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03. Good News Report

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Submitted by jenny_hunter on Fri, 04/15/2016 - 10:27am
 
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Excellent Educators
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   Healthy, Safe and Responsible Students
 
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Operations and Support
 
 
 
 
Autism Awareness Month
April is National Autism Awareness Month, a time to promote autism awareness and acceptance, and to draw attention to the tens of thousands facing an autism diagnosis every year.  The colorful puzzle pattern was adopted in 1999 as the universal symbol of autism awareness.  It reflects the complexity of the autism spectrum, and the different colors and shapes represent the diversity of people and families living with the condition.  Brevard Middle School teacher, George Sutherland, has purchased tee shirts displaying the autism puzzle and the logo, “Autism Awareness:  Transform a Life,” for school principals and exceptional children staff to wear during Autism Awareness Month.   
 
Elementary All-County Chorus
The third annual Transylvania Elementary All-County Chorus Festival was held on April 12 at Brevard High School.  To prepare for the event, fourth and fifth graders from each elementary school worked on new music throughout the winter at their respective schools.  They came together on the day of the concert for an all-day rehearsal with a guest conductor before giving the group performance later that evening.  Congratulations to all of our young musicians and elementary music teachers for a tremendous event.  
 
W.A.Y. Club
Students at Rosman Middle School have a new way to learn about the different cultures of the world in the after-school “World Around You” (WAY) Club.  Supported in part by a grant from the TCS Educational Foundation, the WAY club gives students, friends and family members an opportunity to meet with people who either hail from or travel extensively to other countries, sample new foods, listen to music, make crafts, and learn to speak phrases in languages as diverse as Chinese, Zulu, French, Spanish, Thai, Russian and German.  Led by Spanish teacher Linda Carrillo, the WAY club meets at Rosman Middle School at 3:00 p.m.   It is open to everyone. 
 
“On Cloud Nine” Project
Brevard Elementary School media coordinator Charlene Cali combined three grants—a Transylvania County Schools Educational Foundation grant, a Haywood Electric Bright Ideas grant, and a building-level grant—into one massive learning unit that inspires students to use communication, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.  Using Nexus tablets, “Makey Makey” and “Squishy Circuits” kits, Wonder Robots, a laptop, 40” TV, and other materials purchased with the grants, Cali transformed the BES media center into a 21st century learning center via her On Cloud Nine Technology Stations unit.  On Cloud Nine contains six stations of interactive lessons for fourth and fifth grade students to cycle through with each station focusing on a different curriculum concept.  Station One teaches students how red and blue lenses create 3D images.  Station Two challenges students’ spatial and processing skills by having them work together to complete a complex interactive puzzle of the solar system and research how planets interact in space.  Station Three has students use coding to program two robots named Dot and Dash to navigate around the room.  Station Four students take a digital camera around the school and download the photos for a “Where in the School Is This” challenge for their classmates.  Station Five participants create working circuits using everyday items like bananas and Play-Doh through collaborative problem solving.  In Station Six, students use an interactive SmartBoard and the Scratch and Botlogic coding language to solve problems and practice coding skills.  Thanks to the Educational Foundation, Haywood Electric, and BES for sponsoring the grants and to Ms. Cali for her vision and creativity.  
 
TIME 4 Real Science State Winners
Congratulations to the following TIME 4 Real Science students from Brevard High School who won a number of awards at the 2016 State Research Competition:
 
Carver Nichols:   Predicting Graft Compatibility of Kudzu, Soybeans, and Garden Peas through Peroxidase Analysis
Ingrid Findlay and Selina Brown:  Nosema ceranae vs. Nosema apis in Transylvania County: Implications for Treatment of Local Honey Bees
Chase Bishop and James Thompson:  The Feasibility of a Solid Carbon Dioxide Pressure Engine as an Energy Source for Mars Exploration and Colonization
Aidan Spradlin, Sam Lemel and Hannah Field:  Screening Mucor fragilis and Trichoderma spp. for Lead Remediation Potential
Bryce Spradlin and Lauren Tooley: Analysis of Cellulosic Enzyme Production by Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium solani Isolated from Lignocellulosic Compost
  • 2nd place Biotechnology, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
  • Western NC Representative, North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair
Bain Brown, Nicole Rideout and John Nguyen:  Determining the Feasibility of Using Seed Oil from Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) as a Source of Biodiesel through Solvent Oil Extraction and Chemical Analysis
  • 2nd place Chemistry, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
Sarah Branagan and Candace Britt: The Effects of Music on the Cognitive Process and Mood in High School Students
  • 3rd place Behavioral Science, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
Emma Dauster, Kylie Evans and Cullen Duval:  The Toxicity of Glyphosate and Imidacloprid to Terrestrial Tardigrades in Transylvania County
  • Western NC Representative, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
  • Western NC Representative, North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair
Emily Trusler and Hannah Lenze:  Identification of Mycorrhizal Fungi of the Red Spruce Tree
  • Western NC Representative, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
Fritz Ruppert:  Are Our Water Woes Caused by Fertilizer Foes?
  • 1st Place Poster Competition, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
Matthew Tuckey:  High School Teacher Award, North Carolina Student Academy of Science
 
RMS/RHS Bengal Earns Recognition
The Rosman Middle/High School Bengal yearbook has been recognized for excellence and featured in the 2016 Josten’s Look Book, celebrating the best in yearbook design and coverage.  The Bengal spread that won the award was created by Hannah Reese, former yearbook editor, and Korinne Hawk, copy editor, under the direction of yearbook advisor, Tammy Hall.  The spread was based on photos and stories from the 2015 Miss Bengal pageant.  The Bengal has now earned a “National School of Excellence” designation in the Look Book for five consecutive years.  Congratulations to all of the past and present RMS/RHS yearbook staff members. 
 
FBLA State Winners
Congratulations to the TCS Future Business Leaders of America students who brought home awards from the 62nd Annual FBLA State Leadership Conference in Greensboro.  Rosman FBLA students scored the following top-three finishes, qualifying them for the national competition in Atlanta this summer:  Luke Owen, 2nd place, Agribusiness; and Levi Hall and Rachel Owen, 3rd Place, Publication.  The following Rosman students earned “Top Ten” designations:  Madison Holden, Healthcare Administration; Sam Ballard, Introduction to Information Technology; and Grace Owen and Jenna Odom, Introduction to Business Presentation.  Brevard High School student Amy Borhaug served as the FBLA Western Region Vice President for the 2015-2016 year.  As a regional officer, she spoke on the topic of leadership to over 2000 attendees at the conference.  Other competitors at the state conference were Rachel Perry (RHS), Agribusiness; Alyssa Abram (RHS), Personal Finance; Ressie Owen & Jasmine Myers (RHS), Graphic Design; Heidi Hall (RHS) Word Processing (2nd at Regionals in December); Tyler Arant (RHS), Impromptu Speaking; Cullen Duval (BHS), Public Speaking I; and Alan Hennebery (BHS), Public Speaking II.  Lisa Gillespie (RHS) and Dolly McCall (BHS) are the sponsors.
 
 
For more good news from Transylvania County Schools, please visit us at:
 
Home Page:  www.tcsnc.org ǀ Facebook:  facebook.com/transylvaniaschools
Twitter:  twitter.com/transylvaniasch ǀ Flickr:  flickr.com/tcsnc
Instagram:  Instagram.com/transylvaniaschools ǀ YouTube:  youtube.com/tcsnc
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