AVID Reaches Higher at UNC Celebration

A new tradition for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students was born on April 24, in a tradition-steeped room of the Morehead Foundation on the UNC campus. The graduating seniors joined other AVID students, their teachers, Director of Equity Leadership and AVID, Dr. Sheldon Lanier and Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin as they formally declared their college intentions by signing their names to a document. The wood paneled walls and glittering chandeliers set the stage for a memorable occasion, but the formal event was followed by a Chick-Fil-A lunch in the adjoining sun room, with plenty of relaxed smiles all around.
   
“College signing day was an awesome event. As a senior, I really enjoyed the recognition of my accomplishments,” said Jimias Best, East Chapel Hill High senior.
   
The idea for the campus Commitment Day celebration was developed by a freshman Morehead-Cain Scholar, Mina Yakubu, who partnered with Missy Julian Fox, Director of First Look at UNC, to create a graduation ceremony that aligned with the national Reach Higher Initiative. In 2014, Michelle Obama held her first College Signing Day rally in Texas with 2,000 graduating high school students, as she announced the creation of Reach Higher. In four years, it has become a nationwide movement with participating schools in all fifty states.
     
Yakubu and Fox share similar visions and goals for expanding college access to underrepresented populations in this community. “Mina asked me to be the advisor and I happily agreed,” said Fox. “With my work and passion for getting kids to pursue a college degree, AVID is the perfect match. It is essential for institutions of higher education to play their role and create a pipeline to our public schools.”
       
Yakubu is one of 17 students serving on the advisory board of Obama’s Better Make Room/Reach Higher. Last year those students were invited to the White House to receive the First Lady’s message first hand: Go back to your schools and figure out how to get more of your peers thinking about college.
     
Yakubu said, “I planned this event because I want to further the mission of the organization to create a college-going, college-persisting culture in the community. In our first-year, I wanted to continue planning Commitment Day/College Signing Day events in Chapel Hill. I contacted Missy after learning about First Look. We met with Dr. Lanier to coordinate for the event. I am delighted with the outcome of months of planning, emailing for donations and finalizing details.”
     
“I had a wonderful time and I think it should continue to happen every year,” said Ingri Cruz Martinez from East. “One thing that I did love the most was the motivational videos they showed and that we were able to ask the college students questions about college.”
   
The AVID students heard from a panel of Yakubu and three other UNC freshmen and sophomores, all students of color, who spoke to the challenges of making their voices heard in predominantly-white institutions. Chris Suggs, co-chair of the Black Student Movement’s first year council, said that his college choice came down to UNC and Howard University. “I found it’s important to stay true to yourself and get involved on campus. Right away.” He said it’s helpful to find a team, an organization on campus, as soon as students make their college choices. “Follow their social media, get to know the members.” He said that UNC students reached out to him before he even arrived in Chapel Hill, asking how they could help him settle in.
   
Marcella Pansini, another Morehead-Cain freshman, described how much she worried about campus social life, having come from a school where “I grew up with the same 100 people.” She said she wasn’t prepared for how big the UNC campus is, but she soon joined the Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Outreach Board, and signed on to be a First Look tour guide, providing campus experiences for middle school students.
   
All of the panelists urged the AVID students to pay attention to self-care during that crucial first year in college - and to seek out mentors early, both on faculty and older students. “Use your professor’s office hours,” was a message repeated by several.
   
Superintendent Baldwin congratulated the graduates, and Dr. Lanier spoke briefly to the seniors, saying, “AVID Scholars, congratulations to all of you. I’ve seen you grow since I came to the district when you were in 9th grade.”
     
“The AVID college signing day was a great experience for me,” said Tara Thompson of East. “Being a Junior and watching that really inspired me because I know next next year I'm going to be in that same seat, signing to the college that I'll be at in the prime years of my life. I really enjoyed being able to see other seniors in AVID programs in surrounding schools as well, and see just how important and helpful AVID can be for other students.”
   
The underclassmen spoke later about the value of attending the event. “I learned a lot from the panel,” said one student. “They explained how we shouldn’t procrastinate - that college is not a joke - you just keep your head up.”
   
Dr. Lanier noted later, “I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and the young adults they have grown to become. They are a true testament to the power of AVID.”

