JCS Academic Calendar Dates *November 12—Holiday (Veterans’ Day) *November 21, 22, 23—Thanksgiving Holidays *December 21-31—Christmas Holidays and Winter Break *January 1—New Year’s Holiday Cultural Fair TONIGHT at WestJohnstonHigh School On behalf of the Freshman Academy teachers and students at West Johnston High School, tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the WJHS Freshman Academy is hosting its 2nd annual Cultural Fair in the Freshman Academy Village. The Cultural Fair is a student-driven event, and a fantastic display of their dedication, enthusiasm, and creativity. This year's event is a carnival-like family-friendly display of our students' research projects. There will be a firetruck and a NASCAR car on display, BMX demonstrations, face painting, on-stage entertainment, and themed rooms displaying our students' work. Refreshments will be served, and hot cocoa will be available. For more information, please call Melissa Russell Ausley, Freshman English, White House Lead Teacher at 919.934.7333 or MelissaAusley@johnston.k12.nc.us SGA at Meadow Helps Family in Need (New) The SGA raised more than $1,200.00 for the family of a Kindergarten student whose family lost everything in a house fire. On October 17, Meadow's SGA officers met the family at Wal-Mart in Dunn for a shopping spree to spend the money that was collected for them to replace needed household items. This was a great first-hand experience in which the students were able to bring joy to those in need and participate in a community service project. For more information, please call Karla Denning, Guidance Counselor, at 919.894.4226. Also at MeadowSchool, American Legion’s Banner Post 109 VisitsMeadowSchool(New) In observance of Veteran’s Day, American Legion’s Banner Post 109 and its Auxiliary sponsored “Veterans in the Classroom” at MeadowSchool November 7. Veterans speaking to students were Ray Smith, Charles Whitaker, Jerry Tart, and Avis Hayes. Students listened as these veterans shared their past experiences and continued commitment to this great nation. At the close of each session, students were given the opportunity to ask the veterans questions. For more information, please call Denise Byrd, Assistant Principal at 919.894.4226. Also at MeadowSchool, Veteran’s Day Activity (New) First grade students at Meadow School have completed an interview with a U.S. veteran to learn more about our local veterans. Students will read and study about the origin of Veterans Day during this week. Students have also planned a special day for the veterans; they have invited the veteran they interviewed to lunch on November 13. The students will sing an original composition by Mrs. Honeycutt for the veterans. Student work samples will also be on display in the classroom. For more information, please call Janet Pope, Assistant Principal at 919.894.4226. RiverwoodMiddle School Student Presented with Vision Poster (New) Destiny Sanders was presented with a poster of her artwork on Wednesday, November 7, during Riverwood Middle’s School Improvement Team meeting. Riverwood Middle created the new schoolwide vision statement, Respecting, Accepting, Valuing, Empowering, and Nurturing, last year. Students were asked to participate in an art contest which related to the school’s new vision statement. Destiny’s work was selected and published by the JCS printing service department as a banner. The banner will now be displayed at RiverwoodMiddle School. For more information, please call Sonya Grice, Assistant Principal at 919.359.2769. GEAR UP to Host a College Rally (New) Johnston County GEAR UP will host a Road to College Rally on Tuesday November 13, 2007, at Johnston Community College from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Colleges from around the state will be represented in a mini-college fair format. There will be a reception during the College Fair and a short presentation about GEAR UP and the importance of a college education following. For more information, please call Megan Shaner, Gear Up Program Coordinator at 919.965.2555. Clayton Middle to Raise Money for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (New) The Clayton Middle Student Leadership Team is sponsoring a fundraising campaign for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Student Leadership Team is selling “shoes” to tape on each homebase door to help “Stomp out Diabetes.” The winning homebase will receive breakfast. Also, the Student Leadership Team is selling tickets for $1 for a chance to dunk our Assistant Principal, Mr. Parker, in the dunking booth on November 13-16. Our goal is $1,000. For more information, please call Kristen Woodall, Counselor, at 919.553.5811. River Dell Elementary to Host “Starbucks” Café (New) River Dell Elementary School will host its annual "Starbucks" Cafe on Wednesday, November 14, 2007. It will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. For more information, please call Bonnie W. Vause at 919.553.1977. Selma Elementary to Celebrate American Education Week (New) Dr. Allen Rowe, a Norfolk State University professor, will give a 45-minute presentation at Selma Elementary in