JCS Academic Calendar Dates *January 21—Martin Luther King Holiday *January 22 & 23 —Student Vacation Days *January 31—Report Cards Go Out Selma Elementary AP Janice Jett Awarded Jack McCall Learning Award Janice Jett, Assistant Principal at Selma Elementary, has completed the Leadership Program for Aspiring Principals with the Center for School Leadership Development at the University of North Carolina. She has read, discussed, and completed study guides for 8 books, 14 professional articles, and multiple case studies assigned by 25 instructors. She also received the Jack McCall Award for the greatest contribution to classroom learning, an honor bestowed upon her by her 27 fellow assistant principals in the course. She also won an Academic Achievement Award. For more information, please call Robin Herridge, Selma Elementary Principal, at 919.963.3361. Also at Selma Elementary, Students are currently researching Black History to learn about some of the African Americans who had positive impacts on the world, in preparation for a poster display throughout the month of February. Corinth Holders Corinth-Holders Elementary School proudly announces the opening of its new playground. This is the result of a collaborative effort involving the administration, the PTO, the staff and the community who share the Pirate Pride in our school. After months of hard work and several activities, including McTeachers night at McDonald's in Zebulon, School Fundraising and a Fall Festival, enough funds were collected to renew the school playground and add new soccer goals to be used in the new areas available after the removal of the old trailers on Campus. For more information, please call Betty Bennett, Principal, at 919.3656.7560. Also at Corinth, The staff and students of Corinth-Holders Elementary thanks its community for assisting with its December canned food and clothing drive that benefited many families in our school. Twenty-five families in our school received the canned goods. On Tuesday, December 18, in our cafeteria we were able to give away much needed clothes and toys to several members in our community. Benson Middle Students Give Back Students at Benson Middle School want to help their community be a better place in which to live and grow up. During this Christmas season, students brought toys for children that would be distributed by the local churches in conjunction with the community food pantry. There were over 150 new toys brought by the students. This project was sponsored by the school’s Junior Beta Club. Students of the Beta Club also serve the community throughout the year by way of their own individual service opportunities. Each semester the Beta students serve a minimum of five hours using their own gifts and talents in ways of their own choosing. Some of the volunteer projects they have participated in are church activities, highway pick-up, parks and recreation, helping at home, tutoring, and fund raisers for worthy causes. Students are encouraged to serve others through giving of themselves in whatever ways they can be used. Polenta Holds Successful Drive Polenta Elementary School's Student Council held its annual food drive from Dec. 4-12. The event was very successful. Donations will benefit the Cleveland Basic Needs Ministry. For more information, please call Deborah Johnston, Principal, at 919.989.6039. West View Elementary Student Wins News & Observer Writing Contest (New) Allie Sekulich, in Ms. Poole’s fifth grade class, won a writing contest with the News and Observer. She is a winner in the NCSU/NIE Character Ed Contest. Allie submitted one of the best entries describing someone with good character. Allie won four tickets to the January 5 NCSU Basketball game at the RBC Center. All winners will have their picture taken with the NCSU mascots and the photo will be published in the News and Observer. For more information, please call Nancy Parker at 919.661.6184. Class of 1956 Gives Money in Memory of Principal (New) The Selma High School Class of 1956 presented Selma Elementary’s Media Center with a gift of $450. The money was collected at their 51st reunion that was held October 6. The money was given in memory of Rex Mitchell who was principal of Selma High School from 1954–1958. Picture attached. Left to right: Ollie Johnson Stallings, member of the class of ’56, Leta Woodall, Media Center Coordinator & Shelby Dixon Sitison, class of ’56. For more information, please call Angela Piper at 919.965-6373. Recipient of the Minority Male Mentoring Award 2007 (New) Curtis Amerson, a senior at Johnston County Middle College High School, was presented with the Johnston Community College Minority Male Mentoring Award 2007 on December 6, 2007, at St. Peter’s Disciple Church of Christ in Smithfield for Academic Excellence. Curtis, along with approximately 20 other male students at Johnston Community College, was recently honored for completing the Minority Male Mentoring Program. They attended a banquet which included a holiday luncheon as well as the presentation of awards and certificates for the students’ dedication and hard work. The primary focus of the Minority Male Mentoring Program is to increase graduation and retention rates among minority males in the state’s community college system. The program provides activities that