SOCCER: LCHS fans ejected from road soccer game • Page 1B
The Sanford Herald THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2010
SANFORDHERALD.COM • 50 CENTS
LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
EDUCATION
State’s education leaders in Sanford Partnership between foundation, district could become a national model By ALEXA MILAN amilan@sanfordherald.com
WESLEY BEESON/The Sanford Herald
Kayla McCorrison tries to mask her excitement as she opens her new laptop on Wednesday afternoon at Deep River Elementary School. Students in grades 3-5 each recieved a laptop on the first day of classes.
LAPTOPS GREET STUDENTS Deep River students first in district to get 1:1 laptops this school year By ALEXA MILAN amilan@sanfordherald.com
SANFORD — As the fifth grade class at Deep River Elementary School packed into the gym Wednesday morning, it wasn’t an ordinary first day of school. The students became the first group of the 2010-2011 school year to receive laptops as part of the 1:1 program expansion. Deep River Elementary students in third-fifth grades each received a laptop, beginning with the fifth graders. They walked onstage one by one as Superintendent of Lee County Schools Jeff Moss handed them their new computers, each zipped securely in a gray backpack. “(The faculty) has worked hard, probably harder than any other summer,” Moss
Dustin Burton (left), 10, and Juan Aguilar (right), 10, share a laugh after receiving their new laptops on Wednesday afternoon at Deep River Elementary School. told the students. “We’re going to make sure you learn more this year than any other year.” When Principal Amy Lun-
dy asked the students if they were excited about receiving their laptops, they answered with a resounding “Yes!” They gave a similar response when
Lundy asked if the laptops made them feel smarter. “It’ll help us learn more and help us pass the EOGs,” fifth-grader Faith Coggins said. “It’ll give students a chance to do better in school.” Southern Lee High School students will also be receiving laptops in October, and third-fifth graders at B.T. Bullock Elementary could be receiving theirs as early as next week. “We try to do it in waves to make sure we’re not replicating any mistakes,” said Cindy Johnson, chief technology officer for Lee County Schools. Johnson and Andy Bryan, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, will visit the school periodi-
See Laptops, Page 6A
SANFORD — The Lee County Education Foundation will announce a new incentive-based education initiative today at a press conference at Deep River Elementary School. The new incentive model is the first of its kind in North Carolina, and if it succeeds, it could expand nationwide. The press conference introducing the Head of the Class Project will feature a panel including Gov. Bev Perdue, former U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley, former Govs. Jim Holshouser and Jim Hunt, State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson, Chairman of the State Board of Education Bill Harrison, Chariman of the Lee County Education Foundation Kirk Bradley and Superintendent of Lee County Schools Jeff Moss. The Head of the Class Project is the Lee County Education Foundation’s flagship public-private partnership and will award $50,000 annually to the faculty and staff at the Lee County elementary school with the highest performance. The project is a non-profit initiative funded by a $1 million endowment from individual donors and corporations. Elementary schools were chosen as the focus of the project because kindergarten-fifth grade have the closest studentteacher alignment. The name of the award will
See Leaders, Page 6A
QUICKREAD
SENIOR, BOOMER & CAREGIVER EXPO
SPORTS
Hundreds pack civic center for piece of mind Popular expo offers advice, prizes, freebies and even massages to area seniors By BILLY BALL bball@sanfordherald.com
LEE COUNTY PITCHING ACE SIGNS WITH WCU Lee County senior pitcher Dillon Frye, who played a pivotal role in the Yellow Jackets’ run to the East Regional final of the NCHSAA 4-A East playoffs, gave a verbal commitment over the weekend to play baseball at Western Carolina University
SANFORD — For Diane Davidson, five minutes was all it took for a little piece of mind Wednesday. The Sanford woman was one of hundreds who took advantage of the free health screenings galore at the annual Boomer, Senior and Caregiver Expo Wednesday at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center. “It gives you some idea of where you are health-wise,” Davidson said as she waited
Full Story, Page 1B
Vol. 80, No. 199 Serving Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties in the heart of North Carolina
HAPPENING TODAY Communities In Schools/Family Literacy Program of Lee County will meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Lee County Arts Center in the Mary Owens Conference Room. The groups are looking for volunteers to read to K-5 elementary students. Interested persons are welcome. Call (919) 718-5426 to learn more. CALENDAR, PAGE 2A
INSIDE More photos from the eight annual Senior Expo, plus a round-up of the popular Lee County Idol contest. Page 6-7A
for the results of her cholesterol and glucose screening. Central Carolina Hospital technician Darlene Bryant administered the test using a small blood sample.
See Expo, Page 6A
WESLEY BEESON / The Sanford Herald
Virginia Wade (right) talks to Janet Trevino (left) of Central Electric Membership Corporation, at the Senior Lifestyle Expo on Wednesday afternoon at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center.
High: 91 Low: 66
INDEX
More Weather, Page 12A
OBITUARIES
SCOTT MOONEYHAM
Sanford: William Cooper, 83; Roger Cox, 64; Woody Jackson, 28 Broadway: Bettie King, 78 Chapel Hill: Billy Farrington, 63
Many insured by Blue Cross have probably been doing some fist-shaking lately.
Page 4A
Abby, Graham, Bridge, Sudoku............................. 8B Classifieds ..................... 10B Comics, Crosswords.......... 9B Community calendar .......... 2A Horoscope ........................ 6B Obituaries......................... 5A Opinion ............................ 4A Scoreboard ....................... 4B