Parent Teacher Magazine Gaston County Schools May 2014 | Page 8

GCS sees decrease in school crime rate for fourth consecutive year
Gaston continues to rank as one of the safest school districts in the region

A report from the State Board of Education and N.C. Department
of Public Instruction shows that Gaston County Schools’ acts of crime
and violence decreased for the fourth consecutive year.
Gaston County Schools’ crime and violence rate for the 20122013 school year is 3.519, which is lower than the district’s 20112012 rate of 3.81. Gaston’s rate is significantly lower than the
state’s, which is 7.20.
The annual report released Wednesday, April 2 provides data
about school crime and violence and suspensions and expulsions for
public school districts and charter schools across the state. The state
report is available online: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/
The number of short-term suspensions in Gaston County Schools
decreased this past school year from 6,811 in 2011-2012 to 6,643.
The number of long-term suspensions increased slightly from 22 to
31, and the district had only one expulsion.
Of the ten largest school districts in the state and the nine school
districts in the Southwest (greater Charlotte) region, Gaston County
Schools continues to rank as one of the safest school systems with a
low rate of crime and violence.
Superintendent of Schools W. Jeffrey Booker stated, “Safety is
a top priority for Gaston County Schools, and we are pleased with
the decrease in our school crime rate. We continue to be one of the
safest school districts in the Charlotte region and in the state because
of what our principals, resource officers, employees, and others do to
ensure school safety.”
Booker continues, “School safety is a collaborative effort by the
school system and local law enforcement agencies in Gaston County
– we work hand-in-hand with local police, and our joint partnership
is paying big dividends. We appreciate the support and commitment
from our local law enforcement officers, who help us to make our
schools as safe and secure as possible.”
The following charts provide comparison information about Gaston
County Schools Acts of Crime and Suspensions and Expulsions for the
past four school years:

Chart I – Four-Year Comparison of Acts of Crime – Grades K-12
2012-2013 – Gaston County Schools – 3.519
2011-2012 – Gaston County Schools – 3.81
2010-2011 – Gaston County Schools – 4.11
2009-2010 – Gaston County Schools – 5.07
* The state school campus crime rate for 2012-2013 is 7.20.
Chart II – Four-Year Comparison of Suspensions and Expulsions
n GCS Suspensions and Expulsions – 2012-2013

2012-2013 – Short-term Suspensions – 6,643
2012-2013 – Long-term Suspensions – 31
2012-2013 – Expulsions – 1
n

GCS Suspensions and Expulsions – 2011-2012
2011-2012 – Short-term Suspensions – 6,811
2011-2012 – Long-term Suspensions – 22
2011-2012 – Expulsions – 0

n GCS Suspensions and Expulsions – 2010-2011
2010-2011 – Short-term Suspensions – 6,213
2010-2011 – Long-term Suspensions – 46
2010-2011 – Expulsions – 2
n GCS Suspensions and Expulsions – 2009-2010
2009-2010 – Short-term Suspensions – 6,684
2009-2010 – Long-term Suspensions – 51
2009-2010 – Expulsions – 1

Pinewood and H.H. Beam win Math Masters competition

Pinewood Elementary and H.H. Beam Elementary won the Math
Masters competition held Tuesday, March 4 and Wednesday, March 5
at Hawks Nest Intermediate School.
Each Math Masters team includes six fifth-grade students, who
earned the highest scores on a timed pre-test. The students are
allowed two hours with math and AIG teachers to prepare and
practice for the competition.
During each session, teams have 15 minutes to correctly
answer as many as nine problems. Sessions include numeration,
geometry measurement, patterns algebra, data interpretation, math
manipulatives, and tile math.
The first day of competition featured the following 13 elementary
schools (East Division): Belmont Central, W.A. Bess, Brookside, Carr,
Costner, Gardner Park, Hawks Nest Intermediate, Kiser, Lowell, New
Hope, Pinewood, Rankin and Sherwood.
Pinewood placed first, followed by Belmont Central, W.A. Bess and
New Hope. Each school team that placed in the top four received a
trophy and the students received a medallion.
The second day of competition featured the following 14
elementary schools (West Division): W.B. Beam Intermediate,
Bessemer City Central, Catawba Heights, Chapel Grove, H.H. Beam,
Forest Heights, Lingerfeldt, McAdenville, North Belmont, Pleasant
6 • May/June 2014 • Parent Teacher Magazine 

Ridge, Rhyne, Edward
D. Sadler Jr., Tryon and
Woodhill.
H.H. Beam Elementary
placed first, followed by
W.B. Beam Intermediate,
McAdenville and Catawba
Heights.

Photo Above: H.H.
Beam wins Math
Masters West
competition
Photo Left: Pinewood
Elementary wins
Math Masters East
competition