Classroom Connection - September 8, 2009
AP Test Scores Hit 4-Year-High
Wake County Public School System students from the Class of 2009 set records for the number of students taking Advanced Placement exams and the total number of exams taken. They had the highest average exam score in the last four years and the highest percentage of students earning a score of 3 or higher on the exam in the last four years.
WCPSS Participation and Performance in AP exams |
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|
Number of students taking exams |
Total number of exams taken |
Percent of exams with scores of 3 or higher |
Average exam score |
2005-06 |
3,621 |
7,176 |
74.7% |
3.30 |
2006-07 |
4,068 |
8,205 |
75.7% |
3.35 |
2007-08 |
4,605 |
9,217 |
74.4% |
3.30 |
2008-09 |
4,849 |
9,800 |
76.1% |
3.36 |
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Gov. Perdue Visits Conn Bus Stop
A group of Conn Elementary students had a surprise on their first day of school. Gov. Beverly Perdue came to their bus stop and rode the bus to school with them. Perdue arrived at the bus stop to find a group of six students and three parents. She chatted with the children encouraging them to read and work hard in school. She asked about their summer and their favorite classes.
Then she talked with parents who praised their school and the school's principal, expressed concerns about the impact of budget cuts and talked about the importance of parent involvement in children’s education. When the bus arrived, the children and Gov. Perdue waved good bye to the parents, boarded the bus and headed off for the first day of the school year at Conn Elementary.
Phillips of Apex High Earns Certification
Apex High Athletic Director Del Phillips has completed the certification process to become recognized as a Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) by the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator's Association (NIAAA). This certification is based on years of experience, completion of required Leadership Training Courses, and successful completion of the CAA Leadership Training Test.
Lacy Elementary Holds Ribbon Cutting
Lacy Elementary students had the opportunity to tour their new school building and meet teachers a day before classes officially started. On August 24, hundreds of students and their parents checked out the new classrooms, cafeteria, media center, multi-purpose room, art room, music room and other spaces during Lacy Elementary's ribbon cutting and re-dedication ceremony.
"We all know it's the people that make Lacy such as special place, but we're so happy to have a great looking new building this year," said Principal Marcia Alford.
Construction work at Lacy started in April 2008 to replace the oldest classrooms, cafeteria, library and multi-purpose room with a new facility located directly in front of the old school. During the 2009 summer break, the old Lacy building was demolished and construction was completed in time for a 2009-10 opening on August 25.
Enloe Coach Named to Hall of Fame
Vickie Peoples of Enloe High School has been selected for induction into the North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. Peoples is a member of the 23rd group of inductees to join the prestigious hall. She will become one of 125 enshrined.
Peoples was an outstanding high school athlete in Iowa who really made her mark as a coach in North Carolina. Peoples was an Iowa high school state finalist in swimming and diving and then a Big Eight gymnastics champion at Iowa State.
But it is her stellar career as both the men's and women's swimming and diving coach at Enloe High from 1982 to 2007 that propelled her to the Hall. Her swimming teams won a total of 10 NCHSAA state championships, with nine of those earned by her men's teams. The Eagles also captured 18 regional crowns and 27 conference titles under her tutelage. She served as the director of the Eastern Regional in swimming and diving for 20 years.
She was Teacher of the Year at Enloe in the 2004-05 academic year. The City of Raleigh proclaimed May 1, 2007, as Enloe Swimming and Diving Day in her honor.
The new inductees will be honored during special halftime ceremonies at a football game at Kenan Stadium on Saturday, November 14, when North Carolina takes on Miami. The University of North Carolina has designated the day as the 25th annual NCHSAA Day.
The new class will officially be inducted at the special Hall of Fame banquet next spring at the George Watts Hill Alumni Center at the University of North Carolina.
Enloe Senior Selected to National Honors Orchestra
Enloe High senior Wesley Shang has been selected to be in the violin section of the National High School Honors Orchestra this February in Santa Clara, California.
The Honors Orchestra is a performing group of 120 competitively selected high school musicians who assemble biennially to perform at the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) National Conference.
High school juniors and seniors apply for the orchestra through ASTA state chapters. They submit an audition tape/CD of required literature and three minutes from literature of their own choosing. The state chapters select up to 30 tapes/CDs to forward to the national level. Separate audition committees for strings, winds, and percussion select the 120 students for the orchestra.