the auditorium on Friday, November 16, 2007. He will be speaking about the wonders of science to our second and fifth grade classes at 11:00 – 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 – 2:35 p.m. For more information, please call Janice Jett, Assistant Principal at 919.965.3361. Preview at WestJohnstonHigh School(New) The public is cordially invited to a free preview of the West Johnston Bands and Guard's Fall Marching Show "The Martian Chronicles" on Monday, November 12 at 7 p.m. Inspired by the writings of Ray Bradbury and Jules Verne and the music of Amin Bhatia, this is your boarding pass to join us on our fantastic journey of pageantry and music to Mars! For more information, please call Lance Britt, Director of Bands, at 919.934.7333. Gooden Named Chamber October Teacher of the Month (New) Lance Gooden, a math teacher at Johnston County Middle College High School was selected as the Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber Teacher of the Month for October 2007. Gooden was presented with a trophy and a bag of goodies from area Chamber businesses at the October faculty/staff monthly meeting. Mr. Gooden is the Math Department Chair, Technology Facilitator, and is currently pursuing his Masters in Math Education from Campbell University. Lance submitted his portfolio for NBCT last year and is awaiting results at this time. For more information, please call Dr. Amelia McLeod, Principal, 919.464.2303. In picture left to right: Rick Childrey – President; Brian Tremblay – Education Vice Chair; Dr. Amelia McLeod – Principal; Lance Gooden; and Kathy Mann – Treasurer Also at MiddleCollege, JC Middle College High to Participate in the North CarolinaCollege Application Week Event (New) Johnston County Middle College High School is pleased to announce its participation in the statewide 2007 North Carolina College Application Week event. In an effort to further expand college access initiatives, College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) and the Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO) are co-sponsoring the College Application Weekto be held November 12-16, 2007. This project provides an opportunity for seniors in the participating schools to complete and submit CFNC.org online applications to colleges and promotes application to college in general. The goal is to encourage more students applying to North Carolina colleges early in their senior year. Johnston County Middle College High School is one of approximately 100 schools across the state that was selected to participate in the 2007 College Application Week event. By Fall 2008, this will be a statewide effort. For more information about JohnstonCountyMiddleCollegeHigh School, please call 919.464.2303. Graduation Project Showcase (New) JohnstonCountyMiddleCollegeHigh School is hosting their Fall Cohort Graduation Project Showcase on Wednesday, November 28, 2007, at JohnstonCommunity College in the Great Hall (Tart Building Lobby) from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Showcase will exhibit Graduation Project Products in an expo style to introduce our Seniors to the business and professional community. The Showcase will be a good place for businesses to prospect for future employees and internships. For more information, please call Mrs. Titania Methvin, Graduation Project Coordinator, at 919.464.2303. Empty Bowl Project at Polenta Elementary (New) Fourth Grade Art Club members are making ceramic bowls and Christmas ornaments to barter for canned food and monetary donations to benefit the Clayton Area Ministries. Empty bowl projects are statewide projects to target hunger. This is our fourth annual Empty Bowl project at Polenta, and has proven to be a great school-wide community service project that involves the arts. Students can use their artistic talents to help others in need. Sadly hunger remains a serious problem in central and eastern North Carolina, especially in our general area. Our contributions will be distributed throughout our surrounding area to help soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters and after school programs for children. The bowls and ornaments will be on display in the art room. The Empty Bowl project will be held on November 29 and will be in the hall outside the art room. It will start at 8 a.m. and last until the last bowl is sold. Last year, the bowls sold out in 30 minutes. For more information, please call Deborah Bennett at 919.989.6039. Men of Distinction to Present at East Clayton Elementary (New) On November 13, 2007 students in the Clayton High School Men of Distinction Club will present a character education puppet show for students in the first grade at East Clayton Elementary. The program is supported in conjunction with the Woman's Club of Clayton. There will be three performances in the multi-purpose room. Performances times are as follows: 8:45-9:15; 9:30-10:00; and 10:15-10:45. For more information, please call Marlon Lee, Student Advocate, at 919.553.4064. Kiser Participates in Global Education Symposium (New) Sonya Kiser, an English teacher at NJHS and the 2007-2008 NC North Central Teacher of the