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 Tree Lighting and Holiday Bonfire
Parents’ Association invites all North Cross families, grandparents, and alumni to our 3rd Annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Bonfire on Friday, December 5. The evening starts at 6 p.m. on Hooper Field. Enjoy hot dogs, hot chocolate, and holiday treats, with holiday music and a special VIP guest! A small fire for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores will be available this year. Adult supervision is required for children roasting marshmallows.
Please consider bringing an unwrapped gift to the event. The Parents’ Association will donate the gifts to Turning Point, CHIP (Child Health Investment Partnership), and the Salvation Army Angel Tree program on behalf of North Cross families.
Please park in the lower or upper school parking lot. A Roanoke County police officer will be available to help families cross Colonial Avenue safely.
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 Raiders Digest Digital Version on Website
The 2014-15 edition of Raiders Digest has been sent to Salem Printing and will be distributed soon. The document is now available on the school website behind a password protected page. After the printed version is distributed, we will continue to update the digital version throughout the school year.
Click here to visit the Raiders Digest page. You will need to enter the password “raiders†when prompted.
The information published in Raiders Digest is for the sole use of North Cross School parents, students, faculty and staff. Use of information contained in this directory for any commercial, political, or solicitation mailing is strictly prohibited.
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CrossWalk Program Hosting a Parent Learning Event
Experience Dyslexia® is a hands-on simulation that allows participants to experience some of the challenges and frustrations people with a learning disability face. The lively, thought-provoking activities are perfect for teachers, parents, or anyone interested in better understanding dyslexia.
The event, hosted by the CrossWalk Program, will take place on Tuesday, December 2 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Hancock Library. This event is open to the public and admission is free.
Space is limited. To reserve a seat, please contact Kit Prillaman at (540) 989-6641 or kprillaman@northcross.org.
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 CrossWalk Program Featured in SoRo Circle
The November issue of SoRo Circle featured an article on the newly expanded CrossWalk program at North Cross School. The article, titled “The CrossWalk Program: Helping Learners Find Their Way,†discusses how the program gives students with learning differences the tools to become successful students in the classroom. Families in South Roanoke recently received their issue of SoRo Circle, but others can click here to download a pdf of the issue. The article appears on page 6.
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 Bridge Builders Updated
Click here, or the bridge graphic, to see the complete list of Annual Fund “Bridge Builders†through November 20, 2014. Thank you for supporting the North Cross School Annual Fund. We will update the pillars again on December 15, 2014.
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 Instagram Reaches 100 Followers
Earlier this week, the North Cross School Instagram account reached a milestone. The account has gone from six followers at the start of the year to over 100. Instagram is a great way to see photos of our students in action or keep up with recent events around our campus. You can follow us on the Instagram app “@northcrossschool.â€
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 CAC Holiday Specials
Starting November 24, the Carter Athletic Center is offering a number of holiday membership and training specials. Click here or the image to download a flyer. The facility underwent a significant renovation last year and currently offers 30 group exercise classes a week, cycle classes, yogalates, pump, water aerobics, and Silver Sneakers. The center also has an indoor track; 6-lane pool; cardio room with treadmills, elliptical trainers, Stairmasters, and cycles; free weight room; and Cybex strength training equipment.
Memberships at the CAC are open to the general public. If you are interested in a tour or want to learn more about the holiday specials, contact Jenn Mitchell at jmitchell@northcross.org.
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Innisbrook Orders
Parents and friends of the school can continue to order from the Innisbrook website and North Cross will receive 50% of all sales. Click here to visit the website then click on, “Search School for Credit.†On the next screen, enter North Cross School information. When our school pops up, click confirm and shop! Orders will be shipped directly to your home, and you must pay with a credit card.
Jeanne Fishwick has an order titled “no name.†Someone is likely looking for an order that has not arrived. Please email Jeanne at jpfishwick331@cox.net with the items in your order and see if we have a match! Jeanne is also working with Innisbrook Customer Service to locate missing or incomplete orders. There are several options for solving problems, so please contact her with questions or concerns.
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Fifth Grade Wax Museum
This morning the fifth grade students held their annual Wax Museum in the Cartledge Multi-purpose Room. The project combines science, research, and pubic speaking. Working under the direction of Mrs. Mary Semler, the students select a scientist they admire, research the scientist’s contributions to their field of study, and create a presentation. Parents, friends, and a number of classes visited the Wax Museum. The fifth graders remained motionless with their props. When a visitor pushed a button on their display, the scientists came to life to tell their story, all without notes.
Click here to view a photo album on our Facebook page. |
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 Chestnut Trees Will Help Science Classes
Last Saturday, Mr. Ed Dickenson and Ms. Sandy Patterson worked with students Harrison Macher ’15, Charlie Lemon ’17, Elliott Kennard ’19, Patrick Daly ’20, and Alex Dickenson ’24 to prepare a chestnut tree grove on campus. The group made cages to protect the trees, then went to the site and set posts to support the saplings that will be planted soon. In photo above, Patrick Daly prepares to set a post with a post driver after carefully measuring the distance from nearby posts. The grove, located along Groundhog Trail, will serve as a study platform for our science classes. Once planted, North Cross School will be the only school in the area with American Chestnuts, Chinese Chestnuts, and two types of experimental hybrid chestnut trees. A guest speaker will help introduce this project to the North Cross community in the coming months.
