Inspire 2019-2020 - Pitt County Schools

insp re

“One of America’s Best Small Communities to Raise a Family.”

A clean, safe and attractive community that encompasses the characteristics of a village. Our town features an economically thriving retail and service district located in the historic downtown area that’s populated with a variety of residential neighborhoods; all within walking distance to both downtown and a multitude of recreational opportunities. We are also surrounded by a flourishing commercial and industrial corridor. For more information about our town, visit us online:

AYDEN.COM

Paid for by Don Davis for NC Senate Committee

Inspire — Education is everywhere you look. is published annually for the Pitt County School System, in collaboration with The Times-Leader, The Daily Reflector and The Farmville Enterprise. Contents of this publication are the property of Pitt County Schools and Adams Publishing Group and may not be reproduced without consent of the publisher. For information about this issue, please contact Jennifer Johnson at 252-830-4219. To advertise in this publication, please contact Angela Harne at 252-747-3883.

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great place to live, work and grow

Farmville, We've Got It All!

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great

Visit us and experience a community with small town charm, full of culture & history.

Embracing progress while holding on to small town values makes Farmville a great place to live, work and grow Visit us and experience a community with small town charm, full of culture & history.

Farmville got it all!

insp re superintendent’s letter

Thank you for your interest in learning more about Pitt County Schools, especially as the current landscape of education is rapidly changing. Our 21st century learners are part of a unique time period where tearing down walls, defeating obstacles, customizing learning and personalizing the educational experience is occurring more than ever before. Technological advancement along with widespread digital access has also begun to carve a new path for education. At the same time, our community’s professional partners are seeking more skilled workers, critical thinkers and employees with an innovative mindset. As one of the 15 largest educational systems in North Carolina, we are meeting these challenges head-on, and proudly, we are not alone. As a community, we understand that collaborative, innovative and meaningful partnerships are what will bring authentic learning experiences to our students as well as unique and welcomed resources.

In this edition of Inspire , you’ll learn how our city’s Chamber of Commerce and our own Career and Technological Education department worked to connect more than 2,000 Pitt County middle and high school students directly to more than 100 businesses, colleges and organizations through an award-winning effort called Grow Local. You’ll hear of community partners who often travel to schools through grant funding, bringing hands-on STEM experiences and dispelling scientific myths. You’ll follow a student’s digital learning path through our Pitt County Virtual Academy and be touched by an exceptional student’s journey to connect to a meaningful work experience through Project Search. You’ll understand the power of Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)

programs in preparing students for college, beginning at the elementary school level. Also, you’ll follow how our high school students are advancing on to college coursework through dual-enrollment efforts and our two early colleges, located on the campuses of Pitt Community College and East Carolina University. Our students aren’t the only ones we are investing in. PCS and our community partners also understand the importance of fully preparing our local educators through grant-funded programs like Trauma-Informed Care as well as offering multiple opportunities for advancement through our comprehensive Teacher Leadership Institute. Whether you have a child in one of our schools, you are considering us for your child’s education, or you are a curious member of the community, you can reference this edition of Inspire to learn about these and other collaborative opportunities provided to the nearly 24,000 students who inspire us on a daily basis here at Pitt County Schools. In all, PCS is comprised of 16 elementary schools, six K-8 schools, seven middle schools, six high schools, two early colleges and a pre-K education center. We are also located in a county that is among the state’s fastest growing and features a thriving business, medical and educational community. Together, we are Celebrating Every Child and Challenging Every Learner in Pitt County. We hope you are inspired to join us!

Kindest

regards, Dr. Ethan Lenker Superintendent, Pitt County Schools

Dr. Ethan Lenker Superintendent

Pitt County Schools

More than 2,000 students visited more than 100 companies across Pitt County during “Take Your Child to Work Week” March 18-22, 2019, as part of the first Grow Local program initiative. The program is designed to introduce, involve, inspire and invest in middle and high school students, according to Kate Teel, the president of

By AmBer revels-stocks

the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce.

“This program is designed to take the students into a business or the business into a school to give the students information about all the career paths within the business,” she said. “For example, if a student thinks about Greenville Utilities, they automatically think of the light poles

and linemen. They might not realize they also have administrative staff. … There’s a lot of jobs that make up an entire company, no matter what that company might be.”

The program is the result of collaboration between the GreenvillePitt County Chamber of Commerce, the Pitt County Economic Development Commission and Pitt County Schools,

among other entities.

The goal of the program is to invest in local students, according to Beth Ann Trueblood, the director of Career and Technical Education for Pitt County Schools.

“Students don’t know what businesses and type of jobs are here,” Trueblood said. “We want them to know there are jobs here in Pitt County for them in any area they might be interested in.”

Interested teachers signed up their classes to go to related businesses. For example, a welding class could sign up to visit a company that performs commercial welding so students can get an idea of what the job looks like in the real world.

Farmville Central High School chemistry teacher Christina McCray took her students to the N.C. Biotechnology Center regional office in Greenville to learn more about jobs in pharmacology.

“We talk about chemistry, the science behind making things, and I wanted to give them a real-world, applicable setting to invoke interest — this may be something they’ve never considered doing before,” McCray said. “This is an opportunity for my students to get more exposure, so they’re not just seeing it in a classroom setting, but in a real-world setting.”

Students learn better when they can connect the topic to something outside of the classroom, according to McCray.

“They really learn when they’re able to apply what they learn,” she said. “This is awesome. They’re getting the chance to see the science behind what goes into their aspirin, their acetaminophen.”

Her students learned about how pharmaceutical companies create tablets from powders, including using a manual tablet press to create a lactose tablet, a type of placebo. Junior Ulises Jauregui-Gamez got to turn the wheel of the press to move the powder through a series of dies.

“I feel like it’s an opportunity to explore the job options. This is a way to understand and comprehend more than what they see when they go to the store,” he said. “If I were in the classroom, we may have done a lab, but that lab doesn’t give you the full extent of knowledge that being here does. The equipment they use here isn’t something we can have in the classroom.”

Chemistry students at J.H. Rose also got to learn about pharmacology at Mayne Pharma. Rising junior Paige McKeel learns through real-life application, she said.

“Seeing how everything worked together and how it all combined to form something (medication) we take for

“ This is an opportunity for my students to get more exposure, so they’re not just seeing it in a classroom setting, but in a real-world setting.

- christinA mccrAy, teAcher ”

granted everyday was cool,” she said. “I want to pursue medical sciences because my father has a broken neck and back. I saw what he went through. I want to help other people. (This tour furthers her goals because) I saw how even taking a pill, most people won’t think twice about, takes so much work and effort (to produce).”

Vanessa Iorizzo’s English class from North Pitt High School toured The Daily Reflector to learn about the role journalism plays in the community.

“Many of my students don't ever leave Pitt County. I wanted them to experience what is available for them right here where they live so they knew what their options were for after high school,” Iorizzo said. “I always encourage my students to question what people say and what they

read. It was a valuable experience for them to see this in action first hand. … The best part of getting the students into a local business was seeing them engage with The Daily Reflector personnel. They were engaged and wanted to be there.”

Her students helped write an article about their experiences.

Advanced Mechanical Heating and Air Conditioning in Winterville hosted several groups of students throughout the week. Owner Randy Riddle supports the role of Career and Technical Education in Pitt County Schools.

“We see a big gap in the labor force; we are struggling as an industry right now to find qualified people,” he said. “We can’t find people to enter the trades and grow in the trades. Ethically, we’d rather

grow somebody than hire somebody from another company. Everybody is seeing a need for young people to come into this industry. Not long ago, we did an average age of my employees. It was 48 years old.

“We just don’t have many 20- and 30-year-olds joining this business. We all have this vision that we want young people to enter this industry. Grow Local is just one way we’re trying to get them interested.”

Hyster-Yale Greenville also hosted several groups of students. The company is heavily involved in similar programs. It has seen rewards already, according to Human Resources Manager for the engineering group, Wayne Washington.

“Just within my realm of engineering,

- WAyne WAshington hyster-yAle greenville hr mAnAger

“

“

Having seen the Grow Local program from fruition, I see the value of it. We see the value of getting these kids ready in high school and seeing what we have out here. Obviously, it’s a win-win situation for the community and the students.

we started out with one to two (college) interns per year. We’re now up to eight. Through the whole process of STEM, we’ve gotten our first engineer basically out of the relationship we built from middle school and high school through college. We’ve definitely seen rewards (from similar programs),” he said. “Having seen the (Grow Local) program from fruition, I see the value of it. … We see the value of getting these kids ready in high school and seeing what we have out here. Obviously, it’s a win-win situation for the community and the students.”

The response across the district was amazing, according to Teel.

“We had a goal of 800 students

signing up for Grow Local and thought, ‘Let’s push ourselves a little bit and stretch that goal to a thousand.’ They kept coming and coming,” she said. “I cannot think of one ‘no’ that I’ve heard from a business or a volunteer, which goes to show you the need for something like this.”

Fifteen schools and 2,734 students participated in the event, according to Trueblood.

“The teachers are excited because it’s another opportunity to teach outside the four walls of the classroom,” she said.

As the first year of the program, this was supposed to be Grow Local’s pilot year.

“It’s grown a bit bigger than a traditional

pilot program,” Trueblood said with a laugh. “But I expect this will go beyond the three years (originally scheduled) and continue on for a long time.”

Pitt County Schools is overjoyed about the level of participation, according to Superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker.

“Grow Local truly shows the value the community has for the school system,” he said. “Pitt County has eight percent of students in the state involved in ‘Take Your Child to Work Week.’ We’re only about 1 percent of the student population. There are 280 companies involved statewide; we have 100 of them. That truly shows the relationship we have with the business community.”

By AmBer revels-stocks

PRINCIPAL OF THEYear

Cathy Kirkland B WINTERGREEN’S

eing the principal of two schools is a tough job, but Pitt County Schools’ Principal of the Year Cathy Kirkland handles it with grace.

She is the principal of Wintergreen Primary and Intermediate schools.

“The foundation of any successful educational environment is to put the students first. Students must be provided an environment where stability and opportunity are constant,” she said. “This is more true than ever in today’s constantly changing world.”

Her educational philosophy revolves around relationships.

“My thoughts about leadership are the same as my thoughts about life. Everything boils down to relationships,” Kirkland said.

She prides herself on cultivating relationships not just with her staff and students but also with educators across the state. Kirkland serves as treasurer for the N.C. Principals and Assistant Principals Association and works closely with Pitt County Schools’ senior staff. She often meets with them before Pitt County Board of Education meetings to present information and concerns.

Like all administrators, Kirkland strives to promote student success.

“Like life, educational leadership is a delicate balance of molding, coaching, encouragement and at times, tough love,” Kirkland said. “When these things exist, we place ourselves in a position to promote student success. My amazing family is very supportive; without their support, I wouldn’t be able to do this work.”

Kirkland’s favorite part of being a principal is working with students.

“Seeing the children every day and getting to love them is the best part,” Kirkland said. “I want what’s best for them, and I get to push my staff to want to provide to them opportunities they deserve.”

Kirkland, who has served Pitt County Schools for 21 years, became the principal at Wintergreen in 2016. She

has a master’s in school administration and a bachelor’s in early childhood education from East Carolina University. Becoming an administrator was a natural progression for Kirkland.

“I had taught for 14 years and just decided I would follow in my father’s footsteps and be an administrator. My husband encouraged me to do it,” Kirkland said. “My father’s passed away, but he was a retired superintendent of schools. He was amazing.”

Her father had great expectations for Kirkland, and she has strived to meet them.

“He was very loving but knew what needed to be done and made sure to do it,” she said. “I’ve just tried to emulate that in my career.”

She loves her job and says she is lost on the weekends when she cannot go to school.

“You really have to love education to be successful at it,” Kirkland said. “It’s important for children to be reminded that they are still kids. In schools, there’s so much stress for them to perform well. We want them to excel; we want their (end-of-grade) scores to be where they should be. But we also want kids to just be kids.”

By AmBer revels-stocks

TEACHER OF THEYear

Teachers across the district work long hours to make sure their students receive the best possible education. Some of them are lucky enough to receive recognition for their hard work.

Ann Marie Mehdi, a science teacher at South Central High School, was named Farm Bureau’s 2019-20 Teacher of the Year. An East Carolina University graduate, she has taught at South Central since 2015.

“I do a lot of work in my classroom to make sure my kids are getting the best they can get,” Mehdi said. “This means that all that work means something to other people, too. They recognize how much goes into making sure your kids are successful.

“I’m just glad I have kids who enjoy seeing me every day. There are kids who come back to the school and say, ‘Ms. Mehdi, we’re glad you did what you did for us.’ I get the feeling that what I’m doing makes a difference in the world.”

Mehdi followed her family into the classroom. Her mother is an eighth-grade math teacher, and her aunt is a high school chemistry teacher.

“I don't think that I would be half of what I am today if I did not have the family I have,” she said. “Just being around them and seeing the impact they made over time really pushed me to do the same thing.”

Like her aunt, her favorite class to teach is chemistry.

“Chemistry by far is where I’m in my element,” Mehdi said. “You can explain all the things kids can’t see, like why things happen the way they happen. Also, we get to blow stuff up; we get to do experiments and work with chemicals. It’s really hands-on. The kids just really get into that.”

