JCPS Superintendent Weekly Blog

The Superintendent of Johnston County Public Schools, Dr. D. Ross Renfrow, produces a weekly video blog in order to keep the lines of communication open between the school system and parents, students, employees, community members, and stakeholders.

Topic:  Wild About Reading

Link to Today’s Blog on BlogSpot: https://rossrenfrow.blogspot.com/2018/07/wild-about-reading.html

Link to Today’s Blog on YouTube: https://rossrenfrow.blogspot.com/

Transcript:

Good day and welcome to this edition of the superintendent's vlog. This is Ross Renfrow, superintendent for the Johnston County public schools. Just want to recap all that took place last week over at North Johnston High School with the 2018 edition of Leadership Academy. Want to thank Dr. Ben Williams and his team for being such gracious hosts last week. Leadership Academy was as good as it's ever been, and the feedback so very positive about everything that took place last week, so for everyone who had a hand in developing the protocol and procedures and information that was shared in Leadership Academy, we want to thank you all. It was greatly appreciated. Also last week we recognized our principal as well as the assistant principal of the year. Congratulations from Smithfield Middle School to Ms. Heather Andrews, our Principal of the Year. She will move on and represent Johnston County in the state competition. Also congratulations to Kelly Holland who was recognized as our Assistant Principal of the Year from Glendale-Kenly Elementary School so pats on the back and shoutout to both those fine ladies. Hey, this week I will be at Polenta Elementary School on Wednesday at 11 o'clock to read to the students "Wild About Reading," so thank you to our principal Christina Benson and our media coordinator Kelly Davis for the opportunity and invitation to go out and read with our students at Polenta. I hope you all will be present and in attendance because it will be a great, great time reading books. Remember reading is fundamental in everything that we do. Don't forget Ignite coming up. This is a teacher academy for  our educators in the classroom...work days in August...you know what we can do with standards-based teaching and learning and personalized competency-based education to put our students in a position to be successful... and then all of our focus now that Leadership Academy is over has shifted toward our convocation coming up at Mudcat Stadium on August 20th. We look forward to you all being there for that event as well. The theme this year... Each student counts. Every moment matters. 

Thank you all for all you do, and have a great day.

Interested parties can subscribe to the Superintendent’s blog by visiting http://rossrenfrow.blogspot.com

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The JoCo 2020 Report

A weekly list of good news in the Johnston County Public Schools

(For general information or to schedule interviews, please feel free to contact the Office of Communication and Engagement at 919.934.2016, extension 1001.)

Johnston County Public Schools is on summer work schedule through Friday, August 10, 2018.  Hours are 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, closed on Fridays.

Congratulations to the JCPS Amy Renfrow Leadership Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year: Heather Anders, Principal at Smithfield Middle School and Kelly Holland, Assistant Principal at Glendale-Kenly Elementary.

JCPS’s annual Summer Leadership Academy was held July 16 -18, 2018 at North Johnston High School.  Watch Dr. Ross Renfrow’s Special Edition vlog as he streamed live from NJHS each day at Leadership Academy Camp JOCO 2020.  He captured key highlights of the day and featured the Assistant Principal of the Year Kelly Holland and Amy Renfrow Leadership Principal of the Year Heather Anders and Jenna McKeel the Director for School Improvement.  Leadership Academy is the foundation to a successful 2018-2019 school year.  To stay informed about JCPS, follow us on:

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• BlogSpot: http://rossrenfrow.blogspot.com 

Congratulations to West Johnston High School’s Martha Diaz. She placed 8th in the national competition of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)  in Spreadsheet Applications.   For more information, please contact WJHS at 919-934-7333.

Dr. Paula Coates has been named to succeed Dr. Eddie Price as Johnston County Public Schools  Deputy Superintendent.  Dr. Coates currently serves as the school system's Executive Director of Federal Programs.  Dr. Coates has worked in the district as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school level.  Dr. Coates holds a Doctor of Education Leadership from Fayetteville State University, a Master of School Administration degree from East Carolina University, a Master of Education degree from North Carolina State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics degree from North Carolina State University.

Price has been named Director of the NC Principal Fellows Program at North Carolina State University effective August 1, 2018. Price has earned numerous recognitions for his outstanding leadership, including being named the Johnston County Administrator of the Year in 2007, the Johnston County Administrator of the Year in 2010, and the Johnston County Principal of the Year in 2013.  Since 2015, he has held various central office capacities for Johnston County Public Schools, including serving as an area superintendent and chief academic officer and deputy superintendent. For more information, please call Crystal Roberts, Chief of Communication and Engagement, at 919.437.3651.

