Our Future, Our Commitment, Our Students

Technology is quickly changing the way teachers instruct their students. The days of chalkboards were erased when the dry erase board was introduced. Now, the dry erase board, along with the overhead pro-jector, are gradually being phased out with new technology.

Franklin County Schools is in the process of installing technology in 50 classrooms this year to make them truly interactive. Many classes have already received the updates and

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Building Bridges 2

Basketball Schedule 2

Master Teaching 4

Band Schedule 6

Pearl Ellington 7

Holiday Cheer 8

V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 5

F I R S T T H U R S D A Y

Interactive classroom proves to be a hit

Meeting of the minds Study plan calls for more collaboration

In a continuous effort to better a child’s education, teachers are always looking for resources of information to improve their instructional skills.

Franklin County Schools has imple-mented a plan that utilizes perhaps the best resource of all – our teachers. For the second full year, all Franklin County Schools employees are taking part in a program titled Whole Faculty Study Groups (WFSG).

Each group consists of a maximum of six teachers or administrators and focuses on

Fannie Perry and Kim Heller, receive instruction on how to use the new technology in classrooms.

SEE WFSG PAGE 5

SEE TECH PAGE 3

A key ingredient for WFSG is the evaluation of student work.

High School Basketball

Start Times: JV Boys 4:30 Varsity Girls 6:00 Varsity Boys: 7:30 Bunn 12-8 Nash Central 12-12 at Tarboro 12-15 at Louisburg 12-19 S. Nash 12-21 East Wake 12-27 Clayton Trny. 12-28 Clayton Trny. 12-29 Clayton Trny. 1-3 Warren County 1-4 at Franklinton Franklinton 12-8 Weldon 12-12 Louisburg 12-13 Durham Arts 12-15 at Weldon 12-19 at Louisburg 12-27 Johnston Trny. 12-28 Johnston Trny. 12-29 Johnston Trny. 1-4 Bunn Louisburg 12/7 at Science/Math 12/8 Rocky Mt. Prep 12/12 at Franklinton 12/15 Bunn 12/19 Franklinton 12/27 Clayton Trny. 12/28 Clayton Trny. 12/29 Clayton Trny. 1/5 at NH-West

FHS students gain respect for bridges

Closing gaps

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When people visit famous bridges such as the Golden Gate Bridge, they typically admire it for its beauty. Franklinton High School physics stu-dents are likely to have a different point of interest after a recent class project.

FHS teacher Eva Cole’s physics class was given the task of making a model bridge out of toothpicks and glue. The project was designed as a competition to see which design could hold the most weight. When the newly born structural engineers had com-pleted their bridges, it was Marina Guimares’ bridge that proved to hold the most weight. Marina’s bridge held a whopping 27 pounds of weight be-fore snapping. Marina chose a box girder design because the largest one of its type, the Rio-NeTori, is in Brazil

– her native country. The Rio-NeTori Bridge connects the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi and spans 6.4 miles across Guanabara Bay.

“This was a lot of fun for the stu-dents,” Cole said. “They had to do the research on their own, and it was neat to see all of the diversity in the de-signs.”

The honor students didn’t exactly whip the bridges together in a matter of minutes. A lot of research and ac-tual construction time was needed to finalize their products. Most students spent the better part of two days as-sembling their creations.

After researching, most students developed a different appreciation for bridges.

SEE BRIDGE PAGE 4

Some of the bridges at FHS held more than 20 pounds of weight.

Our Future, Our Commitment, Our Students

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teachers, along with stu-dents, are thrilled about the change.

“I think it’s a big benefit,” Franklinton High School math teacher Jason Raitz said. “We are very lucky to have this technology. The students are very inter-ested, and they are more engaged in daily lessons.”

Among the technology that has been added in-clude new data projectors, sound systems, interactive writing boards, Turning Page clickers (device used to input data remotely), document cameras and microphones.

“The students have grown

up with technology like this, and I think they are more intrigued with this technol-ogy than looking at a white-board or projector that looks like it’s from the 70s,” Raitz said.

Raitz has incorporated the technology into his daily lesson plans. He routinely uses PowerPoint presenta-tions and finds it much eas-ier to plan for the day and modify lessons if needed. He can easily show math problems step by step with this technology.

Louisburg High School’s Rebecca LaCorte is also enjoying the benefits.

“The kids like it because they feel like they are play-ing, but they are actually learning. It’s a very big help, and it makes every-thing more fun.”

LaCorte, a third-year math

teacher, has used the document camera quite often and is one of the first to begin using the Turning Page clicker device. Stu-dents can select an answer at their desk simply by clicking a button.

LaCorte has used this for timed quizzes and found that it forces the kids to think quickly. Another posi-tive is that the students and teachers get instant grade feedback. The result of a particular question is known instantly.

Don’t be tricked into think-ing that this is the only test-ing method in use; students are still required to take traditional tests in a tradi-tional setting in LaCorte’s class.

