August 2013 Edition - Hyde County Schools

HYDE COUNTY MATTAMUSKEET CAMPUS
PARENT CONNECTION
NEWSLETTER
APRIL/MAY 2013
“2013 MECHS POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE”
MECHS CLASS OF 2013
Haley Michelle Ballance, Zack Edward Ballance, Shaquisha Leshanda Barrow, Francis Ryan Bender
Andrew Boyce Berry, Caressa Shetoya Lieric Bryant , Courtney Ann Carawan, Marshall Cole Clarke
Nicholas Wade Cuthrell, Shane Thomas Cuthrell Exie Qua’Shea Davis, Ashlee Brooke Eakes
Benjamin Ross Gibbs, Jennifer Dawn Gibbs, Geno Rasheem Holley, Victoria Dare Jarvis
Khaliah Monique Johnson, Nicola Elizabeth Litchfield, RaJohnte Aalie McCabe, Micah Dante McCullor
Keondra Shaunte’ Moore, Daniel Ray Shelton, Jr., Jaleel Darnell Spencer, Keosha Wansha Swain
Quadre Da-Quan Thomas, Sarah Elizabeth Turner, Deonta Raheem Woods
VALEDICTORIAN
SALUTATORIAN
HALEY BALLANCE
DEONTA WOODS
Page 2
SENIOR SUPPER 2013
MECHS Seniors, teachers, parents and
friends enjoyed a pre-graduation fellowship
consisting of a BBQ and Fried Chicken supper
at Martelle's Restaurant in Engelhard on May
9th. There were 51 people in attendance.
(see photo highlights)
Congratulations to MECHS faculty and staff for a 100% graduation rate in 2012-2013!
Page 3
2013 SENIOR CLASS PICNIC
Bon Appétit’
Page 4
LAKERS SUMMERFEST
Teachers and students together learning and
having fun at the same time .
It really is possible!
Students enjoyed a variety of
interesting as well as educational
classroom activities during
“Summer Fest”, in addition to
the jaunts off campus each
Thursday for a memorable field
trip.
ER
R RIV
O
T
A
GE
REFU
ALLIG
E
F
I
L
WILD
ONAL
NATI
“FIRST IN FLIGHT”
WRIGHT BROTHERS MEMORIAL
ECSU
PLANETARIUM
ELIZABETHAN GARDENS
Page 5
MECHS 2013 SUMMER FEST GARDENERS
LAKERS SUMMER FEST
- A 4-WEEK SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAM
According to Mrs. Lori Gibbs, 21 st CCLC Program Director, Mattamuskeet Schools
began end-of-year vacation time with a wonderful 4-week 21 st Century summerschool program in conjunction with the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Grant.
The program focused on STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and math), and included
field trips to the Elizabeth City Planetarium, the NC Aquarium and Elizabethan Gardens, the
Wright Brothers Memorial, and Ft. Raleigh and Alligator River Wildlife Refuge.
IN THE GARDEN WITH MECHS
School Gardening engages students by providing a dynamic
environment to observe, discover, experiment, nurture, and
learn as the Gardens become living laboratories where
valuable lessons are drawn from real life experiences.
These lessons encourage students to become active participants in the learning process.
Maintaining a garden during the summer can be a common
challenge for schools. The garden’s watering and weeding
needs reach their peak at the same time vacation schedules
for teachers and students began, reducing the number of available volunteers.
The Summer School Program on the Mattamuskeet Campus eliminated that particular challenge
for MECHS student gardeners. Mrs. Chestnutt, Mr. Bradshaw, Mrs. Chandler, Mrs. Mann and Mr. Cox
would agree that the lesson students learned immediately was that the creation of a school garden cannot
be done alone. Many hands are needed.
Students and teachers were seen working together and having a great time getting down to the business
of tending their precious fruits and vegetables while eagerly anticipating their bountiful harvest.
"Garden Thoughts"
The kiss of the sun
for pardon,
The song of the BIRDS
for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart
in a garden
Than anywhere else on
EARTH.