Click here to view Michelle Obama’s message for 2018 College Signing Day.

https://www.bettermakeroom.org/our-story/

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Phoenix Academy Hosts Arts Residency

For two weeks in February, the students at Phoenix Academy experienced a daily music smorgasbord, courtesy of award-winning playwright and professional teaching artist, Anita Woodley. Woodley also received a lot of Help from Her Friends - a cast of successful local musicians who represented a variety of musical genres. They arrived each day before lunch, and students seemed to leave with more energy and bounce than when they had arrived. “She was always trying to make me smile,” said one student on his participant evaluation. “So I finally broke out in a smile.”
   
Woodley likes to speak about her goals as a teaching artist as “looking for ways to serve up plates of creativity and positivity.” During her work with the students at Phoenix, she rarely stopped smiling herself, and she sang and danced and exhorted the young people until they had little choice but to sample those plates of positivity. To say Woodley’s enthusiasm for music is infectious is an understatement.
   
A student wrote on the final evaluation, “Thank you soooo much for expanding my horizons,” and another wrote, “I found out how much I love different music.” Although many students were quiet observers and listeners during the first week of the residency, the level of participation increased steadily through the second week.
     
“I always want students to believe in themselves and have hope,” Woodley said. “And to know how to create that in themselves.” She offered lists of positive affirmations, in addition to all of the music, and she spoke each day about how to frame experiences into validating expressions. “Everyone has to have self-love. If you have that, you stop looking outside all the time, thinking about how people are treating you.”
   
The residency was sponsored by the Town of Chapel Hill Community & Cultural Arts, and the choice of Woodley was a great match for the students at Phoenix. “Someone might look at a group of high school students and assume, okay, they all want rap, but then we start to look at diverse tastes,” she said. “You might find inspiration in a mandolin, but you didn’t know.”
   
Lex Parker said that he often turns on the radio when he’s stressed out. “After hearing the bluegrass they played, I realized it was kind of relaxing.”
   
During the first week, Woodley performed a medley of songs that represented some of the genres they’d been exploring, Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti,” Bob Marley’s “One Love” and “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holliday. She led them through activities for group songwriting and showed them how lyricists, like poets, “make a chain of words.”

The students learned about the history of foot stomping as a musical accompaniment, and Woodley encouraged them to recognize the importance of hand clapping.
   
As the list of visiting musicians grew - Vattel Cherry, Charles Pettee, Yah-I Tafari - the number of instruments also mushroomed beyond guitars and stand up bass. Students also experienced the banjo, flamenco guitar, harmonica, djembe drum and mandolin. Students noted on their final evaluations how much they appreciated learning about different instruments. As Cherry played his guitar the first day, he used his “old school style, it makes you think of cutting grass and delivering papers.”

Throughout the discussion of musical genres, Woodley and her guests shared tidbits of cultural and social history, and they often returned to questions like “How can music be used to comment on social issues and to bridge gaps?”
   
TayNov El, a guest musician who calls himself a “Conscious Rap M.C,” spoke at length about his deep roots in the African-American community of Chapel Hill-Carrboro. “I keep my grandparents’ voices in my head all the time. They went to Lincoln High, right here where we are today.” His grandfather played in a gospel group, and as his website shares, “His uncles used to spit freestyles to him when he was single digit age.”
   
When TayNov was in eighth grade at Culbreth Middle School, he cut his first hip hop album, and later went on to perform as a member of an iconic group, TyFu. He shared many of the lessons he’s learned from integrating music into every part of his life. “When you’re not at peace, not satisfied with what’s going on, music gives you the chance to speak out,” he said. “Hip hop was created out of hard times.”
   
Brenda Whiteman, CHCCS Arts Education Coordinator, said, “I think the biggest thing that the students got from the residency was the opportunity to learn about and explore a wide variety of musical styles and instruments - bluegrass, jazz, hip hop, spirituals - drums, harmonicas, percussion, mandolin, guitar, banjo.  They seemed genuinely interested and many of them learned things about themselves and their preferences.”
   
Anthony Hairston, a freshman at Phoenix, said he really enjoyed the entire experience. “It allowed me to express myself in ways not usually available in schools. To be myself.” On the last day of the residency, as Woodley invited students to engage in a rap battle, Hairston was front and center, full of confidence and energy - being himself.

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Cisco Networking Academy Offers Opportunity

If you ask most parents and students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools about the Cisco Networking Academy courses for high school students, unfortunately you’ll hear, “Cisco What?” But if Jennifer Walker and her colleagues at Chapel Hill High have their way, the pathways within the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) will soon be recognized throughout the district - and beyond. Walker is both passionate and tireless in her work with Cisco NetAcad, and to hear her talk about current and future projects is to recognize she’s barely gotten started as a mentor and teacher.
   