The challenge of teaching brings Mehdi joy. Having been prepared by her family, she knew to expect challenges in the classroom.

“I didn't go into teaching thinking it was going to be this easy, sugar-pie thing where the kids were going to be great and it was going to be fun every day. I knew that teaching

was the biggest challenge I would ever accept,” Mehdi said. “No day is ever the same. Every day I walk in, I know it’s going to be completely different. I’m never bored.”

Her students say they also never get bored.

“Mrs. Mehdi is a great chemistry teacher. She’s the best teacher over the science classes that I’ve had,” said rising senior Kashmere Everett. “Her class is more fun than doing worksheets all the time. It’s really a lot of fun, and I like her.”

Mehdi likes to bring real world applications into the classroom, as well as engaging her class whenever possible. Everett’s favorite

Ann Marie Mehdi BRINGS FUN TO CHEMISTRY CLASS

class activity was related to the periodic table and the properties of elements.

“We went into the lab. We had flames and had different types of elements off the periodic table. We’d put it over the flames, and (the element would) change colors,” she said. “Mrs. Mehdi prepared us really well for it. … We went over the procedure, and she told us what to do and what not to do, so all we really had to do was follow directions.”

Mehdi makes sure her students rise to the challenge of difficult activities by breaking complicated tasks down into small steps, according to Everett.

“Not all teachers do that. She makes it make sense by teaching us the pieces. If we’re struggling, she re-teaches it,” Everett said. “When we have questions, she helps us by giving us good answers. Unlimited. She doesn’t care how many times you ask her, she still helps you. She doesn’t get irritated if you

ask the same question.”

Class of 2019 graduate Nkosi Tyson appreciates how hard Mehdi works to make sure her students are prepared.

“If you don’t understand, she’ll be there to help you. She’ll take her time and make sure you are successful,” he said. “She always gives us extra tutoring. She’ll stay after school to make sure we understand. She gives us extra opportunities to be successful. …

“Tutoring with Mrs. Mehdi is like a higher level. She gives more one-on-one (time) to make sure you understand.”

Tyson took physical science with Mehdi and enjoyed it so much he decided to take chemistry with her as well. His favorite thing about her teaching style is her energy.

“Mrs. Mehdi’s just energetic. She has a lot of energy. She likes to make jokes and play games to keep us entertained instead of just sitting down and taking notes,” he said. “We

do so many things in class. They’re all fun.

“We were playing classroom basketball. We solved this problem, and if you had the answer right, you got to shoot for your points. You got to shoot a paper ball into a basket, and you could score points for your team. That was a lot of fun, and we studied (for exams) without knowing it.”

Several students appreciate that Mehdi makes learning feel like fun rather than work, including rising senior Philisha Chen.

“She’s fun, and she’s active. She helps you,” Chen said. “She explains it. She has cool songs to help you learn. She’s just a joy to be around.”

One of the most difficult things she ever learned was the difference between an ionic and a covalent bond. Mehdi made it easy to learn, she said.

“She broke it down day-by-day. Like we had a foldable and one day we did one part and the next day was a review of that part. She made sure we had learned it before we went to the next part. Then we went to the covalent part of the foldable. She broke it down that way,” Chen said. “She takes her time with the class. My class talks a lot, but she still takes her time with us. If you need help one-on-one, she does help you a lot. …

“She makes the hard parts easier.”

As Teacher of the Year, Mehdi received a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan to drive for a year, courtesy of Pecheles Automotive, along with gifts from Farm Bureau, Pitt County Educational Foundation and other sponsors. She represented Pitt County in regional competition. The regional winner will compete for 2020 N.C. Teacher of the Year.

A Time for Science

teaches fourth-graders through hands-on activities

every fourth-grader in Pitt County got to experience hands-on learning thanks to a local science museum and nature center and a grant from Duke Energy.

Instructors from A Time for Science, which has a museum in Greenville and a nature center in Grifton, visited every school in six counties, including Pitt. At every stop on their tour, the group invited students into a mobile planetarium to see the phases of the moon, asked them to become paleontologists and looked for fossils, made them into amateur gemologists and showed them how magnets and electricity work.

“Everything we do is based on the N.C. essential standards, so everything we do here is something they’re going to learn this year. Either they’ve already learned it and we’re expanding that knowledge, or they’re going to learn it and we’ve put a peg in for them to hang that new knowledge on,” said Maria McDaniel, an educational program director at A Time for Science.

The N.C. essential standards served

as a guideline for McDaniel when she designed the Step into STEM curriculum. However, she could have chosen from several topics.

“We used our resources,” McDaniel said. “We work with a great paleontologist, George Powell, and he has provided us with authentic fossils. We put them in what we think is an authentic situation as a paleontologist. Then we have an astronomer working with us and a mobile planetarium, so that was a given. A lot of teachers shy away from rocks and minerals; we have the knowledge and the materials, so we thought it was something we could do. We have the equipment and ability to show them electricity and magnetism and get them excited.

“These are things we think we really do well and that we could expand on for the kids. We want them to know that everybody can be a scientist. You don’t have to be a male with wild hair to be a scientist. You can be a beautiful female and be a scientist. We’re trying to make this as real world as possible. These are things scientists really do, and you can

do this too. We want to expose them to careers.”

Wintergreen Intermediate rising fifth-grader Gunnar Johnson has decided he wants to be a paleontologist, so digging for fossils was his favorite activity.

“(A paleontologist) is what I want to be when I grow up. A lot of people think that things that went extinct won’t be able to live, but scientists are actually thinking of ways to bring back animals.” he said. “When I was younger, I liked to dig in the dirt in my backyard. … We don’t get to dig in class. In the classroom, we usually talk about energy and how things work.”

Johnson was not the only student excited about getting to work with his hands. Jamichael Hyman likes science, but the Step into STEM program increased his enthusiasm.

“We learned about different stuff that we don’t learn in class. This is cooler than what we learn in class,” Hyman said. “I want to go home and tell my mom all the stuff I learned today that she doesn’t know.”

Cayden Harmon was also excited to teach others.

“If you’ve not been in the planetarium, it’s amazing and makes you feel like you’re really in space,” he said. “It’s really fun (to sit inside). In class, we just learn about it; we don’t get to experience it like this.”

That experience is why Pitt County Schools science curriculum specialist Fritz Robinett was excited about the grant.

“This kind of learning is really the cutting edge of science education. This kind of phenomena-based learning is where kids experience some sort of interesting phenomena and then have to connect it to their real world,” he said. “Duke Energy is always working to support STEM education. They have a number of grants that our students have benefitted from, including a summer STEM camp for girls. Any time Duke Energy is providing funding, we always work as hard as we can to find something that will be mutually beneficial for our students and for them.”

He and McDaniel worked hard to make certain that every fourthgrader in Pitt County Schools got the opportunity to experience Step into STEM.

“That took a little bit of work because this is a regional program, so she’s serving a lot of other counties as well,” Robinett said. “We just had

to juggle the schedules a little bit and work with our schools. Our principals are fantastic. They provided some transportation and organized all of that. We had to have one or two schools go to another school for a day just to get everybody in.”

A Time for Science often saw students from multiple schools in one day.

“We’d set up in one school and see their students in the morning, and then two other schools would be bused in. At 11 a.m., we’d see a second school, and at 1 p.m., a third school,” McDaniel said. “We have a planetarium that requires a 15-foot ceiling height. We had to be in schools that could accommodate us with a large enough space for three other activities to go on at the same time.”

While the program was a one-time grant, A Time for Science applied for another Duke Energy grant in order to continue the program in fourth grades.

“We targeted fourth grade mainly because third grade is so busy with testing and fifth grade is their first end-of-grade science test,” McDaniel said. “We thought we could whet their appetite for science in fourth grade and really make them want to learn about science, so when they get to fifth grade, they’re already in love with it. … We are anxious to get back on the road and start over with a new program with a new grant.”

ByDonnAmArieWilliAms

Due to a high success rate, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is slowly spreading throughout Pitt County Schools.

AVID is a kindergarten through postsecondary college readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll and succeed in higher education and succeed in their lives beyond high school.

“AVID teaches our students organization skills, study skills and it opens their eyes to opportunities and allows them to see other things that they would not have seen,” said Ashley Bell, an N.C. Principal Fellow and former AVID site coordinator at Wellcome Middle School.

AVID took root in Ayden-Grifton, North Pitt and Farmville Central high schools in 2005 as an elective course, with a mission to help close the achievement gap by preparing students for college readiness and success in a global society.

AVID teaches students about the importance of organization, how to take notes

effectively, collaborate with other students, read deeper for understanding and WICOR (writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading).

“It’s important to know that AVID assists the average student and provides them with the skills to be an amazing student while they are learning about themselves personally. It creates a good work ethic,” Bell said.

The system allows for students to be selfsufficient learners and advocates for their education.

“For the future, it helps get them organized within the system. They are forced to do some self-reflection, and they are responsible for their grades. It’s almost policing themselves and what they need. They are advocates for

themselves,” Bell said.

It also allows for teachers to help monitor students’ grades and helps students achieve success by providing students with encouragement and tools to succeed.

“A lot of our AVID students initially might not have the confidence to try an advanced preparation class or a college course in high school. An AVID teacher is as much a cheerleader as a teacher,” said Preston Bowers, the district’s High School Facilitator and AVID director.

Gracie Baker, Ayden-Grifton’s AVID coordinator added, “We try to figure out how to support them. If they are doing bad in a class, they can focus their time on a certain class while building confidence with us as a mentor and supporting them.”

AVID also allows for students to develop relationships with their peers as they work together in groups.

“Just in the classroom, we do a lot with peer groups and working together. You’ll see some of them come out as leaders. It’s a big support

system. The kids are really encouraging each other. They have a family atmosphere where they look out for each other,” said Baker.

Bowers added, “Students talk about their school family in AVID and how much they support each other to be their best. That is a consistent statement (among students).”

AVID is taught at 10 of the district’s 37 schools with 920 students enrolled in the 2018-19 school year.

“We’ve grown this year. Last year, AVID was across nine campuses. This year, we’re at ten. We’re looking to expand to five more schools in 2019-20,” Bowers said.

H.B. Sugg and Sam D. Bundy were the first elementary schools in Pitt County to use the AVID system. Falkland, Northwest and South Greenville elementary schools will launch the program in the 2019-20 school year.

At the elementary level, AVID is a foundational concept spread throughout the entirety of the school. WICOR concepts are taught, and students begin to learn organizational and leadership skills.

“We’re just sparking their interest so they can design their path to what they want to be in the future,” said Kelsey Phillips, a fifth grade

and Sam D. Bundy elementary schools, added, “This is where you plant the seed. This is where opportunities are so open to them. And the skill set we’re teaching them now — how to take notes, how to study — is really setting the stage with the tools to be successful going forward.”

Students are introduced to AVID’s core principles in K-3, with more strategies learned in grades 4-5. AVID strategies are incorporated into everyday learning and are often associated with real world situations and careers to coincide with learning principles.

“It really has helped with student engagement. They’re not your typical classrooms. Students are up and moving and talking and collaborating,” Setser said.

Phillips added, “My kids retain information a lot more than what they have been with connecting the information with careers. They are a lot more engaged and they want to know all about it.”

At the high school and middle school level, AVID is offered as an elective course.

AVID strategies go beyond the elective into all aspects of the school. Students also begin frequenting college campuses as they continue their journeys to higher education and learn how to calculate their grade point averages.

College visits allow students to explore possible colleges and gain life experiences.

“Not only did they get to see the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, but they got to experience life things,” Bell said, adding some students had never seen the beach before.

In the 2019-20, Grifton School will launch AVID. The program is already offered at Wellcome, Farmville and Ayden middle schools.

At the high school level, AVID coordinators and instructors, in conjunction with the school counselors, assist students with their college applications, financial need paperwork and answer questions about the process. High school students also tour colleges.

AVID also serves as a system of support and a method of confidence building as students are given the choice to take AP and college classes while in high school, Baker said.

“We’re just sparking their interest so they can design their path to what they want to be in the future.”

-Kelsey Phillips, Teacher

Exceptional Children

By DonnA mArie WilliAms

Night Shine to

itt County Schools Exceptional Children’s Department seeks to bring a sense of inclusiveness and provide opportunities for special needs students.

Partnering with local organizations, businesses and churches, the district is able to offer valuable opportunities for these students.

“We’re really one as a community and supporting all the different individuals who make up humanity … I’m looking at partnerships. It just broadens the bank of resources we can go to as a school district when we’re trying to help and support

students,” said Virginia Gaynor, the director of the Exceptional Children’s Department.

Entering its fifth year in the 2019-20 school year, Project SEARCH provides opportunities for students with developmental disabilities to learn job-related skills that are transferable.

“Our job is to make sure they have those job preparedness skills. Project SEARCH is one of these options. The difference between Project SEARCH and other job programs is that this is specifically developed for students with cognitive or intellectual delays and various level disabilities,” Gaynor said.

Project SEARCH is possible thanks

to partnerships with the N.C. Council on Developmental Disabilities, Vidant Medical Center, Vocational Rehabilitation and RHA Health Services.

