Floyd County Public Schools Teacher Training: 2019-2020

2007-2013 classes – 2014-2018 classes – 2019-2020 classes

Floyd County Public Schools, Old Church Gallery, Ltd., and Radford University (RU) partnered in our Roots With Wings Place-based Educaton oral history project. College mentors, high school staff, and a dedicated community non-profit partner met weekly during the school year to teach the art of oral history collection and digital recording to high school teachers. Each participant listed below contributed to the recording, presentation, and preservation of the oral history archives.

Group photo from 2019 Roots with Wings projecy
Roots with Wings Team Members from the Floyd Story Center at the Old Church Gallery, Floyd County Public Schools, and Radford University: Back row: Melinda Wagner, Amanda Burroughs, Catherine Pauley, Alice Slusher, Molly Cox, Vicky McAlexander, Kimberly Ingram. Front row: Shaylee Hodges, Sharmaine Ramirez, Cora Bland
Students practicing making a recording
Recording Practice: from left: Kimberly Ingram, Amanda Burroughs, Cora Bland

In 2019, the Floyd Story Center at the Old Church Gallery developed a Superintendent-approved Professional Development Activity for Floyd County Public School Teachers, awarding points toward licensure renewal.  Using the Roots with Wings model, the intergenerational interviews connected Floyd County faculty with Radford University students to interview Floyd County elders.  The Virginia Department of Education Division of Teacher Education and Licensure approved these domains of professional competency:  “Concepts and principles of effective relationships among schools, families, and communities;” and “Concepts and principles of communication, . . and cultural differences . . . ”

Meeting of teachers and roots with wings mentors

2019 Floyd County Public Schools Teacher Oral History Activity – Professional Development

Instructors: Dr. Melinda Wagner, Radford University Professor Emerita; Catherine Pauley, Old Church Gallery.

Interviewees: Charles Kingrea, Carl and Vada Cox, Hilda Harmon, Lena McAlexander.

Participants: Molly Cox, FCHS; Alice Slusher, RTA; Kimberly Ingram, FCHS; Vicky McAlexander, FCHS; Sharmaine Ramirez, RU; Cora Bland, RU; Shaylee Hodges, RU; Amanda Burroughs, RU.

2020 Floyd County Pubic Schools Teacher Oral History Activity – Professional Development

Instructors: Dr. Melinda Wagner, Radford University Professor Emeritas; Catherine Pauley, Old Church Gallery.

Interviewee: Jason Rutledge. [pandemic restrictions curtailed 2020 project]

Participants: Jason Burgard, FCHS; Mary Dickerson, FCPS; Katie Thomas, FCPS; Bijou Williams, RU.

2007-2013 classes – 2014-2018 classes – 2019-2020 classes