promote personal development, improve academic skills, and teach substance abuse education among minority males. Students attend weekly seminars, hear motivational speakers, and participate in career planning and academic and personal counseling. For more information, please call Dr. Amelia McLeod, Principal, at 919.464.2303. Students Performed in the Honors Chorus (New) Johnston County Students performed in the NC Music Educators Association Honors Chorus on November 11, 2007, at Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Middle School students participating include: Nirmine Moore, Kimberly Lucas, Kasie Velez, Olivia Barnes, Valerie Alvarenga. Teacher sponsors include: Jeannie Barnes, Selma Elementary; Darla Peedin, North Johnston Middle; Carla Jones, Cooper Elementary; and Erika McRoberts, Corinth Holders Elementary For more information, please call Jeannie Barnes at 919.965.3361. Elementary students participating: Middle School students participating: Nirmine Moore, Kimberly Lucas, Kasie Velez, Olivia Barnes Valerie Alvarenga. Sponsoring teachers are: Sponsoring teacher: Jeannie Barnes, Selma Elementary Darla Peedin, North Johnston Middle Carla Jones, Cooper Elementary Erika McRoberts, Corinth Holders Elementary ArcherLodgeMiddle School Promotes School Spirit and Community Involvement (New)(Photos) In an effort to foster school spirit and promote community involvement, Tracy Britto’s homeroom sponsored Archer Lodge Middle School’s first canned food drive. Over a nine-day period from December 3-13, students throughout the school collected 3,379 non-perishable items. To boost enthusiasm, homerooms also held a competition to see which could collect the most items. Joe Kitzer and Kelly King, student volunteers with Project Heart sponsored by Americorps, tracked school and homeroom progress by creating and maintaining a chart with daily homeroom totals in the school’s main hallway. Virginia Hocutt’s sixth grade class won the competition by collecting the most food donations with a total of 601 items. Hocutt’s homeroom was treated to juice and donuts on December 18, and Hocutt received a ride around the school parking lot in the Department of Agriculture’s giant motorized grocery cart. Six needy families were also on the Gators’ Christmas list. Sixty-eight hearts with personal information related to family members served as Angel Tree ornaments on the school’s Christmas Tree in the main office. School social worker Nan Jones helped coordinate this effort by identifying families in the community and providing personal information on the needs and interests of each family member. Principal Paula Coates sent a letter home with students to encourage participation and announced the Angel Tree at the school’s Band Concert on December 11. All 68 of the hearts were claimed by the end of the next day, and gifts of clothing and toys began accumulating beneath the tree. The Archer Lodge chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes also participated in the school’s giving efforts. Chapter members participated in the Toys for Tots campaign by bringing toys to their Christmas party on December 14. Collectively members contributed 52 toys to this worthy cause. For more information, please call Archer’s LodgeMiddle School at 919.553.0714. Photo 3: Eighth graders Aaron Holtzclaw, Steven Carney, Josh Leslie, Dalton Fletcher, and Brandon Corbett take a break from collecting non-perishable items for the canned food drive. SGA Held Canned Food Drive(New) The Student Government Association at FourOaksMiddle School held a canned food drive in December. Students collected 740 cans to donate to the Salvation Army of Johnston County. The seventh grade class won the competition and was rewarded with a hat day on December 19. The can items were collected for needy families. For more information, please call Susan Adams at 919.963.4022. Also at FourOaksMiddle School, Four Oaks Middle Students Placed Second and Third in Public Speaking Competition (New) Lance Kapral placed second ($25 prize) and Morgan Gatlin placed third ($15 prize) in a public speaking competition on December 14 sponsored by the Johnston County Soil & Water Conservation at the Agricultural Building in Smithfield. This event was held to present student-created speeches on watersheds. A banquet will be held to award prizes in January. For more information, please call Heidi Adams at 919.963.4022. Positive Behavior Support at Dixon Road Elementary (New) DixonRoadElementary School began to implement Positive Behavior Support (PBS) at the beginning of the school year. Students are recognized for positive behavior everywhere they are “caught being good.” Students are rewarded with stickers or stamps, and the student with the most stickers and stamps per grade level each week has their name read on the morning announcements. Every nine weeks, one class per grade level is awarded the Dynamite Dragonfly class for earning the most stickers and stamps as a classroom. This class has their picture taken and receives a special treat for showing such outstanding behavior. For more information, please call 919.894.7771. Also at DixonRoadElementary School, DixonRoadElementary School is getting students excited about science. There are four science labs in grades 2-5. Teachers in these grades utilize the labs to teach hands on activities that really motivate the children to learn and appreciate science. On January 4, 2008, Michele DeSmet took her students to the lab to learn about stream tables. The students were focused and interested on the experiment, and seemed genuinely excited. For more information, please call 919.894.7771. Artists-in-the-School Programs for the Month of January and February Anyone interested in observing any performances should call the school to request permission and confirm the date and time of the performance. 