Classroom Connection - June 30, 2011
Green Hope is Top WCPSS High School in Newsweek Rankings
Newsweek recognized Green Hope High for being 206th in the nation in the magazine’s America’s Best Schools national rankings. The magazine reported that Green Hope had a graduation rate of 93 percent, an average SAT score of 1715, and 97 percent of graduates were college bound.
Other WCPSS high schools recognized in the national rankings include Panther Creek High at 410, Enloe Magnet High at 421 and Apex High at 447.
This year the magazine revamped the methodology for its rankings. Newsweek enlisted a panel of experts to measure a school’s success in turning out college-ready students and now score high schools on six components: graduation rate, college matriculation rate, AP tests taken per graduate, average SAT/ACT scores, average AP/IB/AICE scores, and AP courses offered.
Newsweek sought data from more than 10,000 public high schools across the country to compile its 2011 list of top high schools in America. In order to be considered for the list, each school had to complete a survey requesting specific data from the 2009-10 academic year. In total, the magazine staff assessed more than 1,100 schools to produce its final list of top 500 high schools.
You can read more about the magazine rankings here.
Wendell Middle Band Earns Busch Gardens Award
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The Wendell Middle Concert Band just received word the students earned the Grand Sweepstakes Award for the band’s performance in the Busch Gardens Showcase of Music.
The award means the band attained the highest score of any middle school band that competed in the Busch Gardens Showcase this year.
Music Showcase Festivals Executive Director Ron Simmons congratulated Wendell Middle Band Director Renee Todd on her students earning the award.
“On behalf of Music Showcase Festivals, it is our sincere pleasure to make this announcement and is truly an honor to present this award to you and your fine organization,” said Simmons. “The hard work and dedication that you, the director, and every member of the ensemble displayed was exemplary. Your community, parents, and administration should all be proud of your accomplishment.”
Simmons will ship the Grand Sweepstakes Trophy to the school after the new school year begins.
Knightdale High Student Wins Statewide Science Fair
Knightdale High rising senior Ashley Rogers won the science fair at the State FFA Convention with her research project on vitamin C levels. By winning, she earned the right to represent North Carolina at the National FFA Convention in October. The Knightdale High science department teachers helped Ashley on her project and are proud of her success.
Cary High Student Earns Honors in Medical Terminology Competition
Cary High graduate Erin Beasley placed in the top 10 in the nation in the Medical Terminology competition at the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) National Leadership Conference.
Beasley is a Class of 2011 graduate. She completed all levels of medical science offered at Cary High and was part of the school’s HOSA chapter. She will attend NC State University in the fall to seek a veterinary degree.
Green Hope High Wins 2010-11 Wachovia Cup
Green Hope High maintained its lead after winter sports to capture the Wachovia Cup in the final 4-A standings for the second consecutive year. The Wachovia Cup award, sponsored by Wachovia and the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, recognizes the high schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performances.
In the 4-A classification, Green Hope finished first with 427.5 points by placing fifth in men’s golf and fifth among 4-A women’s lacrosse teams.
Wakefield High wound up in third, primarily with a couple of great performances in track, winning the women’s outdoor track and field crown and taking third in the men’s meet, to go with a fourth-place finish in men’s golf. Other WCPSS schools in the Top 15 include Apex High in sixth, Millbrook Magnet High in 10th and Leesville Road High in 12th.
Wachovia Cup points are determined by a system based on performance in state championship events. All schools that finish in the top eight positions (plus ties) earn points. In the playoff events involving teams from more than one classification, Wachovia Cup points are awarded based on the school’s standing against other schools in its own classification. If fewer than eight schools from a classification compete in a sport, only those schools that are represented are eligible to receive the Wachovia Cup points.
Points are awarded for all sports as follows: 50 for first, 45 for second, 40 for third, 35 for fourth, 30 for fifth, 25 for sixth, 20 for seventh and 15 for eighth. In the event of a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points based on the number of teams that tie and the number of teams that finish higher in the standings. Five points are awarded for each sanctioned sport in which a school competes.
Wachovia Cup standings are announced three times each school year: once after the fall and then the winter sports, and concluding with the winner after the spring sports season ends in June. The engraved silver cups are presented during NCHSAA Day activities at UNC-Chapel Hill each fall.
1. Green Hope (WCPSS) - 427.5
2. Myers Park - 390.5
3. Wakefield (WCPSS) – 365
4. East Chapel Hill - 360
5. Ardrey Kell – 345
6. Apex (WCPSS) – 342.5
7. T.C. Roberson – 340
8. Providence - 330
9. Lake Norman – 305
10. Millbrook (WCPSS) - 272.5
11. Watauga – 267.5
12. Leesville Road (WCPSS) - 257.5
13. New Bern – 245
13. W.A. Hough – 245
15. Ronald Reagan – 232.5
Enloe is Top WCPSS High School in Washington Post Challenge Index
The Washington Post recognized Enloe Magnet High for being 155 in the nation in the newspaper’s Challenge Index national rankings. The index ranked Enloe 96 in the South.
Other WCPSS high schools recognized in the national rankings include Green Hope High at 465, Broughton High at 701, Panther Creek High at 845, Athens Drive High at 1341, Holly Springs High at 1465, Millbrook Magnet High at 1566, Apex High at 1612, Middle Creek High at 1629, Wakefield High at 1641 and Cary High at 1708.
