Classroom Connection - March 1, 2010
WCPSS Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalists Named
WCPSS has named 24 semi1finalists for the Wake County Public School System's 2010-2011 Teacher of the Year. WCPSS schools selected a Teacher of the Year and from those honored, the selection committee determined 24 semi-finalists to be recognized for their dedication to children and quest for personal and professional excellence. The semi-finalists include:
Louann Bradsher, Rolesville Elementary School
Carole Barber, Fuquay-Varina High School
Douglas Steve Clark, West Lake Elementary School
Stephanie Compton, Moore Square Museums Middle School
Stephanie Crocker, Lynn Road Elementary School
Heather Feducia, Wildwood Forest Elementary School
Margaret Feldman, Salem Middle School
Paul Bissell Graves, Daniels Middle School
Breanna Harrill, Athens Drive High School
Anne Huffman, Cary Elementary School
Jennifer Hunter, North Forest Pines Elementary School
Davida Jenkins-Tatum, Harris Creek Elementary School
Calandra Johnson, Wake Forest Rolesville Middle School
Lauren Joyce, Yates Mill Elementary School
Sara Kohler, Millbrook High School
Lynne Petersen, River Oaks Middle School
Elizabeth Plotkin, Fuller Elementary School
Christina Rudd, Cary High School
James Ryan, Knightdale High School
William Shipp, Middle Creek High School
Alice Verstrat, Garner High School
Catherine Walker, Oak Grove Elementary School
Steven West, Panther Creek High School
Carol Wooten, Hunter Elementary School
The next step in the process for the semi-finalists is a classroom observation by committee members to determine the 12 finalists. A reception will be held in April to honor the semi-finalists and name the finalists. The 2010-2011 Teacher of the Year will be named at the Teacher of the Year banquet on Thursday, May 13.
Athens Drive Symphonic Band Selected to Perform at National Festival
The Athens Drive High School Symphonic Band has been accepted to perform for the 2010 “Music for All/Bands of America” National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis March 4-6.The event is acclaimed as one of the most prestigious concert festivals in the nation. Athens Drive is one of 16 high school bands, seven middle school bands, and six percussion ensembles from across the nation invited to participate. This marks the first time that the Symphonic band has earned the privilege to perform on a national stage.
Last year, the Athens Drive Percussion Ensemble was the first Wake County ensemble invited to perform in the 20-year history of the Festival. Athens Drive is only the third N.C. high school to be invited to perform in the Festival.
The Athens Drive Symphonic Band comprises 78 of the most talented woodwind, brass, and percussionists in the band program. The band is led by Dr. Jerry Markoch who is currently in his 16th year of teaching at Athens Drive.
Two Athens Drive Students Selected for Honor Band of America
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Juniors Natalie Bader and Ryan Petersburg from Athens Drive High School will join other outstanding musicians from across the nation March 4-6 as part of Music for All’s 2010 Honor Band of America. Bader and Petersburg were selected from hundreds of applicants from across the country for membership in this prestigious honors ensemble.
The Honor Band of America is a national ensemble that will be conducted in 2010 by H. Robert Reynolds, principal conductor of the University of Southern California Thornton Wind Ensemble and retired long-time Director of Bands at University of Michigan. Members hail from all over the country and were selected by recorded audition, evaluated by leading music educators.
Bader plays the flute, and Petersburg plays trumpet. They both perform in the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Marching Band programs at Athens Drive High School. Bader and Petersburg will also be performing with their school's Symphonic Band in addition to the Honor Band of America.
Salem Students Compete in Regional Science and Engineering Fair
Winners in the 2010 Salem Elementary Science Fair competed in the 2010 Central Regional 3A North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair (NCSEF) held Feb. 20 at Wakefield Middle School.
This regional fair includes other elementary students from Wake, Durham, Granville, Vance, Warren, Johnston, Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, Halifax, and Northampton counties.
Students participating included fifth-grader Mridu Nanda, second-grader Zachary Froning, and third-grader Matthew Rice.
Kingswood Elementary Celebrates Read Across America
Kingswood Elementary will be celebrating Read Across America on March 2 with a wide variety of “local celebrities” reading their favorite books to students throughout the day. Guest readers include Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, WCPSS Chief Academic Officer Donna Hargens, Cary Town Councilman Don Frantz, WRAL Anchors Bill Leslie and Debra Morgan, WRAL Meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner, WTVD 11 Anchor Steve Daniels, WTVD 11 Meteorologist Chris Hohmann, NBC-17 Anchor Melanie Sanders, WQDR DJ Janie Carothers, NC Children’s Author Kelly Starling Lyons, NC Legislative Representative Jennifer Weiss and NC Superintendent of Schools June Atkinson, to name a few.