Project SEARCH is a year-long program, open to seniors with an Individualized Education Plan or developmental disability. Students first apply to be a part of the program and then proceed through an interview process. Up to 10 students are chosen each year.

Students then complete a one-year internship at Vidant Medical Center. Students are trained at Vidant Medical and given the

skills they need to work in various locations around the facility.

Jobs include working in the NICU where students learn how to put supplies in the correct place. Students may also work in groundskeeping, human relations, central services, environmental services, food services, receiving, orthopedics and mail services.

Each student completes a rotation between three of the available job areas.

While in the program, students also learn soft skills such as communicating effectively and how to work together with others.

The program extends beyond teaching students job-related skills. It helps to provide them with employment. Vocational rehabilitation helps to place graduated students into job positions throughout the community.

The program has enrolled 29 interns, with 19 graduating from the program. Twelve graduates have received jobs in the community.

“They have the same hopes. They want to be independent citizens. They want to be viable citizens and to help grow our community with the skills they have,” Gaynor said.

Pitt County Schools partnered with St. James United Methodist Church in February 2019 to sponsor Greenville’s first-ever prom, “A Night to Shine.”

The prom was open to students, age 14 and older, with special needs. A Night to Shine was created by the Tim Tebow Foundation, as a way to show God’s love for people with special needs.

Students and their special guests arrived at St. James in prom attire. While they walked down a red carpet, volunteers cheered and welcomed

them. Attendees arrived in limos, had their photo taken on the red carpet and danced the night away.

“These are our children. These children have to live outside the walls of the classroom and home. It makes sense that they want to be a part of inclusiveness. We’re all a part of this humanity,” Gaynor said.

The Exceptional Children’s Department also hosts Special Olympics annually at J.H. Rose High School, thanks to partnerships with East Carolina University, Community Schools and local parks and recreation departments. Students in grades preK12 can compete.

Without the community support, the Exceptional Children’s Department would not be what it is today, Gaynor said.

They have the same hopes. They want to be independent citizens. They want to be viable citizens and to help grow our community with the skills they have.

“

“

It All Comes Together in the

Greenville, NC MSA.

Many communities have a “good quality of life” and “business-friendly environment.” What reinforces these assets are strong partnerships that make all the difference in a good community and a great one.

We’re a great community where everything comes together. Join us in the Greenville, NC MSA. The best location – with strong collaboration. locateincarolina.com

By DonnA mArie WilliAms

Behind The Scenes

I n the C afeter I a with C onsuelo M ontiel

School Nutrition Services assistant manager

Consuelo Montiel is making a name for herself and Pitt County Schools, as she pursues her passion and represents the district as a fierce competitor.

Montiel has worked in school nutrition for the past eight years. She began her employment with Pitt County Schools at an entry-level position with School Nutrition Services.

One year later, she earned a promotion to assistant manager.

“I love what I do and I like to go to work every

day,” Montiel said.

Montiel was named Pitt County’s Employee of the Year during her first year of employment.

Each morning she reports to work at 6:15 a.m. and begins preparing breakfast.

“We prepare our breakfast for our children a day before, so when I come in the morning, I have everything prepared,” Montiel said.

Montiel also helps to keep the kitchen stocked and assists in serving lunch for the children at Pactolus Elementary School.

Montiel knows that her job is important,

especially to the children she serves.

“We have a lot of children who are really hungry. We give them food and sometimes they ask me, ‘Ms. Consuelo, can I have more because I’m really hungry?’ We don’t know if they have food at home. On Mondays, they come and get breakfast and get so excited. Who knows if they had breakfast over the weekend?” Montiel said.

Montiel is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside her coworkers at Pactolus School.

“I really enjoy working with my group at Pactolus. They’re like family. It doesn’t even feel like a job because they’re so happy doing it,” Montiel said.

But what truly brings joy to Montiel is competing. She has competed and placed in the N.C. School Nutrition Creative and Culinary Arts Show multiple times.

Montiel has secured Best in Show for the past three years.

The competition features child nutrition departments from schools across the state.

“The more I do, the more I want to go back,” Montiel said, adding she loves competing for the district.

Each department competes in several different categories.

“It is a great honor to win in all the categories that are offered to participate in. Each category has its own criteria and expectations. They all return to some part of our meal pattern, a la carte items, nutrition education, seasonal decorations or specific theme decorations that managers would use on their serving lines, bulletin boards or table presentation in their dining rooms,” said Gretchen Wilson, Pitt County Schools director of School Nutrition Services.

Montiel has also earned many awards in the annual state competition, including the Ralph Eaton award in 2015 and 2016, second place in Commodity Vegetable in 2017 and 2018 and first place Ethnic Plate in 2017 and 2018. She also won Best of Show Complete School Lunch or Breakfast Plate consecutively since 2015.

“I feel proud of what I am doing and that’s what keeps me going. I hope to win more,” she said.

To ensure she is the best employee she can be, Montiel is constantly continuing her education with certifications from the School Nutrition Association. She is working toward a level 4 certification.

She has also earned certifications in Norovirus for Schools, CT 6-using seasoning, weights and measuring and two human relations series for creating a motivating workplace and communication skills for managers.

Montiel also has a certification in SERV Safe, which has provided her with the knowledge of proper cooking procedures as well as health and sanitation.

Driven by her passion, Montiel plans to continue to pursue her education and continue to cook.

“Cooking is my favorite. It is something that I really like. One day, I really want to be a chef,” Montiel said.

Creating a Resilient Zone

Teachers learn to help students refocus in effort to decrease discipline

By AmBer revels-stocks

ducators and community partners from across Pitt County are learning how to respond to children and youth using trauma-informed, resiliency-focused practices through a series of workshops called Reconnect for Resilience.

The two-day training events teach educators and community partners practical strategies to promote well-being and threat management. They are facilitated by Resources for Resilience, a group of out Asheville, in conjunction with Pitt County Schools’ Student Services department, TEDI BEAR Children’s Advocacy Center, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Greenville and several other community organizations.

The group held three Reconnect for Resilience trainings and an introduction to Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs training for administrators during the last school year.

ACEs are stressful or traumatic events that can result in the development of several

negative behaviors, including substance abuse and discipline problems, according to Student Services director Karen Harrington.

Examples of ACEs include having divorced parents or seeing a parent being abused. They are very common, with almost 28 percent of study participants reporting at least one ACE, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“Our Student Services staff in all 38 schools did an introduction to ACEs training with all of the staff at some point during the (2018-19 school) year, just to expose them to what this is and what kind of behaviors may manifest,” Harrington said. “Our second phase of that is ‘What do we do about that?’ That’s what this training does.”

The training teaches participants how to recognize the signs of stress within one’s self and others. It teaches methods of alleviating physical stress to bring one back to a balance or “resilient zone,” according to Ann DuPre Rogers, the program director for Resources

for Resilience.

“We teach people about how their nervous systems work in response to stress and trauma and then teach seven tools to help build resiliency,” she said. “We’ll teach all sorts of people, including folks who are incarcerated, because anyone with a nervous system can learn and benefit from this curriculum.

“These tools help put the brake pedal on our stress response. Basically, a lot of folks are dealing with a lot of stress and trauma. They can calm the stress response when we don’t need to be in a heightened state of stress activation using these tools.”

One of the methods Rogers teaches is “orienting.” It is a type of rapid reset activity that brings positive sensory awareness into the present moment to calm someone down when they want to fight or shutdown.

“Look around the room and pay attention to anything pleasing that catches your attention,” Rogers said. “Where do you begin to notice positive or neutral physical feelings?

Take your time. What do you notice now about your breathing, heart rate and muscle tension?”

While there was some skepticism at first, Pitt County Schools’ staff says the training is helpful.

“I’ll be honest. At first, I thought ‘There’s a big difference between Asheville and Greenville. Will this work here?’ but Resources for Resilience came over the summer and did a two-hour intro session, and I realized it’s really simple things schools can do,” Harrington said.

Lisa Mayo, a seventh grade English and Language Arts teacher at E.B. Aycock Middle School, was excited to use the training in her classroom.

“I’m pretty cynical about workshops. I don’t like to go to workshops because it’s more fun for me to be in the classroom. This is unlike anything I’ve seen before,” she said. “It really struck a chord with me because I can really see how my students exhibit signs of emotional trauma in the classroom. Now that I’ve seen the research, I understand where they’re coming from, and I want to help my students deal with their emotions more productively.

“As a teacher, my first job is to increase their literacy, but as a human being and one of the adults in their lives, I want them to be

happy and not make bad choices because they don’t feel like they have another path. I’m looking forward to bringing these techniques back to the classroom to reach students in a more effective way.”

In addition to Student Services staff, the district has made the training available to teachers and community partners.

“The teachers coming (to the training) is the biggest bang for our buck,” Harrington said. “They are constantly in the classroom with these kids, and this training is something simple that they can do really quickly to just help their students refocus that negative energy and turn it into something where they can calm themselves.”

Several teachers are using the tactics taught by the training, both in their classrooms and in their daily lives.

“This is the one training where I’ve gotten phone calls the next day from teachers saying, ‘I’m using this, and it’s helping so much,’” Harrington said.

The district hopes by refocusing students it can decrease discipline and increase student engagement in the classroom.

“We’re not going to get rid of all consequences, but if we can calm students down before they start screaming at the teacher or shutting down and thinking

suicidal thoughts, that would be amazing,” Harrington said. “If we can get to them before consequences are necessary, that’s our goal.”

With that in mind, Harrington sent 10 staff members from around the district to a Champions training. These staff members will be responsible for introducing other staff to the Reconnect techniques.

“My ideal is that every staff person, including teacher assistants and bus drivers, receive this training,” Harrington said. “If we can get this to where everyone says, ‘What happened to you to make you react that way?’ and reframing kids’ behavior, that would be amazing.”

The Reconnect for Resilience training is made available through a N.C. Department of Public Instruction School Safety grant.

Pitt County Schools invites 10 community partners to every training.

“We want to get this out to the community,” Harrington said. “Pitt County needs to become a trauma-informed community because it can’t just be the school system doing it; there has to be the therapists, the doctors and Social Services, too.”

Students see enrichment through Go Grow, PC Virtual Academy

By AmBer revels-stocks

ore than 2,000 students participate in Academically & Intellectually Gifted or AIG programs across Pitt County Schools. Elementary students have the opportunity to participate in Go Grow, an inquiry-based learning program that draws out students’ potential, while middle and high school students can participate in the Pitt County Virtual Academy, which offers students a quality education through online, interactive course content created and led by teachers at Pitt County Schools.

Northwest Elementary School is a Restart School; however, all of its students are part of the Go Grow program.

“At some schools, we’ve been trying to bring students into Go Grow without them being identified (as AIG). Instead of lowering our standards, we’re looking at how to provide service to bring them up to the bar,” said Tim DeCresie, the AIG program coordinator and director of digital learning. “We’ve had great success with that. The schools are loving the flexibility.”

For example, students who are at a second-grade reading level,

regardless of whether they are in second grade or kindergarten, have the opportunity to work together with a teacher on reading at the second-grade level.

“Twenty percent of their time is spent in activities that are of interest to them,” DeCresie explained. “They may do yoga, different types of coding, ceramics. Each teacher picks their own club, and the kids decide what they want to do.

“Attendance has risen on Fridays because it’s Fun Fridays. They’re still learning, but they can choose the activities. … The whole philosophy behind Go Grow is to cultivate that desire to learn. That’s what we try to focus on. If the kid is excited to learn something, they’re more willing to do the academics behind it.”

The Pitt County Virtual Academy or PCVA has been around since 2013, according to DeCresie.

“When we started this, Superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker gave us the goal to reinvest in our own teachers,” DeCresie said. “This is money we can put in our own teachers. We’re still spending the same amount

every month, so it’s not really a cost savings. The money is just staying here now.”

During the 2018-19 school year, 1,200 students took PCVA classes, a growth of 23 percent from two years ago.

Courses offered range from core classes, such as English and math I, to electives, such as African American studies and marine science, to AP courses, such as art history and world history.

“Mostly, it is juniors and seniors since they’re not required to be on campus and have a flexibility to their schedules,” DeCresie said. “Some kids use PCVA because they play sports, so they use that fourth period class as their online class so when they’re pulled out (to travel to away games) they’re not missing instructional time. …

“The other big use of that is our eighth-graders. Through our gifted program, we’ve been using the Virtual Academy to accelerate their learning while they’re still in middle school, so they’re challenged a little bit more and can get to those Advanced Placement classes sooner.”

During the registration process, students can ask their guidance counselor to be placed in PCVA courses rather than face-to-face courses. The guidance counselors have been trained to decide if students are good candidates for online learning. They look for the basic characteristics of online learners, such as being goal-oriented, while also making sure students are capable of success in AP and Honors level classes.

“That person’s job is to keep up with a) the gifted kids in high school and b) the kids doing online work,” DeCresie said. “They’ll go in and check their grades. There is a system in place where teachers can send alerts to the advisor. Then, they can go out to the high school and follow up with the student to see what’s going on.”

