Latest news with #MeredithCollege
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Physical education teacher who inspires her students is Wake's top educator
An elementary school teacher who inspires her students to be physically active has been named the top educator in Wake County. Macy Brinson, the physical education teacher at Kingswood Elementary School in Cary, was named the 2025 Wake County Teacher of the Year at a ceremony Thursday night. Brinson has only been a teacher for six years, but she's already being recognized for her leadership skills and ability to motivate her students. 'Macy is so dedicated to her program and her students and takes great pride and ownership in all the tasks she undertakes,' Sherry Schliesser, the principal of Kingswood, said in a news release. 'She delivers high quality and relevant instruction for each grade level every day of the school year. She also knows all the students by name and is often seen having conversations with students around the building.' Brinson, who is from Emerald Isle, was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow Scholar, a program that helps pay the college costs for students who agree to become teachers. She got a bachelor's degree in exercise sports science at Meredith College and a master's degree in kinesiology from the University of North Georgia. During her acceptance speech, Brinson credited her mother as being her role model. Brinson said her mother, who teaches second grade, has been a teacher for 32 years. 'Over 32 years of teaching, you can imagine that I spent a considerable amount of time in her classroom,' Brinson said. 'She made me wait until the end of her classes. I would pretend to be the teacher. But I wouldn't just pretend to be any teacher. I would pretend to be her.' Brinson has taught for the last four years at Kingswood, where she received an Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023 from the Cary Chamber of Commerce. 'Within each lesson, I empower the students to have a voice and choice in their learning by allowing them to select from a variety of equipment options and by not imposing a single way to perform a skill,' Brinson wrote in her Teacher of the Year portfolio. 'This empowerment in their learning journey helps students discover their strengths, talents, and weaknesses and assess what materials or techniques will lead to their success.' Wake said Brinson's approach is aligned with Kingswood's Montessori magnet theme, which emphasizes the importance of student choice in education. In addition to teaching, Brinson leads a running club for students in the fall and spring, which culminates in students and parents running a 5K race to benefit a community organization. She also organizes the school's annual Walk to School day to promote safety and family engagement, as well as the school's annual Kids Heart Challenge campaign to support the American Heart Association. Brinson was also recognized as being a champion for learners with special needs. She travels with her students to cheer them on as they compete in the Special Olympics each year. 'Macy crafts lessons that are not only engaging, but also thoughtfully adapted to meet the needs of all my learners,' Kim Eason, a special education teacher at Kingswood, said in a news release. 'She fosters a supportive and close environment where all students are encouraged to participate. 'Her dedication to making sure no child is left behind combined with her ability to bring out the potential in each student exemplifies what it means to be a truly exceptional teacher.' Brinson said she will use her new platform as Teacher of the Year to advocate for teacher recruitment and retention by supporting professional development and promoting respect for the profession. 'When we invest in teachers, we invest in every teacher that they touch,' Brinson told the crowd of fellow educators at the award ceremony. Brinson gave her colleagues some advice before they return to their classrooms on Friday. She said they need to find time to take care of themselves. 'We pour our energy, our creativity, passion, and, most importantly, our heart, into our students every single day,' Brinson said. 'But the truth is that you can't work from an empty cup. I learned over the past two years that taking time for yourself is not selfish, it's necessary.' Brinson was chosen among the Teacher of the Year winners for each individual school. The list was whittled to 10 finalists: ▪ Maureen Bard, a third-grade teacher at Lead Mine Elementary in Raleigh ▪ Brandy Garrett, a third-grade teacher at Millbrook Elementary in Raleigh ▪ Lauri Gasell, a seventh-grade math teacher at Davis Drive Middle in Cary ▪ Trevor Harris, a sixth-grade science teacher at North Garner Middle ▪ Rebekah Hower, an art teacher at Oberlin Middle in Raleigh ▪ Laurie Newhouse, a second-grade teacher at Woods Creek Elementary in Apex ▪ Ashley Parmley, a seventh-grade math teacher at Mills Park Middle in Cary ▪ Matthew Raines, a theater arts teacher at Knightdale High ▪ Allison Tonelli, a special education cross categorical resource program teacher at Hunter Elementary in Raleigh Brinson's prize package includes a $1,000 check. Brinson also gets use of a 2025 Chevrolet Traverse, courtesy of Capital Chevrolet, for the next year. Brinson will go on to compete in North Carolina's Teacher of the Year program
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's approval ratings are in: Here's how he scores according to U.S., NC polls
Recently released presidential approval rating polls offer insight into how President Donald Trump is faring in the eyes of the American people. The new round of polls comes after Trump's address to Congress, in which he asserted his administration's efforts and praised DOGE. Tariffs against Mexico and Canada went into effect earlier the same day, though he later backpedaled, delaying the tariffs. In the past week, news also emerged that Trump plans to dismantle the Department of Education, though the president does not have the power to fully eliminate the agency on his own accord. Here are the new polls showing Trump's approval ratings in the U.S. and North Carolina, plus approval ratings on Josh Stein and comparisons with past presidents and terms. Here are the latest approval ratings released on Trump's administration: Most recent Gallup polls show Trump's approval rating averaging at 46% since he took office in his second term. His first term overall average was a 41% approval rating. During both terms, his lowest to highest approval ratings have ranged between 34%-49%. Most recent Reuters/Ipsos polls from Tuesday, March 4, reported that 44% of those surveyed gave Trump a favorable approval rating of his first month in office. Reports also show that public approval so far has remained higher than his first term in office and higher than that of former President Joe Biden overall. The most recent ABC News project538 polls showed 47.6% favorability of Trump's presidential performance in a Tuesday, March 4 poll. The same polls showed that Vice President JD Vance