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.

Feb. 13, 2006

DOUGLAS CELEBRATES INSTALLATION OF THE STORY QUILT
Students at Douglas Elementary will join together Feb. 16 to celebrate the installation of a Story Quilt that students began working on in the fall of 2004. Writer Susie Wilde and textile artist Peg Gignoux helped students make the "Art is for Dragons" story quilt. Wilde worked with third-, fourth- and fifth-graders on their writing. Gignoux worked concurrently with K-5 students to construct the quilt. The quilt began as squares of white cloth and was transformed into a five-panel quilt. The size is 15 feet long by 5 feet tall. There are five panels and each panel has part of the story digitally inscribed on it. Just as students learned the importance of developing stories with strong beginnings, middles and endings, the quilt's panels focus on the beginning, middle and end of a story so it can be used as a teaching tool. As part of the school celebration, the school chorus will sing and a short play by a Douglas Drama Troupe will be performed based on the quilt story. The artists in residence, Susie Wilde and Peg Gignoux will attend. For more information contact Ann Ramsay at Douglas Elementary at 881-1421.

WCPSS HOLDS BATTLE OF THE BOOKS
More than 200 students from 20 WCPSS middle schools will compete in the Wake County Battle of the Books 8:30 a.m., Saturday, March 4 at Southeast Raleigh High.

Participating schools will have a team of up to 12 students who compete to answer questions from the North Carolina School Library Media Association list of books, which included The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Al Capone Does My Shirts and Artemis Fowl.

The WCPSS schools taking part this year include Apex MS, Carnage MS, Daniels MS, Davis Drive MS, Durant Road MS, East Garner MS, East Millbrook MS, Fuquay-Varina MS, Heritage MS, Holly Ridge MS, Leesville Road MS, Ligon MS, Lufkin Road MS, Maritn MS, Reedy Creek MS, Salem MS, Wakefield MS, Wake Forest-Rolesville MS, West Cary MS and West Lake MS.

The Battle of the Books program seeks to encourage reading by all students at the middle school level. Through this experience, students 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 winning team for Wake County Battle of the Books goes on to compete in regional and state competitions. This is the 25th year the Battle of the Books competition has been held in NC.

SE RALEIGH RECEIVES HONOR FOR SCHOOL COUNSELING
At its Feb. 7 meeting, the Board of Education recognized Southeast Raleigh High Dean of Students Marrius Pettiford and the school's counseling team for becoming one of the first high schools in the nation to receive the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) Award from from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). This award recognizes schools that have implemented a results-based, comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program that shows measurable results in improving student achievement, attendance, and behavior. This model will be implemented system wide over a five-year period. Leesville Road High and Wakefield High have also implemented the national model and received the RAMP Award in 2005.

TWO WCPSS SCHOOLS NAMED SUPER SAFE SCHOOLS
Brassfield Road and Vandora Springs elementary schools have been named Super Safe Schools by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction for providing a safe learning environment for its students and staff.

Brassfield and Vandora Springs are two of the 43 NC public schools the state has designated 2005-06 Super Safe Schools. Brassfield, located in North Raleigh, and Vandora Springs, located in Garner, were the only Triangle schools to be selected for the award this year. This is the fifth time Vandora Springs has earned the award and the second time for Brassfield.

Assistant Principal Barbara David and counselor Lauri McCoy of Brassfield and Troy Peuler of Vandora Springs received their awards during a luncheon ceremony at the 2006 Safe Schools and Character Education Conference being held in Greensboro.

To receive recognition as a Super Safe School, schools voluntarily submit a portfolio documenting the safety processes they have in place. On-site visits also are conducted prior to final recommendations. In recognition of their achievement, each school received a plaque designating them as a Triple "S" School for 2005-06.

ALLEN NAMED STATE ELEMENTARY COUNSELOR OF THE YEAR
Aimee Allen, counselor at Lincoln Heights Elementary School, was named 2005-06 North Carolina Elementary School Counselor of the Year. She will represent North Carolina in the national awards program sponsored by the American School Counselor Association.

