Beginning Teacher Awards honor new educators
0Chesterfield County Public Schools recently recognized outstanding first-year teachers with Beginning Teacher Awards. Here are the 2015 winners and finalists: Katelyn Bell, who teaches second grade at Alberta Smith Elementary, is the Elementary School Beginning Teacher of the Year. Finalists were Jordan Brackett of Beulah Elementary and Nicole Burchett of Woolridge Elementary. Jon Ferguson, who teaches seventh-grade language arts at Providence Middle, is the Middle School Beginning Teacher of the Year. Finalists were Andrew Bowersox and Nicholas Cenname, both of Falling Creek Middle. Pamela Hooper, who teaches special education at Bird High, is the High School Beginning Teacher of the…
Washington Redskins book it during summer break
0A partnership with the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation adds excitement to summer reading for students in Chesterfield County Public Schools. Elementary students who record their reading minutes online (library.chesterfield.gov/events/summer-reading/) will be entered to win prizes on individual, classroom and school levels. The grand prize will include a back-to-school Redskins Reading Rally to celebrate the school with the highest participation. “The school year ends in June, but learning continues year-round,” said Superintendent Marcus Newsome. “Reading is fundamental for success in education. That’s why we encourage every student to read throughout the summer. We are appreciative of our partnership with the Washington…
Laura Parrish Chosen for Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders
0Laura Parrish, a Freshman at Thomas Dale High School of Chester has been nominated to attend the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Boston, Mass., on June 28. The congress is an honors-only program for high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). The purpose of this event is to honor, inspire, motivate and direct the top students in the country who aspire to be scientists and technologists, to stay true to their dream and, after the event, to provide a path, plan and resources to help them reach their goal. Laura Parrish…
Spring Athletes of the Year
0By Raven Williams and Cory Van Dyke BASEBALL Nathan Eaton Thomas Dale Senior Pitcher/Shortstop Nathan Eaton has been the spark plug for Thomas Dale’s baseball team all year long, whether he was on the mound as the staff’s ace or batting lead-off to get the offense started. On the bump, Eaton repeatedly baffled hitters with a dominant fastball and nasty breaking pitch in route to a 4-2 record with 56 strikeouts. Eaton might have had an even bigger impact at the dish for the Knights, lighting up pitchers all year long by belting six home runs and 20 RBIs with…
Max is Back
0Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. We are still working with Max; he has his good days and he has his bad days. Of late he has been a bit more irritating. He does not want to take his medicine. I know they tell you to pry his mouth open and throw the pill down his throat, but I prefer that he takes it voluntarily, and that it is done by hiding it inside a treat. I have been using peanut butter on a cracker. It is sticky and makes it harder to spit out…
Jackson, Hastings Announce Candidacy for School Board in Dale, Matoaca Districts
0DALE DISTRICT Near the entrance to Falling Creek Middle School (FCMS), Michael Jackson declared his candidacy for the Chesterfield County School Board to represent the Dale District. Mr. Jackson intends to fill the soon-to-be vacant seat to bring about positive change to the schools in the county. He states that he will seek improvement in all the schools in the area to give students the opportunity to achieve at the highest levels. While the Dale District will be his first concern, he made his announcement in front of FCMS because it is a vivid example of how the current school board…
Where has the Creativity Gone?
0“We have a deep interest in education, like religion and money. Education is what will take us into the future,” says Ken Robinson: author of Creative Schools. “We all agree on what extraordinary capacity that children have. All kids have a tremendous capacity for creativity,” he said on the most popular TED Talk. Creativity now is as important as literacy and we should treat it with the same status. Robinson told a cute story that took place in a classroom. “A little girl was sitting in the back of the class drawing, and the teacher came back to her and…
Supervisors Approve Last Phase of Design and Construction for Arts Center
0The Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors approved a series of agreements last month for the Chesterfield Center for the Arts (CCAF), which will allow both the final phase of the design and construction of the approximately 18,500-square-foot facility to begin. The project is being developed in conjunction with the aid of public supporters that are providing funds for both construction and operating costs. The center is one of the largest public/private partnerships in terms of private donations undertaken in the county. About $1.1 million in private donations and pledges have been raised by the CCAF. The foundation will also provide…