Johnston County Public Schools Nutrition Services continues to offer free meals during the summer months to children and teens 18 and younger through USDA Food and Nutrition Services.  Meals are being served at Cooper Academy, West Smithfield Elementary, and Micro Elementary schools.  All three locations will serve meals Monday through Thursday beginning June 12 through August 10, with breakfast being served at 8 a.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m.  For more information, please call Child Nutrition Services at 919-934-1304.

Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, four schools (Selma Elementary, Selma Middle, South Smithfield Elementary, and West Smithfield Elementary) have been approved to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students at their schools under the Community Eligibility Provision. For more information, please call Child Nutrition Services at 919-934-1304. Online registration is now underway for all new and reassigned students.  For more information, please contact your student’s current school or the Office of Communication and Engagement at 919-934-2016, extension 1029.

South Johnston High School is currently reaching out to all local business owners to partner in providing real-world information about careers for an upcoming event.  They would like for companies to allow a small group of students to visit and ask questions.  For more information, please contact SJHS at 919-894-3146.

Also at South Johnston, save the date:  SJHS’s 1st Annual Sadie Hawkins Dance will be held on October 20, 2018, for grades 9-12.  The event is being held to raise money for the life skills classroom. For more information, please contact SJHS at 919-894-3146.

West Smithfield Elementary is having an amazing time during their Summer Reading Camp. They have exceptionally creative reading presentations during Cafe Read Aloud at lunchtime. Check out their Twitter page to see Ms. Sheppard’s jazzy presentation and also what a treat for the site director to rap to a favorite  Dr. Seuss book!  For more information, please call the school at 919-989-6418.

Cleveland Middle School ’ s Summer Reading Program about Yoga and Books! Is underway on 7/11, 7/18. 7/25, 8/1, and 8/8 for Cleveland Middle School Students Only (registration required).  This is a great opportunity for students to put away the devices and enjoy some quiet time in a safe place.  For more information, please contact Cleveland Middle School at 919-553-7500.

The registration for the K-8 Mathematics SCOS Implementation Summer meetings is now open for all North Carolina K-8 Math teachers and instructional support personnel hosted by NCDPI Math Section and Tools for Teachers MSP.  This will be two days of professional development designed for teacher leaders and math coaches centered around the implementation of the new K - 8  Math Standards. For more information, please contact the Office of Academic Innovation at 919-934-4361 ext. 4000.

Smithfield Middle School will host a Mini Camp for rising 6th graders on Thursday, August 2, 2018, from 8 am to noon.  Students will be introduced to middle school life.  Topics covered will include: dress code, combination locks, a tour of the school, and where to go to for help.  A light snack and drink will be provided. Registration is required.  For more information, please contact Smithfield Middle School at 919-934-4696.

JCPS Educators are invited to attend 2018 IGNITE, an optional two-day symposium at Cleveland High School on August 14-15 or at Corinth Holders High School on August 16-17.  This symposium will be organized into four quests that allow participants to learn around a specific theme.  The themed structures provide participants with a focus to guide their learning over two days so that each person walks away with a plan of implementation in the 2018-19 school year.  For more information, please contact Amy Stanley, amystanley@johnston.k12.nc.us, Patty Whittington, pattywhittington@johnston.k12.nc.us, or Dr. Jamie Lanier,  jamielanier@johnston.k12.nc.us.

Please join the Princeton Bulldogs on August 15, 2018, at a Portrait Reveal of Kirk Denning, who served as the school’s principal from 1999 to 2016 in the Princeton High school cafeteria. For more information, please contact Princeton High School at 919-936-5011.

Micro Elementary will host “Fresh Cuts and Fresh Starts” on August 20, 2018, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.  Students will be welcomed back to school with haircuts, new outfits, school supplies, books and activities for kids.  Refreshments including hot dogs will be included. This event will kick off the 2018-2019 school year with positive energy and community support.  There is a need for barbers, hair stylists, monetary sponsors, clothing donations, schools supplies, and volunteers.   For more information, please contact Micro Elementary School at 919-588-4300.

