Yadkin Path offers parent education sessions 

Yadkin Path Montessori announces its parent education series for the 2016-17 school year.  The first workshop, held Sept. 6 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. is entitled, “What is Montessori? Why Yadkin Path Montessori?”  Heather Thomson, the lead teacher for the primary classroom (ages 3 – 5) will facilitate. The workshop is free and the public is invited. To register, call 704-642-2211.

“This workshop is for parents and caregivers of children who currently attend Yadkin Path,” Myra Tannehill, owner and director, said, “and also for parents who maybe know a little about Montessori, but who don’t know what exactly defines it or distinguishes it from other childcare approaches.”

Parent education workshops:

Sessions are held the first Tuesday of the month, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sept 6: What is Montessori? Why Yadkin Path Montessori?

Oct. 4: Montessori in the home.

Nov. 8: Positive discipline and limit setting.

Dec. 6: The Montessori way: Addressing parent questions.

Jan. 3: What to expect in the children’s house.

Feb,. 7: Art and music in Montessori.

March 7: Building on your child’s success.

April 4: Assessment in Montessori education.

May 2: Open house.

The Montessori method of education, developed by Italian physician Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth. Self-directed activity and hands-on learning are core practices in Montessori. Children make choices in their learning, supported by the classroom environment and the teacher who guides the process.

Yadkin Path Montessori is located at 2135 Bringle Ferry Rd in Salisbury. For more information or to register, email yadkinpath@gmail.com or call 704-642-2211.

Inside|Out short film challenge

Sept. 9 to 11 students aged 14 through 18 looking for a fun and challenging experience while learning serious filmmaking skills will love the Inside|Out film challenge weekend! Students will form teams to create 30-second “commercials” with a message that matters.

You get a chance to write, plan, direct, act (or recruit friends to act) and film your movie. Teamwork and artistic skills are challenged to the max in the intensity of the time frame. There is a competitive twist built in to the week, which keeps excitement high.

Key learning components are:

• Hands-on instruction in digital filmmaking, music and graphic design.
• Learning the art of storytelling through images.
• Celebration of student films and additional accomplishments.
• Focused teamwork as a member of a film crew.
• Strengths coaching and feedback based on assessment and observation.

Finished films will be shown to family, friends and the community in a film premiere celebration at Mission House, 2800 Jake Alexander Blvd., on Sunday, Sept. 11. Space is limited so we are only accepting 20 students. Register student by sending email with name, address and phone number to missionhousenc@gmail.com. The film challenge weekend is sponsored by Mission House and provided by Inside|Out Global (www.insideoutglobal.com). For more information contact Pastor Dustin at 336-688-2567 or missionhousenc@gmail.com

Salisbury Symphony Orchestra mini-concerts and after school strings program

Would you like to learn to play a violin, viola or cello? The Salisbury-Rowan Symphony Society introduces elementary students in Rowan-Salisbury Schools to not only the instruments, but also musicians who play them and an opportunity to learn to play one themselves.

Due to the generosity of the Hurley-Trammel Foundation, a trio of professional string musicians from the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra — Dan Skidmore (orchestra concertmaster), Carter Bradley (viola) and Gayle Masarie (cello) – will visit every Rowan-Salisbury elementary school from Sept. 7 to Sept. 20. Education Director Lynn Bowes will narrate the short concert and provide information about the Symphony’s after school strings program to each third and fourth grader.

For many, if not most, this will be the first time they will hear live classical music — and for some it is the beginning of their own careers!

The after school strings program will be held at three different locations and is open to anyone age 8 and up. Classes at Granite Quarry Elementary school will be on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, beginning Oct. 3. Classes at Landis Elementary School will be taught on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons beginning Oct. 4. Both Granite Quarry and Landis classes will be taught by Karen Franks.

Classes at Isenberg Elementary will be on Mondays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 3 and taught by Molly Trexler.

For more information, contact Education Director Lynn Bowes at 704-637-4730 or lbowes16@catawba.edu.

New staff at Sacred Heart

Erin Brinkley

Erin Brinkley is a graduate of Sacred Heart Catholic School, West Rowan High School and magna cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds teaching licensees in birth through kindergarten, kindergarten through sixth and hearing Impaired K-12. After graduation, she worked in the  Kannapolis City Schools for nine years.  One of the roles she served at Kannapolis was as a reading intervention teacher for kindergarten. While employed with Kannapolis, she was recognized as a Board of Education Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Now with three children at Sacred Heart, she is excited to teach kindergarten at the school.

