Week and the PTSA Will Host Its Annual Teacher and Staff

Greetings RJR Families!

The week of May 5th is National Teacher Appreciation

Week and the PTSA will host its annual teacher and staff

appreciation luncheon on Tuesday, May 6th with a Cinco

(Seis!) de Mayo Mexican Fiesta Lunch! If you would like

to help, just click on the sign-up genius link below:

We are very blessed at R.J. Reynolds to have incredibly dedicated and talented teachers, administrators, counselors and support staff who devote their lives to the education and well-being of our children. We think we can all agree that their jobs are stressful, often thankless and certainly something most of us could never do! Despite working with limited resources, in often difficult situations, they take their responsibility to educate, guide and mentor our children seriously, approaching their jobs with both commitment and enthusiasm. While we hope the Reynolds staff feels appreciated every day, we encourage parents and students to make an extra, special effort this week to say “Thank You!” for a job well done! Send an email, write a note or give them a hug!

Graduation and final exams are fast approaching and the next several weeks will be filled with many “end-of-the-year” festivities and programs. Good luck to all our AP students on their AP exams over the next two weeks.

Please make plans to attend the All-Sports Celebration on Monday, May 12th at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium. This annual tradition honors all RJR athletes and coaches. The evening will include student speakers, the announcement of the Zack Bacon Scholarship winner and the presentation of the male and female RJR Athletes-of-the-Year awards. Consistent with last year, the Booster Club will contribute funds to the accounts of the three teams with the highest percentage attendance! Make sure your athlete signs in for each sport in which he or she participates. You won’t want to miss this fun R.J. Reynolds tradition!

Lisa and Greg Carter

New Date for Orchestra Concert

The Reynolds Orchestra Spring Concert has been re-scheduled on

Thursday, May 29 at 7 p.m. in Reynolds Auditorium.

Italy Trip Open to All Band, Chorus and Orchestra Students

ALL sophomores, freshmen and rising freshmen interested in our department trip to Venice, Florence and Rome,Italy overThanksgiving 2015 should contact Mr. James immediately. He can provideinformation regarding registration, who can go, price, and what is included.

If you have NOT attended one of the informational meetings and think you are interested, email Mr. James at .

We look forward to this once-in-a-lifetime trip!

Come to the Prom on May 10

Prom will be held on May 10 from 8:00 to midnight at the MiltonRhodesArtCenter. The theme is “A Vintage Affair”.

Starting May 5, the ticket price will be $50. No tickets will be sold at the door. Students must be debt free topurchase a ticket. If you plan to bring a date who does not attend RJR,you must complete a guest registration form and bring it when youpurchase your tickets.

AP Calculus Study Session

An AP Calculus study session will be held in Room 306 on Saturday, May 3 from9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students may enter through the doors by the main office or at thelanding. Bring calculators, loose-leaf paper, pencils, CRTLB, and APreview books.

ForsythCounty Hosting 2014 NC PTA Conference

ForsythCounty is hosting the NC PTA Educational and Leadership Conference on May 30-31 at ForsythTechnicalCommunity College. All parents are invited and must register online at NCPTA.org if you plan to attend. Early registration is currently underway.Please join Dr. Emory and local schools as we host this event in May.

PineWhispersOffering"SeniorClassifiedAds"

Remember classified ads in the newspaper? Forthethirdstraightyear,PineWhispersisgiving relativesachance to offer fun words of encouragement or heartfelt advice to the graduating seniors in the “Senior edition” of the school newspaper. For $10, you can submit a message of up to 50 words to be printed in the 1,700 copies of our biggest edition of the year.

Cost includes two copies of the paper mailed to you as a keepsake. A form with more information is included at the end of the newsletter.

ContactMr. Hanf at rmoreinformation.

