Parent Teacher Magazine Rowan-Salisbury Schools May/June 2015 | Page 6

Thank You Rowan County United Way Volunteers! Collaborative Concert Many thanks to our community partners and volunteers that donated their time, skills and smiles today in performing many projects in schools across our district through the annual United Way “Day of Caring.” With our strategic plan focus on Reading and Engaged Learning, many schools received updates to their media centers creating inviting collaborative spaces for our students to learn and grow. Many projects consisted of enhancing and creating new outdoor spaces, since our students learn anytime, anywhere! With springtime tapping at our door, students will not have to wait to enjoy these areas. After our amazing volunteers spent a day of sanding, painting, building, creating and landscaping, you can be assured that Rowan-Salisbury students will be eager to utilize their new learning environments. Thank you Rowan County United Way and Volunteers for all you do for our students! You are the best! The East Rowan High Honors Chorus along with the Rowan Cabarrus Community College Chorus collaborated on a spring concert in April. The event was held at the RCCC auditorium. The concert is a collaborative effort to help highlight the excellent opportunities Rowan County offers in the Arts. Caroline Simyon is choral director at RCCC and Dean Orbison is choral director at East Rowan High School. The concert was free and open to the public. Focus on Literacy… Office Support Staff Enjoy E3 Culture Event “The Question Behind The Question” by John G. Miller Groundbreaking Ceremony Wallace Educational Forum The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education officially invited the public to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the district’s new administrative office building. The board earlier approved naming the building the “Wallace Educational Forum” as recommended by an appointed naming committee. The ceremony included students presenting colors and singing the national anthem. In addition there was a student ambassador of the district’s 35 schools that participated in the ceremonial photos. Board of Education Chair Josh Wagner led the agenda after a welcome for Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody and a prayer by Dean Hunter, School Board Vice-Chair. Rowan County Commission Chair Greg Edds and City of Salisbury Mayor Paul Woodson made a few brief comments. Assistant Superintendent Anthony Vann led the ceremonial “gold shovel” groundbreaking. Chairman Wagner provided closing comments and invited the public to a reception with entertainment provided by the Jesse Carson High School Jazz Band under the leadership of Jeff Street. The event was held on the new site location at the 500 block of North Main Street on April 18. The Wallace Educational Forum will be home to district office staff that oversees the operations for 35 schools with approximately 20,000 students and 3,000 employees. The Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education will hold their work sessions and regular monthly meetings at this location. The scheduled completion date for the building is February 2016. 4 • May/June 2015 • Parent Teacher Magazine  As Rowan-Salisbury moves forward with implementing the Strategic Plan, office support staff from all 35 schools, including the central office, joined in the Literacy focus by being charged with reading the book, “The Question Behind the Question” authored by John G. Miller. Approximately 175 district and school office support staff enjoyed a luncheon prepared by the district’s school nutrition department and held at the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA. The “E3 Culture Event” was a way of saying “thank you” for your support while emphasizing how they can model the importance of reading. Attendees heard from Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody and members of her cabinet on how support staff can promote Literacy. Cabinet members discussed the goals of the Strategic Plan through digital conversion, human resources, operations, finance, and public relations. After lunch, attendees and administrators joined in table discussions with leading questions about the book. They were then charged with writing their own action plan on what they can do and how they can help implement the Strategic Plan focus on Reading and Literacy through the goals discussed earlier. Each office support staff member received a complimentary book in preparation for the event. It was a great time and fun time for district-wide office staff to meet the faces that they so often only visit via digital and phone conversations.