Roanoke Rapids Early College Principal Jance Moody, Public and Student Information Officer Mandy Clark, and I had the pleasure of joining Roanoke Rapids Early College English teacher Sydney Smith at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching 2024 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Celebration. 

We were excited that Ms. Smith’s parents, Michael and Elise Smith, of Halifax were also able to join us.

Sydney Smith is one of only 27 teachers from across North Carolina selected as a state finalist for the NCCAT 2024 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award. 

These teachers were selected for their dedication, innovation, and ability to inspire students to achieve. 

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The NCCAT 2024 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award process was developed to honor beginning teachers and to retain teachers who show promise as excellent teachers and education leaders in North Carolina public schools and public charter schools. 

As a state finalist, Ms. Smith participated in a week of professional development at the NCCAT in Cullowhee. 

During the ceremony, NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble said, “NCCAT is thrilled to have the chance to honor this exceptional and worthy group of educators. Each finalist has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to their practice, and in a short period of time made a profound impact on their students, families, schools, and communities. Thank you to the school districts they come from for their commitment to student success with quality teachers. Any one of them would make North Carolina proud as our 2024 NCCAT Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year. My thanks and congratulations to each of our finalists.” 

Roanoke Rapids Graded School District is so proud of Ms. Smith!

Roanoke Rapids Graded School District also celebrated School Resource Officer Appreciation Day on Thursday. 

According to the National Association of School Resource Officers, this day is a way to acknowledge the important role of School Resource Officers in bridging gaps between law enforcement and youth and in keeping schools safe. 

They are unique within law enforcement, and they serve as mentors, educators, and law enforcement officers while supporting both students and communities. 

Thank you to Charles Burnette, Jeff Hinton, Mike Moseley, Rex Stainback, and Bruce Temple for all that you do and the special relationships that you create with students, staff, families, and community.

I enjoyed celebrating our winter sports high school senior athletes on Friday night in between the varsity women’s and men’s basketball games against Nash Central High School. 

We are so proud of our athletes and will miss our seniors when they graduate. 

Also, we are proud of Gabriel Roberts and Edward Armstrong, who competed this weekend at the NCHSAA 2A Individual State Championships in wrestling. 

We are also proud of Jake Wynne and Abigail Gray, the winners of the Roanoke Rapids Optimist Club International Essay Contest.

Jake and Abigail are scholars at Roanoke Rapids Early College. 

Our ninth graders at Roanoke Rapids Early College enjoyed their field trip to the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island on Friday, and they even dissected squid.

Students in Mr. Crumb’s Grade 8 social studies class at Chaloner Middle School visited Historic Halifax this week to learn about the American Revolution and the Halifax Resolves. 

Students were very interested in the many different events that took place in Halifax County and how the history of these events occurred in our county.

Valentine’s Day at Manning Elementary School included a special musical performance by our kindergarten students. They did a wonderful job performing! 

Manning Elementary will hold its Book Fair February 26th - March 1st. Family Night is Thursday, February 29th from 5:30 pm - 7 pm. 

Belmont Elementary also had a great week in which the Belmont PTO celebrated teachers.

Clara Hearne Early Learning Center will hold 2024-25 preschool registration on March 27, 2024. Students must turn four years old on or before August 31, 2024, to be eligible. 

Please call 252-519-7700 to schedule a 30-minute appointment for March 27th. 

On March 27, parents will need to bring their child and the following documents: child’s birth certificate, child’s immunization record, parent’s picture ID (must have current address), at least two proofs of domicile (NOTE: the current power bill and current water bill showing usage at the residency address within the RRGSD school district are required), and income verification (two months of pay stubs).

Lastly, the School Board will meet tonight, at 6. 

The meeting is open to the public, and you can also view a live video stream of the meeting with any web browser via our RRGSD Public Information YouTube channel located at this link