Good News

Goal 2008: WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.


May 16, 2005

SALEM MIDDLE TEACHER IS 2005 WAKE COUNTY TEACHER OF THE YEAR
Salem Middle School teacher William Ferriter is the 2004-05 Wake County Teacher of the Year.

Superintendent Bill McNeal presented Ferriter the Wake County Teacher of the Year Award sponsored by Wachovia Bank at tonight's banquet. McNeal praised Ferriter for earning the school system's highest honor. He was applauded by hundreds of community and education leaders attending the event.

Ferriter is a sixth-grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher, who helped to open the new middle school and has been a teacher for 12 years. As the Wake County Teacher of the Year, Ferriter will represent Wake County in the North Carolina Teacher of the Year competition. He succeeds Marcella Cox, a Davis Drive Middle School teacher.

Wake County's Teacher of the Year receives a prize package worth thousands of dollars, including use of a Saturn automobile for a year, a $1,000 cash prize, an IBM Thinkpad computer, and gift certificates from various local merchants.

WAKE COUNTY PTA HONORS 2005 EDUCATORS AND VOLUNTEERS
Wake County educators and PTA volunteers were honored by the Wake County PTA Council as the 48,000-member organization recognized school employees, volunteers and programs during its annual awards program May 10.

Marian Larrea at Davis Drive Elementary was named Teacher of the Year. Kevin Hill at Green Hope High and Diane Payne at Broughton High were named Principals of the Year.

Linda Mahan, dean of students at Broughton High was named Outstanding Staff Member of the Year. Shari Stroud at Leesville Road Elementary was named Teacher Assistant of the Year.

Lead Mine Elementary, Fuquay-Varina Middle and Wakefield High were recognized for Outstanding Character Education Programs.

Apex Elementary and Fuquay-Varina Middle were honored for Outstanding PTA Units. Liz Parry at Washington Elementary was named Outstanding Community Volunteer. Ann Rollins at Broughton High was named Outstanding PTA leader. Carolyn Scheick at Wakefield Middle was named Outstanding Volunteer.

Fuller Elementary was honored for parental involvement. Baucom Elementary, Fuquay-Varina Middle, Broughton High were recognized for having the most effective business alliances.

LIGON MIDDLE HOLDS 50TH ANNIVERSARY FINALE
Ligon Middle School will conclude the celebration of its 50th anniversary on May 16 at 7:00 p.m. with the premiere showing of a student made documentary on the history of Ligon. The documentary focuses on the 1950s and 60s when Ligon was the public high school for Raleigh's African-American community. Many alumni are featured including internationally known dancer, Chuck Davis; Harlem Globetrotter's star, James Twiggy" Sanders and former Wake County Sheriff John Baker.

Also shown will be a previously taped Civil Rights Panel Forum organized by current Ligon students and featuring alumni panelists Dr. David Forbes, founder of SNCC and current pastor of Christian Faith Baptist Church; Reggie Watkins, Senior Deputy Attorney General, State of North Carolina; and Winnona Swayze, Raleigh realtor and former sales and marketing executive. Students served as moderator and panelists in a lively discussion on the alumni involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and its impact on their lives.

A 50th Anniversary Commemorative Book, organized by Ligon parent Lisa Pace and assisted by Amy Jones, will be presented to the school. This book will become part of the Ligon History Collection at the School

All Ligon alumni, students and friends are invited to the 50th Anniversary Celebration Finale on May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ligon auditorium.

For more information about the Ligon 50th Finale, contact Marjorie Salzman, Ligon Magnet Program Coordinator, 856-2942 or msalzman@wcpss.net

WCPSS TEACHER ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR NAMED
The Wake County Teacher Assistants Association named Leigh Thorton of Enloe High the 2005 Teacher Assistant of the Year at its May 3 banquet. Thornton was selected from ten finalists that included Saundra Turner of Aversboro Elementary; Terri Green of Brooks Elementary; Danny Rice of Forestville Elementary; Gelinda Richardson of Hodge Road Elementary; Susan Morison of Holly Ridge Elementary; Belinda Brown of Holly Ridge Middle; Beatrice Sumner of Rolesville Elementary; Vicky Allen of Washington Elementary; and Monte Moss of Wildwood Elementary.

Each year in December the teacher assistants at each school votes on a teacher assistant that goes above and beyond their daily duties. Each teacher assistant who represents his or her school for the teacher assistant of the year may submit a portfolio to the Teacher Assistant of the Year Committee. The portfolio may consist of letters from teachers, peers, and students. The Teacher Assistant of the Year Committee then chooses the finalists who are then observed by the Teacher Assistants of the Year Committee.

The 2005 banquet was held at the Gov. Kerr Scott building on the N.C. State Fairgrounds. At the banquet two teacher assistants who are retiring this year were recognized. Linda Cox of Douglas Elementary and Lottie Nolan of Knightdale Elementary retired after 25 years of service.

AUTISM SOCIETY RECOGNIZES WCPSS STAFF
Dani Mackison of Leesville Road Elementary was named the Wake County Teacher of the Year by the Wake County chapter of the Autism Society of North Carolina. Mackison teaches a self-contained autism class. The organization recognized Gwendolyn Gadsden of Rand Road Elementary as Teacher Assistant of the Year and Elaine Lester as Bus Driver of the year.

