VIP E-Newsletter
September 25, 2024 Edition

Welcome to VIP E-News, an electronic newsletter that is distributed to GCS employees and community leaders to update them about important GCS news and events. If you have any questions about the Board meeting or news articles, please contact the Communications Department.
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News

18 GCS Students Named 2025 National Merit Semifinalists

Eighteen GCS students have been identified as Semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $26 million that will be offered next spring. Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. Complete list of semifinalists

Registration Open for CogAT Aptitude Assessment

Greenville County Schools will offer the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) on Monday, October 14, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at Charles Townes Center to students who reside in Greenville County but are not currently enrolled in a South Carolina public school that offers aptitude testing. The CogAT assessment is a three-battery multiple-choice aptitude assessment that measures reasoning skills with different types of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal questions. Each section of the assessment takes approximately 45 minutes to complete, and the entire assessment takes three to four hours including breaks. A minimum score of 93% national percentile rank on any CogAT subtest (verbal, nonverbal, or quantitative) meets the state's criteria for the aptitude dimension of GT identification. Interested families must pre-register via the Student Registration for CogAT Aptitude Assessment Form by Wednesday, October 9. There will be no walk-ups or late registrations.

Blue Ridge High Schools celebrates 70th Anniversary

Congratulations to Blue Ridge High School on its 70th anniversary! This week, students, teachers, alumni, and community members gathered at the school to reminisce and enjoy some fun. Board of Trustees Chair Carolyn Styles, a Blue Ridge High School graduate, was joined by principal Ashley Wardlaw, another proud graduate. Also in attendance were Greenville County Schools Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster and legendary former Blue Ridge High Principal Kenneth Southerlin, who served from 1977 to 2006. Blue Ridge High first opened its doors in 1954 at the site of the current Blue Ridge Middle School. More on the history of the school,

Unofficial Board Meeting Summary

September 24, 2024

Welcome, Prayer and Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Salvador Giron Trinidad, a fifth-grade student at Welcome Elementary School.

Adoption of Consent Calendar
2.01 Minutes, Regular Board Meeting - August 27, 2024
2.02 Minutes, Special Called Meeting - Update to Procurement Code, Security Update, and Economic Development Update - September 17, 2024
2.03 Home Schooling Applications (Executive Session) - 5
2.04 Personnel Recommendations (Executive Session) – None

Appearance of Visitors

  • James Bello – Change in the School System
  • Melissa Phillips – School Safety
  • Amanda Myers – Special Education Services
  • Joseph Farmer – Tax
  • Nancy Griffeth – Against PragerU
  • LaTonya Kennedy – Concerns: Elevate; Hiring Process/Selection
  • Shelly Hagood – District Leadership
  • Jennifer Murray-McClain – Needs of Children with Autism
  • Jay Gerhart – Special Ed
  • Brenden Gary – ABA Therapy/Special Education
  • Alisha Taylor – Support for Disabled Children/ABA Therapy
  • Sarah Beth Wood – Lack of Foresight on Book Fairs
  • Laura Treffinger – Book Removal
  • Thomas Treffinger – Cancellation of Book Fairs
  • Abigail Cox – Future Teacher Academy Leadership Board
  • Carmicah Rice – Special Edu Positive Experience at School
  • Victoria Moreno-Jackson – General Book Bans

Information/Action from Board Committees/Liaisons

  • Advocacy Committee – Mr. Saylors – In follow-up to the resolution related to book fairs, it will be appearing on the October Committee of the Whole agenda unless we receive more information from the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) that relieves the issue prior to that meeting. We are not the only district to share concerns about book fairs with the SCDE. The SCDE asked for some time to work on a solution.
  • Foundation – Mrs. Lynda Leventis-Wells – The Foundation Board met, and the annual GCS Scholarship Golf Tournament will be held on October 14.

Finance Report
The District's monthly financial statements were presented to the Board of Trustees as an information item.

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 pm.