WCPSS teachers could earn an extra $100 between now and October 15 by referring a special education teacher to available jobs with the district.

The system needs about 50 additional Special Education teachers to work with students across the county with all levels of need. Current WCPSS teachers who refer a successful job candidate between July 24 and October 15 would earn the $100 bonus. The Board of Education approved the temporary incentive at its July 23 meeting.

“We have an excellent school system, a great working environment, and great support,” said Karen Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education Services. “We hope this opportunity finds lots of special educators who have yet to find a school system to call home.

Well-qualified Special Education teachers are among the areas of teachers that are especially challenging to find. WCPSS leaders are hopeful that the temporary incentive will encourage teachers to contact strong colleagues in their professional networks.

WCPSS will also be hosting a Special Education Hiring Blitz on Saturday, August 10, in Cary. Licensed Special Education Teachers who are available for employment during the 2013-2014 school year are invited to pre-register and attend. More information >>

Photo courtesy N.C. Pupil Transportation Association

After several years as a runner-up, WCPSS bus inspector Ralph Trango earned a title he’s been vying for for years—2013 Best Bus Inspector for the state of North Carolina.

Trango has been competing in the competition hosted by the North Carolina Pupil Transportation Association since it began in 2004.

To prove his skills, Trango and other competitors inspected buses and took a written test designed to test his knowledge and diagnostic skills as a bus mechanic and inspector. Trango received $500 and a trip to the National Association for Pupil Transportation competition in Seattle. Trango has been to the national event before, and previously placed second in the country in the technician competition.

“Ralph is a very strong competitor with previous national competition experience and expect he will do well in Washington” said Randy Henson, coordinator of the NCPTA competition.

“This has been a long time coming for me,” Trango said. “Beating some of the best, including other national champs, made it that much sweeter. I hope to carry on the winning tradition of North Carolina with three national champs since 2005.”

Four other Wake County inspectors finished in the top 12: Terry Brown, Bobby Jones, Austin Ridley, and Adam Schwab.

Nominate a teacher or student to be featured in School-Community News! Email us at news@wcpss.net with the person’s name, school, reason for nominating him or her, and the nominee’s contact information.

Newly appointed superintendent Dr. Jim Merrill was officially sworn in before the Board of Education on Tuesday, August 6.

The Honorable Fred G. Morrison, Jr., Senior Administrative Law Judge for the state of North Carolina, performed the swearing-in ceremony. Joining Dr. Merrill were his wife, Elizabeth Merrill, and son Barrett, 14.

“I am proud and honored and very pleased to be on board and in this seat,” Dr. Merrill said. Merrill began his term as superintendent on August 1.

The Board of Education appointed several new leaders at its August 6 meeting.

• NancyBallardhas been appointed as Assistant Principal/ Intervention for Wakefield Middle School.
• Nolan Bryanthas been appointed as Principal of Cary High School.
• Paul Cataline IIIhas been appointed as Assistant Principal of Longview School.
• Freda Colehas been appointed as Interim Assistant Principal ofFuquay-Varina Elementary School.
• Thomas Dixonhas been appointed as Interim Principal of Fuquay-Varina High School.
• Bennett Gellerhas been appointed as Senior Director for Purchasing.
• Joi Gibson-Robinsonhas been appointed as Assistant Principal of Carnage Middle School.
• Justin Goodhas been appointed as InterimAssistant Principal of Lynn Road Elementary School.
• Elaine Hanzerhas been appointed as InterimAssistant Principal of North Forest Pines Elementary School.
• Craig Matthewshas been appointed as Interim Principal of Lincoln Heights Elementary School.
• Wendy Menacheryhas been appointed as Assistant Principal/ Instructional Resource Teacher for Hilburn Academy.
• Holly Shawhas been appointed as Principal of Wildwood Forest ElementarySchool.
• L. Roy Teelhas been appointed as Interim Principal ofHolly Ridge Middle School.
• Veronica Thompsonhas been appointed as Assistant Principal of Athens Drive High School.
• Seydric Williamshas been appointed as Principal of Creech Road Elementary School.

