Children First May 16, 2016 WEEKLY UPDATE Every Child’s Chance…Alexander County’s Future…

Upcoming Events FFA Competition is a The Central Office Leadership Team will meet on Monday at 8:30 Success! a.m. in the Superintendent’s The ACHS FFA competed at Conference Room. Wilkes Community College on The CVCC Advisory Board will meet May 4 at the North West at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, May 16, Regional Competitions. These at the CVCC Alexander Center. competitions included Parliamentary Procedure, Nursery Landscape, Floriculture, Introduction to Horticulture, Ag. Tools, Ag. Mechanics, The Beginning Teachers will have Extemporaneous Speaking and Forestry. Most of the teams placed in the their final meeting on the year on top three and will advance to the State Competition that will be held on Monday, May 16, beginning at 3:30 June 21st-23rd. We had several individuals as top participants in the p.m. in the ACHS Cafeteria. individual competitions as well. If you see one of our Future Farmers of A principals’ meeting is scheduled America students, please give them a pat on the back for a job well for Tuesday, May 17, beginning at done. A special thank you is also extended to our FFA advisors, Scottie 9:00 a.m. at the Board of Cook, JD Sink, and Tyler Mitchell. Education. We Appreciate and Celebrate School Nurses in AC! A joint meeting with the Board of Commissioners and Board of National School Nurses’ Day is always recognized on the Wednesday of Education is planned for Tuesday, National Nurses’ Week. This year, this recognition fell on Wednesday, May May 17, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at 11. National School Nurses’ Day honors all school nurses who care for the CVCC. children in schools on a daily basis. School nurses promote learning through healthy children in Alexander County. The theme for the 2016 School bookkeepers will meet on National Nurses’ Day was School Nurses: Better Health, Better Learning. Wednesday, May 18, beginning at School nurses are often the first place a child will go when he/she doesn’t 10:00 a.m. at the Central Office. feel well or when hurt. We often overlook the wealth of information that ACHS will host a Job Fair in the nurses provide that supports our students and ensures a successful Varsity Gym on Thursday, May 19. education as well. If you forgot to thank your school’s nurse last week, please make an extra effort this week to say thank you and remember all Graduation for students attending the reasons you are grateful for your school nurse! Challenger Early College will held on Saturday, May 21, beginning at Seniors Do an Amazing Job 10:00 a.m. at CVCC in Hickory. with Their Projects! The NJROTC Cadet Ball is The past week marked a milestone scheduled for Saturday, May 21, for many of our high school seniors. beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Many of our 12th graders had to Hiddenite Center. present their senior projects to a The ceremony to recognize Honor panel of judges and the event was Graduates is planned for Sunday, definitely a success. A special thank you is extended to the high school May 22, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at staff, project mentors, community volunteers, and judges who played a the Alexander Central Auditorium. role in this annual event. The students did an incredible job and it was evident that they have worked extremely hard on these projects! Have a super week! Children First May 16, 2016 Early Childhood Educators A Look Back Celebrated with Banquet Seventeen days and counting for our A banquet to honor Early Childhood students! Nineteen days and Educators employed in Alexander counting for our staff! Where has the County was hosted by the year gone? I can’t find a time in this Alexander County Partnership for business that isn’t busy, but it seems Children on Thursday, May 12, at Taylorsville’s First Baptist Church. The this time of the year is the busiest event was fun-filled to say the least. As guests arrived, they had the ever… It definitely seems to be the opportunity to make a hat (pictured above), have a paraffin dip on their most fun with all the academic hands, or have their picture made by a professional photographer. The celebrations, end-of-the-year guest speaker for the event spoke to the group about the benefits of banquets, and special events. One of including arts in the learning environment. The group enjoyed singing the highlights for me this week and dancing to children’s songs as a reminder of ways to educate the included serving as a judge with the whole child. Academic benefits aside, some experts believe preschool ACHS Senior Projects. teaches kids how to be students—how to listen well, how to share, how I was able to reconnect to be patient and how to participate. These are all skills that will prove with some of our tremendously helpful in a child’s transition into kindergarten. Time in the seniors that I met classroom teaches young students how to respect the world around them when serving as their elementary and how to be inquisitive, channeling all that built-up curiosity into a school principal. I was so impressed hunger for learning. High-quality preschool programs attempt to help with their maturity and I couldn’t help students answer their own questions through exploring the different but feel a sense of pride in knowing I options, experimenting and engaging in conversation. We are so have played a small role in their fortunate to have high quality pre-school programs in Alexander County. education. I was also able to interact Our work with the Alexander County Partnership for Children’s staff with a wonderful group I often always leads to stronger collaboration and programs for our young reference as the Aspiring students. A special thank you is extended to Paula Cline and staff! Administrators DARE Graduation at in Alexander County. Wittenburg is a Hit! The Aspiring Fifth grade students celebrated Administrators their hard work in their 10- have met one to two times per month week D.A.R.E. program with a to prepare for the principalship and to graduation ceremony held at build a support network of fellow Wittenburg Elementary School on Thursday, May 12. The D.A.R.E. leaders within the district. Please program (Drug Awareness Resistance Education) envisions a world in join me in congratulating these which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose special employees for their hard work to lead lives free from violence, substance abuse, and other dangerous and extra effort to build their behaviors. Launched in 1983, D.A.R.E. is a comprehensive K-12 education leadership skills: Andrea Robinette, program taught in thousands of schools in America and 52 other Angela King, Elisabeth Turner, Eric countries. D.A.R.E. curricula address drugs, Walker, Jason Evans, Jay McCarraher, violence, bullying, internet safety, and other high Kelly This, Latonia Bostic, Liz Cronan, risk circumstances that today are too often a Michelle Platt, and Tashanna Mays. It part of students’ lives. Congratulations are has been a pleasure to get to know extended to all the graduates and essay winners this group better during our time (Canyon Echerd—pictured on left and Cade together! Smithey—pictured on the right).