Rock Hill Schools News For September 11, 2010

Patti Tate, an English teacher at Northwestern High School, was named The Rock Hill School District Teacher of the Year for 2010-11. The school sent a phone message to all on the Northwestern phone system on Thursday night and Principal James Blake introduced Patti and the news at half-time of the Northwestern Football Game, also on Thursday night. Named as Honor Roll teachers (top two finalists) were Bud Cope, a social studies teacher at Dutchman Creek Middle School, and Lynn Bogan, a math teacher at Rock Hill High School.

At a special presentation Friday morning at Northwestern High School in front of the student body, Patti received the keys to a new 2010 Honda Accord, compliments of Honda Cars of Rock Hill. The car, which is a one-year gift to the district, will rotate among Patti, Bud, Lynn, Tim Davis (Saluda Trail Middle School Teacher of the Year), Tammy Harrelson (Applied Technology Center Teacher of the Year), and Melissa Shaffer (Finley Road Elementary School Teacher of the Year), school-level Teachers of the Year whose names were selected through a random drawing at the awards ceremony.

Angela Clark, an art teacher at Saluda Trail Middle School, was named as the Beginning Teacher of the Year for 2009-2010. 

Julia Marshall, the retiring District Teacher of The Year gave a very inspiring talk during the ceremony. Julia, who is heading up the "Grassroots Teacher Network" has these comments:

• Educators make up the single biggest group in the state, but are the most silent.
• We all feel like we've been through hard times with budgets this year, but next year is going to be much worse.
• Teaching is a mission and we all have a passion for this or we wouldn't be doing it.

Julia was one of the finalists for the state teacher of the year.

Noteworthy:

• James Daigle (Ebenezer Avenue Elementary School), Stacey Lewis (Northside Elementary School), Wilson Mew (Saluda Trail Middle School), and Michael Belk (South Pointe High School) on their selection by the S.C. Council for the Social Studies as "Palmetto Teachers of Excellence." They will be recognized on Oct. 23 at a state conference and then on Oct. 25 by the Rock Hill School Board.
• Judy Lambert and Jenny Parrish  recently received a "Certificate of Appreciation" at the 2010 SCETV DES Conference for their excellence and dedication in providing instructional resources and services to K-12 students and staff in Rock Hill  Schools. 
• Rock Hill High will host its first Basketball sponsored Golf Tournament on Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Waterford Golf Course. For more information or to sign up, please contact Eric Rollings at 803.981-1344 or 704.622-2120.
• Superintendent Moody's first "Community Chat" this year will be held on Thursday morning, Sept. 23, at Castle Heights Middle School from 8:30-10:00. This chat, as well as four others this year, will be open to anyone who wishes to talk about Rock Hill Schools.
• SAT scores will be released state-wide on Monday, September 13.
• The American Cancer Society 2010 Relay for Life of York East will hold its relay celebration and awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 20, in the media center at Castle Heights Middle School.