Educator - Mar 2012

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Dr. Margaret A. Smith Message from the uperintendent S I want to take the opportunity to use this newsletter as a way to express deep appreciation to all Volusia teachers. At this time of the school year when we are recognizing Teachers of the Year, it is another perfect time to recognize the contributions of every teacher. Each year Volusia’s Teacher of the Year pro g ram hi g hli g hts teacher excellence in our school district. The Teachers of the Year from each of the schools represent the dedicated and caring teachers throughout Volusia County Schools. We can all be proud of the teaching profession! Commendations go to Leslie Tobin Birney, Citrus Grove Elementary School, on being selected as the 2013 Volusia Teacher of the Year and special thanks go to Christy Disinger, Deland Middle School, 2012 Teacher of the Year, for representing Volusia teachers so well. Also, congratula- tions go to the four finalists for 2013: Kip Dickens-Best, Heather Henderson, Melissa Marple, and San- dra Jeter Tweedy, and to all school and district selected Teachers of the Year--past and present. The Teacher of the Year program is an outstanding example of the (Continued on page 3) geacher of thelear ECDF Named! Leslie Birney, a 4 th grade teacher from Citrus Grove Elementary School, is Volusia County Schools' Teacher of the Year for 2013. She will serve as Volusia County’s Teacher of the Year throughout this school year and next, representing all of Volusia’s teachers. Mrs. Birney received her award before an audience of more than 900 friends of public education at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort on Friday, February 10, 2012. The announcement was made at a celebration co-hosted by FUTURES Foundation and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. “One of the most important goals of the FUTURES Foundation is to serve and to support our innovative, amazing teachers who continue to work passionately every day on behalf of the students of Volusia County,” said Bobby Thigpen, FUTURES Foundation President. “Our Board and our Chamber feel strongly that our teachers deserve praise, validation and celebration as a special group of professionals. Our teachers continue to strive for excellence despite the economic challenges our state has experienced. They make sacrifices every day on behalf of others, and tonight is a night to affirm our support for them and thank them for a job well done. The professionals in this room tonight are exemplary teachers who go the extra mile each day and represent our teaching force throughout Florida and nationally. The FUTURES Foundation is very proud, together with Halifax Health, the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, and other corporate sponsors, to be part of such an important event. To our Volusia County Teachers of the Year, thank you for the tremendous impact you have on the quality of life in our county, in our state, and in our nation.” (Continued on page 4) March 2012

description

Mrs. Birney received her award before an audience of more than 900 friends of public education at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort on Friday, February 10, 2012. The announcement was made at a celebration co-hosted by FUTURES Foundation and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. Message from the Leslie Birney , a 4 th grade teacher March 2012 Dr. Margaret A. Smith (Continued on page 4) (Continued on page 3)

Transcript of Educator - Mar 2012

Page 1: Educator - Mar 2012

Dr. Margaret A. Smith

Message from the

uperintendent S I want to take the opportunity to use this newsletter as a way to express deep appreciation to all Volusia teachers. At this time of the school year when we are recognizing Teachers of the Year, it is another perfect time to recognize the contributions of every teacher. Each year Volusia’s Teacher of the Year program high l ight s t eacher excellence in our school district. The Teachers of the Year from each of the schools represent the dedicated and caring teachers throughout Volusia County Schools. We can all be proud of the teaching profession! Commendations go to Leslie Tobin Birney, Citrus Grove Elementary School, on being selected as the 2013 Volusia Teacher of the Year and special thanks go to Christy Disinger, Deland Middle School, 2012 Teacher of the Year, for representing Volusia teachers so well. Also, congratula-tions go to the four finalists for 2013: Kip Dickens-Best, Heather Henderson, Melissa Marple, and San-dra Jeter Tweedy, and to all school and district selected Teachers of the Year--past and present. The Teacher of the Year program is an outstanding example of the

(Continued on page 3)

geacher of thelear

ECDF

Named!

Leslie Birney, a 4th grade teacher from Citrus Grove Elementary School, is Volusia County Schools' Teacher of the Year for 2013. She will serve as Volusia County’s Teacher of the Year throughout this school year and next, representing all of Volusia’s teachers. Mrs. Birney received her award before an audience of more than 900 friends of public education at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort on Friday, February 10, 2012. The

announcement was made at a celebration co-hosted by FUTURES Foundation and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“One of the most important goals of the FUTURES Foundation is

to serve and to support our innovative, amazing teachers who continue to work passionately every day on behalf of the students of Volusia County,” said Bobby Thigpen, FUTURES Foundation President. “Our Board and our Chamber feel strongly that our teachers deserve praise, validation and celebration as a special group of professionals.

Our teachers continue to strive for excellence despite the

economic challenges our state has experienced. They make sacrifices every day on behalf of others, and tonight is a night to affirm our support for them and thank them for a job well done. The professionals in this room tonight are exemplary teachers who go the extra mile each day and represent our teaching force throughout Florida and nationally. The FUTURES Foundation is very proud, together with Halifax Health, the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, and other corporate sponsors, to be part of such an important event. To our Volusia County Teachers of the Year, thank you for the tremendous impact you have on the quality of life in our county, in our state, and in our nation.”

(Continued on page 4)

March 2012

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Address correspondence to: The Educator Editor, Liz Perpiñan, Human Resources [email protected]

Contributing Editors: Ann Conley, Technology Services Denise Dietrich, Superintendent’s Office Evette Gonzalez, Human Resources D’Lorah Hyacinth, Human Resources Dana Paige-Pender, Human Resources Pat Travis, Community Information Nancy Wait, Community Information

School Board of Volusia County Dr. Al Williams, Chairman

Ms. Judy Conte, Vice-Chairman Mr. Stan Schmidt

Ms. Candace Lankford Mrs. Diane Smith

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Margaret A. Smith

Page 2 the EDUCATOR

NEed legal assistance? Need financiAl counseling? Need help with Personal issues?

You’re in luck!

Employee Assistance Program problems through professional assistance. All services provided through EAP are confidential. Please take a moment and visit www.horizoncarelink.com for other free resources provided by EAP, including free webinars. The login and password to access the site is VCS. You may contact Horizon Health at 1-800-272-7252 for detailed information on the services provided or to schedule an appointment. For further assistance, you may also email the district EAP contact, D’Lorah Hyacinth, at [email protected].

