School Board Meeting 4-4-00
Superintendent’s Report

This evening I’m pleased to report that once again, students and staff in Virginia Beach schools continue to achieve in a variety of ways, all of them impressive. The array of accomplishments is astounding, and is further evidence that our school division is on the right track.

Let me start by congratulating two student athletes: Chris S. of Cox High School placed third in the 140-pound division at the High School Nation of Wrestling tournament held the weekend of March 25 and 26 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Chris, a senior, won the Group triple A state title this year in the 145-pound weight class. Carl H., also of Cox, placed sixth in the 152-pound division. Well done!

Congratulations also to Dr. Gwendolyn Holmes, secondary coordinator for health and physical education, who recently attended the National Conference for the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) held in Orlando, Florida, in March. While attending the conference, Dr. Holmes presided over the Healthy People 2010 session and served as a delegate for the Southern District AAHPERD. As a voting member of the Representative Assembly, she contributed to the selection of the governing cabinet and has also been nominated to serve as Vice President for the Health Division of the Virginia Alliance for Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance for the coming year.

Virginia Beach students did very well in the state triple A forensics competition held the weekend of March 25 and 26. Salem High School’s Janeine B. was named the state champion in Prose Interpretation; Justin A., a senior from Ocean Lakes, received a first place in Spelling; Princess Anne’s Samantha B. received first place in Extemporaneous Speaking: Domestic Affairs; and Cleo R. from Bayside High School who received a first place in Storytelling. Congratulations to all these talented young people.

Our students also did very well in the Lee-Jackson Essay competition for Region II which encompasses school divisions in Hampton Roads. Of the 42 submissions from across the region, two Virginia Beach high school students were selected to be among the four entries that will represent the region at the state level of the competition. They are Courtney B. from Ocean Lakes and Michael P. from Tallwood. Our congratulations and best wishes for success in the state competition.

Ray J., an eighth-grader from Bayside Middle School won first place in this year’s Virginia Opera Poster Art Competition with his pencil-drawn depiction of a woman in red crying into a fan. For his efforts, Ray won $100 and a trip to the Harrison Opera House to receive the award and attend several operas. Seven other students from the school also won awards: Loreto B., Ashley C., Lisa C., Moises M., Elizabeth D., and Eric P. Congratulations to these award-winning student artists and to their art teacher, Susan Carden. Winning artwork is on display at the Harrison Opera House through May 22.

Another winner is Amanda W., a student in Dan Stringent’s fourth grade class at Point O’ View Elementary School. She has been chosen as a "Millennium Dreamer" in a competition sponsored by Walt Disney World and McDonald’s Corporation. Mr. Stringent nominated Amanda for the award because of her hard work as an after-school volunteer at Point O’View. Amanda was awarded an all-expenses paid trip to Disney World where she and her mother will attend the awards ceremony. Point O’ View is "panther proud" of Amanda, and so are we!

On Saturday, March 18^th, more than 400 fifth-grade students participated in the 2000 Virginia Beach All-City Chorus. The students were divided into two groups, the Colonial Chorus which was conducted by Karen Gloser who is the founder and director of the Commonwealth Community Children’s Chorus; and the Dominion Chorus, directed by Sheila McWaters-Wilkes, the choral director at Bayside High School. Congratulations to all these talented students, each of whom auditioned for the privilege of performing. And congratulations to their talented music teachers.

Congratulations to Anne H., a junior at Princess Anne High School, who recently took first place in the instrumental division of the Bland Music Scholarship competition in Virginia Beach. Anne, a violinist, performed Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor for Violin, Opus 64. As a sidenote, Anne’s sister Esther won this same competition two years ago and subsequently won the state final competition and a $2,000 scholarship as well. Congratulations Anne, and good luck in the state competition.

Congratulations also to Abigail R., a sophomore at Tallwood High School and the Governor’s School for the Arts, who took second place in the vocal division of this same competition.

Members of the School Board, that concludes the superintendent’s report.