The O'Neal Quarterly Winter 2019

The O’Neal Quarterly •

Model UN team competes in Washlington, DC winning six awards. Read more

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O’Neal Volunteers Organization hosts a blood drive for the O’Neal Community.

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Varsity girls basketball clinches a second consecutive conference season win. Read more

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Varsity girls swimming wins the tri-TAC Championship and the boys team places runner up.

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Upper school and eighth grade students learn about Disney’s sustainability efforts from Dr. Beth Stevens, senior VP of environmental affairs at Disney Worldwide Services. Read more

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Varsity and middle school cheer teams win the Liberty Classic Cheer Competition in Fayetteville.

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Senior Sarah McInnis is elected Homecoming Queen by her peers.

She is escorted by senior Fulton Smith and her little buddies, first grade students Nora King and Loma Ambrozewski. Read more

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All divisions celebrate the holiday season with winter concerts and musicals.- Upper and Middle watch/ PreK-1st / 2nd – 4th watch

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O’Neal hosts the fourth annual middle school Science Olympiad invitational tournament with 20 teams participating. O’Neal’s team places seventh overall. Read more

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The Upper School has its annual tree trimming event where scarves, mittens, gloves and hats decorate the tree.

All of the items are donated to the Sandhills Moore Coalition for Human Care. Read more

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A new middle school swim team is created with eight members. Read more

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Model UN team of five competes at University of Virginia for three days with 1200 other students. Jamie Wenzel wins best delegate in the General Assembly SPECPOL Council in a committee that has 48 countries represented. Read more

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17 students are inducted in the National Honor Society. New Inductees are: Sierra Huffman, Nicole Adam,

WINTER 2019 Angela Carr, Joseph Dailey, Sarah Elmore, Sam Henry, Niasha Kodzai, Andrew Lewis, Molly Mansker, Jackson Martinez, Sarah Massey, Patrick McMurray, Isabella Miller, Rachel Patton, Haley Sager, Lily Tanner, and Bray Woodard. Read more •

For the third consecutive year, O’Neal is awarded a Faile Foundation Grant of $10,000 for the Tuition Assistance Fund. Read more

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US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Charlie McHarney is the guest speaker at the annual Military Appreciation Assembly and Breakfast. Read more

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Fulton Smith officially signs letter of intent to join Wake Forest University’s Men’s Golf Program in the fall of 2019. Read more

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The O’Neal One Act Players receive the spirit award at the One Act Festival held at Pinecrest High School.

Read more

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Guest Speaker Rose Mills talks to 7th-12th grade students about her parents’ experience surviving the Holocaust in Germany. Read more

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Auction Benefit Honorary Chairs Announced

he O’Neal School is excited to have Drs. Lynda and Jeff Acker as honorary cochairs for the School’s 2019 Annual Auction Benefit to happen on Saturday, February 23rd.

Parents of Caroline (Grade 7) and Christina (Grade 5), Jeff and Lynda have been involved with many facets of the School since they first enrolled their daughters in pre-kindergarten. A master gardener, Lynda has been instrumental in allowing O’Neal’s lower school students to have hands-on experience with growing plants and releasing monarch butterflies. From flower growing sessions in O’Neal’s greenhouse to setting up a butterfly tent in the Lower School atrium, Lynda has given much of her time to enriching O’Neal students.

“Our experience at O’Neal has been outstanding,” say the Ackers. “O’Neal provides excellent academics, competitive sports Lynda and Jeff Acker programs, a wide variety of extracurricular activities, and an emphasis on character, community, and developing the whole child. We feel blessed to be a part of this school.”

Presently, Lynda is a member of O’Neal’s Board of Trustees where she serves as secretary, is a member of the Executive Committee, chairperson of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and is a member of the Committee on Trustees. Lynda, in collaboration with O’Neal parent Bart O’Connor, is the co-creator of the Landmark Garden. She and Jeff are Landmark Society members.

Jeff is a radiation oncologist and director of the Cancer Center at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital. Earning a PhD in Physiology, Lynda is the founder and president of a clinical documentation firm called Abilis, Inc. In addition to her work at O’Neal, Lynda is co-creator of The Healing Garden at Clara McLean House and the Hospice Gardens at FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care. She is also helping to create the Village Heritage Foundation Native Pollinator Garden. Lynda is a member of the Clara McLean House Advisory Council, Southern Pines Garden Club and Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church. With ties to Chautauqua, NY, Lynda presently is a board member of the Chautauqua Bird, Tree and Garden Club as well as a coordinator for Chautauqua’s “Monarch Moments & More” lecture series.

