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Dare County Board of Education met at Manteo Middle School on April 12. During the regular meeting, Manteo Middle Principal Tami Parker introduced students and faculty members for recognition by the board.

Manteo Middle students participated in the North Carolina Career Development Association Art and Poetry Contest. Three students were recognized. Winning first place in art in the middle division was Anna Maner. Madalyn O’Neal won second place in art in the middle division and Jazmine Cooper earned third place in poetry for the middle division.

In the 2022 Arts Festival organized locally by the Roanoke Island Woman’s Club, seven Manteo Middle School students won awards at the local, district and state levels. The Roanoke Island Woman’s Club is regionally grouped in District 9 with Ahoskie Woman’s Club, Ahoskie Junior Woman’s Club, Camden Woman’s Club, Edenton Woman’s Club, Elizabeth City Woman’s Club, Elizabeth City Junior Woman’s Club, Junior Woman’s Club of Perquimans County, Outer Banks Woman’s Club and Roanoke Island Woman’s Club. The clubs are part of the North Carolina General Federation of Women’s Clubs.

Natalia Buchta won first place in all levels for beadwork and jewelry and for wood art, she won first place at the local and regional level and second place at the state level.

Adalay Grimsley won first place in ceramics at all three levels and in graphite pencil, first place local and district.

Connor Pearce won first place in acrylic painting in all levels.

Haley Coleman won first place in dye craft at three levels and in metal craft, first place locally and second place regionally.

Grace Godwin won first place for decorative painting locally and at the district level and finished with a second place at the state level.

Myracle Simpson won first place for watercolor locally and at the district level and third place in state competition.

Daisy Brewster was awarded first place in colored pencil at the local and district level and honorable mention at the state level.

Recognized as musicians for the All-District Band are Kayla Austin, 12th place clarinet in All-District Concert Band and Elizabeth Writtenberry, sixth place flute in the All-District Symphonic Band.

This year, Manteo Middle School held its first Science Fair on Jan. 21. The fair was organized by 8th grade science teacher Melissa Jones. Judges came from the Coastal Studies Institute and Manteo Middle’s science faculty. Students were judged based knowledge about the project, ability to follow scientific method correctly and overall presentation.

Josie Tripp was the Manteo Middle School’s top winner. The title of her project was “How does pH affect Hydroponics.”

On Feb. 26, Josie Tripp competed against students from 20 counties. She won second place in the Northeastern Regional Science Fair with ECU. She presented her project virtually.

She competed on the state level at the North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair on March 26.

“Her accomplishment is impressive. Great job, Josie,” said Parker.

The Amazing Reading Race was organized by media specialist Carrie Houseknecht. Students in all grades competed by turning in reading times. For the semester-long contest, Sarah Marshall Gallop was the overall winner with 19,251 minutes.

Manteo Middle School’s Odyssey of the Mind Team captured third place in the Coastal Regional Competition. Members of the Odyssey of the Mind Team are Savannah Perciful, Kayla Austin, Melody Sanders, Gracie Perry and Myrezza Holton.

Manteo Middle staff recognitions include:

– Michele Winters, the school’s Teacher of the Year, who was also recognized for attaining National Board Certification.

– Tapped as Classified Employee of the Year is Arline Maeser, who is serving as a teacher assistant at Manteo Middle.

– Kimberly Dickson has earned National Board Certification.

–Carrie Houseknecht received a grant from the Dare Education Foundation to purchase 3-D pens.

In introducing Manteo Middle’s instructional highlight video, Parker said “here we are in 2022 and these goals are still in place but with wider gaps and greater challenges. The pandemic hit our students’ learning in so many ways and with such intensity, so the only way to tackle this is with an even more intense plan.”

At Manteo Middle, strategic staff was hired. One teacher was hired as a math and English interventionist and another for curriculum coaching. Individualized student learning plans were developed. Before and after school tutoring is offered. “Assessment data and teacher feedback on student impact has been impressive. Not only have students improved in math or English, but the strategies and skills they have learned have helped them improve in all subjects.”

And on the video was the conclusion of the butterfly garden project. Seventh grader Sophie Austin won an essay contest about building a butterfly garden at Manteo Middle. The idea won a $4,000 grant from the Gaddy Foundation. The garden was built with advice from Daniel Hossack, the garden manager at The Elizabethan Gardens. All the school’s science classes worked with butterfly larvae watching metamorphosis. On the Board of Education meeting day, April 12, 2022, over 200 painted butterflies were released.

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