WCPSS Good News

Goal 2008: WCPSS is committed to academic excellence. By 2008, 95 percent of students in grades 3 through 12 will be at or above grade level as measured by the State of North Carolina End-of-Grade or Course tests, and all student groups will demonstrate high growth.

Dec 21, 2005


BOARD RECOGNIZES FALL NCHSAA STATE CHAMPIONS
At its Dec. 20 meeting, the Board of Education recognized student athletes who had earned the state's top honors this fall. WCPSS Athletic Director Bobby Guthrie introduced the coaches and students from three high schools that earned state championships.

Leesville Road High School won the Girls' Golf State Championship for the second year in a row. Apex High School won the Boys' Soccer State Championship. Sanderson High School Cheerleaders won the State Championship.

Guthrie congratulated coach Curt Miller of Leesville Road High; coach Kevin Todd of Apex High and coaches Jocelyn Bradford and Lacy Proctor of Sanderson High. Resolutions for each school recognizing their accomplishment were presented to the coaches.

WCPSS SCHOOLS MAKE FOOD BANK DEPOSITS
WCPSS schools took part in the annual Students Against Hunger Food Drive that's allowing the Food Bank of Central and Eastern N.C. to distribute 347,587 pounds of food this holiday season. Sanderson High, Leesville Road High and Garner High, Apex Middle, Carnage Middle and Combs Elementary were among the top schools.

BRIARCLIFF STUDENTS COLLECT JERKY FOR TROOPS
At Briarcliff Elementary students in Ann Rowland fourth grade class created Operation Beef Jerky for US troops in Iraq. The students decided on the project because beef jerky is a high-energy snack that is light-weight, easy to carry, delicious and has a good shelf life. Jerky is considered part of our troops' Survival Kit Food providing the much-needed salt in their diets to prevent dehydration in the desert. Several classes and local businesses have contributed to the drive that continues through Dec. 22. They say jerky sticks or packages in any flavor are welcomed!

SE RALEIGH TEACHER NAMED 2005 PRESIDENTIAL AWARD FINALIST
Sam Wheeler, a Southeast Raleigh High Science teacher, has been named one of four North Carolina state finalists for the 2005 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation's highest honor for K-12 teaching in these fields. Established by Congress in 1983, and administered for the White House by the National Science Foundation, the Presidential Awards allow for each state to select up to three mathematics and three science teachers as state finalists. From this field of state finalists, a maximum of 108 Presidential Awardees are selected.

WCPSS SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATORS RECOGNIZED BY NC BAR
Seven WCPSS social studies educators took part in the first Justice Teaching Institute sponsored by the NC Bar Association. The program for 20 NC high school social studies teachers provided an intensive 2.5 days study of the state's judicial system during which attorneys, judges, law school professors and court administrators talked about their jobs and the justice system. The program provides teachers with the information and background they need to better understand and convey the depth and breadth of the legal system to their students. Recognized as the state's first Justice Fellows were Melinda Stephani, WCPSS social studies administrator, Rebecca Bradford and Jennifer Facciolini of Fuquay-Varina High, Stephanie Dean and Elizabeth Wiley of Leesville Road High, Denise West of Apex High and Stephanie Rhodes of Sanderson High.

REEDY CREEK STUDENT SPEAKS TO STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Katie Wade, an eighth grade student at Reedy Creek Middle School and Vice President of North Carolina's chapter of Family Career Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), provided a brief presentation Dec. 1 to the State Board of Education members on her involvement with FCCLA. Wade has been serving as page to State Superintendent June Atkinson.

STUDENTS SELECTED FOR 2006 PIECES OF GOLD PERFORMANCE
More than 850 students representing 31 groups from 29 WCPSS schools have been selected to perform in the 2006 Pieces of Gold . A record-setting 70 groups auditioned at Southeast Raleigh High Nov. 29-30 for the chance to perform in the 23rd annual show on March 8, 2006, at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Pieces of Gold is an annual arts extravaganza produced jointly by the WCPSS and Wake Education Partnership. Students and teachers work throughout the year to produce performances that support the curriculum as well as entertain an enthusiastic audience. For a complete list of schools performing in 2006, visit http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/Events/Pog/Pieces_Of_Gold.htm .

PRIZE PATROL SURPRISES WCPSS TEACHERS WITH GRANTS
Christmas came early for 22 Wake County public school teachers as a surprise Prize Patrol last week awarded $42,000 in grants. The Food for Thought teacher grants program, a project of Wake Education Partnership for 23 years, is designed to promote effective teaching to improve student achievement. All WCPSS teachers and support personnel are eligible.

Grant recipients submitted proposals in October, which were read by a selection committee of volunteers representing Wake County business, community and education leaders. Collaboration and professional development are essential to every proposed project, and each proposal must align with the school improvement plan at the applicant's site. Including grant collaborators, these 22 grants will reach 146 Wake County teachers and staff. In defining the grants for 2005-06, the Partnership connected the grant requirements to recommendations of the Wake Task Force on Teaching Excellence, which released its report in April 2005. Twelve elementary and five secondary schools from around Wake County are represented among the winners.

Funding for the grants is made possible by ABB, Bank of America, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Duke Health Raleigh Hospital, Genworth Financial, GlaxoSmithKline, IBM, Lifetouch, LS3P/Boney, Progress Energy, Rex Healthcare, Rotary Club of the Capital City, SAS, Wachovia and WakeMed. The Food for Thought Teacher Grants Program is just one of the Partnership's efforts to enhance teacher professionalism and raise the performance level of those charged with educating students.

Elementary school grant recipients included Danielle McCaslin at Bugg Elementary; Krystal Sanders and Erica Schurterat Conn Elementary; Marian Wheless at Creech Road Elementary; Melody Kendall, Dail Rawls and Kathy VanDeventer at Dillard Drive Elementary; Carrie Beach and David Bode at Durant Road Elementary; Molly Marie Hamblin at Fuller Elementary; Carol Swink at Hunter Elementary; Allison Kuhns at Reedy Creek Elementary; Karen Waller and Anne Safrit at Timber Drive Elementary; Karen Berryman at Turner Creek Road Elementary; Paula Hoffman at Washington Elementary; and Kimberly Grant at Yates Mill Elementary.

Secondary school grant recipients included Susan Klaric at Carroll Middle; Jill Bliss at Lufkin Road Middle; Beverly Almond at Moore Square Middle; Paul Taperek at Sanderson High; and Jodi Songer at Wakefield High.

TEACHER MAN TO DISCUSS BOOK
Quail Ridge Books & Music, Wake Education Partnership and Meredith College invite you to meet Frank McCourt, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis . McCourt will be reading from his latest book, Teacher Man, in Jones Auditorium at Meredith College on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the reading are available at Quail Ridge Books.


WCPSS Good News is published electronically every other week for everyone interested in the Wake County Public School System. Is what you read in this edition helpful? What information would you like to see in future editions? Contact me by calling 850-1829 or e-mailing bposton@wcpss.net.

Bill Poston
Wake County Public School System
Communications Department
3600 Wake Forest Road
Raleigh, North Carolina 27611

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