RJR PTSA Needs You to Volunteer

PTSA 1st VP and next year’s President, Kate Ruley, is currentlyfilling positions forthe 2014-2015 PTSA board and committees, and would LOVE new volunteers forexisting positions as well asnew opportunities. Do you enjoy the arts, gardening, tutoring, throwing parties, giving tours, helping with registrationor fundraising? The PTSA has all of that and more!

Don't be shy!We need volunteers with all different skill sets, backgrounds, abilities and available time commitments...there is literally something for everyone and you can volunteer whether you have one hour a year or 10 hours a week to give! PTSA is the perfect way to “get to know” other parents, teachers and administrators, and be "in the know" regarding all things RJR!

Please contact Kate Ruley at if you would like to get involved or know someone you would like to nominate (including incoming freshman parents).

Demon Shop

The Demon Shop will close on May 30th. Get your Demon wear NOW! If you need a gift for a rising freshman, come by the shop during lunch (12-2p.m.) on Wednesdays and Fridays. If you are interested in being a committee member or volunteer in the Demon Shop next year, please contact Melissa Workman at .

Baccalaureate Seeks Senior Involvement

The 2014 Baccalaureate service will be held on Sunday, June 8 at 5 p.m. in ArdmoreBaptistChurch. Seniors interested in speaking or providing music at the service must sign up. For details and to sign up, please see the two attached forms at the end of this newsletter.

Forms must be placed in the Baccalaureate box in the Student Services office by Friday afternoon, May 2. Thanks!

Academic Excellence Banquet

The 2014 Academic Excellence Banquet will be on Monday, May 19th at 6:00 p.m. at ArdmoreBaptistChurch. Students who are invited will receive their invitation in the mail. RSVP by Wednesday, May 14th in order to be included in the program. CareerCenter students who do not receive a letterbut should be invitedneed to see Mrs. Tuttle in Room 105 or email her at as soon as possible. If you are a “four-year” attendee and would like to have a speaking role, please contact Mrs. Beale at .

Teacher Appreciation Luncheon Volunteers Needed

Follow the link to sign up to volunteer to assist the Hospitality Committee as we host the annual Teacher Appreciation Lunch!

One of RJR's great strengths is the incredibly rich diversity of its student body. We have more than 100 students, representing some 30 foreign countries, whose native language is not English! While we celebrate these different cultures, we also recognize that language barriers can present significant challenges to learning. OurESL Committee, led by PTSA ESL liaisons Deborah Casstevens and Kathy McLean, has worked hard all year to assist these students in numerous ways. In particular, the committee has paired many of these students with tutors for weekly one-on-one tutoring sessions. This commitment has proven enormously helpful to our students and their teachers, and the tutors remark that the experience is quite rewarding for them, as well.

We are so grateful to our ESL Committee, the parents, former parents, alumni, RJR and WFU students who have volunteered their time and talent with such consistency and dedication. Over the course of this school year, some 163 students have benefited from individual weekly tutoring. By year's end, our ESL volunteers will have spent approximately 1,500 hours helping our students in this very meaningful way. Thanks to RJR parentsJeff Buchanan, Deborah Casstevens, Lisa Dull, Kelly Harris, Mark Livesey, Kathy McLean, Margaret Morris, Mark Rogers, Tricia Wallsand Robin Woodard, and to RJR students Anna Fitzgerald and Elizabeth Meinberg for their inspired contributions. ESL Testing and Tutor Coordinator Shannon Meinberg does an outstanding job with communication, coordination, and countless other tasks to make this program such a success.

Recently, RJR's Hospitality Committee and its Cooks-on-Call treated our deserving faculty and staff to a yogurt bar, complete with fresh fruit and lots of other sweet toppings. What a delicious way to tell our teachers how much we appreciate all they do for our students and community! Thanks to Laura Angle, Margaret Bessette, Jeanne Brooker, Donna Carr, Lisa Carter, Cindy Daggett, Laura Dean, Megan Erickson, Anna Fadel, Anne Garvey, Jennifer Green, Lynn Gwyn, Sandra Irvin, Crystal Joyce, Patty Kullman, Karen Lordeman-Rowdy, Shannon Meinberg, Bonnie Murphy, Merritt Orr, Gayle Parker, Portia Propst, Lisa Rowell, Kate Ruley, Theodora Sparrow, Robin Welch, Mary Blake White, and Melissa Workman for answering this call.

