Last Day of School, June 8 & 2-Hour Early Release / Último día de escuela, 8 de junio, y salida temprana de 2 horas

Last Day of School Has 2-Hour Early Release for Students
The last day of school for CHCCS students is Wednesday, June 8.  Students will be released from school two hours early that day.  Have a safe, restful summer!

Los estudiantes salen 2 horas más temprano el último día de escuela
El último día de escuela para los estudiantes de CHCCS es el miércoles, 8 de junio. Los estudiantes salen 2 horas más temprano ese día.  ¡Esperamos que tengan un verano seguro y tranquilo!

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East Chapel Hill High's Beauty and the Beast a Regional Finalist for Jimmy Award

Exciting news!

East Chapel Hill High's Beauty and the Beast has been selected as one of nominees for "Best Ensemble" for the 6th Annual Triangle Rising Stars Awards. Congratulations and "bon chance" to fellow nominees: Athens Drive, Apex and Cary High Schools. The celebration of all regional finalists for the 2016 "Jimmy Awards" will be June 6 at the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC).

In 2009, the Nederlanders established The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (NHSMTA) nicknamed "The Jimmy Awards," in honor of Jimmy Nederlander, Sr. This national competition celebrates outstanding student performances in high school musical productions across the United States. Triangle Rising Stars is the regional competition that brings together high school musical theater students from Central and Eastern North Carolina to perform and compete for the chance to represent the Triangle in the national finals in New York City each summer.

Throughout the school year judges from DPAC, Theatre in the Park, PlayMakers Repertory Theater, Durham Arts Council and WTVD ABC 11 attend high school musical theater productions across the region. Regional finalists are then selected to attend a weekend retreat with their peers, culminating with the Triangle Rising Stars awards show at DPAC. Awards in this regional competition include Best Actor and Actress, Best Ensemble, Best Musical, and more. The Triangle Rising Stars Best Actress and Best Actor receive $1,000 academic scholarships and are invited to represent the Triangle in an all-expense paid trip to the NHSMTA program in New York City. In New York, they are immersed in a week of professional coaching from Broadway directors, actors, actresses, vocal coaches, and choreographers. The National Awards program takes place at Nederlander's Minskoff Theatre, home theatre for Disney's The Lion King. In total, 30 regional competitions send finalists to New York representing the best High School musical theater students from 1,000 high schools nationwide that participate.

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Seawell Elementary Storm Water Project - Award Winner!

Congratulations are in order for all involved with the Seawell Elementary Storm Water Project. It was one of four land development projects honored at the sixth annual awards cycle for the Greater Triangle Stewardship Development Awards Program (GTSDA). The awards ceremony was held at the Power Plant at the American Tobacco Campus on May 10.

An interdisciplinary expert panel of judges evaluated the projects for achievement in these areas:

Natural resource assessment
Water quality protection
Wildlife Habitat Protection
Vegetation Protection and Enhancement
Green Building
Integration with the Community
Long-Term Management and Maintenance
Community Outreach and Education

Jim Goodmon, CEO of Capital Broadcasting Company, provided a brief keynote address, followed by presentation of awards to recipients by GTSDA Board members.

The four innovative winning projects are:

Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve, Raleigh
This City of Raleigh nature preserve was awarded the highest award, a Gold Stewardship Development Award. The project, pictured above, demonstrated exceptional achievement on all applicable GTSDA criteria. Surface 678, a landscape architecture firm, worked with the City of Raleigh to create a model public recreation and environmental education facility grounded in resource conservation and sustainable development principles. Horseshoe Farm Nature Preserve is situated above a dramatic oxbow formed by the Neuse River and is becoming a showcase for innovation in sustainability and low impact park development and management practices. In particular, judges commended the extensive natural resource assessment that informed the design and programming, the use of green building techniques, and the development and use of a management plan to guide stewardship of the park moving forward.

Kent Corner Project, Durham
Kent Corner received a Silver Stewardship Development Award. The champions of Kent Corner, Self Help, transformed an environmentally contaminated site within a historic low-income community on the edge of downtown Durham. Self-Help engaged extensively with the three surrounding neighborhoods, resulting in a project that creates strong connections to the residents and meets both economic and cultural goals. Judges praised the place-making aspect of this development, including the community outreach and the features incorporated to connect community members with the project and to recognize the history of the site. They also cited the reuse and remediation of a brownfield site, and use of green building techniques. Two anchor Kent Corner tenants amplify the goal of positive community impact. The Durham Co-op Market brings healthy foods to a food desert as well as jobs to the community. The non-profit Center for Child and Family Health is a partnership among many of the Triangle's universities to integrate and deliver mental health services to children and families recovering from traumatic events. DTW Architects and Planners, Ltd., designed the project, and CT Wilson was the general contractor.

