Monday, November 1, 2010

November 1, 2010

Just as in every other area of life, we finish one task and move on to the next. This school year is working out to be just that way. Last Thursday night, Vaughan held it's annual Fall Festival. Due to overwhelming support from our parents and community members, it was a great success. So many people helped out in so many ways and we cannot thank you enough. A very special thanks is extended to all of the community businesses who donated money, gift certificates and wonderful gifts for both our raffle ticket fund and our Chinese Auction. Thanks is also extended to the parents who made snacks for the Sweet Shop and cakes for our Cake Walk as well as to those who came out to help us set up and clean up. It is often hard when you are tired to stay to the end to ensure that everything is presentable for the next day. We really appreciate your efforts in this area. Thank you is also extended to parents Mr. Moriarty and Mr. Jenkins for running game booths during the event.

Our Pre-Kindergarten students have been very busy in an educational unit focusing on shapes. As a culminating event, these students went of a field trip to Pizza Inn to discuss all the shapes that can be found in and around a meal in a restaurant. A great time was had by all. Thank you to Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Watson for working so hard with our “Baby Eagles.”

This week we will be holding our Fall Parent Conferences on Thursday, November 4 from 1:30 pm to 7:00 pm. If you have not received a notice from your child's teacher to schedule a time, please contact your child's teacher as soon as possible. It is very important to keep the lines of communication open between home and school. Due to conferences, school will be dismissed early both Thursday, November 4 and Friday, November 5 at 1:00 pm. Please make plans for your children accordingly.

Next Tuesday, students meeting their Accelerated Reader goals for the first nine weeks will be rewarded at a popcorn party. We can't wait to see how many of our students will meet their goals! That night, Mrs. Bender will host a Parent Education Workshop on Science Fair Projects at 6:30 pm. This workshop will focus on preparing parents for how to help their children complete a science project for the Science Fair to be held in February. We encourage all parents in grades 3-5 to attend. Next week, elementary schools will be observing the Veteran's Day Holiday on Thursday, November 11. There will be no school on this day.

Upcoming Events
November 16, 2010 Doughnuts with Dad – Pre-K, 9:30 am
November 17, 2010 Muffins with Mom – Pre-K, 9:30 am
November 18, 2010 Parent Luncheon, 4th and 5th Grades, 11 am-12:15 pm

Monday, October 25, 2010

October 25, 2010

It's hard to believe it's the end of October already, and my what a busy month it has been. Last Tuesday, we had our first Family Reading Night of the school-year. We had a great turn-out. There were 39 students present with a parent or other adult who read and then took Accelerated Reader tests. Thank you to all the parents who came out and supported your children in this way. Our next Family Reading Night will be held in January.

Last Tuesday and Wednesday, Vaughan Elementary was pleased to host the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Quality Assistance Review (QAR) Team on our campus for our reaccreditation process. Previous to the visit, our staff, school improvement team, parents and various volunteers met many times to review how Vaughan was performing as based on the SACS standards. A great deal of hard work was put in by all in preparation for the visit. A special thank-you is extended to all of the students, parents, and community volunteers who met with the SACS QAR team to give evidences of what our school is doing to educate our students. It is because you are always willing to help in so many ways that we were able to get the wonderful results we did with a reaccreditation evaluation of Fully Accredited.

Last Friday our Kindergarten students went to Hill Ridge Farms in Youngsville on a field trip to learn about Pumpkin Farming. It was an exciting time for them to play games and enjoy the many activities of the day! The weather was especially nice and the students enjoyed a wonderful day! A special thanks is extended to all the parents who went as chaperones. We could not do what we do without your help.

The next few weeks are a very busy time at our school. Tomorrow night, October 28, we will be holding our annual Fall Festival from 5:00 P.M. To 7:30 P.M. A hotdog supper with chips and a drink will be available for $3.50. We will have many games and activities and look forward to seeing many of you there. Don't forget about our two raffles. Students have been selling tickets for our school-wide raffle for several weeks now. Prizes are: First Place - $200, Second Place - $125, Third Place - $100, Fourth Place - $50, and Fifth Place – a $50 gift certificate to Wildwood Nursery. Tickets will be available until 7 P.M., so stop by and buy tickets for your chance to win some cash. Our second raffle is for a child's bicycle. Tickets are available each morning in the school lobby and at the Fall Festival as well. The tickets for both raffles can be purchased for $1.

Next week Vaughan Elementary will be holding Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, November 4, from 1:30 P.M. To 7:00 P.M. If you have not already set up a time to meet with your child's teacher, please do so. This is a good time to check on the progress your child is making and to see if there are any areas for concern. Because of Parent Conferences, school will be dismissed at 1:00 P.M. on both Thursday, November 4, and Friday, November 5. Please make arrangements for your children for these two days.