Lori Price

Lori Price joins the school faculty as a new music teacher for preschool and elementary students. She has a M.Ed. from Georgian Court University where she was also a member of their concert band and jazz band. She is certified as a teacher of music for K-12 and also as a music teacher of students with disabilities. She finished her bachelor’s in music from Rowan University in 2011.  

Cassie Buckwalter

Cassie Backwater is Sacred Heart’s new physical education teacher, and will joining the school’s P.E. instructor team with Mike Shadroui and Frankie Cardelle. Buckwalter comes to Sacred Heart from Corriher Lipe Middle School, where she taught for the past 12 years and has coached basketball and softball. She also helped with their Girls on the Run program.  She graduated from UNC Pembroke and was a member of their softball team. She graduated in 2003 with a bachelors degree in physical education and health K-12.  

 

Elementary school P.E. teachers get training in new ways to keep kids healthy

“If you teach the teachers, then they’re going to be good examples for the kids,” said Val Velte, RN, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center corporate and community wellness nurse. “And that’s the reason for our ‘Fit for Motion’ training – to teach elementary school physical education teachers and give them the resources to help their students lead healthier, more active lives.”

The two-hour training session was held during the Rowan-Salisbury School’s back to school conference for teachers on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at South Rowan High School.

Fit for Motion is an 18-week program that P.E. instructors will teach to all third-graders beginning this fall. The program covers healthy lifestyle choices, including physical activities and nutrition. The workshop was led by Laura Washing, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center’s community relations intern, who created the Fit for Motion lesson plans.

“Laura has done an amazing job with this Fit for Motion curriculum,” said Kelly Feimster, director of instructional programs for the Rowan-Salisbury Schools. “She has given us a 21^st century curriculum with a youthful approach that our students are going to love. And our P.E. teachers are going to be over-the-top excited about having this prepared for them.”

At the training session, the P.E. teachers performed some of the activities themselves. Actual participation by the teachers is very important, Velte said. “We trying to teach them how to help their students make important connections – connecting it back to anatomy, why exercise is healthy for the body, why your heart needs to be healthy. We also give them suggestions on incorporating community resources into their program, such as guest speakers and field trips.”

The Fit for Motion program also develops leadership skills so that students can help others adopt more healthy lifestyles. Students will also learn about apps that can support personal health goals.

Velte said Rowan Medical Center offered two other breakout sessions for teachers:

• “How to start a wellness program at your school,” for principals, teachers and staff. The session taught participants how to launch a program and how to partner with Novant Health to provide health-related screening. Velte led the session.
• “What are you packing?” This session highlighted healthy packable lunch options for teachers. Velte said was a “rare opportunity, for most people, to get to talk with a registered dietician.” Katrina Weavil, RD, led the session.

For more information, contact Val Velte at vsvelte@novanthealth.org.

Cabarrus college kicks off the academic year

On Monday, Aug. 22, Cabarrus College of Health Sciences kicked off the 2016-2017 academic year by holding their annual fall Convocation. All new students, faculty, staff and administration gathered together to be energized and inspired to work towards a successful year.

Several members of the College community addressed the crowd, including Dr. Dianne Snyder, president; Brittany Wiggins, nursing student and president of the Student Government Association; Dr. Meg Patchett, provost and Dr. Joseph Leviner, assistant professor and chair of the college’s caring culture committee.

Leviner delivered perhaps the most entertaining message in the form of a skit, which brought the story of a donkey and farmer to life. The story was intended to motivate the audience to “step up” and use their individual strengths to make a difference in the lives of others. This is a fitting message considering all students at Cabarrus College intend on pursuing careers in healthcare.

After the formal program, everyone was treated to lunch and students were given the opportunity to socialize, and meet other new students, instructors, and members of administration.

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences, a member of the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities organization, focuses on health sciences education and offers master, bachelor and associate degrees as well as diplomas, certificates and continuing education on a non-residential campus in Concord. Cabarrus College is located on the campus of Carolinas HealthCare System NorthEast.

For more information on Cabarrus College, go to www.cabarruscollege.edu.