The Lightning Thief

Ms. Bells class read The Lightning Thief and researched the mythical characters referred to in the book. As a culminating activity, they appeared in character in a living museum.

Our New Dog

We got a new dog at Christmas. Her name is Ruby and she is a Basset Hound/Beagle mix. She loves to eat and go for walks. She tries to convey a tough persona, but is actually terrified of most animals, especially my neighbors 15 year old cat.

Chinese/Vietnamese New Year Parade

Our second graders treated us to a wonderful display of pageantry and culture in honoring the Chinese and Vietnamese New Year.

Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro National Magnet School of Excellence Awards!

For the Fourth Consecutive Year, J.Y. Joyner has been recognized by Magnet Schools of America as a National Magnet School of Excellence, making us one of only three schools in the nation to win this award each of the last four years. Congratulations Joyner!

Finally a Return to my Blog

After a long absence and a bout with some very determined hackers, I am back up again! Look for lots of new posts!

Jan. 13th is an Early Release Day

This is a reminder that school will dismiss at 12:30 pm on Friday Jan. 13th and will be closed on Monday, Jan. 16th for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy 2012!

The New Year has brought a new face to J.Y. Joyner. Phyllis Moore will be coming to us from East Wake Middle School to teach music. Ms. Moore is National Board Certified and has over a dozen years of experience as a band and chorus teacher.

Welcome Kim Thompson!!!

Please join me in welcoming Kim Thompson, our new Kindergarten teacher. Ms. Thompson comes to us from the Nash-Rocky Mount School System where she has been teaching for the past three years. We are very excited to have her join our kindergarten team.

International Parade

Our International Parade is something that our students look forward to every year. Our Spanish Team puts a lot of work into laying out the costumes, the parade order and the parade route. It is a favorite of students and staff.

Veterans Day in Boston

My family and I spent Veterans Day weekend in Boston. It is one of the most beautiful and historic cities in the United States and one of my favorites.

We had a great time at Harvard!

We visited the Old North Church and heard the "inside" story of the ride of Paul Revere.

On Salem Street, in the Old North End, we stumbled upon the MOST AMAZING Italian Bakery (Bova's)

We also visited the site of Boston Latin School, America's First Organized School, whose graduates included four signers of the Declaration of Independence, including Benjamin Franklin.

The highlight of our trip was seeing Melissa McLaughlin, a former Joyner teacher who now teaches in the Boston area. We really miss her!

Congratulations to Debra Pitt

Mrs. Pitt was recognized recently as an Office Max National "Day Made Better" Teacher. The award was presented at the North Carolina Farmer's Market as part of a Field Trip her children were attending (She was VERY SURPRISED!) Ms. Pitt is an outstanding teacher and every day with her is a "Day Made Better!"

Congratulations to Anita Cardona!!! JYJ Teacher of the Year

Ms. Cardona was selected from Five Finalists as our Teacher of the Year. She is a technology leader in our school and our system and does a tremendous job in using technology to support her classroom. Under her leadership, our Spanish classrooms have conducted classes in conjunction with sister classrooms in Honduras via Skype. She serves as a Promethean Leader and teams with Sadie Hoover to lead the Wake County Promethean Users Group.