As an employee of Volusia County Schools, all of this and more is available to you and every member of your household free of charge through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP). EAP is available to help employees and members of their household resolve personal and work

Volusia County Schools AVID NATIONAL

CERTIFICATION SITES Congratulations to the following Volusia County Title I Schools for receiving national certification status with the Advancement Via Indi-vidual Determination (AVID) program during the 2010-2011 school year. AVID is a college readiness system designed to increase the number of first-generation students enrolling and succeeding in four-year col-leges. Today, AVID has been adopted by approximately 4,800 schools in 48 states, the District of Columbia and 16 countries/territories, and serves more than 425,000 students, grades 4-12 and at the postsecondary level. We are extremely proud of Volusia County’s sites for having met the rigorous certification requirements that are required annually.

Getting PAID Just Got Easier!

Payroll Debit Cards are now available for full or partial deposits. Our rapid!PayCard is VISA branded and can be used wherever Visa debit cards are accepted. Employees are enjoying the security and savings in time and fees by using a pay card instead of a paper check. Visit our Payroll Department website under the rapid!PayCard or contact payroll for more information.

· Campbell Middle School · Deland Middle School · Deltona High School · Deltona Middle School · Galaxy Middle School · Mainland High School · New Smyrna Beach Middle School · Pine Ridge High School · River Springs Middle School · Southwestern Middle School · Taylor Middle-High School

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involvement of the business community in supporting Volusia K-12 education. FUTURES and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce are committed to annually providing a special event for recognizing Teachers of the Year and for securing sponsors to underwrite the costs. The present-ing sponsor for this year is Halifax Health, with the use of a car for the Teacher of Year being donated by Diamond Suzuki. The business community’s support makes the award program possible. We are for-tunate in our county to have such sup-port. Volusia teachers, please know that we truly appreciate your hard work with all students to prepare them for a successful future!

Yours in education, Margaret A. Smith, D.Ed.

Superintendent of Schools

(Continued from page 1)

Superintendent FUTURES! Foundation

You can: 1. Sign up for License for Learning!

The money used to pur-chase or renew your tag ($20 of your purchase) comes directly back to

FUTURES and enables us to provide funding directly to classrooms for mentoring and tutoring, classroom innovation, curriculum enrichment and s tuden t scho lar sh ips . Vis i t www.license4learning.com for more information!

2. Consider payroll deduction! Every gift through payroll deduction helps FUTURES to reach its goals in the areas of mini-grants and other areas of classroom support. You can even make a one-time donation (provided directly to FUTURES). A gift of $1, $2, or $5 truly makes a difference when you consider the size of our workforce. Everyone who signs up receives a coupon for a Chick-fil-A sandwich. Those donating $25 or more total will receive a special gift at the end of the school year. Don’t be left out! For more information, call 255-6475, extension 50730 or 50723, and a form will be provided to you. You can

also email [email protected] or [email protected].

3. LIKE our Facebook Page and tell us what you’re working on! We love feedback on your programs, mini-grant projects, suggestions, ideas and anything else you’d like to share. Most importantly, you will receive information on dates, deadlines, and special events in which you can participate. Like us today, and watch for special contests, p r o m o t i o n s a n d m o r e . www.facebook.com/futuresfoundation

4. Join us for the Caribbean Party on April 27, 2012, at the Greek Orthodox Church! For a special rate of $45 for district employees, you can enjoy a fantastic, gourmet meal, drinks, and a live band at one of the prettiest riverfront sites in the area. Best of all, the event is “Island Casual!” Proceeds from this event will benefit FUTURES, and this special night is always enjoyed by those who attend. We hope to see you there. For more information, contact FUTURES at 255-6475, extension 50730 or 50723. All are welcome!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AS WE WORK TOGETHER!

EDUCATORS WORKING TOGETHER At FUTURES, we are working every day to support our teachers and administrators in doing the wonderful job they are doing in educating Volusia County students. Did you know that there are small ways you can help FUTURES too?

Let your volunteers, mentors, and business partners know how much you appreciate them.

Here’s a list of simple recognition ideas.

Ask students to make thank‐you cards, drawings, or volunteer poems • give them a flower, a balloon, candy, a bag of potpourri • 

make a volunteer button • put their picture on your wall • nominate them for an award • make a bookmark with special quotes or a “Special Volunteer Ribbon” for their name badge • place a thank‐you article in your school’s newsletter • put a thank‐you sign on your door • decorate a bulletin board with volunteers’ pictures • invite them to a school party  •  thank them in front of their peers (PTA meeting, SAC meeting, morning announcements) • have students give them a standing ovation • tell them how much they are appreciated!      

VIPS

Thank You

Florida School Volunteer Month!

The Volusia County Schools Employee Handbook has been updated and is now available online! Login to your ePortal account, select the Human

Resources tab and click on the HR Links from the left-hand menu.

HRCorner...

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Mrs. Birney began her career with Volusia County Schools in 2008, after teaching for 30 years in New York. She taught 2nd and 4th grades at Freedom Elementary and then in 2011 moved to Citrus Grove where she took on a major role to help open the new school and now teaches 4th grade.

Each student in Mrs.

Birney’s classroom is keeping a realistic “passport” for the year to document the places traveled as they make their way through the 4th grade reading textbook. Her class has even gone to the Moon! And in math students use dry erase markers on their desktops to show their work, which they can quickly erase to correct a mistake. To celebrate a moment of pride, the class gives a silent cheer for a group, a roller coaster cheer for a classmate’s achievement or a dance for the whole class. Her students know that each child gains knowledge at different rates and they are always willing to help a “hungry neighbor.”

Mrs. Birney believes one of the most satisfying

ways to unite a classroom or school is to be involved in the community. She championed a new playground for her elementary school in New York. And last year, she worked with a group of volunteers for ten months to design, build and paint sets and create costumes for 86 children to perform in Beauty and the Beast at the Athens Theatre in DeLand.

A colleague described Mrs. Birney as having

magical creativity, enthusiasm, motivation and love for children that is not only the glitter in their lives, but the sparkle for her school team. Mrs. Birney lives up to that expectation daily and says that people in her world know they can count on her to add sparkle to their lives.

In a letter of recommendation, Principal

Barbara Head writes Citrus Grove is unique because the school just opened and the staff formed from many different schools. She says the school was very fortunate the day Mrs. Birney decided to take on the challenge of opening a new school by transferring from Freedom Elementary. Her passion, commitment and talent make her a “contender” for Volusia County Schools Teacher of the Year.

