Parent Teacher Magazine Cabarrus County Schools May 2014 | Page 11

Winkler Students Complete
Hands-On Science Activity
Winkler Middle School 7th
grade students have been
hard at work this quarter
studying the human body and
its systems. Their culminating
enrichment activity was a
frog dissection led by their
teachers and the support staff
in the school!
Winkler Middle School
believes in the concept
of professional learning
communities and that our students’ learning is a community
responsibility. Students were able to enjoy this experience because
of the collaboration of their teachers, counselors, parents, and even
principals (all of whom led small groups through the dissection)!
The school was able to fund this project through an $815 grant
that Winkler teacher Brandon Wilson made through Donor’s Choose
earlier in the year.
Due to the amazing response to this year’s dissection days, the
school has already made plans to repeat it for next year. Debra
Gallagher, another teacher at the school, has been selected to
receive a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Promoting Innovation in Science
and Math (PRISM) grant for $2,985! This grant titled Comparative
Anatomy will be funded next year and will go directly toward this unit
of study.



Create meaningful memories!
Arts, College Prep, SciTech, and Sports. Ages 3-18.

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CCS Schools Receive State Recognition

Nine Cabarrus County Schools have been recognized by the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction for implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support
(PBIS) at a high level of fidelity.
The schools earning recognition this year are Bethel, Beverly Hills, Coltrane-Webb,
Mount Pleasant, R. Brown McAllister, Royal Oaks and Wolf Meadow Elementary Schools, as
well as C.C. Griffin Middle School and Opportunity School.
Schools were recognized at varying achievement levels:
Green Ribbon Schools – C.C. Griffin Middle and Opportunity School
Model Schools – Bethel Elementary, Mount Pleasant Elementary and Royal Oaks
Elementary
Exemplar Schools – Beverly Hills Elementary, Coltrane-Webb Elementary, R. Brown
McAllister Elementary and Wolf Meadow Elementary
The CCS schools that received recognition did so because the faculty and staff at these schools demonstrated high levels of
implementation based on PBIS evaluations and were able to provide data that showed an improvement in both behavior and academic
performance.
Keeping students engaged and maintaining a healthy, productive school environment is more important than ever. PBIS is an approach
comprised of intervention practices and organizational systems for establishing the social culture, learning and teaching environment,
and individual behavior supports needed to achieve academic and social success for all students (Sugai, et al, 2010, p. 13). Schools that
implement Positive Behavior Intervention and Support fully can expect to become more efficient and consistent with behavior management,
use preventative measures to decrease unwanted behavior, experience a shift in attention to appropriate behaviors and witness a positive
climate and philosophy change.
Cabarrus County Schools have been a part of this state-wide initiative since 2009. To ensure that PBIS schools in Cabarrus County
maintain fidelity of implementation, there are multiple layers of support provided by the district and the state in the form of consultation and
training.
Congratulations to these schools, their students and staff!

Parent Teacher Magazine • May/June 2014 • 9