Special Education teacher candidates filled the room at the Wake County Public School System Special Education Hiring Blitz. WCPSS Human Resources held the event to help principals hire Licensed Special Education Teachers.

“We had over 200 candidates registered for the event and 50 openings,” Assistant Superintendent Doug Thilman said. “Wake County is going to walk away with some great special education teachers.”

Interested candidates registered online and had the opportunity to interview with principals with immediate hiring needs. WCPSS is seeking licensed candidates in all Special Education certification areas.

“This is the first time WCPSS held a teacher hiring blitz focused on one particular area, special education teachers only,” Thilman said. “And with the response of over 200 candidates, it seems to be a really positive event.”

Principals from 38 schools attended the teacher hiring blitz. In another move to fill special education openings, WCPSS has provided current teachers an incentive between now and October 15 for referring a special education teacher to available jobs with the district.

The Wake County Public School System will partner with East Carolina University to provide Wake County teachers an opportunity to work towards the ECU Masters of School Administration Program.

Wake teachers interested in participating in a cohort-structured program to earn a Masters in School Administration may attend an information meeting sponsored by WCPSS  and the Department of Educational Leadership at East Carolina University.

Two information sessions will be held Monday, September 16 starting at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Two more sessions will be held Thursday, September 19 starting at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Each session will be one hour. The information sessions will be at the WCPSS Central Services Offices in Room 1400 at the Crossroads II Building at 121 Corning Place in Cary.

For more information visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/leed/index.cfm or contact Dr. Tom Williams, Director of the ECU Leadership Development Outreach at williamst@ecu.edu

Wake County teachers discussed transforming learning environments through Global and STEM Education in a day of training that brought global thinkers and university professors to Wake County classrooms.

Teachers heard from Mari Kuraishi co-founder of Global Giving and former World Bank manager and UNC professor Peter Brews. They encouraged teachers to help students travel the world in their classrooms. Kuraishi challenged educators to teach the capacity for empathy. Brewer encouraged instruction that helped students become innovative thinkers.

Teachers had a chance to participate in sessions geared to their grade level and interests and led by UNC staff and WCPSS educators. Brentwood Magnet School of Engineering teachers offered sessions on STEM instruction in elementary schools. East Garner Magnet Middle teachers led sessions on common core and global education. UNC staff led sessions on Europe and the importance of global awareness. Teachers picked from more than 50 sessions.

The Wake County Public School System and UNC Worldview offered the program August 13 at Enloe Magnet High.  Todd Wirt, WCPSS Assistant Superintendent for Academics, said the partnership with World View provided a great event for teachers and administrators.

Davis Drive Middle music teacher Johanna Rogers has won the 2013 Win Music For Your School Contest.

Carl Fischer Music, D’Addario Strings,and Yamaha chose Davis Drive Middle School as a winner of the 2013 Win Music For Your School contest. Rogers submitted a video about the school’s music program. “Your video was quite inspiring, and we congratulate you on your amazing program and your articulate students,” the judges said.

Davis Drive Middle will receive:
- 6 sets of music, levels 2-3, from Carl Fischer Music
- A string outfit of your choice provided by D’Addario Strings ($500 retail value)

Here is the school’s video:

Southeast Raleigh Magnet High teacher Kimberly Kuchon has been named the NCAEA Rookie Art Educator of the Year for 2013-14. The North Carolina Art Education Association annually honors a beginning teacher who is an NCAEA member as the Rookie Art Educator of the Year. The award recognizes a beginning teacher’s exemplary initial contributions and takes notice of the teacher’s potential for development. The North Carolina Art Education Association is an active advocate for promoting visual arts education in schools.

The Board of Education appointed several new leaders at its August 20 meeting.

• Keith Faison has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Walnut Creek Elementary School.
• Brenda Harrell has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Broughton High School.
• Steven Katz has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Athens Drive High School.
• Bradford Shackelford has been appointed as Interim Principal of Dillard Drive Middle School.
• Mary Wendland has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Middle Creek Elementary School.
• Kelly Wilson has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Combs Elementary School.