Described as talented and dedicated to teaching, Mrs. Birney succeeds Christy Disinger, a 7th and 8th grade civics and American history teacher from DeLand Middle School, who was Volusia County's 2012 Teacher of the Year. In addition to Mrs. Birney, four other teachers received special recognition as finalists:

Kip Dickens-Best, 4th/5th grade, Pine Trail Elementary Heather H. Henderson, reading coach, University High Melissa A. Marple, kindergarten, Edgewater Public Sandra Jeter Tweedy, mathematics, Spruce Creek High The Teacher of the Year celebration,

presented by Halifax Health, was co-hosted by FUTURES Foundation and the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce. Major sponsors included Bank of America, Space Coast Credit Union, Florida Power & Light, State Representative and Mrs. Fred Costello, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bruno, Diamond Suzuki, The Daytona Beach News Journal, University of Central Florida, Bright House Networks, Daytona State College Foundation, Volusia County Council of PTA’s, Teledyne Oil & Gas, Daytona International Speedway and Nova Southeastern University.

More than 100 businesses and organizations

in Volusia County also contributed donations of goods and services to Volusia's Teacher of the Year program. •

(Continued from page 1)

Teacher of the Year

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February 2012 Page 5

In Volusia County, The Nature of Science, Life Science, Physical Science and Earth/Space Science Big Ideas have gone hands-on!

Secondary Exceptional Student Education teachers of students with Intellectual Disabilities have received training in “Access Science thru the Access Points”, ASAP. This approach to the teaching of science is aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards Access Points. In their training, planned and facilitated by Shari Hill and Linda Davidson, FDLRS/East, the teachers were involved in a plethora of hands-on science experiences and activities. Other components of ASAP training included: the use of Safari Montage videos, visual supports, communication boards, links to literature, computer supported reading/writing activities, and links to math.

The ASAP Science EXPO is the culminating event for students and teachers participating in ASAP Science. This year’s May 17th EXPO will be hosted by the Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach. Class science projects, assembled by the participating schools, will be displayed at this event.

(Note: Photos from this past year’s ASAP Science trainings.)

ASAP: “Access Science thru the Access Points”

The second annual Family EXPO was held on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at Deland High School, from 9 am to 2:30 pm. Sponsored by Title I, Title III, and the Migrant Education Program, the Family EXPO was a bilingual conference that offered parents 22 informative sessions, a delicious boxed lunch, and two general sessions (for elementary and secondary families) held in the early afternoon. The morning sessions taught parents how to help their children with literacy, math, science, and writing, along with information about the many programs and opportunities available to our secondary students. Sessions were taught by talented VCS personnel who volunteered their time. In the afternoon, elementary parents and their children were invited to a fun and interactive “Readers of the Caribbean” literacy program, conducted by its creator, Dr. Angela Martin-Walker. Secondary parents attended Dr. Jan McGee’s presentation on Cyber-bullying. Students who attended with their parents spent the day participating in fun educational activities.

This EXPO is part of an ongoing effort to increase family engagement in education and to showcase the many opportunities available to our students. Survey feedback from parents who attended was overwhelmingly positive! On behalf of Title I, Title III, and the Migrant Education Program, we want to thank the many schools and personnel who supported this event.

Volusia County Family EXPO Soars to Success!

The UCF College of Education is creating a program, named RTP3, that will teach scientists, engineers and math professionals how to apply their skills as educators in America’s classrooms. The RTP3 program is open to those who have earned undergraduate degrees in a STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering or Science) since 2008 and have no experience teaching. Participants will become students working toward Master of Arts in Teaching degrees, awarded by UCF’s School of Teaching, Learning and Leadership. The deadline to apply for entry into this year’s program is Sunday, April 15. For more information or to apply, e-mail [email protected].

UCF Creating Model STEM Program for Professionals

Who Want to Teach

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C mpass Points AREA I NEWS

Mr. Tom Russell Area Superintendent

Blue Lake Elementary School Blue Lake students and their family came

out in mass to support our first-ever “McTeacher’s Night!” During the evening of January 20th, Blue Lake’s teachers were given the opportunity to become temporary “employees” at a local McDonald’s restaurant, where they were trained on how to be cashiers, run the drive-thru, prepare orders, work the lobby, and make coffee drinks and shakes. Proud Principal Willie Williams, Principal Intern Kim McKinney, and 20 of the school’s teachers took turns serving a steady stream of customers from 5-8 PM. A special thank you goes out to all of the families who came out to support our school, and to our fantastic Business Partner, McDonald’s of Deland for their amazing generosity. We can’t wait to do it again! We’re Lovin’ It!

Blue Lake held its school-wide spelling bee on Friday, January 27, 2012. The top 2 spellers from every 4th and 5th grade class were invited to participate. The winner of the bee, after 5 rounds, was 5th grade student, Adolfo Segura. The second

place winner was 5th grade student, Ralph Cassese. Segura will go on to represent Blue Lake at the District-Level competition. All student participants received a certificate of participation from the school and a “Super Scooper” award from Baskin Robbins which entitles them to a free ice cream cone in celebration of their accomplishments.

Chisholm Elementary School Second Graders of Debra Cloer, Terri

Hopkins and Jodie Digioia are growing an Organic Garden on site to function as an extended learning outdoor class-room. With the help of Liz Dannemiller, Green Flamingo Organics of Oak Hill, students have learned how to solarize the soil, build a compost bin, and plant 3 raised-bed vegetable gardens with radishes, onions, lettuce, tatsoi, carrots, arugula, tomatoes, parsley, avocados, pineapples, and sunflowers. They are now harvesting and sampling their crop. Funds for the project are from The Bob Noss Grant provided by the Kiwanis Foundation of S o u t h e a s t V o l u s i a County. Liz Dannemiller, Green Fla-mingo Organics, visits weekly and do-nated a compost bin. Kevin Cloer, CSI Natural, built the three raised bed garden boxes and donated a rain barrel for students to use to keep the garden as natural as possible. “Our children will learn the value of hard work and will see the fruits of their labor,” quoted Debra Cloer, 2nd grade teacher. “In the future we are looking forward to this project extending school wide.”