In addition, there has been a change in our normal schedule of events. Our Fall Bookfair has been moved to December 8-15. We normally hold this event during Parent Conferences, but due to other events, a change had to be made. Please mark your calendars for this event and come out to view and purchase some of the great reading material we will have available.


Upcoming Events
October 29, 2010 Teacher Workday – Preparation of Report Cards
November 4, 2010 Early Release – 1 P.M.
November 5, 2010 Early Release – 1 P.M.
November 11, 2010 Veteran's Day Holiday – No School

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

October 11, 2010

It's hard to believe it is almost mid October! The school year is rolling rapidly along. We were so excited to host a new event this year entitled, “Reading With Dad.” This event was held on Tuesday, September 28 from 6:30 to 7:30pm. We were astounded by the turn-out. We had over 110 participants altogether. We saw some exciting things that night and know that you dads were the stars of the show by taking time out to read with your kids. We look forward to repeating this event again next year.

Students turned in their Fall fundraising packets last week. While we don't have final totals at this point, it appears that this was a great success. Thank you to all the parents and community members who supported us by purchasing products from our students here at Vaughan. We could not do what we do without all the help we receive from you.

Last week was very busy week here on Vaughan's campus. On October 6 and 7, our second, third, and fifth grade students participated in a Stay-at-school Field Trip through UNC's Morehead Planetarium. It was exciting to see the huge inflatable dome in our gym and for our students to have such a rich, wonderful experience without ever having to leave our campus. On Friday, October 8, volunteer from Macon Rural Fire Department came to present a program in honor of Fire Safety Week. Student toured the equipment and were given some very helpful, lifesaving information about how to escape a fire and call 911 when needed. Thank you so very much to the members of Macon Rural who came out to present this program!

By the time this article is printed, we will have had our first PTA meeting of the year. Second and Third grade students will have provided entertainment for this event. We can't wait to see what they have in store for us.

Next Tuesday night, Vaughan will hold it's first Family Reading Night of the school year in the library from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Dads, now that we know so many of you can come, we look forward to seeing you again. Moms, we are not leaving you out either! Come on out and read with your child and watch as they take Accelerated Reader tests. This is a great way to encourage your child in reading and see exactly what AR tests look like.

We are currently well underway in our plans for our Fall Festival which will be held on Thursday, October 28 from 5:00-7:30pm. Parents, you should have received a letter requesting donations of plates, napkins, drinks or chips. If you did not receive a letter, please contact your child's teacher. Raffle tickets have been sent home to be sold and we are so appreciative of all your help in getting these sold. We have some wonderful cash prizes: 1st place: $200, 2nd place: $125, 3rd place: $100, 4th place: $50 and 5th place: $50 gift certificate from Wildwood Nursery. Tickets are available from any Vaughan Elementary Student or from Vaughan Elementary School. Thank you in advance for all of your help in making Vaughan Elementary so successful!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

September 13, 2010

What a wonderful year we are having! The school year has started off with a blast and things are moving right along. We would like to welcome Mrs. LaTonya Stith, our new music teacher to the staff here at Vaughan. We are looking forward to all the exciting things she will teach our students in music class.

Vaughan's Accountability Night was held September 2, from 6:00 to 9:00. During this meeting rules and procedures for the school as well as expectations for each class and grade level were reviewed. If you missed this very important informative night, please talk with your child's teacher to get all the information you missed.

We have already held a very successful Computers for Education drive. Students brought home booklets to get addresses so the Computers for Education company can send out invitations to purchase magazine subscriptions. Thanks to help from parents and guardians, we received enough addresses to earn enough money to purchase three (3) new computers!!

Last week our Baby Eagles joined us. We are excited to have 18 new Pre-Kindergarten students among us and are looking forward to all that Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Watson will do with them to get them ready for Kindergarten.

This week our fifth grade students will be leaving for our annual Sound-to-Sea field trip. Students will be leaving at 7 am on Wednesday, September 15 and enjoy three days at Trinity Center in Salter Path, NC for an environmental education program. Students will return home at approximately 7 pm Friday evening, September 17. We cannot wait to hear about all that these students will learn and the experiences they will take part in while attending this wonderful educational opportunity!

This Thursday afternoon, September 16, at 2 pm, we will kick off our Fall Fundraiser. Parents, please be looking for flyers and order forms. We thank you in advance for all you do to help our school in so many ways. You will never know how much your support means!

Friday, September 24 is school picture day. Students will also be taking class pictures at this time. Students will still need to dress in school uniform for these portraits. Thank you for your help in this matter.

