GoodNews
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.Jan.24, 2006
MIDDLE CREEK HIGH TEACHER JUDGES BEST BOOKS FOR TEENS
Middle Creek High media specialist Teresa Brantley has been selected as
one of nine members of the American Library Association 2007 Printz Committee.
The committee's charge is to read and discuss all books written in 2006
for teens between the ages of 12 and 18, and to select one winner and up
to four honor titles in January 2007. Brantley began her work taking part
this month in the American Library Association Conference in San Antonio
where the Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and other national book committees
selected the 2006 winners. At Middle Creek High, Brantley seeks to share
some of that excitement with students. She holds a yearlong teen Printz
Club. Every year, club members read the new books, discuss them weekly,
and hold Mock Printz elections shortly before the actual winners are announced.
For more info on the Printz Award: visit www.ala.org/yalsa/printz
LIGON TEACHER HONORED
Ligon Middle teacher Freddie-Lee Heath was awarded the Middle School Teacher
of the Year and K-12 Teacher of the Year for North Carolina by D.A.N.C.E.-
Dance Association of NC Educators. Heath also serves as the President-Elect
of the Dance Association for NC Educators.
WCPSS TEACHERS HONORED BY HOMEBUILDERS
At Jan. 17 Board of Education meeting, six WCPSS teachers were honored for
their fourth-grade students participation in the "If I could Build
a House" art contest sponsored by the Home Builders Association of
Raleigh-Wake County. The teachers included Phyllis Leach of Baileywick Elementary,
Kim Pardon of Brooks Elementary, Martha Bassett of Combs Elementary, Debra
Houck of Davis Drive Elementary, Mary Louise Talley of Root Elementary and
Debby Jacobs of Underwood Elementary. The students' artwork has been on
display at Crabtree Valley Mall.
WCPSS STUDENTS EARN HONORS AT REGIONAL ART COMPETITION
WCPSS students earned recognition in the 28th annual Eastern/Central NC
Region Scholastic Art Awards sponsored by the Wilson Daily Times and Barton
College. The competitions Gold Key Award winners were recognized with a
reception Jan. 22 at Barton College where their work was displayed.
Gold Key National Finalists are sent to New York for national competition along with five American Visions Award (Best of Show) Nominees. Special recognition awards are selected by the exhibition jury. These include The Wilson Daily Times Award, the North Carolina Art Education Association Award, The Governor's Student Excellence Award, the Emerging Visions Award, and The Edward Brown Award. The Barton College arts faculty designates one piece from the Gold Key awards to receive the Barton College Award.
The NCAEA Award was presented to Kyleigh Anderson of Sanderson High. The Wilson Daily Times Award was presented to Andrew Creswell of Southeast Raleigh High. The American Visions Award was presented to Cassandra Johnson. The Edward C. Brown Award was presented to Cam Floyd of Enloe High.
Gold Key Awards were presented to Callista Collier, Renee Ferko, Caitlin Pardue of Athens Drive High;. Maria Ratoshnuk and Momo Tanaka, of Broughton High: Cynthia Andujar, Sam Ogden and Victoria Sharpe of Cary High; Trevor Patton and Shea Peebles of Fuquay-Varina High; Marco Antonio Zapata Corpus of Knightdale High; Meredith Jones of Leesville Road High; Emerson Rhudy, Christina Chen, Ian Harwood, Kathleen Petermann and Clay Trotter of Ligon Middle; Katie Strickland of Millbrook High; Daniel Bennett (2GK), John Bonano, Jonathan Cox and Kyleigh Anderson, of Sanderson High; Andrew Creswell (3 GK and Portfolio), Kathryn Echerd, Tabor Hutchins, (2 GK), Cassandra Johnson (2 GK), Vallyn Murphy and Dylan Gilroy of Southeast Raleigh High; Kseniya Baranova (2 GK), Cory Hedeen, Albert Choi, Morgan Ferri, Cam Floyd (2 GK), Cory Hedeen, and Natalia Lopes of Enloe High; Chelsea Pro Of Wakefield High; and Caroline Richards of Zebulon Middle.