Raitz has found that it is much easier to swap mate-rials with other teachers

with this technology. “It’s nice to be able to

swap a file or update an existing file in a matter of minutes rather than writing information on the board, or preparing a transparency.”

The third-year FHS math teacher also finds it much easier to incorporate graph-ics and Internet learning in his routine lesson plans.

“Before, it was very diffi-cult to use graphics or the Internet because it was dif-ficult to show everyone the information at the same time,” Raitz said. “Now, I can show the material through the new projector on a big screen.”

By January, all of the in-teractive classrooms in Franklin County are ex-pected to up and running.

- Nathan Moreschi

Tech Continued from page 1

“The students have grown up with technology like this, and I think they are more intrigued with this this technology than looking at a whiteboard or pro-jector that looks like it’s from the 70s.”

- FHS’ Jason Raitz

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BRIDGE continued from page 4 “I used to be afraid of

bridges,” Magen Parker said. “Now I know how they work, and I know they won’t randomly collapse. I learned a lot about torque and lever arms and how force can be supported.”

Through projects such as this, students gain a new-found respect for such structures and the study of physics in general.

“I didn’t really know what physics was about until I took this class,” Magen said. “It’s a very in-depth field, and there is a lot of calculating.”

Bobby Holliman, who built a truss bridge that held up

well in the competition, said he would have made a few changes to his de-

sign if he was to try again. Bobby and the rest of the class agreed that there is

a lot of value in trial and error and how it relates to real-world projects.

The FHS physics class proudly displays their bridges.

Master teaching program retaining new teachers Keeping new teachers in any school

system is not always an easy task. Three years ago, Franklin County Schools lead mentor teacher Judy Lassiter noticed a particular problem that she really wanted to do something about.

First-year teachers, especially lateral entry teachers, were more often than not leaving the system after just one year.

Franklin County lost 65 percent of its lateral entry teachers from 2003, so Lassiter decided to head up a program to convince these new teachers to stay.

The Master Teacher program was developed, and through three years, it appears to be making a very positive impact. The Master Teaching program

is comprised of retired teachers and administrators. The Master Teachers sit in the classroom with new teachers periodically to help them out. The infor-mation is strictly confidential between the master teacher and new teacher.

“I talked with people across the state and realized that this is a common problem,” Lassiter said. “We wanted to make sure that this program is for the benefit of the teacher. The great part about it is that this is not an observa-tion from an administrator which can cause a lot of stress for teachers.”

New teachers have mentors as-signed to them, but Lassiter believes the Master Teaching Program goes a step further.

“Mentors are a great help to teach-ers,” Lassiter said. “Master teachers

get to spend more time in the class-room with the teacher, and they can see more of what is going on. Master teachers can even teach small demon-stration lessons to the class.

“From day one, this program was intended to build a relationship so the master teacher is not seen as a threat, but rather a source of help. The master teachers are as committed as when they were in the classroom. It never ceases to amaze me how committed they really are.”

Last year, with the help of money from state funds, the program was ex-tended to all initially licensed teachers.

Adam Faulkner, a first-year social studies teacher at Franklinton High

SEE TEACH PAGE 6

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one essential student need. The needs are addressed by viewing stu-dent work. Groups are required to meet twice a month. One meeting is usually scheduled at the discretion of the entire group and the other is held during an early release day. Early re-lease days began last year specifically to help with the implementation of WFSG.

Teachers on all grade levels address a variety of common concerns in edu-cation. Topics range from reading to math, but the case studies are very specific. Some groups focus on items such as note-taking, while others may focus on identifying context clues or analyzing maps and graphs.

All three Franklin County High Schools are incorporating a school-wide note-taking process. Cornell Notes, the official title of the particular note-taking procedure, emphasizes summarizing notes and pointing out main ideas. Some Whole Faculty Study Groups are using Cornell notes as a mechanism to study student pro-gress.

“It’s a good experience for teachers to get together and share ideas,” Louisburg High School Curriculum Resource Teacher Joyce Bettini said. “If everyone is engaged in an atmos-phere of sharing and looking at stu-dent work, teachers will get new ideas, and they will have the opportu-nity to test them.”

A major source of data for WFSG is student work. Each group establishes an essential question or concern and sets a goal to reach.

Teachers then implement newly de-rived teaching strategies and later test to measure effectiveness. The objec-tive is to improve student results to at or above the established goal.

“The benefits are starting to show,” Franklinton High School Curriculum and Resource Teacher Kelly Clemmer said. “We are only in our second full year, and I think we are turning the corner. We are spending time together and talking about student learning. As professionals, we are learning we have great resources within ourselves. We are learning from each other’s real-life experiences.”

Clemmer believes the key to suc-cess for WFSG is the fact that student work is analyzed for both negative and positive qualities in attempt to make the product better.

“Rather than just focusing on the negative of what is wrong with a stu-dent’s work, we focus on all aspects of student work and analyze what is working and what is not working. We really get an opportunity to look at work, rather than just grade it.”

As with many new programs, there is often resistance associated with it. But after two years, Clemmer believes the positives are winning teachers over.