It's hard to believe that the school year is progressing so rapidly. Our first progress reports will go home on Monday, September 27. Please look for these to get an idea of how your child is doing in this year's studies. It's never to early to meet with teachers to discuss areas of concern.

This year, Vaughan is offering a new program to help Dads work with their children in academic. On Tuesday, September, 28, we will host Reading with Dads from 6:30 to 7:30 pm. Dads, we encourage you to come out and learn some strategies to help your children in reading.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

4th Nine Weeks Honor Roll!

Mrs. Renee Mizelle, Principal at Vaughan Elementary School announces the Principal's List and Honor Roll for the Fourth Nine Weeks. Students attaining Principal's List have earned all A's or All Outstandings on their report card. These students are: Aleah Crawford, Carmen Crawford, David Gregorio, Christan Kearsey, Ella Frances King, LeeAnn Shearin, Taylor Wells, Steven Brame, Landen Shearin, Aidan Biddle, Steven Coleman, Russell Moore, Jacie Evans, John Adcock, Benjamin Rodwell, Jackson Ross, Zianne Richardson, Dale Jomo, and Breanna Sikes. Students attaining Honor Roll have earned All A's and B's or All Outstandings and Very Goods on their report card. These students are: Angelina Herwick, Santaija Boyd, Murphy Boncek, Ivy Groves, Taj Gupton, De'Asia Williams, Jacy Mills, Daniel Richardson, Shaja Richardson, Kelsey Wester, Michelle Kearney, Sy'Hey Marin, Devin Moody, Ryezael Perry, Troy Richardson, Brian Sikes, Presley Settles, Christopher Williams, Joshua Carroll, Emily Diacont, Wesley Hawkins, J'son Richardson, Jonathan Campbell, Elijah Kearney, Evynn Richardson, Ashanti Cooper, Faith Evans, Angel Hedgepeth, Kiyah Johnson, Dameion Quintal, Naomi Hegge, Nathaniel Knight, Darius Richardson, Kira Carpenter, Hunter Hastings, Samantha Palmer, Zianne Richardson, Miguel Williams, David Evans, Starlynn Evans, Schana Kearney, Neyamiah Lynch, Bryanna Richardson, Da'Markus Williams, Taylor Williams, Raina Mills, Samarian Mills, Collin Gilbert, Faith Walters, Brandon Barnes, Rekila Garcia, Brandon Griffin, Jasmine Copeland, Will Skinner, Nathaniel Taylor, Jessica Faulcon, Andrew Hrisanthacopoulos, Gibson Morvan, Makayla Richardson, Mallory Richardson, Chase Vaughan, Makayla Williams, Dominecha Crenshaw, Clarence Thompson, Malik Williams, and Javia Wilson. Congratulations to these students for their hard work!

May 27, 2010

On Tuesday of last week, Vaughan held its end-of-the year reading celebration called “Rev Up Your Reading!” Rally. Students that met their year-long reading goals were invited to attend this fun-filled event. We are so proud that 133 of our students met their goals and participated. Local racing celebrity, Buddy Isles, Jr. was gracious enough to bring his racecar out for our students to see. Buddy Jr. talked with students about how he disliked reading as an elementary student, but now uses his reading skills everyday in his endeavors to be a champion racer. He shared the many ways that he uses academic skills like reading, writing and mathematics that students may not have thought racecar drivers would use. High readers from each classroom were rewarded with specially designed “Rev Up Your Reading!” T-shirts. Students were selected by tickets to “race” Buddy, Jr. on remote control cars. Students then selected prizes including T-shirts, posters, cars, paddle balls and keychains. Each group then went outside to view the racecar and hear the thunderous sound of the car's ignition. Some students were even allowed to get inside the racecar. It truly was an exciting time for all involved. We would like to extend a very special thank-you to Buddy Isles, Jr. for coming out to encourage our students in this way. Thanks is also extended to David Hight who came out with Buddy Jr. and assisted in so many ways with this event. We feel that this event definitely motivated students in their efforts to reach our school-wide Accelerated Reader goal of 7,500 points. Students not only met this goal, but actually accumulated 7, 737 points! Way to go, Eagles!

On Thursday of last week, Vaughan Elementary held it's Pre-Kindergarten Celebration. It was so exciting to see our “baby eagles” dressed in tiny caps and gowns celebrating the successes of this past year and getting ready to move on up to the challenges that lie ahead of them in Kindergarten. Congratulations to each of you! We look forward to seeing how you will grow as you progress in your academic careers at our school.

We have only about one week left in school and what a busy time it is. This morning, June 2, Kindergarten students will have their Celebration and Awards Day at 10 am. This afternoon at 1:30 pm, Grades 1-4 will have their Awards Day Program. Next Tuesday morning, June 8, our Fifth Grades will have their Celebration and Awards Day. Parents, we invite you to come out and join with us as we celebrate the accomplishments of our students at these special events.

