Latest news with #LeeCountyHighSchool
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gonzalez-Ortega, Miller named ‘Sloan Scholars'
One scholar whose early education took place in Mexico wants her future students to be inspired and feel cared about. The other scholar, a lifelong Lee County resident, wants to be a 'bright light' for her students — just as her late grandmother was. Susann Gonzalez-Ortega and Isabella Miller, soon-to-graduates of Lee County High School, were honored Wednesday by the Lee County Education Foundation as 2024-25 Sloan Scholar winners. They received scholarships of up to $36,000 to pursue teaching degrees, with a promise to come back to Lee County as teachers. Gonzalez-Ortega and Miller were recognized by the Education Foundation at a reception ceremony at GiGi's Creations in downtown Sanford. The Temple Sloan Lee County Teacher Fellows program was launched by the Education Foundation in 2023, with the first Sloan Scholar — Anna Marks — named in 2024. It was created to encourage Lee County's best and brightest students to commit to becoming an educator, and then return home and begin a career in a classroom. It's funded by the Raleigh-based Sloan Foundation, in partnership with Lee County Schools, the Central Carolina Community College Foundation and the Education Foundation. The Sloan Foundation was created by Temple Sloan Jr., a former Sanford resident, who founded Carquest Auto Parts in 1961. Carquest, which grew to 3,000 auto parts stores, was acquired by Advance Auto Parts in 2014. 'These scholarships will be given to deserving young students to inspire them to earn a teaching degree and encourage them to work in the Lee County school system,' said Sloan, who's a member of the Lee County Education Foundation board of directors. 'We firmly believe that a successful educational experience for our young people begins with outstanding teachers.' The Sloan scholarships will take the form of forgivable loans — similar to the process used in the statewide N.C. Teaching Fellows program. Scholarship recipients are expected to return to Lee County to teach; and all monies are forgiven after four years of teaching in a Lee County public school classroom. In pursuing a teaching degree, Sloan Scholars may attend any state-supported college or university in pursuit of their teaching certificate. In addition to $4,500 per semester in scholarship funds, the program will also include partnerships with teaching mentors, summer programming and a variety of activities designed to engage Sloan Scholars with LCS and support their commitment to Lee County's students and community. The $4,500 per semester will be awarded to help pay for tuition, fees, and books. Students are expected to provide progress reporting and other information to the CCCC Foundation, which will be managing the scholarship monies. Should a student drop out of the program or decide not to return and teach in Lee County, monies will have to be repaid. GONZALEZ-ORTEGAGonzalez-Ortega, the daughter of Esther Ortega, attends Lee County High School. She's been inducted into the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society, serves as president of the National Juntos Club, and is a member of numerous other clubs. She'll seek a degree in marine biology with a license in education at UNC-Wilmington, which will position her to teach biology at the high school level. She cited two of her teachers — Mrs. Price and Mrs. Biles — for their support, and said she wanted to become the kind of teacher 'who makes students feel both challenged and supported, someone who pushes them to think deeply, ask questions, and take pride in their growth. MILLERMiller, the daughter of Kelly and Billy Miller, also attends Lee County High School, where she's an officer in BETA and the Red Cross, and active in several other clubs. She's also been a part of the Temple Teen Ensemble at Temple Theatre. She plans to major in education and stage and screen at Western Carolina University. Miller's desire to teach comes in part from the inspiration provided by a late grandmother, who'd served as a special education teacher. She still hears stories about her, Miller said. 'My grandma's impact on her students brought me the passion to become a teacher, as I want to be just as bright a light as she was in so many children's lives,' she said. 'Over time, this foundation has never changed, but I have found myself going out of my way to give voice and dance lessons to kids, help them understand issues when things seem off, and try to guide them into a better direction overall. I have a special passion for working with youth, and I believe that my dedication to and appreciation of education is what will make me an excellent teacher.' MARKSMarks, last year's inaugural winner, was also recognized at Wednesday's ceremony. A graduate of Southern Lee High School, she's studying now at UNC-Greensboro and seeking a bachelor's degree in art education. Marks is the daughter of Melinda Marks.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
MCLB-Albany holds change of command ceremony for Logistics Command
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE-ALBANY – The Marines of Marine Corps Logistics Command said farewell on Friday to outgoing Sgt. Maj. Brian Drechsler and welcomed his replacement, Marshall Gregg III, who is returning to the base for a second assignment at the Albany facility. The Friday ceremony came with the pomp of a command change, including the traditional passing of a ceremonial sword from the outgoing Marine to his incoming counterpart. Among the responsibilities of the Marine holding the senior enlisted position are morale, discipline and advising the senior officer, Maj. Gen. Keith Reventlow. 'It's bittersweet,' Drechsler, who saw his daughter graduate from Lee County High School Thursday, said of leaving his home for the previous two years. 'I built a lot of relationships with individuals in the local community.' An enlistee since 1999, Drechsler served deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa, among others, and completed unit deployment programs in Okinawa, Japan, prior to being sent to Albany. His next deployment will be at the Manpower Support Division at Quantico, Va. 