The students will work with the orchestra for three days of intense rehearsals in preparation for the final performance. For 2010, the conductor will be Scott Speck.
The ASTA is a membership organization for string and orchestra teachers and players, helping them to develop and refine their careers.
Athens Drive Students Win Gold Medal at National FCCLA Conference
Mehr Sher Khan, Aurora Bravo, and Jarin Tasnim of Athens Drive High School recently participated in STAR Events (Students Taking Action with Recognition) at Family, Career and Community Leaders of America's (FCCLA) 2009 National Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN. These three juniors at Athens Drive High School earned a Gold medal in Chapter Service Display event, one of 22 national STAR Events available to FCCLA students. The gold medal was presented at a recognition session honoring all participants at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center on Thursday, July 16.
Mehr, Aurora, and Jarin organized a school-wide campus clean up event during the 2008-09 school year. The FCCLA club organized campus cleanup dates and invited all clubs in the school to help with beautifying and cleaning Athens' campus.
The girls utilized many community sources to organize a campaign for a "Pollution Revolution" which was the theme of their 15 minute skit to judges. Mr. David Lee of Bland Landscaping, a member of the Athens Drive business alliance, gave the girls many suggestions and ideas for their project and ways to continue and expand the project for the 2009-10 school year.
Athens Drive Band Wind Ensemble to Perform at National Festival
The Athens Drive High Wind Ensemble has been accepted in the 2010 Music for All National Festival that will occur in Indianapolis next March. The festival will feature 16 high school bands, 7 middle school bands, and 6 percussion ensembles, (4 high schools, 2 middle schools.)
Ensembles in the Music for All National Festival were invited to perform following a taped audition process. The festivals are non-competitive events, with ensembles performing for a knowledgeable audience, receiving input and clinics from a panel of leading music educators and student members participating in Master Classes with professional musicians and other special events.
Athens Drive High School Students Selected for Duke Hospital Junior Leadership Program
Congratulations to ADHS students Emily Bryant and Stephanie Hilscher who were selected to participate in the Duke Hospital Junior Leader Program. They were selected based on outstanding volunteerism for Duke Hospital and were 2 of 10 selected from a group of 200 students.
Junior volunteers at Duke Medical Center work in Patient Areas greeting patients and visitors; work in Clinical Areas where they perform clerical tasks: photocopy, fax, type, provide computer assistance and answer phones, run errands; and work in Gift Shops/Snack Bar where they assist with selling merchandise and stocking and cleaning shelves.
Laurel Park Wins AIA NC 2009 Design Award of Merit
Laurel Park received an AIA NC 2009 Design Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects Triangle Chapter. Laurel Park Elementary School opened in July 2008. The award-winning architecture was crafted from a renovation of an existing pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Cary, NC.
The existing structure was completely gutted leaving only the structural frame, exterior walls with metal panels, roof systems, cooling tower, and boiler. New floors, windows, doors, and interior walls and finishes were added. Visit these links for more:
http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/aia-nc-2009-design-awards/
http://www.aianc.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=92
2009 Healthful Living Award Winners
Three Wake County educators were recently honored as Wake County and North Carolina Award recipients for their commitment to K-12 Physical Education.
Cynthia Terrell of Wakefield High was named WCPSS and North Carolina's High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Jennie Jones of Lufkin Road Middle was named WCPSS and North Carolina's Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Michael Rhodes of Rand Road Elementary was named WCPSS and North Carolina's Physical Education Program of the Year.
Terrell, Jones and Rhodes were honored by Central Services and their colleagues on August 20 at the Healthful Living ISD Day and will earn top honors at the annual state conference for Health and Physical Education held in Winston-Salem in November.
Other Wake County Award recipients include:
Connie Cronk - Baucom Elementary
WCPSS Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year
Debbie Glaberman - Heritage Middle School
WCPSS Middle School Health Education Teacher of the Year
Cheryl Logan - SE Raleigh HS
WCPSS High School Health Education Teacher of the Year
Charla Parker - Fuquay-Varina HS
WCPSS Horizon Award Winner
(highest honor possible - given to teacher on cutting edge of research and instruction)
Elizabeth Gary - North Garner Middle School
Thomas Thatcher - East Wake High School - Engineering
WCPSS Service and Achievement Awards
(awarded to individuals that set exemplary standards for their colleagues)