The celebration will continue Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. with a birthday party celebration for Dr. Seuss sponsored by the PTA. The party will include various literacy activities and the culmination of a reading contest where winning students get the chance to pick teachers to get slimed
Wake Forest Student Earns National Honor for Volunteerism
Alisha Teresko of Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School has been named one of North Carolina's top two youth volunteers for 2010 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.Teresko will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where she will join the top honorees from other states for several days of national recognition events. Ten of the students will be named America's top youth volunteers for 2010 at that time.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 15th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Teresko, an eighth-grader at Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School, plays a leading role in planning and coordinating an annual dance marathon at her school, which has raised nearly $60,000 for two local children's hospitals.
While representing her school at a dance marathon at Pennsylvania State University, Alisha had the chance to see how exciting and profitable this kind of event could be. "I knew for sure that I wanted this to happen at our school," she said. The planning began at weekly club meetings, which she often helped run. Alisha and other club members decided how to organize their marathon, planned a budget, solicited sponsorships from local businesses to cover costs, and videotaped commercials to advertise the event to the student body. They also coordinated plans for security, hired a DJ, and provided decorations and refreshments. In addition, Alisha helps raise funds at community events to support the project. "While planning a dance marathon is often fun, it is also a lot of work," said Alisha. "This taught me that anything truly great takes dedication, motivation, and perseverance."
The program judges recognized six other North Carolina students including James Turner of Middle Creek High as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion. Turner is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He has raised more than $2,300 to support the North Carolina Children's Hospital. To raise the funds, James designs, makes, and sells origami notecards.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. Since the program began in 1995, more than 90,000 young volunteers nationwide have been honored at the local, state or national level.
School Board Resolution Supports 2010 U.S. Census
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In February, the Wake County Board of Education adopted a resolution encouraging Wake County citizens to fully participate in this year's census. Local census office manager William Baiocchi and partnership specialist Christine Mackey, both of the U.S. Census Bureau, were on hand to receive the resolution and reiterate the importance of a "complete count."
The resolution reads:
WHEREAS, 2010 is the year of the twenty-third Census of the United States; and
WHEREAS, a census is required by the Constitution of the United States of America, and is used for the apportionment of representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the distribution of federal services and resources; and
WHEREAS, data from the U.S. Census is used at the local level for major planning efforts including schools, hospitals, and roads, and for the fair apportionment of legislative and municipal voting districts; and
WHEREAS, U.S. Census workers are sworn to protect the confidentiality of individuals' information; and
WHEREAS, the 2010 U.S. Census questionnaire is one of the shortest in history and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Wake County Board of Education expresses its full support of the U.S. Census and strongly encourages Wake County citizens to promptly complete and return their census questionnaires on Census Day, April 1, 2010; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Wake County Board of Education directs the staff and administration of the Wake County Public School System to continue its efforts, in concert with the other municipalities and agencies within Wake County, to support the 2010 U.S. Census.
Schools Incorporate Olympics Activities into Curriculum
The recent spotlight on the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, inspired many of our schools to integrating Olympics-themed lessons into the curriculum.Following are a few examples of Olympics-related activities and lessons that took place in our schools:
North Ridge Elementary School, Cathy Benton Lowry, Physical Education Teacher
Students at North Ridge "traveled" to the Olympics during PE. After a brief discussion about the Olympics, students participated in a number of activities including speed skating (on paper plates around the center circle), bobsledding (scooter boards on a course), Alpine skiing (skier jumps down a course), and ice hockey (hockey sticks, yarn balls and goals.)
The school also organized a school-wide Olympic Truce. Ms. Lowry's students are pledging to keep a North Ridge Olympic Truce throughout the Winter Olympics by making good choices, no arguments, settling differences of opinion through "rock-paper-scissors" and keeping their names off the school's Positive Behavior Support minor incident clipboards. The upper grades focused on the concept of world-wide peace. Students discussed how an Olympic Truce was called during the ancient games and how it is still observed at the modern Olympics
The Olympics theme carried into Ms. Lowry's next unit for third-fifth grades called the PE Central Challenge where students could achieve Bronze, Silver or Gold level by completing four to six individual and group challenges. Third-graders earned certificates and fourth- and fifth-graders earned beautiful enameled pins in addition to the certificates at each level.
Heritage Middle School, Debbie Glaberman, Health and PE Teacher
Ms. Glaberman took a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary approach with her students. Prior to the winter break, she had her seventh-graders complete a family tree with the goal of encouraging inter-generational discussions among the students and their family members. Then, using the information the students learned through the genealogy project, students were assigned to countries for the Olympics activities that they focused on throughout the duration of the Olympics. They began with a torch run that started outside on the school's track and went inside the school to the media center where a large torch was lit. The media specialist pulled books about different winter sports for the students to read. Over the next few weeks, students competed in activities simulating the bobsled, the luge, figure skating, and cross country skiing, to name a few. The lesson ended with a Closing Ceremony that focused on different cultures and diversity, highlighting the foods and customs of all the countries involved. Medals were also presented at this time.