'I loved my time in Albany, understanding the importance of the local community and them understanding what Logistics is, including with the city (Albany), Albany State University and Al any Technical College,' the Everett, Wash., native said. 'You understand with moving as a Marine that the world's a lot smaller than you think. You will see them again. I'd just like to say a big thank you to the local community, and we'll miss them.' Gregg was previously assigned to MCLB-Albany in 2014-2015, serving as Headquarters Company-East First Sergeant. A 1998 enlistee, his deployments include the Second Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team, Afghanistan, to the Middle East and to Fallujah and Rawah, Iraq. Gregg attended Marine Combat Instructor School and the Formal School Instructor Course, and later served in Afghanistan before reporting to Marine Corps Logistics Command in 2014. In 2017, he reported to the Third Marine Raider Battalion, Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command for deployment to Somalia. 'I'm excited,' Gregg said of his return to Albany. 'What I would like to accomplish is take all the work Sgt. Drechsler has done and the command has done and push it forward.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lee County STAR Student Christopher Dowling named a Georgia Scholar
LEESBURG — Lee County High School senior Christopher Dowling has been named a Georgia Scholar, an honor recognizing his outstanding achievements in both academics and community service. The Georgia Department of Education selects scholars who have carried exemplary course loads during their four years of high school, performed excellently in all courses, successfully participated in interscholastic events within their schools and communities, and assumed leadership roles in extracurricular activities sponsored by their schools. Georgia Scholars are high school seniors. 'This distinction, awarded by the Georgia Department of Education, highlights Christopher's dedication and hard work,' Lee County High School Principal Karen Hancock said. 'We are excited to celebrate his success as he receives this well-earned recognition.' Dowling is one of 145 students selected as Georgia Scholars from across the state. Each honoree will receive a seal for their diploma along with a graduation cord to recognize their achievement. 'I would like to congratulate Christopher for this well-deserved award', Lee County Board of Education Chair Claire Lang said. 'This distinguished award recognizes exemplary work both inside and outside the classroom throughout his four years of high school. I wish him great success in his future endeavors.'
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
School board approves $25.1M budget request; 16% increase includes classified pay bump
Feb. 20—During a brief meeting on Monday night, the Lee County Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a requested budget for fiscal 2025-26. Their request of the county commissioners represents a 16% increase over the current fiscal year and would fully fund a four-step pay increase for classified staff, along with other items. Superintendent Chris Dossenbach explained, using a chart, that based on the county's current funding, the request represents 24.1% of the county budget. He noted that the schools' percentage of the county's budget has declined from 25% and 26% several years ago to only 20.8% in the the current budget. "This ask is entirely reasonable," board member Cindy Ortiz said. "A true olive branch would be for them to fund our budget request." This was a reference to county Commissioner Taylor Vorbeck recently calling the commissioners funding of asbestos removal from the old Jonesboro School and the foundation for visitors' side bleachers at Lee County High School an "olive branch." Fully funding a classified pay increase is $2 million. Dossenbach's proposed budget also includes supplemental funding of $459,438 for certified employees, $271,001 for central office employees and $122,085 for administrators. That funding is based on information from an Evergreen Salary Study. Dossenbach also noted the effect that attrition has had on the school system. He showed a chart that represented the school districts where 17 teachers went after resigning from LCS since Sept. 1, 2024. Five went to Wake County, four went to Chatham, two went to Moore and the rest to six other counties. Wake, Chatham and Johnston schools have higher teacher supplements, Dossenbach said, although the other six counties do not. According to a chart he presented, for the 2022-23 school year, Lee County Schools' attrition rate was 16.1% while the state's was 11.4%. The total budget request was $25.1 million plus about $2.1 million for capital outlay projects. Some of the proposed capital outlay projects include: $300,000 for more parking at Broadway Elementary, $200,000 for in-house construction at various locations, $175,000 for lighting at the Lee County High School softball field and $136,500 for cafeteria table replacements at San Lee Middle School. Other projects include $368,500 for visitors' side bleachers at LCHS, $150,000 for a Chromebook refresh, and $180,000 for replacement of three fleet vehicles, purchase of a trailer for moving large equipment, a mini digger and a scissor lift. During public comment before the budget meeting, classified employee Emily York said she is pleased to see the budget proposal includes the full amount for classified staff. She asked again for the school system to post the classified staff pay scale on the district's website. "If we were to put up the pay scale, it would cause mass confusion," Dossenbach said toward the end of the meeting. "Every single [classified] employee is on a different place on the pay scale." He noted that the district's classified staff pay scale was frozen for 15 years until recently, but there are varying circumstances surrounding each employee's pay. He said two finance employees have been working on implementing the first of four scheduled classified pay raises by the end of February. Board Chair Sherry Lynn Womack noted the salary information is a public record, so someone could request salaries for all classified staff, for example. Dossenbach said the district could post a "fully-funded" classified salary pay scale within two months.
