READ TO ACHIEVE PARENT MEETINGS - THIRD GRADE PARENTS ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

Following the Thanksgiving holiday, Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools will host a series of four parent meetings for parents of third grade students regarding the potential impact of the Read to Achieve legislation on student promotion and retention.
The meetings are scheduled for December 2 at Nashville Elementary, December 3 at Bailey Elementary, December 10 at Benvenue Elementary and December 12 at OR Pope Elementary. Parents of students in kindergarten, first and second grades are also invited to attend the meetings.
“Read to Achieve is part of the Excellent Public Schools Act, which became law in 2012 and took effect this school year,” said Melissa-Dancy Smith, Executive Director of Elementary Instruction. “We want all parents to be informed of how this impacts promotion and retention for third grade students.”
The goal of the legislation is to ensure that every student reads at or above grade level by the end of third grade. If a student is not performing on grade level, he or she can enroll in a Summer Reading Academy that will be offered by the school district. Parents have the option to decline enrolling the student in the Summer Academy, but students who do not attend will be retained in a third grade classroom next school year.
Each of the parent meetings will be hosted in a town hall format. A moderator will pose questions to a group of panelists including school administrators, instructional coaches, directors and other staff. Parents will also have the opportunity to ask additional questions, as needed.
For more information on Read to Achieve, parents are encouraged to visit the Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools website, www.nrms.k12.nc.us, and click ‘Read to Achieve’ on the district homepage.

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SPRING HOPE ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SEND CHRISTMAS IN SHOE BOXES

Most people have heard the saying, "It is better to give, than to receive," and fifth grade students in the Spring Hope Elementary Spirit Club recently put these words into action.  The students packed four shoe boxes that will be sent to children in other countries as part of Operation Christmas Child, a division of the Billy Graham Evangelism Association.

Students packed the shoe boxes  with everything from crayons, coloring books and small toys to soap, washcloths and toothbrushes. Wrapped in purple, yellow, green and red, the boxes were coded with a tracking number that will allow the students to track their gifts to the countries where they are distributed. Knowing they were helping those less fortunate than they, brought smiles to the faces of the fifth graders at Spring Hope Elementary.

Submitted by Kimberly House

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BOARD MEMBERS EARN HONORS AT NCSBA CONFERENCE

Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools received numerous honors during the North Carolina School Board Associations annual conference held at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro November 18-20.

The Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools Honors Band & Dance Ensemble performed during one of the conference’s general sessions. Students from Nash Central High, Northern Nash High, Rocky Mount High and Southern Nash High participated in the performance. The students performed three works in a medley of music from Africa, Ireland, and Latin America.
Members of the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education were recognized November 19 during the conference’s annual awards ceremony.

Evelyn Bulluck, Board Chair was named to the All-State School Board. Those recognized received nomination from their school board as a candidate for the Raleigh Dingman or School Board Member Leadership Award. Bulluck will serve on the association’s Board Development committee.
Other Board members receiving recognition included: Ann Edge and William Sharpe, for Certificates of Merit; Jon Hardy and Reginald Silver, each for Certificates of Achievement; Robert Jenkins for a Certificate of Advanced Achievement, and Evelyn Bulluck and Robert Bynum each for Diplomas of Honor. These individual level recognitions are given to Board members based on the number of hours of training completed during the 2012-13 academy year.
As a group, the Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education was recognized for achieving Level II Master Board Training.
The NCSBA Master Board program emphasizes team building, conflict resolution, goal setting, communication, change management, ethics, problem-solving, decision-making and evaluation. The program, which represents a joint project of the NCSBA and the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, responds to the desire of the school district’s leadership team to train as a unit and address the board issues that pertain to the individual school system.
School board members Evelyn Bulluck, Brenda Brown, Robert Bynum, Doneva Chavis-Battle, Anne Edge, William Sharpe, Franklin Lamm, Reginald Silver, and Jon Hardy, were on hand to accept the award, along with Dr. Anthony Jackson, Superintendent.
Dr. Jackson was also honored as one of eight finalists for the State Superintendent of the Year Title during the awards ceremony. Administrators from Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools also gave two presentations at the conference, “Putting the Public Back in School Public Relations,” and “iConnect: Preparing Students to be Globally Competitive through 21st Century Tools.”

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THREE RMHS ATHLETES SIGN LETTERS OF INTENT WITH NC UNIVERSITIES

Chowan University in Murfreesboro and Queens University in Charlotte will be upping their games in 2014 when three Rocky Mount High School (RMHS) athletes arrive on their respective campuses.

Cody Smith and Will Edwards have both received scholarships to play baseball at Chowan. When asked why they chose Chowan, Smith replied, "Chowan just seemed like the best fit for me. I feel like I will get a better education there," and Edwards responded, "Their classes are smaller and seem more personal."

Carmen Richardson will be on scholarship shooting hoops for Queens.  "It felt like a home away from home. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to play college basketball."
All three players are excited about their decisions and plan to make the most of their college time.

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PARENTS TURN OUT FOR NATIONAL PARENT INVOLVEMENT DAY

Information and appreciation, that is National Parent Involvement Day in NRMPS. From a college and CTE information session with high school parents at Rocky Mount High School to a special lunch with parents and students at Englewood Elementary, parents were the focus in the district November 21, 2013.

"Parents are the primary educators.  It is in the home where children start learning.  We can't do the work we do without parents," said Leondus Farrow, Principal of Rocky Mount High School.  Parents at RMHS were treated to a light buffet reception followed by informative talks from Tim Tucker and Bebe Wall of Nash Community College.
"We know the connection between parent involvement and student achievement.

Having them here for lunch just seemed like a natural fit for us," said Englewood Elementary School Principal, Crystal Whitley. Englewood Elementary tied their annual Thanksgiving lunch in with their parent's day festivities.  Parents had the option of buying lunch in the cafeteria, or bringing in a special lunch from home.  Whitley added, "We wanted to create a culture where they [parents] feel welcome and involved and know that they are a crucial part of their child's education."

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SCHOOL DISTRICT RECEIVES AWARD FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING

The Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education recently received the Association of School Business Officials International’s (ASBO) Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability.
Dr. Anthony Jackson, Superintendent of Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools, said he appreciates the work of district staff to ensure that reporting is clear and accurate.
“We made a commitment to be transparent and efficient stewards of the funds provided to us.” Jackson said. “Our staff has worked diligently to improve our financial reporting and should be commended for this accomplishment.”
The district was recognized for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year ending 2012. Board members were presented with a plaque for the honor during the school board meeting held October 7.
This is the first time Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools has participated in the Financial Reporting Award recognition. Sponsored by VALIC, the Certificate of Excellence (COE) award confirms the school business office’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency. Recognition through the COE program can help strengthen a district’s presentation for bond issuance statements and promotes a high level of financial reporting.
For more information on the COE award, visit ASBO’s Website: www.asbointl.org/COE.

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NRMPS GOES ORANGE FOR ANTI-BULLY DAY

"Orange, orange everywhere, and not a bully anywhere."
Bullying prevention took center stage at NRMPS schools in October with a month-long focus on anti-bullying. October 9 was the official Bullying Prevention Unity Day with students and employees from school and offices throughout the district showing their resolve to end bullying by wearing orange. Whether showing their unity via t-shirts, wrist-bands or hair color, NRMPS works to end bullying throughout our district.

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