The "House" System Comes to IWCS

The house system is a culture-building program our teachers and administrators witnessed on their visit to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta.  If you're a Harry Potter fan, it's similar to the system used at Hogwarts where students are sorted into houses such as Gryffindor and Slytherin.  Four of our schools launched a house system this year with some of their grade levels--Hardy, Westside, Smithfield Middle, and Georgie Tyler Middle.  Each school held a House Selection event where students found out their house name.  At SMS, students spun a big wheel, almost like a carnival game, to determine their house. Georgie Tyler students received balloons, held them over their head, and popped the balloon to reveal confetti, the same color as their new house.
There are certain characteristics to each house--they have a unique name and motto, along with a distinct color.  The houses compete for points through weekly and monthly challenges and winning houses receive different rewards--extra time at recess for elementary, or school "bucks" that they can redeem for spirit wear or accessories.  The houses create a group where every student belongs and is part of something.
The best way to understand the benefit of the house system is to hear from the students and staff who are participating in the program.  Check out this high energy video that perfectly captures the excitement generated as part of the house process.

Recognizing and Celebrating Alumni

Windsor High and Smithfield High both celebrated Homecoming during October.  The tradition has been around for decades and it originated as a way to welcome "home" the football team after several weeks of road games.  While that may not be the case anymore, it is still a time when alumni will make the trek back to their high school to see their alma mater and reconnect with their classmates and community.


Both SHS and WHS took time recently to recognize some of their alumni for outstanding accomplishments.  On Friday night, October 25, the Dukes introduced the Class of 2019-2020 Windsor High/Georgie D. Tyler High Alumni Hall of Fame.  The purpose of the award is to honor graduates from both of the Windsor schools, who have made their Alma Mater proud through career, community, military, and or/philanthropic accomplishments. 

The inductees included Carla Duck, and Mr. and Mrs. Drake.  Carla is a 1983 graduate of Windsor High School.  Carla was an employee of Isle of Wight County Public in the technology department, at Central Office, and as an ISS coordinator at WHS.  She is a member of Chapel Grove Faith Community Church. She spends much of her time serving others through meal preparation for those in need in the local community and visiting those that are house bound.  Linda and Jerry Drake are 1971 graduates of Windsor High School. Mr. Drake retired from Union Camp and Mrs. Drake currently serves as a school bus driver for Isle of Wight County Schools. They are faithful supporters of every program at Windsor High School and have served as ticket takers at WHS events for the last 25 years. The Drakes serve as the unofficial hospitality committee:  sharing a story and a smile with all members of the Dukes family on multiple nights a week.  

That same night, Smithfield High recognized members of the 1969 undefeated football team, along with members from earlier undefeated Westside High football teams.  In 1969, Isle of Wight County Schools integrated and students from the all-black Westside High moved to SHS.  There were vocal groups throughout Smithfield who worried about the impact of desegregation.  The young men who played on the football team that year rallied the community as they continued winning game after game, finishing their season a perfect 10-0.  The members of that team helped to ease concerns and brought people together as they sat with each other in the stands and rooted for the Packers. 

Both Windsor High and Smithfield High have a rich history within the county, but we must also remember the other high schools that were part of this county that live on in the names of some of our current schools--Westside High School and Georgie D. Tyler High School.  One of the things I have seen from our emphasis on deeper learning and authentic experiences has been more connections with the community.  The recent recognitions at both high schools are excellent examples of making those connections and honoring those who are forever a Duke or a Packer.

Smithfield High/Westside High Football Team

WHS Hall of Fame Honorees (photo courtesy of Stephen Cowles, Windsor Weekly)

Celebrating Academic Excellence

During the months of October and November,  students throughout the division will be honored for academic excellence.  Students who finished the 2018-2019 school year with All As for their final grades will be recognized with an academic medal during special evening ceremonies.  Over 700 4th through 12th graders will receive a medal for their exceptional achievement.  In addition, seniors who maintained a 3.75 Grade Point Average though their Junior year received an Academic Jacket.  The personalized Varsity Letterman jacket is presented to the student by their parents, or someone special, who actually get to place the jacket on the student.  This is usually followed by several hugs and lots of pictures.

