Rodney Jackson recently assumed duties as dean of the School of Business, Engineering and Technical Studies at Davidson County Community College.
“Student success is best achieved when our graduates possess the personal, workplace and technical competencies sought by their intended industry,” Jackson says in explaining how he hopes his role as dean impacts student success and completion.
Jackson received his Bachelor of Arts in political science and Master of Arts in geography from East Carolina University. He earned Geographic Information Systems Professional certification from the Geographic Information Systems Certification Institute. He worked in that field for local government agencies prior to beginning a career in higher education. Jackson led North Carolina’s first Community College Geographic Information Systems program in 1998 before taking various academic positions with East Carolina University, Central Piedmont Community College and Edgecombe Community College.
He is a co-principal investigator of the National Geospatial Technology Center, serves on the GISCI Examination Oversight Committee and is a member of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science’s Geographic Information and Science and Technology Body of Language Task Force Steering Committee. He serves as an Engineer Officer (Geospatial) in the U. S. Army Reserves.
Brianna White, rising North Rowan High School sophomore, has been selected as the recipient of the 2014 Legal Eagle Law Camp sponsorship at North Carolina Central University.
The goal of the week-long camp, which is limited to 36 participants, is to offer participants exposure to the field of law.
Brianna earned the opportunity based on her 4.5 GPA, her intent to pursue a degree in law and her written essay.
Karen Bestman, former NRHS graduate, University of Georgia graduate and current student at North Carolina Central University School of Law, is the sponsor of the first time camp sponsorship.
CONCORD — The road to college includes a stop at Camp Cannon, which offers full-day workshops to help high school students prepare for fall SAT and ACT exams or half-day essay boot camps to get a head start on college applications.
Rising juniors and seniors planning to take the SAT in the fall can choose between two course offered by Camp Cannon: The Princeton Review SAT Prep course the week of June 23 or the Hitchhiker’s Guide to College: SAT Prep the week of July 14.
The Princeton Review is a standardized course taught by trained Cannon School faculty, while the Hitchhiker’s Guide to College is an individualized, boutique-style workshop developed by a professor at UNC-Charlotte.
Another opportunity to reduce stress for rising seniors is Camp Cannon’s Essay Boot Camp, which is offered twice, the weeks of June 9 and June 16. Connie Stravrakas, a teacher at Cannon School, will prepare rising seniors for college applications by having students use actual prompts from colleges to write essays. Guest speakers from area colleges will also share what schools are looking for when reviewing college essays.
Class and registration information can be found at www.campcannon.com.
Camp Cannon is for children ages three to 18 and registration is now open. The camp runs for seven weeks June 9 through Aug. 1, with the exception of the week of June 30.
AVERY COUNTY — The Avery County School District is the first in North Carolina to use wireless technology to take pre-kindergarten education to those who need it most — 3- and 4-year olds who are not currently enrolled in a pre-K program.
The school district converted a retired school bus into a mobile classroom equipped with the latest wireless technology to offer literacy, math and science programs to communities throughout Avery County.
The program is called SCOTTIE – which stands for Supporting Children’s Opportunities Through Technology, Innovation and Education – and it uses a Verizon Cradlepoint router to fuel tablets with Internet access for read-aloud story time, reading activities and play-based learning centers.
A school nurse is also available through the program to help address a child’s basic healthcare needs.
Catawba College’s Theta Phi Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education installed new officers for the 2014-2015 year and inducted 14 new members in a ceremony held in Tom Smith Auditorium on the campus of Catawba College on Feb. 25.
Dr. James K. Stringfield opened the ceremony with welcoming remarks to the inductees, members and invited guests. Dr. Lou Ann Kasias explained the components of the Kappa Delta Pi Creed. Kappa Delta Phi officers inducted new members in a ritual ceremony. Dr. Karen Lucas, counselor for the chapter, presided over the meeting and was assisted by Amanda Bosch, Dr. Lyn Boulter, Dr. Lou Ann Kasias, Dr. Rhonda Truitt, and current officers Anne Mabry, president; Ricky Martin, vice president; Whitney Short, secretary; Ashley Csirip, treasurer; and Ashley Wietbrock, historian.
New officers installed were Erika Spach, president; Destiny Pearcy, vice president; Paige Smart, secretary; and Jessica Parker, treasurer.
New members inducted and receiving honor cords included the following undergraduate students: Ashley Burkhart, Lexington; Nadine Bogdon, Salisbury; Carmen Grubb, Mocksville; Brad Hamrick, Salisbury; Sydney Hyder, Asheboro; Taylor Lee, Kannapolis; Jessica Parker, Southern Pines; Julia Peck, Salisbury; Destiny Pearcy, Mocksville; Paige Smart, Mocksville, Sydney Smith, Salisbury, and Erika Spach, Lexington. Christine Moore (M.Ed.), Rockwell and April Sanchez-Williamson (M.Ed.), China Grove, were inducted as graduate students.
Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education, was founded March 8, 1911, at the University of Illinois. Catawba College’s Theta Phi Chapter was installed on Feb. 28, 1958. The chapter was reactivated in 1983. Organized to recognize excellence in education, Kappa Delta Pi members recognize and honor achievement; strive to a high degree of professional fellowship, leadership, and growth in the field of education; and serve their students and educational community.
Kindergarten registration will begin Monday, April 7, in Kannapolis City Schools. Children who will turn 5 on or before Aug. 31, will be able to register for the 2014-2015 school year beginning April 7. Parents should register at the school that is in their attendance zone. If they are not sure of their attendance zone, they should call Kannapolis City Schools at 704-938-4848.
To register, parents must have their child’s official birth certificate, immunization records and documentation of their child’s Kindergarten physical. School officials will make copies of the records and give back the originals. Parents must also provide proof of where they live, such as a lease or rental agreement, a current utility bill in their name, or a mortgage agreement. A driver’s license cannot be accepted as proof of residence.
State law requires that all children entering school have evidence that they have received certain required vaccines: three or four polio, five DPT/DTaP shots, at least one Hib on or after the child’s first birthday and before his fifth birthday, two MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) doses, three Hepatitis B, and one Varicella (Chicken Pox).
If parents have questions, they should call the school where their child will attend kindergarten. Below is a list of the KCS elementary schools along with Kindergarten registration times and contact information:
Forest Park Elementary – 1333 Forest Park Drive; 704-932-8121. Registration times: Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., and Tuesday, April 8: 3–6 p.m.
Shady Brook Elementary – 903 Rogers Lake Road; 704-933-2434. Registration times: Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Fred L. Wilson Elementary – 1401 Pine St.; 704-932-8656. Registration times: April 7, 9 through 11 from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Tuesday, April 8 from 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.
Woodrow Wilson Elementary – 800 Walnut St.; 704-933-2935. Registration times: Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. until noon.
Jackson Park Elementary – 1400 Jackson St.; 704-933-2831. Registration times: Monday, April 7 through Friday, April 11 from 9 a.m. until noon.