Classroom Connection, January 11, 2012
Leadership Academy Principals Encourage Students to Apply
If you have a child interested in attending one of our school system’s early colleges or new leadership academies, you need to submit your written application soon.
The deadline for submitting applications to the schools is Friday, January 13.
Wake Leadership Academies offer middle school and high school students the opportunity to participate in a learning environment that is uniquely designed to challenge each girl and boy as individuals.
Students are inspired to lead and to learn as they travel a path to academic and personal excellence.
Listen to Leadership Academy Principals Encourage Students to Apply
You can read more about the Leadership Academies here.
Tips on Registering for Kindergarten
All incoming kindergarten students for the 2012-13 school year will need to participate in the new Choice Selection Process to receive their school assignment.
You will need to register your rising kindergartner prior to participating in the Choice Selection Process. You may register at any nearby elementary school, the Office of Student Assignment or the Center for International Enrollment located in the Central Services Building at 5625 Dillard Drive in Cary.
Contact the Office of Student Assignment at 919-431-7333 with any questions that you may have about registration and the Choice Selection Process.
If you choose to register your child at your nearby school, please contact the school or check their website for enrollment schedules. School staff will have different times set up to receive your forms and walk you through the process.
Listen to Tips on Registering for Kindergarten
You can read more about kindergarten registration here.
Health Advocates to Award Schools $500 for Wellness Initiatives
Parents, teachers and school staff should attend the Brains and Bodies Workshop, On the Plate: National Nutrition Month® Activities, plus the 2012 Brains and Bodies Award Information Session at 10 a.m. on Jan. 12 at the Wake County Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest.
Advocates for Health in Action (AHA) created the free, interactive workshop on creative and low-cost ideas for how schools can celebrate National Nutrition Month® in March to raise awareness about healthy eating. AHA will share information about its 2012 Brains and Bodies Award program.
The workshop is free, but registration is required. Register online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AHAJan12Workshop.
The AHA Brains and Bodies Awards program, introduced last school year, recognizes elementary and middle schools across the county that are going the extra mile to meet and exceed local wellness policies in order to create a healthy school environment. AHA will grant funding up to $500 to 2012 award winners, as well as the AHA Brains and Bodies Award: Healthy Students Grow Here banner to Gold level winners to display in their school.
Schools may submit their intent to apply for the award now through Feb. 1 at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AHAIntentToApply. Only schools that submit intent to apply will have access to the award application. Applications will be due March 1, and AHA will announce winners on May 30.
This award is a great opportunity for schools to showcase how they are fostering a healthier student body and school environment—and to earn funding to further their wellness initiatives. Thirteen schools won awards in the 2011 inaugural awards program, including four Gold level winners.
AHA developed its Brains and Bodies workshop series to provide parents, teachers and administrators with the knowledge and resources to create a healthier school environment and enforce a local wellness policy at little or no cost. Workshops also allow parents and educators to connect on sharing experiences.
Students Will Compete in Regional Science Olympiad Tournament
More than 1,000 high school and middle school students from central NC will compete in science and engineering events at the Regional Science Olympiad on Saturday, Feb. 4 at Wakefield High.
Olympiad officials are expecting 70 middle and high school teams each with 15 to 18 members from Wake, Durham, Granville, Vance, Franklin and Warren counties. Competing in 47 different events, the 30 middle school and 40 high school teams will vie for the opportunity to represent the region at the State Science Olympiad on April 28, to earn the chance to represent NC at the National Science Olympiad.
“We expect about 3,000 visitors on campus,” said Kristen Hellier, co-director of the Science Olympiad. “We stress that the purpose of this competition is for students to learn. Everybody gets a chance to compete, but what matters most is their participation as a team.”
The NC Science Olympiad (NCSO) is a nonprofit organization with the mission to improve the quality of science and technology education in all NC schools. The NCSO accomplishes its mission through professional development workshops, summer institutes, after school programs, summer camps and intramural, regional and state tournaments that are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of individual and team events that are well balanced between the various science disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and technology.
The NC Science Olympiad is third in the country in student participation. Currently, 250 middle and high schools representing more than 6,000 students and 60 counties in NC are participating in the NCSO. In 2009 alone, NCSO had over 5,000 volunteers involved in reaching middle and high school students for science.
For more information, contact WCPSS Science Supervisor Michael Tally at mtally@wcpss.net, or WCPSS Coordinating Teacher Kristen Hellier at khellier@wcpss.net. They are co-directors of the event.
Broughton Band Marches in Tournament of Roses Parade
The Broughton High School Band marched in the 123rd Annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. The Broughton band was one of the 10 high school bands to march in the prestigious parade that remains the “Super Bowl” of marching performances.
Check out Al Roker and the Broughton High students in this video of the parade. |
The Broughton students marched six miles over two hours with non-stop performance. The parade is the world’s premier community showcase featuring bands, equestrian units and elaborate organically designed floats.
The Broughton students marched by a crowd of more than one million persons along the parade route. Al Roker talked about the band in NBC’s live broadcast of the parade.
While in Pasadena for the parade, the students participated in Bandfest, an activity held in conjunction with the Rose Parade that featured the prize-winning bands of the parade performing the field shows that made them famous. Three shows over two days gave everyone a chance to see the talented musicians, dancers and auxiliary performers in action.
Dillard Drive Elementary Staff Serves the Community
In its first year, the Dillard Drive Elementary School’s SOAR Team members planned, organized and implemented volunteer opportunities for staff to participate in around the Raleigh area.
The team’s mission is to give back to the community and to model volunteering for the students.
On Dec. 17, the SOAR Team participated in its first Literacy Success event by reading during story time with patients at Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center. SOAR members took recordable storybooks narrated by staff and students to share with the children. The school staff donated the holiday books to the Duke Children’s Hospital Storytime room for other children to enjoy.
The SOAR Team collected canned food during the weeks leading up to winter break and donated over 1,500 items to a local food bank.
“We created the SOAR Team to give our staff members an outlet for helping others,” said Teena Rembach, Dillard Drive Elementary assistant principal. “We have such a great staff, and it has been truly inspiring to see everyone working together to help those around us.”
Rand Road’s Helping Hands Toy Drive Labeled a Success
The 1st Annual Holiday Helping Hands Toy Drive at Rand Road Elementary was a success. Teachers Ryan Williams and Matthew Watson serve as Helping Hands mentors to a group of 17 students. They set an initial goal of collecting 50 new/unused toys and blankets. Then the students went to work – creating flyers, making announcements on the school news and spreading the word throughout the school. They quickly surpassed the initial goal. With the hard work of every student in the program and the abundant generosity of the students and parents of Rand Road, the Toy Drive generated a collection of over 140 toys and blankets. All items were donated to the Helping Hand Mission in Raleigh to underprivileged boys and girls for Christmas.
As a first-year teacher, Williams started the Rand Road Helping Hands program in 2008 mentoring two students. The school system designed the program for African American males between 3rd and 8th grade with the goal of closing academic achievement gaps.
The success of the toy drive was a great moment for the Helping Hands students and for the school. Williams said that it shows that the true reason for the season is giving, and when it comes down to it, people are ready to open their hearts so that everyone can experience a little bit of joy at Christmas.
Carnage Magnet Middle Students Top State on AMC 8
Carnage Magnet Middle School students earned top ranking in the state with two perfect scores on the AMC 8. The top five scores from Carnage totaled 117 out of a possible 125 points making them the leader.
The AMC 8 is a 25 question, 40-minute multiple-choice examination in middle school mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem solving skills. The math competition is designed to promote excitement, enthusiasm and positive attitudes towards mathematics and to stimulate interest in continuing the study of mathematics.