PCVA teachers are highly effective, veteran teachers. They create curriculum based on the standards, which can be shared with beginning teachers throughout the county.

Stephanie Woolard is one of those teachers. She is an AIG teacher at Aycock Middle School and a PCVA English teacher. She teaches every student at Innovation Early College High School through the program.

“I had heard about the program when it was still fairly new. I was

looking to expand my career. … I took my whole master’s degree online, and I enjoyed being an online student so I felt like I would enjoy teaching online,” Woolard said. “I’m a very organized person; that’s one of my strengths. As an online student, you have to be very organized, so I think this plays to my strengths as a teacher.

“The other thing I really enjoy about teaching for PCVA is that it provides lots of options for the students and caters to their individual needs.”

At the middle school level, PCVA is an enrichment program to help them accelerate their studies. Online courses are pass/fail at that level, but they still receive the credit hours if they pass.

Rising freshman Daniel Akhnmukh took math III and Earth and environmental science online as an eighth-grader because he had exhausted the math options at Aycock.

“They don’t really offer any more advanced math classes beyond math I,” he said. “If I finish all my math credits at the high school, I can take (college courses) because they don’t want you to finish high school courses early and then never take another class.”

He recommends students take the PCVA classes if they are organized because most of the work is done by one’s self.

The whole philosophy behind Go Grow is to cultivate that desire to learn. That’s what we try to focus on. If the kid is excited to learn something, they’re more willing to do the academics behind it.

Teacher Leadership Institute

By DonnA mArie WilliAms

Pretention through the Pitt County Educational Foundation.

The foundation offers three primary programs designed to foster teacher enhancement and retention.

The Key Beginning Teacher program is the first of the three and is “in the arch of support that program centers around engaging and empowering our beginner teacher leaders so they can become collaborative teachers among beginning teachers,” according to Dr. Seth Brown, the director of Educator Support and Leadership Development.

Thomas Feller, the director of Professional Learning and Leadership Development and Division of Educator Effectiveness and Leadership, added, “Instead of just teaching all beginning teachers the same, we recognize there are some who are excelling and doing really great things. If we can empower them, it’s a whole other level of support for teachers in Pitt County. (Key Beginning Teacher Program) is really about engaging our teacher leaders from the beginning of their first year.”

Google drive with resources such as lesson plans, template designs and parent letters, among other items that can be shared with every teacher in the district.

Teachers collaborate and receive training and tips for being an effective teacher through the program, as well as learn how to advocate for themselves and their classrooms with the state government to receive funding and support.

Next, the Teacher Leadership Institute or TLI allows the district to engage “teacher leaders who are excellent in the classroom working with students and getting them to lead other teachers,” Brown said.

“That requires a whole new set of skills. The first group really taught us about that. That’s a program right now I’m really excited about,” Brown added.

TLI is a two-year leadership development program that highlights the premise that any teacher can be a leader. Teachers learn how to lead themselves, lead individuals and lead groups.

“We don’t tell them who or what kind of leader they need to be. We just give them skills to try these things out,” said Lauren Bowers,

a teacher

„

„

Instead of just teaching all beginning teachers the same, we recognize there are some who are excelling and doing really great things. If we can empower them, it’s a whole other level of support for teachers in Pitt County.

- Thomas Feller, director of professional learning and leadership development and division of educator effectiveness and leadership

terms of funding and number of teachers. The whole idea behind the Career Pathway Model is investigating some ways we can keep some of our best teachers in the classroom working with kids. For years we got some really good teachers that leave,” Feller said, adding teachers cited two primary reasons for leaving. “They want to have a bigger influence (and would say) ‘I want to reach more kids and I feel like this is the only way I can make money.’ ”

Two primary paths exist in the modelcommunity practice and co-teaching.

“We work with teachers to design the pathways model to give these advance teaching roles to our advanced teachers to allow them to stay in the classroom and expand their influence to other teachers and also take on some extra responsibilities and give them extra supplements to compensate them for that,” Feller said.

The community practice model features a facilitating teacher that leads a small team of teachers to do action research in the school to identify where students are struggling and then tries to assists the student.

“The second one is what we call co-teaching model, which involves Multi-Classroom Teachers (MCTs). You have a lead teacher who works in the classroom with other novice teachers, and it helps them improve their craft. They’re helping them really understand how to become a better teacher. The idea is that over time the lead teacher will fade out of that classroom.

The idea is we can pour in and support these teacher leaders, and they can turn around and pour in and support other teachers who then turn around and support the kids. So the kids

are able to learn more effectively,” Feller said. State and federal grants fund the programs.

“The whole grant is a human management system, so it’s comprehensive in nature. It deals with so many elements from the very beginning of being a teacher all the way up through the most experienced folks who could retire but choose to work with other teachers,” Feller said. “The original purpose of the grant was to increase teacher effectiveness. Initial data would suggest we are. Teachers enrolled in these programs remain in the district longer than those that don’t.”

Brown added, “If we take our best teachers or teachers that are very effective and allow them to teach more students and work with other teachers to improve their practice. That’s the philosophy.

“We have excellent teachers in this county … For me, I can’t expect a single principal in a single school to fix the school. It takes everybody working together. The idea is to engage our teacher leaders to be right there and beside the principal, working together. That’s the key to tackling some of these wicked problems we have been facing for years.”

By AmBer revels-stocks

Parents complete

P arent e ngagement P rogram

Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County graduated 14 engaged parents in May 2019 from its year-long Parent Engagement Program.

The Parent Engagement Program, or PEP, prepared parents to be effective partners in the education system by teaching them how schools are run, while also developing effective communication tools, according to Kylene Dibble, the director of Parents for Public Schools.

“These students have spent about six hours, or one day per month, learning all that they could about public education and committing to being positive, well-equipped advocates for public education,” Dibble said. “This was probably one of our more diverse groups, everything from where they were from to their racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s been an incredibly diverse group that all came together and has unified

over the topic of public education in such an amazing way.”

Pitt County Schools supports PEP because its graduates become active, engaged parents, which is something every school district needs more of, according to Superintendent Dr. Ethan Lenker.

“Anytime you can build parent advocacy and parent understanding is a good thing,” he said. “The whole program has been so positive for me personally, I can’t say enough about it. We support it because the idea of getting parents actively engaged is huge, especially in today’s world where so much is changing.”

Among the 14 graduates are two members of the Pitt County Board of Education, who were elected in November 2018.

District 1 representative Tracy EveretteLenz learned about the program online, while she was researching ways to become more involved as a parent.

“I was a product of Pitt County Schools, and I work in public education. I have a real passion for it, so I wanted to see how I could be more involved,” she said. “I found (the program) beneficial to me. I work in public education, but I gained so much more indepth information. … I think it’s extremely beneficial for any parent to do the PEP program and go to the presentations (Parents for Public Schools) offer throughout the year.”

Amy Cole, District 2 representative, has two children in Farmville schools. She understands the importance of parent engagement; this is why she wanted to participate.

“I wanted to learn everything I could about the public school system. … I’m going to make myself a better board member, a better parent and a stronger advocate based on what I learned,” she said. “The most interesting thing I learned, as far as being a PEP participant, was about learning styles. We learned about how

our learning is going to be different from our children. I’m also a teacher, so I found it very fascinating to learn about how my students might learn.”

They are not the only school board members to have participated in PEP. Anna Barrett Smith (District 5), Betsy Flanagan (District 4), Caroline Doherty (District 7) and Melinda Fagundus (District 8) have all graduated from the program as well.

“I would love for every parent in Pitt County to have an opportunity to take this program because now I have a whole new perspective,” said Flanagan. “As I went through this program, I realized how much I wanted to get even more involved. It really opened the door to empowering me to run for the Board of Education. … All parents could really benefit from the education you get from Parents for Public Schools. They have a full curriculum you go through. A lot of times, what I get calls about, are things that parents don’t understand the board is not responsible for. It’s a good idea to know what the county funds, what the state funds, who regulates testing. It really could be beneficial to every parent in Pitt County.”

Ayden resident Ashley Watkins wanted to learn more about how schools operate, so she can be a better advocate for her two children.

“I’ve always loved and appreciated what our public schools do for our children and communities, but I felt that if I had a better understanding of how they worked and why

they do things a certain way, I could help others understand that too and become better advocates for our students and our teachers,” she said. “One of my favorite modules was on the school budget and how school budgets work … There’s a lot more involved than you would expect. It’s really interesting to learn.”

Toward the end of the program, each participant is tasked with completing a project that will enhance a school in Pitt County. Those projects ranged from beautification of schools to enhancing agriculture programs, according to Dibble.

Greenville resident Lori Jones created a new student welcome program at Grifton School.

“There are two student ambassadors who will be active participants in giving school tours to the new students, answering any questions they might have. The student ambassadors will also be spending two weeks with the students when they come in so they get more

comfortable being a part of something. They’ll spend time with them during lunch and recess. The principal will be checking in with them to see if everything’s going well and if not, he’ll find out what the issue is,” Jones said.

“I’m gathering information for the families about what’s available in Grifton so they have this information in hand. It’s based on what I would want to know if I was moving into a new community. It’s in both English and Spanish since Grifton has a large Hispanic population moving in.”

While Jones does not have any children in Pitt County Schools, she felt it was important to learn more about the education system in North Carolina.

“Every child deserves a good education. Public school is usually their only avenue. It’s very different down here than it was up north. A lot of the children I’ve worked with (at the Boys and Girls Club) needed someone to advocate for them. Then they’d get a better education,” she said.

This is the fourth cohort the program has graduated, which means 70 parents overall have graduated from PEP.

Parents for Public Schools is offering workshops throughout the 2019-20 school year. They are single sessions held in the evening. Each attendance area will have the option to host at least one workshop over the course of the year. Last school year, Parents for Public Schools held 26 conversations with more than 370 participants. The group also holds school tours for interested parents.

The next PEP cohort will be held in 2020-21.

“This was probably one of our more diverse groups, everything from where they were from to their racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. It’s been an incredibly diverse group that all came together and has unified over the topic of public education in such an amazing way.”

- Kylene Dibble, Parents for Public Schools Director

A.G. C ox M iddle S C hool

Students at A.G. Cox were put to the test in the 2018-19 Science Olympiad. The school participated in the nationwide STEM competition for the first time after a 10-year lull.

Students participated in 16 of the 24 competition categories that were designed to test students’ problem-solving skills and knowledge of science principles.

Some of the categories included constructing a rollercoaster and meteorology.

Students spent five months preparing for the competition by conducting their own research based off of prior knowledge and practicing constructions for the competition.

Some competition categories were designed for students to work individually; others were group competition.

A.G. Cox placed 10th.

“That was a good start. I’m just excited we were able to get it back up and running. I think it’s a good experience for the kids. I’m excited going into next year,” said Jill Mullis, a sixth grade Science and Social Studies teacher.

Along with testing their knowledge, Science Olympiad allows students to learn to work together in a team and brings new life to

STEM ideas, Mullis said.

“It was a very hard event. Just to see the interest going in the science field is interesting in itself. A lot of kids have never experienced this stuff. Kids get so caught up that scholarships are only athletic and that you don’t get scholarships for science,” Mullis said, adding scholarships are available at the high school level.

School officials plan to compete each year.

A yden e le M ent A ry S C hool

Flexible seating options for students has proven to increase engagement with less behavioral issues.

“When children are comfortable, they are more apt to focus at the task at hand,” said principal Amy Hilliard.

Entering its third year of flexible seating, fourth grade teacher Hannah McClure and third grade teacher Austin Reese first launched flexible seating options in their classrooms in 2017.

“We saw a huge difference in the students’ willingness to engage,” Hilliard said. “It is not ‘you have to do it this way.’ Teaching and engaging conversations doesn’t have to fit in a box. And students are happy to have a break from the norm.”

Students have the option to sit on futons, pillows, stools at high-top tables or exercise balls. Some classrooms feature floor mats, hammocks, video gaming rockers, scoop rockers, beanbag chairs, tires furnished with pillows and even a teepee and trampoline.

“We are taking the children out of the desk. Students will take a book and go sit where they are comfortable,” Hilliard said.

There are still students who prefer to sit at a desk or table, and that is fine, Hilliard added.

“People have different behaviors, and we want to maintain options. They have the say-so. It empowers them, and for many, that’s huge,” she said.

Reese added, “You can give students a voice and a choice, and still have them engaged.”

Students with significant behavioral issues benefit greatly from option seating, Reese said.

“If they are bouncing on a ball, energy is flowing to their brain, which allows them to focus on their work. The bounce balls also help with posture. They can’t lean back or slouch, so they are in a constant state of learning,” Reese said, adding flexible seating helps deter fidgeting because the students are able to move in their seat choice.

Some chair options feature fidget bands on the chair legs, which allows fidgety students to continually move their feet on the band. For others who have a tendency to move a lot in their seat, cushions deter that movement.

Reese saw behavioral issues decrease by 85

percent in her classroom.

“They are focused more, so they make better decisions in the classroom,” McClure said. “I have definitely noticed a difference. Their choice is their responsibility. They have to make a positive choice of what fits them.”

Teachers have applied for grants through the school’s PTA and Donors Choose to purchase various seating options. Others brought furniture in from their homes or purchased seating options using their own money.

