JCS Academic Calendar Dates *November 8—Report Cards Go Home *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 Congratulations to Patrick “Jake” Jacobs! Photo Patrick “Jake” Jacobs, Principal of Smithfield-Selma High School, has been named the Johnston County Schools 2007-2008 Principal of the Year. Jacobs, a former physical education teacher, has served as a principal since 2004. Jacobs was named during the district’s annual Principal of the Year dinner on Monday, October 29. For more information, please call Crystal Roberts, Public Information Officer, at 919.934.6031, extension 241. 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. Bright Ideas Grant Winners (New) Jennifer Ennis, Benson Elementary Grant – Three Plugs for the Future - $1,500 Susan Jones, Dixon Road Elementary Grant – Traveling Through Books - $1,920.22 Donna Price, Meadow Elementary Grant – Weathering It Out - $615.40 Barbara Nicholl, South Johnston High Grant – Improving Our Community Through Function Exploration - $696.72 Kara Lillie, McGee’s Crossroads Elementary Grant - S.M.A.R.T. - $1,500 For more information, please call 919.934.6031, extension 241. ClevelandMiddle School Celebrates Red Ribbon Week (New) The first Red Ribbon Celebration was organized in 1986 by a grassroots organization of parents concerned about the destruction caused by alcohol and drug use. The red ribbon was adopted in honor of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camerena, kidnapped and killed while investigating drug traffickers. The campaign has reached millions of students and has been recognized by the U.S. Congress. ClevelandMiddle School joined with schools around the nation to participate in Red Ribbon Week (October 22-26) with a number of activities. Monday, a lieutenant from the local sheriff’s department educated students on the dangers of drug use and the importance of making wise choices. During the week, students and faculty participated in Dress-Up days to show their dedication to be drug free: Crazy Sock Day (Sock it to Drugs!), Team Day (Team Up Against Drugs!), Hat Day (Put a Cap on Drugs!), Wear Red Day (Drug Free Day!), and Cleveland Blue Day (Drugs give us the Blues!). Also throughout the week students were given the opportunity to sign a pledge banner stating their promise to be drug free. Students expressed their reasons for making wise decisions in an essay contest entitled “What Being Drug Free Means to Me.” On Thursday, students and faculty wore red ribbons to display their dedication. ClevelandMiddle School encourages parents to educate their children on the harmful effects of drug and alcohol use. For more information, please call Rebecca Kennedy at 919.553.7500. Riverwood Middle Seventh Graders Take a Walk on the Wild Side (New) PhotoSeventh graders at Riverwood Middle spent a day at the North Carolina Asheboro Zoo on Monday, October 29. The students spent the day observing animals in natural habitats, completing scavenger hunts, and learning more about animals native to Africa and North America. Several students enjoyed watching the sea lions showing off for the "humans" and the monkeys grooming one another. The students were encouraged to pay special attention to the habitats and eating habits of the African animals as well as collect data on various animals around the zoo. For more information, please call Jeni Wiley at 919.359.2769. Students Collect Money for Juvenile Diabetes Research (New) MeadowSchool students collected coins and dollars for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation during the week of October 22-26. The total was $1,452.58. Since the students surpassed their initial goal of $1,000.00, Principal Rodney Peterson wore a crazy hat at school. For more information, please call Denise Byrd, Assistant Principal, at 919.894.4226. Also at MeadowSchool, First Grade Reading Class at MeadowSchool Integrates Science, Art, Writing and Oral Communications (New) Photo While studying the life cycle of plants and how bugs can help or destroy plants, students enjoyed reading the story A Surprise for Zig Bug and making a model bug from Playdough. They also wrote a story about their bugs and recorded the stories on tape. Attached photo: Mattie Barefoot poses with her bug and reading textbook opened to the story, A Surprise for Zig Bug. For more information, please call Mrs. Honeycutt at 919.894.7064. Also at MeadowSchool, Mrs. Honeycutt’s Class Studies the Life Cycle of Plants (New)Photo Mrs. Honeycutt’s first grade students at MeadowSchool studied the life cycle of plants during the month of October. Students made Chia men by using knee high hose. Students placed a bottle cap full of rye grass seeds into the hose. Next they placed two cups of pencil shavings which they recycled into the hose. Then they tied off the hose to prevent the shavings from falling out. The tail acted as a wick to keep the plant wet. Students pinched up a small amount of shavings to form ears and a nose and tied these features off with a small rubber band. Students used a cool melt glue gun to attach wiggly eyes to the man. They finished off their man by painting a red mouth with fabric paint. Students placed the men into small bathroom size cups of water and sprayed the seeds to wet them. The class waited for the seeds to germinate, observed the Chia men daily, and recorded their data in their science notebooks. It took four days before the first sprouts appeared. After that, the grass seeds grew quite rapidly. Everyone enjoyed making the Chia men and the school staff enjoyed visiting the classroom to see the progress of this project. The students are also growing various seeds in pots. Students are enjoying their hands-on science lessons. Students also grew vegetable seeds in a plastic glove. The clear plastic glove aided students in viewing the stages of development. Attached Photo: Katie Holmes displays her glove of seeds and her science notebook. For more information, please call Mrs. Honeycutt at 919.894.7064. Also at MeadowSchool, Parfaits at MeadowSchool(New)Photo Mrs. Peggy Darden's fifth grade Reading classes made parfaits after completing lessons on reading informational literature. This activity gave authentic practice in a skill students will use throughout their lifetime. Parfait is a word with French origin. It means "perfect." After preparing this layered dessert, students enjoyed eating the parfaits for snack. Most agreed with the French definition. The students answered follow-up questions that addressed higher level thinking skills. Research shows that students' understanding is improved by authentic practice. Attached photo: Students prepare and enjoy eating the "perfect" snack. Selma Middle AVID Students Conduct Conferences The AVID