Year, attended the tenth annual World View Symposium on “Best Practices in Education from Around the United States” on October 24-25, 2007. This year’s program was co-sponsored by the NC Department of Public Instruction, the Center for International Understanding, NC Public School Forum and Asia Society. Kiser was among only 425 school educators who traveled to UNC-Chapel Hill for the day-and-a half program and returned with a greater understanding of global education and its relevance for the classroom. In addition to the symposium’s featured presentations by global education experts and practitioners, Kiser took part in small group sessions on curriculum-based global education resources for a variety of subject areas and grade levels. World View, which begins its tenth year as a UNC-Chapel Hill public service program, helps educators better prepare their students for the small and interconnected world in which we live. It does so by producing symposiums, seminars, global education leadership programs, workshops, online courses, and international study visits. Kiser joins a growing number of World View program graduates who will now take on the responsibility of increasing global perspectives in the classroom. World View’s next programs are back-to-back seminars entitled “Latin America and North Carolina” and “Understanding Contemporary Africa” on March 25-27, 2008 on the UNC-CH campus. For more information, please call Sonya Kiser, Teacher, at 919.284.2031. For information about World View, visit the website at www.unc.edu/world or call 919.962.9264 Starbucks at River Dell (New) River Dell Elementary School will host its annual "Starbucks" Cafe on November 14 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. For more information, please call Bonnie W. Vause, Teacher, at 919.553.1977. Student Art Exhibit for the JohnstonMemorialHospital Pediatrics Unit An art exhibit featuring the work of PrincetonSchool students is on display through November 30 in the Johnston Memorial Hospital Pediatrics Unit. Since its inception in 1996, this bi-monthly exhibit has provided local students a venue to display their work publicly, while offering patients, parents, hospital staff, and visitors the opportunity to experience the healing power of art. Each art show spotlights a different JohnstonCountySchool and is displayed on a two-month exhibition cycle. For more information, please call 919.553.1930. WestJohnstonHigh School Students Selected for Honors Chorus Three members of the Senior Class at WestJohnstonHigh School have been selected to participate in the North Carolina Honors Chorus, a 150-member choir selected from more than 1500 of the best singers in the state. Ashley Alexander, Zackery Morris, and Matthew Tucker, all members of the WJHS Honors Vocal Ensemble, will attend this "weekend of music" in Winston-Salem which will culminate in a performance for the opening of the NC Music Educators' Annual Conference. The performance will be held at the Steven's Center in downtown Winston-Salem at 3 p.m. Sunday, November 11. Admission is free and open to the public. For more information, please call Sarah Phelps or Jennifer Swartz at 919.934.7333. Importance of Reading at McGee’s Crossroads Elementary School McGee's Crossroads Elementary School invites parents in Kindergarten, first, and second grades to come out to school for a night to learn, assist and encourage parents on the importance of reading at school and in the home. Reading Dream Nights assist parents in helping them understand pre-reading skills as well as advanced reading and phonics skills. The teachers and Ms. Tunstall, the reading coach, will share reading pointers in developing a positive attitude about reading and how parent(s) can help their child to improve reading skills. The specific grade levels offer information dedicated to that grade level’s academic and developmental reading needs. Patricia Rosales, the school’s ESL instructor, will be present to assist parents with questions and specific concerns about reading. Each grade level will also offer the students in attendance with their parents a brand new book of their choice to read together as a family. The love of reading is encouraged in the home as well as at school. The following dates and times are scheduled for grades K, 1, and 2 in the cafe at McGee's Crossroads Elementary School. Parents are welcome to come out and learn something new about reading. November 15, 2007 - Kindergarten Students and parents, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. November 29, 2007 - Second Grade Students and parents, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, please call Vicky Temple-Rains at 919.894.7161 or Jean Tunstall at 919. 