Classes at Chisholm Elementary made holiday cards and collected items to send to the soldiers overseas. J.J. Weeks’ Second Grade Class was in charge of collecting and organizing the items. “We

feel it is important for our students to be aware of the world and how other families are spending their holidays,” Weeks said. “We are so proud of our students for sharing and caring about others!” Some of the items donated were: gum, candy, playing cards, soap, tooth-paste, toothbrushes, and socks.

Deltona Lakes Elementary School Ms. Castro’s class received a special

visit from Army Platoon Sergeant, Jermaine Wright, a Motor Transport Specialist with the 196th Transporta-tion Company. He spoke with the class about his role in the armed services after recently returning to the USA. Sgt. Wright is the father of 3rd grader, Samara Newford, and has served in the Army 10 years.

Congratulations to the winners of the Martin Luther King Oratorical Contest sponsored by the Deltona Martin Luther King Jr. Committee. All three 1st place winners came from DLE. The winners were:

Delmy Barkely, 5th grade Gianna Hall, Kindergarten Miyah Laureano, 2nd grade

News and events/activities provided by each school. If you wish to share information regarding your school, please contact “The Educator” editor via email at : [email protected].

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February 2012 Page 7

C mpass Points School and Volusia County professionals who work in a related field of each academy. The goal was to assist 8th graders in preparing for their high school education and the process of choosing a career path. To kick off the event Dr. Margaret Smith, Superintendent, Dr. Al Williams, School Board Chair and Dr. Davina Jones, author of ESE to PHD were keynote speakers to encourage the students. When our guest speakers concluded their presentations, eighth grade students attended sessions with local professionals who shared real-world experiences to assist students in making connections between their education and their future. The program concluded with a showcase of New Smyrna Beach High School’s academies, which include: Agritechnology & Environmental Resources, Culinary Arts, Entertainment & Sports Marketing, Engineering and Medical. On Monday, January 30, renowned author Sharon Draper was on hand to speak to our students. Valencia Robin-son, one of our reading teachers, helped make it happen. With the support of our SAC Ms. Draper spoke with our students from various classrooms that have read her books as part of their instruction. This was our culminating event for Celebrate Literacy week.

Pierson Elementary School The school spelling bee at Pierson

Elementary took place on January 26th. The judges for the spelling bee were: Mrs. Diane Smith, School Board Member (District 5), Mr. Ron Pagano, Principal at Taylor Middle-High School, and Mrs. Shari Lou McConnell, Principal Intern at Taylor Middle-High School. The pronouncer was Dr. Cathy Cortés, Academic Coach at Pierson Elementary. The school champion is Juliana Denova and the runner-up is Jasmin Velazquez. They will represent Pierson Elementary at the Volusia County Spelling Bee at Port Orange Elementary on Feb-ruary 23rd. All 34 of the kindergarten through fifth-grade classroom winners received a trophy

Deltona Middle School The school Spelling Bee was held on

January 27th and the winners were: (left to right) 1st Place—Alex Provine, 2nd Place—Ethan Beckley and 3rd Place—Amber Usher

On, February 9th our annual evening Social Studies was held but with an added rare opportunity. The FDNY Rescue

truck will be on campus from 2pm until 7 that evening. The Rescue 4 was one of the first trucks at ground zero on 9/11, all of its

crew members perished that day, this truck was refurbished and returned to service and later retired. It travels the country to raise awareness about the history of firefighting and the events on 9/11. Attending the evening Social Studies Fair was Superintendent Dr. Smith, Area Superintendent Tom Rus-sell, School Board Member Dianne Smith and Vice Mayor of Deltona Paul Treusch.

Enterprise Elementary School Congratulations, Ethan Chandler! Winner of the 2012 Enterprise School Spelling Bee!! Ethan will go on to the County Spelling Bee. On Wednesday, January 15th, Enterprise Elementary School held their annual Spelling Bee. Ethan’s correct spell-i n g o f t h e w o r d “screenplay” was his ticket to the win. James Dotson was the runner up. Both boys are fourth grade stu-dents at Enterprise. Academic coach, Mrs. Best, was the announcer. The judges were Reading Coach, Mrs. Zeidwig, Guidance Counselor, Mrs. Limere, and ESE teacher, Mrs Holland.

Good Luck to you, Ethan!

Almost weekly we hear of a bullying incident on the news. Enterprise School went

on the offensive this week to teach their students how to be safe from a bully and what to do if bullying happens to them. The Power of One is an anti bullying show presented by the Soren Bennick Productions. It involves the students in the performance to practice communication skills to show that every child has The Power of One-themselves. It teaches children the types of bullying, bystander behavior, and proper actions that the student should take. “Always tell your teacher” is a motto that is repeated throughout the presentation. It is a theatrical performance that provides imagery which the chil-dren remember. It gives children positive mes-sages that build self-confidence and the skills needed to deal with trouble, in whatever form it comes.

Friendship Elementary School Everyone loves a buy one get one (BOGO) deal! This year a BOGO is happening at Friendship Elementary! Partnered with the University of Central Florida, Friendship Elementary is piloting a co-teaching program where the teacher candidates (College of Education students) are teaming with teacher mentors for the entire school year to provide an innovative, research based, co-taught class-room for many students. You buy one teacher and get one for free! What is co-teaching? Co-teaching is a model of teaching where two teachers share all responsibility including planning, instruction, grading, and collaboration for the success of all students. As the teacher mentor and teacher candidate collaborate together, new ideas are invented, lessons become enriched, and research based best practices are implemented daily. Co-teaching is a win-win situation for all involved. One student in a co-taught classroom has exclaimed, “I am so lucky to have two wonderful teachers!”

New Smyrna Beach Middle School New Smyrna Beach Middle School hosted a New Smyrna Beach Academy and Career Extravaganza for our 8th grade students on Tuesday, January 10. The event showcased the academies of New Smyrna Beach High

Emily Glass, a 3rd grader, acts as a Super Hero to dispel bullies.