Seawell Elementary School, Chapel Hill
The Seawell Elementary Storm Water Project was awarded an Honorable Mention for Water Quality Protection, Vegetation Protection & Enhancement, and Community Outreach and Education. The main buildings of Seawell were built in 1969. As other buildings and school features were added, storm water management was not an integral part of the decision making process. The stormwater project included installing a 75-foot water retention trench, adding four 500-­gallon cisterns, replanting two hillsides with native plants and grasses, and installing two rain gardens. The judges were extremely impressed with the exceptional respect shown to local water resources through innovative solutions at a developed site, while at the same time providing native vegetation that can benefit wildlife. They also praised how education about the stormwater features was integrated into the curricula throughout multiple grades. The project team included Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools, Lands and Waters South, and North Carolina Cooperative Extension, with funding from the Jandy Ammons Foundation.

Robertson’s Millpond Preserve, Wake County
Robertson Millpond Preserve was awarded an Honorable Mention for Natural Resource Assessment and Wildlife Habitat Protection. The 85-acre preserve along Buffalo Creek lies near Knightdale, Wendell and Zebulon, and centers around a historic millpond. In more than 180 years, the millpond has become a blackwater swamp, unusual for the Piedmont area. It is home to Wake County's only known bald cypress habitat. County leaders, responding to the need for additional recreation areas as part of the Wake County Open Space and Greenway Masterplan, approved the purchase of this property for a nature preserve. This millpond is an aesthetic and visual amenity for county residents to enjoy. The judges were extremely impressed with the exceptional respect for conserving wildlife habitat through the assessment and protection of the unique bald cypress blackwater swamp habitat in the piedmont. DHM Design was the leading firm in the design efforts for the visitor access point, with the design team including Ward Consulting Engineers, Lysaght & Associates Structural Engineers, and Axiom Environmental.

Event sponsors included Moffatt & Nichol, WithersRavenel, Stewart, Inc., Soil & Environmental Consulting, Weaver Street Realty, and Summit Design and Engineering Services, with beverages provided by Haw River Farmhouse Ales.

Modeled after a sister program in the Coastal North Carolina area, called the Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Development Awards, the Greater Triangle Stewardship Development Awards Program was established as a partnership in 2010 among local businesses, academia, state agencies and local governments. The program incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2014. Applications for recognition in the 2017 cycle will be solicited in fall 2016.

More information about the program and past winners is available at www.trianglestewardship.org.

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Superintendent Tom Forcella Announces Retirement - Effective August 1

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Tom Forcella has announced his retirement, effective August 1.

Forcella has been with the school district since 2011, and in schools for 42 years. Notable accomplishments during that time include the increased focus on classroom instruction and lesson planning, the design and implementation of a long-range strategic plan that includes 28 specific strategies, and the creation of Project ADVANCE – a strategic compensation model that ties teacher pay to professional development. Forcella has been working with state leaders to investigate the possibility of Project ADVANCE eventually becoming a model for teacher compensation statewide.

“My five years in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have been extremely rewarding,” said Forcella. “I am thankful for the opportunity to work with our amazing students, as well as the staff, parents and agencies that make this community remarkable.”

Board of Education Chair James Barrett indicated the school district will continue the progress made under Dr. Forcella’s leadership.

“While sad to lose him at this critical time, I am grateful for Dr Forcella’s five years of service to this district,” said Barrett. “His efforts to improve quality of instruction will make a lasting impact for the benefit of all our students. These efforts are cultural shifts in our district that will live beyond his tenure and continue to help our students succeed.”

“His diverse teaching and administrative background has allowed him to have the necessary perspective and vision to lead a school district,” said Board of Education Vice Chair Annetta Streater. “The district’s Long Range Plan speaks to his efforts to engage children, raise achievement and prepare all of our staff to be leaders. I will truly miss him and wish him well.”

The next meeting of the Board of Education is Thursday, June 2 at 7 p.m.

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Grinnell Named 2016-17 Teacher of the Year at Recognition Reception

Jessie Grinnell of Culbreth Middle, was named the District Teacher of the Year at the Annual Recognition Reception on May 20 at Carrboro High.

Grinnell is an eighth grade English Language Arts teacher with six years of teaching experience.  She holds a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her teaching certification in Middle Grades Language Arts from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.  Grinnell received a $1,000 check from the Bank of North Carolina, as well as gifts from area businesses.

Two Honor Teachers were also named on Friday.  They are Lisa French of Carrboro High and Jared Mann of Phoenix Academy High.  They each received a $500 check from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation (PSF) and gifts from local businesses.

