Classroom Connection - July 28, 2009
First Day for Modified Calendar Schools
First day of school began for students attending school on a modified calendar. On July 27, five schools: Carver Elementary, Partnership Elementary, Centennial Campus Middle, Moore Square Middle and Southeast Raleigh High started the 2009-10 school year. Track 4 students also started classes on July 27.
The first day of school for students at Wake Early College of Health and Science is Monday, Aug. 10. Traditional schools begin Tuesday, Aug. 25.
State Testing Shows Continued Improvement for WCPSS Students
State testing results for students in the Wake County Public School System showed continuing improvement in 2008-09.
WCPSS has released preliminary Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) results for the 2008-09 school year as well as preliminary End-of-Grade and End-of-Course testing results. The State Board of Education is scheduled to officially approve these results later this summer at their August and September meetings. View the preliminary results here.
Holly Springs High Students Study Abroad
Rising Holly Springs High junior Alexis Proulx has been selected by the AFS Intercultural Program to study in France for the 2009-2010 school year. Alexis will be living with a host family in the Bordeaux region of France and will matriculate as a junior at the local high school. While in Europe for the year, Alexis will have opportunities to travel to other countries and visit universities through AFS.
Rising Holly Springs High senior Kelly Krebs has been selected as a Student Ambassador to represent the United States as part of the People to People program. Kelly will travel to the UK, Scotland, Wales and Ireland in a combination learning, leadership and community service program spanning 3 weeks this summer. The group will meet with members of British Parliament, live with host families in Ireland to learn about local culture, enjoy a stay at St. Andrew’s University and help the European Community in various service projects.
Six 2009 Graduates Receive National Merit Scholarships
The National Merit Scholarship Foundation has announced that six Wake County Public School System graduates from the Class of 2009 earned college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships. These students have been chosen by the sponsor colleges that they plan to attend. These scholarships are worth up to $2,500 annually.
The six students and the sponsor colleges are:
Green Hope graduates Jennifer Fredette and Cheryl Schlitter plan to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Enloe graduates Ellis Gyongyos and Emily Myers plan to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and New College of Florida.
Broughton graduate Zachary Martin plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Panther Creek graduate Brighid Milan plans to attend American University.
Apex High Partners with Middle School in China
Apex High School is entering into a partnership with Jiangsu Yancheng Middle School in the Jiangsu Province of China. Principal Matt Wight and Apex High Academy of Information Technology Director Julie Oster joined a delegation of U.S. educators to China as a part of the Chinese Bridge Program from June 22 – 30.
Wight and Oster spent two days with the delegation in Beijing for orientation and site seeing, then traveled to the Jiangsu Province for an orientation of the region and to meet with their partner school.
Apex High and Jiangsu Yancheng will be collaborating via the internet. Jiangsu Yancheng school leaders will be visiting Apex High this year. The two schools will continue to partner throughout the school year on projects, with long-term goals of developing a faculty and student exchange program. Apex High was approached by the University of North Carolina's Center for International Understanding to enter the program. This program is underwritten by the College Board Association.
Sanderson High Cheerleading Coach Honored
Sanderson High Cheerleading Coach Jocelyn Bradford has been named the 2009 Cheerleading Coach of the Year by the North Carolina Cheerleading Coaches Association (NCCCA). Bradford was honored at the NCCCA luncheon in Greensboro last week.
Bradford is a leader among cheerleading coaching in our area and has been instrumental in promoting cheerleading safety. WCPSS Athletic Director Bobby Guthrie praised Bradford for her accomplishments. Guthrie says Sanderson High School cheerleading does a tremendous job of supporting all of their sports and has been very successful in cheerleading competitions, having won several state championships.
WCPSS and Partnering Agencies Work Together on Emergency Response Drill
As a school system, Wake County Public Schools are always looking out for the safety of our students and staff; preparing for events that we hope will never occur. An example of this took place at Holly Ridge Middle School on July 22.
Wake County Public Schools Security Department, led by investigator Kendrick Scott and Holly Ridge Middle School Principal Brian Pittman collaborated with the Holly Springs Police Department, Fire Department and EMS services along with the North Carolina Highway Patrol to stage a crisis event involving a shooter in the building. They did three different exercises, simulating different scenarios. A team from Raleigh acted out the events so the responders did not know what to expect. The departments reported to the scene, established a command center, and worked through the crises as if they were real. The school and local agencies will follow-up with a post-event debriefing to analyze their actions, evaluate their Emergency Action Plan, and make necessary changes that will greater ensure the safety of our students and staff.
Mayor Dick Sears and Town Councilmen Tim Sack were on hand to observe. The agencies are planning a presentation to the Holly Springs Town Council this fall to talk about the drill and the findings. Administrators from Garner High, Middle Creek High, Holly Springs High and Holly Ridge Elementary were on hand to observe as well.
Board Names New Principals and Senior Director
At its July 21 meeting, the Board of Education named David Newkirk principal at Hunter Elementary, Katherine Faison principal at Carver Elementary, Lisa Cruz principal at Jeffreys Grove Elementary, Lewis Ware principal at Root Elementary and Frank Clark Senior Director of Maintenance and Operations.
Newkirk has been assistant principal at Fuller Elementary since 2005. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal at Fox Road Elementary and an assistant principal intern and teacher at Washington Elementary.
Faison has been assistant principal at Lockhart Elementary since 2004. Prior to that, she was an assistant principal intern at Lockhart Elementary and a teacher at Hodge Road Elementary and Conn Elementary.
Cruz has been assistant principal at Brier Creek Elementary since 2006. Prior to that, she was assistant principal at Lincoln Heights Elementary and a teacher at the Bridges program and Baucom Elementary.
Ware has served as an assistant principal at Vance Elementary since 2007 and was a teacher at Underwood Elementary.
Clark has served as director of WCPSS General Services since 2001. Prior to that, he was a project manager in the WCPSS Construction Management Department, a supervisor in WCPSS Construction and a foreman in the WCPSS Masonry Department.