JCS will observe Thanksgiving break, Wednesday, November 22 through Friday, November 24. Schools and offices will re-open on Monday, November 27. Annual Spelling Bee nets more than $19,000 for Education Foundation (New) The Johnston County Education Foundation hosted the tenth annual Adult Spelling Bee on November 16, 2006. Fifty-two teams participated in this year’s event. Each school was invited to bring a team. Additionally, each high school was invited to bring at least one student team. Businesses, industries, civic groups, chambers of commerce, financial institutions, and others were encouraged to bring teams to compete. Dr. Ken Brinson, Jr., Assistant Professor, NC State University, was this year’s expert word pronouncer. Miss Sarah Core, Teen Miss Johnston County, was the word displayer. Mr. Bo Barefoot served as the “Killer Bee,” popping the competition balloons of each team as they were eliminated. Mr. Ted Godwin, Education Foundation Board Member, served as the timekeeper. Team check-in was administered by Mrs. Jane Sawyer, Mrs. Donna Godwin, and Mr. Jeff Batten. Concessions were provided free of charge. The Adult Spelling Bee utilizes four-member team spelling. Each word is called for all teams to spell on paper. Discussion among team members is encouraged. When time is called, each team presents their written version of the word to their judge. The correct spelling is then displayed via overhead projector for judges to check. If a team misses a word, they have the option of being eliminated or of buying the word in order to stay in the competition. The First Team Out, which was an indication of under-financing instead of an indication of being the weakest speller, was the North Johnston Middle School team. They were awarded student dictionaries, Suduko Puzzle Books, Chick-Fil-A calendars, and Texas Steakhouse free lunch coupons. The teams’ sponsors were the Micro Oil Company and Goldcraft Jewelers. The Best Costume Award was presented to the “Benson Angels”, representing Benson Elementary School and sponsored by The County Press, Inc. The Spirit Award was presented to Polenta Elementary’s “No Sweat”, sponsored by Hite Associates and Embarq. The bank team that stayed in the competition the longest was “The Money Bees”, sponsored by KS Bank. For the business/industry category, the team that stayed in the longest was “The Bezoars”, sponsored by Johnston Memorial Hospital. They received a plaque for their efforts. In the educator category, the “Spartan Spellers” of Smithfield-Selma High School took home the plaque. In the “other category”, the team that stayed in the longest was “Tony’s Tigers”, the Central Services team, sponsored by Graduate Services East and Dees, Jackson, Jackson, & Associates. They received a plaque for their efforts. The student team that stayed in the longest was the West Johnston High School student team, sponsored by Reedy Creek Golf Course. The team received a plaque for its efforts. The Spelling Bee trophy and Olympic-style medallions were awarded to the “Spartan Spellers” of Smithfield-Selma High School. Team members Mary Helen Burgess, Alan Ford, Ruth Mills, and Mark Peterson received gift coupons to Sweetwater’s Grille and Cheesecake Co. While they bought a number of words during the early rounds of the competition, once no more buywords were accepted, they managed to out-spell teams who were still in the competition. The final word called, which broke a three-way tie between the “Spartan Spellers” of Smithfield-Selma High School, “The Bezoars” of Johnston Memorial Hospital, and the Benson Chamber of Commerce team was “cabochon”. The Benson Chamber of Commerce also won the “Generosity Award”. “Baldmoney” was the most misspelled word, bringing in $1,000 combined from all the teams that missed it. Other words that were great money-makers for the Education Foundation were pinnigrade, norns, habiliments, monaural, and pestilence. This year’s Adult Spelling Bee grossed $19,070 for the Johnston County Education Foundation. The funds will be used to support teacher grants and other programs of the local non-profit organization, which exists to promote innovation, involvement, and excellence in the public schools. For more information, contact Lorine Davis, JCEF Executive Director, at 919.934.7977. Senior project teaches Meadow Elementary’s youngsters not to talk to strangers (New) For her senior project, Brittany Hudson made a presentation called Don’t Talk to Strangers to Mrs. Miller's 1st grade class at Meadow Elementary School. The Benson Police Department contributed goody bags for the students. For more information, please call Karla Denning at 919.894.7064. Computer for Education fundraiser a big success at Four Oaks Elementary (New) Four Oaks Elementary participated in the Computers For Education fundraiser. Students who brought back a completed address booklet received two participation prizes and were entered into a drawing for two grand prizes offered by the company, a Jo-Bot, which is a remote controlled robot and the "World's Largest Piano Mat”. In addition to the grand prizes, Four Oaks Elementary added ten $10 checks to the drawing. Last year, Four Oaks Elementary received The "Benson Angels" (began the competition as angels, but after the easy words changed their attire to that of devils, as shown here) $4,795 which was used to purchase three presentation stations, three data projectors, three document cameras and two CD sets of royalty-free music. FOES is hoping to exceed the $5,000 mark this year. The money is earmarked for 16 GPS devices and a 32-pad set of eInstruction which is an electronic student response system. For more information, please call Kim Wellons, Principal, at 919.963.2166. Eating soup can bring school supplies to Meadow Elementary (New) The Meadow School Parent Involvement Department is hosting a Campbells Soup Label Drive. With holiday cooking and cold weather coming up, there are sure to be many Campbells Soup labels around. Campbells Soup Company offers free school supplies and resources in exchange for the soup labels. Meadow Elementary is hoping all school and community members will participate in this project. Labels can be turned in to homeroom teachers or the school office. For more information, please call Darene Honeycutt at 919.864.7064. November calendar exciting for Polenta Elementary School’s kindergarteners November 21--All kindergarten classes will have a Thanksgiving play in the Multipurpose Room. For more information, please call Deborah Bennett at 919.989.6039. Meadow Elementary to hold diabetes fundraiser during month of November Meadow’s goal is to raise a minimum of $560 to help fight diabetes. The school will have "Coins for a Cure" jars placed throughout the school for donations. The school will also sponsor several promotional days to raise additional funds: Tuesday, November 21, students may pay $2 to dress tacky on "Tacky Day." For more information, please call Karla Parker in the Guidance Department at 919.894.4226. First graders learn about Native Americans at West View Elementary School Michele Myers first grade class will be having a Native American celebration. The children will sing, recite a poem, perform a Cherokee dance, and present information about Native Americans in our country. The show will take place at 1:15 p.m. on November 21 and will be followed by refreshments. For more information, please call Michele Myers at 919.661.6184. Meadow School fundraiser rescheduled from Nov. 14th to Nov. 21st (Change in Date) Additional funds are needed to support parent involvement projects at Meadow Elementary School. The school has teamed with the Smithfield Golden Corral to sponsor a School Spirit Night where Golden Corral donates $1 for each Meadow customer eating dinner on Tuesday night, November 21, 2006. Customers must present a special coupon with their order for Meadow to redeem the $1 donation. Coupons will be distributed to all students. Additional coupons are available upon request. For more information, please call Frank Swinyer, Principal, at 919.894.7064. Student artwork featured in Johnston Memorial Hospital Pediatrics Unit The Johnston County Arts Council and Johnston Memorial Hospital invite you to attend the “Student Art Exhibit for the Pediatrics Unit.” Artwork from students at the AIG Center will be on display through November 25, 2006. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, please call Sue Booker, Art teacher, at 919.934.9529. Senior project focuses on missing and abducted children (New) Debra Setelo, a senior at South Johnston High School, will present a Program on "Missing and Abducted Children" at Meadow School in Mrs. Luann Woodard's 1st grade classroom on Monday, November 27, 2006, at 8:30 a.m. as her Johnston County Senior Project requirement. The purpose is to demonstrate a senior's ability to write, speak, apply knowledge and skills, solve problems and practice life skills of time management and organization. The project integrates career planning, technical preparation and academic excellence in order to train students to become productive citizens in the work force. For more information, please call Karla Denning at 919.894.7064. Native American storyteller to visit Meadow School Lloyd Arneach, a Native American storyteller, will be visiting Meadow School at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, November 29.Grades K-5 are invited to attend. Mr. Arneach was born and raised on the Cherokee Reservation. He has been telling stories in schools since 1990.The Native American Storyteller was selected by the Artists in the Schools committee because Native American culture is studied in the 5th grade curriculum. This event will take place in the school gym. For more information, please contact Darene Honeycutt at 919.894.7064. Mime’s actions to speak to North Johnston Middle School students Trent Arterberry is a mime who uses his program, Actions Speak Louder, to help students make the right decisions when confronting challenges like peer pressure, moral confusion, dangerous