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Teacher Feature: Melanie Harrison
How was the move from JK4 to kindergarten?
Dawn Hollandsworth helped make my move to kindergarten smooth and simple. She was a great mentor for me and taught me all about the Montessori approach. One of her great gifts is teaching children how to read, which inspired me and is one of the things I love most about teaching children this age. Other great teachers like Julie Grove, who started the Kindergarten Solar System Program, and Carolyn Corswandt also helped make my transition seamless.
What is your favorite book to read with the kindergarteners?
Mrs. Piggle Wiggle’s Won’t- Take-A-Bath Cure. For kindergarteners, taking a bath is not always on the top of their priority list. It’s so fun to watch the children’s reactions when the dirty girl in the book starts to grow radishes because she won’t take a bath. The children love it and that makes it fun for me.
Click here to read the full feature.
Top photo: Ms. Harrison with her three children (from left Christine, Elizabeth, Melanie, and Daniel). Bottom photo: Ms. Harrison with four of her five grandchildren (from left Greylynn, Jackson, Melanie, Isaac, and Eilley)
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Coffeehouse Klatch
Nearly 300 members of the North Cross community showed their support for the arts last Friday night at the South County Library. “I didn't think it was possible,†FOTA Chair Peggy McDonnell said,“but we outdid last spring's event in every respect!†Not only was the evening an excellent promotion of the arts, but the event raised over $6,400 for our program.
Despite Jeanne Fishwick’s plea from the podium, Peggy is stepping down as FOTA Chair at the end of the school year. The FOTA Coffeehouse will be part of her legacy as Peggy and her committee have created a popular art event that will help support our students for years to come.
Click here, or the image above, to view an album on Facebook. |
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Turkeys, Texture, and a Twist
Second grade students in Lee Kephart’s art class completed Thanksgiving turkey paintings this week. The project had a twist. The class used a crayon watercolor resist technique for this project. The students draw the basic shapes with crayon then apply watercolor. The crayon repels the watercolor when applied and creates an interesting visual effect. The students also studied texture and applied different treatments to the feathers of their birds.
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 Old Dominion Football Conference Honors Announced
Max Revercomb ’15 (left in photo) finished his illustrious football career with most of the North Cross single-season and career passing records firmly in his possession. On Wednesday, he was named the Old Dominion Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year, as well as a First Team All-Conference linebacker. Revercomb finished this season with 205 completions on 347 attempts for 2,712 yards and 32 touchdowns. Over his career at North Cross, Max totaled 463 completions, 6,152 yards, and 74 touchdown passes.
For the third consecutive year, Jordan Lowery ’16 (right in photo) earned First Team honors. He caught a school-record 53 passes for 976 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lowery also earned First Team defensive honors at defensive back, where he recorded two interceptions and eight pass break-ups this season.
Ryan Dent ’15 was also named to the First Team as he caught 40 passes and had 53 rushes totaling 923 yards of offense and 12 touchdowns in 2014. Brett Jones ’16, a three-year starter at center, was a First Team selection at offensive line.
On the defensive side of the ball, defensive end Davis Call ’16 joined Lowery and Revercomb on the defensive First Team list. Call totaled 70 solo tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, and an interception returned for touchdown to follow up an All-State sophomore year in 2013.
Isaiah Harris ’15 earned a spot on the All-ODFC Second Team as a running back. Despite an injury-plagued senior season, Harris rushed for 341 yards, caught 25 passes, and scored seven touchdowns in his final season. Tyler Slash ’18 also earned Second Team honors as he burst onto the scene with 24 catches and four touchdowns from his slot position.
Defensive lineman Joe Houston ’16 earned Second Team honors with 50 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks in his first season at North Cross. Maurice Garrison ’18 was an Honorable Mention defensive selection after an outstanding rookie campaign including three interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and five pass break-ups.
Photos by Laura Arnold
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Mr. Carter’s Gift to the Community
After Willis Hall was completed and dedicated in 1985, the campus finally had accommodations for all three divisions. Focus soon turned to athletics and creating a space on campus to meet the needs of a growing program. Beirne Carter (top left photo), a member of the Board of Trustees from 1962-1988, announced in 1985 that once the academic needs of the school were met, he intended to leave the school enough money to build an appropriate athletic center. Two years later, ground was broken on the Carter Athletic Center site. Mr. Carter was in attendance, but unfortunately passed away before the building was completed.
The building, named in Mr. Carter’s honor, received rave reviews when it opened. It featured a six-lane swimming pool, basketball courts, and an indoor track. At the dedication in 1989, college basketball coach “Lefty†Drisell (top right photo) was on hand and told the students to consider themselves lucky to have such a lovely facility.†Former Athletic Director Donna Satterwhite said the CAC made a difference in our athletic programs. “We have benefitted not only in practice space for our indoor sports, but because of the fitness center our athletes are much stronger,†she said.
Current Athletic Director Eric Lawrence, who was hired in 1989 as the CAC was nearing completion, wrote in the 1990 yearbook that “Mr. Carter’s gift has enabled North Cross to meet all the physical education needs of its students. In addition to that primary achievement the CAC is becoming a place where families come together for fun and exercise.â€
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