WCPSS TEACHER COAUTHORS TECHNOLOGY TEXTBOOK
Southeast Raleigh High teacher Tom Knott has coauthored a book being used in the Cisco Networking Academy Program. Knott, a Networking Academy instructor and IT Career-Focused Learning Community Director at the Career and Technical Education Dept. at Southeast Raleigh High, worked with Wendell Odom to write Networking Basics CCNA 1 Companion Guide which is due to be published by Cisco Press March 23, 2006. Networking Basics CCNA 1 Companion Guide is the official supplemental textbook for the CCNA 1 course of the Cisco Networking Academy Program. The 600-page textbook includes original material developed by the authors, and fully aligns with the CCNA 1 curriculum. For more information on the book, visit http://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587131641&rl=1

NORTH RIDGE NAMED A GOLDEN APPLE SCHOOL
North Ridge Elementary was recognized as a Golden Apple School by the NC Center for the Advancement of Teaching. North Ridge was one of 33 schools in the state with this honor. North Ridge teachers dedicated the honor to the memory of the late Nancy Dennen, a loved and respected faculty member who died last year. The recognition means that every teacher on the school's faculty who has attended an NCCAT seminar or a teacher-scholar residency made a contribution to the center's annual fund-raising campaign.

WINNERS CHOSEN FOR GIFTS OF GOLD STUDENT ART EXHIBIT
Winners have been chosen for the Gifts of Gold Student Art Exhibit that will be featured in the lobby of Memorial Auditorium on March 7-8, 2006, during the Pieces of Gold performances. A panel of judges selected this year's winners, including Best in Show and the N.C. Symphony Award. Each art teacher in Wake County is encouraged to submit one piece of student art for this exceptional show. One hundred students competed.

Student artwork will be featured in the lobby of Memorial Auditorium on March 7-8, 2006, and student artists will be honored at a reception on March 7 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Images of the winning artwork and a complete list of student participants, along with information about the Pieces of Gold performance, can be found at www.WakeEdPartnership.org .

Best in Show:
Athens Drive High - Kelsey Downs - Lora Stager, teacher

First Place:
Vandora Springs Elementary - Jessica Shore - Kathleen Robinson, teacher
Salem Middle - Taylor DeMorat - Nancy Icardi, teacher
Southeast Raleigh High - Nicki Ostrishko - Jodi Aker, teacher

Second Place:
Olds Elementary - Lily Highsmith - Madelyn Smoak, teacher
Ligon Middle - Morgan Harvey - Rebekah Arrington, teacher
Leesville Road High - Erika Tierney-James - Lin Stevens, teacher

Third Place:
Lincoln Heights Elementary - Taylor Weeks - Jim Hunt, teacher
Fred A. Smith Elementary - Jennifer Suazo - Mary Walden, teacher
Ligon Middle - Dah Young Yoon - N.C. Haischer, teacher
Green Hope High - Burleigh Bodart - Melissa Carl, teacher

3-D Art Award:
Middle Creek High - Jonathan Lee - Doug Gilliam, teacher

North Carolina Symphony Award:
Athens Drive High - Kelsey Downs - Lora Stager, teacher
This award winner will have the opportunity to design the cover for the N.C Symphony school materials for the upcoming season.

Pieces of Gold is an annual arts extravaganza produced by the Wake Education Partnership and WCPSS every year in order to emphasize the importance of art in education as well as to challenge students and educators in creative thinking as they prepare a performance which both entertains and supports their curriculum. The show features more than 850 students representing 31 groups from 29 WCPSS schools.

Pieces of Gold will be held at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday, March 8, at 7 p.m. Tickets are available from the box office at the Progress Energy Center or through Ticketmaster. For more information about Gifts of Gold and Pieces of Gold , visit http://www.wakeedpartnership.org/Events/POG/Pieces_Of_Gold.htm .

APEX JV CHEERLEADERS WIN COUNTYWIDE COMPETITION
The Apex High Junior Varsity Cheerleading Squad took first place at the county wide competition held at Middle Creek High School. The squad was also awarded "Best Dance Routine" out of all the county high schools.


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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