894.7161. Vikings Against Hunger SelmaMiddle School, in conjunction with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina, is sponsoring the 2007 Students Against Hunger Food Drive. Through November 30, 2007, SelmaMiddle School will be collecting nonperishable items such as canned meals, peanut butter, cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, paper products, hygiene items, infant products and nutrition drinks in an attempt to fight the war on hunger. SelmaMiddle School’s 2007-08 theme is T.E.A.M: Together Everyone Achieves More. The school is once again looking to the community to help eradicate this epidemic that is all too familiar for families of Central and Eastern North Carolina. This is SelmaMiddle School’s first “Vikings Against Hunger” crusade with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Close to 20,000 individuals are living at or below the poverty level in JohnstonCounty. Out of those 20,000 individuals, nearly 7,000 are children. The students, faculty and staff at SelmaMiddle School deem it necessary to be active participants in the fight against hunger due to these alarming statistics and are calling on our community and surrounding communities for assistance. All donations can be sent to/dropped off at Selma Middle School Attn: Vikings Against Hunger, 1533 North US 301 HWY, Selma, NC 27576. Please include a donor’s name so an expression of gratitude can be shown to the individuals and/or companies that contributed to VIKINGS AGAINST HUNGER. For more information, please call Katey Rowley or Amee Smith at 919.965.2555. Second Annual Holiday Bazaar at WestViewElementary School WestViewElementary School will be hosting "Hootie's Second Annual Holiday Bazaar" on Saturday, November 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa will be on site for pictures, craft vendors for Christmas shopping, and students can enjoy shopping at "The Owl's Nest Gift Shop". For more information, please call Nancy Parker, Assistant Principal, at West View Elementary at 919.661.6184. Clayton Middle to Host Craft Festival ClaytonMiddle School will host its first -ever Winter Wonderland Craft Festival on Saturday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school. Pictures with Santa, a kids “wonderland’ play area, live entertainment, a concession stand, hand-painted crafts, candles, jewelry, pet treats, Christmas ornaments and more will be available for sale. Vendor booths are available for rent. Please call Kristen Woodall, teacher, ClaytonMiddle School, at 919.553.5811. 2007-2008 Upcoming Band Performances at Clayton Middle December 8, 2007 Clayton Christmas Parade (7th and 8th grades) December 18, 2007 Winter Band Concert (all grades) April 12, 2008 Busch Gardens Band Festival (8th grade only) May 13, 2008 Spring Band Concert (all grades) For more information, please call Clayton Middle at 919.553.5811. Artists-in-the-School Programs for the Month of December 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. Theatre IV will perform at McGee's Crossroads Elementary on December 7, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. Three children bring characters from American tall tales to vibrant life through the magic of their imaginations by exploring the wild and adventurous stories of Pecos Bill and John Henry. Almost Recess will perform at Riverwood Middle on December 11, 2007, at 9:00 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. Almost Recess will perform at Four Oaks Elementary on December 12, 2007, at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 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, the history of a cappella, voice parts, vocal drumming, and types of a cappella. Bright Star Children's Theatre will perform “Once Upon a Time” at Micro-Pine Level Elementary on December 14, 2007, at 9:00 a.m. From "Jack and the Beanstalk" to "Cinderella," this play invites young audience members to join the actors on-stage throughout the show, undertaking a variety of roles in the process. Bright Star Children's Theatre will perform “A Dickens Tale” at Micro-Pine Level Elementary on December 14, 2007, at 10:15 a.m. An interactive approach to the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol explores the value of kindness. Bright Star Children's Theatre will perform “A Dickens Tale” at West Clayton Elementary on December 18, 2007, at 9:15 a.m., 10:15 a.m., and 11:15 a.m. An interactive approach to the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol explores the value of kindness. Bright Star Children's Theatre will perform “A Dickens Tale” at Riverwood Elementary on December 20, 2007, at 8:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. An interactive approach to the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol explores the value of kindness. Riverwood Middle Students Meet Clayton's New K-9 and Visit Pumpkin Patch Mrs. Lunger and Mrs. Tippet's classes took a field trip on September 25 to meet the new K-9 dog, Justice, his owner Officer McIntosh, and Officer Franklin at the Clayton Police Department recently. Officer Franklin showed his car and explained how to use the equipment on his duty belt. Officer McIntosh and Justice gave a tour of the police department. Mrs. Lunger and Mrs. Tippet's classes also took a field trip to Wilson's Family Market on October 26. They took a hay ride through the pumpkin patch, picked pumpkins, fed goats, navigated and got lost in the hay maze, learned how pumpkins are grown, and shopped in the country store. For more information, please call Riverwood Middle at 919.359.2769.
