Open house events begin for Wayne County Public Schools
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on August 25, 2016 1:46 PM
The periodic table consumed a large portion of one wall in Kelly Best's classroom at Rosewood Middle School.
A bulletin board in the hallway contained encouraging words of wisdom she hoped students would find helpful.
But her mission Wednesday night was to welcome parents and students to open house, an opportunity to meet teachers and ease the transition back to school when classes start next week.
Three schools already resumed classes earlier in the month -- Goldsboro High School, Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Early/Middle College High School. Students at the traditional schools return Monday.
Open house and orientation events were held around the county Wednesday evening at middle and high schools. Round two will be held today from 5-7 p.m. at the county's elementary schools.
An eighth-grade math and science teacher, Miss Best teaches what she calls a "sample case" from the science menu -- including biology, physical and earth science, chemistry and geology.
"It covers all the bases and it's kind of an introduction to all the sciences you're going to see in high school," she said.
Awaiting the arrival of her new charges, she said she was looking forward to a new school year.
"I'm very excited to share science and math with them. I like those subjects a lot," she said. "I want to make it accessible to them."
At the end of last year, her first at Rosewood, she said two female students shared that they wanted to be a marine biologist and a forensic scientist.
"They said it was because I made them feel like they could do science," Miss Best said. "That was like the greatest feeling in the world."
Brian Weeks, principal at the middle school since January, was looking forward to his first opening at the school.
"I guess for most of us this is why we got into education, to work with the kids," he said. "At the end of the day we're excited that the kids are returning.
"I have a great staff, great community support. We're expecting to see a large number of students tonight."
Skye Moore, an eighth-grader, was accompanied by her mother, Natasha Moore, and grandmother, Lisa Swenson.
"I'm just looking forward to a brand new year," Skye said. "It's my last year in middle school."
Seventh-grader Billy Strickland had his own philosophical take on the subject.
"The entire reason why I really want to do seventh grade is because I want to learn Spanish," he said.
Before school starts, though, he is just "a test away" from earning his black belt in karate this weekend. Younger sister, Alexandria "Fancy" Strickland, a third-grader at Rosewood Elementary, said she has her green belt.
History is Billy's favorite subject in school, he said.
"Here's my motto -- if we do not know our past, we cannot learn about our future," he said.
Derron and Alishia George turned out to see which classes their children would be taking. Eighth-grade son Avante, a running back for the Eagles football team, was quickly swept away by friends. Their daughter, Alexus will be a junior at Rosewood High, where the family was going next.
In addition to finding out her schedule, Alexus said she was hoping to reconnect with friends.
This is also her year to "get more organized, get more focused," she said, as SATs loom in anticipation of the college search.
"I'm trying to see what college fits me," said the aspiring lawyer who hopes to attend UNC-Chapel Hill. "If I don't get in there, I want to go to ECU."
At Greenwood Middle School, Destinye Thompson, a seventh-grader who plays on the school basketball team, was searching for her homeroom. Younger sister, Dezerae Thompson, will do that tonight at her school, North Drive Elementary.
"My old school," Destinye said.
This marks Principal Rolanda Best's 10th at Greenwood, where enrollment is usually around 480 for grades 5-8.
"Everybody is in place. We have a lot of great returning staff as well as some new staff we're excited to have. We're just looking forward to another great year at Greenwood," she said. "One change this year is sixth graders get to play sports, so sixth graders are excited about that."
Michelle Rutledge, a fifth-grade language arts teacher, transferred this year from Norwayne Middle, where she had taught sixth grade.
"Tonight is really cool," she said. "I'm excited to be at a new school. I really like having (students) right when they get to middle school."
D.J. Coles turned out to support son Christian's first year in middle school. From there, he said, he was heading over to the event at Eastern Wayne High School, where daughter, Kaela, will be in 10th grade.