“They’ve started to value the focus

rather than the time required. It didn’t happen overnight, but we have made a lot of progress.”

Katrina Watson, the Curriculum and Resource Teacher at Bunn High School has many of the same feelings shared by the CRTs at Louisburg and Franklinton.

“This gives teachers a great opportu-nity to sit down and talk with each other,” Watson said. “You have to stay positive about the whole program for it to work. It’s here to stay, and we have to put our best foot forward.”

Many teachers have found the proc-ess difficult at first but have warmed to it as time progressed.

“Once you get through the paper work and realize what you are trying to accomplish, I really think people can make a big difference,” Watson said. “I’ve had one group hit the ground running this year, while other groups have struggled some. That is going to happen, and the nice thing is that the groups are willing to help each other.”

- Nathan Moreschi

WFSG continued from page 1

FES has a display of WFSG in action in the media center.

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School, is grateful for the new pro-gram. His master teacher is Zelma Wil-liams of Louisburg.

“It’s very helpful,” Faulkner said. “Her advice is great, and she’s not criticizing me. She’s there to help. I don’t feel threatened at all. She helps build confi-dence. She points out strengths and things that need some improving.”

Williams is a firm believer in the pro-gram and also believes its success is dependent on how good of relationship the master teacher has with the teacher.

“I really try to encourage them,” Wil-liams said. “I try to make helpful sug-gestions, and I tell them I am on their team. The focus is classroom manage-ment. I try to help them learn how to be in charge of their classroom and estab-lish the right relationship with their stu-dents. It’s really a great program, and

I’m enjoying it. It’s nice to still be a part of Franklin County Schools.”

Williams taught in Franklin County for 18 years before retiring.

Also helping with the program is re-tired Louisburg High School Principal Thomas Riggan. Riggan retired from education in 1997 but has enjoyed his time as a master teacher in Franklin County.

Riggan helps four new teachers at Bunn High School and three at Bunn Middle School.

“It’s a little difficult at times with scheduling with the two schools, but it’s really worth it. “This program is very beneficial. The teachers have ac-cepted me, and they are very eager for feedback. I’m here to help them, and I’m not here to report them. I don’t re-port the information to anyone. I’m just presenting my opinion to them. Some-times they ask for my help with a situa-tion, and it makes me feel really good.”

After two full years of the program, the new teacher retention rate is now higher than the average state retention

rate. Retention rate for all new teach-ers is up by 14 percent.

“The percentage is continuing to go up,” Lassiter said. “It’s important to get teachers to stay in the system”

Lassiter, who taught a variety of sub-jects as a teacher, has been in educa-tion for 47 years.

Master teachers are assigned through recommendations from other teachers, principals and central office staff.

“We were very careful in picking our master teachers,” Lassiter said. “We were looking for people who had good interpersonal skills. We also wanted them to be strong in content and peo-ple who are flexible.”

The group of master teachers is well-rounded. Master teachers only help teachers who were in situations similar to that of their own teaching careers. For example, a master teacher who taught elementary school would not be a master teacher for a high school teacher.

-Nathan Moreschi

Teach Continued from page 4

Event Date/Time Site Edward Best Concert Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Edward Best Elementary

Bunn Middle Concert Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Bunn Middle

Franklinton Theater Dec. 14, 6:30 p.m. FHS (Dinner theater $10, show 7:30 p.m)

Bunn High Concert Dec. 14, 7 p.m. Bunn Middle

LHS/TLMS Concert Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. Louisburg College Auditorium

Bunn Guitar/Chorus Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. Bunn Middle

FES Concert Dec. 19, 7 p.m. FES Gymnasium

FHS Band/Chorus Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m. FHS Auditorium

If you are interested in taking in some sounds of the season, take a look at the below schedule for Franklin County Schools’ performances. The Franklinton drama department is offering a dinner theater on December 14 and the play will be Tune Into Murder.

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‘Keep on Keeping on’

FES honors Pearl Ellington Franklinton Elementary

honored 88-year-old Pearl Ellington for her service to area schools in Franklinton. Ellington, commonly re-ferred to as Ms. Pearl, spent many years of her life working at both Franklinton High School and Franklin-ton Elementary School, but is stepping down from her duties. Ellington has two children, five grandchildren and nine great grandchil-dren. She attributes her long life to being drug and alcohol free, going to bed early and living a clean, clear life. Ellington also lives by a few words of wis-dom: “Keep on keeping on.”

Franklin County Schools Assistant Superintendent of Auxiliary Services Tommy Piper (center) congratulates Pearl Ellington on her years of service with Franklin County Schools.

Sharon Mangrum takes a little time to sign a huge banner for Pearl Ellington. FES Principal Linda Frederickson gets a few encouraging words from Ellington.

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[tÑÑç [ÉÄ|wtçá Elementary students from around the county flocked to the Franklin County Courthouse on De-cember fourth to sing for the town of Louis-burg. In addition to spreading joy with their voices, these talented youngsters provide ornaments for the town as well.

Bundles of Joy