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September 2008

September 17

Eastern High to Hold Homecoming Parade
Eastern High will hold a homecoming parade in downtown Gibsonville on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 4 p.m. The parade will include a spirit contest. For more information, please contact Principal Travis Reeves at 336-449-6311.

Ferndale Middle Club Receives National Recognition
Students in Ferndale Middle’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter were featured in the “Tomorrow’s Business Leader” magazine and received national recognition for winning first place in the middle level computer slideshow competition among all North Carolina schools. For more information, please contact Principal Mark Harris at 336-819-2855.

September 10

Falkener Elementary to Hold “Black Tie VIP Back-to-School Night”
Falkener Elementary will hold a “Black Tie VIP Back-to-School Night” on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 6:30 p.m. Parents will receive information on ways they can support their children this year in school and will also attend an annual Title I meeting. After the meeting, parents will walk through classrooms to see the work children have done during the first two weeks of school. For more information, please contact Julian Plummer, assistant principal, at 336-370-8150.

Northern Middle Celebrates World Water Monitoring Day
On Sept.18 beginning at 10 a.m., students at Northern Middle will participate in World Water Monitoring Day by monitoring the water quality of the Haw River at The Summit Conference Center. 

Students will perform various tests to determine aspects of water quality, such as pH and dissolved oxygen, using the Xplorer GLX probeware purchased through a grant. By conducting these tests, students will learn about the importance of acting as good stewards. For more information, please contact Principal Sam Misher at 336-605-3342.

Hunter Elementary Receives $3,000 from Target to Purchase Bilingual Books
At Hunter Elementary, approximately 37 percent of students come from homes where the primary language is Spanish. Without bilingual books, many families are not able to help children with their reading homework.

Through a $3,000 grant from Target, Hunter will purchase bilingual books for students in kindergarten through third grade. In addition, the grant will go toward purchasing food and beverages for four parent programs that will be held throughout the 2008-09 school year. The grant is part of ongoing efforts by Target to strengthen families and communities throughout the country. For more information, please contact Suzanne Fray, school social worker, at 336-294-7345.

Northwest High Student Selected to Serve on National Youth Violence Prevention Board
Cassady Tetsworth, a junior at Northwest High, will serve on the National Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Youth Advisory Board. Recognized as a leader in her school and community, Cassady will join nine other youth leaders to discuss school violence issues and develop action plans for not only her SAVE chapter, but for SAVE chapters across the nation. 

As a member of the board, Cassady will travel to Raleigh in early October to attend a National Youth Leadership Institute. She will help plan and organize activities for America’s Safe Schools Week (October 20-24), National SAVE Day (October 22), National Youth Violence Prevention Week (March 23-27) and prepare for SAVE’s 20th anniversary. For more information, please contact Principal Angelo Kidd at 336-605-3300.

The Academy at Smith Receives Grant from Ecolab Foundation
Two science teachers from The Academy at Smith are recipients of the Visions for Learning Grant, a grant designed to reward individual teacher’s creativity and innovation in classroom learning. Sherri Pilson and Daniel Bressler will receive $3,000 to purchase equipment for their chemistry and biology courses, collectively.

The Visions for Learning Grant, funded through the Ecolab Foundation, helps seventh- through 12th-grade teachers enrich the classroom experience and engage students by providing funding for curriculum material. For more information, please contact Principal Patrice Faison at 336-316-5866.

Creative Communications Accepts Writing from Ragsdale High Students
The following students from Ragsdale High had non-fiction essays or poetry accepted for publication by Creative Communications. Their teacher was Ms. Susan Miller.

• Essays: Chris Armwood, Mary Chong, Gretchen Hemm, Bennett Hixson, Trang Nguyen, Luke Sonnricker, Brandon Walker, Daniel Walker, Michael Whited, Ashley Wilt, Eric Womack and Justin James

• Poems: Emily Brown, Kyleigh Garrison, Kim Hoang, Nick Joyner, Sarah Kennell, Kyle McCarty, Ana Mustafa, Danny Nemati, Erin Phelps, Junbe Pimentel, Imani Pressley, John Ritter, Emily Rothermel and Nick Smith

Ragsdale was also awarded Creative Communications’ Poetic Achievement Award, which is given to schools whose students’ entries to the poetry contest are of exceptionally high merit. For more information, please contact Principal Kathy Rogers at 336-819-2960.

Vandalia Elementary Accepted into Oprah’s O Ambassadors Program
Students at Vandalia Elementary will participate in the O Ambassadors Program, a joint project of Oprah's Angel Network and Free the Children. These students will work toward the UN Millennium Development Goals, learning about global issues and making a tangible difference in the lives of their peers in the developing world. They are part of a network of O Ambassadors clubs across North America that are working to find solutions to global challenges through active learning, idea sharing and taking action. Through this program, youth in North America have the unique opportunity to develop leadership skills and become active and compassionate global citizens.

Throughout the year, the Vandalia O Ambassadors Club will raise awareness about the importance of a holistic approach to development. Every two months, the club will focus on a different theme (poverty, education, health and sustainable development) in East Africa and organize fundraising and awareness-raising events for their school with the help of posters, how-to guides, regional guides and an educator binder. For more information, please contact Principal Keisha McMillan at 336-370-8275.

September 3

Archer Elementary Fourth-Graders “Hooked on Books”
Thanks to a $5,000 grant from The Pratt Family Foundation and The Teague Foundation through a partnership with the Beta Gamma chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Sorority, Archer Elementary fourth-grade classes will participate in the “Hooked on Books” program. 

On Oct. 30, Nov. 6 and Nov. 20, fourth-grade students will take a field trip to Borders Bookstore to purchase $70 worth of books, including a dictionary. Teaching Fellows from North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University will help students choose books appropriate for their reading level.

This program will give students an opportunity to begin a library at home and will encourage them to become lifelong readers. For more information, please contact Principal Patrice Brown at 336-294-7335.

Northwest High School Newspaper Receives National Award
“Northwest Horizons,” Northwest High’s student newspaper, received the rating of “First Class with One Mark of Distinction” from the National Scholastic Press Association. The school’s journalism class publishes the paper, which comes out every four weeks during the school year. For more information, please contact Principal Angelo Kidd at 336-605-3300.

Current Good News

About Guilford County Schools
Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina serving more than 71,000 students at 120 schools. With approximately 10,000 employees, the district’s mission is to graduate responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice.

Guilford County Schools is a national leader in providing specialized schools and instructional programs designed to meet the educational needs of a culturally diverse citizenship. For more information, visit the district’s Web site at www.gcsnc.com.