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Bonnie Smith Named Principal of the Year

February 20, 2023 BOONE, NC — Valle Crucis School Principal Dr. Bonnie Smith has been named Watauga County Schools 2023-24 Principal of the Year. Smith was presented the award by a group of family, peers and Watauga County Schools staff in a surprise visit to her school February 20. Smith said she was honored to have been recognized by Watauga County’s other school principals across the district with the award.

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Board of Education Meets For Regular Business, Awards and Updates

February 15, 2023 The Watauga County Board of Education held an open meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at their main office on Pioneer Drive. Superintendent Scott Eilliot, Vice-Superintendent Steve Combs, and board members Gary Childers, Jason Cornette and Marshall Ashcraft were in attendance. Elliot started the meeting by praising the transportation department of Watauga County Schools for checking the roads throughout the previous night after snow and ice fell in some parts of the county. By Zack Hill

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Laurie Gill: Days in the Life of a Teacher

February 10, 2023 The High Country of Western North Carolina is blessed to have some of the nation’s greatest
teaching professionals, in no small part because it’s just a great place to live, work, and raise a
family, as most instructors will readily affirm. While local teaching positions are eagerly sought
after, it’s evident that many applicants are willing to move from far away locations to enjoy the
benefits of mountain living. By Peter Morris

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School Superintendent Honors Avery Board of Education Members

January 25, 2023 School Superintendent Dr. Dan Brigman honoring board members for School Board Appreciation month and discussion of proper protocol about filling a current vacancy on the board were the primary topics during the regular monthly meeting of the Avery County Board of Education on Tuesday, January 10. By Tim Gardner

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Grandfather Mountain’s Eco Watch Expands Across Avery County

December 9, 2022 LINVILLE, N.C. – Fifth-graders in public schools across Avery County are receiving a mountain adventure right in their own classrooms and schoolyards thanks to the Eco Watch educational outreach program offered by Grandfather Mountain, the not-for-profit nature preserve run by the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. The program provides educational enrichment in line with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for fifth-graders. After an initial pilot at Banner Elk Elementary School last academic year, where student knowledge of related science concepts increased from a pre-program assessment average of 72 percent to a post-assessment average of 86 percent, the program has been expanded to four out of the five elementary schools within Avery County’s public school system.

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WCS Expands Mental Health Services for Students with Mental Health Specialist Role

November 21, 2022  BOONE, NC — Conversations about school and student safety are often centered around physical measures — barriers, background checks and response plans, and while those elements serve a crucial role — for the Watauga County Schools Student Services Staff, a student’s mental health and well-being is the foundational element of school safety and student success.

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Watauga County School System Bids Farewell to Social Worker and Community Advocate, Denise Presnell

October 31, 2022 Two days prior to her departure as social worker for Watauga County Schools, Denise Presnell was honored by Watauga County Schools for nearly three decades of dedicated service. An impressive crowd of faculty, staff, school board members and friends came together at the Margaret E. Gragg Education Center in Boone on Wednesday, Oct. 26, to offer their gratitude to Presnell for all she has done for countless children, families and colleagues in the school system and community, as well as to express their best wishes for her next journey. By Sherrie Norris

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Daniel Boone Forum Event at Appalachian Theatre

October 19, 2022  An evening of presentations about Daniel Boone will be presented at the downtown Appalachian Theatre on Wednesday, October 26, starting at 7:00 p.m. as the Boone 150 Celebration continues. The Town of Boone gets its namesake from Daniel Boone, and this free-to-the-public event will feature three scholars discussing various aspects of Boone – Robert Alvin Crum, Randell Jones, and Dr. Jerry Williamson.