drugs and coercive advertising. Arterberry will be performing at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, December 1, 2006, in the North Johnston Middle School gym as part of the Artists-in-the-Schools Program. The Artists-in-the-Schools Program is supported by the Fred Smith Company, the Johnston County Arts Council, Johnston County Schools and corporate, foundation and individual donors. This program is modeled on the Artists in the Schools program of the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County and is supported in part by services provided by United Arts. For more information, please call Melissa Sevigny, Band Teacher, at 919.284.3374. Festival of Trees to include performance by Four Oaks Elementary School (New) Students from Four Oaks Elementary School will perform at the Festival of Trees at the Johnston Medical Mall in Smithfield on Wednesday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. For more information, please contact Elaine Butler, Christine Avery, or Nicky Lee at 963-2165. December Dates to remember for Polenta Elementary School December 8—The 3rd Grade Chorus will perform at the Festival of Trees at 11 a.m. in Smithfield. For more information, please call Susan Marler. December 12—As part of the Artist-in-the-Schools program, Felix Pitre will share many of the Hispanic traditions that were passed down to him from his own family. The program includes stories and songs from Latin America, bringing to life the culture of Latin America with instruments, dance and language, performed in English interwoven with Spanish words and phrases. Children will enjoy stories such as Juan Bobo and Paco & the Witch, and sing along with a sign-language song as well as familiar classics, and even play along with Latin American instruments. December 14 –The 3rd Grade Chorus will perform a Holiday Classic at 7 p.m. during the PTA Meeting. For more information, please Nancy Nettles, Principal, at 919.989.6039. Selma Elementary School Chorus goes on tour The Selma Elementary School Chorus will be going ‘on tour’ to area nursing homes to show compassion and enrich the lives of senior citizens and the elderly by performing holiday music. Performances will take place on Wed., Dec. 13, at various times. The times and locations are as follows: 9:00 at Unity House in Selma; 9:30 at Selma Library; 10:15 at Selma Senior Center; 11:00 at JMH; 11:45 at Golden Corral for lunch; 1:15 at Carolina House; and 2:00 at Smithfield Manor. For more information, please contact Jeannie Barnes at 919.965.3361. Empty Bowl at Polenta Elementary School to benefit hungry Polenta Elementary School will have its annual EMPTY BOWL project which will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on December 14. Ceramic bowls and Christmas ornaments will be bartered off for food items and money. The art club will be working hard to make these items. All proceeds will go to the North Carolina Food Banks. For more information, please call Nancy Nettles, Principal, at 919.989.6039. Career Day to help North Johnston Middle Schoolers prepare for future (New) On December 15, 2006, approximately 210 eighth grade students at North Johnston Middle School will attend “Career Day 2006” from 8 a.m.-12 noon. The purpose of the Career Day is: • to develop student awareness of a wide variety of career opportunities • to connect for students the role of education and the world of work • to further develop the partnership between the NJMS community and the school • to give relevancy to the school curriculum and careers of interest • to further students knowledge as they consider their course selections for ninth grade. Participants include at least 18 businesses/individuals representing careers in the areas of Education (representatives from North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, and North Carolina Teaching Forum), Business/Trades (Heating & Air Conditioning, Surveying, Real Estate & English Second Language Dept. at Johnston County Schools’ Central Office), Service Industries (Micro, Pine Level and Kenly Fire Department, Clayton and North Johnston Emergency Medical Services , Law Enforcement (Johnston County Sheriff’s Dept, and Women’s Prison-Dept of Corrections), Sports (Mudcats), Media (Kenly News), and Military. The Career Day is co-sponsored by GEAR UP, which is providing lunch for presenters and staff participating in Career Day. For more information, please contact Mona Finch, Computer Skills Teacher, North Johnston Middle School, at 919.284.3374. Imagination Station brings in Four Oaks Middle Schoolers (New) A 7th grade field trip, Imagination Station—"Science on Wheels", will feature a hands on demonstration and presentation on physics and chemistry on Tuesday, December 19, at 9:30 a.m., in the Four Oaks Middle School gym. Students will also travel to Smithfield to eat at a Japanese restaurant. The event is being held to combine science and social studies to extend curriculum. For more information, please call Lisa Calcutt, Principal, at 919.963.4022
