• Phone: 770-536-5275
• Web site: www.gcssk12.net
• Interim School Superintendent: Merrianne Dyer
• Gainesville City Board of Education: David Syfan, chairman; Willie Mitchell, Sammy Smith, Kelvin Simmons, Maria Calkins

2008-09 calendar

• Aug. 1: New Teacher Orientation
• Aug. 4-6: Teacher planning
• Aug. 7: First day of school
• Aug. 29, Oct. 10, Nov. 25, Dec. 19, Jan. 16, Feb. 13, March 13, May 22: early release days
• Sept. 1: Labor Day holiday
• Oct. 13: Holiday for teachers and students
• Oct. 14, Jan. 5, Feb. 2: students off; teacher planning
• Nov. 26-28: Thanksgiving holiday
• Dec. 22-Jan. 5: Winter break
• Jan. 19: Martin Luther King Day holiday
• Feb. 16: President's Day holiday
• March 24: Student and staff holiday
• April 3-10: Spring break
• May 22: Last day of school
• May 26-28: Teacher post-planning

Testing Schedule

• First grade: Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests, or CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• Second grade: CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• Third grade: Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, or ITBS, Nov. 10-14; Grade 3 Writing Assessment, March 16-27; CRCT, April 21-25
• Fourth grade: CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• Fifth grade: ITBS, Nov. 10-14; Grade 5 Writing Assessment, March 4-5; CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• Sixth-seventh grades: CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• Sixth-12th grades: End-of-Course Tests (see note below), Dec. 11-17 (winter semester), May 7-13 (spring semester)
• Eighth grade: ITBS, Nov. 10-14; Grade 8 Writing Assessment, Jan. 21-22; CRCT, April 1-May 1*
• 11th-12th grades: High School Graduation Writing Test, Sept. 24-25, Feb. 25-26; High School Graduation Tests, Sept. 15-19, Nov. 3-7, March 16-27
• * The state testing window
• College-entrance exams: ACT, Sept. 13, Oct. 25, Dec. 13, Feb. 7, April 4 and June 13; SAT, Oct. 4, Nov. 1, Dec. 6, Jan. 24, March 14, May 2 and June 6
• Note: The state requires that students in middle or high school who take one of the courses that carry the state's exit exam - Algebra I, Geometry, U.S. History, Economics/Business/Free Enterprise, Biology, Physical Science, Ninth Grade Literature and Composition and American Literature and Composition - must take the exam.

Operating times

• Elementary schools: 7:40 a.m.-2:25 p.m.
• Gainesville High School: 8 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
• Gainesville Middle School: 8:15 a.m.-3:35 p.m.

Registration information
Parents enrolling their child must bring a birth certificate; Georgia Certificate of Ear, Eye and Dental Examinations; Georgia Certificate of Immunization; proof of residence, such as a telephone, gas, water, electric or cable bill; and Social Security card. Middle and high school students register at their respective schools. Elementary school students register at the district's central office, 508 Oak St.
A child entering kindergarten must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 to be admitted to kindergarten. International families must register at the International Center, which is near Fair Street Elementary School.

Open houses

• Centennial Elementary School: 2-4 p.m. Aug. 5
• Enota Elementary School: 2-4 p.m. Aug. 5
• Fair Street Elementary School: 5-7 p.m. Aug. 6
• Gainesville Elementary School: 4:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 5
• New Holland Elementary School: noon-2 p.m. and 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 6
• Gainesville High: 2-4 p.m. Aug. 17 (fall semester) and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 14 (winter semester); freshman orientation, Aug. 2, 8:30-10:30 a.m. for students with last names beginning with A-F, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for students with last names beginning with G-O and 1:30-3:30 p.m. for students with last names beginning with P-Z; marketplace, Aug. 6, Arts & Sciences 8:30-10:30 a.m.; Careers 10:30 a.m.-12:30 ; Civil International 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Gainesville Middle: 10 a.m.-noon Aug. 2, Sixth Grade Academy; 3:30-5:30 p.m. Aug. 5, Classical Academy; 6-8 p.m. Aug. 5, Earth Quest Academy; 6-8 p.m. Aug. 6, Humanities Academy

Meal prices

• Breakfast: Free, all students; $1.50, adults
• Lunch: $1, elementary students; $1.25, middle school students; $1.50, high school students; $2.50, adults.