishments on the job at Greenville County Schools. They were selected from a wide range of nominees for their efforts to go above and beyond to exceed expectations, and their efforts to improve their school or department. Recipients were nominated by fellow GCS employees. Horace Mann will provide either a pancake breakfast or ice cream social to each recipient’s school or department.

             Debbie Bostic - Bus Driver - Berea Bus Center
             Anna Doyle - 4th Grade Teacher - Buena Vista Elementary
             Bernadette Farrow - Cafeteria Manager - Rudolph Gordon Elementary
             Timyra Hudson - Spanish Teacher - Bryson Middle
             Kim Lancaster - Kindergarten Assistant - Bethel Elementary
             Jacqueline Martin - Special Education Teacher - Tanglewood Middle
             Geovanny Mora - Plant Engineer - Taylors Elementary
             Marsha Patry - Magnet Coordinator - Hughes Academy
             Sherry Thornton - School Clerk - Blue Ridge High
             Lauren Whitaker - Science Teacher - Carolina High

Instructional Leadership Academy Application - Applications for the Instructional Leadership Academy will close on March 30.  New in 2018-19, this year-long academy for Administrative Assistants and Assistant Principals will focus on best instructional practices and raising the academic achievement of all students. The group will meet for one full day in July, 2018 and on the 3^rd Thursday of each month from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. Complete the application here.
Contact: Karen Kapp, 355-3894

All K-12 Educators

Academic Enrichment Grants – The McCarthey Dressman Foundation is awarding grants of up to $10,000 for programs that nurture the intellectual, artistic, and creative abilities of children from low-income households. Projects should be unique, supplement regular classroom curriculum or after-school activity, and strengthen academic experiences. Click here for more information, a list of previous winning projects, or to access the online application. Deadline: April 15, 2018 Audience: K-12 educators
Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113

School Library Grants – Grants of up to $10,000 are available through the Snapdragon Book Foundation. Funds must be used exclusively to purchase traditional books and magazine and newspaper subscriptions for school libraries. Grant winners announced on the foundation’s website in June.  Click here to access the online application. Deadline: April 20, 2018 Audience: Grades K-12 school libraries
Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113

Parents for Healthy Kids Grants – School parents or parent groups (PTA, PTO, etc.) are eligible to apply for grants of up to $1,000 for school-based physical activity and nutrition initiatives. Schools with greater than 50% free & reduced-priced meals may receive priority, but all schools are encouraged to apply.  Click here for complete guidelines, instructions, and access to the online application. Deadline: April 6, 2018 Audience: Grades K-12 parents/parent groups
Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113

All K-5 Educators

Crayola Creative Leadership Grants – Elementary schools are eligible for $2,500 grants for innovative, creative, leadership-building programs. Winning schools will also receive $1,000 in Crayola products. The schools’ principal must be a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Visit the website for project suggestions, additional criteria, and to access the online application.   Deadline: June 22, 2018 Audience: K-5 schools
Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113

Toshiba America Foundation Grants – K-5 schools are eligible for $1,000 grants to fund innovative, hands-on  science and math classroom projects. Funds must be used for project-related materials only. Summer and after-school projects are not considered. Complete guidelines and application instructions are available here.   Deadline: October 1, 2018 Audience: K-5 schools
Contact: Lisa Finley, Grant Writer, 355-3113

HUMAN RESOURCES

2018 SCDE Expanded ADEPT Survey - The South Carolina State Department’s Office of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership Development is interested in principals’ and teachers’ experiences concerning the role of student growth, Student Learning Objectives, and observation data within the teacher evaluation system. Principals and teachers are asked to use this survey link to provide feedback.  Please note: the survey is not specific to the Performance Assessment System for Teachers (PAS-T) used in Greenville County Schools.  The survey will close on March 30, 2018.  
Contact: Patty Fox, 355-3173

Teach864 Night - Save The Date!  The Greenville Drive, Public Education Partners and Greenville County Schools will host "Teach864 Night" on Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m. at Fluor Field to celebrate our district’s greatest asset---our teachers!  All GCS teachers will receive a complimentary ticket to the game and may purchase additional tickets for friends and family members. Teachers who attend will also receive a free t-shirt.  More information to come about Teach864 Night, but as a sneak peek, teachers will be celebrated throughout the night with between inning games, teacher recognition, school spirit contests and much more!  Teachers are encouraged to wear their school t-shirt and come prepared to have an evening of fun, friends, and baseball! 
Contact: Candice Moore, 355-7549

Job Fair – The Human Resource Operations Department will host a Job Fair on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, at Wade Hampton High School, 100 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, 29609. This fair will take place from 5:00-7:00 pm.  We will be hiring for the following positions:  Bus Drivers, Bus Aides, Custodians and Food Service Operators.  Hiring managers will be on hand to speak with and answer questions from interested applicants. 
Contact:  Vickie Sims, Human Resources – Classified Recruiter, 355-7794

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Click HERE for Human Resources Home Page

NOTICES/REQUESTS

Tax Withholding Calculator - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released an updated Tax Withholding Calculator on www.IRS.gov and a new version of Form W-4.  The IRS urges taxpayers to use these tools to make sure they have the right amount of tax taken out of their paychecks.  You should also check your 2018 tax withholding due to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which passed in December, 2017 and made changes to the tax tables.  For more information, please visit here. 

To update your W4 information, please use the Employee Space Self Service system. Instructions may be found at here.  For questions or additional information, please email Payroll, or the payroll call center, 355-1920.

