Paisley Magnet School students are getting their news from a trusted source - their fellow classmates. Members of the student news team get to work early every morning, producing a new show before class starts that highlights current events around the school. Magnet Coordinator Erin Knapp says students in the program have come out of their shells since they got started and have discovered a love for journalism. The school's International Baccalaureate magnet program encourages students to be confident and inquisitive, so she says it's encouraging to see students taking initiative in a thoughtful pursuit they've discovered at school.
"The whole point of the IB program is to empower students to go out and learn things that matter to them," Knapp said. "It's great to see them take ownership and be really proud of the work they're doing."
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John F. Kennedy High School Health Science students got real-world practice for careers in the medical field recently when they ran their very first Red Cross blood drive. With the support of both student volunteers and donors, the team collected 29 units of blood, nearly doubling their original goal. Health Science Teacher Shalinda Witcher says that a single unit of blood can save up to three lives, making this work valuable as a community service as well as a career preparation exercise.
"Students put their classroom knowledge into action while making a big impact in our community," Witcher said. "John F. Kennedy High School continues to support our mission of preparing future healthcare professionals. "
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Whitaker Elementary School students are learning to read together through the school’s Nest program. Each Nest consists of students across different grade levels who meet on a regular basis to read books together, allowing younger students to learn reading from their classmates. Each Nest has a name based on community values and a color its members all wear for special occasions, which helps build a sense of team spirit within the Nest.
Kindergarten Teacher Jessica Perez says the Nests make a big difference to her kindergartners, who are new to Whitaker and still settling into the school’s culture. Not only are they building reading skills, but making friends with older kids and finding positive role models. The program gives them a chance to feel more at home in their school.
“They’re able to connect to someone older than them, and that’s special for them,” Perez said. “They come in every day and ask if they get to do book buddies with their Nest today. It’s a lot to look forward to.”
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The Twin City Development Foundation presented the WS/FCS Board of Education with a $400,000 emergency contribution earmarked for debt repayment during their latest meeting. Foundation leaders said assisting the district in its time of financial need is essential to preserving public education for years to come. Foundation Board Chair Robert Clark called on other private foundations in the area to join them in supporting local students.
“This is a moment that calls for leadership and collective action,” Clark said. “For the future of our children and our entire community, we must all lend a hand.”
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Clemmons Middle School students watched a line of boxed food dominos 2,915 pieces long fall on Friday as they celebrated a massively successful boxed food drive. Learn more on our website at https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/article/2481632.
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Dozens of WS/FCS students recently took a trip to Allen Industries in Greensboro as part of the International Sign Association's Sign MFG Day. Students toured Allen's sign manufacturing facilities and learned about the high-skill, high-pay, high-demand jobs available to them in the sign, graphics, and visual communications industry. WS/FCS supports career and technical education on numerous campuses to help students explore career paths that will enrich both themselves and their communities with impactful skills.
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WinstonNet and AT&T teamed up to donate 120 Chromebooks and backpacks to Flat Rock Middle School on Monday morning. Just in time for National Digital Inclusion Week, this project will allow dozens of Flat Rock students who lack internet-enabled productivity devices at home to work and learn with help from modern technology. Working in online spaces has become increasingly important to students' long-term success, and Flat Rock staff and families are grateful to the community partners who stepped up to help their students close the digital divide.
"Having a computer at home is not as common as you would think. For much of our population here, internet access comes mostly through phones, which doesn't always serve a greater purpose," said Dr. Jamal Crawford, principal of Flat Rock Middle School. "It's good to know that for these students, life is going to be a little bit easier."
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Happy Halloween from the Southwest Elementary School POPS program!
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WS/FCS students are getting excited for the Carolina Classic Fair after visits from Cowboy Danny at the Downtown School and Megamorph the Transforming Car at Speas Global Elementary School. Opening Night is this Friday. See you at the Fairgrounds!
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Honors and IB theater arts students at Parkland High School recently put their talents to work at Easton Elementary School. They read books and played interactive games with kindergarten students in their classrooms. They performed anti-bullying scenes for third, fourth and fifth-grade classes and talked afterwards to help them process the lessons. We're always proud to see our high schoolers investing time in their underclassmen!
