Laney High School English teacher Meredith Kokoski has been named New Hanover County’s 2014 Teacher of the Year.
She was selected from among the 41 other school-level winners during a ceremony last week at Ashley High School. As the district winner, Kokoski received a free Toyota Prius II from Hendrick Toyota of Wilmington to use for one year.
The winners from each school are as follows:
- Penny Rogers–Alderman Elementary
- Courtney Alleborn–Anderson Elementary
- Pamela Highsmith–Ashley High
- Heather Bass–Bellamy Elementary
- Donna Davis–Blair Elementary
- Lyndsay Bloech–Bradley Creek Elementary
- Judy Creech–Carolina Beach Elementary
- Barbara Ussary–Castle Hayne Elementary
- Deborah Southerland–Codington Elementary
- JoAnne Kaluzny–College Park Elementary
- Brent Hall–Eaton Elementary
- Maria Zimmerman–Forest Hills Global Elementary
- Colbey Garrison–Rachel Freeman Elementary School of Engineering
- Sonya Oates–Gregory Elementary School of Math, Science and Technology
- Kris Florea–Hoggard High
- Dawn Allan–Holly Shelter Middle
- Wendy Downing–Holly Tree Elementary School
- Bailey Oelslager–Howe Pre-K Center
- Taylor Spear–Isaac Bear Early College High
- Dee Perry–Johnson Pre-K Center
- Laura Jolly–Lake Forest Academy
- Richard Smith–Mosley Performance Learning Center
- David Tyson–Murray Middle
- Angela Royal–Murrayville Elementary
- Aimee Bunker–Myrtle Grove Middle
- Suzanne Meyer–New Hanover High
- Molly Davis–Noble Middle
- Jenifer Leeds–Ogden Elementary
- Stephanie Blackburn–Parsley Elementary
- Barbara Lucas–Pine Valley Elementary
- Justin Merrill–Roland-Grise Middle
- Emily Mason–Snipes Academy of Arts and Design
- Claire Caldwell–Sunset Park Elementary
- Molly Blair–Trask Middle
- Rebecca Clark–D.C. Virgo Preparatory Academy
- Sarah Veit–Williston Middle
- Sean Gould–Mary C. Williams Elementary
- Karen Marshall–Wilmington Early College High
- Wanzalla Jackson–Winter Park Elementary
- Maureen Hill–Wrightsboro Elementary
- Meaghan Thomas–Wrightsville Beach Elementary
The Teach of the Year program provides an opportunity to recognize exemplary teachers within New Hanover County Schools and calls attention to the importance of the teaching profession.
Eaton students take virtual tour of underwater lab
Fifth-grade students at Eaton Elementary School recently had the chance to experience underwater history as it was being made.
Mission 31, led by Fabien Cousteau, grandson of marine explorer Jacques Cousteau, is attempting to spend 31 days living and working at the Aquarius Reef Base in Florida. It is the longest undersea mission ever attempted.
Last week, students were able to take a tour, via Skype, of the Aquarius Reef Base. They also got the opportunity to ask Mission 31 scientists questions about their work. The Aquarius Reef Base is a one-of-a-kind underwater habitat and laboratory. It has special significance to New Hanover County because it was previously operated by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington.
Located 63 feet under sea level in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Aquarius will serve as Mission 31’s base camp for Cousteau’s team to explore climate, pollution and over-consumption problems.
Hoggard High students win state writing awards
Two Hoggard High School teams recently won first and second place in the Authors on America contest, sponsored by the N.C. Bar Association’s Foundation Law-Related Education Program.
A committee of attorneys reviewed over 30 submissions based on guidelines such as content accuracy, relevance and creative illustrations.
Miguel Chavez and Chris Stojanoff received first place for their piece, “Elections at the Zoo,” and Lilly Lee and Madeleine Meinhold placed second with “Three Branches of Government.”
All four students will each receive a bound copy of their book that will be published for use in the Lawyers for Literacy Program. First-place winners will also take home a 8GB Nook HD Tablet.
Lawyers for Literacy is a reading program made up of volunteer judges, attorneys, paralegals and law students who spend time each week working with New Hanover County students.
District seeking participants in employee fair
New Hanover County Schools invites local businesses and organizations to participate in the district’s Employee Vendor Fair, set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, August 22, in the Ashley High School gymnasium, 555 Halyburton Memorial Pkwy.
This is an opportunity for businesses to market services and products and offer incentives to approximately 3,700 New Hanover County Schools employees. The event includes live entertainment and wellness assessments.
The fair was developed by the district’s Public Relations Department to expose local businesses to one of the largest employers in New Hanover County and foster community partnerships.
A participation fee of $150 is required. Corporate sponsorships are also available for $1,000, which include acknowledgement in all advertisements, including social media; participation and choice placement of a table at the fair; and a company logo on the event program and banner. Space is available on a first come, first served basis.
To participate or for more information, contact Heather Miller at [email protected] or (910) 254-4245 by Monday, July 21.
