November 16, 2011

For coverage information contact Tiffany Woods, Director of Public Relations for Roanoke City Public Schools, at tdwoods@rcps.info or 540.853.2905.

EVENT:  Woodrow Wilson Middle School Students Engage in Environmental Education by Raising Trout in Science Class

SCHOOL:  Woodrow Wilson Middle School

DETAILS: Sixth-grade science students at Woodrow Wilson Middle School will raise trout from eggs to fry during the 2011-12 school year as part of a grant sponsored by Trout Unlimited and the Virginia Counsel. Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is an environmental education program in which students learn to appreciate water resources and foster a conservation ethic. The sixth-grade class was supplied eggs by a fish hatchery in Paint Bank, Va., and over the school year, the students will watch the trout hatch, grow, and develop, all while maintaining and monitoring the trout’s environment. The students are currently helping to clean the tank, keep records on daily temperature, and monitor pH levels and dissolved oxygen in the tank using SPARK probe ware. The project culminates in the spring when the class will host a release day and let the trout swim free in a Virginia waterway.

November 11-19

EVENT:  Patrick Henry Players to Present Michael Frayn’s Noises Off!

SCHOOL:  Patrick Henry High School

DATE/TIME: November 11-19

DETAILS: The Patrick Henry Theatre Department’s fall production of the bawdy comedy Noises Off!  will kick off on November 11. The comic farce centers on the behind-the-scenes chaos of a theatre troupe’s play production. Frayn’s play was adapted for the screen in 1992’s Noises Off, starring Carol Burnett and Michael Caine.

November 17

EVENT:  Virginia Heights Elementary and Appalachian Power Employees Unite for “Read to Me Day”

SCHOOL:  Virginia Heights Elementary School

DATE/TIME: November 17

DETAILS: On Thursday, November 17, second-graders at Virginia Heights Elementary will celebrate “Read to Me Day.” Employees from Appalachian Power will read “How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning,” written and illustrated by Rosalyn Schanzer.

November 21

EVENT:  Woodrow Middle School Students Research Alternative Energy Options to Address Roanoke’s Decreasing Oil Supply

SCHOOL:  Woodrow Wilson Middle School 

DATE/TIME: November 21^st, 8:55 AM-9:43 AM and 10:40 AM-11:30 PM

DETAILS:  Eighth-graders at Woodrow Wilson Middle School are researching how alternative energy options could take the strain off Roanoke’s oil supply. The students will be working on the problem-based learning project for two weeks and then present their proposals to community members on November 21. A community panel of local city leaders will judge the proposals, ask questions, and provide feedback to the students.

November 22

EVENT:  Local Schools Unite to Prepare High School Students for Health Care Careers

LOCATION:  Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke 

DATE/TIME: November 22, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

DETAILS:  High school students interested in pursuing a career in health care are invited to attend Within Reach, hosted by the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Jefferson College of Health Sciences on November 22. Representatives from both schools will discuss the education needed for a wide range of health care careers and the steps students can take in high school to improve their chances of acceptance into suitable academic programs. The presentations will take place in the School of Medicine’s auditorium, and there will be a Q&A session involving presenters and current students.

November 23

EVENT:  Roanoke City Councilwoman Anita Price to Assist in Preston Park Elementary’s Student Council Inauguration

SCHOOL:  Preston Park Elementary 

DATE/TIME: November 23, 8 AM

DETAILS:  Roanoke City Councilwoman Anita Price and Preston Park Principal Eric Fisher, will install the school’s new student council officers on November 23. The elected positions include president, vice president, Sergeant at Arms, secretary, and treasurer. Student candidates campaigned during the week of October 31 with posters, hallway greetings, and recorded speeches for school annoucements. The Student Council Association’s elected officers meet monthly with class representatives to prepare for assemblies, discuss activities they want to do in school, and organize community service projects such as United Way fundraising and canned food drives. A small reception will immediately follow the inauguration.

 
EVENT:  Crystal Spring Hosts Fifth Annual Turkey Bowl to Benefit Rescue Mission

SCHOOL:  Crystal Spring Elementary

DATE/TIME: November 23, 9:00 a.m.

DETAILS: Fourth- and fifth-graders from Crystal Spring Elementary will face off in the fifth annual Turkey Bowl fundraiser for the Rescue Mission on November 23, the day before Thanksgiving. The flag football game will kick off at 9 AM on Tiger Field, and students will present a check to the Rescue Mission during halftime. Last year, the school raised more than $2500 in donations.

December 8

EVENT:  Monterey Elementary School to Host 9^th Annual “Holidays Around the World” Celebration

SCHOOL:  Monterey Elementary School 

DATE/TIME: December 8^th, 8 AM-11:45AM

DETAILS:  The 9^th annual “Holidays Around the World” event at Monterey Elementary School will celebrate 15 different countries and eight languages represented at the school. The English Language Learners (ELL) students will display items such as pictures, crafts, and their country’s flag. Students and staff will wear something from a different country/culture. During the week, selected students will briefly speak on the intercom about their country, both in English and their native language.

December 14

EVENT:  ROTEC’s Reality Store Project Gives Students First-Hand Experience on Making Financial Decisions in Life

SCHOOL:  Breckinridge Middle School

DATE/TIME: December 14

DETAILS:  ROTEC will be conducting a career exploration project called The Reality Store with every eighth-grader in the division this school year. The Reality Store is a program that helps to prepare students for career development, interpersonal development, and financial literacy. Each student imagines themselves at the age of 30 and must make monthly essential purchases/payments with the goal of having some money left over. There will be nearly 40 volunteers from the Advisory Council, Foundation, and area businesses to implement the project.

Upcoming date:

December 14  Breckinridge Middle School/NCTLA  8:00am – 3:30pm

E-mail Kathleen Duncan at kduncan@rcps.info with any volunteers from area businesses, or call 853-2803 for questions.