~Dorothy Frances Gurney
“Gardening requires lots of water most of it in the form of perspiration. ~
Lou Erickson
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MATTAMUSKEET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAPPENINGS
MES K-5 EXCEPTIONAL CLASS VISITS ROANOKE ISLAND FESTIVAL PARK IN MANTEO
Roanoke Island Festival Park is recognized as one of the coastal treasures of North Carolina established in 1998. The park is an educational interactive delight for visitors, especially
school students such as Miss Renee Mackey’s class who enjoyed a class field trip on May 17th. The
park blazes a trail through a past that includes early Native American culture, early English settlements, 16th Century sailing ships and the Civil War.
Miss Mackey, along with other staff, students, and chaperones
were greeted at the park exhibit entrances by costumed interpreters depicting the sailors and soldiers of the Roanoke Voyages. The
children especially enjoyed the distinctive Irish, (or was it English)
sounding “brogue” spoken by the guides and interpreters. The
student’s journey back in time began at the Festival Park's Visitor
Center where they received information on activities and purchased their admission tickets for
the main features of the park.
EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS (listed below)
A blacksmith Shop
A Coastal Algonquian 16th Century American Indian Town (similar to what the English explorers investigated and surveyed during their voyages to Roanoke Island and the surrounding areas)
A partially completed Longhouse, representative of the historical homes of American Indians from the region. One of the longhouses interprets the home of a leader from the community,
and stretches over 30 feet long. (visitors to this exhibit help in completing
the longhouse by adding a piece onto the exterior)
The highlight of the visit was The Elizabeth II a representative sailing ship berthed at the park across from the Manteo waterfront. The
ship was completed and launched in 1983 and presented to the State
of North Carolina as a Historic Site in July of 1984 during ceremonies commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first
English ships to the North Carolina Outer Banks.
MES FIELD DAY
Page 7
“You were made to soar, to crash to earth, then to rise and soar again. “
Alfred Wainwright
S
HILDA SPENCER
PARENT COORDINATOR
Publisher’s Corner
Our Principal extends a hearty “WELCOME BACK” to
school, beginning with Orientation on August 1, 2013 for
MECHS students and Teachers. The welcome is also extended especially to all Parents/Guardians and the Community, with a reminder that they are important to our
school.
“We believe that your children will enjoy and benefit from
their experiences at Mattamuskeet Early College High
School. As our doors are always open—so too are the
doors to our school web page. Please feel free to stop by
the campus and visit in person or visit us via the school
Mr. Jonathan Jessup, Principal
web page, invites Mr. Jessup.”
Mr. Jessup has settled into the Mattamuskeet Campus family and become a highly respected and well-liked member of Hyde County’s Educational community although he has been here only a short time. “We extend a hearty
“WELCOME BACK” to you also Mr. Jessup!”
PRESENTING - EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Ms. Sherry Harris, 4th and 5th grade Science teacher, was selected
among her peers at MES for recognition of her outstanding work and
dedication to teaching to receive the honor of representing them as
Teacher of The Year (TOY) for 2013-2014. Ms. Harris represents
MES well on and off campus and is a model for pro-activeness, responsibility, and drive.
Ms. Sherry Harris
Mr. Julio Morales
“This is my sixteenth year with Hyde County Schools, said Ms. Harris.” She accepted her first teaching job in Hyde County in 1997, and
has taught Kindergarten as well as both first and second grades. She
feels that working with young children is a truly joyous and rewarding experience. She is exactly the kind of teacher our children need!
Mr. Julio Morales is the ESL/Spanish Teacher for Mattamuskeet Schools. He
has been working in Hyde County since 2007 , and says that he really enjoys
working with faculty, staff and students of Mattamuskeet schools.
Congratulations go out to Mr. Morales who was elected to serve on the Board
of Directors of the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE). Our Hyde
County school district will be the direct beneficiary of the insight, knowledge,
and influence that Mr. Morales will gain as a member of the NCAE Board.
“Teachers are expected to
reach unattainable goals
with inadequate tools. The
miracle is that at times they
actually accomplish this
impossible task.”
All who work with Mr. Morales know him to be one of the hardest working
teachers on our campus, one who always goes above and beyond what is normally expected of him when it comes to serving his school even if it means
driving students on field trips—getting up early and staying out late on some
longer trips such as the end-of-year Busch Gardens trip that also happened to
be on a Sunday.
“We appreciate you Mr. Morales, however, I know that the following quote
resonates within your whole mind, body, and spirit!”
“There are three good reasons to be a teacher: June, July, and August.”
Anonymous
Haim Ginott