A yden -G rifton h i G h S C hool

Ayden-Grifton revamped its AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program six years ago to reach its first-generation college students.

AVID, which teaches students organizational and notetaking skills and introduces them to college options and career opportunities, began 11 years ago with one teacher running the program for students in grades 9-12. Today, there is an AVID teacher in each grade level following a schoolwide approach, according to AVID teacher Gracie Baker.

Approximately 25 students per grade level are enrolled in AVID.

Freshmen and sophomores focus on digital and binder organizational skills and communication skills. The skills build a foundation for students to not only be successful in high school, but in college and throughout life, Baker said.

Juniors and seniors focus on the college process, including touring campuses, filling out college applications and financial need forms, applying for scholarships and taking the SAT and ACT tests.

AVID students are encouraged to take college level courses or AP classes. As seniors, AVID students must be dual-enrolled in high school and online college classes.

AVID students must complete at least 20 hours of community

service. They participate in team-building activities at The Refuge in Ayden and East Carolina University’s ropes course.

well-rounded,” said principal Dr. Chena Cayton. “AVID

“We want our students to be

shows students college can be a reality. It is right in their grasp.”

A yden M iddle S C hool

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Ayden Middle School administrators ensure their students are fed, so they can focus on learning and not hunger pains.

In 2019, the school launched Second Chance Breakfast, which is served at 9:25 a.m.

“On average, we were only seeing 25 students a day during the 7:15 a.m. breakfast. This was a growing concern. We want to make sure everyone gets breakfast,” said principal Marieka Harrison.

Second Chance Breakfast is a “grab-and-go” system. For a dollar, students can grab a fruit, entrée and carton of milk and eat their breakfast in the classroom.

By day three of Second Chance Breakfast, participation grew from 50 students to 100 students grabbing breakfast on the run — to class.

“Some kids don’t like to eat first thing in the morning,” Harrison said.

Second Chance Breakfast allows students to eat later in the morning hours “when they are awake,” she added.

Students who eat at 7:15 a.m. can eat again at 9:25 a.m. if so

desired.

Pitt County Schools School Nutrition Services suggested Second Chance Breakfast, which has seen strong support from parents, Harrison said.

The children are also thankful, she added.

B elvoir e le M ent A ry S C hool

Students at Belvoir Elementary School have the opportunity to learn English and Spanish starting in kindergarten.

Now offered in grades K-4, Dos Mundos immerses students in two languages. Students rotate days between all Spanish and all English — meaning in the Spanish classroom, everything is spoken and written in Spanish and in the English classroom everything is English-based.

Dos Mundos has teachers from Honduras, Spain, Ecuador and Costa Rica on staff to teach the Spanish lessons. Another teacher in each grade level is teaching using English.

Through the program, students not only become bi-lingual, but bi-lateral, which means they can read and speak English and Spanish.

“My son is in the program. He wakes

up, and thinks in Spanish. He writes in Spanish and talks in English. The students know the process,” said principal Alison Covington. “Our students will be fluent in both languages by the time they leave fifth grade.”

English and Spanish teachers collaborate not only with each other, but with teachers in other countries. Students also FaceTime with other students.

“Our students are immersed in a diverse environment, constantly getting a rich learning experience. We want them to grow up with different experiences,” Covington said.

The learning content is standards-based, so when students are learning all-day in Spanish, they are being taught core subject lessons.

“They are not just learning how to speak

Spanish,” Covington said.

Instructional Coach Courtney Dubis added, “When they go into math, it is a continuation of the lesson. It is not a repeat of the English day.”

By 2020-21, Dos Mundos will be taught K-5, and the program does not end in fifth grade. Dual-enrollment programs will be offered in middle school and high school.

B ethel S C hool

With 25 percent of the town’s population in Bethel School, the school becomes children’s goto place for education, support, friendship and fun, during and after hours.

The 300 students at the K-8 school literally grow up together like siblings, and teachers become like second parents.

“I have a teacher or friend I can go to when I need help with something. We’re like a big, happy family,” said rising high school freshman Zaniyla Watts.

There is always something to do at Bethel School.

“When you walk through the doors at Bethel School, you feel welcome. The teachers want you to be actively engaged inside and outside of school,” said rising freshman Cadence Mundell, a yearbook staffer, SGA president, Beta Club treasurer, volleyball player and cheerleader. Bethel is excited to share their welcome to principal Leigh Ann Swinson as well.

Mundell is also a proud member of the school’s winning Quiz Bowl team, which was one of the

only three public schools to go to state competition in the spring.

Whether or not one is a high-achieving student, Bethel sees that all students reach their goals.

“I’m not the smartest kid in the world, but I like sports. My teachers understand that. The teachers will do everything in their power to help you do what you want to do,” said three-sport athlete and rising freshman Hunter Manning, adding teachers attend his sporting events, too. “Knowing your teachers care enough to go to your sporting events … lets you know how much you mean to them and

makes you want to do good in school.”

Close relationships go hand in hand with excellent education, according to Elaina Wingfield, an English and social studies teacher for grades 5-8 and adviser for three clubs.

“It’s normalcy that doesn’t exist in another public school. It’s a beautiful place to be. You get to know all the students and their families. You are their counselor, their babysitter, their mom. It’s important to not only teach but also immerse yourself in their world, because you may be the only person in that kid’s world,” Wingfield said.

Rising freshman Iseuri Bautista was new last year, but quickly fit right in.

“I love Bethel because everyone is so welcoming. The first day, I wasn’t shy because everyone walks up to you to talk to you,” she said.

The community lends outstanding support to the school. For example, churches and organizations raised $700 in two days to sponsor the Quiz Bowl Team’s lodging and meal at the state competition.

C.M. e ppe S M iddle S C hool

School resource officer Bruce Groccia is making a “phenomenal” difference in the lives of students at C.M. Eppes, according to principal Cornelia Cox.

“If the entire nation could see what we see in him, this is what interaction should look like. I have learned more from him about relationships. He knows every story. He knows every situation,” Cox said. “We are living in a society that is so divided between the police and community. (Groccia) is that bridge for C.M. Eppes. He makes relationshipbuilding even easier. When we begin to rebuild a relationship, he’s that gateway.”

Groccia has “genuine compassion” and builds genuine relationships, Cox added.

“He is the definition of what an SRO should be,” she said. “He is forming relationships with children we sometimes can’t reach.”

Groccia truly cares about the students and is dedicated to the staff, she said. He strives to ensure the students’ needs are met.

“Their needs not met at home are met

here. (Groccia) goes above and beyond. He is not here just to exist. He wants to be here. I can see the bonds. A lot of kids just need to know you’re genuine. We can’t teach them if they don’t trust us,” Cox said.

Being an SRO is “more than just security and more than keeping the building safe — it is about forming relationships that can’t be broken,” she said.

It is all about how one talks to another, Groccia said.

“I talk to our students the way I would want to be treated. I want them to know I love them. I am their friend. That’s how you make a difference,” he said. “I wake up with a smile knowing I’m coming to work, and I come home with a smile. I love these kids and couldn’t think about doing anything else.”

Groccia made a lasting impression on rising freshman Ironeé Cox.

“He helps me. He talks to me when I’m in trouble. He looks after me as a friend and family. I know I can go to him for help,” Cox said, adding she believes Groccia’s lessons

and support helped her mature, which has prepared her for high school. “I know he wants me to do good. I feel good about myself.”

Groccia strives to be an advocate for the students.

“We don’t always know what is happening behind closed doors. We have to ask. Some don’t have a home. What can we do? We need to make sure our students succeed. For some, their home lives are tough. You need to have a heart,” Groccia said.

C hi C od S C hool

Chicod’s new Maker Space lab not only helps students better understand math and science concepts, it also allows students to participate in activities that teach them team work, accountability, spreadsheets, inventory and more.

Career and Technical Education coordinator Renee Sheppard and K-8 Technology Instructor Paige Stanley are planning use of the space.

Sixth-graders worked in six groups using K’Nex construction system kits to build amusement rides.

“We would not be able to do six of them at a time in a regular classroom,” Stanley said.

“It allowed us to set it up as our ‘factory’ and they were the workers. We talked about being on time and accountable to your teammates. If you are absent then somebody is going to have to pull your weight.”

Sheppard added, “We had quality control. … If they weren’t constructed well, then it would throw the passengers out. We tied it to the real world of work.”

Students tracked product inventory on

spreadsheets.

“We assigned an amount to each item and they got to see how much it would cost the company to buy that equipment, so if it were lost, how much could come out of your paycheck,” Sheppard said.

In addition to science and math, students wrote about their experience.

“Kids that are leaders in their other classes began to depend on the kids they haven’t depended on before. It was cool to see those kids make decisions for their group,” Stanley said.

Sheppard said, “Kids that we see in other classes who don’t necessarily shine or stand out, don’t ask questions or maybe have a behavior problem, we saw them in a completely different way here. Some of those kids became our leaders. It was good to see that.”

Chicod’s AIG coordinator Kristin Justice, who has used hands-on technology like spherical robots in her classroom, said, “These projects help kids better understand the concepts their teachers are teaching in the classroom. It’s great to see that light bulb

moment.”

Teachers have sought grants to obtain other technology for their classrooms.

“It’s interesting to see 5-year-olds and their own little iPads,” Sheppard said.

Virtual reality glasses and JIMU robots students program to walk and dance have also been game changers for hands-on learning opportunities.

“We’re excited about it. It’s going to take us years to catch up to where some (schools) are now, but we’re getting there slowly,” Sheppard said.

C reek S ide e le M ent A ry S C hool

Creekside Elementary School offers students many opportunities outside of the normal classroom settings. Through its clubs, students can expand their horizons in music, art, maker space and physical fitness.

The school’s chorus club is open to fifth graders and meets Fridays during recess. Members practice songs for upcoming performances, like the winter and spring programs, Winterville Christmas tree lighting ceremony and Barnes & Noble School Nights.

“The club gives students something to look forward to with friends. They get to be part of a group, and learn to use their voice to the best of their ability, while growing socially,” said chorus teacher Katie Alford.

Art club meets Wednesdays during fifth grade recess. The club offers students “more freedom in the art room,” said art teacher Caitlin Curte.

“They get extra time to work on challenging projects and have more choices. It is opportunity for enrichment,” she said.

Offering the music and art clubs on different days

gives students the opportunity to participate in both.

The school’s running club meets after school Tuesdays and Thursdays in the spring and fall. It is open to students in grades 3-5. The club practices for two 5K races it participates in.

“We want to get our bodies strengthened and give back to the community,” said physical education teacher Jimmy Bowen, explaining the races benefit juvenile diabetes and East Carolina University scholarships.

Entering its seventh year in the 2019-20 school year, the running club typically averages 60-plus participants.

“I love to run. It’s my out, and I wanted to inspire others,” said Bowen, who started the running club. “Running is a great way to handle stress and exercise. Participants are at all levels, all shapes and sizes. For some, it’s a walking social club. Our parents and teachers are a part of it.”

The running club teaches students responsibility. They are responsible for remembering their workout clothes, shoes and water bottle.

“There is also the social aspect. They are engaging with others and learning to lift people up who are struggling,” Bowen said.

Alford added, “Our clubs give kids the opportunity to socialize with others who share their same likes.”

Curte said, “They are building relationships and stronger bonds.”

The maker space club is open to students in grades K-5, featuring hands-on activities to learn how to build and code and complete art projects through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math). The club meets at various times throughout the day.

Students work in groups to solve the problems.

d . h . C onley h i G h S C hool

Students interested in health sciences can get a taste of seven of 12 medical careers in Conley High School’s health careers STEM lab. Pairs of students rotate through a series of modules of lessons, videos, hands-on and written assignments related to the fields of dentistry, nursing, medical imaging, ophthalmology, clinical lab, veterinary medicine, emergency medical technician, pharmacology, therapeutic services, speech therapy, biotechnology and information management.

“They know they want to go into a health care field, but they are not sure which one. Hopefully, it will help some of them decide which route they want to take,” said teacher Jennifer Stanley, a former respiratory therapist. “A lot of them think they know what a job consists of, but they don’t really know. This class can either stimulate or eliminate interest in a particular field.”

Students love it because it’s hands-on, not just lecturing or taking notes, she added.

In dentistry, students learn to use dental tools to remove plaque and drill teeth, make molds and

view X-rays.

The Nursing Module includes suturing techniques and drawing blood from simulated models.

“One student thought she wanted to be a nurse, but the sight of the needle and simulated blood made her change her mind,” Stanley said.

Medical Imaging covers radiology, reading X-rays and how to use an endoscope.

Ophthalmology, eye care and disease, shows students how to do eye exams, study different lenses and fit glasses. In clinical lab, students examine specimens and learn to read lab results, which is vital in other medical fields, Stanley said.

The EMT module teaches CPR, operation of an automated external defibrillator, bleeding control, wound dressing and more.

“Just knowing skills in general is helpful, in case you are out with friends and something happens,” Stanley said.

Students learn about DNA and genetics in biotechnology. Information management covers

medical coding and medical records. Each module offers concepts, vocabulary, reading, procedure videos and a hands-on activity to complete with a lab partner, using materials contained in a supply cabinet at each station.

