Zachary Elementary Teachers Present at International Conference

At the recent Southeast Regional Conference for the International Reading Association, two Zachary Elementary Teachers were selected to present. Angela Cassard and Brandie McNabb present ‘The Reading Teacher’s Toolbox.’ The teachers shared information that they use in their classrooms and that teachers in attendance could easily use in their own classroom with little or no preparation. During the session, there were over 150 people in attendance. Teachers actively listened, participated, and even took pictures to document ideas.

Zachary Community Schools Not to Participate in Race to the Top

After much consideration and research into the State of Louisiana's application for the federally-funded "Race to the Top" competitive grant program, Zachary Community Schools officials have decided not to participate in the program.
“We respect and value the input of all of our stakeholders, therefore, we conducted extensive research to ensure that our decision was the right one for our school district,” said Superintendent Drake.
Some of the reasons for the decision include:
• too many unknown factors and unwritten regulations of the program
• concern over implementation of a new teacher evaluation system that uses student performance for 50% of the evaluation score
• the creation of a year-round benchmark testing system that would substantially increase the amount of formalized testing for many of our students
• identifying funding program initiatives after the 4 year program concludes
• receiving many negative comments and concerns on the district-wide teacher survey
“The bottom line is that the Zachary Community School District will continue to work hard and smart to provide the best education possible for our students through our employees," Drake said.

Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Provide Performance Workshop for ZHS Talented Theatre Students

On Monday, December 07, Derek Mudd, a Rostered Artists with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge led a Poetry, Performance, and Voice workshop for Zachary High School Talented Theatre Students. The workshop was provided by the Arts Council to prepare students for the upcoming 2010 Poetry Out Loud competition sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, The Louisiana Division of the Arts, Louisiana Office of the LT. Governor, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation.
Derek Mudd is an actor and instructor in Baton Rouge, LA. He has taught courses in Acting, Stage Voice, Performance of Literature, Public Speaking, and Improvisation at Louisiana State University. Derek has worked as a coach for the National Endowment for the Arts’ Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Competition for the last three years, having coached two previous Louisiana State Champions, and attended the National Competition in Washington D.C last year. Derek has taught many classes for K-12 students for Playmakers of Baton Rouge and also served as vocal coach for Alexander and the terrible,horrible, no good really bad day, The Hobbit, has performed in Playmakers last three Summer Neighborhood Tours, and played Daddy Warbucks in their production of Annie. For Swine Palace Productions, Derek performed in the world premieres of Cocktail and the title role of Tennessee Williams in Tennessee Williams in Quarter Time. Other Swine Palace roles include Tony Lumpkin in She Stoops to Conquer, Midas in Metamorphoses, and Kerry Max Cook in The Exonerated. Before moving to Baton Rouge, Derek worked for several cutting-edge theatres in Austin, TX including the Rude Mechanicals, Salvage Vanguard, and
Austin Script Works. He holds an MFA in Acting from the Louisiana State University where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Communication
Studies.

New Warriors on Display at Northwestern Middle School

Inspired by a field trip to Houston Museum of Natural Science Terra Cotta Warrior Exhibit, Northwestern Middle Talented Arts students have produced some amazing artwork currently on display in the school’s library.

The Terra Cotta Warriors of Emperor Qin are a cultural treasure of China. They are the recently dug up remains of the Terra Cotta Army that Emperor Qin constructed for his afterlife. They were buried for hundreds of years before being discovered by well diggers in 1974 in Xi’ai Shaanxi Provence China.

Northwestern Middle School Talented Arts students, along with Tammy Wood, Margret Atkinson and Talented Arts Teacher Shawn Quincy Foreman traveled to Houston to see the Terra Cotta Warriors from China.

Foreman describes the exhibition as “amazing; just being in the presence of the works of art was truly a once in a lifetime experience. The students had a wealth of information passed on to them by the docents; they were shown how the warriors were constructed as well as the reasoned for them being built,” he explained.

