Saussy Sworn In As New Board Member

David Saussy was sworn in as the newest member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education on Thursday, December 18. He was appointed by the Board at the December 4 meeting.

David's family was able to join him for this historic event. Chief District Court Judge Joseph Buckner presided.

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CHCCS Dedicates Culbreth MS Science Wing

On Thursday, December 11, 2014, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools cut the ribbon on its newest building - the Science Building at Culbreth Middle School.

The new wing, whose groundbreaking was December 19, 2013, adds an additional 14,700 square feet on to the school.  Every student will be able to use its six classrooms/labs, three science preparation rooms, and a large, light-filled commons area to accommodate joint lectures and experiments.  The construction also included a rain garden and a greenhouse to facilitate outdoor learning.

All of the classrooms are wired for video and audio and the commons space has access to Apple TV, which links the room to the teachers' computers to enhance instruction.

The new Science Building is LEED certified at the Silver Level.  In addition to the new facility, the project included a 4,000 square-foot renovation of former classroom space into a new administrative suite for the school.  This allows the school to be more secure with the front office in the front of the building.  Several classrooms that have no windows were renovated with tubular skylights -  "Solatubes" - that provide a great deal of natural light into classrooms.  Approximately 80 percent of the construction waste was recycled or otherwise diverted from the landfill.  The project also includes a permeable sidewalk and bamboo flooring.

Another feature of the commons area is a wall with whiteboard paint, which allows presenters to write wherever they want, up to nine feet.

An outdoor feature of the project is the "grandstand," located just off the outdoor patio.  It is designed to be used as a teaching tool where students can sit and listen to a presenter.  There is also a bioretention cell that is designed to get very wet when it rains, allowing the water to seep into the soil and plants and then dry out completely.

The new greenhouse is available to all Culbreth staff, as well as being used for a variety of science projects.

The day's program began with Beverly Rudolph, Culbreth principal, welcoming everyone.  An 8x5 foot flag was donated by Woodmen of the World to fly over the new building, and they also donated flags for each classroom.  Also speaking were:  Tony Srithai, science coordinator; Bernadette Pelissier, vice chair, Orange County Board of Commissioners (BOCC); Andrew Davidson, vice chair, Board of Education; and Tom Forcella, superintendent.

Earlier that day, the Board of Education voted to dedicate the Science Building in honor of retired BOCC member, Alice Gordon.  They voted on a resolution to honor Gordon for:

• serving the citizens of Orange County for 24 years as a County Commissioner;
• being a champion of excellent public schools that provide quality education for all the county's students;
• proposing, forming and chairing the county-wide group of elected officials who crafted the Schools Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (SAPFO) to plan for future needs; and
• for being an advocate for the renovation and maintenance of older schools.

The dedication of the Science Building in her honor was a surprise to Gordon that afternoon.  After Forcella read the resolution, Gordon was given a standing ovation and asked to address those in attendance.  In January, the school will establish a formal plaque to Gordon in her honor.

For more pictures from the event, visit the district's Facebook page.

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Four New Administrators

Please join us in welcoming four new administrators to our team. 


John Brown, Jr., Assistant Principal, Chapel Hill High School

Mr. John Brown, Jr. comes to the CHCCS district with an undergraduate degree from NC A&T State University in physics. He continued his education at UNC-Greensboro receiving his Masters in School Administration. Currently, Mr. Brown is in the process of finishing his Ed.D., Educational Leadership, from UNC-G. Mr. Brown has experience as a physics teacher, curriculum facilitator, assistant principal, and principal. All of his educational experience is from Greensboro, NC.  


Kelli Briggs, ELA/SS Coordinator (K-6)

Ms. Briggs joins the CHCCS system after previously serving in the role of K-5 Literacy Specialist in Guilford County Schools.  She has experience as an elementary school teacher and curriculum facilitator. Ms. Briggs received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Elon College. She went on to receive her Masters in Educational Research and Methodology from UNC-Greensboro. Currently, Ms. Briggs is enrolled in the Ed.D., Educational Leadership, program at High Point University. 


Michele Leykum, Exceptional Childrens System Level Coordinator
Ms. Leykum is returning to the CHCCS system after spending some time in other districts. Her most recent assignment was with NCDPI where she served as an Autism consultant. Prior to that, Ms. Leykum was an Autism support teacher in the CHCCS system. She was a residential coordinator in Raleigh with the Autism Society of NC and also served as an Autism teacher at Brentwood Elementary School. Ms. Leykum received her undergraduate degree in Clinical Science from Ithaca College in New York. She continued her education and received a Masters in Special Education/Elementary Education from Hofstra University. Ms. Leykum also has an Advanced Certificate in Applied Behavioral Analysis from Long Island University.


Brenda Whiteman, Arts Coordinator

Dr. Brenda Whiteman has been hired as the new Arts Coordinator for the CHCCS district. She received her undergraduate degree in Middle Grades Education from the University of Georgia. She continued her education at UGA where she received her Masters in Music Education. From there, Dr. Whiteman received her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas. Dr. Whiteman has K-8 experience teaching music, math, science and language arts. She has served as a Teaching Assistant Professor at both UNC-Wilmington and NC State University. She also spent three years as the A+ Arts Education Specialist in the K-12 Curriculum and Instruction Division at NCDPI. 