“There’s something different every day. I think that’s why they like it,” Stanley said.

Rising sophomore Sarah Chrisman said, “It lets you get a little taste of everything. … It’s hands-on. You get to see what you can do. Drilling and filling cavities was pretty cool.”

e .B. A y C o C k M iddle S C hool

Nine Pitt County elementary schools feed into Aycock Middle, creating a melting pot of cultures, socio-economic and academic backgrounds.

“I think students are happy to be here. I know teachers are, because we serve a wide variety of population,” said eighth-grade science teacher Angela Grillo. “You have to get to know all of them and meet them where they are. I think we do a good job of that here at Aycock.”

Aycock focuses on data from the iReady interactive online learning program to address each student’s unique needs.

“If a student uses the program, they will grow (in knowledge and skill),” Grillo said.

In the spring, math and reading teachers created a March Madness theme for an iReady bracket competition between classes to make increased use of iReady more fun. In the end, a cookout was held to reward the classes with the most use and completed lessons.

Now entering its fourth year, Aycock’s afterschool tutoring program is popular with students and parents.

“We are being more intentional with our after-

school program to make sure the kids that need to be in it are there. We are getting better at adding more pieces to the program,” said principal Darryl Thomas, referring to the iReady data.

Every spring and fall, students receive extra help from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“The kids want to come. They beg to stay,” Grillo said.

Parents are pleased to know extra help in available, according to Thomas.

“A lot of parents might not be able to afford tutoring. We provide free transportation home and free snacks,” he said.

Aycock strives to engage parents. Before school starts, an open house just for new sixth-grade students and parents is held. Each grade level also has individual curriculum nights for parents. An oldschool spelling bee using end-of-grade vocabulary words also draws parents to the school.

Also popular is a healthy food competition that has students build meals at home and then serve it to judges at Family Food Night.

“Students dress nice, do a table setting and have

their recipe written out,” Thomas said.

“These nights and after-school tutoring go a long way toward connecting with parents.”

Building relationships with one another is just as important for students, Grillo said.

For 20 minutes every other Friday, as many as 60 students meet in the media center for Restorative Circles, in which students answer questions and communicate from the heart.

“That is the most powerful thing I have ever done in my teaching,” Grillo said. “It allows students to learn that even though they all look different, they have similar stories. They get to know each other’s stories.”

e AS tern e le M ent A ry S C hool

In 2018, Eastern introduced the Sanford Harmony program to its fourth grade teachers, who are now teaching it to other teachers.

Sanford Harmony is a program that promotes social and emotional skills. Teachers receive lesson plans, storybooks, games and conversation cards to get them started.

Children are given opportunity to connect and get comfortable with one another before academic class work begins.

“Once you start to know a person, what they like and don’t like, what they’re interested in, what makes them happy or sad, or what’s going on in their life, then you’re able to develop more empathy,” said Janey Hachmeister, a fourth grade math and science teacher using the program. “We want kids to work on soft skills of empathy, resilience, persistence, but it’s hard to teach those. Sanford Harmony is about letting our kids get to know each other and let them problem solve outside of education, just hanging out, then they’re going to be able to do that within instruction.

“I don’t think just test prep is really preparing kids

for the optimism, flexibility. If you are not able to work with somebody, how are you going to get or keep those jobs you want?”

Her class practices greeting each other with a handshake, looking each other in the eye and saying the other’s name. Then they have a brief time to comment on what’s going on in their lives.

“It’s been a game-changer. They have developed a caring culture among themselves. They’re nicer to each other, more empathetic. Sanford Harmony is something I will not get rid of. I hold it sacred,” Hachmeister said. “I had a kid that is usually happy that was sad one day. That concerns time gave him the platform to share that his brother was in the hospital.”

That turned into the whole class sending handmade get well cards to the boy’s brother, which made them all happy and further connected the peer group.

She also introduced the kids to Eli, the empathetic elephant, a Beanie Baby that is daily awarded from one to another based on witnessed acts of empathy.

“You get to know people better, get to know their

names, get to know what’s happening. If they have a concern, we can make them feel better. If they have a celebration, we celebrate with them,” said rising fifthgrader Tristian Crawford.

Rising fifth-grader Antwan Bell added, “This class is like family. When I wanted to quit the talent show, they encouraged me not to,” Bell said. “I believe you should spread the love everywhere.”

Hachmeister said, “You want to see the kids happy and excited, and that is what I see when we have morning meetings.”

e l M hur S t e le M ent A ry S C hool

The popular Spanish program at Elmhurst is going into its third year.

Marcoantonio Meza-Carrillo, 35, taught English in his native country of Colombia.

“This is my passion. It is something you enjoy and at the same time you learn something from the kids. I’m still learning English. So when I say something wrong, the kids say, ‘It’s like this,’” he said. “I think it’s good that I came here to teach Spanish, because they thought just Mexican people are Spanish.”

Teaching American children is quite different. Meza-Carrillo is used to classes of up to 60 students who listen with rapt attention.

“If you come here and just talk, they won’t learn. They need something that we move, sing, something different. They have more energy. I feel I need to be many different things compared to Colombian kids,” he said.

North Carolina does not have a standard course of study for foreign language for elementary education. Elmhurst had to create its own scope

and sequence curriculum for teaching Spanish to children of six grade levels.

Each class in grades K-5 comes to him once a week as an encore, or elective, class.

“We want them to be able to read and write in Spanish before they get ready for middle school, but once a week is not enough opportunity to become fluent, but they can have a basic skill set,” said principal Colleen Burt.

Meza-Carrillo teaches vocabulary, the alphabet, farm animals and more, which he approaches with age appropriate techniques.

Meza-Carrillo also ventures to other classes like physical education or the computer lab to introduce Spanish in other areas of the school. The school also has a Spanish Club for older students and native speakers who meet with him during the lunch period.

Having an international Spanish teacher allows the students to be introduced to many aspects of the Spanish culture, not just its language, such as festivals, pageants and Vallenato music.

“We’re fortunate to even be able to explore and have that option. Families enjoy it, when they come on tours, this is one of the first rooms they want to go in,” Burt said. “Mr. Meza is very animated, so they are always up and dancing and singing and using the smart board. It makes parents feel good that this is an opportunity they might not have at another school. We are the only school that has Spanish as an encore class for all students. It’s part of our school’s global health and wellness theme.”

f A lkl A nd e le M ent A ry S C hool

Falkland Elementary is taking a new approach to teaching using small groups that are “individualized and purposeful,” said principal Anthony Perkins.

“We see through collaboration, small groups focus on skills. We are meeting the needs of where each student is. We are expanding minds and building dreams,” Perkins said.

Changing their teaching approach from the whole class to small group settings is making an impact, he added.

No child is falling in the cracks.

“We can see the target need and grow the student to the next level,” Perkins said.

The staff is fully committed to the new approach. Rapport among students and staff has improved and so are students’ confidence levels. Staff has also noticed the closer relationships are resulting in positive

behaviors.

“The climate has changed. Parents are receiving positive phone calls home, and the parents are buying in, and support from home is increasing,” Perkins said.

A small-group learning environment serves as an independent practice or form of assessment, according to assistant principal Kimberly Gilbert.

“This allows the teacher to reflect and fill in the gaps,” Gilbert said.

Small group learning also allows for more one-on-one learning between a teacher and student. While the class is working in groups, a teacher can take a student aside and provide additional opportunities to learn and be proactive, according to counselor Marshica Watson.

Launching the new teaching approach in the 2018-19 school year, Falkland staff saw

an immediate positive shift in its students.

“Our students are more excited to learn, and want to be here,” Perkins said. “One kid at a time. We know we are making a difference.”

Title I Community Outreach coordinator Beth Ward added, “They see we believe in them, and they are beginning to believe in themselves.”

Falkland is a CAP Restart School with a focus on coding and robotics.

f A r M ville C entr A l h i G h S C hool

The high school may be small, but its offerings are unlimited.

“What makes us unique and different is we are a small high school with all the things large high schools have, but being small makes it easier for our students to take advantage of what we offer,” said principal Brad Johnston.

Students have options for dualenrollment through Pitt Community College. In their freshmen and sophomore years, students complete all high school requirements. As juniors and seniors, they are mainly at Pitt Community College.

“Only 30 to 40 percent of our seniors are on campus for one to two classes. The rest is through dual-enrollment and online classes,” Johnston said. “Since we are small, we can cater to each child. We have the luxury of knowing kids individually, and can personalize and tailor their high school experience from an academic side.”

Farmville Central’s students are “known, regardless of being the best athletically or the best academically,” Johnston added.

“You don’t have to be the best, and you will still be recognized. In larger settings, it is harder to see them all. They are one of 1,500. We don’t have that problem. In the first month of school, staff has learned our freshmen and we know each kid. We learn their goals and ambitions, and make sure we do everything to help them get there,” he said.

A majority of Farmville Central’s seniors graduate with college credits giving them a two-semester “jump on college,” Johnston said.

“That saved a lot of money on tuition. I can’t ever emphasize that enough to parents,” he said, adding Farmville Central also caters to career paths. “These college credits are not just for four-year colleges. Many of our students take two-year programs into the

industrial workforce.”

Through its CTE programs, students are graduating with certificates and associate degrees in welding, nursing and more.

Nationwide, many are faced with college loans and debt — a $200,000 debt, only making $30,000 to $40,000 a year.

“It doesn’t make economic sense. Why not save through dual-enrollment and get a year’s tuition free? It’s starting to change and shift, and high school looks different,” Johnston said.

f A r M ville M iddle S C hool

The arts are a crucial part of learning. Music teacher Kathi Howell understands the value of music in the classroom and strives to reach as many students as she can through notes.

She received a $52,064 Perkins Trust grant, which allowed her to purchase instruments.

School administration agrees that without the grant, many of Farmville Middle School’s students wouldn’t have access to play an instrument.

Howell is always thrilled to put an instrument in a student’s hand for the first time.

“In general music, they learn to play violin. So many are interested that they join orchestra,” Howell said.

Unfortunately the interest outnumbered the instruments available.

“I didn’t have enough, so students had to buddy up. Group A would play, and then they would pass the instrument to their partner and Group B would play,” Howell said.

The Perkins grant has enabled each student to have access to an instrument. Through the grant, Farmville Middle School purchased six string bass (fiddles), 15 violins, 10 violas, 10 cellos and a piano. The grant covered the costs of six sets of chorus risers with safety guards, instrument racks, music stands and carts.

“Students who can’t afford to buy an instrument can now try. It would break my heart when I didn’t have an instrument to give a student. Now, it does my heart good. I can see the confidence in them. Music is a release of expression and emotion. They feel better … music brings out joy for these kids,” Howell said.

Having music and the arts in school is crucial to developing a well-rounded student, Howell added. Principal Jeremiah Miller, a musician himself, agrees.

“The creative part of their brain is working. They are doing a lot at one time. They have to count the rhythm, think more and work individually. Their minds are growing daily,” she said.

G. r . W hitfield S C hool

G.R. Whitfield is continuing to foster relationships between staff and students in an effort to help the students both socially and academically.

“We know the children. When you have them from kindergarten to eighth grade, you get to know them pretty well. We know them academically and socially,” said school administration representative Will Sanderson.

The relationships between staff and students help foster academic growth and allow teachers to know which students struggle and which students excel in every aspect of their education.

Knowing specific strengths and weaknesses of students allow teachers to customize lessons plans that are challenging and engaging and allows students to receive extra help if needed, Sanderson said.

“You know the students’ needs and work on them, but you also know the students’ strengths and work on them. You can measure their growth. What we do is prepare them for high school and beyond,” Sanderson said.

Along with staff and student relationships, parent involvement with the school plays a large role at G.R. Whitfield.

“We have really strong community support. Parent support is really good. We have a good parent-teacher association, and

athletic booster club that the parents run. We’re all trying to help the kids. That’s what we’re here for,” Sanderson said.

Parent and community support help foster a love of learning, he added.

“It’s a really good place for kids to learn and grow in.” Sanderson said.

G.R. Whitfield looks forward to its first year with principal Ashley Wheeler as well.

G rifton S C hool

Grifton School garnered a three-year grant in the 2018-19 school year, which is helping eighth-graders transition to high school.

The grant funds a dual classroom teacher, who is teaching English to students at Grifton School and its feeder high school, AydenGrifton High School.

In the 2018-19 school year, Grifton School launched AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) to its eighth-graders. AVID not only teaches students how to stay organized and become strong note-takers, but it also introduces students to college options. Students tour colleges, learn how to interview for jobs and enhance their communication skills.

Through its partnership with Ayden-Grifton High School, which also offers AVID, Grifton School students had access to information about high school pathways, Career & Technical Education and ROTC.

“I see their confidence building. They are ready for high school and excited about high school,” said principal Kevin Smith. “They are fully informed about their options of early college, dual-enrollment or high school.”

The partnership is “expanding horizons,” Smith said.

“We want to mirror high school and have our students prepared and ready,” Smith said. “Going from a K-8 school to high school can be a struggle. It is a big change, and we want our students to succeed.

Their confidence levels are on the rise. We want them to have the tools to be resilient. They are in control of their lives and can make a difference.”

