Classroom Connection - October 14, 2009
Panther Creek Teacher a Contender for Presidential Award
Panther Creek High School teacher Gail Barkes has been selected as a North Carolina finalist by the state-level selection committee for the 2009 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Program. Barkes is one of three teachers of science selected to represent the state and will attend an honors reception on November 5.
As a state-level finalist, she is automatically a candidate for the state Presidential Award. The teacher selected as the state Presidential Awardee will be notified officially by the White House and will receive $10,000 and an all-expense paid trip for two to Washington D.C., where all Presidential Awardees will be honored during a variety of recognition events.
Foreign Language Teacher of the Year
WCPSS middle school German teacher Jo Garrison was named FLANC http://www.flanc.org/ Foreign Language Association of North Carolina Teacher of the Year, 2009-10.
Garrison has been teaching in the Wake County Public School System for the past 16 years, and is currently teaching at Ligon Middle School and Martin Middle School. She is very involved within the school community, as well as at state and county levels. She is a member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, American Association of Teachers of German, Parent Teacher Associations, Sister Cities and FLANC.
Garrison is a very active within the classroom and enjoys helping students make connections between their interests and classroom instruction. She also feels that foreign languages are not electives, but are at the core of students' learning.
X Games Athletes Visit Schools to Warn Against Tobacco Use
The 2009 ASA Entertainment High School Tour - known as The Xbox 360 Get Up Tour - will be visiting WCPSS high schools this week.
Students will see and hear from some of the best action sports athletes -skaters, BMXers, and inline skaters - performing on a vert ramp. Some of the top athletes from X Games, the Dew Tour, and the LG Action Sports Championships will be participating.
This is the 10th season that ASA has been educating youth about the dangers of tobacco use. One of their sponsors is The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids .
The event ties into the school's efforts to teach students to make positive choices, is part of some schools' PTSA Red Ribbon Week activities and is an exciting part of Homecoming Week at some schools.
The event will visit Wakefield High Monday; Panther Creek High Tuesday; Sanderson High on Wednesday, Wake Forest Rolesville High on Thursday and Garner High on Friday.
CCMMS Students Participate in Street Painting Festival
Centennial Campus Middle School Art students from Mrs. DeJoseph's classes participated in the Raleigh Street Painting Festival on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. Participants included: Lucas Bobay, Geena Corthell, Jocelyn Richardson, Corey Goodfred, Colin Simes, Rachel Stidham, Khalid Bowser, Jassir Catalan, Irineo Cuevas, Nikki Finn, Caroline Eggleston, Sydney Hess, Peter Rozakis, Alma Panchi and Nikki Black.
CCMMS had two groups that placed in the competition. Best in Show: Originality went to Jassir Catalan and Irineo Cuevas and Best in Show: Design went to Lucas Bobay.
Cary High Band Wins Competition
Congratulations to the Cary High School Marching Band winning the Heart of Carolina Invitational. The band won the class 4A competition and outstanding general effects, best visual performance as well as the best color guard.
Walk to School Day
On October 7, many schools around Wake County participated in the national “Walk to School Day.” Olive Chapel Elementary participated in this event for the eighth year and over 500 students participated. This is part of Olive Chapel’s nationally acclaimed program, “Walking School Bus.”
Baucom Elementary participated for the ninth year and they encouraged students to walk with an incentive program called “Baucom Buddies Walking Club.” Monthly incentives for the club include September’s “School Days Dash” and October’s “Pumpkin Run.”
At Wake Forest Elementary, community members joined the walk and over 600 people participated, walking together from Brooks Street to the school.
Board Names Principals
At its October 6 meeting, the Board of Education named Deborah Edwards principal at Salem Elementary School.
Edwards has served as assistant principal of Salem Elementary since 2001. Prior to that, she was a teacher At Reedy Creek Elementary, Leesville Road High and Cary High. She also worked as the Peace College director of athletics. Edwards was the WCPSS Assistant Principal of the Year in 2007.
The board named retired principal Sue King as interim principal at Creech Road Elementary. Before retiring, King served as principal of Timber Drive Elementary and Vandora Springs Elementary. King was an assistant principal at Aversboro Elementary and a teacher at Vandora Springs Elementary.
The board named the following assistant principals: Laura Brown at Davis Drive Middle and Deborah Clifton-Henry at Lufkin Road Middle. Retired principal Craig Matthews was named assistant principal at Lockhart Elementary.