Archive for September, 2012

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Author speaks to Young Women’s Leadership Academy students

by Bill Poston, posted in School Events on September 28th, 2012  

Nationally recognized author and speaker Barbara Farmer encouraged students at the Young Women’s Leadership Academy to be makers of history. The former Athens Drive High teacher returned to Wake County Friday to tell students that actions and attitudes they have now will influence their future. Farmer encouraged the students to start by respecting their parents as leaders of their family. She told the students they will find that life is about relationships and it is important to treat people well. She noted that character counts in building relationships and recognition of their concern for others would result in opportunities.

“There is greatness in you,” Farmer told the students. “Let it shine and let it show.” Continue Reading . . .

Barwell Road Elementary receives IBM computer stations

by Bill Poston, posted in Community on September 27th, 2012  

Barwell Road Elementary kindergartners excitedly demonstrated computer games Thursday for State Superintendent of Education June Atkinson on the school’s new computer station.

Lawmakers and educators surrounded Atkinson and the children to watch the demonstration. They visited the school to hear about IBM’s donation and to see students at work on the computers. Continue Reading . . .

Scouts donate supplies to Reedy Creek Elementary

by Bill Poston, posted in Community, Students on September 27th, 2012  

Reedy Creek Elementary Principal Trent Evans thanks Girl Scout Troop 300 from Cary for their donation of school supplies from an Area 19/Cary Girl Scout event.  Troop 300 hosted a recruitment event at Bond Park’s Senior Center where the 111 attendees donated school supplies. Continue Reading . . .

Two WCPSS high schools recognized for high graduation rate

by Bill Poston, posted in Results on September 27th, 2012  

State Superintendent June Atkinson congratulated Green Hope and Panther Creek high schools for their high 2011-12 graduation rates. Atkinson met with Green Hope Principal Jim Hedrick and Panther Creek Principal Rodney Nelson, as well as representatives from other schools at a luncheon held in Durham on Wednesday. Continue Reading . . .

New Parent Academy gives families information on Common Core

by Bill Poston, posted in Parent Academy, Parents on September 27th, 2012  

This week’s Parent Academy workshop gives Wake County families information on the new Common Core State Standards being used for the first time in classrooms this school year.

The new guidelines describe the essential skills and knowledge that students master annually and provide parents with a clear understanding of what their child is expected to learn and know.

The workshop provides parents with information on the state changes and the impact on classroom instruction. The new standards will result in more complex reading assignments and a focus on students becoming problem solvers. Parents will get answers to questions and learn ways they can help their students become stronger academically.

How to Understand Common Core and Essential Standards

Millbrook Magnet High, September 18, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Reedy Creek Middle, September 19, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Knightdale High, September 20, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

All sessions are free, but parents must register to attend. Registration and the schedule of workshops through November can be found online or by calling (919) 431-7411.

Additional workshops will focus on supporting literacy and math at home, understanding special education and understanding the U.S. school system.

Sessions will be presented in English and Spanish. Childcare is available for children 4-13 years old.

WCPSS Students Earn Honors at SPARKcon

by Bill Poston, posted in Students on September 26th, 2012  

Wake County students earned top honors at the 12th annual Raleigh Street Painting event held on Fayetteville Street as part of SPARKcon. The event had hundreds of artists transforming the street into a work of art. Thousands of visitors came to watch the artists and be a part of the festival. WCPSS students won awards in the high school and middle school divisions of the competition.

HIGH SCHOOL:
Best in Show: Square #217, Wakefield High School (Brianna Williams, Summer Gay)
Originality Award: Square #197, Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School (Andrea Allen)
Design Award: Square #245, Heritage High School (Mallory Long, Julia Huber, Jazmine Williams, Katie Daeke)
Honorable Mentions: Square #228, Garner Magnet High School (Mary Anna Rice, Becky Evans, Izzie Daniels, Diamond Plummer); Square #252, Wakefield High School (Colton Valentino, Bailie Johnson)

MIDDLE SCHOOL:
Best in Show: Square #69, Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School (Penelope Celmer, Lily James, Bailey Bowles)
Design Award: Square #79, Carnage Magnet Middle School (Tess)
Originality Award: Square #100, Ligon Magnet Middle School (Elaine Li, Li Waggener, Kaeli Waggener)
Honorable Mention: Square #76, Rolesville Middle School (Emma, Brandon, Rachel, Sabrina)

Heritage High students Mallory Long, Jazmine Williams, Julia Huber and Katie Daeke earned the Award for Best Design in the High School division at the 12th annual Raleigh Street Painting event held on Fayetteville Street as a part of SPARKcon.

Thanks to Heritage High teacher Jeff Schweickert for sharing this story.