Other Teachers of the Year were recognized with $100 checks from PSF and gifts rom local businesses.  They are: Brandy Hutchens, Carrboro Elementary; Kaitlin Baird, Ephesus Elementary; Claire Rizzo, Estes Hills Elementary; Denise Feliz, FPG Bilingüe; Robin Franklin, Glenwood Elementary; Hope Kilgo, McDougle Elementary; Amy Brazaski, Morris Grove Elementary; Deandra Hill, Northside Elementary; Craig Walker, Rashkis Elementary; Jeanette Dixon, Scroggs Elementary; Shanice Harrington, Seawell Elementary; Kate Parrent, McDougle Middle; Ann Daaleman, Phillips Middle; April Ferguson, Smith Middle; Randy Trumbower, Chapel Hill High; and Beth Watson, East Chapel Hill High.

Teacher of the Year gifts were provided by:  A Better Image Printing, Barnes and Noble at New Hope Commons, Chapel Hill Florist, Chapel Hill Restaurant Group, Office Depot and the Spotted Dog Restaurant.

Jessie Grinnell, District Teacher of the Year

Lisa French, District Honor Teacher

Jared Mann, District Honor Teacher

The Mary Scroggs Award for Excellence in Providing Support Services recognizes one classified staff member from each school and several Lincoln Center departments.  The award recipient is Howard "Bobby" Woodard, an electrical assistant with the district's Facilities Maintenance Department, who also received a $1,000 check.  Two Honor Recipients were named.  They are Norma Centeno, a teacher assistant at Ephesus Elementary, and Ernestine Hulett, a teacher assistant at Morris Grove Elementary.  They each received $500.

Other Classified Staff of the Year, who each received $100, are:  Sharon Prince, teacher assistant, Carrboro Elementary; Lisa House, receptionist, Estes Hills Elementary; Mabel Gonzalez, media assistant, FPG Bilingüe; Jeannine Brinkman, teacher assistant, Glenwood Elementary; Kathy Bomba, teacher assistant, McDougle Elementary; Felita Pierre, lead custodian, Northside Elementary; Loretta Mount, EC teacher assistant, Rashkis Elementary; Latha Sabesan, teacher assistant, Scroggs Elementary; Jen Brouder, teacher assistant, Seawell Elementary; Kendra Rone, bookkeeper, Culbreth Middle; Julie Walker, EC teacher assistant, McDougle Middle; Willie Alston, head custodian, Phillips Middle; Jo Soulier, guidance secretary, Smith Middle; Kendra Hargett-Chamblee, study hall assistant, Carrboro High; Teresa Dawson, school secretary, Chapel Hill High; Helen Yvonne Ware, secretary, East Chapel Hill High; Ellen Hines, monthly payroll technician, Budget and Finance, Lincoln Center; Patrick Mimranek, IT support specialist, Information Technology, Lincoln Center; and Nakia Allen, secretary, Transportation.

Betsy Booth, school social worker at Estes Hills Elementary, received the Exceptional Children Student Services Staff of the Year Award, as well as a check for $500.  The two Honor Recipients are Sandra McAdoo, EC program facilitator at Chapel Hill High, and Amy Singer, school counselor at Carrboro Elementary.  They each received $250.

The other ECSS Staff of the Year, who each received $50, are: Tamika Harris, occupational therapist, Ephesus Elementary; Janice Anderson, school nurse, FPG Bilingüe; Bill Rathbun, school counselor, Glenwood Elementary; Valerie Minogue, school nurse, McDougle Elementary; Lara Statile, school nurse, Morris Grove Elementary; Julie Vogel, school nurse, Northside Elementary; Carlie Ewen, school social worker, Rashkis Elementary; Cindy Zwiacher, school nurse, Scroggs Elementary; Linda Williford, school social worker, Seawell Elementary; Stefanie Mazva-Cohen, school social worker, Culbreth Middle; Connie Riddle, school nurse, McDougle Middle; Allison Blue, school social worker, Phillips Middle; Sheila Bryan, school counselor, Smith Middle; Kathryn Watson, school nurse, Carrboro High; Jerri Fritzo, school psychologist, East Chapel Hill High; and Lynda Craig, school nurse, Pre-K/Head Start.

Classified and EC staff of the Year gifts were provided by FSI Office and University Florist.

Other staff awards were also presented at the event.

LaVerne Mattocks of Carrboro High was recognized as the district's Principal of the Year, while Katie Caggia of Estes Hills Elementary was named the district's Assistant Principal of the Year.  Rydell Harrison, executive director of professional development and Project ADVANCE, received the Award for Excellence in District Administration.