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Artists from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ ArtistCorps program kicked off their partnership with Flat Rock Middle School on Tuesday morning. Flat Rock eighth graders will spend the next few weeks working with these artists to learn every aspect of putting on a stage production, from acting to writing to music to prop design. ArtistCorps places artists in schools all over the county to help students develop a lifelong love of the arts, but this will be the first program of its kind in a WS/FCS middle school, and the instructors are looking forward to showing students how rewarding practicing performing arts can be.
"I hope that they'll keep an open mind and be willing to try new things," said Salomé Ayers Sánchez from ArtistCorps. "I hope we can help them find a lifelong passion for the performing arts."
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Students at Reynolds High School, Mount Tabor High School and North Hills Elementary School all celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month last week through dance performances. Dance is a key expression of Hispanic culture, and last week's celebrations brought hundreds of students and families together to appreciate the beauty of diversity. Student Government Vice President Sally Alcantara, who organized the celebration at Reynolds, says that events like these instill joy and pride in the school's Hispanic community and remind them that they are welcome and wanted in their schools.
"As children of Hispanic descent, it's important that we celebrate our culture," she said. "It makes us who we are."
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WS/FCS welcomed families to the School-Based Mental Health Fair last week to discuss mental health services available in schools. The district has dedicated mental health service providers on every campus, and most of those providers had booths at the fair where they could answer questions and get to know their communities better. WS/FCS Mental Health Clinician Keisha Horton says that the district has plenty of resources for students who are struggling, and events like this are an important opportunity to make those resources more visible.
"We're just trying to make sure that parents know that every school is covered, because a lot of them don't know what's available," Horton said. "Our kids are going through a lot right now, and it takes a village to make sure we're taking care of them all."
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Thanks to generous financial support from Outride, Flat Rock Middle School was able to surprise students on Thursday with 28 bikes that they'll get to use in their PE classes. Outride's Riding for Focus curriculum leads students in a multi-week bike riding unit that promotes physical wellness, emotional regulation, and improved academic performance through cycling. Riding bikes has become less common among young people over the years, so staff are looking forward to introducing students to the joys of cycling.
"Many of our students know how to ride a bike, but many of them don't," said Dr. Jamal Crawford, the principal of Flat Rock Middle School. "Especially in middle school, the more and more varied opportunities for physical activity they have, the better."
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Speas Global Elementary School kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month with their annual parade on Thursday morning. Students represented Spanish-speaking countries around the world through costume as part of their "Who We Are" unit on world cultures. Many teachers and students at the school come from these countries, and bringing the whole community together to honor their diversity is one of the highlights of Speas' school year.
"Our Hispanic community does a lot to elevate our school culture," said Magnet Coordinator Micaela Bermudez. "We're a very diverse school, and that's something we should celebrate."
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Moore Magnet Elementary School students are getting the latest news around their school from a source they can trust – their own classmates. Learn more on our website at https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/article/2425901.
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The Southwest Elementary School P.O.P.S. program enlisted dads and other male caregivers to greet car riders on their way into school on Friday morning. The P.O.P.S. will be back once a month to offer a high five and a smile on the way into school and make sure students start their day off on a positive note. Volunteer Tim Gribble says that this is one of many ways that the program seeks to give every student a positive adult male presence in their life. A hello and a high five may seem like a small gesture, but it can make a world of difference for the kids to know the men in their community care about them.
"We want our kids to be able to see dads stepping up," Gribble said. "The biggest thing is just being present... hopefully, we can bring them a smile."
Kimberley Park staff are spending their Monday preparing for the new school year in style with their Harlem Nights event! Learn more on our website at https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/article/2337667.
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The WS/FCS Educator Warehouse will once again open its doors for teachers in need of school supplies starting July 31. Learn more on our website at https://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/article/2331458.
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New Teacher Orientation is underway, and WS/FCS leaders welcomed new teachers with a parade in their honor at Mount Tabor High School. About 350 people were involved in the annual tradition this year, including principals, central office staff, and even the school's band with an energizing morning performance. The 2025-26 school year is just over two weeks away, and we can't wait to see the great work these educators will do with our students. Welcome to WS/FCS!
