Phillips Middle School Orchestra Makes Beautiful Music with Banda Magda

Brooklyn-based Banda Magda recently held a three-day workshop with eighth-grade orchestra students at Guy B. Phillips Middle School. The workshop taught students about global music and how different styles can come together. The group worked with Phillips students on October 27-29. In addition to the workshop, the ensemble performed with the Phillips Middle School orchestra during their performance on Thursday, October 29.

After the success of their brilliantly colorful albums, “Amour, t’es là?” (Top 10 Billboard World Music Charts, NPR’s All Songs Considered, First Listen, NPR’s 10 favorite World Music Albums 2013), and “Yerakina” (co-produced by GRAMMY Award-winners Michael League and Fab Dupont), Banda Magda is in pre-production of their third opus, the vibrant, Technicolor “Tigre” to be released in January 2016.

Hanging Out With Ricky Martin!

The Mariposas group at Frank Porter Graham Bilingue was founded last year with 15 girls. This year it has doubled in size to 30 girls and now includes middle schoolers from Culbreth and McDougle Middle Schools. The goal of the group is to use Latino culture, traditions and identity to teach academic motivation, social/emotional health, leadership and civic engagement. The group meets every Monday evening. Parents are a huge component of the group activities and they join the girls two Mondays a month for paired activities.

Another mission of the group is to expose the girls to as many professional Latinos as possible. To that end, last May the group traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet privately with Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the Supreme Court. The judge spoke to the girls about overcoming economic, racial and social barriers to succeed. It was a memorable experience for the girls and the chaperones!

Last week, the group had an opportunity to meet Ricky Martin when he was in town for a show a the Durham Performing Arts Center. For the Ricky Martin activity, the girls had to commit additional time in the evening to come to school and learn about Ricky Martin's life as a performer, a humanitarian and the struggles related to his sexuality.

The Ricky Martin foundation in Puerto Rico deserves a shout out for making this opportunity a reality for our girls.

Amazing things are happening at Frank Porter Graham Bilingue!

Estes Hills First-Grader Receives Letter from President Obama

Estes Hills Elementary first-grader Sanaa received a special delivery from the White House this week after writing a letter to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama last spring.

As a student in Ms. Claire Ross’ kindergarten class last year, Sanaa wrote an essay about President Obama. The class had been studying opinion writing, and the students were asked to write about a topic of their choice. Sanaa chose to write about why she loved President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and her country.

“I was so blown away with such a young person having such huge ideas and understanding that I told her we would have to mail it to him,” said Ms. Ross. “He needed to read it!”

This week, Ms. Ross received a large envelope from the White House addressed to Sanaa, which contained a signed letter and pictures from the President. Ms. Ross presented the package to Sanaa and spoke with her first-grade class about how important it is to write and read and share your ideas.

“I am so proud of her. She is going to do great things,” Ms. Ross said.

Teacher Workday, November 3 / Día de trabajo para maestros, 3 de noviembre

Teacher Workday Scheduled

There is a Teacher Workday scheduled for Tuesday, November 3.

Morris Grove has Spirit...Yes, They Do!

Morris Grove Elementary won the 2015 Walk for Education Spirit Award...Congratulations Geckos!

The school will receive a check for $200 at the Walk for Education check presentation during the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, November 5. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln Center Board Room.

Week of Action

Students representing MSAN (Multicultural Student Achievement Network) and CORe (Changing Our Reality every day) recently
joined Dignity In School's Week of Action with the goal of bringing awareness to the national issue of school pushout.

Students at Carrboro High School participated in a student survey about bullying, student code of conduct and positive ways to reduce suspensions.

Suggested strategies include:

  * Use positive interventions instead of suspensions, expulsions or arrest and end racial disparities in discipline;
  * Fully implement positive alternatives such as SWPBIS (School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) and Restorative Practice;
  * Engage students and parents in decision-making about discipline policies.

Students Teaching Students

The Smith Middle School Cyclones volleyball team recently held an after-school clinic at Seawell Elementary. Middle school student-athletes taught their elementary counterparts the basic skills of passing, setting and serving.  They had lots of fun while promoting their sport.

Community Book Read

Parent University and the Community-Parent Advocacy Network are sponsoring a community book read. They will utilize "It's The Little Things" by Lena Williams to examine equity and the impact of microagressions within the CHCCS district and surrounding communities. This is a great way to engage in the discussion of equity with parents. Refreshments will be served and childcare available upon request! FREE copies of the book will be provided.