Tina Mansfield of Morris Grove Elementary was the recipient of the Jeanette Blackwell Mentor Teacher Award.  Morgan May of Culbreth Middle received the CHC Promising New Teacher Award.  Jessica Kelly of Culbreth Middle was named the recipient of the Elmo's Award for Excellence in Teaching English as a Second Language and World Language.

The Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate (BRMA) program presented two Excellence in Equitable Teaching Awards.  These award recipeints are selected by the students in BRMA.  The middle school award went to Eric Zeigler of Smith Middle, and Kimberly Manning of East Chapel Hill High received the high school award.

Representatives of PSF were on hand to present both new and renewing Teaching Chairs.  Denise Keene of Smith Middle is the Kim Hoke Chair for Excellence in Teaching Exceptional Children, a new chair named this year.  Jessie Grinnell of Culbreth Middle is the Neil Pedersen Teachers First Chair for Excellence in Classroom Technology.  Claire Ross of Estes Hills Elementary is the Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching in the Primary Grades (PreK-2).  Brian Link of East Chapel Hill High is the Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School English or Social Studies.  Nicholas Van Hoene of Smith Middle is the GlaxoSmithKline Chair for Excellence in Teaching Middle School Science or Math.

Renewing chair recipients were also honored on Friday.  Jay Wilson of East Chapel Hill High is the Elmo's Excellence in Teaching Mathematics or Science Chair.  Katherine Whttington of Phillips Middle is the Burton Stuart Chair for Promising New Teachers of Secondary Math or Science.  Erin White of Smith Middle is the Zora Rashkis Teaching Chair in Middle School Language Arts.  Laura Boening of Morris Grove Elementary is the Upper Elementary Chair for Excellence in Teaching Innovation.

Ten teachers were recognized for earning their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  They join the almost 300 other CHCCS teachers who have earned their National Boards.  They are:  Mary Allen, Hospital School; Robert "Bear" Bashford, McDougle Middle; Mathew Cone, Carrboro High; Robin Gallaher, Carrboro High; Mike Harris, Phillips Middle; Beth O'Donnell, Chapel Hill High; Erika Pawlowski, Carrboro Elementary; Sarah Sconyers, East Chapel Hill High; Haley Wamble, East Chapel Hill High; and Michelle Wilson, Chapel Hill High.

Seventeen employees were recognized for retiring from the district this year.  They include:  Faith Becker, Hospital School; Tom Brown, Carrboro High; Boyd Brevard, Smith Middle; Jane Clunie, McDougle Elementary; Gail Cloud, PreK/Head Start; Alma Kay Dixon, McDougle Elementary; Becky Dallke, Morris Grove Elementary; Donna Gates, Chapel Hill High; Ruben Giral, McDougle Middle; Mary Gunderson, Lincoln Center; Ray Hartsfield, East Chapel Hill High; Letitia Johnson, Phillips Middle; Sherron Leplin, Lincoln Center; Archie McCrimmon, Transportation; Mary Roberts, Lincoln Center; Lawrence Webster, Smith Middle; and Lucy Wilks, East Chapel Hill High.

Employees are also honored for attaining milestones of service with CHCCS.  Beverly Roberson, bus driver with Transportation was honored for her 35 years of service.

Three employees were honored for having 30 years of service to CHCCS.  They are:  Mary Gunderson, Lincoln Center; Pamela A. Lee, Phillips Middle; and Joyce Wilson, Chapel Hill High.

Employees with 25 years of service included:  Nancy Bierman, Morris Grove Elementary; Mary E. Gates, McDougle Elementary; Angela Greene, Phillips Middle; Jennifer Burnette, Seawell Elementary; Elizabeth Ann Pharr Harrawood, FPG Bilingüe; Don Minnick, Smith Middle; Ann Morgan, Phillips Middle; Annette Price, McDougle Elementary; Carl A. Smith, Seawell Elementary; Pablo Valencia, FPG Bilingüe; and Donna Wyatt, Lincoln Center.

