Good News from the Woodstock Zone

Check out the latest good news from schools in the Woodstock Innovation Zone…

Woodstock High School
Woodstock High School Class of 2013 graduate Luke Sellers has been named 2013 Georgia Scholars by the Georgia Department of Education.
To be selected as a Georgia Scholar, a student must be a graduating high school senior who exhibits excellence in all phases of school life, in community activities, and in the home. The student must present evidence of having carried an exemplary course load in the four years of high school; performed excellently in all courses; successfully participated in interscholastic events of the school or community; and assumed an active role in extracurricular activities sponsored by the school.
The criteria are extremely strict, such that only 115 seniors in the entire state have qualified for this honor. Each Georgia Scholar receives a seal for his or her diploma. The School District’s 2013 Georgia Scholars were recognized by the Cherokee County School Board at its meeting on May 16, 2013.

The Cherokee County School District annually recognizes outstanding high school juniors as Superintendent’s Key Scholars, and 134 students earned his honor for the 2012-13 School Year – a 9-percent increase from last school year.
Each of these outstanding students has scored at the 90th percentile or above on the Grade 11 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
Woodstock High honorees are: Madison Adams, Finley Anderson, Katherine Arp, Gabrielle Burseth, Cynthia Chac, Kenneth Chamberlin, Megan Chester, Garrison Fox, Laura Crawford, Andrew Favre, Hunter Forbes, Silas Fradley, Briana Francois, Kelsi Jamieson, Samuel Mixon, Kaitlin Neese, Michael Palazesi, Jourdan Ramirez-Pharr, Jessica Riley, Emily Shuman, Rachel Steppe, Rani Tilva, Ashton Tongco, Ivan Vizcaya-Eternod, Christine Yurkevitch and Rachel Zinney.
During the Eighth Annual Superintendent’s Key Scholar Recognition Ceremony held recently at Sequoyah High School, they received a School District Certificate of Achievement and a letter jacket patch that reads “Superintendent’s Key Scholar.” Each student will also be honored at their school’s year-end awards ceremony as a Superintendent’s Key Scholar.
“Our Key Scholars represent the top 10% of all students in the Nation who took the PSAT exam in October, and that’s a major accomplishment for which each of them and their families should be very proud,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo said. “As academic leaders, these outstanding students have the potential to continue distinguishing themselves as high school seniors and in their college pursuits and chosen careers.”
The Key Scholar Program is a District-wide academic recognition plan that begins in elementary schools with students qualifying for the nationally recognized Duke University Talent Identification Program (or TIP).
Over the last five years, more than 1,200 Cherokee County School District students in Grades 4 or 5 qualified for the Duke TIP program by achieving exceptional scores on either the Cognitive Abilities Test or the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
Each student receiving this recognition received a Certificate of Achievement at his/her school’s year-end awards ceremony; and the Cherokee County School District has received special recognition from Duke University for having the largest number of students identified in the State of Georgia.

Cherokee County School District schools, staff and volunteers recently were recognized with District 13 PTA Awards. The Woodstock High School PTSA won third place for Outstanding Local Unit – High School.

Woodstock High School juniors and seniors in the Human Anatomy classes of Laura Cox and Dianne Rice ended their year-long study of human development with a community service project benefitting The HOPE Center.
As part of the class, every student – even the young men -- played the role of a woman who learns she is pregnant. Once a month, they attended a “doctor’s appointment,” and learned about the development of the fetus and how it affects the mother. This month, the students are learning about labor and delivery as they prepare for the “birth” of their child.
“The baby shower is our way of culminating the assignment with a party while giving back to the community,” Ms. Cox said, noting the students donated more than 400 baby-care items to The HOPE Center, a local pregnancy resource center, through the shower event.
"This innovative application of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) principles is one of the reasons Woodstock High School students continue to excel in these areas,” Principal Dr. Paul Weir said. “This project not only appeals to the scientific mind, but the human heart as well."

Freedom Middle School
Cherokee County School District schools, staff and volunteers recently were recognized with District 13 PTA Awards. Freedom Middle School’s PTSA won first place for Outstanding Local Unit – Middle School.

Cherokee County School District teachers selected as 11Alive Class Act Teachers during this school year, including Freedom Middle School teachers Chad Barner, Kim Harris, Melissa Christensen and Natasha Diaz, recently were honored by the TV station at a reception and breakfast.

Five students from Freedom Middle School have been selected as honorable mention winners by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Rachel Allagier, Abbey Barrett, Chris Jackson, Max Koch and Misty Wilsom were recognized for their entries in the Society’s “What DO civil engineers do?" nationwide contest. Winners will be recognized at the ASCE Georgia Section luncheon meeting on May 3, 2013 in Norcross.

Freedom Middle School eighth-grade Taylor Reed recently served as a State Capitol Page for State Rep. Mandi Ballinger.

Carmel Elementary School
Carmel Elementary School has been recognized as a National School of Character for its commitment to character education and for fostering a positive environment for social and academic learning.
The honor, bestowed by the Character Education Partnership, was awarded to only 29 schools and school districts nationwide. Schools are selected for using character education to increase academic achievement, reduce student disciplinary action and create an atmosphere viewed as caring and supportive by students, parents and the community. Recipients will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. this fall.
Carmel Elementary’s focus on character education has previously earned it other top honors including being designated as the Georgia State School of Character for 2011-2013 and as a State School of Character in 2010. Dr. Keith Bryant is Principal of Carmel Elementary School.

Sixes Elementary School
Sixes Elementary School has raised more than $3,725 for the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life event. The school’s most recent fundraiser for the cause was the Second Annual Colors for Cancer Day. Students and staff were encouraged to dress in Relay for Life attire or wear the color associated with a particular cancer that’s close to their heart. Additionally, students could get their hair sprayed with temporary paint at a cost of 50 cents per color. The Cherokee County Relay for Life overnight walkathon begins at 6 p.m. on Friday at Sequoyah High School. All Cherokee County School District schools are supporting Relay for Life through fundraising, and many School District employees will be walking in the event. For more information about Cherokee County Relay for Life, see the website at http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=52727&pg=entry

The Sixes Elementary School community participated in the school’s annual MUST Ministries Food Drive from April 29 through May 3. The school’s Junior Beta Club members assisted with the daily collection from classrooms. The club also assisted MUST Ministries volunteers who came to the school to pick up of the 10 boxes of donations.

Cherokee County School District schools, staff and volunteers recently were recognized with District 13 PTA Awards. Sixes Elementary School’s PTA won second place for Outstanding Local Unit – 751 and above.

Woodstock Elementary School
Woodstock Elementary School has been named a 2013 winner of the Georgia Department of Education’s Family-Friendly Partnership School Award.
Only four schools statewide were selected for the award, which recognizes the Title I schools – the schools with the highest levels of low-income students – that maintain the best customer service statewide.
Winning schools were selected based on factors including student and parent engagement, staff friendliness, community partnerships, easy-to-use websites, clear signage and comfortable waiting areas. As part of the selection process, Georgia DOE staff visited finalist schools and conducted interviews with students, parents, staff and community members; GaDOE staff also called the school as “parents” to anonymously gauge customer service.
State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge will visit Woodstock Elementary School in the fall to present Principal Dr. Christy Bowling and her staff with a plaque and a special welcome mat.