More than 9,600 teachers will be prepared to teach more than 150,000 students at 170 Wake County Public schools this year. WCPSS Human Resources has worked with school principals to make sure they have the quality teachers needed for their students. Human Resources has provided support for beginning teachers and teachers new to Wake County.

We place quality teachers in our classrooms by recruiting the brightest, high-performing students through established relationships with local and nationwide colleges and universities. Many aspiring teachers learn about available positions through recruitment events attended by our team of recruiters. View our fall 2013 recruitment calendar.

Meet our recruiters

Jason Kennedy

Jason Kennedy comes to WCPSS with more than 15 years of Recruitment and HR Development in private industry and state government. A five year member of the WCPSS Recruitment & Retention Team, Kennedy has shown the value add of the Human Resources role within WCPSS by coaching principals and stakeholders on matters related to talent acquisition, diversity initiatives, organizational development and training and learning. Highly experienced in recruiting, Kennedy ensures that the talent selection process identifies top performers.

Sherri Morris

After 12 years as a teacher and assistant principal, Sherri Morris transitioned to Human Resources in 2006. A N.C. Teaching Fellow and N.C. Principal Fellow recipient, Morris has worked with students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in a variety of settings, including rural, suburban, highly affluent, and low-wealth schools. Morris is uniquely equipped to identify teachers who will be highly effective in a variety of settings. Morris is committed to attracting a highly effective, diverse teacher workforce to WCPSS, and she values the opportunity to contribute to the growth of the profession through her interactions with recruits, administrators, student teachers, university partners, and beginning teachers.

WCPSS offers benefits to attract new teachers including salary supplements, mentoring programs, ongoing professional development, teacher collaboration and planning time during the school day–all examples of programs that demonstrate the kind of positive work environment at WCPSS.

The Wake County Public School System has selected the finalists for the 2013-14 Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year awards.

WCPSS principals and assistant principals nominate the finalists for the award.

The finalists for Principal of the Year are;

• Chris Lassiter, Smith Magnet Elementary
• Wiladean Thomas, Holly Grove Elementary
• Paula Trantham, Millbrook Magnet Elementary
• Nolan Bryant, Former principal at Dillard Drive Middle and current principal at Cary High
• Mark Savage, Heritage High

The finalists for Assistant Principal of the Year are;

• Teresa Caswell, Lead Mine Elementary
• Kristine Harris, Cary Elementary
• Travis Shillings, Brassfield Elementary
• Anthony Wilson, Mills Park Middle
• Emily Mountford, Holly Springs High

The awards will be presented at the Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year celebration scheduled for October 17 at 6 p.m. at Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh.

Margaret Chase will be retiring at the end of August, and after 38 years as an educator, she’s happy to close her career on a high note. Chase recently won two major recognitions from the N.C. Association for Career Technical Education—2013 N.C. Outstanding Career Technical Professional of the Year and 2013 Instructional Management Coordinator of the Year for the Central Region.

Over the course of her career, Chase has taught in the classroom, trained other teachers, developed curriculum for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, and analyzed reams of data to determine where teachers needed to focus more attention. 

“Getting to meet new people and train people has been very rewarding,” Chase said. She has been pleased to see graduation rates rise for students involved in Career and Technical Education, and to have been a part of helping programs grow.

“She’s not among the best—she’s the best, and this is a well deserved honor,” said David Wehbie, Director of Career and Technical Education. “We’re so grateful for her service over the years. Her caring personality and desire to serve have been the hallmarks of her career.”

Chase says she plans to travel and spend time with family upon retiring.

Nominate a teacher or student to be featured in School-Community News! Email us at news {at} wcpss {dot} net with the person’s name, school, reason for nominating him or her, and the nominee’s contact information.

Fuquay-Varina High teacher Charla Tedder Parker, the National High School Physical Education Teacher of the Year, shared her expertise at an institute for 200 Virginia teachers.