Clemson University – GCS Leadership Collaborative, MEd and EdS Cohort Leading to Building-Level Certification. This cohort begins in August of 2018.  Click for details about information sessions.
Contact: Karen Kapp, 355-3894

2018 Employee of the Year Awards - Nominations are now being received for the 2018 Employee of the Year Awards sponsored by Greenville Federal Credit Union. Winners receive a crystal award and $500 while their school/location receives $500. Click here for entry form, guidelines and additional information. Note – Nomination forms must be signed by the employee’s supervisor and submitted by Thursday, March 29. The seven nomination categories are: School Administrator, Assistant School Administrator, School Support Employee, Operations Employee, District Professional Employee, District Support Employee, and Emerging Teacher (two levels). 
Contact: Sandra Welch, 355-3888.

2018 Retirement Dinner - This year’s dinner will be held at the TD Convention Center on Thursday, May 24, at 6:30 p.m. Please note requirements for employees to attend the dinner: 1. Employees must meet retirement guidelines to be included in this year’s event; 2. A Termination of Employment Form must be sent by the employee’s supervisor to Human Resources on or before April 18;  3. A Retirement Information Sheet must be completed by the retiring employee and sent to Renee Wilson.  NOTE: Employees who come off TERI or retire and continue to work for GCS will be recognized at the dinner in the year when they end their employment with the district unless they have already been invited in a previous year. Retirement Dinner invitations will be mailed to retirees in May.
Contacts:         Retirement Benefits Questions - Benefits Department, 355-0960
                          Retirement Information Sheet Questions – Renee Wilson, Human Resources, 355-3355
                          Retirement Dinner Questions - Sandra Welch, Communications, 355-3888

Greenville County Schools Hall of Fame Nominations - Don’t miss this opportunity to highlight your school’s outstanding alumni!  Greenville County Schools is accepting nominations for the Hall of Fame through May 1.  The Greenville County Schools Hall of Fame honors those men and women who have graduated from GCS and have made substantial or significant contributions at the local, regional, national, or international levels in any appropriate area of endeavor such as, but not limited to, academia and education, arts, athletics, business, media, public service, philanthropy, medicine, military, or science. Click here to access the Hall of Fame criteria and nomination form. 
Contact: Communications, 355-8870

Save the Date – GCS Hall of Fame - The next GCS Hall of Fame Induction Dinner, set for Thursday, November 15, 2018, 6:00 PM, at the TD Convention Center.  The second annual Hall of Fame Dinner was held in November and featured the induction of  Joe Erwin, John Michael McConnell, Lorraine Paris (Awarded Posthumously), Nick Theodore, and Travelle Wharton. Information on purchasing tickets will be shared this fall.
Contact:  Ginger Johnston, 355-8870

Greenville Journal Partnership - We are excited to announce a new partnership with The Greenville Journal to showcase our award-winning students, staff, and schools in a way that’s never been done before! The Journal has created a Greenville County Schools section on their website where parents and other community members can watch videos, view photos, link to our website and Facebook page, and find information on special topics such as the Strategic Education Plan. Our first e-publication of Class Acts has been posted here. Future Class Acts editions will be posted in April and June. The Graduation Edition and Teachers of the Year editions will be printed and distributed through The Journal, copies will be delivered to schools, and the information will be posted on this page.

Summer Workshop for Students - USC is looking for rising 9^th grade students, interested in engineering and computer science, to participate in a summer workshop in Columbia. Click here for more information.
Contact: Angelia Hawes

L.E.A.D. Institute - Are you a teacher who is ready to Lead, Empower, Advocate, and Develop others?  The L.E.A.D. Institute, formerly Instructional Coach Institute, will equip classroom teachers with the knowledge and skill to support teachers and schools to improve student achievement. The leadership and coaching skills learned in this institute will benefit teacher leaders, whether they seek to become Instructional Coaches or Assistant Principals. Additional information regarding the 2018-2019 cohort of L.E.A.D. is outlined in the application, due no later than April 9, 2018.
Contact: Jeff McCoy, 355-3134

ENERGY MANAGEMENT TIPS AND REMINDERS

Energy Saving Tip - If you are leaving a room for more than 5 minutes, turn off the lights.

Reminder - Be sure ALL heat producing appliances are kept away from thermostats (computers, monitors, etc.)

Fun Fact - The 2015 NCAA basketball championship game, held at Lucas Oil Stadium, saw the Duke Blue Devils defeat the Wisconsin Badgers.  The total cost for all of the tickets to this game was $63,820,653!  That would pay Greenville County School’s energy bills for nearly 5 years.

Website - Please visit out department website for contacts, policies, news, downloads and other information.
Twitter - https://twitter.com/GCSEnergyMGMT  
Contact: Tim Berklich,  355-7777

MISCELLANEOUS

GCS YouTube Channel –  Click HERE to watch the latest from Greenville County Schools. 
Contacts: Meredith Murray or Jeff Hoffman, Video Production Services, 452-0122.

HEALTH AND WELLNESSS

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are longer it’s a perfect time to start an exercise routine and get active outside.

Take advantage of the variety of fruits and vegetables available during spring and revamp your diet. 

CALENDAR

Friday, March 30                      Deadline—Application for AA/AP Instructional Leadership Academy (ILA)

April 2-6                                     Spring Break - (April 2-3 are Required Leave Days for 12-Month Employees)
                                                    Required leave days are listed on the Employee Calendar.
            
Monday, May 28                       Memorial Day Holiday (Student & 12-Month Employee Holiday)

June 4-6                                     High School Graduations

Wednesday, June 6                  Last Day of School (Half Day)

Thursday, June 7                      Schools—Workday

Friday, June 8                            Schools—Workday (Exchange Day #4)

2017-18 Calendars: Employee, Student, Spanish

2018-19 Calendars: Employee, Student, Spanish