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C mpass Points

AREA II NEWS

Ms. Annette Martinson Area Superintendent

Cypress Creek Elementary School With the cafeteria stage as the backdrop, writing came alive on Thursday January 26, 2012 for “Write Night.” Fourth grade students and their families were welcomed to school in the evening to enjoy a unique writing experience. Organized by the fourth grade team (Kim Krivich, Jill Kaelin, Debbie Clark, Christina Grabowski, Terri Zalich, and Amy Spies), parents and students alike were given an overview of the upcoming Florida Writes test. This included what the students learned throughout the year and how their essays would be scored. Following that, the Cypress Creek Author’s Club led everyone in a Florida Writes song written by Melissa Forney. However, the fun did not end there. Award winning author, Marian Tomblin, was on hand to give writing advice to all students. Lively and en-tertaining, Marian spoke to students about the importance of revising and editing their work when completed so they would turn in their most polished piece. Students were enamored by her presence and many received an autographed copy of one of her popular books. Marian was also gracious enough to participate in a humorous skit performed by Mrs. Kimberly Krivich and Mrs. Terri Baugh-Zalich, two 4th grade teachers. The skit, entitled “Who Wants To Be A Gazillionaire”, by Jill Kaelin, took the audience through a mock game show where figurative language questions were tossed to

the contestant. Author’s Club members once again took the stage holding up posters that taught students about similes, hyperboles, and other skills used in writing. With all the knowledge gained, students and parents worked together to improve a paragraph while door prizes were drawn and the evening came to a close. All in all, everyone enjoyed a fabulous evening celebrating writing and learning together as a community.

Deltona High School Announcement from Amanda Upton at NSTA: The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) announces the selection of John E. Clark as a recipient of the Maitland P. Simmons Memorial Award for New Teachers. Mr. Clark was one of only 12 teachers from around the United States so honored this year. The award recognizes teachers with five years or less experience for their early contributions to student success and science teaching. The award will be presented during the NSTA National Convention in Indianapolis at the Teachers Awards Gala on Friday, March 30, 2012. Mr. Clark teaches chemistry, physics, and AP physics for Volusia County Schools at Deltona High School, Deltona, Florida. He also serves as Director of the school science fair competition and as Treasurer of the School Advisory Council. He has collected over $40,000 in grants and in-kind donations to promote student excellence in science at his school. Mr. Clark is currently the Florida Association of Science Teachers Outstanding High School Teacher of the Year and the Volusia County School Districts Literacy Leader of the Year for contributions to promoting literacy across content areas. He has completed two teacher research fellowships at the National High Magnetic Field Lab and the Jefferson National Accelerator Lab as well as an academic fellowship at Cornell University. Mr. Clark serves on his school district’s curriculum committees for chemistry and physics and was recently appointed to the American Federation of Teachers national committee for common core state standards.

Mainland High School The AVID program at Mainland High

School is proud to announce that three of their seniors are semi-finalists for the National Dell

and a certificate. Pierson Elementary Art students are in-

vited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, by means of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, to participate in the 16th, “This is My Mexico”, student Art contest. The theme of the contest is “5 de Mayo; 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla” in commemoration of the strug-gle that took place in 1862 when Mexico, as a country under construction, was in-vaded by French troops, one of the most powerful armies of that time. Winning art students can choose a prize among the following: a computer, a digital camera, or drawing and school materials not to exceed $1,500.00. All participants will receive a diploma, and even if their drawing does not win a prize, their work can be chosen to be part of an exhibit which will travel around the world or be illustrated in the 2013 Mexican calendar.

River Springs Middle School The Faculty/Student Dodge ball Fundraiser took place on Friday, January 13th with students playing against the faculty. Both teams took some hits, but the official winners were the teachers. A great time was had by all. The event raised almost $1,500.00 for The American Heart Association! A special thanks goes out to our volunteers:

Hamp Arendale Ken Parker Dixie Larsen Jessica Herbold

Sunrise Elementary School On a monthly basis we continue to hand

out Outstanding Student signs. These signs are decorated in yellow and blue, our Sunrise colors, and can be placed in the yard in front of students’ homes. The signs let everyone in the community know that an Outstanding Student from Sunrise Elementary School lives there. Students proudly display the signs for two weeks. Students can earn this distinguished honor by doing an exemplary job in academics, effort, behavior or at the discretion of the teacher for another reason.

In January we had a Literacy Celebration. Students in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade participated in a storybook parade while students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades cheered them on. We also hosted

Vocabulary Hat Day. Students had the opportunity to design and wear a hat that listed a vocabulary word and defined it.

Timbercrest Elementary School Timbercrest is thrilled to report that, in conjunction with the University of Central Florida, our Professional Development School Partnership has won the Award for Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement given by the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) for our work. We will receive the Award in March!

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Scholars Program. It is truly an honor for Raymond Green, Dametria Stephens, and Ilyssa Phelps as thousands of students from around the country have applied for this award and only a handful from county to county have been chosen!

Mainland High School’s Marcia Bobbitt, art teacher and coordinator of the 2011 Empty Bowls project, and all those who supported, donated, and participated raised $13,000.00 that will be given to Halifax Urban Ministries for the homeless in our area.

McInnis Elementary School The AT&T Pioneer Group, Daytona Division, donated $100.00 to our ESE Teachers and came to our school, Thursday February 2, 2012, for a meeting with the Teachers and students. While they were here, all were gathered together for a photo and a card made by the teachers, to present back to the Pioneer Group.

New Smyrna Beach High School Barracuda Band members Justin Peters

and Charlie Nighswonger performed with the All State Concert Band and All State Honors Band during the 2012 conference for Florida Music Educations held at Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. Justin and Charlie were selected from hundreds of applicants from all over the state.

Thespian Troupe 1903 will send 24 students to the Florida State Thespian Festival in March. The one act play, “Emotional Baggage” by Lindsay Price was ranked #1 Best Show in the District (32 schools) and will be performed at the State Festival. Students who qualified were: Allie Galloway, Leah Johnson, Shannon Stachell, Shelby Yant, Fatima Salazar, Holden Plenge, Danielle Bowen,

C mpass Points John Walker, Toby Evans, Ashley Johnson, Ashley Faulds, Stephen Gold, Stephanie Hall, Madison Tuck, Cheyenne Drews, Michael Nguyen, Ysa Fernandez, Megan Lessig, Brian Dunn, Alesha Arnold, Nevada Gellermann, Leigh Raymond, Keyron Williamson, Drew Purkey.

Ormond Beach Middle School Reflections — Students, Abbie Moothart

and Sam Markowitz, were recognized as Reflections winners at the County level and moved on to State judging.

Math Counts — Three students placed in the top 10 for the county in the recent MathCounts competition. Congratulations go to all the OBMS math students and their teachers, Natalie Demchak and Tricia Garver, for achieving first place recognition in team competition and ciphering, and bringing the trophies to Ormond Middle. Students will now move on to the state level.