End of First Quarter, Oct. 23 / Final del Primer Trimestre, 23 de octubre

Report Cards Issued and Parent-Teacher Conferences Scheduled

Report cards for the First Quarter will be sent home in the coming days. Middle school students take their report cards home on October 27 and high school students take their report cards home on November 2.

The first Parent-Teacher Conferences for the year are scheduled on Tuesday, November 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesday, November 4 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Please contact your student's school to schedule your conference.  Elementary report cards will be handed out at the Parent-Teacher Conference.

Entrega de los informes de calificaciones y programación de las conferencias de padres y maestros

Informes de calificaciones del primer trimestre serán enviadas a casa en los próximos días.  Los estudiantes de las escuelas de secundaria media (middle school) llevarán sus informes de calificaciones el 27 de octubre, y los estudiantes de las escuelas de secundaria superior (high school) las llevarán el 2 de noviembre.

Las conferencias de padres y maestros del primer trimestre están programadas para el martes, 3 de noviembre de 10 a.m. a 4 p.m. y el miércoles, 4 de noviembre de 5:30-8:30 p.m. Por favor póngase en contacto con la escuela de su estudiante para programar su conferencia.  Los informes de calificaciones de estudiantes de las escuelas de primaria serán entregados en las conferencias de padres y maestros.

National School Lunch Week

CHCCS will be celebrating National School Lunch Week (#NSLW) October 12-16, 2015 in all our school cafes. Every school cafe in our district cooks on-site. This year you'll find we've increased scratch cooking, bought more fresh local food than ever before, and added new, exciting menu items. From the Garden Bar in all elementary schools, to expanded offerings like fish tacos with citrus salsa and brand new salads and sub offerings at middle and high schools, there is something for every one.

Be sure to follow @CHCCS and @PopUpFoodie on Twitter for updates and school pictures throughout the week. And we'd love to see YOUR photos of what makes our school cafes great!

Some of the food next week: we're featuring Shaker Salads with scratch dressings, spaghetti with fresh-made marinara, and fresh-made pizza among other items.  Plan for yourself with our current menus:
http://chartwells.compass-usa.com/CHCCS/Pages/SiteMenus.aspx.

 

International Walk to School Day

International Walk to School Day took place on Wednesday, October 7. It is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, this event has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school and a celebration with record breaking participation each October. Now, thousands of schools across America – from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico – participate every October.

Among local schools participating, Rashkis Elementary and Ephesus Elementary, did it up in a big way.

The team at Rashkis Elementary enjoyed a make shift drum line, police officers, emergency workers, UNC cheerleaders to keep up the spirit, flags from all over the world to represent our international students, Len Cone, i9 Sports (to place safety signs), and even a representative from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Ephesus Elementary celebrated their healthy choice with a dance party before classes. Students who ride the bus had the opportunity to walk a lap around the building, too. There was also a special appearance by the Chapel Hill Police Department, who provided a speed sign on Ephesus Church Road to raise awareness of safety in the school zone.

Congratulations to all who participated. What a great way to start the day!

Laverne Mattocks - 2015 Principal of the Year

Laverne Mattocks, Principal of Carrboro High School, was named Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools 2015 Principal of the Year earlier today. Superintendent Tom Forcella and other district leaders were on hand to make the presentation at the school.

Mattocks has been with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools since 2009, and at Carrboro High School since July 2012. Prior to that, she was Principal of Phoenix Academy High School from 2009 to 2012.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Mattocks began her career as an English teacher with Pamlico County Schools. She later migrated to Durham Public Schools, where she taught English at Southern High, and eventually moved into school administration, serving as an assistant principal at both Hillside High and Riverside High. Along the way, she earned her Master’s Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“Laverne Mattocks is a complete leader,” said Superintendent Tom Forcella. “She brings a tremendous blend of wisdom, passion and vision to her role. We are very fortunate to have Laverne leading Carrboro High.”

Mattocks will now represent Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools in the Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year program.

October is National Principals Month

Principals are among the hardest working people in our community, and they set the academic tone for their respective schools. It is their vision, dedication, and determination that provide the mobilizing force for achieving student success.

As the picture shows, they love to have fun, too!

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is fortunate to have an amazing team of school leaders in our district. Join us this month in honoring these unsung heroes for their tireless efforts in pursuit of excellence in education.

Drew Ware, Principal of Estes Hills Elementary School