Next Thursday evening, June 3, at 6:30 pm, Vaughan will host its Scholars Reception in the multi-purpose room. Students and parents who are invited to attend this event will receive invitations. On Monday, June 7, students that have been recognized for Light of Character, attained perfect attendance, or honors for grade K-2 will attend a special celebration at 1:30 pm in the multi-purpose room. We are so proud of all of our students who have worked so hard in so many ways this school-year. Just as a reminder to parents, our last day of school is Thursday, June 10. This day is an early release day and students will be dismissed at 1 pm. Please make arrangements for your children accordingly.

May 10, 2010

We had a wonderful time at our annual Field Day on Friday, May 7. All students participated in at least one event. Our Wellness Committee distributed water bottles to all students to encourage them to stay hydrated and healthy. Mrs. Donna West did an outstanding job of organizing our field day and we commend her for doing such a fine job. A special thanks is extended to the many parents and other volunteers who assisted in so many ways with our Field Day. In addition, thanks is extended to parents who assissted the Wellness Committee in filling and distributing the water bottles. We could not do all of the things we do here at Vaughan without out your help!

This week marks the start of End-of-Grade Tests. Fifth grade students will take their Science EOG test on Thursday morning. Parents, it is imperitive that students get a good night's rest before the test and arrive at school on time on Thursday morning. Friday afternoon, Vaughan will hold an EOG Pep Rally to encourage our students to “Rock the Test!” We are looking forward to this time to get “pepped up.”

Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Watson's Pre-K students will have their annual May Day and parent luncheon on Friday. We look forward to seeing the parents of our “baby eagles” on this day!

Next week, third, fourth and fifth grades students will take their Reading and Math End-of-Grade Tests. As with the Science EOG Test, it is crucial that students attend each day and are on time for each day of the tests. It is also important that students get a good night's rest the night before the test. Students will need to get a good breakfast so they can be focused on their test, not hunger. We would like to encourage parents to keep up as much of a routine during these three days as possible, so that students are not distracted with other issues. We want the best for your children, just like you do. Thank you for your help in making your children as successful as possible during this stressful time for them.

April 12, 2010

It's hard to believe it is already mid-April. The school-year is certainly moving right along. Thank you very much to all of the families and community members that recently supported our school in our Candy Man fundraising event. We had an astounding amount of participation from students and we are so proud of them for their hard work. Over half of our students sold products during the fundraiser. Over one-fourth of the whole school population sold at least 30 items. This enabled them to get to ride in a Hummer Limousine to Burger King as a reward for their salesmanship. Again, we want to thank all of you who purchased products from students and supported our school in this way. We could not do all of the things we do at Vaughan School without your support.

The next few weeks will bring many important events and activities in our school calendar. On Monday, April 19, Vaughan School will recognize its many volunteers at a Volunteer Reception at 1:30 pm in the Music Room. Thank you to all the parents and community members that take time out of their busy schedules to come out and help us in so many ways. You will never know how much we appreciate all the ways that you give of your talents to make our school so successful.

On Tuesday, April 20th from 9 am- 12 pm and 1 pm to 3 pm, Vaughan Elementary will be holding Pre-Kindergarten Registration. If you are interested in having your child be considered to attend, you need to bring the child, the child's official birth certificate, the child's social security card, the child's immunization records and proof of residence to registration. Also, Tuesday, April 20th is an early release day. Students will get out of school at 1 pm to allow time for staff development. Please make plans to have someone at home to meet your child on this day.

On Wednedsay, April 21st, students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be attending a jazz band concert at Lakeland Cultural Arts Center. If you have not signed a permission form for your child to attend this event, please do so as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, April 27, we will hold our last PTA meeting of this school year at 7:00 pm. Officers for the 2010-2011 school year will be elected at this time. A spring concert/play will follow immediately after the meeting. We are looking forward to enjoying the talents of many of our students on this night. We encourage all parents to come out to participate in our school in this way.

On Thursday, April 29, we will be holding Kindergarten Registration at Vaughan Elementary School. Registration will be open from 9 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 3 pm. In accordance with new state law, children must be five years old on or before August 31, 2010 to register for kindergarten. Please bring your child, as well as your child's official birth certificate, your child's social security card, your child's immunization records and proof of residence with you to registration.

The last upcoming event that we want to make parents aware of is Field Day which will be held on Friday, May 7 from 9am to approximately 12 pm. A bag lunch will be available in the cafeteria. Items are sold a la carte. However, a meal costs approximately $3.00. We look forward to seeing many of you at our school on this day.