Osceola Elementary School Mrs. Treur’s students were involved in

the Everybody Everyday contest where they wrote poems. Congratulations to poetry winners, Sean McCoy (3rd place), Hailey Haverly (2nd place) and Makaylee Herman (1st place).

Mrs. Conway’s class took part in the Reflections contest on diversity sponsored by the Museum of Arts and Science in Daytona Beach. All students participated and should be recognized. Special recognition is given to Matthew Donlick and Ashley Gartrell who were

recognized as the winners for Volusia County. We are so proud of our students at Osceola Elementary! Keep up the good work!

Pride Elementary School The second grade team has started to

breed Betas, a.k.a. Siamese fighting fish, to enhance the learning of the science curriculum relating to the life cycle and basic needs. The students are growing shrimp for the food and have a system of tanks to accommodate the different stages of the process.

Recently Pride’s Teacher of the Year nominee, Jessica Murphy, was awarded $62 from a community member, Sherry Webster. Sherry started a program at her place of work to collect donations called “Penny for Your Thoughts.” This was self-initiated and was being done without the school’s knowledge. As a result, in three months, she and her peers collected $62!

Seabreeze High School The Culinary Hot Food Team participated

in an Iron Chef - Style Competition in January earning gold medals and taking 1st place overall. The Culinary Hot Food Team will now continue on to State Competitions in February and March!

Five Seabreeze juniors Lindsey Brock, Celina Hart, James Murray, Morgan Pinkerton and Donna Sothen have been selected to participate in the Daytona Beach School of Government program.

South Daytona Elementary School South Daytona Elementary hosted a

Winter Carnival on Saturday, Feb. 4. PTA members and staff organized a fun, entertaining day of winter wonderland activities. Families were invited to enjoy a snow play area, a snow slide, a snowman event, along with game booths, face painting, electric train rides, and of course, delicious food. The South Daytona Parks and Recreation Department sponsored a family and neighbors bike ride in conjunction with the carnival.

News and events/activities provided by each school. If you wish to share information regarding your school, please contact “The Educator” editor via email at : [email protected].

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ANNUAL VOLUSIA STUDENTS CREATE K-12 EXHIBIT

Opening reception March 16, 2012, 5:00-7:00 pm at the Museum of Florida Art, Deland, FL Exhibit continues through April 1, 2012

Join us to celebrate the wonderful artworks created by Volusia County’s K-12 Art Students. Special announcements include Visual Art Administrators of the Year

Awards and a special tribute to Dorothy Johnson, the District’s first and only Art Su-pervisor whose vision created this exhibit showcasing student works in a museum

setting.

40th

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C mpass Points

If you have a green thumb or an interest in growing veggies, please come to South Daytona Elementary on Saturday, Feb. 18 to help us set up some new garden plots. We have partnered with the Home Depot to cultivate two sustainable gardens on campus. Students in grades K-5 will learn how and when to plant, what to do to ensure growth, and determine when it is time to harvest the crop. Students will engage in science, writing, reading and math lessons while participating in this relevant project. Funding came from the Home Depot and we are proud to have them as a business partner.

Southwestern Middle School Participated in the VCS “Feed The Need

Program which helps local food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, churches and other non-profit organizations that are working to fight hunger.

40 students, chaperones and parent volunteers attended the Deland Golden Hawkins Radio Club Press Day on February 9th. The club provided model airplanes for students to fly, simulators for them to practice on and lunch.

Westside Elementary School Westside Elementary took over 350

students and families to the Museum of Arts and Sciences on Tuesday, January 24th. We had a great night full of fun and learning! This opportunity was made available through Westside receiving $300 f r o m a B e a l l s ’ Department store grant and a PTA donation. Students and families were able to explore and participate in many hands on activities, including the dark room, the pull yourself up pulley, the tennis ball launcher, and the velcro ball farm. Students and family members also enjoyed learning about constellations and the night time sky from the very knowledgeable museum staff members in the planetarium. Zach Zacharias, Senior Curator of Education at the MOAS, stated, "It was great to see so many families engaged in exploration, discovery, and enjoying learning together." Along with Westside faculty and staff, students of the teaching program from Bethune Cookman University, a Professional Development Partner School with Westside, volunteered their time to ensure that all Westside students were engaged and able to enjoy their evening.

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION NEWS

January 2012 was an exciting month at Riverview Learning Center with MLK’s birthday observance, literacy week celebration, and middle school butterfly project. Martin Luther King’s Birthday was honored by viewing the documentary of his life and the production of a student-made banner. We are getting ready for out special Black History Assembly that will include a special guest speaker and the viewing of historical artifacts from the Civil Rights movement in the Daytona Beach area. MS Cotto headed up our Literacy Week celebration with the making of beautiful door decorations that showed many of the books that are read across the curriculum. Great fun was had by all the students that participated in our High School Jeopardy contests. We showed that Jeopardy could be played in all subjects including math!! Middle School Science teacher Lynn Boutwell and class were able to show the metamorphism of the caterpillar into a butter-fly. “Regarding the butterflies, we also learned about “Black Death,” to which we lost a butterfly. Did you know butterflies have ‘green blood?’ When I dropped a chrysalis, it oozed this, and I learned that is the blood, known as “hemolymph.” Thanks to student inquiries, we learned a lot.”

Many student come to Riverview as a caterpillar...but leave as a butterfly.

Butterfly hanging under middle crow on Elk antlers.

News and events/activities provided by each school. If you wish to share information regarding your school, please contact “The Educator” editor via email at : [email protected].

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SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

DeLand High School Girl’s Wrestling — Freshman, Hope Dargan wins the State Championship Medal – 3rd place in the 97 pound class.

Mainland High School Mainland High School has had a very busy 2011-2012 school year thus far! The fall and winter saw a winning football season with the Bucs making it to the semi-finals of the state championship before their season ended! Even more exciting, is that the 25 seniors on

the football team will have the opportunity to continue their education and football at the next level as scholarships have been secured for them through the hard work of Mainland’s dedicated coaching staff. Scott Wilson, the Buccaneers varsity head coach was selected as the Class 6A Coach of the Year by the Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards Program. Scott was also named Coach of the Year by the News Journal and shared the spotlight with Mainland’s Kelvin Lee as their Offensive Player of the Year and Mainland’s Leonard Williams who was named as their Defensive Player of the Year.

New Smyrna Beach High School Girls Weightlifting — The team had six members qualify for State Competition. They were Sarah Barchard, Rebecca Dean, Nicole Heil, Brianna McCauley, Pam Montanez and Shannon Wardner.