students of Selma Middle are conducting student-led conferences to share with their parents what AVID has been all about the first nine weeks. Students have put together their AVID portfolios to share with their parents. They will conduct the conference highlighting their strengths and successes, discuss areas of needed improvement, and finally set goals for the new nine weeks. AVID is an acronym for Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID supports students and gives them the necessary academic skills in order to participate in rigorous course work. This is the first year of participation in the program for the Selma Middle sixth and seventh graders and the second year for the eighth graders. For more information, please call Sarah Anderson at 919.894-7064. Importance of Reading at McGee’s CrossroadsElementary School(New) McGee's Crossroads Elementary School invites parents in grades Kindergarten, first, and second grade 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 great 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 levels academic and developmental reading needs. Patricia Rosales, the schools 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 5, 2007 - First Grade Students and Parents @ 6:00-7:30 p.m. November 15, 2007 - Kindergarten Students and Parents @ 6:30-7:30 p.m. November 29, 2007 - Second Grade Students and Parents @ 6:00-7:30 p.m. For more information, please call Vicky Temple-Rains at 919.894.7161 or Jean Tunstall at 919. 894.7161. Cleveland Elementary First Graders Visited by the Fire Department (New)Photos The Cleveland Fire Department and the 50/210 Rescue came on Tuesday, October 9, to teach the first graders at ClevelandElementary School about fire safety. The students learned to call 911 for an emergency. They also learned that fire and rescue workers are their friends and that they are there to help them in an emergency. The visit concluded with tours of the trucks and the equipment. The students were excited to receive a fire hat, a pencil, and a sticker. For more information, please call 919.550.2700. Also at ClevelandElementary School, Cleveland Elementary Students Took Field Trip to Raleigh(New)Photo Cleveland Elementary fourth grade students took a field trip to Raleigh on Friday, October 12. They toured the Capitol, NaturalScienceMuseum, and the HistoryMuseum. The children were exposed to a wide range of fourth grade Science and North Carolina History material. The students were able to explore, observe, and actually visit the CapitolCity. For more information, please call Gary Ridout at 919.550.2700. Asian Calligrapher at McGee’s CrossroadsMiddle School(New) McGee's CrossroadsMiddle School art students learned from expert Asian Calligrapher, Alice Jinxiu Zhao. Ms. Zhao discussed the long tradition of brush painting and demonstrated how to paint bamboo and landscape scenes. Students created their own paintings with great success. Samples of outstanding student paintings are on display in McGee's lobby. Ms. Zhao's visit was made possible through a grant from the Asian/Pacific Studies Institute at DukeUniversity. For more information, please call Charlene Bowling at 919.894.6003. Also at McGee’s CrossroadsMiddle School, CampFlintlock at McGee’s CrossroadsMiddle School(New) The first field trip for eighth graders this year at McGee’s CrossroadsMiddle School featured a colonial tent encampment on the school campus. Camp Flintlock of Four Oaks, North Carolina, set up tents at McGee’s on November 1 and 2 giving participating students the opportunity to travel back in time and experience colonial history as they watch cooking demonstrations, listen to fife and drum music, and play rounders, or colonial baseball. There was a colonial store where students made purchases and dressed up in reproductions of period clothing. Some other activities included beeswax candle making, Indian necklace making, and sword fighting. Camp employees will demonstrate and discuss the history and use of a flintlock firearm and musket (gunpowder only – no projectile). Parent volunteers helped with demonstrations. CampFlintlock conducts Colonial American school field trips on school campuses or at their campsite in Four Oaks, North Carolina. Established in 1999 by Mr. and Mrs. Tim Langdon, CampFlintlock has the idea that “people, especially students, should have the opportunity to learn about history by living it.” Today, the business is a collection of programs including school field trips, overnight encampments, summer camps, and other special events as well as partnerships with Colonial American historic sites. The mission of CampFlintlock is to promote a historical perspective while building character and having fun. CampFlintlock has been featured in many media outlets such as: The Washington Post, The Raleigh News & Observer, Our State Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, WRAL TV, and WTVD. For more information, please call Mary Gurley at 919.894.6003. Glendale-Kenly Elementary to Host Shabu Family (New) Glendale Kenly Elementary School is hosting the Shabu Family and their Magic of African Rhythm in a weeklong residency the week of November 5-9 with two performances Friday morning featuring our fifth grade students and the Shabus. Visitors are welcome to see the performances. For more information, please call Ann Rogerson Weaver at 919.284.2821. Student Art Exhibit for the JohnstonMemorialHospital Pediatrics Unit An art exhibit featuring the work of PrincetonSchool students will be on display from October 1 – 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. 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. West Johnston to Host Cultural Fair WestJohnstonHigh School freshmen will hold a Cultural Fair on November 8. They will present and perform their work for parents, students, staff and community members. For more information, please call Chad M. Jewett, Assistant Principal, at 919.934.7333. Also at WestJohnstonHigh School, 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 3:00 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. Veteran’s Day at ClevelandMiddle School On November 9, ClevelandMiddle School will hold a Veteran’s Day Assembly in honor of area veterans. At the assembly, Major John A. Wolf, Jr. will present a United States Flag that he flew over Iraq in honor of ClevelandMiddle School, along with a Certificate of Appreciation signed by his Colonel. Major Wolf is doing this in recognition of our Rambassadors’ project that supplied essential personal items to his company last year. Area veterans are invited this very special assembly in the gym at 1 p.m. 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. 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.