Thanks to our Legacy Corporate Sponsors!

R.J. Reynolds is extremely grateful for the generous donations these corporate sponsors gave to this year’s Legacy Campaign. Please show them your support and thank them for supporting RJR!

This Week’s Schedule

May 5Golf, Regionals at Bermuda Run, 8:00

JV/V Girls Lacrosse vs. LakeNorman, 5:30/7:00

JV/V Soccer vs. West Forsyth, 5:30/7:00

May 6Tennis, State Playoffs, Opponent TBD, 4:00

Baseball, Conference Tournament

Softball at Davie, 5:00

May 7Baseball, Conference Tournament at Davie

May 8Tennis, Individual States, Raleigh, 9:00

Baseball in Conference Tournament at Davie

JV/V Soccer vs. Reagan, 5:30/7:00

May 9Tennis, Individual States, Raleigh, 9:00

May 9/10Lacrosse, State Playoffs, Date and Time TBD

May 10Track, Regionals at Reagan, 10:00

R.J.ReynoldsHigh School All-Sports Celebration

Monday, May 12, 6:00 p.m.

Reynolds Auditorium

See attached flyer for details!

Cross Country Interest Meeting

The boys and girls Cross Country teams will have an informational meeting on May 20 at 6:00 in the cafeteria to discuss summer training and summer camp atASU. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Solomon at or Coach Beale .

Baccalaureate 2014

MUSIC

Information and Sign-up Form

Thank you for your interest in participating in RJR Baccalaureate, a faith-based service celebrating the Class of 2014 to be held on Sunday, June 8 at 5 p.m. at ArdmoreBaptistChurch. Please note the following:

* Musical selections should be appropriate for a faith-based/church service

* Any genre of music welcomed (gospel, contemporary, classical, folk, etc.)

* Selection of performers will be made by the Baccalaureate Committee based

upon length of service, diversity of musical selections/styles, etc.

* Students will “audition” mid-May (date TBA) to ensure appropriateness, etc.

and students will be notified within a week of that date if selected

* Mandatory rehearsal on Friday, June 6 at 4:00 p.m.

* Contact Shannon Johnson at with questions.

CUT HERE

Please fill out form below and place in “Baccalaureate Box” in Student Services office. Music forms are due by FRIDAY, MAY 2.

NAME:______

EMAIL:______

PHONE:______

Please circle all that apply:

Instrumental Vocal Solo Ensemble

If ensemble, list names of participants ______

______

If instrumental, list instrument(s)______

______

Name of musical selection/artist (if you haven’t made a decision, write “undecided”) ______

Baccalaureate 2014

SPEAKERS

Information and Sign-up Form

*Senior students are needed to speak in the following roles:

-Welcome

-Prayer

-Scripture readings (favorite verse short description of what it means to

you)

-Introduction of guest speaker, Tammy Clark, Director of Youth Ministries at

CentenaryMethodistChurch

*Selection of speakers will be made by the Baccalaureate Committee based

upon length of service, variety of students participating, etc.

* This form expressing student’s interest in participation is due May 2.

*Students will be notified by May 12 if selected.

* Written copies of talks will be due May 20.

*Mandatory rehearsal on Friday, June 6 at 4:00p.m.

* Contact Shannon Rainey at with questions.

CUT HERE

Please fill out form below and place in “Baccalaureate Box” in Student Services office. Speaker forms are due by FRIDAY, MAY 2.

NAME:______

EMAIL:______

PHONE:______

I am interested in the following speaking roles: (check all that apply)

___Welcome

___Prayer

___Scripture reading

___Introduction of guest speaker, Tammy Clark

If introduction, do you know Tammy Clark personally? Yes No