Upon returning their first assignment this year was to construct a three dimensional Asian type warrior figure with armor. The purpose of the trip was to get an idea of how a figure could be constructed three dimensionally and what Asian motifs may have been like during the Qin dynasty. The students worked long and hard on constructing these new warriors. They used a construction technique called tape casting. This is where they covered a body part with plastic wrap, and then taped over it in several layers. They then cut it off and reassembled the pieces into a figure and painted it.

The Talented Art students jumped in with both feet and produced some amazing pieces of work. The New Warriors will be on display at the Northwestern Middle School library until the Christmas Break.

CC Lockwood to Join Zachary Elementary Students in Celebrating The Wetlands

The Zachary Community is invited to join Zachary Elementary School students in Celebrating Louisiana's Wetlands Thursday, December 10 at 6 p.m. After studying the different ecosystems all over the world and creating the inflatable ecosystems last year, students in Kristy Gilpin and Breigh Rainey's classes have turned their attention to the ecosystems of Louisiana. This year, they have focused on the importance of the wetlands and gone on several research trips with the students. Students had the opportunity to Honey Island Swamp, where they learned photography tips from CC Lockwood, went to LUMCON (The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium) in Cocodrie, LA to study the marsh and visited a scale model of the Mississippi River at LSU. On all of these trips, students took their own photos and interacted with experts in the field to create their own nonfiction books related to the Louisiana wetlands.

Students will debut their books at the December 10 celebration. Guests will have the opportunity to learn from CC Lockwood who will speak about his book Marsh Mission, participate in an auction of artwork created by Zachary Elementary third grade students, and enjoy musical and dramatic selections. All of the proceeds from the evening will benefit the Zachary Elementary Library and several organizations working to save the Louisiana wetlands.

Northwestern Middle Drama Department Presents Flapper!

Flapper!

Flapper, a madcap musical comedy tribute to the 1920's, will be performed by 8th grade advanced drama students of Northwestern Middle with appearances by 7th grade dance class students and the NMS dazzler dance team.
Two night performances to be held in the NMS auditorium that are open to the public
Performances will be held Tuesday, November 17 and Wednesday, November 18 at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students/children and are available for purchase at the door.

State Superintendent Visits Zachary Schools

State Superintendent Paul Pastorek toured Zachary Community Schools for the first time Tuesday. Pastorek said he was impressed with much of what he saw including the technology, teaming and program opportunities provided to students.

Pastorek was greeted upon arrival by principals of the district’s 6 schools, community leaders and members of the Zachary Community School Board. He then joined a group of around 50 students in the Northwestern Middle School library; where he spoke briefly and listened to the students discuss future plans and aspirations.

“You’re in the best school, in the best district in the state,” Pastorek told the students.
After visiting with the students, Pastorek observed a group of sixth grade teachers during their teaming time. During the professional learning communities, the teachers meet daily to discuss curriculum, the needs of their shared students and collaborate on lesson plans.

Principal Debby Brian admitted it’s a scheduling challenge to have all of the teachers in a group free at the same to time get together but said it’s important for the success of the students and that while challenging for administrators, the district has provided her with the resources to make this schedule possible.

Pastorek then had a chance to see Northwestern Middle Teacher Michelle Powell in action with some of her students. Her captivating lesson, evidence of the great teaching and learning taking place in Zachary schools.

From Northwestern Middle, the tour moved to Northwestern Elementary where they observed the more than 900 Prek through 1st grade students housed there.
Pastorek said he was impressed with the technology he saw in place with even the district’s youngest students. Zachary Superintendent Warren Drake also highlighted the fact that the district offers foreign language, art and music to students beginning on the Prek level.

The final stop on the trip was Zachary High where Superintendent Pastorek met with a group of student leaders who joined him for lunch after he toured the agriscience program, welding and woodworking shop, athletic facilities and Hard Work Cafè. Pastorek answered student questions and enjoyed lunch in the Zachary High cafeteria before heading to his next appointment.

District officials said they were excited about Pastorek’s first visit to the state’s number one school district and happy to show him some of the great things going on in Zachary schools.