Centennial Campus Magnet Middle students Penelope Celmer, Lily James and Bailey Bowles earned Best in Show Award in the Middle School Division.

Thanks to Centennial Campus Magnet Middle’s Elwood Peters for sharing this photo.

ReadMobile visits Knightdale Elementary

by Bill Poston, posted in School Events on September 26th, 2012  

A national reading tour visited Knightdale Elementary School to give students free books and promote literacy. Students cheered for reading and yelled out “We love to read” when their class photo was taken in front of the ReadMobile.

WCPSS arranged for the ReadMobile visit to the school during September to celebrate Literacy Month.

The WeGiveBooks ReadMobile team read the book Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad to the children and gave them a copy of the book Froggy Goes to School to take home. They encouraged students to read the book on October 4 as part of the national Read for the Record effort raising awareness for early literacy.

Knightdale Elementary teacher Ashley Harris says providing the students a book to take home gives the children a chance to practice their new reading skills at home. Harris encouraged parents to read with their children every day. As students grow as readers, parents can ask them questions about the book and then challenging questions about the impact of changes on characters or the story.

Knightdale Elementary was one of 50 schools the ReadMobile plans to visit to share the love of reading with students. WCPSS wants students to build strong reading skills by the second grade to ensure students are on the path to success from pre-k to graduation.

More on the ReadMobile visit is available in this video story and in this photo album. Here is the ReadMobile webpage.


Knightdale Elementary students stand in front of the ReadMobile for a class photo holding up their new books.

WCPSS Media Coordinator Finalist for N.C. Media Coordinator of the Year Award

by Bill Poston, posted in Careers, Terrific Teachers on September 26th, 2012  

Sycamore Creek Elementary media coordinator Andrea Lyons is one of four state finalists for the Media Coordinator of the Year Award presented by the North Carolina School Library Media Association (NCSLMA). Lyons represents media coordinators from across the group’s Piedmont East Region.

NCSLMA will recognize the four finalists in its conference booklet and a table will be reserved for them at the conference luncheon in Winston-Salem on October 5. The NCSLMA will present the Media Coordinator of the Year Award at the luncheon. The winner receives a plaque and a $1,000 gift from Follett Library Services.

Thanks to Deanna Harris for sharing this story with GotNews.

NC FAAN Walk for Food Allergy Set for September 29

by Bill Poston, posted in Uncategorized on September 26th, 2012  

The Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward a Cure will be held on Saturday, September 29, at Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park in Cary.

The Triangle Area, NC Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) will sponsor the fund raising walk. Check in is at 9 a.m. The 1.5 mile walk begins at 10 a.m.

The national non-profit organization is committed to raise public awareness, to provide advocacy and education, and to advance research on behalf of people affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis. Approximately 1 in 13 American children have food allergies. Food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening medical condition for which there is presently no cure.

Aven Crochet, a student at East Cary Middle School, is the Honorary Youth Chair for this event. Members of the local Triangle-area food allergy support group N.C. Food Allergic Children Excelling Safely are organizing the event. Register online at the group’s webpage or here.
Continue Reading . . .

Eleven WCPSS seniors named 2013 National Merit Achievement Scholar semifinalists

by Bill Poston, posted in Students on September 26th, 2012  

Eleven Wake County Public School System students are semifinalists for the 2013 National Achievement Scholarship awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The WCPSS students include:

ENLOE MAGNET HIGH: Malaika Dahn, Claudia C. Lemon, Kagwe A. Muchane and Kai A. Purnell    
HOLLY SPRINGS HIGH: Richard E. Atkins and Janay A. Terry
LEESVILLE ROAD HIGH: Duane E. Barksdale
MILLBROOK MAGNET HIGH: Brian J. Brooks
PANTHER CREEK HIGH: Jacobi O’Connor
WAKEFIELD HIGH: Chloe M. McIntosh and Brittany Poole

The National Achievement Scholarship Program is a privately financed academic competition established in 1964 specifically to honor scholastically talented Black American youth, and to provide scholarships to a substantial number of the most outstanding participants in each annual competition.

More than 160,000 students entered the 2013 National Achievement Scholarship Competition by requesting consideration when they took the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) as high school juniors. Semifinalists are designated within geographic regions and are the highest scoring program entrants in the states that make up each region.

The WCPSS students are among 1,600 outstanding Black American high school seniors named Achievement Scholarship semifinalists. The students now have an opportunity to compete for approximately 800 National Merit Achievement Scholarship awards worth more than $2.5 million that will be offered next spring.

To advance to finalists, the students must submit a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the student’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities and educational goals. They must present a record of high academic performance throughout high school, be recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm their PSAT/NMSQT performance.

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