The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Homepage

Related Photos

  • Children in Tabitha Hodges' sixth grade class at North East Carolina Prep School circled the flagpole while playing the "name game" Friday morning. The new charter school emphasizes student interaction to enhance learning.

    first week2.jpg

  • Children in Tabitha Hodges' (pictured left) sixth grade class worked as teams to form the shapes of letters with their bodies on the lawn of North East Carolina Prep School Friday morning. Pictured closest to Hodges is Breanna Warren. The purpose of the exercise was to help children learn through kinesthetics.

    first week of school3.jpg
August 13, 2012

Start of classes successful

Staff Writer MIRANDA BAINES

TARBORO — North East Carolina Prep School had a few glitches in its first week, but the start of the school year was an overall success.

“I’m not sure if the parking lot was ever meant for 390 parents,” said Taro Knight, NECPS’ director of communications/ community outreach. The in-and-out traffic flow was a problem on the first couple of days, but it got better as school officials learned strategies — with the help of the Tarboro Police Department — to deal with the traffic flow. With an enrollment nearing 400 students, the former St. Stephens Missionary Baptist Church Ministry Center is at full capacity.

Another issue school administrators dealt with in the first week was the germs the children brought to school with them.

“We’ve had two or three teachers, including myself, that have gotten sick. Nyquil and Mucinex takes care of that,” Knight said Knigt.

NECPS’ executive director John Westberg said the first week of school was, “a lot smoother than I anticipated,” considering the charter school is in its first year of operation. He applauded the “outstanding effort” of staff in preparing their classrooms, curriculum and activities for the first week of school. The teachers did a month of training on the “multiple intelligences,” tailoring their teaching strategies to different methods of student learning, such as music and kinesthetics (movement).

“It’s student-centered learning,” said Westberg. “It’s all about student engagement.”

On Friday morning, students in Shirley Morton’s fifth grade language arts class made up a song about chapter one of their required reading assignment using instruments such as drums and cowbells. When asked if they liked their “quiz,” all of the students raised their hands. Meanwhile, students in Tabitha Hodges’ sixth grade class learned through kinesthetics on the school’s front lawn, using their bodies to create the shapes of numbers and going around in a circle playing the “name game.” (Students learned each others’ names by creating rhyming words; for instance, Hodges’ name was “Hodges Dodges.”)

Interaction is eighth grader Joshua Newkirk’s favorite part of the new school.

“I like that we never work alone. We work in groups or in pairs,” said Newkirk. His favorite part of the first week was meeting his homeroom teacher, Doug Cummings. He said he was surprised by Cummings’ high energy level, considering he is “in older age.” Cummings is seventh grader Trey Tolston’s favorite teacher, as well.

“He’s fun,” said Tolston. “He puts us in groups. He puts us in different spots every day.”

 “I met my best friend here in the first week,” said sixth grader Jada Morris. She met fellow sixth grader Ciera Pierce in her art class and found that the two share a love of action movies and sports.

“My favorite teacher is [Megan] Morris, the Spanish teacher,” said seventh grader Mackenzie Johnson. “When you’re stuck on a word, she helps you.”

Mackenzie also likes Morris’ Jamaican accent.

One thing the teachers have not mentioned to the students in the first week of school is the end-of-grade test.

“We just believe if you focus on learning, the test will take care of itself,” said Knight.

“It’s probably the best group of teachers overall that I’ve worked with. They’re really energetic,” said Cheryl Iannucci, NECPS’ director of student support services. She said she has been overwhelmed by the staff’s willingness to “pitch in as needed and do things that might not be in their job description,” such as doing after-school soccer clinics for the students.

 

Text Only
Homepage
Pay-Dirt.jpg

Barrett Flowe, of Midland, drives Pay Dirt during the 2012 Pinetops 300. He and many others will be on hand this weekend at the annual tractor and truck pull.

  • PINETOPS 300

    PINETOPS  — One thing’s for certain, the first-time attendee at the Pinetops 300 truck and tractor pull will learn something in a hurry … these are not your Daddy and Grandaddy’s tractors!
    Some of the best known and most successful pullers in the country will converge School Street here tonight and Saturday to vie for honors in the longest running not-for-profit tractor pull in the Southeastern United States.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo

  • Happening in Tarboro Saturday
  • Parents and educators meet on school events and initiatives
Local News
DWI-Tests.jpg

The National Transportation Safety Board wants all 50 states to lower the blood alcohol content level to 0.05.

Sports
THS-Relay-Teams.jpg

Six Tarboro Viking track stars are going to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet Friday in Greensboro at NC A&T State University.

  • Six Tarboro girls to compete in track finals

    Motivation is a big part of the Tarboro Viking girl's track team's success this season. They enjoy working hard during practice for their coach Rickie Dozier and get fulfillment when they compete in events. Friday will be no different for the six girls that are headed to Greensboro to compete in the NCHSAA 2-A state championship meet at North Carolina A&T State University. They will compete in three relay events and the long jump.

    May 16, 2013 2 Photos

  • BIG FISH
Opinion
  • We Salute...

    Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.

    May 17, 2013

Lifestyles
  • 5246-WED-Corbett.jpg Corbett/Chasse Wedding

    Brittney Joyce Corbett and Kenneth Robert Chasse, Jr. were united in marriage on April 6th, 2013, at 5:30pm at the Imperial Centre in Rocky Mount. The Rev. Carrol Bradbury officiated the ceremony.
    The Rehearsal Dinner was hosted by Shirley and Donald Foreman, Grandparents of the Groom and also Elisha and Kenneth Chasse, Parents of the Groom, at Pizza Inn in Rocky Mount.
    The Bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Durwood Corbett of Macclesfield, NC. The Groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Robert Leonel Chasse, Sr. of Pinetops, NC.

    May 13, 2013 1 Photo

Obituaries Archives
Food
Events
  • Edgecombe Events May 17

    Edgecombe Events should be submitted by noon the day before publication. Items eligible include notices of local meetings and activities of non-profit organizations, clubs, schools and civic groups in the community. Information should be brief and typewritten, neatly printed or via e-mail. Questions? 823-3106 or e-mail: events@dailysoutherner.com. Leave  a daytime contact phone number.

    May 17, 2013

Our Community
Tarboro's 2012 Christmas Parade


Poll

Does the IRS tax exempt disclosure concern you?

Yes
No
     View Results
CNHI Network News
AP Video
Probe Begins After Conn. Commuter Trains Crash NTSB Begins Investigation Into Conn. Train Crash Lotto Fever Sweeps the Country Conn. Commuter Trains Collide; 60 Go to Hospital Coffee Run Leads to Hatchet Hitchhiker Arrest Fmr. IRS Head Insists No Politics in Targeting CDC: Fecal Bacteria Common in Swimming Pools $1 Million in Jewels Stolen at Cannes Film Fest NM Mom Chases Down Child Abductor Raw: Crash Sends Car Into Fla. Pool Raw: Obama Sits Down With Elementary Kids Raw: Bear Falls From Tampa Tree Ousted IRS Chief: Errors Not Caused by Politics Terror Suspect Due in Court in Idaho Friday Raw: Driver Ejected From Truck, Over Bridge Could Tobacco Be the Next Biofuel? Wash. State Releases Draft Rules for Legal Pot Dying Man's Blinks Lead to Murder Conviction Officials: Texas Tornado Likely Had 200 Mph Wind Brothers Arrested in NOLA Parade Shooting
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Facebook
Peter Temple Tribute
Photo of the Day