Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd, along with Associate Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood, announced Wilkes County Schools’ Beginning Teacher of the Year for the 2020-2021 school year. The North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT) recently announced the development of the first annual NCCAT Beginning Teacher of the Year Award. This process was developed to honor beginning teachers and retain potential excellent teachers in North Carolina Public Schools. Each school district chooses a nominee who will then advance to compete for regional winner. Nominees must have been employed by Wilkes County Schools in a full time teaching position for the full 2019-2020 school year as a first-year teacher and must be employed with Wilkes County Schools for the 2020-2021 school year as their second year of teaching. Nominees must also demonstrate success in the classroom according to the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards. Candidates can be nominated by principals, assistant principals, central office directors, instructional specialists, or superintendents.

Wilkes County Schools is pleased to announce that our 2020-2021 Beginning Teacher of the Year is Ms. Alexandra Allen. Ms. Allen is a seventh grade science and social studies teacher at North Wilkes Middle School. Her principal, Mrs. Heather Freeman, stated about Alexandra, “Ms. Allen is an outstanding teacher who has a gift of making students, parents, and colleagues feel at ease. By maintaining high expectations and instilling belief in her students about what they can accomplish, she nurtures amazing relationships with her students. She reflects on how things are going in the classroom and then seeks to find ways to make them better and more efficient. She is accessible and approachable to her students and truly has a desire to see them succeed. Not to mention, she drives over 80 miles daily from Banner Elk to teach our students in Wilkes County. She is truly one of the best!”

Superintendent Mr. Mark Byrd, along with Associate Superintendent Dr. Westley Wood, recognized our school nurses. School nursing, a specialized practice of nursing, protects and promotes student health, facilitates optimal development, and advances academic success. School nurses are the leaders who bridge health care and education, provide care coordination, advocate for student-centered care, and collaborate to design support systems that allow individuals and communities to develop their full potential. It is with great pleasure that we recognize our extraordinary team of school nurses tonight. Together, this group of ten represents over 200 years of medical knowledge and expertise. We are very fortunate to have them leading the health and wellness efforts in our schools under normal circumstances, but are reminded daily of their contributions and service during this unprecedented global pandemic.

• Paying attention (alert, tracking with their eyes)
• Taking notes (particularly Cornell notes)
• Listening (as opposed to chatting or sleeping)
• Asking questions (content-related or in a game, like 21 questions or I-Spy)
• Responding to questions (whole group, small group, four corners, Socratic Seminar)
• Following requests (participating, storytelling, Simon Says)
• Reacting (laughing, shouting, etc.)

• Reading critically (with pen in hand)
• Writing to learn, creating, planning, problem-solving, discussing, debating, and asking questions
• Performing/presenting, inquiring, exploring, explaining, evaluating, and experimenting
• Interacting with other students, gesturing, and moving
• Doing any of the above individually or in small groups

• Student’s life circumstances have changed
• Students are dealing with stress and trauma
• The content isn’t accessible
• Students need more structure and support
• Teacher expectations for engagement have not changed

• Engagement Protocol
• Social-Emotional Check-in
• Individual Zoom meetings
• Team meetings
• How-to videos
• Positive encouragement
• Detailed feedback
• Personalized Pathways
• Paper assignments if needed
• Building relationships
• Teacher professional development 
• Mentor support
• Providing materials/supplies
• Allowing alternate assignments

Resignation(s) and/or Retirement(s)

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Donna Cotton presented the Memorandum of Agreement with Wilkes Community College and the Wilkes Early College High School. Wilkes County Schools and Wilkes Community College have a strong partnership in the support of Wilkes Early College High School. This program is offered to rising ninth graders from our four traditional high schools. This agreement was submitted for discussion if needed to set the parameters of the responsibilities for this program.

• November 3, 2020 – Remote Student Learning/Required Teacher Workday
• November 11, 2020 – Veteran's Day Holiday
• November 17, 2020 – Early Dismissal (Elementary 12:30 PM; Middle/High 1:00 PM)
• November 23-24, 2020 – Optional Workdays
• November 25, 2020 – Annual Leave
• November 26-27, 2020 – Thanksgiving Holiday