AVID will be offered to students in grades 7-8 in the 2019-20 school year.

h .B. S u GG & S AM d . B undy e le M ent A ry S C hool S

H.B. Sugg and Sam D. Bundy elementary schools are the first stepping stone in Farmville’s three-school campus.

With a community-school atmosphere in place, principal Allison Setser has spent the past four years working toward growing strong partnerships with the community.

The school hosts Doughnuts and Dudes for fathers and their child, Ladies and Lemonade for the mothers and Schoola-Palooza, a community-wide event featuring middle and high school students volunteering their time to host games and activities for elementary students and the community itself.

Last year, the school launched Parent University focusing on the importance of school attendance, positive behavior, activities at home that enrich learning and lessons on anti-bullying. The school provided childcare and food for attendees and even transportation. More than 200

families attended Parent University.

“We must work together,” Setser said.

Sugg-Bundy was also the only AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) elementary school in the district until the 2019-20 school year. Now, Sugg-Bundy is assisting the district’s Restart Schools in launching AVID.

“Our community leaders support AVID to ensure equitable learning for all of our kids,” Setser said. “It is an investment for the future of our community.”

Any initiative pitched, the community buy-in is there, Setser said.

“Our schools support one another. We have the community support. Our staff supports the town,” she said. “Our staff shops local. We support the businesses who support us. It is a beneficial partnership. It is important we invest in them, like they do us.”

Sugg-Bundy has strong partnerships

with McDonald’s, which hosts its McTeacher Nights and Food Lion for Math Night. Local businesses also contribute gift cards and items for Sugg-Bundy’s new teacher welcome baskets.

Staff can also been seen throughout town at A Taste of Farmville, Hometown Halloween, the Christmas Parade, Fourth of July, agri-markets and more.

h ope M iddle S C hool

The last day of the school week at Hope is no longer just Friday. It is Why Day.

“Our school clientele is representative of the world. We have a lot of variety, a lot of needs and dealing with students with mental health issues. As we look at our students, we have to also focus on our teachers. ‘Why are we here? What is our role?’” said former principal Jennifer Poplin, who helped begin the Why Day movement. Principal Jennifer Johnson will continue leadership of the movement with the Hope staff.

Instructional coach Sarah Adams said, “We have a lot of pressures. Mental health is a big issue. We also have the pressures of accountability. The heat is on schools. ‘Are you performing?’ And the measurements of our performance may or may not be fair or legitimate. We have to be constantly reassessing ourselves; sometimes second guessing ourselves. It can be a drain.”

Teachers did not choose to be teachers to make great test scores. It was about kids.

“We decided we needed to be in this together. We needed to refocus on why we are here in the first place, so that we can open ourselves up to the collaborative culture that supports our students,” Adams said.

At the start of the 2018-19 school year, teachers wrote on index cards the reason why they chose to work at Hope. Whether in the cafeteria, driving a bus, as a bookkeeper, custodian or teacher, all play a role in influencing students.

Every staff members’ “why” was printed on T-shirts that were distributed at the end of semester teacher workday.

“I feel strongly that it was very much appreciated and was very timely,” Poplin said. “It lifts them up. Some teachers have posted on their Facebook page little stories, without revealing any children, this happened today.

‘This is why I came here.’ ‘This is why I teach.’”

Teachers said they want to inspire greatness, to develop future ready learners, to help children love books and reading, or to challenge

and enrich their students.

The

come along to remind them of their original goal.

“There’s a lot of noise about how we’re not doing enough — from the state, from parents. There is way more positive going on, and we’re trying to focus on that. If we don’t remind ourselves, we get bogged down in the negative noise,” Adams said.

i nnov A tion e A rly C olle G e h i G h S C hool

Students are more than just a grade. That is the idea behind the Academic College and Career Emotional and Social or ACEs class at Innovation.

“It’s a non-credit-bearing class that my counselor, Lauren Brittenham, teaches, so the students don’t get grades,” said principal Jennifer James. “Ms. Brittenham focuses on social and emotional well-being.”

Topics include things like mindfulness, how to shake hands and growth mindset.

“She has created several lessons for all of these,” James said. “Sometimes, she has guest speakers who come in and talk about different topics.”

Since Innovation is on East Carolina University’s campus, some of the speakers are from the university’s resources, such as speakers from the LGBT center or student services. Others may teach college and

career readiness tips.

“They’ll have conversations about high school drama and why people start stirring it up at this age. They’ve discussed how to use ‘I’ messages when we don’t like what someone has said, such as ‘I felt hurt’ or ‘I disagree,’” James explained. “They’ll talk about how to deal with not liking somebody or what you do when you feel someone has done something wrong to you. Ms. Brittenham talks about all those things to increase their social and emotional well-being and their resilience.”

That is especially important at Innovation because its population of students tend to score higher on the Adverse Childhood Experiences surveys, which Brittenham conducted with the students in the class. She uses that information along with the information she gains during check-ins to guide discussions.

“We focus on that emotional and social piece to ensure they succeed, and not just academically,” James said.

Why Day spirit grew to include a schoolwide online PowerPoint created by assistant principal Daniale Stancil, where staff can post inspirational experiences that

J. h . r o S e h i G h S C hool

No other Pitt County school does flextime, like J.H. Rose.

“Refresh” breaks the school’s three mid-day lunch periods into blocks. Students choose one block for lunch and then sign up for enrichment activities in the other two blocks.

Rose is the first school in the state to use the Flex Time Manager program of computerized scheduling that allows students to set up their own schedule. It also allows school staff to account for every student’s whereabouts.

In addition, Refresh offers students practical and interesting learning opportunities such as how to change a tire, manage money or administer CPR. Students also need time outside the classroom to meet with counselors, complete scholarship applications and attend club meetings.

Teachers are required to schedule academic enrichment at least once a week. The rest is up to the teacher. Students can schedule a block to meet with teachers or counselors, check

out a new club, work on projects or study. Or they can take up yoga, cake decorating, first aid, poetry, participate in intramural sports to expend energy, learn to play chess, learn table manners or just relax in a teacher’s classroom.

It has opened up opportunity for more students to be involved in more activities.

“That way we are not holding students after school or before school. We are leveling the playing field for students who are bus bound, to make sure they have the same opportunities as everybody else,” said Ashleigh Wagoner, the Career Development coordinator and Refresh Design Committee member.

Refresh allows teachers and students to build new relationships around personal interests in relaxed settings.

“Teachers and students love it, but I think the parents are the most outspoken about how important it has been for their students,” said Amity Rea, a social studies teacher, who is also on the Refresh design committee. “We are

truly passionate about it. We feel this is what’s best for our students.”

Wagoner added, “It’s part of our school culture at this point. It’s what you expect when you come to Rose.”

Principal Monica Jacobson also said, “We want our students to feel a connection to our school. Every student is not the most academic. This lets them connect in other ways.”

l A kefore S t e le M ent A ry S C hool

The Girls Living a Mission, or GLAM Girls, program at Lakeforest provides girls with character education, leadership development, health and wellness, fun events and service projects.

In 2015, the founder Daughters of Worth, Liz Liles, became acquainted with victims of sex trafficking, rape, incest, domestic violence, neglect, homelessness, teen pregnancy and hunger. At first, the organization partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain.

“We teach girls that they can create the tomorrow of their dreams by the decisions they make today. No matter what situation you come from, your life is up to you,” Liles said.

GLAM teaches integrity, self-worth, to value their body, make positive friendship choices, to have a vision for their life, set goals and to serve others.

Throughout the year, participants earn points for positive academic and behavioral improvements, for the chance to be named GLAM Girl of the Year and attend a glamorous gala.

Liles and Lakeforest guidance counselor Brittany Taylor co-facilitate the sessions with 22 GLAM Girls every other Monday.

“I see the kids building relationships and trust in each other. If the girls in that group can (support) each other, we could see such potential in the culture of our school,” Taylor said.

Principal Diana Denham added, “They need people to help them navigate positively through middle and high school. … They need those people that can pour into them different ideas and resources about who and what they can be, and who is there to support and build them up.”

GLAM Girl Makayla Jordan, a rising fifthgrader, liked reading the assigned inspirational books and learned to express herself.

Rising sixth-grader Kateryah Hill liked the service projects, like the canned food drive to benefit Joy Soup Kitchen. Being in GLAM Girls taught her the importance of showing other girls empathy and encouragement.

Rising sixth-grader Nashiya Frank said,

“We get to talk about what we’ve been going through and help other girls in what they are going through. I have learned not to (fight) and fuss them out,” she said.

GLAM Girls teaches how to socialize with others, said rising sixth-grader La’Kirah Beale.

“It helps us realize we don’t need to put other girls down,” she said. “I use to fuss with other girls a lot.”

Danazia Moore, a rising sixth-grader, has made new friends through the program.

“It’s good to have true friends,” she said.

n orth p itt h i G h S C hool

North Pitt offers high tech education.

The STEM lab offers three levels of exploration into the engineering careers of alternative energy, environmental technology, architectural design, manufacturing technology, robotics, material science, construction technology and biotechnology.

STEM I focusing on four careers, STEM II focuses on another four and STEM III teaches college-level foundations of engineering and technology. Students are introduced to the careers through interactive lessons, group projects and oral presentations.

“We can literally serve all types of students here in the STEM lab. Some come just to explore,” said STEM coordinator Tonya Miles.

Miles helps students connect what they learn in the lab with related skills through field trips to the school’s own carpentry and welding shops.

“When I first came to this class, I had no clue what I wanted to do. Now I’m either interested in mechanical or civil engineering,” said Saul Chavez-Lopez, a rising senior, who has had three years in the STEM lab.

Jorge Prado, a rising junior, who completed STEM III, added, “I came into the class not knowing what I wanted to do. As soon as I got into the architect module, I fell in love with it and that’s what I want to be now. I’m going to go to a four-year college and get an architect degree.”

Miles McMillan, a rising senior, now wants to study construction management after he graduates high school.

“I didn’t know that much engineering and things like that until I got in this class. Then I started learning about what they do. I got to see plans and designs and all that. It really helped me, because if I wouldn’t have taken the class, I wouldn’t have known about that and be interested in it,” he said, as he pointed

out a miniature house he and his classmates designed and built.

Meanwhile, media coordinator Laura Mangum guides North Pitt students in how other facets of technology can be applied in their core classes. In the media center, Mangum facilitates the use of green screen video and stop action photography, electrical engineering, computerized paper crafting, digital music design and recording, robotics, virtual reality headsets and more.

n orth W e S t e le M ent A ry S C hool

Entering its third year as a Restart School, Northwest Elementary School utilizes a Go Grow plan for personalized learning, inquiry and student choice.

This year’s focus will more on inquiry and question-based learning, according to principal Sara English.

For example, in fifth grade, students learn about force and motion. Rather than reading about it first, students will first participate in an activity. The hands-on learning approach stimulates the mind, which leads to questions, English said.

“Students learn from discovery first, and it is supported with content,” she said. “We want our students to get the experience first and then the academic content.”

Open-ended learning allows students to be more engaged compared to reading a textbook, English explained.

“It promotes a higher level of learning,” she said. “Our kids are more engaged, and our staff is phenomenal at thinking outside of the box.”

English joined the Northwest family in the 2018-19 school year. Her focus was building parent relationships. The school hosted Parent University, which saw a “remarkable” turnout, she said.

“We must support one another,” English said.

This year, she will focus her attention on building strong partnerships with stakeholders.

Last year’s Go Grow plans focused on reading in grades K-2. This school year, math will be added for students in grades K-3.

As a Restart School, Northwest’s calendar year is two weeks longer than other schools.

The extended school year provides time for more instruction, STEM activities and field trips. The school is also STEM based.

“Technology comes in with inquiry. Through robotics and coding, students are using their creativity,” English said. “As a Restart School, technology is a tool we use to get our students thinking, engaged and becoming problem solvers.”

Every Friday, students have a choice to participate in a club, like video production, robotics, gardening, yoga, dance and more.

“It is the student’s choice. They all participate in two clubs. We want to make learning fun, and this gives them the opportunity to explore something they would not otherwise experience.” English said. “We want our students to develop interests and get a taste of things they otherwise would not experience.”

This year, Northwest is also launching AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determine) in grades 4-5.

p AC tolu S S C hool

Social workers at Pactolus Elementary want students to feel safe and SECURE. The SECURE group provides students a safe haven, where they can express themselves and share their emotions through art, music and writing.

Most of the students in the program have low self-esteem, but SECURE helps to build their confidence and public speaking skills, said social worker Rene Lee-Bryan.

“The program is individualized. We want them to know they have a voice, and they matter. They all have talents. Many are artistically and musically inclined,” she said. “We pull on their strengths.”

SECURE will enter its third year in the 2019-20 school year. Last year, the students worked collaboratively to create a mural in the school’s cafeteria.

“The design was the students’ idea — to be the change you wish to see in the world,” Lee-Bryan said, adding through SECURE, Pactolus is changing the world, one student at a time.

SECURE meets once a week for 30 minutes during encore classes.

Students in the program feel better about themselves.

“I’ve made new friends, and have closer bonds. SECURE has made me feel great about myself,” one student said.