Millbrook High School, Michael Kirst, Social Studies Teacher
Students in Mr. Kirst's social studies classes created Greek Olympics-themed commemorative plates. The purpose of the project was to not only teach the students about the early years of the Olympics, but to also provide them with an understanding of the Greek culture while studying the governments of Ancient Greece, Rome and China. By researching a topic on the Greek Olympics, students were able to appreciate the purpose and meaning of the Olympic Games.
The commemorative plates covered Olympic-related topics such as: Sparta, Athens, Olympia (Birthplace of Olympics), Zeus, Sacred Truce, Pentathlon, Chariot Racing, Marathon, Training of Olympic Athletes, Olympic Judges and Rewards for Victors.
Brentwood Magnet School of Engineering Celebrates National Engineers Week
Brentwood Magnet Elementary School of Engineering celebrated National Engineers Week, February 14-20, with several activities planned throughout the week. Brentwood began offering an engineering magnet theme this school year. The school has partnered with NC State University's College of Engineering and is using the Engineering is Elementary program developed by the Museum of Science in Boston.Engineering themes have been adapted for the different grade levels and have been integrated throughout the curriculum.
Following is a list of projects students worked on during National Engineers Week:
On Tuesday, kindergarten students designed protection for Humpty Dumpty when he falls, and first-graders designed strong houses for the Three Little Pigs.
On Thursday, second-graders constructed insect habitats, while third-graders built bridges to help improve traffic patterns. The bridges were tested for strength.
On Friday, fourth-graders created vehicles to improve efficiency, and fifth-graders designed free-standing catapults.
The students collaborated on teams and engaged in the engineering design process: Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, and Improve.
Students Thank Bus Drivers
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The morning event at Brier Creek began Atkinson's Love the Bus program, highlighting the safety of the school bus transportation system and recognizing the many dedicated bus drivers who take our students to and from school safely.
In North Carolina, more than 14,000 yellow buses transport nearly 795,000 students while more than 26 million students travel in 480,000 buses nationwide.
"It is no surprise that, according to the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Department of Transportation and many other authorities, school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school," says Atkinson. "Research also has shown that students are as much as 13 times safer in a school bus than in other modes of travel. In addition, by eliminating the need to drive students to and from school individually, buses save families time, mileage on their vehicles and money in fuel costs while also helping the environment."
At Brier Creek students sang and read poems to the bus drivers and Atkinson. Felisa Ellison, one of the drivers, said the students made it a fun morning.
Durant Middle Science Teacher Honored
Durant Road Middle science teacher Paul Cancellieri has been presented the 2009 District 3 Outstanding Middle School Science Teacher award from the North Carolina Science Teachers Association. NCSTA was formed in 1969 with the mission of promoting excellence in science teaching and learning in North Carolina. The organization continues to thrive with over 2000 members across the state.Carnage Middle Math Teacher Honored
Bethany Faucette, a math teacher at Carnage GT Middle, has been selected as a 2009 recipient of the Edyth May Sliffe Award for distinguished junior high/middle school mathematics teaching. She is one of 52 recipients selected for the award administered by the Mathematical Association of America.
Wake County Students Take Honors in State PTA Reflections Contest
The NC PTA recently announced the winners in its 2009-10 Reflections contest.Dance:
Primary
Adison May, Heritage Elementary, second place,
Intermediate
Natalie A. Pyne, Holly Ridge Elementary, third place
Senior
Amelia C. Jones, Green Hope High, third place
Film/Video Production:
Intermediate
Chloe J. Wood, Salem Elementary, first place
Middle/Junior
Madison M. Bickford, Fuquay-Varina Middle, second place
Literature:
Primary:
Drishti Devani, Davis Drive Elementary, third place
Senior:
Rachel M. Krauza, Panther Creek High, second place
Music Composition:
Primary:
William S. Aarons, Hunter Elementary, second place
Visual Arts:
Primary:
Ewan J. Ross, West Lake Elementary, first place
Intermediate:
Zoë M. Neijna, Hunter Elementary, first place
Middle/Junior:
Lahari S. Pullakhandam, Ligon GT Middle, third place
A complete list of winners can be found here.
Board Names New Administrators
In February, the Board of Education named Ian Solomon principal at Durant Road Middle, Kerry Chisnall principal at Northwoods Elementary, Shane Barham principal of Wendell Elementary and retired principal Marge Ronco as interim principal at Creech Road Elementary.James Overman was named senior director of elementary education programs and Teresa Cunningham-Brown was named Senior Director of Human Resources-Recruitment and Retention.