SAVE THE DATE:  Monday, August 20, 2018!  Johnston County Public Schools will be kicking off the 2018-2019 school year with "Convocation 2018: Each student counts. Every moment matters.", a motivational event for the district’s nearly 5,000 employees at Carolina Mudcats Five County Stadium.  The convocation program will highlight the start of JOCO 2020 Phase III and serve as a formal commitment to the implementation of the initiative’s tenets of relevance, relationships, and innovation throughout the district from the classroom to the boardroom. For more information, please contact Crystal Roberts, Chief of Communication and Engagement, at 919-437-3651.

Johnston County certified as a Work Ready Community

The Capital Area Workforce Development Board (CAWD) designated Johnston County as a Work Ready Community. The certification recognizes a workforce that is a cut above when it comes to real-world job skills. 

“Achieving Work Ready Certification in Johnston County is a tremendous accomplishment for our county and communities,” said Johnston County Economic Development Director Chris Johnson. “This certification shows the commitment of the industry, small businesses, county, towns, chambers of commerce and our economic development and educational partners to provide a viable and educated workforce. With the ever-increasing competition for projects both regionally and globally, a strong workforce is becoming an increasingly important piece as we move forward with marketing Johnston County and creating jobs for our citizens.”

To become certified, a county must gather a certain number of business supporters and meet other criteria based on their population, including Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) attainment. A CRC certifies the holder’s skills in reading for information, applied mathematics, and locating information. These skills are required for most jobs, making the CRC a valuable credential as the individual moves between jobs. 

Johnston County Public Schools high school students in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentration take the ACT WorkKeys exam, which measures foundational skills in math and literacy required for success in the workplace. Students who successfully complete the exam earn a CRC. 

Over 6,500 individuals have earned CRCs in Johnston County. Eighty businesses affirmed the value of the credential and contributed to achieving the designation. 

Johnston County’s certification comes during a state-wide push by NCWorks, the state’s workforce development effort, to certify communities and work to close the skills gap.

Orientation dates set for Johnston County Public Schools

The orientation dates and times are set for Johnston County Public Schools. Schools will hold student orientation at various times from Aug. 2 through Sept. 10.

At orientation, students will have the opportunity to meet their teachers, find their classrooms, and get prepared for the start of the school year on Aug. 27.

The complete list of orientation dates and times can be found by visiting www.johnston.k12.nc.us/orientation.

Cooper Academy gifted $176K STEAM Playground

More than 100 people on the Novo Nordisk Diabetes Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (DAPI) US Project team volunteered 1,150 hours over the course of four days to install a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Playground at Cooper Academy, a Title I school in Clayton, North Carolina.

“Despite scorching heat and a flash flood warning, smiles never left the volunteers’ faces,” said Fluor Project Controls Specialist Hunter Stofan, who chaired the playground project along with Work Package Owner Mike Kutcher. “The teamwork and dedication displayed by the volunteers was incredible. Not only are we improving the lives of more than 700 students at Cooper Academy, but we have also made lasting relationships that will carry over into the project and make us all more successful.” 

Led by Fluor Contracts Director Cindy Moorhead and Project Coordinator Amber Wilson, Fluor raised $136,000 in cash donations – and nearly $40,000 worth of in-kind donations – for demolition, site grading and drainage, new playground equipment, boarder, fencing, sod, rubber mulch, and sand. The Cooper Academy PTA contributed an additional $14,000.

The nearly 12,000 square foot kindergarten through second-grade playground area was designed by Barrs Recreation and features state-of-the-art Burke equipment. In addition to a rocket-shaped main structure and numerous interactive stations, a large sandpit with fossils and diggers was installed and the Movers & Makers Club’s final project was set in place. Fourth and fifth-grade girls in the after-school club designed and built a play structure with Fluor’s supervision.

“I am blown away by what this team accomplished in just four days. Their caring hearts just show through everything they do,” Cooper Academy Principal Jocell Flores said. “We can't wait to officially unveil the playground to the entire school at the end of our Open House on Aug. 21. The students’ reactions are going to be priceless!”

The Fluor-Cooper partnership is the perfect example of how our employees make an impact wherever we have operations or projects – not only through client projects but also through community engagement, employee volunteerism and philanthropy. “I’m extremely proud of what the team has been able to do for the community,” said Juan G. Hernandez, Fluor Life Sciences & Advanced Manufacturing president. “It is all about leaving a legacy and giving back in the places and regions in which we work.”