Ocracoke School Updates

As a precursor to the graduation ceremonies, the six seniors wore their caps and gowns to the morning assembly and walked in accompanied by "Pomp and Circumstance" played by Julie Howard. 

After acknowledging the Class of 2015, Principal Walt Padgett thanked school volunteers Linda Scarborough, Kati Wharton, Ralph Buxton, Vera Buxton, Bill Jones, and Eden Honeycutt for their dedicated service to Ocracoke's children. 

He also thanked David Tweedie and Ocracoke Alive for providing art during the second semester.

"The kids loved it and it was a wonderful experience for them," said Padgett.

Ocracoke's teachers each took the stage to present awards for academic excellence and academic achievement in their classrooms. 

Judy Garrish, Ocracoke branch manager of Yadkin Bank, presented the awards for Highest Academic Average again this year. Congrats to Katie Kinnion (grades 3 – 5), Dylan Esham (grades 6 – 8), and Josie Winstead (grades 9 – 12). Congrats, kids!

Assistant principal Leslie Cole announced that funding had been restored for the art program at Ocracoke School, and that Kitty Mitchell would return to that position. "Thanks to all the parents and community members who vocalized that they wanted art back. It worked," she said.

The school will see several personnel changes for the 2015-16 school year. Lynn King-Bowen will move up to high school math, replacing Terry Burns, who just retired. Louise Salerno will take Lynn's old job as middle school math teacher. With Kitty Mitchell going back to the art room, Meg Bittner will return to teach 5th grade. Serina O'Neal has been hired to replace Paula Privett as the student data manager and Information Highway facilitator. And lastly, Ocracoke School will welcome someone completely new: Jeanie Owens will join the faculty as the 4th grade teacher in August.

At the graduation ceremony on Sunday, the school awarded its annual Community Service Award to a group of people for the first time ever. (It's always been given to an individual before this year.) The Ocracoke Youth Center Board are the people responsible for bringing you the Ocracoke Community Park (and ballfield!) and they were well-deserving of the accolades!

The school will also be getting new playground equipment in August, provided by funding from the Ocracoke occupancy tax board, which approved $23,382 for the project. The old playground is already mostly dismantled (parts of it are being donated to Ocracoke Child Care), and the playground field will get new sod.

Happy summer to the students and teachers!