Within a couple years, labor analysts in the U.S. predict there’ll be over one million more tech jobs than qualified applicants to fill them. And the salary for many of these tech jobs? Often in the $80,000 to $110,000 range. It’s surprising that more high school students aren’t standing in line to enroll in these information technology (IT) pathways.
   
How are Chapel Hill High’s AOIT and Cisco Networking Academy courses laying foundations for students to join the ranks of the “quickly employed” tech workers? Students can now choose two Cisco course pathways, either CET (computer engineering technology) or NET (network engineering technology). Upon completion of the specialized courses in either pathway, students can sit for rigorous and prestigious industry certifications before graduating from high school. The district will even pay for one certification exam voucher for each student.     
     
The AOIT is housed at Chapel Hill High, but it’s open to all CHCCS high school students who can travel from their home schools to take the academy classes. The Cisco Networking Academy is an international training program accessible through universities, community colleges, and some high schools. It provides the curriculum and hands-on lab experiences for students, as well as resources to deliver and extend IT training for instructors.  From this framework, Walker provides students with an ever-growing range of activities, information about opportunities to apply skills outside the classroom, and she works with AOIT to provide internships. Cisco's IT Essentials in the Computer Engineering courses provides training in hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills, while preparing students for CompTIA A+ certification. Cisco's CCNA (Certified Cisco Network Associate) Routing and Switching curriculum is used in the Network Engineering courses, training students in the process of data transmission, network design, device configuration, and troubleshooting, while preparing students for the Cisco CCENT (Certified Cisco Entry Networking Technician) and CCNA certifications.
     
Walker teaches all of the Computer Engineering and Network Engineering courses at Chapel Hill High, and her enthusiasm about the Cisco curriculum and its enduring benefits to students is apparent in the first few minutes of conversation. She’s a true believer, based on more than fifteen years in the IT field, as well as ten years in previous instructional positions. The keyword for her is “Opportunity,” and she loves to reel off the many opportunities students can pursue to sharpen their networking and engineering skill sets.
     
Earning one or both of the “certs” by graduation is the crown jewel of Cisco NetAcad participation, but all of the students who complete one of the pathways are well-qualified to work in IT, right out of high school. In this district, as Walker notes, most students will continue to a four year university, but some NetAcad graduates pursue classes at community colleges, or take their skills into the military. “Even without the certs, by completing these courses, students can transfer their skill sets into any profession,” said Walker.
     
“Cisco Networking Academy is a very useful program that teaches you a lot about computer engineering and networking,” said Dhruv Patel, who’s currently taking both Computer Engineering 2 and Networking Engineering 1. “Paired with the lab work Ms.Walker sets up, it prepares you for the CompTIA A+ and the CCENT certifications and gives you skills for practical use, at home and on the job.”
     
Walker’s students frequently take advantage of service-learning opportunities, both in-district and in the community. “I say to them all the time, Use your skills for good.”
     
This year, she and Darren Bell, manager of the CHCCS Community Connection Program, have collaborated to create the Tiger Tech Squad with more than 35 of Walker’s students. The Squad will soon operate as a Chromebook service depot, beginning with tech support for the Career and Technical Education staff at Chapel Hill High, but they will expand that support in the future.
     
Walker encourages her students to earn service-learning hours - plus invaluable Real World experience - at events like Volunteer Night at the Kramden Institute in the Research Triangle Park. Students provide assistance to local residents through Kramden, performing tasks like desktop refurbishing and monitor testing.
     
“It’s great for these students to see their skill set has value. In three hours, you can give people something that can change their lives,” said Walker. “Students say, 'But it’s so easy to swap out a hard drive,' and I say - to you it is!”
     
Beyond the service opportunities touted by Walker, she is constantly sharing news about internships and scholarships for summer study. Her Twitter feed @LearnITWalker is a goldmine for students in search of (there’s that word again) opportunities: cybersecurity workshops, Virtual Reality instruction and UNC’s Imagine Lab are just a few of the recent links or posts shared.
     
Walker also brings in a regular slate of tech speakers from Lenovo, Cisco and other industry giants in the area, as well as creates informative field trips for students to observe and experience a range of IT professionals in action.
     