3rd Nine Weeks Honor Roll

Mrs. Renee Mizelle, Principal at Vaughan Elementary School announces the Principal's List and Honor Roll for the Third Nine Weeks. Students attaining Principal's List have earned all A's or All Outstandings on their report card. These students are: Aleah Crawford, Carmen Crawford, David Gregorio, Christan Kearsey, Ella Frances King, LeeAnn Shearin, Taylor Wells, Aidan Biddle, Steven Coleman, Russell Moore, Jacie Evans, John Adcock, Benjamin Rodwell, Jackson Ross, Raina Mills, Rekila Garcia, Dale Jomo, and Breanna Sikes. Students attaining Honor Roll have earned All A's and B's or All Outstandings and Very Goods on their report card. These students are: Santaija Boyd, Murphy Boncek, Steven Brame, Ivy Groves, Taj Gupton, Landen Shearin, De'Asia Williams, Darius Hicks, Jacy Mills, Daniel Richardson, Shaja Richardson, Kelsey Wester, Michelle Kearney, Devin Moody, Presley Settles, Joshua Carroll, Emily Diacont, Wesley Hawkins, J'son Richardson, Jonathan Campbell, Elijah Kearney, Evynn Richardson, Ashanti Cooper, Angel Hedgepeth, Kiyah Johnson, Naomi Hegge, Nathaniel Knight, Darius Richardson, Kira Carpenter, Hunter Hastings, Samantha Palmer, Zianne Richardson, David Evans, Starlynn Evans, Schana Kearney, Neyamiah Lynch, Da'Markus Williams, Taylor Williams, Samarian Mills, Collin Gilbert, Aniyah Barr, Lashay Taylor, Mariah Skinner, Faith Walters, Brandon Griffin, Jasmine Copeland, Will Skinner, Makayla Richardson, Makayla Williams, Dominecha Crenshaw, Clarence Thompson, Adam Long, Malik Williams, Leontae Francis, and Javia Wilson. Congratulations to these students for their hard work! Keep it up!

March 29, 2010

We can hardly believe it's almost April. As usual, things are rolling along smoothly, but busily, here at Vaughan. On Wednesday night, March 17, our School-wide Spelling Bee winners competed in the County-Wide Spelling Bee. We are so proud of all of our students who competed. Zianne Richardson, a third grader in Mrs. Elkin's class brought home second place honors and Dale Jomo in Mrs. Evans' fifth grade class took first place. Way to go, Eagles!

Last Thursday night, Vaughan hosted its third Family Reading Night of the school year. As usual, it was very well attended. Thank you to all the parents who brought their children out and read with them. Everything you do helps us help your children succeed. Because of repeated requests, a fourth Family Reading Night will be scheduled at some point during the last nine weeks. Please look out for a flyer with the scheduling information to come home some time in April.

Students completed the Spring Fundraiser with The Candy Man at the beginning of March. Thank you to all family, friends and community members for supporting our school and students by ordering products. A special thank you is extended to Kim Rodwell and other PTA members for handling the counting of money and tabulation of order forms. You are appreciated more than you know. The Candy Man returned to our school on Monday, March 29 for “The Main Event.” This is the reward event for students that sold varying levels of product. Students enjoyed all sorts of games, won special prizes and enjoyed the giant slide, the super bounce and the mega obstacle course. We were excited to see over 60 of our students get to ride in a limousine to Burger King for lunch for selling over 30 items during the fundraising event. You all did an outstanding job!

Students are currently out for Spring Break and will return to school on Tuesday, April 6. Our annual Spring Bookfair will begin on that day and continue through Monday, April, 12. The hours the book fair will be open are: each morning from 8:10-8:40 am and each afternoon from 3-4 pm. The bookfair will also be open on Thursday, April 8, from 1-7 pm during parent conferences. Parents, if you have not scheduled a time to come in and meet with your child's teacher, please do so now. It is very important to discuss your child's progress and see if there are any areas of concern. The end of the year is rapidly approaching and now is the time to make sure you know where your child stands in terms needs for promotion or retention. Thank you again for all you do to help us make Vaughan Elementary School a place where students are Valued and Empowered with the skills to Succeed in the 21st Century!