In comparing high schools in the South, the rankings reported Green Hope High at 268, Broughton High at 371, Panther Creek High at 431, Athens Drive High at 633, Holly Springs High at 679, Millbrook Magnet High at 716, Apex High at 730, Middle Creek High at 738, Wakefield High at 743 and Cary High at 766.
All of these schools rank in the top six percent of the nation’s high schools.
Washington Post reporter Jay Matthews compiles the Challenge Index rankings annually. He ranks schools on a simple formula – divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors.
You can read more about the Washington Post Challenge Index here.
Wendell Middle Teacher Selected as NEH Summer Scholar
Deborah S. Carroll, a teacher from Wendell Middle School, was selected as an National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Scholar from a national applicant pool to attend one of 20 summer study opportunities supported by the NEH.
The Endowment is a federal agency that supports Landmarks of American History and Culture Workshops each summer, so that teachers can study with experts in humanities disciplines.
Carroll participated in a workshop entitled “Crafting Freedom: African-American Artisans, Entrepreneurs, and Abolitionists of the Upper South” held June 23-28 at African American historic sites throughout the Piedmont region of North Carolina and on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The workshop director is Laurel C. Sneed, executive director of the Append Foundation, an educational foundation dedicated to improving dissemination of knowledge about African-American history among K-12 teachers and their students through teacher seminars, public programs and the development of new media.
A website of resources on nine black “freedom crafters” called the Crafting Freedom Website (www.craftingfreedom.org) was a focal point of the workshop along with visits to historic sites reflecting workshop themes.
Eighty American teachers were selected to participate in the program from throughout the United States. Each receives a stipend to help cover their travel, study, and living expenses. The U.S. Department of State is also sponsoring three international teachers to participate in the workshop representing: Brazil, Turkey and Sri Lanka.
Global and STEM School Networks Launch
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Broughton High receives its banner. |
School leaders from across Wake County gathered for the launch of WCPSS's Global Schools and STEM Schools Collaborative Networks during the week of June 17.
Schools already involved in international or STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields of study welcomed additional schools to the fold, and attendees pledged to work together to prepare a new generation for the global and technological challenges of tomorrow.
Joining Superintendent Tony Tata in kicking off the WCPSS schools' new networks were Lt. Governor Walter Dalton; Dr. Bill Harrison, chair of the State Board of Education; Dr. Sam Houston, president and CEO of the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center; Wake Education Partnership President C. Steve Parrott, and representatives from VIF International Education, the N.C. Global Schools Network and the N.C. STEM Community Collaborative.
The WCPSS STEM Network Schools include:
- East Wake School of Engineering Systems
- East Wake School of Integrated Technology
- East Wake School of Health Sciences
- NCSU STEM Early College High
- Southeast Raleigh Center for Leadership and Technology Magnet High
- Wake Early College of Health and Science High
- Centennial Campus University Connections and Leadership Magnet Middle
- Moore Square Museums Magnet Middle
- Brentwood School of Engineering Magnet Elementary
- Brooks Museums Magnet Elementary
- Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary
- Conn Active Learning and Technology Magnet Elementary
- Walnut Creek Elementary
- Hilburn Drive Elementary
- York Elementary
- Aversboro Elementary
- Carroll Middle
- Knightdale High
- East Wake Middle
- Middle Creek High
The WCPSS Global Network Schools include:
- Garner IB-MYP/DP Magnet High
- Millbrook IB-MYP/DP Candidate Magnet High
- Enloe GT/IB Diploma Magnet High
- Broughton IB Diploma High
- East Wake School of Arts, Education and Global Studies
- East Garner IB-MYP Magnet Middle
- East Millbrook IB-MYP Magnet Middle
- Farmington Woods IB-PYP Magnet Elementary
- Millbrook IB-PYP Magnet Elementary
- Smith IB-PYP Candidate Magnet Elementary
- Joyner IB-PYP/Center for Spanish Language Magnet Elementary
- Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary
- Timber Drive Elementary
- Jeffreys Grove Elementary
- Stough Elementary
Board Names New Principals and Assistant Principals
The Board of Education named Michael Armstrong as principal of Bugg Magnet Elementary and appointed retired principal Charles Langley as interim principal at Middle Creek Elementary at its meeting June 21.
Armstrong has served as assistant principal at Combs Magnet Elementary since 2008. Prior to that, he was the magnet coordinator at Combs and a teacher at Bugg Magnet Elementary. Earlier, he worked as an elementary teacher in Asheville.
Langley has served as an interim principal at East Garner Elementary, West Lake Middle, Middle Creek Elementary and West Lake Elementary. He retired in 2008 after serving as principal of Willow Springs Elementary for 14 years. Earlier, he worked as assistant principal at East Millbrook Middle, West Millbrook Middle and Whitley Middle.
The board named as assistant principals Travis Shillings at Olive Chapel Elementary, Kenneth Kirk at Sycamore Creek Elementary, Lynne Peters at Wilburn Elementary, Jessica Burroughs at East Garner Middle, Lacey Peckham at Martin Magnet Middle, Marla Mondora at Moore Square Magnet Middle, Mark Maultsby at Garner Magnet High, Beverly Smith at Garner Magnet High, Emily Mountford at Holly Springs High, Glenn Dansky at Millbrook Magnet High, Susan Taylor at Panther Creek High and George Harden at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High.