Liz Anderton is a sophomore in Computer Engineering Technology 1, and she described how fortunate she feels to have landed in the NetAcad, even as one of the few young women in Walker’s classes. “It can be a little intimidating being the only female in a class, but it’s interesting because sometimes they (her male classmates) just think differently.” Anderton said that she’s very shy and has tended to dislike group work in previous classes, but she thrives in the team-learning format of Walker’s class. “This experience has helped me be more open in general. Everyone is really encouraging, and it’s been amazing.”
     
Anderton moved to Chapel Hill from Tennessee before ninth grade. “There was never anything like this where I lived before,” she said. “Kids don’t realize how lucky they are to have these programs. And if more people sign up for NetAcad, we can grow and do even more things.”


The Cisco Networking Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. According to its website “since 2005, more than 1.6 million students who have completed advanced courses have gotten new jobs thanks to Cisco Networking Academy. In the United States, 30 percent of enrolled students are underrepresented minorities (African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaska Native), and numerous academies specifically serve military service members, veterans, and their families. Additionally, Cisco Networking Academy has made a commitment to benefit 10,000 people living with disabilities within the next five years.

https://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1894689

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Counselors Visit Firefighting Training Center

The day started unlike any previous Friday for several Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools counselors as they checked into the firefighting lab at Chapel Hill High and received their “gear” for the morning: overalls, jackets, helmets, gloves and goggles - along with light refreshments. The inaugural class of eight firefighting cadets helped oversee the suiting up of those somewhat bewildered counselors, showing them how to loop their suspenders and fix their masks and oxygen tanks. Kathi Breweur, Director of Career and Technical Education, joined the guests and suited up as well. Public Safety Academies instructor Perry Hall guided everyone out into the sunshine, and then the well-padded group piled into an activity bus and set out for the Chapel Hill Fire Department Training Center on Weaver Dairy Road.
     
At the center, the group was welcomed by a large contingent from the fire department, including Fire Chief Keith Porterfield. Penny Rich, Orange County Commissioner, also spent the morning with the district team, and she energetically embraced the full experience like a new recruit. The fire academy cadets have already spent numerous sessions at the center, and they often took the lead in helping the guests learn the ropes (and the hoses). Commissioner Rich said, “I was pleasantly surprised, after I put on my fire gear, to see that the class was going to be led by some of the students who have already gone through some training. They were enthusiastic and eager to teach me what they have learned…and they did an awesome job!" 
     
The participants were divided into three groups, and during the next two hours, they learned the correct use of fire extinguishers, how to operate the fire hoses and then haul the hoses through the burn building (it’s not lightweight!) With academy cadets as their scouts and teachers, the guests crawled up, down and through the pitch dark of the brick tower maze, even as they wrestled with all of the extra pounds and bulk of their gear. Ken Lathan, school counselor and football coach at Carrboro High, said, “I was really impressed by the students’ knowledge of the course, and I have a newfound respect for the hard work that our firefighters and EMT workers endure on a daily basis.”
     
Clearly, one of the of the most enjoyable activities was learning to control and maneuver the biggest hoses, which often required two people to hold on from the sheer velocity and power of the water. On a very warm, sunny day, it appeared that a few of the guests could have happily spent the rest of the morning, practicing their “extinguishing moves” as the fine spray cooled them off.
      
“After participating in some of the exercises with the students, I now have a renewed respect for firefighters and first responders,” said Julia Royal, school counselor at Chapel Hill High. “I was impressed with our EMT and firefighting students. They were confident, helpful and knowledgeable.”
     
The session at the center wrapped up with an examination of the 110 pound dummy that’s used in rescue trainings. Lathan was the only counselor who undertook the exercise of learning correct carry of dead weight. The student cadets called out encouragement as the CHS football coach grappled with the dummy, and one of them called out, “You should try the one that’s 185 pounds!” 
     
When the students and counselors returned to the fire lab at CHHS, there was still time for the EMT students to present a skills demonstration. They showed different ways to clear a victim’s airways, as well as how to apply a tourniquet to stop bleeding.
      
“The public safety academies at Chapel Hill High School are amazing!” said Keneisha Jones, counselor at McDougle Middle School. “It was incredible to see young adults fully engaged with hands on life skills that translate far beyond the classroom. These programs provide incredible career options for students who are ready to engage in life, and want to use their skills to serve our community!  The reality of students graduating from high school with the potential to automatically earn $35,000 a year with vast promotional opportunities is inspirational, especially for students who may not be fully interested in the more traditional four-year college route. These programs provide students with opportunities to find their niche and capitalize on them.”
     