Employees with 20 years of service included:  Beverly Alston, Transportation; Roberto Aponte, Lincoln Center; Evon B. Barnes, East Chapel Hill High; Taren K. Basnight, Seawell Elementary; Darrell Battle, Glenwood Elementary; Bob Bedell, Phillips Middle; Andrea H. Bittle, Glenwood Elementary; Denise Buckley, Lincoln Center; Beth Burns, Rashkis Elementary; Gretchen Capps, Ephesus Elementary; Carolyn Cotton, East Chapel Hill High; Shelia Crosland, Scroggs Elementary; Bethany Custer, Lincoln Center; Janet Davis-Castro, Carrboro Elementary; Rebecca A. Daye, East Chapel Hill High; Richard M. Drenzek, Transportation and Lincoln Center; JoAnn Ivey Duncan, Transportation; Queen Edge, Lincoln Center; Bobby Lee Edwards, Chapel Hill High; Lara Farrar, Lincoln Center; John Gillespie, East Chapel Hill High; Ruben Giral, McDougle Middle; Ray P. Hartsfield, East Chapel Hill High; Jaye Hockaday, McDougle Elementary; Alice B. A. Lassiter, Carrboro Elementary; Vicki C. Johnson, Chapel Hill High; Bobby Kelly, Glenwood Elementary; Sharon Ann McCauley, Ephesus Elementary; Tina Lentz Mansfield, Morris Grove Elementary; Lavern M. Manzano, Lincoln Center; Stephen Marquis, East Chapel Hill High; Lewis Marsh, Culbreth Middle; Helen Phillips Maxwell, Rashkis Elementary; Bill Melega, Chapel Hill High; Yin Mei Meng, Glenwood Elementary; Bradley E. Miller, East Chapel Hill High; Lee Newbold, Carrboro Elementary; Kate Parrent, McDougle Middle; Teresa Pitts, Chapel Hill High; Amelia Adams Quick, Chapel Hill High; Christopher Samuel Robinson, Sr., Transportation; Karen Sharp, Chapel Hill High; Barbara Sternowski, Estes Hills Elementary; Paula Thompson, Seawell Elementary; Dale Traugott, East Chapel Hill High; Kara M. VanHooser, McDougle Elementary; H. Yvonne Ware, East Chapel Hill High; Freida Whitehead, Chapel Hill High; Mark Williams, Lincoln Center; Latoya Williams-Clark, McDougle Middle; Pier Angela Wilson-Crocker, McDougle Middle; Jerilyn Wilson, Phillips Middle; Howard "Bobby" Woodard, Lincoln Center; and Edwina Zagami, Phillips Middle.

The district also recognized the six staff members who passed away this year.  They are:  Christopher Abbassee, media specialist, Culbreth Middle; Vanessa Cotton, EC teacher assistant, Culbreth Middle; Bo Pway Htoo, custodian, Lincoln Center; Fred Lockwood, custodian, Carrboro High; Michael Sanford, custodian, Phillips Middle; and Freida Whitehead, school secretary, Chapel Hill High.

The annual Recognition Reception is hosted in collaboration with the Public School Foundation (PSF).

"Every year we take the time to honor and celebrate CHCCS employees publicly and thank them for what they do.  These staff members go above and beyond in their roles," said Superintendent Tom Forcella.  "It is always one of the best evenings of the year and I want to add my thanks to all CHCCS staff for their hard work and efforts throughout the year."

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Memorial Day Holiday, May 30 / Día festivo de Conmemoración, 30 de mayo

School and District Offices Closed for Memorial Day
Monday, May 30, CHCCS schools and district offices are closed in observance of the Memorial Day Holiday.  School will resume as usual and district offices will be open on Tuesday, May 31.

Las escuelas y oficinas del distrito están cerradas para el Día de Conmemoración
El lunes, 30 de mayo, las escuelas y oficinas del distrito de CHCCS están cerradas en observancia del Día de Conmemoración.  Las escuelas y oficinas del distrito estarán abiertas en su horario normal el martes, 31 de mayo.

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Technology Student Association (TSA) Awards

The Technology Student Association (TSA) chapters from Phillips and McDougle Middle Schools, as well as East Chapel Hill and Chapel Hill High Schools, recently journeyed to Greensboro to attend the 2016 NCTSA State Conference. Altogether, these 44 students represented their district, schools, and communities with pride and determination. This conference has grown and our students competed among nearly 1,300 other TSA students from across the state. The next step for some of these students is attending the National TSA Conference this summer in Nashville, Tennessee.

Redmond Grigg

Of the 87 TSA chapters in North Carolina, the Chapel Hill High chapter is being recognized as one of only three to win the prestigious Chapter Excellence Award. Additionally, Chapel Hill High TSA once again sends two incredibly talented leaders to the NCTSA State Officer team. Kyle Halstater was elected the 2016-2017 NCTSA Treasurer, and Jillian Breithaupt, the 2016-2017 NCTSA President. They both do so much for their chapter, representing CHCCS, and now again for they are serving the state organization as officers.

A special recognition was bestowed upon Redmond Grigg, advisor for the McDougle Middle chapter. Redmond was named North Carolina's Middle School Advisor of the Year. His outstanding work has not gone unnoticed.