Lynda and Jeff enjoy spending time with their children by taking walks with their dogs, playing with their cats, watching movies and traveling.

THE PREVIEW PREVIEW THE

THE BENEFIT THE BENEFIT

THEAFTER AFTER PARTY THE PARTY

Friday, February 22nd Pinehurst Country Club 9:00am - 12:00pm

Saturday, February 23rd Pinehurst Country Club 6:00pm

Saturday, February 23rd Pinehurst Country Club After the Live Auction Segment

Mobile bid on silent auction items.

Enjoy refreshments and student entertainment.

Mobile bid on silent auction items.

Enjoy cocktails & hors doeuvres, a seated dinner & live auction.

Enjoy cash bar & hors d’oeuvres with music and dancing with DJ and O’Neal Parent Victor Afable also known as “Manila Ice.”

Attend for FREE & bring a friend!

Register online at ONealSchool.org

Included with Benefit Registration

Research and Robots

2019 Auction Benefit Fund A Need “Digital native” describes anyone born after the universal presence of computers, the internet and smart phones in our daily lives. These natives have an understanding of technology, and at The O’Neal School, we want our students to integrate these innovative tools into all of our programs. Through this year’s Fund A Need, we look to develop our student’s K-12 digital skills. Through technology-based experiences, O’Neal students will also further their skills of scientific observation, design, computational thinking and collaborative problem solving.

Last year’s Fund A Need item included tools like projectors and laptops for teachers, which substantially enhanced instruction in the classroom, and the STEAM project space has been integral in providing hands-on learning. We know that occupations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are projected to grow, so O’Neal must continue to invest in the advanced tools essential for making our students future leaders in these fields.

With the addition of software and equipment, O’Neal students at every age can develop skills in coding and engineering, and interdisciplinary projects can be enhanced with media creations such as movies, websites, podcasts, and graphic design. Upper School students can have technology-based electives such as 3D printing, astronomy and be a part of the new FIRST robotics club*.

Lower and Middle School students can explore programming logic and reasoning by coding robots and compete in Lego League.

O’Neal students can bring technology with them to conduct research beyond the classroom. Our science department plans to expand its current lab offerings by providing an outdoor learning lab on our campus. Mr. Williamson’s students have been studying the pond on campus, and this year’s Fund a Need will also make this area safe and accessible for sample collection and observation.

This equipped outdoor lab will allow all O’Neal students from Pre-Kindergarten to Advanced Placement to experience and explore biology, earth science, astronomy and forestry. Moore County has such a rich ecosystem and what better way to learn about our environment than to be in it!

We hope that you will consider supporting O’Neal’s students through this Fund A Need. Raise your paddle for the last item of our Live Auction segment at our Denim and Diamonds Auction Benefit - February 23rd, or you may also donate online. *Learn more about First Robotics by visiting FirstInspires.org

O’Neal Welcomes New Director of Safety and Security

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’Neal is excited and yet humbled to have the former Aberdeen Chief of Police Tim Wenzel as the new Director of Safety and Security. An O’Neal parent, Tim has been spending his first month on the job observing the school day. He is working with School Nurse Sue Gibbons and a safety committee, reviewing the drills and making assessments for improvements in the areas of safety and security.

Tim is also an assistant coach for the varsity boys basketball team.

“I’m happy to be a part of the O’Neal community and I hope that I can make an impact,” says Coach Wenzel.

Coach Wenzel leaves a law enforcement career of more than 30 years. O’Neal is happy to be the benefactor of this major transition.

Tim Wenzel & 4th grade boys

For more information on Tim Wenzel, read The Pilot Newspaper’s “From Cop to Coach: Retiring Aberdeen Police Chief Ready for New Career” by Laura Douglass.

Upcoming Events Auction Preview - Feb. 22nd The Annual Auction Benefit - Feb. 23rd

O’NEAL SUMMER FUN

Summer Enrichment Programs for Youth of All Ages.

Camps are priced at a $10 discount through May 31st.

Register Online

ONealSchool.org

Science Olympiad Regional Competition Feb. 23rd Odyssey of the Mind Regional Competition March 2-4 Middle/ Upper School Musical “Oliver” March 8th & 9th Middle School Battle of the Books District Competition - March 14th Elementary Battle of the Books District Competition - March 19th

Pre-K Swimming Lessons start in April - Register Now! 910-692-6920 • Southern Pines, NC

The O’Neal Quarterly P.O. Box 290 Southern Pines, NC 28388

One Community. Every Student. Every Day.