Director Breweur expressed her gratitude to everyone who dedicated the morning to the training experience. “A big thank you to Chief Porterfield and his staff, as well as our Public Safety teacher, Perry Hall and his students for putting together a GREAT morning of hands-on activities for us on Friday. Thanks to our brave counselors and county commissioner, Penny Rich, for participating and learning more about the firefighting and EMT programs offered at CHHS.”

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District High School Students Excel in Learning Through Languages Symposium

The pairing of UNC and Duke in conversation often brings to mind the sports rivalry, but the frequency with which the universities collaborate in academic and research initiatives deserves more of a spotlight. A group of CHCCS high school students and teachers benefited from one of those collaborations recently by participating in the Learning through Languages Symposium. Produced by the Consortium in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at UNC and Duke, the event took place on December 13 at the FedEx Global building on the UNC campus.

    

Now in its third year, the Symposium seeks to challenge advanced language students with a competition that demands excellence in both written and oral research skills. Deliver an off the cuff analysis on the impact of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, speaking only in French? No problem for these students. Or answer a range of questions from judges in Japanese about the Western influences on current Israeli politics? Piece of cake. This is what these students prepared for in teams of two or three, and the rigorous expectations seemed to delight them all.

    

Of the 34 teams competing from across the state, 11 were from CHCCS, sponsored by seven world languages teachers of Spanish, French, German and Japanese. Of the 18 prizes awarded this year, eight went to our teams. East Chapel Hill High student Makenna Meyer said, “The symposium helped me improve my Spanish in so many different ways. Through our research, I learned words that wouldn't ordinarily be on a vocabulary list. Through the formal paper, I was able to practice my writing. Through the oral presentation and question/answer period, I was able to practice my speaking and listening skills. However, the symposium experience is very valuable to me not only because it improved my Spanish, but I was also able to learn about other cultures and languages.” Meyer’s team, sponsored by Spanish teacher Justin Seifts, tied for two honorable mention awards for their research on the Rohingya crisis.

Spanish IV students at Carrboro High, Julia Connor and Dani Kaufman-Sedano, won an honorable mention in Best Scholarship for their project, also on the Rohingya crisis. Their teacher, Amy Olsen said, “We're extremely proud of them at Carrboro for representing the district's stellar World Language program, and also for winning an award the first time their school was selected for competition in the Symposium!”

    

The guidelines for the competition required students to use APA style instead of the more familiar MLA. Each project had three components: the written paper, the oral presentation, and the project visual. Students chose their topics from one of four strands: Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia, Europe or Middle East and North Africa. The contest design promotes research methodology, technology literacy, and critical thinking, and it addresses the Department of Public Instruction’s Essential Standards for the study of World Languages.

    

Judges for the competition were professors or graduate students from UNC and Duke. One of the judges for the French presentations was Dr. Deb Reisinger from the Practice of Romance Studies at Duke; she also happens to be a CHCCS parent. “I work closely with AP curriculum and development, and so I was eager to meet the students who were taking AP courses in World Languages. What an impressive group! Our AP French students were simply outstanding. Not only had they produced written analyses that reflected critical thinking and strong research skills, but they were able to talk about their research on refugees and migration with me in French. What stood out most was that these students were clearly passionate about learning, and able to articulate the importance of learning about the world from multiple perspectives. I am thrilled that my child will have the opportunity to participate in CHCCS' excellent AP program.”

    

One of those French students from Chapel Hill High, Daniel Zaretsky, was on the team that won Best Use of Written and Oral Language (across all languages). He said, “The Research Symposium was definitely a very enriching and important experience as a language learner. Of course, we couldn't have done it without Mme. (Christen) Campbell. The processes of researching and writing the paper, and preparing the presentation, were definitely eye-opening, and I encountered many interesting and shocking facts while exploring the details of the refugee crisis in the Middle East and its effects on Lebanon.”

     

Congratulations to all of the award winning teams from CHCCS, as well as all the participants who put so much effort into their scholarship and presentations!

