Good News
March 9 , 2007 |
STUDENTS SHINE IN ANNUAL PIECES OF GOLD ARTS EXTRAVAGANZA
More than 800 Wake County public school students showcased their talents on stage and behind the scenes March 7 in the 24th annual Pieces of Gold at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Pieces of Gold is an annual arts extravaganza produced by the Wake County Public School System 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. The event also serves as an annual fundraiser for Wake Education Partnership. The performance celebrates the many talents of students from around our community and honors the hard work of our school community.
Ninety student artists were honored at a Gifts of Gold reception at the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts, including a medal ceremony for the winning artists. The students’ artwork, representing 69 Wake County schools, was featured in the lobby of Memorial Auditorium on March 6-7.
For a complete list of participating schools and winning artists, visit Wake Education Partnership’s webpage.
SUPERINTENDENT RECOGNIZES HONOR SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE
At the February principals’ meeting, Superintendent Burns presented banners to the ten WCPSS schools named Honor Schools of Excellence based on their students’ performance on the state ABCs. In order to achieve Honor School of Excellence, the school must have had ABC’s performance composite scores above 90 percent; made Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) under the federal No Child Left Behind Act; and met their specified expected growth standards.
Dr. Burns presented Honor School of Excellence banners to Baucom Elementary, Brassfield Elementary, Cedar Fork Elementary, Davis Drive Elementary, Green Hope Elementary, Highcroft Elementary, Oak Grove Elementary, Davis Drive Middle, Salem Middle and Green Hope High.
NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS HONORED
At the March 6 meeting of the Board of Education, Superintendent Del Burns recognized board member Eleanor Goettee who is currently a National Board Certified Teacher. Dr. Burns noted that WCPSS is one of the few districts in the nation that has a board member who is also a National Board Certified Teacher.
At the board meeting, Burns also described the Feb 21 reception WCPSS held for the 186 newly National Board Certified Teachers and the seven teachers who renewed their certification. Burns said a full page ad in the News and Observer on the day of the reception listed all 1,137 WCPSS who are currently with WCPSS and earned certification from the National Board. Each teacher attending the reception received a copy of the ad. WCPSS is number one in the nation in the number of active National Board Certified Teachers. Burns thanked Assistant Superintendent Maurice Boswell and WCPSS Human Resources for arranging the celebration
THREE WCPSS STUDENTS NAMED PARK SCHOLARS
Three Wake County Public School System students were among the 51 students North Carolina State University has selected as Park Scholars for fall 2007. These prestigious awards are valued at about $59,000 for North Carolina residents. The scholarship winners were selected from among more than 1,000 applicants.
The WCPSS students are Julia L. Wofford of Athens Drive High; Brandee Nicole Woolard of Athens Drive High; and Brian Christopher McKearney of Leesville Road High.
-Julia Lee Wofford of Athens Drive High School, where she is senior class treasurer, Key Club secretary and co-captain of the dance team. She is also involved in the Westwood Baptist Church youth group and is the 2007 Cary-Apex Junior Miss.
-Brandee Nicole Woolard of Athens Drive High School, where she is an NC Honor's Scholar, president of the Key Club and member of the National Honor Society.
-Brian Christopher McKearney of Leesville Road High School, where he is crew head of play and musical sound, director of school broadcasts and vice president of the news team. He is also the Owner of Performance DJ, fundraising specialist for the A.E. Finley YMCA Leaders Club and program director for the A.E. Finley YMCA.
Selection criteria for the merit-based Park Scholarships include academic achievement; personal characteristics such as character, integrity and motivation; exceptional leadership potential; and commitment to the betterment of one’s community. The scholarships are renewable each year, based on academic achievement and personal conduct.
WEST MILLBROOK STUDENT EARNS COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD
West Millbrook Middle sixth-grader Mason Park is one of two students in North Carolina to earn the 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community Award. This award is given to one middle school student and one high school student annually. Park will now represent North Carolina in national competition May 5-8 in Washington, DC. He will attend an awards program for the 102 State Honor Achievers. will be recognized
Over the last five years, Park has raised over $24,000 alone. He has put together a team that’s helped to raise a total of $48,000. The money was donated to various non-profit organizations including the American Heart Association, the Diabetes Association, and Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
HISPANIC/LATINO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CONFERENCE SET FOR MARCH 17
The WCPSS Office of Prevention Services will hold the second annual Hispanic/Latino Middle and High School Conference, ¡Somos Unicos! ¡Somos Latinos!, for students and their parents on Saturday, March 17 at Southeast Raleigh High School.
The conference will:
• Introduce Latino students to motivational speakers from our schools and our community who
have achieved success in their professional fields;
• Inform Latino students and parents about different educational opportunities and school
programs available throughout our community and world;
• Empower Latino students to make informed and productive decisions about their future; and
• Help middle school students’ transition into high school.
