Jack Britt educator named NC Virtual Teacher of the Year
Angela Haynes, an English teacher at Jack Britt High School, has been named the 2022 NC Virtual Teacher of the Year.
The North Carolina Virtual Public School made the announcement earlier this month.
Haynes, who has been an educator for 26 years, is a national board-certified teacher and serves as the blended English III course lead for North Carolina Virtual Public School, Cumberland County Schools said in a release.
"My mother always told me to find something I loved doing, and if I could get paid to do this, all the better. This is how I feel about teaching," Haynes said.
Haynes, who has been with the school system since 2003, has been at Jack Britt for nine years in August, the school system said.
As the NC Virtual Teacher of the Year, Haynes will represent virtual teachers across the state and advocate for virtual learning and promoting the best online teaching practices, the release said.
Cumberland County Schools recognized for support of military students, families
For the second year in a row, Cumberland County Schools has been recognized with the state superintendent’s Purple Star District Award for its support of military families.
The system received the district-wide recognition because all of its schools qualified for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's 2021-22 Purple Star Award Designation.
The Department of Public Instruction launched the Purple Star Award initiative in 2019 to recognize the state’s large military population and its support for military families. The Purple Star designation is awarded to schools that “demonstrate military-friendly practices and a commitment to military students and families,” the school system said in a release.
The Department of Public Instruction said 299 schools from 15 school districts across the state are receiving the designation for the 2021-22 school year. Of these 15 districts, 10 will receive district-wide recognition. These schools and districts will be honored at a ceremony in the spring.
Military-connected students make up more than 25% of Cumberland County Schools’ 50,000 students, the release said.
“Our CCS military-connected families bring so much strength and resilience to our district,” Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. said. “We are honored to serve the families and children of military service members who sacrifice so much for our country. From our school-level support to the new Military Family Advisory Council, we are committed to ensuring every military-connected student has the support they need to reach their maximum potential.”