          

Learn more about the Symposium at http://areastudies.unc.edu/ltl/

Below are the award winners:                        

Best Overall Research Project on Contemporary Latin America and the Caribbean:

• Julia Cummer, Meenakshi Kaundinya and Daniela Martínez Leal of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Valerie Huet, for “L’Ouragan Maria Révèle La Négligence Envers Porto Rico” (“Hurricane Maria Reveals Negligence towards Puerto Rico”)

Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Alec Caruana, Robin Huang, and Daniel Zaretsky of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Une investigation de la présence des réfugiés syriens au Liban” (“An Investigation of the Presence of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon”)

Honorable Mention of Best Use of Written and Oral Language:

• Justin Holly, Emmy Soll, and Nikita Zaretsky, of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Christen Campbell, for “Les effets du Printemps arabe sur la traite des humains en Tunisie” (“The Effects of the Arab Spring on Human Rights in Tunisia”)

Honorable Mention of Best Scholarship (tie):

• Julia Connor and Danielle Kaufman-Sedano of Carrboro High School, teacher Amy Olsen, for “Examinando la crisis rohingya como limpieza étnica” (“Examining the Rohingya Crisis as Ethnic Cleansing”)

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Best Visual Presentation (tie):

• Rebecca Guo, Jane Hwang, and MeiXuan Zhu of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “中国、日本、インド、ベトナムの 勢力拡大による国境紛争”  (“China, Japan, India, and Vietnam’s Increasing Power and the Resulting Border Conflicts”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Asia:

• Makenna Meyer, Noah Clapacs, and Natalie Troy of East Chapel Hill High School, teacher Justin Seifts, for “La respuesta mundial a la crisis de los rohingya: Buscando soluciones cooperativas para una crisis en crecimiento” (“The World’s Response to the Rohingya Crisis: Seeking Cooperative Solutions for a Growing Crisis”)

Honorable Mention of Research Project on Contemporary Middle East and North Africa:

• Jillian Breithaupt, Ethan San Pedro, and Haruna Tsukiyama of Chapel Hill High School, teacher Yoshimi Yamagata Aoyagi, for “イスラエルの政治への欧米の影響” (“Western Influence on Israel’s Politics)

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John Williams - CHCCS Principal of the Year

Phoenix Academy High School Principal John Williams was named the 2017-2018 Principal of the Year by the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.  The announcement was made today by Superintendent Pam Baldwin in the presence of students and staff.

Williams was selected for the honor by his peers for the numerous accomplishments he has made during his tenure at Phoenix.  He will go on to represent CHCCS at the state level.

“John Williams is a hero at his school, in our community, and, most importantly, in the lives of his students,” said Superintendent Pam Baldwin. “John is the principal who comes to work early on Monday mornings and picks up trash in the parking lot because he believes his students deserve a clean campus. His students tell stories of him showing up at their homes to take them to school on days when they decided not to attend. He laughs with them, he cries with them, and he is always there for them. John is a very worthy choice for Principal of the Year.”

Williams has been the principal of Phoenix since 2012.  Previously, he served as a principal and assistant principal with Durham Public Schools.  He began his teaching career in Greene County. Prior to his work as an educator, Williams served in the United States Air Force for 20 years. He retired as a Senior Master Sergeant. Upon retiring from the Air Force, Williams operated a private mental health counseling practice.

While his background is not the traditional path for a high school principal, Williams emphasizes the role his distinct experience has played in preparing him for his current position.

“My own high school experience was not positive, and returning to work in a school was never something that crossed my mind,” said Williams. “However, I realized that my background in both the military and in the mental health field provided a unique set of life experiences that could work for the benefit of young people. I’m so very thankful for the opportunity to genuinely help students every day.”

Williams holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, and master's degrees from Troy State University and East Carolina University.

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Phoenix Academy Graduation - True Lives Beginning

The students of Phoenix Academy High School spread their wings Monday night at the mid-year graduation. Six students earned their high school diplomas at an intimate ceremony attended by friends and family at Extraordinary Ventures.

The ceremony began with recollections by the teachers and students, fondly recalling the challenges overcome on the journey to graduation. Principal John Williams delivered an emotional summation of all the hard work that went into Monday’s accomplishments. 

“Everyone else will give up on these kids before they give up on themselves,” Williams said. 

Phoenix Academy is an alternative high school that capitalizes on an individualized educational approach. The school conducts small graduation ceremonies after every fall and spring semester to recognize the accomplishments of the graduates. This year, graduates included a student going into the Armed Forces as well as a young woman headed to Durham Tech to pursue a lifelong dream of nursing. Other students were either intending to start college or had already begun. 

Each student was recognized for the exceptional hard work and motivation it took to reach this milestone in their young lives.

"When these students walk out the doors tonight, their true lives will actually begin." said Williams. 