English-as-a Second Language (ESL) instructors at each middle school and high school level are
distributing and collecting registration forms for this event. For schools that do not have an ESL
program, registration information is being distributed and collected by the school counselors. For more information on the conference contact MariaRosa Rangel at 858-3227 or email mrangel1@wcpss.net.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS COMPETE IN BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
Teams from 18 WCPSS middle schools will compete in the Wake County Battle of the Books at 8 a.m., Saturday, March 10 at Garner High School.
Teams of students represent their schools in a quiz bowl-style elimination competition. Students answer questions based on reading the 2006 North Carolina School Library Media Association list of books, which included Watership Down, Little Women, Chasing Vermeer, Peter and the Starcatchers and Tarzan of the Apes.
In each round of competition, teams representing two schools will compete. After three rounds of competition, the eight teams with the highest point totals will compete to enter the semi finals. Winners then move into the finals which are scheduled for 12:45 p.m.
The Battle of the Books program seeks to encourage reading by all students at the middle school level. Students, regardless of ability, are exposed to quality literature representing a variety of literary styles and viewpoints by prominent authors in the area of young adult literature. The game format creates interest and excitement in reading. Through the fun and excitement of the competition, students improve reading skills, mature in their choices of reading materials, and acquire a broader knowledge base.
The Battle of the Books Steering Committee, chaired by Carol Shearin, media specialist at Carnage Middle and Garner Magnet High, is coordinating the 2007 WCPSS Battle of the Books. A number of community volunteers, school Battle of the Books Committee members, teachers and administrators will serve as facilitators, judges and scorekeepers. Each school team worked with a teacher and media specialist from their school.
The winning team may choose to compete in regional and state competitions.
EAST MILLBROOK HOLDS PANCAKE BREAKFAST FOR GUATEMALA
East Millbrook Middle School parents, students and staff helped make the school’s Pancake Breakfast a success. The school raised over $1100.00 for the Santiago de Zamora School in Guatemala and had a great time doing it. Principal David Ansbacher offered his thanks to all those who made the event so great
IB SCHOOLS HELP EAST GARNER TEACHER
WCPSS International Baccalaureate schools East Millbrook Middle, Daniels Middle, Enloe High and Broughton High held a benefit concert for Toiya and Eddie Lucas March 6 in the East Garner Middle School gymnasium. Toiya Williams Lucas, the band and chorus teacher at East Garner Middle School, recently lost everything to the local fires in North Raleigh . The East Millbrook orchestra, dance, band, drama & chorus, the Daniels' Jazz Band, Broughton String Quartet and members of the Enloe Jazz Ensemble collaborated to raise over $2000.00 in donations for the Lucas family with a terrific night of performances. International Baccalaureate schools prioritize Community and Service as one of the five Areas of Interaction that drive the Middle Years Programme curriculum, and this was the first collaborative performance to incorporate the sister schools in one service event.
CTE EXHIBITS DRAW GREAT LEGISLATIVE PR
In celebration of Career and Technical Education Month, WCPSS organized and participated in a multiple county collaborative event involving four counties, five school districts, and dozens of students and educators on Feb. 20, at the N.C. Legislative Building. Megan Kirkpatrick, the WCPSS business alliance coordinator, created and coordinated this large event. To help dispel the long-outdated “Voc Ed” image, legislators visited CTE exhibits that filled two wings of the building. The displays, manned by students and educators, presented wide-ranging examples of CTE curriculum, from sophisticated design/computer programming to apparel development to aerodynamic engineering.
WCPSS and the four other school districts brought 35 teachers and 60 students from 20 schools to represent a sampling of the CTE courses found throughout North Carolina. Wake Technical Community College also participated to highlight the educational opportunities of the Huskins program for WCPSS high school students.
For photos of the event, click on 2007 CTE Legislative Day at http://www.wcpss.net/school_to_career/cte/cte_week.html.
ENGINEERS VISIT BAUCOM ELEMENTARY
Two electrical engineers visited Baucom Elementary School to discuss their jobs at Progress Energy as a part of Engineering Week. Fifth grade students were introduced to the various engineering fields available as potential occupations in their future. Eric Bias and Jack Hussey shared stories with the students about the jobs they do for Progress Energy and the importance of engineering. The children were encouraged to do well in math, science, reading and writing if they were interested in one day perusing a career in engineering. Finally, safety was stressed as a core value of Progress Energy, and the classes were reminded to always keep safety in mind when dealing with electricity.
TWO SOLDIERS VISIT BRASSFIELD
The Civitan Club of North Raleigh teamed up with Brassfield Elementary third and fourth graders to send holiday letters and care packages to the US Army 630th Combat Sustainment Support Batallion in Iraq. Nancy Huxley and Teresa Muldowney promoted this community project in their classes and Sgt. Leonard and Sgt. Ankarstran from the batallion visited Brassfield while they were home for their two week leave. They presented the children with a flag that was flown in Iraq and signed by their platoon. With the help of art teacher Betsy Stratemeyer, Muldowney’s class also created a banner to present to the two soldiers. Each child’s handprint and name was imprinted onto the banner. While visiting Brassfield, the soldiers shared with third- through fifth-grade students a slide show of pictures and impressions of Iraq. They shared humorous stories and explained the role they played in protecting their fellow soldiers on a daily basis. The kids were also able to understand the daily life of a soldier.