Here is the complete list of CHCCS TSA award honorees:

East Chapel Hill High School (Mr. Patrick Pudlo-Adviser)
3rd Place Structural Engineering Mike Pudlo & Angad Grewal
1st Place Technical Sketching & Application Greg Arleth
1st Place Transportation Modeling Mike Pudlo
2nd Place Webmaster Matt Pudlo & Luke Cunningham

Phillips Middle School (Mr. Dale Haiducek-Adviser)
3rd Place Mass Production Deegan Albrecht, Yash Gupta, & Will Grabowski
1st Place Medical Technology Issues Deegan Albrecht, Yash Gupta, & Will Grabowski
1st Place Microcontroller Design Ethan Bartlett, Jake Boggs & Garrett Beggs
3rd Place Prepared Speech Riley Akos
3rd Place Technical Design Riley Akos & Yash Gupta
1st Place CAD Foundations Paxton Antrim
1st Place Dragster Paxton Antrim

McDougle Middle School (Mr. Redmond Grigg-Adviser)
2nd Place Chapter Team- Angel Koshy, Sam Gordon, Carly Pollock, Brennan Schrader, Jayden Gumerman, Greyson Shafiei,
1st Place Essays on Technology- Sam Gordon
2nd Place Forensic Technology- Angel Koshy & Carly Pollock
1st Place Flight- Angel Koshy
1st Place Leadership Strategies- Riley Corcoran, Lucas Gutierrez- Arnold, Jayden Gumerman

Congratulations to all of our students and advisors on another great year!

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All-High School Fiction and Poetry Contest

The Second Annual All-High School Fiction and Poetry Contest and Award Ceremony was held on Wednesday, May 11 at the Open Eye Cafe in Carrboro. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ high school creative writing students took part in the program. Top contest winners in Fiction and Poetry received monetary prizes plus the opportunity to read their work to the community.

Prizes were awarded as follows:

Poetry

1st Place ($500): Jessica Tornai, Chapel Hill High, "Threaded Stories"
2nd Place ($250): Lily Gavazov, East Chapel Hill High, "LeRoi Soleil"
3rd Place ($100): Emma Brodey, East Chapel Hill High, "Sir Seagull's Demise"

Fiction

1st Place ($500): Sarah Warner, Carrboro High, "Acacia, Meaning Secret Love"
2nd Place ($250): Skylar Searing, East Chapel Hill High, "Ghost Country"
3rd Place ($100): Kate Meadows, East Chapel Hill High, "My Little Dove"


Local resident Chris Kubica is passionate about supporting the art of creative writing in our schools. As President of Application Architects, LLC, Kubica has created an opportunity for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ creative writing students to showcase their talents. This is the second year of the contest. Students at our local high schools have worked on submissions throughout the school year.

Thank you to Chris for his generous support...and congratulations to all our writers.

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Science Comes Alive at FPG!

Students at Frank Porter Graham Bilingue Elementary enjoyed a thought-inducing presentation on forces, motion and space by UNC Physics Department students Jessie Barrick, Ana Doblas, and Dr. Weinberg-Wolf. The students experienced demonstrations of static electricity, impact of meteors, magnetism and more. 

The UNC students were able to use their knowledge to discuss real world applications of science. It was especially exciting to have amazing bilingual women in science come to the school and share their expertise.

  

Both work in this lab (should any students be interested)...http://user.physics.unc.edu/~aold/index.html

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Pen Pals!

Literacy, Learning and Leadership
Carrboro High School Youth Leadership and Mary Scroggs After School Adventures Program

The Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership Institute students at Carrboro High School became pen pals with Mary Scroggs After School Adventures Program students.  After School Adventures is the result of a Public School Foundation grant awarded to Shelby White and Susan Jullian, designed to assist second grade students with literacy, math and writing.  The pen pal program was initiated by After School Adventures to help students with writing.  Fifteen second grade students wrote letters to 15 Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership (YLI) Carrboro High School students.  The first letter was an introduction in which students shared basic information and hobbies.  The high school students responded to the letters.  There were three exchanges of letters during the spring semester.  The exchange experience was a real motivator for the second graders. Susan Jullian reported that a shy student wrote three sentences in his introductory letter.  The last letter he wrote was an entire page!  

The pen pal project concluded recently with a surprise visit from the high school pen pals.  An after school celebration provided students an opportunity to meet their pen pals, play games and have refreshments. The students were elated to meet the pen pals!

The Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership (YLI) seeks to provide high school students with leadership skills in their community to be advocates for change.  This was a great opportunity for students to implement their leadership skills with integrity and compassion.  YLI students at Carrboro High School meet twice a month during lunch and participate in a local service-learning project.