Seabreeze High School Girls Basketball — Congratulations to the var-sity team on their District Semi-Finals win. The Lady Crabs travel to Edgewater High on Satur-day, Feb 4 to take on the Eagles in the district finals. Girls Soccer — Congratulations to the varsity team for winning the District 5, 4-A Champion-ship & for ending their season regional runners-up. Wrestling — Congratulations to the four placing at the 5 Star Conference Tournament: 5 Star Champion: Malik Al-Qaadir, 2nd place: Mike Sampson and Chris Siedelhofer, 3rd Place: Bra’on Smith, 4th Place: Dominic Johnston and Landon Ashworth.  The following placed at the district tournament: District Champ, Chris Siedelhofer; runners-up, Kyle Cannon and Malik Al-Quaadir.

National Signing Day

On February 2, 2012 DeLand High School honored 10 football scholars. These boys signed scholarships with various colleges in the United States. Pictured from L to R (front row):

Sean Guy - Robert Morris University Maxwell Robertson – Robert Morris University Taylor Dunn – Stetson University Ryan Rodwell – Georgia Tech Maroa White – Jacksonville University Tevin Gordon – Bethune Cookman University David Taylor – Robert Morris University Austin Reedy – Marietta College James Ward – Wake Forest Ter Shaudney “Gator” Phillips – Bethel College

(back row): “Bo Jangle” Mr. Rick Calkins, Football Coach; Mr. Ryan Smith; Mr. Paul Ryder, Athletic Director; Mr. Larry Beal, Athletics District Office; Mr. Mitch Moyer, DHS Principal.

Over 1,500 third, fourth, and fifth graders from 6 DeLand area elementary schools and 8th graders from Southwestern Middle attended a Stetson women’s basketball game prior to winter break. The 8th graders attended an academic tour of the campus prior to the game. Students were treated to a thrilling game and thoroughly enjoyed the exciting atmosphere of a college level sporting event. Each school that participated received a replica basketball jersey. Each class was given a Stetson Women’s Basketball t-shirt and each student was given a souvenir ticket. Students had an opportunity to participate in a free throw contest at half time.

VCS Students Enjoy University Game Fun!

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Division Spotlights

year forty-six properties completed self audits and all were found to be in compliance. Thirty eight schools had on site audits conducted by district led Security Audit Teams. Thirty one sites were found to be in compliance. Seven sites are still working towards compliance.

The end of the 2010/2011 school year brought the closing of two Volusia schools; Euclid Learning Center and Holly Hill Middle School. Facilities Services staff negotiated the successful sale of both properties. On October 30, 2011 the district sold the portion of the Euclid Avenue Learning Center which included the old cafeteria/teen parent building and the land where the school building had stood. The property was sold for $100,000 to a neighborhood ministry, Emmanuel Christian Ministries. January 12, 2012 was the sale date of the Holly Hill Middle School property to the City of Holly Hill. The buildings were demolished with the exception of the media center, gymnasium, track and parking. The city purchased the property for recreation purposes. The sale price was $1.5 million Proceeds from the sale of property go to the capital budget for building repairs and renovations or for the purchase of technology and/or equipment.

Extended Day Enrichment Programs The Volusia County Schools Extended Day Enrichment Programs (EDEP) implemented the After School KidzLit, a literacy enrichment program, in all 38 sites this school year. The program is being used with students in grades kindergarten through second grade. As part of the program, the Site Facilitators and Group Leaders use powerful literature and activities to increase children’s enjoyment of reading, build their vocabulary, comprehension, deepen their thinking, and foster their ability to work with others. The students are thoroughly enjoying the program and eagerly look forward to the story and activities each week. The Group Leaders and Site Faci l i tators appreciate the ease and guidance in the curriculum and are following the five part process with the stories. The five part process includes:

1. Introduce the Story -The leader engages the students with an i n t r o d u c t o r y a c t i v i t y o r discussion.

2. Read the Story - The leader reads the story aloud, pausing f o r q u e s t i o n s , s h o w i n g illustrations, and defining new words.

3. Talk About It -The students discuss the story, either in pairs or as a group. Activities may be incorpora ted dur ing the discussion to get the kids thinking and moving.

4. Get Connected -The students do

an activity that deepens the connection between the story’s content and their own lives.

5. Wrap It Up -The students do an activity that extends their thinking

Nicholas Segeritz , a fifth grader in the Pride Elementary EDEP says, “KidzLit is fun and great to read because you learn new things and read great stories.” Another Pride Elementary EDEP student, Darelle Stephens, states, “I like KidzLit because it teaches me new things about History. It also teaches about what’s going on today and in the world.” Athletics Over 1,500 third, fourth, and fifth graders from 6 DeLand area elementary schools and 8th graders from Southwestern Middle attended a Stetson women’s basketball game prior to winter break. The 8th graders attended an academic tour of the campus prior to the game. Students were treated to a thrilling game and thoroughly enjoyed the exciting atmosphere of a college level sporting event. Each school that participated received a replica basketball jersey. Each class was given a Stetson Women’s Basketball t-shirt and each student was given a souvenir ticket. Students had an opportunity to participate in a free throw contest at half time.

Security Audits 2011-2012 The Security Compliance Office has completed the school security audits for the 2011-2012 school year. Eighty four schools and sites are required to meet sixty two security standards each year to be in compliance. This

Facilities Services Saralee Morrissey, Director

Alternative Sites, Athletics and Security

Gary Marks, Director

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Educational Plant Survey Some of you may have noticed Facilities staff visiting your school or facility during the past year. The Facilities Department is in the process of preparing the next Educational Plant Survey. The survey serves as the district’s long-range planning tool for determining capital (facility related) needs. The current survey was approved by the Florida Department of Education in 2007 and expires in June 2012. The survey involves the evaluation of each existing educational and ancillary facility. Staff performed various inspections including the validation of the building inventory (FISH – Florida Inventory of School Houses) and physical assessments. Additionally, a questionnaire was sent to each facility administrator requesting their observations of facility needs for housing educational programs, the student population, and the faculty and staff. During the next few months, facilities staff will be analyzing the avai lable data and providing recommendations for each of the district’s facilities. The Ed Plant Survey is the authorizing document for the expenditure of state capital funds. Although state construction funds are nonexistent at the moment, if a project is not included in the survey then the project cannot be constructed using state funds, whenever they may become available.

