Morning Announcements

Superintendent's Journal: Strengthening the Team

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:00:02 -0500

Dr. Burns provides a current update on the retention and recruitment fronts before focusing on efforts "helping our employees not only keep their edge, but grow into leaders."

A transcript is also available.

(Downloadable in QuickTime)

Magnet Fair PSA

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:59:39 -0500

Watch the latest Magnet Fair PSA below. The 2009 Magnet Fair will be held from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 7 at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School.

Also available as a Quicktime movie:

Three WCPSS School Counselors Earn State Honors

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:59:33 -0500

School counselors from the Wake County Public School System swept the awards at the NC School Counselor Association Annual Conference underway in Greensboro.

The association recognizes counselors at each grade level annually. This year, WCPSS Counselors of the Year won at the elementary, middle and high school levels for the state.

Rebecca Atkins of Millbrook Elementary School was named the 2009 NC Elementary School Counselor of the Year.

Jean Carter of Heritage Middle School was named the 2009 NC Middle School Counselor of the Year.

Tammy Rhye-Butler of Middle Creek High School was named the 2009 NC High School Counselor of the Year.

Principals, school system staff and family members attended to congratulate them on their awards and to support them in this great achievement.

To be considered for this honor, school counselors:

Must be currently employed as a full-time counselor, director/supervisor, or counselor educator and have completed three consecutive years of counseling service at the level of nomination.

Must hold a Master's Degree or equivalent in guidance and counseling or PhD in Counselor Education/Supervision, and be certified/licensed as a counselor by the state of North Carolina.

The activities or accomplishments recognized must have taken place within the past five years.

Must be a current member of NCSCA

Athens Drive High Drama Department Wins National Contest for Set Design

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:09:07 -0500

The Athens Drive High Drama Department has won a nationwide contest for set design. ScenoGraphics, a national set design company, awarded the Athens Drive High spring production of Mousetrap first place in theatrical set construction. Burgundy Zikowitz, Drama teacher, and Lee Ball, art teacher and chief consultant, were delighted to receive the first place plaque on behalf of the entire cast of Mousetrap.

In its letter of recognition, ScenoGraphics stated: "This trophy symbolizes high regard for the outstanding quality of your work. We hope it commemorates your great effort and that your school community joins us in saluting what you have accomplished." The greatest compliment to the drama team is the color picture of the ADHS MouseTrap set that is featured on the cover of the 2009-10 ScenoGraphics Catalog.

Thanks to William Crockett for sharing this information with GotNews.

Athens Drive High Student Newspaper Staff Selected for National Edition

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:04:54 -0500

The staff of Oracle, the Athens Drive High student newspaper, continues to garner accolades. Three more Oracle students, Blair Robinson, Caryn Siggins and Erik Tomins, were selected to be in the National Edition of My High School Journalism last month!

You can find the online edition of the Oracle here.

Thanks to Trish Hornick for sharing this information with GotNews.

"A Thousand Cranes" at Martin Middle School

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:59:50 -0500

The Martin Magnet Middle School Theatre Department will present the one-act play "A Thousand Cranes" on Thursday Nov. 19 and Friday Nov. 20, The play tells the story of Sadako, a middle-school-aged girl in Japan, who suffered from the effects of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

The play, which features a huge "tsuru" rod puppet made by Maggie Bennett's sculpture class, live Japanese music, a thousand paper cranes made by students at Martin Middle School, and many cultural details, supports the 7th grade Social Studies curriculum on Asian history.

The show is directed by Judy Dove with technical direction by Kirt Landry. Both shows begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Martin Magnet Middle School Auditorium. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door the night of the show.

Thanks to Judy Dove for sharing this information with GotNews.

DENR Visits Penny Road Elementary

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:58:03 -0500

As part of the outdoor environmental education workshop for its Office of Environmental Education (OEE), the North Carolina Department of Environmental & Natural Resources (DENR) selected Penny Road Elementary as one of the primary field trips for DENR's OEE workshop held on Saturday, October 24. Penny Road Elementary Principal Mark Barbar welcomed the workshop attendees, while PTA Buildings and Grounds Co-Chairs John and Ann Sykes provided an overview of the school's environmental education program.

The group learned about the solar-powered, wireless webcam birdhouse, wireless weather station, US Map Garden, rain barrel usage throughout the campus, NC Native Plant Garden, pond with amphitheater, fishing program, and the Leon Harkins 1.1 mile Educational Walking Trail. In addition, discussion was held on Penny Road Elementary science programs: container planting, composting (including vermicomposting), planting gardens (flower, native, vegetable), weather, and birding/nesting cycles. The participants were truly impressed with Penny Road Elementary's environmental education efforts and commended the school on its work.

Penny Road Elementary is excited to be one of the selected sites for this event as it recognizes our environmental education program. For more information on Penny Road Elementary's environmental education program and accomplishments, you can visit the Penny Road Elementary website and the NC DENR School Directory.