This was the fifth year of the medal and jacket ceremonies for Isle of Wight County Schools.  It was a tradition I started in my previous divisions and I wanted to make sure the students in Isle of Wight County had this same opportunity.  With the assistance of a great sponsor, SSC, I am pleased that IWCS was able to present an academic jacket to over 150 extraordinary seniors. 

The history of wearing a varsity jacket originated over 100 years ago. This time honored tradition is an outward symbol of hard work, determination and perseverance. Often the letter, pins and stars recognize athleticism and great accomplishments in a sport. The Superintendent’s Academic Jacket honors our students who have demonstrated great achievement in the classroom.

Honoring accomplishments in academics lets students know that we appreciate the many hours of studying, note taking, reading, writing papers, listening to lectures, working in groups, and staying up after everyone is asleep to finish a project. The jacket not only honors the students, but also their parents and loved ones, as well as the educators, that have supported them throughout their academic journey.  

We have posted pictures from the ceremonies at Windsor High and Smithfield High on our Facebook page.  We still have medal ceremonies coming up for our Hardy Elementary, Westside Elementary, and Smithfield Middle students.  It is a special moment for the students and their families and one that is well deserved.  

From Artsville to the Hornet's Nest

Recently I took a little road trip and visited our schools on the southern end of the county.  I was so excited about what I saw that I knew I wanted to share it in my blog.

My first stop was Carrsville Elementary, at the southernmost part of our county, next to the city of Franklin. The school is reinventing itself as an integrated arts school, with programs similar to what you might find at a magnet school. They have given themselves the appropriate nickname of "Artsville."  Beginning in September 2018, Carrsville started a music program where every student participates in violin for 30 minutes every day. This is an amazing opportunity for our students to learn an instrument starting at a young age.  I will write more about the violin program in an upcoming blog.  In addition, Mr. Johnson, the PE teacher, has integrated Drums Alive into his classes. The program combines fitness, drumming, music, and educational concepts to build active movers and learners. I took a turn participating which you can see in the video below (and, Yes, it was as fun as it looks!).

My next stop was Windsor High, or The Castle, where I found an inflatable ball pit in the lobby.  The Yearbook class installed it as part of bullying prevention month.  Students were invited to sit and share with each other as a way to learn more about their difference and to ultimately break barriers. I also visited with building trades students who were working on projects in their new lab space.  Hands on masonry at school?  Now that's building skills for a solid future!

Next up was Georgie Tyler Middle School where "It Takes a Titan" rings true.  I saw amazing examples of curated student work from previous projects:  Digital Songwriting, The Tiny House, Pond Life, and more.  Curation is an important part of project based learning.  It highlights the learning process and showcases student work for a wider audience.  Students also learn to take pride in their work, seeing it on display everyday.

Finally, I wrapped up my journey with stop at Windsor Elementary School.  As I walked about the school, I saw students collaborating on activities in their classrooms and in spaces throughout the building.  I stopped by Mrs. Owens' music room where students were learning to play their new keyboards.  Just like Carrsville, this is an incredible opportunity for our students to learn an instrument while still in elementary school. 

It did take me a few hours to visit all four schools, but you can have the same experience (almost) in just 3 minutes!  Here's a compilation video from my visit to the southern end of the county. Enjoy!

From Artsville to the Hornet's Nest

Showcasing Our Schools: A Family Atmosphere at Windsor Elementary School

For this week's blog, I visited Windsor Elementary School, home of the Hornets.  I had an awesome time talking to the students and teachers and hearing from them what makes Windsor Elementary such a great school.

I also got to witness an amazing event.  Students from Georgie Tyler Middle School built a Reading Cottage for WES.  They held a special ceremony where they unveiled their final project.  The elementary students were excited to see their incredible new reading place and eager to start using it. Just see for yourself in the video and hear the reaction from the students.

A Family Atmosphere at Windsor Elementary School (Video)