March 15, 2010

March has certainly come in like a lion at Vaughan Elementary School. Things will continue to be very busy for the next couple weeks. Students from our school will be competing in the County-wide Spelling Bee on Wednesday night, March 17, at 6:00 pm. We look forward to our students representing us well in this event.
Next week, Vaughan will hold its last Family Reading Night of this school year on March 25 from 6:00-7:30 pm. Parents, this is a great time to come out and read with your child and then let them take an Accelerated Reader Test.
A snow makeup day is scheduled for March 29. Because this day has been added, March 26 is now a full school day. March 29 will be a half day instead. Students will be out on Spring Break from March 30- April 5. Students will return to school on April 6.
Parents of 4th and 5th grades students, we would like to cordially invite you to our Parent Luncheon to be held on March 24th beginning at 11:00 am. Also, Pre-K parents are invited to a Seek-N-Find/Make It Take Activity at 9:30 am on March 25.
As soon as students return from Spring Break, we will be preparing for Parent Conferences. These are scheduled for April 8th from 1:30-7:00 pm. Our annual Spring Bookfair will coincide with this event. Please come out and take a look at the great books we are offering. All proceeds from the fair go to Vaughan Elementary School. Thank you in advance for your support!

March 1, 2010

Keeping up with our usual pace, things are moving right along here at Vaughan Elementary. We have held several important events at our school over the past few weeks. The first was the “Keep Books” Kick-Off on February 16th. Students in pre-k through grade 2 participated in this event. Students recited a reader's oath, listened to a story and showed off their decorated shoe boxes. First, second and third place ribbons were awarded for each grade level for the best decorated shoe box. The shoe boxes will serve as a storage container for the “Keep Books”. Students will receive a “Keep Book” and read with a buddy each Friday after lunch. This project is the result of a grant written by Mrs. D. R. Foster entitled “It's Mine For Keeps!” The grant was funded by Halifax Electric Membership Corporation through their Bright Ideas Grant program.
Another important event that was held recently was our annual Science Fair which was on Friday, February 19. This year there were over 85 projects displayed in the categories of experiments and demonstrations/models. The projects covered a wide variety of topics. The judges for this year's fair were Mrs. Kay Beaver, Mr. Stan Brothers, Mrs. Carolyn Hawkins, Mr. Gary Holtzmann, and Mrs. Barbara Rowlett. The experiment winners this year were first place, Taylor Williams, “Battery Power”; second place, Brandon Barners, “Electricity from the Garden”; third place, Alize Kuster, “Curious Crystals”; honorable mentrion, Anoglia Richardson, “Best Whitening Toothpaste”. The winners in the demonstration/models category were: first place, Shawn Jordan, “Electricity from Oranges”; second place, Mark Taylor, “Balloon Magic”; third place, Tatiana Harvey, “Naked Egg”; honorable mention, Andrew Hrisanthacoupolos, “Salt Water to Fresh.” Thank you very much to our community members who served as our judges for this event.
On Tuesday night, February 23, we held our annual Black History Program in conjunction with our PTA meeting. Mr. Greg Holmes led our third through fifth grade students in a musical play about the life of Booker T. Washington. The program was absolutely fantastic! We learned that we have some very talented actors/actresses and singers in our school family. A special thanks is extended to Mr. Holmes for all of his hard work on the program. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. That same night, Vaughan held its school-wide spelling bee. There were 12 contestants competing for the title of Best Speller. Coming in in first place was Dale Jomo, second place, Zianne Richardson, third place, Leontae Francis, and 4th place, Rekila Garcia. We are so proud of our super spellers! We look forward to hearing them spell well at the County-wide Spelling Bee on March 18.
This week we have been celebrating Read Across America Week. Each day students have answered Dr. Seuss trivia questions for prizes. This year “Green Eggs and Ham” turned 50! In honor of this, students designed a new cover for the book. These will be judged this week and the winner will have his/her design enlarged into a poster that will be displayed in our school lobby. On Tuesday, March 2, students wore red for Read Every Day and we had some wonderful community members come in to read to our school over our school news program. We thoroughly enjoyed Mrs. Roberta Scott, Mr. Steve Hyman and Mr. Archie Evans sharing a Dr. Seuss book with us. A special thanks is extended to all three of these for taking time out of their busy schedules to come and share with us.
We have numerous reminders that need to be shared with our parents and others in the community about ongoing and future events at Vaughan School We are currently in the midst of a Spring Fundraiser with items from the Candy Man. Order forms are due back on Monday, March 8. . Many of our students are eager to sell thirty items which will allow them to ride in a limo to lunch. Thank you in advance for supporting our school by ordering from our students.
Our last Family Reading Night of the school-year has been rescheduled to March 25. We moved it back one week to allow everyone to be able to support our spellers at the County Spelling Bee on March 18. Because of Snow make-up days, March 26 will now be a regular full day. March 29 will be a snow make-up day and will now be a 1:00 pm dismissal day. Spring Break will begin on March 30. Students will return to school on April 6. Also, an early release has been scheduled for March 11 to allow for Staff Development to occur. Thank you for your cooperation in these changes

February 8, 2010

It's hard to believe it's February already! Things are moving right along here at Vaughan. We all enjoyed our break from school work in the winter wonderland, but are back to work aiming towards our goals Valuing and Empowering Students with the skills to succeed in the 21st century. Even though the weather was not what we had hoped for, we still held our Career Day on Friday, February 5 from 9-11:30 am. We had 19 fields represented by 21 speakers. Miss Comer, our Guidance Counselor did a fabulous job of organizing the event. She wishes to extend a very special thanks to all of those in the community who came out to present, or sent someone to represent their agency. It is because of all of the help we receive from our parents and community memebers that we are able to be so successful at what we do here. Thanks for all you do and all your help!