had a slightly lower approval rating, with 40.8% viewing him favorably. Most recent polls from The Economist show that 46% of people are favorable of Trump and 50% are unfavorable of him, according to the latest update from Thursday, March 6. Polls from Meredith College posted on Feb. 13 provided insight into NC residents' opinions in particular. The polls showed results on a scale of possible answers to the question "Do you approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president of the United States so far? Strongly approve: 30% Somewhat approve: 17% Somewhat disapprove: 11% Strongly disapprove: 38% Don't know: 4% Meredith College polls also asked NC residents, "Do you approve of the job Josh Stein is doing as governor of North Carolina so far? Responses were: Strongly approve: 21% Somewhat approve: 37% Somewhat disapprove: 11% Strongly disapprove: 8% Don't know: 22% According to results from now-defunct polling website FiveThirtyEight, Trump had a final approval rating of 34% when he left office in 2021. His approval average during his first term was 41%. Joe Biden - 40% Donald Trump (first term) - 34% Barack Obama - 59% George W. Bush - 34% Bill Clinton - 66% George H.W. Bush - 56% Ronald Reagan - 63% Jimmy Carter - 34% Gerald Ford - 53% Richard Nixon - 24% More: Cheapest Asheville Airport airline costs 20 cents per mile: See nonstop destinations Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@ This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: What is Trump's approval rating? Most recent scores in NC, U.S.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dr. David McLennan on why NC voters have deep concerns about some of Trump's early priorities
Professor David McLennan (Photo: Meredith College) A narrow majority of North Carolina voters supported Donald Trump in last November's presidential election, but just weeks into his second term in office, large majorities oppose some of his highest profile policy ideas and initiatives, according to the latest Meredith College Poll. Meredith pollsters asked likely voters for their views on an array of policy matters— both foreign and domestic — as well as a handful of North Carolina-specific issues. And while results varied somewhat depending upon the political party, race and gender of the voters surveyed, there were some clear and noteworthy takeaways about what most North Carolinians are thinking, and recently we caught up with the poll's director, Prof. David McLennan to learn more. Click here for the full interview with Prof. David McLennan.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Josh Stein: Popular with voters and talking common sense
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein delivers his inaugural address at the Capitol Building in Raleigh on Jan. 11, 2025. (Photo: Galen Bacharier/NC Newsline) A new Meredith College poll shows North Carolina governor Josh Stein is off to solid start. Fifty-eight percent of North Carolina voters — including 54 percent of Republicans — approve of his performance thus far, while only 19% disapprove. Stein's ratings have been boosted by his energetic and bipartisan work to promote Hurricane Helene recovery. What's more, unlike President Trump, whose approval rating is already underwater, Stein has avoided unnecessary confrontation. Instead, he's opted for sober, middle ground positions that reflect where most North Carolinians come down. The latest example: Stein's call for a freeze on state tax rates. As the governor notes, with Helene costs rising, federal aid increasingly uncertain, and state revenue projections shaky, now is a good time for the state to step back, run the numbers, and see how things play out for a while before plowing ahead with new tax cuts. The bottom line: The state legislature, whose popularity with voters lags Stein's by a mile, would do well to heed the governor's commonsense recommendation. For NC Newsline, I'm Rob Schofield.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How President Trump, Josh Stein rank in approval from NC voters
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Their inaugurations were mere weeks ago, but approval ratings are already taking shape for President Donald Trump, now in his second term, and Governor Josh Stein. In a poll released Thursday by Meredith College, Stein achieved an approval above 50% while Trump fell a bit short of that level. His tenure as governor started on January 1, which doesn't leave a whole lot of time to form an initial opinion. That's why 22% of poll respondents said they had no opinion on Stein's work as governor. For those who did have an opinion on it—58% approved compared to 19% who said they did not approve of what he's done since taking the highest office in the state. Most North Carolina residents express confidence in integrity and accuracy of 2024 election in new poll Director of the Meredith College poll, David McLennan, said overall 'Governor Stein has had a good start to his term as governor as he was offered to work across the party aisle on Hurricane Helene recovery. He has traveled to the Helene-affected areas several times.' Pointing to where Stein's approval rating could be headed, McLennan said it's possible to soon see his favorability among Republicans take a downturn. 'It is likely,' he said, 'that as partisan fights start with Republicans in the General Assembly over budget and proposed laws that his support among Republicans and others may wane.' Polling data showed that among demographic groups, Stein had strong support among Republican voters as well as As for Trump and his standing with N.C. voters, 47% approve and 49% disapprove. These are his strongest approval ratings in the state since early 2017, according to polling from Meredith College. His approval rating puts him 'only slightly below water,' according to pollsters. Perhaps unsurprisingly, three-quarters of Democrats disapprove of Trump's work (75.2%) while more than nine out of 10 Republicans approve (91.1%). For unaffiliated voters, a slight majority approve. Trump visits Western NC, talks ditching FEMA, promises more money for Helene recovery The numbers being so close to each other is significant as his approval numbers since 2018, including during his campaign for a second term, were in the mid-40s. Despite how close together the numbers of approval/disapproval are, there are stark gaps in how different demographic groups feel about his work. 'Trump's approval ratings among minority voters, as compared to his support among these voters in November, should be a red flag for the president, who claims a mandate for his policies,' said McLennan. When looking at voters by gender, Trump is favored among men with a narrow majority approving (51.1%). Also, when broken down by race, majority of white voters approve at a rate of (57.6%). Demographically speaking, the majority ends there. Among Black voters, 70.2% disapprove; among Hispanic voters, 66.7% disapprove; and among female voters, a narrow majority disapprove as well (50.2%). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