Her session was on physical education formative assessments and addressed how to keep students active while meeting the common core initiatives.

“Being able to spend four days with 15 of the country’s top PE teachers was truly a learning experience of a lifetime,” Parker said. “We learned activities that might work for us at our individual schools. I was able to get a view of what this year will be like with the travel and presentations. I also was exposed to ways to keep up with social media. I made wonderful new friends and physical education partners.”

The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance recognized Parker for her outstanding teaching performance at the high school level and the ability to motivate today’s youth to participate in a lifetime of physical activity.

Parker has taught physical education for 30 years. Her program  challenges students to use high order thinking skills in practice drills and fitness warm-up routines they design. Parker gives students choices, teaches them the skills and concepts they need to know, but ultimately expects them to apply what they learn by being independent thinkers and movers.

The Board of Education appointed four assistant principals at its September 3 meeting.

• Allison Brower has been appointed as Assistant Principal of North Forest Pines Elementary School.
• Nicole Cush has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Southeast Raleigh High School.
• Martha McCaskill has been appointed as Interim Assistant Principal at Zebulon Middle School.
• Katherine Williams has been appointed as Assistant Principal at Forest Pines Elementary School.

The Board of Education appointed several new school leaders at its September 17 meeting.

• William Chavis has been appointed as Principal of Fuquay-Varina Middle School.
• Elaine Hanzer has been appointed as Interim Assistant Principal at North Forest Pines Elementary School.
• Camille Marlowe has been appointed as Assistant Principal of Highcroft Drive Elementary School.
• Emily Mountford has been appointed as Principal of Holly Ridge Middle School.
• Kelly Nilles has been appointed as a half-time assistant principal and half-time teacher at Wakefield High School.

Knightdale Elementary PE teacher Nancy Kelley-Cram has published an article on PE Central, the premier site for physical education teachers.

Kelley-Cram created QR codes for the Cooperative Fitness Challenge. She says the process is similar to a flipped classroom, where students watch something online for the information outside of class and then do activities based on that instruction in class. Students use iPads and the QR reader application. The teacher posts the QR codes which take students to a video explaining the exercises. With this background information, they tackle the fitness challenge event of jumping jacks, sit-ups or crab walk.

“My kids were very excited and loved this,” Kelly-Cram said. “They are looking forward to doing more challenges using the iPads.”

Her article is on the website at http://www.pecentral.org/fc/teachertools.html

The Wake County Public School System will partner with East Carolina University to provide Wake County teachers an opportunity to work towards the ECU Masters of School Administration Program.

Wake teachers interested in participating in a cohort-structured program for the Masters in School Administration or Principal Licensure Only Program may attend an information meeting sponsored by WCPSS and the Department of Educational Leadership at East Carolina University.

This information session will be held Tuesday, October 29 starting at 6:30 p.m. in Room 1016 of the Bates Building at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. The session will be 45 minutes.

While the information session will be held at ECU, the WCPSS MSA cohort will meet at the WCPSS Crossroads II building in Cary, NC.

For more information visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/leed/index.cfm or contact Dr. Tom Williams, Director of the ECU Leadership Development Outreach at williamst@ecu.edu

Sanderson High art teacher Jeannette Stevenson has been named the NC Art Education Association Secondary Teacher of the Year. Stevenson was recognized for her work with Wake County Public Schools (writing curriculum), NCAEA (as presenter and conference committee chair), along with the work she does around the state. She was co-professional development chair for Wake County’s high school division for more than six years. She works with Barton College serving on it’s Scholastics Advisory Council. Her dedication to her students and school shines through in her students winning awards at local and state competitions along with Sanderson’s National Art Honor Society charity events and activities. She is a role model for the whole county as a leader in and out of the classroom.

Sanderson High art teacher Jeannette Stevenson named NCAEA Secondary Teacher of the Year

Thanks to Melissa Poppe, a member of NCAEA and Green Hope High art teacher, for sharing this story.