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Election Day - A Rewarding Day for Three Phoenix Students

Anthony Aguilar

Election Day is finally upon us, and CHCCS has designated this day as a Teacher Workday. For many students, that means a day to sleep in, catch up on homework, and hopefully spend time with friends. But for three Phoenix Academy High School students, it meant getting up extra early to be at the polls.

Brittany Hunter, Anthony Aguilar and Therese Graff arrived at Lincoln Center by 6 a.m. this morning, and will be there until 8 p.m. tonight. These three students offered to be part of the electoral process, participated in training, and are now happily assisting voters. It's a long day, but they are thankful for the chance to contribute to this foundational component of democracy.

"This has been a very interesting experience," said Therese Graff. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of this process."

Brittany is stationed as the smiling face that greets all the voters and gets them to the sign-in station. Anthony is manning a laptop and assisting with check-in. Therese collects ballots and gets them scanned. She also makes sure each voter is thanked and gets a sticker on the way out.

Therese Graff

Brittany Hunter

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Dr. LoFrese's Plain Talk Bond Video

Drawing of the reconstructed Lincoln Center Campus
featuring a Pre-K center on the first floor, adminstrative offices
on the second floor, and a new Phoenix Academy with
more than twice the capacity of the current school.

By now you have probably heard about the upcoming school bond referendum. Well, Assistant Superintendent Todd LoFrese has created a "plain talk" video designed to provide all the information needed to make the right decision on Election Day.

Please take five minutes to watch the video.

For more information, visit the County's bond education website: www.ocbond.org.

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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.

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Congratulations Class of 2015!

Nearly 900 students crossed the stage at four recent graduations. Carrboro High, Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High each held ceremonies at the Dean Smith Center on Saturday, June 13. Phoenix Academy High held its ceremony at Extraordinary Ventures on Wednesday, June 10. Photos have been posted to the district's facebook page.

We are very happy for all of our graduates and their families. Please join us in congratulating them on a job well done!

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2013 College Fair

Calling all high school juniors and seniors!

Looking for a great way to get loads of college information all in a single location? Then mark your calendar and join us at the College Fair. This one-stop shop will take place on the evening of Tuesday, September 17 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Dean Smith Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. No registration is necessary. Below is a list of over 100 colleges and universities scheduled to be in attendance. Bring your questions, along with something that can hold lots of literature, and join us at the Fair!

Alamance Community College
Appalachian State University
Aveda Institute Chapel Hill
Averett University
Barton College
Benedict College
Birmingham-Southern College
Brevard College
Bridgewater College
Campbell University
Catawba College
Central Carolina Community College
Chowan University
Christopher Newport University
Clark Atlanta University
Clemson University
Coastal Carolina University
College Foundation of North Carolina, Inc.
Concord University
Converse College
Davidson College
DePauw University
Duke University
Durham Technical Community College
East Carolina University
Eckerd College
ECPI University - Raleigh NC
Elizabeth City State University
Elon University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Fayetteville State University
Ferrum College
Furman University
Gardner-Webb University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Greensboro College
Guilford College
Hampton University
Harvard College
High Point University
Hollins University
Indiana University
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson C. Smith University
Lees-McRae College
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Liberty University
Lincoln College of Technology-Nashville
Living Arts College
Livingstone College
Louisburg College
Marquette University
Mercer University
Meredith College
Methodist University
Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Mississippi State University
Montreat College
Mount Olive College
Newberry College
Norfolk State University
North Carolina A&T University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina School of the Arts
North Carolina State University
North Carolina Wesleyan College
Oberlin College
Pennsylvania State University
Pfieffer University
Piedmont College
Piedmont Community College
Presbyterian College
Queens University of Charlotte
Radford University
Randolph-Macon College
Regent University
Roanoke College
Salem College
Savannah College of Art and Design
Sentara College of Health Sciences
Shaw University
Siena College
St. Andrews University
The Citadel
The University of Arizona
UMBC-Univ of MD, Baltimore County
University of Alabama
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Georgia
University of Maryland
University of North Carolina at Asheville
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
University of South Carolina at Columbia
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest University
Wake Technical Community College
Warren Wilson College
Watts School of Nursing
Wesleyan College
Western Carolina University
William Peace University
Wingate University
Winston-Salem State University
Winthrop University
Wofford College

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District's Graduation Rates Rise

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released its 2012-13 Cohort Graduation Rate Report earlier today. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has a significant increase in both the four-year and five-year cohort graduation rates.