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LETTERS / Is Newsela a Trojan Horse? You Decide

September 9, 2022 Letters to the Editor. By TERRY OLDHAM / After reading Jay Fenwick’s response to Mark Murphy, I remained curious with regards to his endorsement of Newsela, the teaching supplement purchased by the Watauga Board of Education. I was neither for nor against Newsela and expected in advance to find both positive and negative aspects. Here’s what I found…

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LETTERS / Educational Issues to be Addressed at the September 12th Meeting of the Watauga Board of Education

September 9, 2022 Letters to the Editor. BY MARK A. MURPHY PhD, JD / In my prior Letters to the Editor of the High Country Press (on August 10, 22, and 30th) I raised very serious and specific concerns, and supporting factual information, about the “woke political indoctrination” and associated “woke” teaching methods that have occurred and are still occurring in the Watauga Public Schools.  In my August 30 letter, I stated my intent to formally submit a request to the Watauga Board of Education for an Agenda item for their September 12, 2022 meeting.  I did formally submit a request for a 10-minute Agenda item at that meeting, to discuss the factual evidence I have collected that supports my concerns.

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LETTERS/ Re: Published Response from Mr. Jay Fenwick on August 22nd, 2022

August 30, 2022 Letters to the Editor. BY MARK A MURPHY PhD, JD / In two prior Letters to the Editor of High Country Press (on August 10 and August 22), I raised serious and specific concerns about the “woke” educational materials and methods currently being used in the Watauga County Schools.  I described many specific facts to support my specific concerns, but I neither named or criticized anyone personally.

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A bright finish for Team Sunergy: App State solar vehicle team takes second place in the 2022 American Solar Challenge

August 23, 2022 Appalachian State University’s student-run solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy, overcame several obstacles in the 2022 American Solar Challenge (ASC) — including brake and electrical issues — to secure a second-place finish in the competition’s multi-occupant vehicle (MOV) category. The team completed 1,549 miles over the eight-day road race across the historic Oregon Trail and took home the event’s Electrical Design Award for the second year in a row.   By J. Todd Coates and Kyla Willoughby

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New Semester, New Home: 6,100 Students Move Into App State Residence Halls

August 23, 2022 Familiar sights are abundant during move-in week on the Appalachian State University campus: Moms and dads lugging books and minifridges; siblings cramming comforters through doorways; and new and returning Mountaineers making sure to bring the essentials — snacks. Move-in for most App State students living on campus for the fall 2022 semester took place Aug. 16 through 18, with approximately 6,100 students moving into 18 residence halls on campus  By Tracy Tilley

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LETTERS / New “Woke” Teaching Methods in the Watauga County Schools

August 22, 2022 Letters to the Editor. BY Mark A. Murphy PhD, JD / The Pandemic lockdowns and masking caused physical and emotional harm to everyone, including Watauga County School students. During the Pandemic, the NC State Board of Education, NC Department of Public Instruction, and Watauga County Board of Education quietly initiated new training programs to support “woke” teaching methods and materials based on “Social Emotional Learning” (“SEL”).    The parents of Watauga County K-12 students need to understand “woke” indoctrination is being administered under the guise of Pandemic recovery.

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2022 Avery County A&H Fair Runs Wednesday, September 7 through Saturday, September 10 at Newland’s Heritage Park

August 8, 2022 It’s almost time for one of Avery County and the High Country’s most anticipated yearly events– the Avery County Agricultural and Horticultural (A & H) Fair. Thanks to the collaboration of the Avery County Government and the community members who volunteer to operate it, this year’s Avery A&H Fair will run from Wednesday, September 7 through Saturday, September 10.  It will be the fourth year that it will be hosted on the Heritage Park property since the completion of the county’s agriculture building on the site. Heritage Park is located at 661 Vale Road in Newland, which is approximately one-half mile behind the Ingles Markets Grocery Store. By Tim Gardner

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Avery County Schools to Open 2022-23 Academic Year for Students on Monday, August 15

August 5, 2022 Approximately 1,900 students will head back to classes in Avery County Public Schools on Monday, August 15, to open the 2022-23 academic year. That first day of school will run the entire day. “We are very excited to welcome all staff and students back for the new academic year.  A lot of preparation (by school officials, teachers and other employees) has taken place this summer in hopes of making the 2022-23 academic and sports year the best school year ever in Avery County,” said Schools Superintendent Dr. Dan Brigman, who was hired to the post by the then Avery Board of Education members in 2019. By Tim Gardner

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Watauga Virtual Academy Aims to Increase Flexibility in Coming School Year

July 28, 2022 Watauga County School’s online public school, the Watauga Virtual Academy, is working this summer to prepare programs aimed at increasing flexibility and options for students and families in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade across the county. This fall, the WVA will offer K-8 homeschooled students the opportunity to attend part of their school day at the virtual academy. WCS has offered a similar program to high school students for the last several years which allows dual-enrolled students to take part in athletics, clubs and extracurricular activities at Watauga High School.