Merit awards were presented to Sam Ogden and Sarah Belles of Cary High; Leah Marie Golden of Fuquay-Varina High; Lara Funke of Ligon Middle; Erin Choplin of Sanderson High; Richard Gradle, Jacob Majikes, Daniel Gong, Jeff Gay, Dorian Javidi, Jeffrey Ginsburg, Mandy Weih, Dylan Gilroy, Audra Pater, and Karin Hurwiz of Southeast Raleigh High; Cam Floyd (Merit Portfolio),Sarah Hartzell (Merit Portfolio), Albert Choi, Mariah Moore and Rafael Vargas of Enloe High; and Ashley Harrington of Wakefield High.
The winners, their teachers and the artwork are online at http://www.barton.edu/SchoolofArts&Sciences/Art/ Then click on 2006 Winners.
LEESVILLE STUDENT TAKES HONORS IN ORATORICAL CONTEST
Leesville Road High senior Kimberly Delarosa earned third place in a countywide
oratorical contest on Jan. 14. This contest is sponsored annually by the
American Legion. This contest featured speeches that students deliver without
the benefit of notes, a podium or a PA system. Their two speeches focus
on the theme of our American Constitution. Students from public schools,
private schools and home schools are eligible to enter. This contest was
held at the American Legion Post #1 in Raleigh. Kim is the student body
president at LRHS and announces the morning announcements each day.
WCPSS STUDENTS HONORED IN CONSERVATION COMPETITION
Five WCPSS students have been honored by the Wake Soil and Water Conservation
District as winning the district's "Water…The Cycle of Life"
poster competition. The students include Rachel Hill and Kaan Peksenar from
Ginny Byrne's class at North Ridge Elementary; Jaclyn Young from Alison
Ferriera's class and Wesley Fitzgerald from Mary Stewart's class, both at
Middle Creek Elementary; and Jordan Wise from Judy Gilbreath's class at
Hunter Elementary. The fifth-graders colorful posters are scheduled to be
used by WRAL's Greg Fishel in his weather forecast during the 6 p.m. news
Jan. 30-Feb. 3.
15 WCPSS SCHOOLS NAME GEOGRAPHY BEE WINNERS
Fifteen WCPSS middle schools held Geography Bees this fall. The students
include Daniel Braden, (grade8), Apex Middle; AndrewWu (grade7), Carnage
Middle; Stephen Zevgolis (grade8), Centennial Campus Middle; Tashin Zaman
(grade7), Daniels Middle; William Laney (grade7), Davis Drive Middle; Mac
Ogden (grade8), Dillard Drive Middle; Emily Connelly (grade7), Heritage
Middle; Matt Meyer (grade7), Holly Ridge Middle; Natan Holtzman (grade6),
Ligon Middle; Peter Alfredson (grade8), Martin Middle; Beth Tabor (grade8),
Reedy Creek Middle; Matt Koch (Grade7), Salem Middle; Michael Mondou (grade8),
Wakefield Middle; Anthony Hamilton (grade8), Wake Forest/Rolesville Middle;
and Matthew Bajerski (grade7), West Cary Middle. The Geography Bee is a
nationwide program that middle schools can participate in sponsored by National
Geographic. These 13 boys and 2 girls are taking written exams to determine
the next steps. Depending upon their scores, some of the winners will be
invited to the statewide contest. Last year's statewide winner was from
Daniels Middle School, the first time a WCPSS middle schooler has won this
honor.
BROUGHTON TEACHERS RECEIVE JENRETTE GRANTS
Fifteen Broughton High teachers have been awarded Jenrette Teacher Growth
Grants. Teachers earning the grants include Christine Barger, Nancy Carty,
Richard Dubois, Carol Dukes, Nancy Elliott, Susan Evans, Jane Forde, Gail
Jones, Patricia Ligon, Kathy McGowan, Mary-Kathryn Pate, Jeffrey Richardson,
Douglas Shirley, Erica Spain and Susan Waldrum. Begun in 1997 with funds
donated by Richard Jenrette, a 1947 Broughton graduate, the grants are awarded
to teachers who wish to participate in professional growth and development
opportunities. The grants, administered by Wake Education Partnership, were
delivered in December 2005.
SCHOLARSHIPS TO HONOR SUPERINTENDENT BILL MCNEAL
On Wednesday, Jan.18, the Wake County community kicked off its fundraising
campaign for the Superintendent's Leadership Scholarship. This grass roots
effort is attempting to raise over $100,000 from businesses, parents, faith
communities and school employees to establish eighteen one-time scholarships
to honor and recognize retiring superintendent Bill McNeal. The campaign
will last until April 1 and 100% of every donation will go into the scholarships.
