Koontz Elementary – Duke Energy Science
Night
On March 28, Elizabeth Duncan Koontz
Elementary School was full of energy,
enthusiasm and excitement with over 100
parents and students attending the “Duke
Energy Science Night.”
The focus of this event was family
engagement as Koontz families kicked
off the fun evening by enjoying Cici’s
pizza. Those attending then began to
rotate through 10 hands-on science
activity stations, which explored STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics). Community volunteers
along with Koontz teachers headed up
the activities and encouraged everyone
to actively engage in this special learning
time together.
Families were happy to move through the
different activities together so they could
share in the fun with each other! Students were thrilled to share in learning
more about STEM with their parents. A few of the favorite stations were the:
Gas-Powdered Rockets
Light the Way
Sound Sandwiches
Capillary Flowers
Hurley Teacher Is "Getting Results”
Hurley Elementary
teacher John Galloway
was honored and
surprised by TV Network
Fox 46 reporter Lindsay
Clein and photographer
Brian Christiansen.
Galloway is a fourth
grade teacher who was
featured in a segment
aired on Fox 46 – as
a “Teacher Getting
Results.” Mr. Galloway
also appeared live on
Fox 46 the following
morning.
Galloway’s students
were also surprised with
the announcement. Clein
brought balloons and
cupcakes for the class
to enjoy and share.
Galloway was selected
for this recognition
because his 2017-2018
fourth-grade class was
number 1 across the
district for Math and
number 2 across the
district in Reading for grade-level achievements.
Several students have already asked, “when are we having another science
night?” Koontz teachers were all smiles about how the evening unfolded. This
Galloway was honored by the Board of Education at their March business
gave them an opportunity to work closely with students and an opportunity
meeting during Celebrations.
to know their families better…while completing interesting and engaging
projects.
Duke Energy Science Nights are an educational initiative of the 2019 North
Carolina Science Festival. The focus of this event is to provide material for
activities, which emphasize STEM-related enriching opportunities for students
and their families. Koontz was one of 170 schools across North Carolina
selected to host the Duke Energy Science Night from 350 who applied. A
special ‘thank you’ to Diane Davies for her planning and leadership in making
this happen.
Koontz students, families and staff would like to give a special ‘thank you’
to Duke Energy for sponsoring the “Duke Energy Science Night.” The Duke
Energy Foundation seeks to provide
vibrant communities through
investments in high-performing
initiatives that emphasize STEM,
including programs that help create
greater access to and participation
in STEM-related informal and out-
of-school educational opportunities.
We appreciate their partnership in
doing all we can to help our students
discover their unique passions, goals
and interests.
The North Carolina Science Festival is
produced by Morehead Planetarium
and Science Center (University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill). For
more information about the Festival,
visit www.ncsciencefestival.org
RSS Teachers Complete Aig Leep Program
We are excited to announce our RSS teachers who have completed the sec-
ond cohort AIG LEEP (Local Educators’ Endorsement Program). Upon success-
ful completion, participants receive their local, in-district AIG endorsement.
Many thanks to Dr. Eisa Cox, Nancy Goodnight, and Jeanna Gregory for their
leadership of this program.
RSS AIG Leep Teachers
The teachers were recognized for their accomplishments by the Rowan-Salis-
bury Board of Education April Business meeting during Celebrations.
Holly Adams
Carmady Kruger
Charlena Perrell
April Weaver
Christine Barringer
Melissa Lord
Mark Rockwell
Crystal Wright
Lucy Bennett
Gail McCarty
Donna Rowland
Rebecca Wrights
Jamie Lee Biggs
Tiffany McDonald
Konstantina Samimanolis
Heather Zablocki
Hannah Burleson
Bill McLaughlin
Carrie Seldomridge
Stacey Carver
Cherie Miller
Stephanie Smith
Jennifer Coles
Angela Millspaugh Staples
Anthony Spinella
Crystal Ellis
Allyson Neves
Traci Thompson
Dora Greene
Sonja Nicolosi
Catherine Tyree
Tonya Kepley
Lizbeth Overcash
Michelle Walser
Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2019 • 9