SECURE helps another student “take their mind off the bad things.”

“They can forget about what’s going on for a few minutes,” said

intern Haley Narins, who is working toward her master in social work at East Carolina University.

Pactolus plans to expand the program to include parents through Parents SECURE, which will allow social workers a more in-depth look at the whole picture — parents, child and environment, Lee-Bryan said.

p itt e A rly C olle G e h i G h S C hool

Students at Pitt County Early College High School who take design thinking classes have the opportunity to indulge their passions.

They are allowed to choose topics they are interested in, which the students then research and think of ideas they can contribute to the topic. Then, the students have to develop a 2- to 3-minute pitch that they can deliver repeatedly in a trade show format.

“Being teenagers, many times they are social entrepreneurship ideas,” said Elizabeth Martin, an instructional coach at the school. “We actually have two girls that have done a great job of creating a recycling club here this semester. They are very excited about being able to work with (recycling coordinator) Holly Parrott from the City of the Greenville and (Pitt Community College) and helping

the recycling program be more successful.”

Students are expected to research their topics, using a variety of sources, including someone working in the field, if possible. Early college students have connected with civil rights advocates, judges, authors and more.

“Their world becomes bigger because they get to experience things they haven’t before through talking to people who are experts,” Martin said. “It helps them learn that research goes beyond looking up a dead author or a war, but is involved in every day work life as well. It allows them to learn how to really dig deep.”

Forty students competed in the Young Entrepreneurship Program challenge during the 2018-19 school year, but the passion projects did not start with that goal in mind.

“The passion projects originated in Pitt

County Schools with some work that was done with the ECU Innovation and Design Lab. We started exploring skills that students need but employers are telling us they don’t have. … Skills like being able to carry through a project or being able to quickly and concisely present an idea,” Martin said. “In essence, we are using the main principles of design to help students look at the process of how they should go about approaching their projects.”

r id G e W ood e le M ent A ry S C hool

Ridgewood Elementary School recently expanded its student leadership program, which provides service-learning opportunities to students in grades 3-5.

Students are eligible to serve their school in 14 different committees, which range from working in the library and front office, assisting younger students by reading to them raising the flags, welcoming people to the school and assisting with music and art classes. Students also assist with the school’s Buddy Bag program.

The program is designed to help encourage leadership skills, foster independence and create relationships between staff and other adults.

“A lot of times, elementary students are not given the opportunity to be involved in leadership. I think service learning is an important part to what we need to teach kids as good citizens. We learn to volunteer and how to take care of others. Kids really are capable of these things,” said school counselor Olivia Salter.

The 2018-19 program had its largest participation in its

eight-year history with 120 students. Typically, the program accepts 60 to 70 students.

“We have been growing and adding more committees each year,” Salter said.

S outh C entr A l h i G h S C hool

South Central offers classes that are unique to Pitt County Schools. It is the only school that teaches Japanese I and II, which it has done for going on 16 years.

“It’s a staple, a household name here at South Central. Parents are excited about it,” said principal Janarde Cannon.

Teacher Sandy Satterthwaite is not Japanese, but has lived in Japan and studied its language and culture, which she enthusiastically shares with her students.

“It definitely helps to have the high school experience before you move on to the college level and study abroad,” she said, adding Japan is always looking for English teachers.

South Central students taking the Japanese class are eager and devoted. Many of them find the culture fascinating and dream of going to Japan.

In addition to learning to speak the language, students also learn to write it, which is quite the challenge. They also learn about the country’s

customs, history and foods, including the use of chopsticks.

“In Japan, they are quite surprised when Americans can use chopsticks,” Satterthwaite tells her students.

South Central is also unique because it has the only JROTC program with two female instructors, retired 1st Sgt. Jo Ann Sadler and Maj. Ernestine Scott.

Sadler is a 29-year U.S. Army veteran, while Scott served 16 years.

“At first cadets didn’t think it was going to be the same as having a male instructor,” she said. “Me being a former drill sergeant, it was a no-brainer.”

South Central is also big on cooking. It offers a basic foods course in a lab, as well as three levels of culinary arts in an industrial kitchen.

Culinary covers food production, baking techniques, service skills, table setting, plate serving, grilling and frying, meats, poultry and seafood, menu design and pricing.

Every Friday, culinary students operate a tiny café of sorts, where a student serves as the manager and they serve lunch meals to staff. Another outstanding offering at the school is the AP Human Geography/AVID class. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) teaches organizational and study skills, meaningful note taking, meeting deadlines, personal responsibility and accountability. The goal is to help them be college ready.

S outh G reenville e le M ent A ry S C hool

After three consecutive years of low performance, South Greenville was slated for the state’s Restart program, which eases constraints to allow leadership and staff to rebuild its programs and practices from the bottom up and bring new life back into the school.

“You can mold it, customize it the way you think it needs to fit best,” said principal Ferdonia Stewart. “We are looking at how we address the whole child, not just the curriculum. There are some things that make South Greenville really unique.”

For example, the social and emotional dynamic that impacts learning.

“No matter what curriculum you have, no matter how much technology you have, if the students are struggling with adjusting to their life, their environment, things happening, that will not really impact the student unless we address the core,” Stewart said.

The summer has been full of training for South Greenville faculty and administration.

The school plans to implement AVID

(Advancement Via Individual Determination) in grades 4-5. AVID teaches organizational and study skills, meaningful note taking, meeting deadlines, personal responsibility and accountability.

AVID requires strong practices for teachers, Stewart said.

“It’s really about having the right people in the right place. This is a challenge; not everybody can work in a challenging situation,” she said.

Another initiative is the Reconnect for Resilience program, which looks at how traumatic experiences, such as homelessness or domestic violence, adversely affects student learning and how teachers can help students cope.

The school will also find ways to connect with parents to get them more involved in their child’s education.

“It’s hard to see a vision for your children when you don’t really have a vision for yourself or when your life appears to be hopeless. … I have met some very warm and

carrying parents that want to help but don’t know how,” Stewart said.

Stewart envisions more personnel to assist teachers in classrooms, scheduling that allows teachers to collaborate and an afterschool program.

“We are impacting and changing their lives. If we change the life of one, that changes the home of one — that affects many people. … There is a lasting impact we are making here. We may not see it right away, but we are embedding those seeds,” she said.

S toke S S C hool

Stokes Elementary School is an Exemplar Leader in Me School with a Lighthouse certification. It is the only Leader in Me School in Pitt County and the only school with these distinctions east of I-95.

Worldwide, there are only 413 Lighthouse certified schools and 3,960 Leader in Me schools.

All of the Stokes’ staff are trained in Sean Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.” Staff uses these habits in their teaching methods and daily actions. The school tracks its goals in the form of WIGs (widely important goals) and PIGs (pretty important goals).

The method and goal approach has resulted in an increase in reading and math proficiency, said (former) principal Jennifer Johnson.

“Students own their own data by tracking it in their notebooks. They set their own goals and have accountability partners,” Johnson said. “They strive to reach each goal. There are victories and setbacks.”

Leader in Me Schools are molding leaders of tomorrow, while also teaching students basic soft skills, like public speaking, eye contact and confident handshakes.

“They use and find their voice,” Johnson said. “Our students are comfortable talking about the seven habits and living the habits. Our whole culture is based on the seven habits in everyday life. It is why our students, staff and parents are happy. They are pausing to reflect, helping others and taking care of their self.”

The 2019-20 school year marks Stokes’ sixth year as a Leader in Me School, and current principal Megan Newman will lead the charge. The Lighthouse status is a five-year certification, up for renewal in 2023. The school’s next goal is to become a Legacy School. Currently, there is only one Legacy School in the world.

W. h . r o B in S on e le M ent A ry S C hool

W.H. Robinson Elementary School’s slogan is, “Be a Buddy, Not a Bully.”

In the 2018-19 school year, W.H. Robinson joined schools across the nation in promoting PACER’S National Bullying Prevention Center’s Unity Day.

“We feel like bullying happens a lot, not necessarily here in our school, but in our society in general. Whether it is social media, in the classroom or on the recreation ball field. The sooner we start talking about it the better it will be and hopefully we can prevent some bullying,” said PTA member Amy Credle.

Partnering with the PTA, the school hosted its first-ever Unity Day in October 2018. Unity Day served as a way to take a stance against bullying while promoting kindness.

The day began with a presentation informing students what bullying is, along with personal testimonies of students who had been bullied and continued with activities throughout the school. Students also participated in an anti-bullying walk around the track field.

“It was a way to reflect on what they were learning. We had our mascot Buddy the Bear out there encouraging students,” said PTA member Melissa Anderson.

Students were informed on how to identify what bullying is, how to prevent it and ways to receive help if they are ever bullied.

Students sported orange spirit wear and received bracelets

with the school’s slogan on it. #WHRbearsAreKind has become the school’s hashtag.

At the conclusion of the event, students signed a pledge on a bookmark to also help serve as a reminder of the lessons they learned from Unity Day.

The event is just a continuation of the school’s efforts to encourage students to promote inclusion and kindness daily.

W A hl -C o A te S e le M ent A ry S C hool

Through community partnerships, Wahl-Coates has been able to continue its efforts as a School of the Arts and promote academic and social learning opportunities to its students.

“Through our partnerships, it touches the students. We want our kids and parents to be an active part and love our school. We really want to be a community school and bring community back in the school,” said principal Marty Baker.

The school partners with community leaders to provide two leadership programs: Men of Distinction for males and Girls of Distinction for female students. These programs are geared to provide leadership skills to students as well as build relationships within the community.

The school also partners with East Carolina University, whose students frequent Wahl-Coates providing students

with mini arts and music lessons.

United Way allows students to attend boot camps and (after-school) end-ofgrade practice testing sessions held at the school by providing funding for the buses to transport students from the school.

Wahl-Coates also partners with St. James United Methodist Church, and has assisted the school in acquiring a new playground. St. James also allows the school to hold some of its leadership meetings at its facility.

The partnerships extend across the sea to The University of Hiroshima in Japan. The university sends its students to WahlCoates to teach art and writing lessons. In the summer, Wahl-Coates teachers attend the university for additional training.

Students participated in the Devantae Dortch SwimSafe program to provide swimming classes to students, free of charge. A partnership between Pitt County

Schools, Vidant Medical Center, Bojangle’s and Aquaventure enables this program.

“In return, in terms of the partnerships, we do service projects as a way to give back to the organizations and the community,” Baker said.

W ell C o M e M iddle S C hool

The AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program teaches organizational and study skills, meaningful note taking, meeting deadlines, personal responsibility and accountability. The goal is to help students be college ready.

Students track their grades and police themselves. If they fall behind, they are expected to contact their teacher to catch up.

Students participate in tutorials twice a week, where they identify their weak spots or where they get bogged down in assignments. Guest speakers are also invited to class.

AVID students manage a large binder that contains a planner, dividers, pencil pouch, index tabs and a color-coded system.

Students keep a calendar, set goals and write a weekly reflection log, which makes them aware of how they did or did not meet their goals.

Students must apply for the program and be interviewed.

“It looks at the whole child, not just a

test score,” said Ashley Bell, a former AVID coordinator and NC Principal Fellow.

AVID coordinator Tenisha Powell added, “The program is geared toward students who have been traditionally underserved in college, are low income or first generation college.”

Some students may already know the profession they want, while others just want or need the extra help to get there.

Rising freshman Shanasia Brown wants to work in the medical field and knew AVID would help.

“I love kids and babies. I want to discover new stuff. I have Type 2 diabetes, and I want to encourage people they can do it and not give up,” she said. “In AVID, the teachers help you every step of the way.”

Taking AVID class in middle school prepares students for high school, which launches them into college or the workforce. “Them being successful here will help them be successful there,” Powell said.

AVID students go on field trips to tour colleges. Trips may be simply to experience life beyond Pitt County, such as the ocean or the mountains or trying new foods.

“I don’t want to say we’re preparing them to be an adult. We’re just opening their eyes to opportunities that they may not otherwise know about,” Bell said.

AVID will be introduced into more Pitt County Schools in 2019-20. The intent is to expand it countywide, Wellcome principal Kim Harris said.

W inter G reen i nter M edi A te & p ri MA ry SC hool S

The success of Wintergreen Intermediate School’s Millionaire Word Wall has trickled to Wintergreen Primary creating a Wall of Super Readers.

“We use this to encourage our children to read,” said principal Cathy Kirkland.

The Super Reader Wall features students and classrooms that have the highest rank of accelerated readers points, unlike the Millionaire Word Wall which ranks students by the quantity of words a student reads.

Each nine weeks, students are given an accelerated reading goal. The goal is determined based upon the student’s grade and reading level. Students first choose a book that is acceptable for their reading level and then read the book.

When the book is completed, students take a test on the book. When they pass them with 80 percent accuracy they’re considered to be proficient,” Kirkland said.

Each nine weeks, the number of points and reading level increases based on the student’s performance and ability.

At the end of each nine weeks, the classroom and students with the most accelerated reader points have their photos placed on the wall.

To ensure students are successful, the school holds an open library check out every day that allows teachers to send students to check out books during the day.

Media coordinator Angelia Lake also teaches students how to identify books within their reading level.