North Drive welcome
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 12, 2016 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Kindergarten teacher Rita Vaughn gets a hug from former student Jonathan Wootson, 7, during the parents meeting at North Drive Elementary School Thursday night. Jonathan will be starting second grade this year.
Shariyah Barrett-Dunbar took in the new surroundings of the multipurpose room at North Drive Elementary School on Thursday night, as her great-grandmother, Carol Barrett Hobbs, found the right line to secure information about the upcoming school year.
The newly minted 6-year-old will be entering first grade, Ms. Hobbs said.
"She graduated from Carver Heights kindergarten last year," she said, recalling details of that special day.
As if on cue, Shariyah's kindergarten teacher, Jackie Rogers, appeared.
This will be her first year at North Drive, too.
"I get to see some of my babies," Mrs. Rogers said, fielding a hug from her former student. "So she can come by and see me."
Ms. Hobbs, who also has three grandchildren, said she was already feeling confident about the situation but reconnecting with Shariyah's former teacher definitely helped.
"She's gonna do well," Mrs. Rogers told her.
This was the second parents night of the week for Wayne County Public Schools. The first was held Tuesday at Carver Heights Elementary School, which converts to a school for third- through fifth-graders. North Drive, previously a Pre-K through fourth-grade school, will house students entering kindergarten through second grade.
As part of the district's regrouping plan for low performing schools, Wayne County Board of Education approved the plan in June. The summer months have been spent converting buildings for the new configuration.
Other schools in the central attendance area were also affected. School Street Elementary is being transformed into an early learning center, focusing on school readiness. Dillard Middle School dropped fifth grade and will have students in grades six through eight.
The parents night sessions provided an update on the regrouping and information on bell schedules, bus routes and expectations for the school year.
Open house around the county will be held in two weeks, offering additional opportunities to meet teachers and become even more familiar with the new set-up.
Principal Charlenna Bennett-Carter welcomed the crowd and told them that the enthusiasm throughout the building has been gaining momentum.
"The anticipation of a new grade configuration, a new staff with new teachers, new students and new initiatives and the opportunity to serve new communities in our district is exciting," she said.
She introduced the schools superintendent, Dr. Michael Dunsmore, who shared some of the things being done to ease the transition.
"We'll still working on trying to get the entire building painted, changing out some carpets, trying to get the buildings up to where they need to be by the time school starts (Aug. 29)," he said. "I think we have a very, very tremendous team here.
"Our goal is to make this the best school system in the state of North Carolina. We want all of your children to be reading at grade level."
Staff and teachers were on hand to distribute preliminary information about the school's higher standard dress code, supply lists and some class assignments.
Monique Simmons attended with granddaughters, Justice Simmons, 7, a first-grader, and Heaven Simmons, 5, a kindergartner.
"I like learning about things and reading," said Justice, who was at School Street last year.
Brockstin King, a first-grader, showed no signs of apprehension about transferring from Carver Heights.
The animated 7-year-old was darting in and out of the crowd, retrieving cookies from the refreshment table and taking in his new surroundings.
"But we're in our 70s," said Adeen George, who with her sister, Lorene Beamon, take care of Brockstin, while another sister, Arraima Brown, will be bringing him to school.
They may be challenged to keep up, but Ms. George hinted that the energetic lad will make his mark.
"Everybody in school will know him," she said.
Teresa and Derrick Wootson were not worried about their son's social skills, either, as this is Jonathan's third year at North Drive.
Adjusting to getting up early, though, may be a challenge.
"It's a struggle to get him up during the week but then Saturday rolls around and 5:30, 6 o'clock, it's 'mama!'" Mrs. Wootson said with a laugh.
Their youngest is ready to return to school, though, the couple said.
"He actually went to the summer program here," Derrick Wootson said.
"I was glad that he came. I could tell he was listening because he started restating the story," his wife said, explaining that her son used new words that demonstrated he was paying attention and sharpening his reading skills.
Jonathan, meanwhile, was hard-pressed to narrow down things he is looking forward to in the new school year, until his mother gave him a few choices and one struck a cord.
"Meeting new friends!" he said.