Our monthly Positive Behaviour Support winners were chosen on Monday, February 8. Students were chosen from a ticket drawing of all students receiving tickets for their positive behavior for the month of January. Winners of $5 cash were : K- Taj Gupton, 1st Grade – Jirera Richardson, 2nd Grade – William Harvey, 3rd Grade – Zianne Richardson, 4th Grade – Montana Reyes. The 5th Grade prize has not been claimed yet. Students keep working on your behavior and you will get more chances to win the cash prize for the next month.

The Light of Character representative for Vaughan for the month of January was Jacy Mills. Jacy was nominated by his classroom teacher, Mrs. Ross for honesty. Jacy can be counted on tell the truth in any situation. Way to go, Jacy!

Tutorials will be starting this week and continue until we begin End-of-Grade tests. Students in need of tutoring will meet with tutors on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 2-2:45 pm. It is especially important to try to plan doctor's appointments and commitments for other times if possible. Parents, thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.

Our grade level Spelling Bees were held on Tuesday, February 9. Winners will be announced next week. Finalists will compete in our School-Wide Spelling Bee to be held after our Black History Month Program and PTA Meeting on February 23. We look forward to seeing you there. Also, our Science Fair will be held next week. Parents, please make sure your child is submitting a project if required to do so by their teachers. This can count a substantial degree to report card grades. Lastly, our Pre-K students have a field trip to the Circus planned for the 25th. We know they will have a grand time taking in all the sites on that day. We know it will be a busy month and are looking forward to all that it will bring!

2nd Nine Weeks Honor Roll

Vaughan Elementary School would like to announce the Principal's List and Honor Roll List for the Second Nine weeks. Students attaining Principal's List were: Aleah Crawford, Carmen Crawford, David Gregorio, Christan Kearsey, Ella Frances King, LeeAnn Shearin, Taylor Wells, Aidan Biddle, Joshua Carroll, Steven Coleman, Jackson Ross, Rekila Garcia, Nathaniel Taylor, Raina Mills, Breanna Sikes, Dale Jomo, and Gibson Morvan.

Students attaining Honor Roll were : Santaija Boyd, De'Asia Williams, Angelina Herwick, Ivy Groves, Landen Shearin, Darius Hicks, Jacy Mills, Angelina Parker, Daniel Richardson, Shaja Richardson, Devin Moody, Presley Settles, Emily Diacont, Wesley Hawkins, Jackson Morvan, J'son Richardson, Elijah Kearney, Evynn Richardson, Russell Moore, Jacie Evans, Faith Evans, Kiyah Johnson, Ben Rodwell, Ashanti Cooper, Nathaniel Knight, Darius Richardson, Starlynn Evans, Angel Harvey, Schana Kearney, Neyamiah Lynch, Taylor Williams, Hunter Hastings, Zianne Richardson, Jasmine Copeland, Brandon Griffin, Will Skinner, Abigail Sarpong, Samarian Mills, Faith Walters, Collin Gilbert, Dominecha Crenshaw, Adam Long, Javia Wilson, Malik Williams, Andrew Hrisanthacopoulas, Makayla Richardson, Mallory Richardson, Tyler Richardson, Chase Vaughan, and Makayla Williams. Congratulations to these students and keep up the great work!

January 25, 2010

Isn't it amazing how fast the school year seems to go by? Parents, you should expect to see your child's report cards this Friday. If you have areas for concern, please talk with your child's teacher to discuss these. The next few weeks will mean many activities for our school. This Thursday night, January 28, Vaughan will host Family Reading Night from 6:00-7:30 pm in the media center. Please come out to read with your child and have them take AR tests. Mrs. Foster will also be making a presentation on Memory Books. We can't wait to learn more about this !

On February 9, Third, Fourth and Fifth grade will be having grade level Spelling Bees. Parents are invited to attend these events. Third grade will begin at 9 am, Fourth Grade will begin at 10 am and Fifth grade will begin at 11 am. The top four spellers from each grade will then compete in the School-wide Spelling Bee which will be held on February 23 after our PTA meeting which starts at 7 pm.