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CHCCS Teachers Earn National Board Certification

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has 28 teachers from 12 district schools achieve their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) certification in their fields during the 2014-15 certification cycle.  The recipients were announced last week.

The teachers and their certifications are:  Jennifer Ballew, Social Studies-History, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Chapel Hill HS; Katherine Bauer, Science, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Laura Berry, Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Chapel Hill HS; Kristen Bergman, English as a New Language, Early and Middle Childhood, Estes Hills ES; Leigh Ann Bianchi, English as a New Language, Early and Middle Childhood, Estes Hills ES; Kathleen Blue, Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Phillips MS; Robin Bulleri, Science, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Carrboro HS; Christen Campbell, World Languages Other than English, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, Chapel Hill HS; Mark "Tony" Carter, Social Studies-History, Early Adolescence, Smith MS; Jami Cauthren, Early Childhood Generalist, Rashkis ES; Courtney Clapp, Middle Childhood Generalist, Estes Hills ES; Sherry DelValle, English/Language Arts, Early Adolescence, Smith MS; Catherine Guild, School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, McDougle ES; Caroline Hatley, Literacy: Reading-Language Arts, Early and Middle Childhood, Glenwood ES; Dawn Jackson, Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Culbreth MS; Brian Link, Social Studies-History, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Julie McCauley, Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Morris Grove ES; Mark Moseley, World Languages Other than English, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Daniel Murphy, Science, Young Adolescence and Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Gina Pellegrini, Exceptional Needs Specialist, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Scroggs ES; Tiffany Robinson, School Counseling/Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Adam Sanders, Social Studies-History, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Chapel Hill HS; Justin Seifts, World Language Other than English, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS; Megan Taber, Social Studies-History, Early Adolescence, Culbreth MS; Ray Thomas, Science, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, Carrboro HS; Jordan "Jack" Watson, Art, Early Adolescence through Young Adulthood, Chapel Hill HS; Gretchen Westman, Library/Media, Early Childhood through Young Adulthood, Morris Grove ES; and Virginia Kieckbush, Career & Technical Education, Adolescence and Young Adulthood, East Chapel Hill HS.

"The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools are fortunate to have so many talented and dedicated teachers working with our students," said Superintendent Thomas A. Forcella.  "These 28 National Board certified teachers are another example of how passionate they are about improving their learning and advancing their profession," added Dr. Forcella.

CHCCS offers a support group each year for teachers who embark on the national certification process.  This is the last year teachers will be able to complete the process in a single school year.  Going forward, it will take a minimum of three years to complete.

Once again, North Carolina leads the nation with more than 20,000 teachers earning their NBPTS over the years.  Since the state process began in 1996, the district currently has more than 250 teachers who hold national certification.  For more information, go to www.nbpts.org.

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David Saussy Selected as New CHCCS Board of Education Member

On December 4, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education selected its next Board Member.  The Board selected David Saussy to fill the time remaining on Mia Burrough's seat.

Saussy is a research scientist for GlaxoSmithKline and has lived in the Triangle for more than 22 years, with almost 10 of those being in Chapel Hill.  Saussy's wife, Casey, grew up in Chapel Hill.  They have two daughters, who both attend Glenwood Elementary.  Saussy has been an active volunteer at Glenwood, serving on the school's School Improvement Team (SIT) for almost three years, with two years as parent co-chair.  Saussy holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from the College of Charleston and a doctorate's degree in molecular pharmacology from the Medical University of South Carolina.

"As we looked to fill the vacated seat, the Board of Education had the difficult task of selecting only one from the many qualified applicants," said Board Chair Mike Kelley.  "On one hand, there are so many community members who are passionate about education and the quality that CHCCS strives for and on the other hand, we could only choose one.  David caught our attention with his SIT experience and knowledge of the issues facing the school board.  We're looking forward to working with David as the Board continues making CHCCS a top district."

In other actions, the Board of Education also elected its new chair and vice chair.  Mike Kelley was named the Board Chair and Andrew Davidson was selected as the Board Vice Chair.

The next Board of Education meeting is December 18 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Center.  Saussy will be sworn in at that meeting.

David Saussy
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education

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Financial Aid Workshop - December 15

How will you pay for college for your child or yourself? The College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) can help you figure it out!

Sarita Broadway, Regional Representative with CFNC, will present a college financial aid workshop at Carrboro High School on Monday, December 15  at 6:30 p.m. All Carrboro/Chapel Hill area students and parents, no matter which high school the student attends, are welcome. There is no cost to attend the workshop - or for any other CFNC services for families.

The session will cover applying to college, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), avoiding too much debt, finding scholarships and grants, saving for college, choosing a career, and more. CFNC was created to help North Carolinians plan, apply and pay for college. This comprehensive information service provides information and resources at no cost to guide you through every step of the process and help you make smart decisions as you plan for your education and your future. Financial aid personnel from various colleges and universities will be available to answer questions, as well.

If you can’t make the workshop, you can still learn everything you need to know about careers and college access by visiting CFNC.org, or by calling toll-free 1-866-866-CFNC to talk with a CFNC representative.

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