National PTA Honors Wake County for family involvement

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:40:56 -0500

The Wake County PTA Council and Wake County Public School System earned an Award of Merit in the National PTA's Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Awards. The award celebrates PTAs that are working to achieve the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships.

Sarah Martin, President of the Wake County PTA Council, and Ann Rollins who leads the WCPSS Parent Liaisons talked with the board at its Nov. 2 meeting about earning the honor.

Click here to listen to National PTA Honors Wake County for family involvement

This is a 6 minute mp3 file.

You can find more information about the award here.

You can read the six standards included in the Wake County policy for parent and family involvement here.

Dr. Burns Reports: November 2, 2009

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:25:09 -0500

In speaking to the Board of Education, Superintendent Burns congratulated Wake County Teacher of the Year Rene Herrick for being named a finalist for the North Central Regional Teacher of the Year and the teachers and students in the drama program at Athens Drive High for earning national honors for set design.

Click here to listen to Dr. Burns Reports

This is an 8 minute MP3 file.

Joyner Magnet Elementary Adopts School in Belize

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:45:38 -0500

At J.Y. Joyner Center for Spanish Language/IB Magnet Elementary School, the Third Grade has adopted a sister school in Belize and the Joyner students have brainstormed ideas for ways to help the school in Belize.

Over the next two weeks (Nov. 2 -13th), Joyner's third grade students will be collecting new and gently used children's books, school supplies, first aid supplies, chlorox wipes, hand sanitizer, playground balls and jump ropes, ball pumps, and mesh bags, and monetary donations to purchase mountable fans, math manipulative kits, and to pay to ship these items to Belize. Over Spring Break, Joyner's third grade teachers will fly to Belize and install the fans, help set up classroom libraries, and provide staff development on using the Math Manipulative Kits to the teachers in Belize.

Visit Principal Chris Knott's blog where you can follow a voicethread about Belize and another about a Water Buffalo Joyner bought through Heifer International.

Contact Joyner Elementary at (919) 856-7650.

ParentVision: Report Cards and SPAN

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:48:30 -0500

For most of our students, it's report card time. Families new to WCPSS may not be familiar with the grading system used in elementary schools, while middle and high school parents might want a bit more information about their students' day-to-day progress before the report card arrives through the Student/Parent Access Network (SPAN). Learn more about both in today's ParentVision podcast.

WCPSS on Stage

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:06:24 -0500

Students are staging a variety of theatre productions at WCPSS high schools in the coming weeks.

The Green Hope High Drama Club is presenting The Plays of Robert Frost at 7 p.m. on November 5 and 6. The production has original music student composed music. The three plays are student directed.

Sanderson High presents Amadeus at 7 p.m. on November 5-7 in the school auditorium.

Apex High presents Antigone at 7:30 p.m., November 5 and 7 in the school auditorium.

Leesville Road High presents Dracula at 7 p.m. on November 5-7 in the school auditorium. Tickets are $8.

Panther Creek High presents the Jungalbook November 13 and 14 in the school's auditorium.

Holly Springs High presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, abridged at 7 p.m., November 19-21. Tickets are $7.

The Athens Drive Theatre Department proudly presents The Miracle Worker at 7 p.m. on November 19,20,and 21 in the school's auditorium. Tickets are $5 at the door. For more information please contact Burgandy Zikowitz at 233-4050.

Fuquay Varina High presents Suessical at 7 p.m. on November 19-21 in the school auditorium.

Millbrook High presents Turn Back the Clock at 7 p.m. on November 19-21 in the school auditorium.

Knightdale High presents To Kill a Mockingbird at 7 p.m. on November 19-21 in the school auditorium.

Middle Creek High presents the Diviners at 7:30 p.m. on November 19-21 in the school auditorium.

For more information about these student productions, click on the link for school websites or contact the school theatre department directly.

Social Studies Leader Stephani Retires

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:00:16 -0500

For the last seven years, Melinda Stephani has led high school social studies instruction in the Wake County Public School System.

Stephani retired Friday after her work as a high school teacher, assistant principal and social studies administrator. Two of the five End of Course exams high school students must pass to graduate are in social studies. Stephani shares insights into her work supporting high school teachers.

Click here to listen to Social Studies Leader Stephani Retires

This is a 16 minute mp3 file.

Journal 21: People-Powered and Purpose Driven

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:26:18 -0500

"'Things' don't teach children or feed them lunch or keep the computers running or manage building programs. 'Things' won't close the achievement gap. People will."

A transcript is also available.

(Downloadable in QuickTime)

Come to the Magnet Fair on Nov. 7

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:00:25 -0500

Parents and their children are welcome to join in the excitement of the WCPSS Magnet Fair at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 7 at Southeast Raleigh High.

Tamani Anderson Powell of the WCPSS Magnet Center explains that families can explore options for children to find the place to develop their talents at the magnet fair, as teachers and students of WCPSS magnet schools perform, answer questions and display information about their school.

Click here to listen to Come to the Magnet Fair on Nov. 7

This is a 6 minute mp3 file.

You can find more information about WCPSS magnet schools here.