TWO SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS REACH 40-YEAR TEACHING PINNACLE
Wake County social studies teachers Peter Siolver and Gene Kikolski were honored at the end-of-year social studies joint department chairs meeting May 4 for finishing their 40th year in teaching.

Peter Silver, social studies teacher and department chair at Martin Middle School, is finishing up his 40 year of teaching. He teaches 8th grade North Carolina History and Geography at Martin and has served many years as department chair. He began his teaching career in Florida but has served in North Carolina for many years.

Gene Kikolski, social studies teacher and department chair at Millbrook High School, is finishing up his 40 year of teaching. He began his career in Ohio but has served in North Carolina for many years. He teaches United States History, Advanced Placement Economics and Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics at Millbrook and has served many years as department chair.

Melinda Stephanie, WCPSS Senior Administrator for Social Studies, recognized Davis Drive Middle social studies teacher Marcella Cox who was the 2004 WCPSS Teacher of the Year and WCPSS teachers who earned National Board certification this year.

FOUR WCPSS SCHOOLS WIN RECOGNITION FOR ENERGY EDUCATION
Four WCPSS schools and the EnergySavers program won recognition for promoting energy education and will be honored at the National Energy Education Development (NEED) Youth Awards Program in Washington, D.C., June 24-27, 2005. Forestville Road and Fox Road elementary schools won Elementary School of the Year for North Carolina, and EnergySavers won District of the Year. Lockhart and North Ridge elementary schools will also be recognized for their energy conservation projects. NEED panelists judged entrants based on scrapbooks showing what projects they have done throughout the year to promote energy education. Awards are given to the winner and runner-up in the elementary, junior and senior levels; and rookie awards are given at each level for schools in their first year of the NEED program. NEED's "Kids Teaching Kids" approach encourages students to teach their peers and communities about energy in fun and innovative ways.

BOARD OF EDUCATION HONORS SPOTLIGHT STUDENTS
At its May 3 meeting, the Board of Education recognized 17 students with its Spotlight on Students Award. Student receiving the honor included Zachary Timmons of Leesville Road Elementary, Michael Peterson of Olive Chapel Elementary, Samuel Lowry of Fuquay-Varina Elementary, Joseph Kimble of Willow Springs Elementary, Evelim Resendiz of Douglas Elementary, Diana Jassmann of York Elementary, Dominick Watts of Northwoods Elementary, Kevin Dauhadji of Holly Ridge Elementary, Zainabe Alibrahimi of Smith Elementary Alyssa Caricato of Highcroft Elementary, Amory Parks of Hunter Elementary, Sheley Reister of Yates Mill Elementary, Vincent Pratama of West Cary Middle, Anwuli Chukwurah of East Garner Middle, Kathleen Beyersdorf of Holly Ridge Middle, Brittany Fink of North Garner Middle and Dexter Williams of Southeast Raleigh High.

ROOT STUDENT WINS CHESS TOURNEY
Students Will Janvier of Root Elementary placed first in the Winston-Salem Scholastic Chess Tournament. Janvier won five games en route to being named number one in the kindergarten through third grade division of the tournament.


Mayor Doug Boyd of Knightdale, Congressman Brad Miller and Knightdale High principal Marvin Connelly at the school's new Freedom Shrine.

KNIGHTDALE HIGH CELEBRATES FREEDOM SHRINE
Knightdale High School celebrated May 16 the induction of the Wall of Documents Freedom Shrine donated to the school by the Raleigh Exchange Club. Congressman Brad Miller took part in the school celebration. Knightdale High will be the most recent Freedom Shrine to be founded by the Exchange Club in Wake County. The Shrine consists of a collection of 28 original historic American documents photographically reproduced for display.

CAREER TRUCK FAIR HELD AT WAKE FOREST ROLESVILLE
The Sixth Grade students at Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School learned more about the world of work at the Truck Fair held on May 13. Trucks and vehicles representing various careers were stationed at the park behind the campus. Company representatives described not only their jobs and their vehicles, but also how their work relates to the school curriculum. All speakers included desirable work ethics and character traits in their presentations.

WAKE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP RECEIVES GLAXOSMITHKLINE GRANT
Wake Education Partnership has been awarded $25,000 from GlaxoSmithKline to support community engagement initiatives and programs in leadership and professional development for teachers, administrators and principals.

CITIZENS SPONSOR END OF GRADE TESTING DISCUSSION
Dr. Glenda Haynie, of WCPSS Evaluation and Research will speak at a workshop on 'Interpreting the End of Grade Score' 10 a.m., Saturday, May 28 at Martin Street Baptist Church, 1001 East Martin Street in Raleigh. The workshop will be sponsored by the Concerned Citizens for African American Children. For more information, contact CCCAAC@nc.rr.com

TEACHERS INVITED TO HOUSING FAIR
Wake County Government is planning its fourth annual housing fair Saturday May 21 at the Kerr Scott Building on the State Fairgrounds. Wake County's teachers, principals, and school administrators who attend will have a chance to learn about Wake County's commitment to affordable housing. Commissioner Tony Gurley will kick off the event at 10 a.m. and Congressman Bob Etheridge will share comments at 12 p.m. You can find more at http://www.wakegov.com/county/housing/housingfair.htm

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