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NCHSAA Announces Scholar-Athlete Teams - Two from Chapel Hill High

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association recently recognized the top achieving sports teams academically throughout the NCHSAA’s 2015-2016 year. Because of the late completion of spring semester grades for spring teams, they included the 2015 spring team awards with the fall and winter honors for the 2015-2016 academic year.

The winners have the top reported average unweighted team GPA for all members of the varsity team. These teams were recognized at the NCHSAA’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, May 5th, 2016 at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill.

Honorees included Chapel Hill High's Women's Golf and Women's Indoor Track teams.



Spring 2015 Team Honorees

Baseball: Asheboro High School, 3.687 team GPA

Men’s Golf: North Carolina School of Science & Math, 3.76 team GPA

Men’s Lacrosse: Weddington High School, 3.36 team GPA

Men’s Tennis: Wilkes Central High School, 3.83 team GPA

Men’s Track & Field: Weddington High School, 3.58 team GPA

Softball: West Wilkes High School, 3.7 team GPA

Women’s Lacrosse: Weddington High School, 3.61 team GPA

Women’s Track & Field: Community School of Davidson, 3.84 team GPA

Women’s Soccer: Wilkes Central High School, 3.732 team GPA



Fall 2015 Team Honorees

Football: West Wilkes High School, 3.39 team GPA

Men’s Cross Country: Eastern Alamance High School, 3.808 team GPA

Men’s Soccer: North Carolina School of Science & Math, 3.57 team GPA

Women’s Cross Country: Hendersonville High School, 3.88 team GPA

Women’s Golf: Chapel Hill High School, 4.0 team GPA

Women’s Tennis: Burns High School, 3.89 team GPA

Volleyball: Grays Creek High School, 3.8 team GPA



Winter 2016 Team Honorees

Men’s Basketball: Chatham Charter High School, 3.67 team GPA

Women’s Basketball: North Stanly High School, 3.79 team GPA

Cheerleading: Kings Mountain High School, 3.814 team GPA

Men’s Indoor Track: North Carolina School of Science & Math, 3.71 team GPA

Women’s Indoor Track: Chapel Hill High School, 3.713 team GPA

Men’s Swimming & Diving: Draughn High School, 3.778 team GPA

Women’s Swimming & Diving: Northern Nash High School, 3.818 team GPA

Wrestling: North Carolina School of Science & Math, 3.51 team GPA

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On Thursday, April 28, on the UNC-Greensboro campus, 23 Smith students participated in the Finals of the NC State Math Contest. The contest is divided into three levels, depending on which high school-level math course the student is taking:  Level 1 (for Math 1 students), Level 2 (for Math 2 students), and Level 3 (for Math 3 students).

Smith students were crowned State Champions in all three divisions and placed several other students in the Statewide Top 10. Congratulations to the following students:

Level 1:
Leo deJong (State Champion)
Jack Xu (8th place)
Neo Zhu (10th place)

Level 2:
Jonathan Xu (State Champion)
Andrew Zhen (7th place)
Zachary Zheng (10th place)

Level 3:
Aaron deJong (State Champion)
Adrian Thananopavarn (2nd place)
Mathias Shundi (6th place)
Matt Kaminsky (9th place)

The Smith students are taught by Lori Clark, Monica Mihalcescu, and Boyd Blackburn. Getting to this level involves hard work and passion on the part of the students and their teachers. Congratulations on their fantastic accomplishment!

This wraps up another stellar year for the Smith Math Team.

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Japanese Language Speech and Essay Contests

The Carolina Asia Center recently hosted the annual North Carolina Japanese Language Speech and Essay Contest for high school students. There were more than 100 submissions for the NC Essay Contest. Regarding the NC Speech Contest, students had to pass the preliminary selections (in school speech contests or by teacher recommendation).  Twenty three finalists went to the NC Speech Contest.

Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi coordinated the efforts of our students. Results are listed below.


The North Carolina Japanese Language Essay Contest For High School Students:

Level 1

1st place Zhu, MeiXuan (East)

Crabill, Anne (CHHS)

Level II

1st place Wang, Runfeng (East)

2nd place Lin, Hillary (CHHS)

Level III

1st place Xu, Bingquin (East)

2nd place Ingledue, Grace (CHHS)

Level IV

1st place Li, Ang (CHHS)

2nd place Curtis, Thomas (CHS)


The North Carolina Japanese Language Speech Contest For High School Students:

Level 1

1st place Zhu, MeiXuan (East)

2nd place Hao, Xinyi (East)

Level II

2nd place Chen, Sydney (CHHS)

Level III

1st place Breithaupt, Jillian (CHHS)

2nd place Xu, Bingqing (East)

Level IV

1st place Li, Ang

2nd place Curtis, Thomas (CHS)

3rd place Davison, Hope (CHHS)

read more "Japanese Language Speech and Essay Contests"

Success at the Science Olympiad

Congratulations to the East Chapel Hill High Science Olympiad team coached by Brad Miller, Rebecca Adcock, Alex Cluen, and Kelly Allen. They coach both the Varsity and JV teams - which includes over 80 students.