“Power Up with PD!”

The Office of Professional Development & Support, led by Coordinator, Teresa Northrup, is undergoing major changes this year with newly added team members and a refined approach to the role of

Curriculum Bambi Lockman,

Deputy Superintendent

professional learning in raising student achievement. This fall, the team had a shift in personnel and was able to welcome Dr. Melissa Carr and Meg Roa, both serving as PD Specialists. Highlights of current happenings in the Office of PD include a revision of the beginning teacher program formerly known as TIP to “ E m p o w e r i n g E d u c a t o r s f o r Excellence” (E3), a new partnership with the University of Central Florida to bring quality math and science teachers to our district via the Job-Embedded Teacher Induction Program, the creation of an improved online PD system for viewing, r eg i s t e r i ng , and mon i to r i ng participation in professional learning events, and providing opportunities for high-quality professional growth in core instruction by refocusing and integrating district-wide PD events for all employees. We look forward to working with all members of Team Volusia as we continue to support the quality of instruction for every student.

Department of World Languages The Department of World Languages has been very busy this year with a number of exciting changes! The department, which is comprised of ESOL, World Languages and Translation Services, has had some staff changes. We are happy to report that Gianna Acevedo-Alamo, formerly a Title III TOA, is now an Assistant Principal at Deltona Middle. We also welcomed our new Title III TOA, Betsy Sotomayor, formerly a gifted teacher at Timbercrest Elementary. Ms. Sotomayor already has proven herself to be an asset to the department and has offered several ESOL related workshops to t e a c h e r s . S h e i s c u r r e n t l y collaborating with other departments on projects that will help increase the achievement levels of ESOL students. The Department of Wor ld Languages addresses and supports

many curricular needs, such as aiding teachers with instruction and locating supplementary materials to help students meet performance standards established by FLDOE. Several workshops have already been conducted for teachers and administrators, as well as parents. In the October, we collaborated with the public libraries in Southwest Volusia and informed the Spanish speaking community about the wonderful library resources available to them and their children. The Department of World Languages also worked closely with Title I on the 2012 Family EXPO in January. Aside from the planning and coordinating of the sessions, we provided interpretation services and much of the written materials were translated. Our next major endeavor is bringing our World Languages teachers up to speed on the new World Languages Standards and Course Descriptions for 2012-13 recently released by FLDOE. One of the main objectives of the new standards is to encourage more students to become multilingual and thereby help them become more competitive in the global market. Ms. Garcia-Wolff, Coordinator of the Department of World Language, is also working closely with the Volusia County Foreign Language Association (VCCSS) on the upcoming Foreign Language Festival which will take place on February 25, 2012, at New Smyrna Beach High School beginning at 8:00 a.m. It is a fun filled event that gives our foreign language s tudents the opportuni ty to demonstrate their cultural knowledge and language skills. Everyone is welcomed to attend!

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WELLNESS CORNER

Making Changes to Avoid Heart Disease

Your heart is a vital organ that keeps your body functioning. Unfortunately, many people don't treat it that way. They may not realize that their daily habits and lifestyle can overwork and damage their heart. So, take care of your heart and yourself. Start by making the following lifestyle changes.

Be smoke-free. Eat heart-friendly foods. Set exercise goals. Make sure your blood

pressure is in the optimal range or under control.

Watch your weight. Reduce stress when-

ever possible. Click here to read the full article from Health Ink & Vitality Communications.

Check out the new DEALS & DISCOUNTS

page on ePortal!

This is an informational list of current deals and

discounts offered to you just because you are a Volusia County Schools employee!

This year the Volusia County School District will be celebrating its 20th Annual Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) District Conference. The celebration will take place on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at University High School in Orange City, Florida. The district conference is an opportunity to nurture students’ interest in teaching as a career by allowing students to come together with others who share a love for teaching, to demonstrate their budding educator skills and so much more. Volusia County Schools is honored to have Dr. Sharon Draper, a professional educator and an accomplished writer, as a keynote speaker for this historic event. Dr. Draper is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Literary Award, a New York Times bestselling author and National Teacher of the Year. She was also chosen for NCNW Excellence in Teaching Award and honored at the White House six times. Following the keynote address, schools will compete in the song/dance/cheer category, where they can creatively express their interpretation of this year’s theme, “Image ~ Believe ~ Achieve, Education is Everything”. Other competitions include Essay, Display, Scrapbook, Lesson Plan, Powerpoint Competition and Public Service Announcement. The rest of the morning will be spent going from classroom to classroom being inspired and learning from teachers and college students on a variety of topics. The day will conclude with awards presentations for the competition winners and an announcement of the district’s $1000 FFEA Scholarship recipient.

If you would like more information, please email Dr. D’Lorah Hyacinth,

Volusia County Schools FFEA District Coordinator at [email protected].

FFEA 20th Annual District Conference

Let Your Voice Be Heard... If you have enjoyed this edition of the Volusia County District Newsletter, The Educator, let us know. If you did-n’t, tell us that as well. Your opinion is important and your feedback will help to provide insight about what is important to you. Have an idea for an article? Or perhaps you’d like to write an article yourself! Send your idea and/or in-formation to the editor at [email protected]. You may see your idea (or your article) in an upcoming issue!

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2012 DISTRICT ACTIVITIES

MARCH 2012

4-12 School Social Work Week 8 Pathways to Transition Fair 15 Grade Period Ends Spring Holiday Begins (end of day) 16 Teacher Duty Day 17 St. Patrick’s Day 26 Classes Resume Grade Period Begins 31 FFEA 20th Annual District

Conference

APRIL 2012

6 Good Friday 7 First Day of Passover 8 Easter Sunday 13 Last Day of Passover 14 39th Annual Volusia All-

County Orchestra and Jazz Band Festival

15-21 National Volunteer Week 27 FUTURES Caribbean Party 30 Teacher/Student Holiday

MAY 2012

1 End of Year Banquet 5 Elementary Science Expo 6-12 Teacher Appreciation Week 12 Secondary Literacy Fair 13 Mother’s Day 28 Memorial Day

During the week of spring break the school district will benefit from a four 10-hour day work week schedule from Monday, March 19 through Thursday, March 22. All facilities and schools will be closed on Friday, March 23, allowing employees the opportunity to have a three day weekend and the district to take advantage of energy savings.

Spring Break Work Week