Classroom Connection - January 27, 2010
Six WCPSS Schools Plan Community Summit
The principals of Athens Drive High, Dillard Drive Middle, Dillard Drive Elementary, Penny Road Elementary, Swift Creek Elementary and Yates Mill Road Elementary will hold a community summit to determine ways that business, community and parent leaders can work with the schools to improve student success by improving student attendance rates.
The community summit is planned for Monday, Feb. 15 at 1 p.m. in the Dillard Drive Middle Media Center. The purpose of the summit is to discuss the student attendance challenges that are facing each of the schools and the impact this has on student achievement. The event will culminate with a discussion among participants about ways to build community support for improving children's attendance and achievement.
All business, community and parent leaders are invited to attend. Individuals interested in participating should pre-register with their school. For more information, contact Athens Drive High principal William Crockett at 233-4050.
WCPSS Students Win Science Competition, Trip to China
Two students from the Wake Early College of Health and Sciences won the North Carolina International Science Challenge held at the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill on Jan. 16.
Victoria Jones and Victoria Melbourne were named finalists in the science competition and will present their projects on March 16-23 at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition in China.
The students were encouraged to participate in the competition at North Carolina Project SEED, an internship arranged through the Wake Early College. In Project SEED, the students participate in university lab research. Project SEED is a statewide, year-round science enrichment program that encourages students to pursue degrees in chemistry through a scientific research internship experience.
The NC International Science Challenge (NCISC) is a yearly North Carolina science competition offered to high school students by the Grassroots Science Museums Collaborative and the North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center. Several excellent inquiry-based science projects are chosen for their student creators to display those projects at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition (BYSCC).
The BYSCC provides students with an exiting experience along with the breathtaking cultural events such as visiting the Great Wall of China. The Beijing Association of Science and Technology (BAST) is host to the delegation that consists of students and North Carolina science leaders. BAST generously funds many of the expenses. The North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Center (SMT) adds very significant financial support helping students to incur few travel expenses except for their passports.
Hunter Teacher Honored at the White House
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Hunter Magnet Elementary teacher Carol Wooten was congratulated by President Obama as one of the more than 100 science, math, and engineering teachers and mentors honored with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence.
As a winner of the Teaching Award, Wooten received a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation to be used at her discretion and an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the White House awards ceremony and several days of educational and celebratory events, including visits with members of Congress and science agency leaders. Wooten teaches fifth-grade mathematics, science, and social studies.
2008-09 School Recycling Awards
The Wake County Environmental Program staff recently recognized schools for their success in the Feed-the-Bin School Recycling Program. The 2008-09 award recipients are:
- Leesville Road High for Highest Total Pounds of Recycled Paper: (28,141 pounds).
- Partnership Elementary for Highest Pounds of Recycled Paper per Student: (26.8 pounds per student).
- Morrisville Elementary for Largest Increase in Paper Recycling (from the previous school year): (from 2,556 pounds to 6,586 pounds).
- Anita Hynus, Musical Arts Teacher/Junior National Honors Society Coordinator, Martin Middle School for Outstanding Recycling Coordinator.
The program is currently in use at 157 schools. The Feed-the-Bin Program received the American Forest and Paper Associations’ School Recycling Award this past year. Wake County was selected from 120 applicants across 36 states.
Dillard Drive Partners for Environmental Educational Learning
Dillard Drive Elementary will hold an environmental education day at the school from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 27. The staff and parents will be joined by Hope Community Church members, Standard Construction & Landscaping, and Home Depot of Cary to install several areas on the school grounds. The plans, created by Laura Kiper of Kiper Landscape Designs, will help to create a bird sanctuary, butterfly retreat and a fenced safety net for students. The objective is to align innovative activities to specific grade levels that will empower children to work individually and collectively as environmental stewards. Volunteers interested in joining in should contact Dillard Drive Elementary at 233-4200.
Board Names Principals
At its January 19 meeting, the Board of Education named Mary Ellen Leach principal at Green Hope Elementary, Catherine Berry principal at Creech Road Elementary, Luther Thomas principal at River Oaks Middle and retired principal Craig T. Matthews as interim principal at Wendell Elementary.
Leach has served as assistant principal of Turner Creek Elementary since 2004. Prior to that, she was assistant principal at Oliver Chapel Elementary and Holly Springs High. Earlier she worked as an assistant principal and teacher in the Dallas, Texas Schools.
Berry has served as assistant principal of New Hope Elementary in Orange County since 2008. Prior to that, she was assistant principal at Holly Ridge Elementary. Earlier, she worked as Director of Student Services for the Alamance-Burlington School System in Alamance County. She also worked as an assistant principal and counselor there.
Thomas has served as assistant principal at Apex High since 1999. Prior to that, he worked as an education manager with the NC Department of Correction. Matthews retired after serving as principal of Jones Dairy Elementary and Wake Forest Elementary. He served as an interim assistant principal at Lockhart Elementary earlier this school year.
The board also named Anasya Turner assistant principal at Lufkin Road Middle School.
Time to Register for Kindergarten
The registration period for children who will be attending kindergarten in 2010-11 begins on Thursday, Feb. 4. Parents can register their children at their elementary school. Parents will need to bring a certified copy of their child's birth certificate and documentation of residence (a utility bill, an apartment lease, or a signed contract) and the child's immunization record.
To be eligible for kindergarten, a child needs to be five years old on or before August 31, 2010. You can read more about kindergarten registration here.
Application Period for Calendars and Magnet Schools
The application period for the Wake County Public School System calendar and magnet schools will open Feb. 8 and continue to Feb. 28. The application schedule was adjusted to Feb. 8 - 28 to allow families enrolling kindergarten students to have their students signed up for school.
Applications will only be accepted online. There is no benefit to applying early or late within that window of time. Families may apply for both calendar choice and magnet schools. If an application is submitted for both calendar and magnet schools, the magnet application will be considered first in the selection process.
Every Wake County address has one base school assignment and one calendar application option. If families want a calendar different than the calendar of the base school assignment, families must complete this application. Every effort will be made to honor requests made during this application period. This is the ONLY opportunity to apply for a calendar change for the 2010-11 school year.
Magnet applications may include up to three choices. If selected, families will receive only one offer. Magnet schools have scheduled open houses and tours throughout the month of February. Parents can learn more about magnet schools at www.wcpss.net/magnet.
Dates Set for Community Engagement Meetings
The Wake County Board of Education will hold four community engagement meetings as the board discusses school calendar options currently used in the Wake County Public School System. The results of these community engagement meetings will assist the Board of Education in making decisions that may impact school calendar assignments as early as 2010-11.
Please mark your calendars for these dates:
- Tuesday, February 9 at Holly Springs High,5329 Cass Holt Road, Holly Springs, NC 27540
- Thursday, February 18 at Heritage High, 1150 Forestville Road, Wake Forest, NC 27587
- Tuesday, February 23 at Leesville Road High, 8409 Leesville Road, Raleigh, NC 27613
- Thursday, February 25 at Panther Creek High, 6770 McCrimmon Parkway, Cary, NC 27519
The community engagement meetings will be held in the high schools’ auditoriums from 6:30 – 9 p.m.