On Saturday, April 23, the East Chapel Hill High varsity Science Olympiad team earned a 3rd place trophy at the state competition in Raleigh. The 17-member team competed in 24 events. The 46 teams competing at the event came from public and private schools from across the state.

This national program began in North Carolina in 1976 and the competition is fierce. In order to compete at the state competition, teams must earn 1st or 2nd place in their regional competition. This year, East's Varsity team earned 1st place at the regional competition in Greensboro. The Junior Varsity teams earned 1st and 2nd place in the JV regional competition.

Congratulations also to the Smith Middle School Science Olympiad team for their 5th place finish in the state competition. A team of 18 students competed in 25 events. Previously at the regional competition, held at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Smith's Varsity and JV #1 teams both won 1st place. Smith Middle had over 70 students on four teams competing at that event.

Regina Baratta has coached the Smith Middle team for nine years.

Please join us in congratulating everyone involved for their hard work and tremendous results.

read more "Success at the Science Olympiad"

Teacher Appreciation Week

The first week in May is nationally designated as Teacher Appreciation Week. Parents and students at each school are taking great care of their teachers this week. The note below was sent to all staff from Superintendent Tom Forcella.
_____

I always found the hardest part of teaching to be not knowing if my efforts had any lasting impact.

After all, we pour uncountable hours and immeasurable energy into a student for a year, or perhaps even longer, and then wonder if we made any impact – if we prepared that student for success.

It’s not as easy as looking at a spreadsheet. It’s much more than a test score. There is no clear cut bottom line for a teacher’s impact.

Then one day, years later, a former student reaches out to you on Facebook. You bump into the parent of a former student in the grocery store. You read about a former student accomplishing something newsworthy.

And, in that moment, after all those years…you made a difference. More than a difference, you left a legacy!

Thank you teachers, and thank you to our entire CHCCS team, for your impact, for making a difference, for leaving a legacy. I hope you are enjoying Teacher Appreciation Week. All the accolades are well-deserved.

You are the real superheroes.

Tom Forcella

read more "Teacher Appreciation Week"

International Navigator Night

The entire Northside Navigators community came together recently to celebrate the school's beautiful cultural diversity at International Navigator Night

Students, parents, families, and staff ate, danced, sang, and traveled around the world in a joyful and loving celebration of the school's many cultures. Pre-k through 5th grade classes, as well as Northside Elementary families, created displays and cultural performances from various countries. Some of the countries represented include USA, India, Panama, Kenya, Japan, Ethiopia, Australia, Cuba, Hungary, Guatemala, Chile, Taiwan, Canada, Mexico, China, Spain, Puerto Rico, Zimbabwe, Poland, Russia, Thailand, and Colombia. 

The staff at Northside Elementary is thankful for the rich cultural diversity at their school, and the opportunity to learn from one another every day. They are also thankful to have such dedicated colleagues and families who are willing to share their cultures. They look forward to adding more cultures next year to their celebration of diversity.

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Delayed Opening Canceled for 5/19, Normal School Day / de apertura demorada que nos quedan este año escolar, 19 de mayo

Delayed Opening Canceled for Remaining Dates
The Board of Education approved a calendar change to make up the instructional time when school was closed on February 15.  The remaining Delayed Opening, scheduled for May 19, has now been changed to a regular school day.  Students will report to school at the regular times for May 19.

De apertura demorada que nos quedan este año escolar, 19 de mayo
El Consejo aprobó un cambio en el calendario para recompensar el tiempo de enseñanza que perdimos 15 de febrero, que las escuelas estuvieron cerradas. Los días de apertura demorada que nos quedan este año escolar, previstos para el 19 de mayo, serán ahora días regulares de escuela. Una vez más, los tres dos que nos quedan de apertura demorada son ahora días de escuela regulares (completos). Por lo tanto, los estudiantes se deben reportar a la escuela en el horario habitual este jueves 19 de mayo.

read more "Delayed Opening Canceled for 5/19, Normal School Day / de apertura demorada que nos quedan este año escolar, 19 de mayo"