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Back 2 School Festival Announces Schedule for 10th Annual Event

July 13, 2022 [Boone, NC] – The 10th annual Back 2 School Festival will be held on Saturday, August 13 at Watauga High School. As in the past couple of years, each school will be assigned its own time for students to come pick up supplies. The schedule for the 2022 event is as follows:
8:30 am – Valle Crucis/Cove Creek/Watauga Virtual Academy
10:00 am – Parkway/Mabel/Bethel
11:30 am – Green Valley/Two Rivers/Home school
1:30 pm – Hardin Park/Blowing Rock
3:00 pm – Watauga High

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Appalachian State to Open Lab School at Elkin Elementary; University will be Only UNC System Institution to Operate Two Lab School Programs

January 10, 2022 Appalachian State University is partnering with Elkin City Schools to open the university’s second laboratory school aimed at enhancing student education, improving outcomes and providing high-quality teacher and principal training. Under the plan — which was developed in collaboration with Elkin City Schools leaders and approved by the Elkin City Schools Board of Education on Dec. 13 — a lab school will open at Elkin Elementary School in August 2022. The “school-within-a-school” model will serve approximately 100 students in second through fourth grades. The lab school will be one of nine in the state as part of the University of North Carolina System Lab School initiative, which was established by the N.C. General Assembly in 2016 to improve student performance and provide real-world experience for the preparation of future teachers and school administrators. The Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork opened in Walkertown in 2018 in partnership with Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. With the opening of the Elkin lab school, App State will be the only UNC System institution to operate two lab school programs.

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Cove Creek Teacher Assistant Alisa Watson Presented the Servant’s Heart Award

December 16, 2021. Cove Creek School Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant Alisa Watson was presented the Watauga County Schools Servant’s Heart Award by the Board of Education at its monthly meeting held Dec. 13. The Servant’s Heart award is the highest recognition the school board can bestow on teachers, staff and community members who go above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the school system. Watson was nominated by Cove Creek kindergarten teacher Patti Hensly who has worked with Watson in the classroom since she came to the school 12 years ago. Hensly lauded Watson for her work ethic and dedication. “I have worked with Ms. Alisa for 12 years now at Cove Creek, and she is one of the hardest working people I have met during my 30 years in Watauga County Schools,” Hensly said. “I’m sure she hasn’t been out of work more than I could count on one hand in those 12 years.”

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Watauga High School Students Prepare Firewood for Families in Need

November 22, 2021. Members of Watauga High School’s Interact Club spent last weekend working to split, stack and deliver firewood to families in need of heating fuel for the coming winter. The group partnered with members of Boone United Methodist Church’s Firewood Ministry to complete the day of service. Susan Irving, a business and marketing teacher at WHS who acts as the club’s advisor, said the Interact Club is a Boone Sunrise Rotary-partnered organization with 40 student members that works on two service projects each month, one that benefits their school community and one that helps the community at large. Irving said student officers in the club select a project each month that others can volunteer to participate in. For this month’s project, the Interact Club’s Social Media Manager Anna Grace Anderson chose to collaborate with the BUMC Firewood Ministry. 

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Watauga County Schools Receives Grant to Establish Calm Corners

November 19, 2021. Watauga County Schools has received a $12,000 grant from the Watauga Substance Action and Prevention Coalition to establish Calm Corners in classrooms across the district as part of the WCS Compassionate Schools Initiative. According to Watauga County Schools Prevention Counselor Candis Walker, a Calm Corner is a space in a classroom or office where students take themselves to help regulate emotions and get their brains ready for learning. Watauga County Schools utilizes the spaces in certain classrooms across the county, but Walker said the grant would go a long way to further the effort to establish Calm Corners in more schools. Denise Presnell, a social worker at Hardin Park School, said Calm Corners had been shown to reduce negative interactions between teachers and students, improve peer relations between students, keep students in the classroom where they do not miss out on instructional contentment and peer interactions and to reduce office referrals.

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