MOORE SQUARE STUDENTS SELECTED FOR NEUSE RIVER PROJECTS
The “Girls In Science/Neuse River Project”/ Museum of Natural Sciences has selected five sixth- grade students from Moore Square Middle School to participate in a Nesue River project sponsored by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.
The Moore Square students include Michelle Lehman, Sarah Mitchell, Savannah Parada, Meghan Brooks and Saoirse Hughes. Students in the program were nominated by their sixth grade science teachers.
During the program, the girls will participate in eight weekly meetings at the museum, field trips and an overnight camping experience. They will also spend time in the field involved in an array of activities from testing water quality to exploring local waterways and the rich wildlife those waterways support. They learn about and participate in scientific research on water quality in the Neuse River Basin The girls will interact with several female scientists and learn about science based career opportunities. An open house for parents and sponsoring science teachers ends the experience. The program provides opportunities for girls to work with and share their knowledge of science with other students and the chance to grow through science adventures.
Since 1992, over 700 sixth-grade girls have participated in hands-on projects, fieldwork and mentoring through the Girls In Science Program.
LIGON STUDENTS SING AND DANCE PERFORMING DAMN YANKEES
Ligon Middle School students presented three performances of the musical Damn Yankees. Based on Douglass Wallop's novel The Year The Yankees Lost The Pennant, Joe Boyd sells his soul to Mr. Applegate (the devil) for "one good Long ball hitter" for his team the Washington Senators, and becomes a 22-year-old sports superstar who can escape by going back to his wife before 9 p.m. on the final game day. If he doesn't Mr. Applegate gets his soul. Students built a complex set with three stages, danced and sang numbers including “You Gotta Have Heart,” in a complicated show with 22 different scenes.
UNDERWOOD WINS BLACK HISTORY QUIZ BOWL
The Underwood Elementary school team won first place at the fifth Annual Black History Quiz Bowl held at Carnage Middle School Feb. 24. The Underwood team included students Patrick Kearney, Shontya Lawrence, Daruis Payne, and Luc Spalding. Each of the team members received a trophy plaque, certificate and t-shirt. The team prepared for three weeks, studying and drilling each other on the 41 questions provided by the sponsoring agencies. This year the Raleigh Police Department, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Thompson-Hunter Weed and Seed Steering sponsored the event.
ALPHAS READ TO UNDERWOOD STUDENTS
The brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha ( AFA ) Fraternity, Inc. (the nations oldest black fraternity) read books and stories about African Americans on Feb. 23 to each class at Underwood elementary. Select fifth graders acted as ambassadors, by greeting and escorting the readers to their assigned classes. Upon finishing their reading the readers discussed the importance of academics for a successful school life. Former Underwood teacher Kengie Bass first brought his brothers to Underwood in February of 2001. It has become a tradition teachers and students anticipate and enjoy.
COMMUNITY MEETINGS OFFER INFO FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens for African American Children will host a public meeting on March 24 to allow parents, teachers and community members to learn more about Wake Ed’s Quality Matters report and N.C. State’s RAMP-UP program (Recognizing Accelerated Math Potential in Underrepresented People). The meeting will be held at Martin St. Baptist Church (1001 East Martin St., Raleigh) from 10 a.m. to noon. Speakers will be John Mabe, attorney with Maupin Taylor and Quality Matters committee member, and Liz Parry, project director with RAMP-UP. Limited seating is available – Reserve a seat with Calla Wright at cccaac@nc.rr.com by Tuesday, March 20.
PAGE (Partners for the Advancement of Gifted Education) of Wake County will sponsor Super Saturday on April 14 at Cary Academy. The morning and afternoon sessions, which are designed to spark interest in AG K-8 grade students, include classes in Indonesian dance, Making Motion Pictures, Dinosaur Hunters, Quilting, and more. Concurrent parent sessions will feature presentations from Dr. Jim Brooks, vice president of the N.C. Association of Gifted and Talented, and Joyce Gardner, director of WCPSS’s AG program. Advance registration is required by March 19, 2007. For a full list of class descriptions and registration information, visit PAGE online .
PARENT COUNCIL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
The Superintendent's Parent Advisory Council is currently accepting applications from parents to serve a three-year term on the council. The SPAC is in its third year as a diverse group of engaged and informed parents who serve as a sounding board and problem solving entity to the Superintendent of the Wake County Public School System and his leadership team. This 18-person council works with representatives from the Teachers Advisory Council, the Staff Advisory Council and the Association of Principals and Assistant Principals to work together to provide input on specific issues identified by the Superintendent. The Superintendent's Summit meets four times a year. Applications are being accepted through April 13, 2007. Selection will be made by May 11 and the first meeting will be on June 11. For more information or to receive an application, email Virginia Parker at parkervg@earthlink.net .