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. Tony Peacock will conduct a week-long writer’s residency at Meadow Elementary on February 20-21, 2008. Tony Peacock's five-day residency will increase student awareness of North Carolina writers and encourage the development of each student's voice. Garry Krinsky will perform “Toying with Science” at Clayton Middle on January 7, 2008, at 9 a.m. "Toying With Science" is a fast-paced performance that explores the principle of gravity, leverage, fulcrums, simple machines, and imagination through the use of mime, original music, and audience involvement. Barbara Cleary conduct a five-day writer residency at Riverwood Elementary on January 7-11, 2008. For five days, students will develop language arts skills, gain appreciation for poetic structures and expression, hear and read poetry from other countries and cultures, and write and read aloud a variety of original poems. Howard Craft will conduct a week-long writer’s residency at Benson Middle from January 7 to January 11, 2008. "Poetry for Life" is a five-day residency where students learn to explore their everyday experiences by partaking in a guided tour of the writing process. Cong Yuan will conduct a multi-cultural residency at South Smithfield Elementary from January 7-11 and January 14-18, 2008. In this two week residency, Cong Yuan will introduce students to many different aspects of the Chinese cultures, such as the language, calligraphy, Beijing Opera, Tai Chi, music, and the dance. Garry Krinsky will perform "Toying With Science" at East Clayton Elementary on January 11, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. "Toying With Science" is a fast-paced performance that explores the principle of gravity, leverage, fulcrums, simple machines, and imagination through the use of mime, original music, and audience involvement. Garry Krinsky will perform "Toying With Science" at Benson Middle on January 14, 2008. "Toying With Science" is a fast-paced performance that explores the principle of gravity, leverage, fulcrums, simple machines, and imagination through the use of mime, original music, and audience involvement. Howard Craft will conduct a week-long writer’s residency at Smithfield Middle on January 14-18, 2008. "Poetry for Life" is a five-day residency where students learn to explore their everyday experiences by partaking in a guided tour of the writing process. Garry Krinsky will perform “Toying with Science” at Archer Lodge Middle on January 17, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. "Toying With Science" is a fast-paced performance that explores the principle of gravity, leverage, fulcrums, simple machines, and imagination through the use of mime, original music, and audience involvement. Touring Theatre of NC will perform at North Johnston Middle on January 18, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. This theatre documentary is compiled directly from the diaries of young people from Austria, Germany, Hungary, and the Netherlands who lived during the Holocaust. Mike Wiley will perform “Tired Souls” at Clayton Middle on January 29, 2008, at 10:15 a.m. This one man show documents the tales of Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and nearly a dozen of the hundreds of men and women who stood up to Jim Crow's segregation, held tight to their bus money and walked for freedom for 381 days in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Gran'daddy Junebug will perform at West View Elementary on January 30, 2008. Gran'daddy Junebug's unique combination of storytelling and poetry - story - instills personal responsibility and respect of self and others. Bryant Holsenbeck will conduct a visual arts residency at West Johnston High on February 4-6, 2008. In this three day residency, Bryant will work with students to explore their environment and discover many different possibilities for making things out of simple throw-away objects Michael Cooper will perform at Corinth-HoldersSchool on February 5, 2008, at 8:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. He's got multiple heads, an enormous nose, and a great sense of humor-all to tell classic and original stories. Stageworks will perform "The Write Stuff" at Benson Elementary on February 7, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. In this performance, students are introduced to problem solution/evaluation writing through an exciting game show format. Mad Science will perform at Polenta Elementary on February 7, 2008, at 8:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. Mad Science will present an interactive program of amazing science and unbelievable feats of science and nature. Birdman Dave will perform at West Clayton Elementary on February 7, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Using live birds, storytelling, and audience participation, "Birdman" Dave will take students for a journey down the Amazon and all of its amazing wonders. Glen McNitt will conduct an origami workshop at Meadow Middle on February 7, 2008. In this day long workshop, Mr. McNitt will teach students to interpret Origami diagrams and includes each student folding several Origami models. Glen McNitt will conduct an origami workshop at Meadow Elementary on February 8, 2008. In this day long workshop, Mr. McNitt will teach students to interpret Origami diagrams and includes each student folding several Origami models. African American Dance Ensemble will perform at McGee's Crossroads Middle on February 8, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. This visual extravaganza of dance, music, and song provides an introduction to the dance, music, and cultural history of the nations of Africa. Kinetyx Dance Ensemble will perform at North Johnston Middle on February 8, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. Performed by dynamic, athletic, and engaging dancers, this one-hour performance will include audience participation and a repertoire of choreographic works that teach mathematics, science, language arts and world culture. Vaneep Sandhu will conduct a multi-cultural residency at Meadow on February 11-13, 2008. In this three day residency, Vaneep Sandhu will introduce various aspects of Indian heritage to the seventh grade students, including dance, fabrics, religions, and values of the Indian people. Almost Recess will perform at North Johnston High on February 12, 2008, at 8:00 a.m., as well as conduct an in-class workshop with voice students. Almost Recess will perform songs-both originals and covers- and band members describe how they create their music, incorporating explanations of vocal arrangements, songwriting, and the history of a cappella, voice parts, vocal drumming, and types of a cappella. Birdman Dave will perform at Princeton on February 12, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. using live birds, storytelling, and audience participation, "Birdman" Dave will take students for a journey down the Amazon and all of its amazing wonders. Christian Swenson will perform at PrincetonSchool on February 14, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. Using only body and voice, Christian draws form a global palate of styles, including Indian dance, Balinese drama, scat-singing, mime-morphing, and central Asian throat-singing to take the audience on a one of a kind adventure. Almost Recess will perform at Archer Lodge Middle on February 14, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Almost Recess will perform songs-both originals and covers- and band members describe how they create their music, incorporating explanations of vocal arrangements, songwriting, and the history of a cappella, voice parts, vocal drumming, and types of a cappella. Lee Bryan will perform at Cleveland Elementary on February 15, 2008, at 8:45 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. Original songs, magic tricks, and puppets deliver an environmental message in this unique vaudeville revue. Lee Bryan will perform at Glendale-Kenly Elementary on February 15, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. Original songs, magic tricks, and puppets deliver an environmental message in this unique vaudeville revue. Moscow Nights will perform at River Dell Elementary on February 15, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. Moscow Nights will offer students an entertaining and authentic glimpse into Old Russia through music, song, and dance. Tony Peacock will conduct a week-long writer's residency at Meadow Elementary on January 2-4 and February 20-21, 2008. Tony Peacock's five-day residency will increase student awareness of North Carolina writers and encourage the development of each student's voice. Joe Edwards will conduct a sculpture workshop at Clayton High on February 25, 2008. This day long clay sculpture workshop will lead students in innovative hand-building methods utilizing slab-building, coil-building, and form-building techniques. Bright Star Children's Theater will perform "Aesop's Fables" and "Heroes of the Underground" at Micro-Pine Level Elementary on February 26, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. "Aesop's Fables" is a whirlwind and hilarious tour through some of the most famous of these 2600 year old stories to explore character education, while "Heroes of the Underground" captures the stories of those that risked their lives to help people out of slavery. Glenis Redmond will perform at Clayton Middle on February 27, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. Glenis will perform her original poetry touching themes of self-esteem, respect, heritage, tolerance, and community. Diane Macklin will perform at McGee's Crossroads Elementary on February 29, 2008, at 9:15 a.m. This interactive multicultural storytelling program combines chants, songs, music and movement from the Americas and beyond. Diane Macklin will perform at McGee's Crossroads Middle on February 29, 2008, at 1:30 p.m. This interactive multicultural storytelling program combines chants, songs, music and movement from the Americas and beyond.