The campaign will end with a student reception where the 18 scholarship
recipients will be recognized and Superintendent McNeal will be honored.
The 18 scholarships will be given in the spring of 2006 to a graduating
senior from each of the 18 public high schools in Wake County. Students
will be judged on four leadership criteria -academics, character, courage
and service. These traits played a key role in the Superintendent's favorite
story -the Wizard of Oz. Contributions to the Superintendent's Leadership
Scholarship can be made by contacting the Triangle Community Foundation
at 919-474-8370.
LIGON CELEBRATES MOZART'S 250TH BIRTHDAY
Ligon GT Magnet Middle School students will celebrate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's
250th Birthday on Jan.25 with an all day Entirely Mozart Festival. Orchestra,
band and vocal music students will be performing work composed by Mozart
throughout the school. Inspired by Mozart's music, several strings students
have formed chamber groups that will join Ligon's nine other music groups,
including its renown Silver Strings, performing for this special occasion.
Ligon's Entirely Mozart Festival coincides with its annual Open House/School
Visit Day for prospective students and their parents. Current Wake County
fifth-graders are encouraged to tour Ligon any time on Jan. 25 from 7:30
a.m. to 2:00 p.m. For more information, contact Marjorie Salzman at Ligon
at 856-7929.
EAST MILLBROOK HOSTS WINTER FESTIVAL
At East Millbrook Magnet Middle School, students are investigating "How
Will I Be Remembered?" Whether in math or physical education, social
studies or music, teachers and students have been pursuing this question
from all angles and, on Jan.20, the school came alive with all the fruits
of their labor. There were individual projects, class demonstrations, and
performances from each arts group. For more information, call the school
at 850-8755 or visit www.eastmillbrookms.wcpss.net
TICKETS ON SALE FOR 2006 PIECES OF GOLD
Tickets for the 23rd annual Pieces of Gold performing and visual arts extravaganza
will go on sale to the public Monday, Jan. 23, through Ticketmaster and
the Progress Energy Center box office. This year's performance will take
place on Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. at the Progress Energy Center for
Performing Arts in downtown Raleigh. Wake Education Partnership and WCPSS
host Pieces of Gold each year to emphasize the importance of art in education
as well as to challenge students and educators in creative thinking as they
prepare a performance that both entertains the audience and supports their
curriculum. The show features more than 800 students representing 30 groups
from 29 Wake County public schools.
PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH
In support of National Mentoring Month, the WCPSS MentorWake program will
offer mentor training on Jan. 26, 28 and 30. National Mentoring Month 2006
is a month-long campaign dedicated to recruiting caring adult mentors for
America's youth. Research has shown that programs that rely on volunteer
mentors can play a powerful role in reducing drug abuse and youth violence,
while greatly enhancing a young person's prospects for leading a healthy
and productive life. MentorWake is also celebrating the month with Thank
Your Mentor Day on Jan. 25. On that day, MentorWake is encouraging individuals
to reach out to those who mentored them with a phone call, card, or other
way to thank their mentor. For additional information, please visit http://www.wcpss.net/mentorwake/mwakehome.html
or call Ann Rollins at 858-1736.
ENTRIES SOUGHT FOR FICTION COMPETITION
Entries are currently being sought for the 2006 Wade Edwards Short Fiction
Award. The award is given annually to three NC high school juniors who submit
the most outstanding original short fiction. The competition, administered
and supported by the NC English Teachers Association and the NC Department
of Public Instruction and sponsored by the Wade Edwards Foundation, rewards
excellence in creative writing and encourages contemplation of virtues associated
with Wade Edwards: humility, strength of convictions, loyalty, honor, charity,
determination, the value of family, and the obligations of friendship and
community. Wade was a talented high school student whose life ended tragically
at the age of 16. Essays, which can contain from 500-10,000 words, are due
March 1, 2006. Entries can be submitted to Dr. Steven Killion at 714 Saint
Mary's St., Raleigh, NC, 27605. For more information, please contact Dr.
Killion at (919) 856-9355 or at skillion@wade.org; or visit he Wade Edwards
Learning Lab's website at http://www.wade.org/shortfic.htm.
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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