Pre-Kindergarten will be hosting a Valentine's Social on February 11. Parents, please look for notices with more information about this to be coming home soon. Also, our annual Science Fair will be held on February 19. Projects must be brought to school by the morning of February 18th. Also, projects must be brought by personal vehicle and cannot be brought on the bus. If your child has not started their science project, there is no time like the present. We are looking forward to the exciting things that the students will present at that time.

December 14, 2009

Wow! It's almost time for our Winter Break. It just seems that we started our school year and we are now almost at our mid-way point. Things are rolling right along. Recently, our computer lab assistant, Ms. Sherrika Fogg resigned to pursue a career in the private business sector. We will miss Ms. Fogg, and wish her best in her new endeavor. Ms. Latoya Alston who previously was a kindergarten assitant will now be working as our Computer Lab Assistant. To fill Ms. Alston's vacant position, Ms. Nichole Pitchford was hired as our Kindergarten assitant. In addition, Mr. Greg Holmes has been hired as our Music Teacher. We welcome our new staff to the school and Ms. Alston to her new position.

On Friday, December 4, our second and third graders participated in a stay at school field trip with the Morehead Planetarium. The Morehead Planetarium brought their mobile planetarium and set it up in our multi-purpose room. The students thoroughly enjoyed a field trip experience without ever having to set foot off of our campus.

On Tuesday night, December 8, our school held its regularly scheduled PTA meeting. Kindergarten and First Grade Students presented a superb program that included carols and poems. A special thanks is extended to our kindergarten and first grade teachers for working so hard to get this program ready for us.

Wednesday, December 16, our school will host a Parent Luncheon for second and third grade students and their parents. So parents come on out and join your children for lunch. Our Winter break will begin on December 18 at 1 pm. Students will return to school on January 6. Please enjoy a safe and restful break.

November 23, 2009

The school year is rolling right along and Winter Break is just around the corner. Last week there were lots of activities here at Vaughan. On last Monday, Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Watson and the Pre-Kindergarten students hosted Doughnuts with Dad. Our Pre-K Dads came out to enjoy breakfast and enjoy a short program as well as learn a little of what our school day is like for our youngest students. Not to be left out, Pre-K Moms came out for Muffins with Mom on last Tuesday. We really enjoyed having you here to be with your children.

On Monday, November 23, our Kindergarten and First Grade students hosted a Parent Luncheon. This is a time set aside for parents to come out and enjoy a meal with their children. Those who came out really enjoyed the chance to enjoy some relaxed time with their children at school. Thanks for all you do for your children and for Vaughan Elementary.

Please don't forget that Wednesday is an early release day. Students will be released at 1:00 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. There will be no school on Thursday or Friday.

Beginning Wednesday of next week, our school will have the Fall Bookfair in the Media Center. It will be open each day from 8:00-8:30 am and 3:00-4:00 pm in the evenings. We will be holding a special family event on Tuesday, December 8th just prior to our December PTA meeting. Come out a little early to look through all the wonderful titles we have and work on your Christmas list. The PTA meeting will begin at 7 pm and our Kindergartend and First Grade students will be presenting a musical program. Don't forget the Heart of Carolina Food Drive is going on at Vaughan now through December 16. Please send non-perishables to help need families. All donations will stay here in Warren County.

November 2, 2009

It's hard to believe it is the beginning of November already. Things are progressing quickly, but well at our school. We held our annual Fall Festival last Thursday evening and it was a smashing success! There are so many community businesses that donated to our festival, and we cannot tell you enough how much we appreciate all that you have given to make our event successful. Parents, many of you donated items as well or came to help set up, run games or help us clean up and we certainly appreciate your help as well. Thanks for all the ways that you help us here, at events like this and by working with your children to ensure that Vaughan Elementary is successful in all ways!

This week we will be holding Fall Parent Conferences. If you have not yet signed up for a time to meet with your child's teacher, please do so. Ongoing communication with your child's teacher is vitally important in your child's academic success. Due to these conferences, school will be dismissed at 1 PM on both Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6. Please make arrangements for your children on these days.

Next Wednesday, November 11, is the Veteran's Day Holiday and there is no school on this day. Also,
Next Thursday, November 12, will now be an early dismissal day to allow for county-wide Staff Development. Please make arrangements for your children for these days as well.

Next Thursday evening, November 12, at 6:30 PM, Mrs. Bender will be presenting an informational session for students and parents on how to prepare for Science Fair Projects. At this workshop, Mrs. Bender will discuss how to choose a successful science fair project, how to complete it and then set up display boards correctly. Since our Science Fair is held in February, this is a great time to get this information and get started helping your child plan his/her project.