Guilford County Schools Works with NYLC to Bring Service-Learning District-Wide

In Greensboro, N.C., a cadre of teachers spent weeks over the summer planning new service-learning experiences to engage in with their students during the upcoming school year. Through the leadership of Guilford County Schools Superintendent Maurice (Mo) Green; Executive Director, Student Services Brenda Elliot-Johnson; and numerous staff from across this school district, the school district has created a wellspring of support among teachers and students for academically rigorous service-learning. Student experiences in the district of 71,000 students in 122 schools run the gamut from exploring the effects of the Gulf Coast oil spill to encouraging educational aspirations of elementary students through a pen pal program.

In late June, GCS gathered 25 district teacher-leaders with a team of NYLC professional development staff to reflect on the previous year’s service-learning efforts. Teachers reviewed their knowledge of best practices, and then worked to improve their projects through a peer consultant process. The result: a fresh set of semester-long service-learning units that connect North Carolina State Standard Course of Study requirements and the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice, as well as classroom goals and teacher ingenuity. These roughly 20 lesson plans are available in the Generator School Network online. Visit http://www.gsn.nylc.org/groups/141. (If you are not already a GSN member, you will need to create a free account in order to view the units.)

GCS also engaged its regional service-learning coaches and NYLC to present its second annual service-learning institute for more than 125 district staff. Teachers, counselors, and administrators convened over two days to strengthen their understanding of service-learning and clarify their plans as champions for service-learning in their individual schools in the coming year. “The work in Guilford County Schools has been an inspiration to educators across the U.S.,” said Caryn Pernu, NYLC’s Program Strategies Director. “The model created in Guilford County has the key elements needed to establish service-learning as an important instructional experience for all students in all schools.”

“Service-learning is not one more thing on the plate. It IS the plate.”
–Beth Folger, Chief Academic Officer, Guilford County Schools

Guilford County Schools has a commitment to a quality education that is defined as more than preparation for a great school year, according to Elliott-Johnson. It is preparation for a great life. Strength of character, active citizenship, and physical, intellectual, and emotional capacity are achievable goals, goals for all of the district’s students. And service-learning is an instructional strategy that can help students achieve their potential.