Parent Teacher Magazine Cabarrus County Schools March/April 2018 | Page 7

CCS Teachers Achieve, Renew National Certification Cabarrus County Schools congratulates the following teachers who have achieved National Board Certification for the first time and those who have recently renewed. The following candidates were confirmed by National Board in January 2018. First Time National Board Certifications Rachel Berg - Northwest Cabarrus High Leah Brown - Hickory Ridge High Kelly Bumgardner - Northwest Cabarrus Middle Kawandi Coleman - Mary Frances Wall Center Jerri Crowell - Jay M. Robinson High Margaret Cuthbertson - Charles E. Boger Elementary Allison Egbert - Harris Road Middle Julie Furr - Patriots Elementary Kelley Haskins - Cox Mill Elementary Amanda Kentfield - Weddington Hills Elementary Paige Norris - Rocky River Elementary Aaron Roach - Cox Mill High Brandy Rollins - Weddington Hills Elementary Tara Willis - Weddington Hills Elementary National Board Certification Renewals Heather Berger - Coltrane-Webb Elementary Jason Bielinski - Hickory Ridge Middle Wendy Biggers - Hickory Ridge High Yolanda Blakeney - Cox Mill High Melissa Brantley - R. Brown McAllister Elementary Christy Burton - Hickory Ridge High Amy Deford - Carl A. Furr Elementary Stephanie Finlay - Cox Mill Elementary Terri Griffith - Northwest Cabarrus Middle Arona Haywood - Hickory Ridge Middle Megan McNutt - Northwest Cabarrus Middle Brian Miller - Harris Road Middle Elizabeth Navel - Hickory Ridge High Linda Palko - Patriots Elementary Kelly Rouse - Patriots Elementary Kellie Spears - Mount Pleasant Elementary Robert Spencer - Harris Road Middle Susann Spinell - W.R. Odell Elementary Meghan Thinnes - W.R. Odell Primary Todd Tinsley - Concord High Lori Treiber - Central Cabarrus High There are currently 265 National Board Certified teachers working in Cabarrus County Schools. North Carolina leads the nation in number of National Board Certified teachers with 21,480. CMHS Athlete Named Gatorade NC Volleyball Player of the Year In its 33rd year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company announced Cox Mill High School’s Taylor Rowland as its 2017-18 Gatorade North Carolina Volleyball Player of the Year! #GatoradePOY The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Taylor as North Carolina’s best high school volleyball player. This is the second year that Taylor has been selected for the elite title. She is now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Volleyball Player of the Year award which will be announced later this month. The 6-foot- 3 senior outside hitter led the Chargers to a 27-8 record and the Class 3A state quarterfinals this past season, amassing 520 kills, 392 serve receptions, 227 digs and 55 service aces in the process. As the state’s returning Gatorade Player of the Year, Taylor concluded her prep career with 1,837 kills, 632 digs, 205 service aces and 86 total blocks. Taylor is a force to be reckoned with on and off the court. She helped organize the Be Bold for Gold Volleyball Day in October to raise money to benefit cancer research. She also works with children’s programs at her church in addition to coaching youth volleyball. Taylor has maintained a weighted 3.45 GPA in the classroom and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play volleyball on scholarship at Auburn University in the fall. The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport. Parent Teacher Magazine • March/April 2018 • 5