The four-year cohort rate (for students who started high school in 2009-10 and finished in four years or less) increased 2.6 percent – from 90.0 percent in 2012 to 92.6 percent in 2013. The five-year cohort rate (for students who started high school in 2008-09) increased 2.5 percent – from 90.8 percent in 2012 to 93.5 percent in 2013.

“We are very pleased with the increase in our graduation rates and we salute all of our hardworking students, teachers and administrators,” said Superintendent Thomas A. Forcella.  “However, we will not be completely satisfied until every student graduates, and that will continue to be our goal moving forward.”

North Carolina’s four-year cohort graduation rate also continued its upward climb and set another record. In 2013, 82.5 percent of students who started ninth-grade in 2009-10 completed high school in four years or less. This is up from the 2012 rate of 80.4 percent. The five-year cohort graduation rate for students who entered ninth-grade in 2008-09 showed a five-year graduation rate of 83.1 percent, up from the five-year rate for the 2007-08 ninth graders of 81.1 percent. 

For more information, including a chart showing the cohort graduation rate by gender and subgroups, as well as a link to view state, district and school results, please visit www.ncpublicschools.org and click on the appropriate link under “News.”

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Summer of Learning: Exciting Destinations for Unique Studies

Two of our CHCCS team members have been selected to participate in summer 2013 global graduate studies - one in the West African country of Namibia, and the other in the South American country of Guyana.

Beginning in early August, Phoenix Academy High School staff member Alicia Adcock Bettmann will study great cat conservation in Namibia. Culbreth Middle School staff member Kathleen Krafte will study local wisdom and conservation in Guyana.

The graduate courses from Miami University's Project Dragonfly are based on Earth Expeditions, which has engaged more than 1,400 people since 2004 in firsthand educational and scientific research at critical conservation field sites in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Americas. More information is located at www.EarthExpeditions.org.

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CHCCS Hires New Administrators

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools hired several new administrators and approved two administrator transfer at the August 9 Board of Education Meeting.

In order to better serve the needs of the students, the former English/language arts and social studies coordinator was divided into two separate positions.

Nyree Sullivan was named the K-6 English/language arts coordinator.  Sullivan was a teaching coach in Knoxville, TN before coming to the district.  She has also served as an elementary teacher before becoming the director of instruction in Indianapolis.  Sullivan holds both a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s in Reading Education from Ball State University in Indiana.

Marian Dillahunt was named as the 7-12 English/language arts and social studies coordinator.  She was an English/reading teacher at Vance-Granville Community College in Henderson, NC.  She has also served as an English teacher, an education specialist and an English to speakers of other language (ESOL) teacher.  Dillahunt holds a bachelor’s degree in English Education from NC A&T University, a master’s of art degree in English Literature from NC Central University and a master’s in Library Science from East Carolina University.

Julie Hennis was transferred to Chapel Hill High School as its new dean of faculty and instruction.  In her new position, Hennis will focus primarily on faculty needs in assisting in maintaining a focus on classroom instruction and in serving as a support person.  Hennis joined the district in 2006 as an assistant principal at CHHS.  She moved to Carrboro HS as its assistant principal when the school opened in 2007.  She had previously been an art and English teacher in NC.  Hennis holds a bachelor’s degree in Art from Meredith College, as well as certification in Art Education and English.  She also holds a master’s degree in School Administration from UNC-Pembroke.  Hennis is also a graduate of CHHS.

Ivry Cheeks has been transferred to Phoenix Academy High School as its new dean of students.  Cheeks was an assistant principal at CHHS.  Cheeks began her career at CHCCS as a counselor at Chapel Hill High in 2008 before becoming an assistant principal in 2010.  Cheeks was a housing and interior design teacher in Nash County and a school counselor in both Forsyth and Stokes Counties.  She holds both a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics Education and a master’s degree in Student Personnel and Counselor Education from NC A&T University.  She also holds certification in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Corretta Sharpless was named assistant principal at Estes Hills Elementary.  Sharpless had been the administrative intern at Phillips MS, but began her career at CHCCS in 2003 as an elementary teacher at Carrboro Elementary.  She also served CES as an intervention specialist and gifted education specialist before becoming its lead teacher for administration and leadership support.  Sharpless was named the CES Teacher of the Year for 2006-07.  Sharpless holds a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from NC Central University and is certified in gifted education.  She also holds a master’s degree in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

William Evans, Jr. was named the assistant principal at Culbreth Middle School.  He had been the dean of students for Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College.  He began career at CHCCS in 1998 as a school counselor at East Chapel Hill High.  Evans holds both a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and a master’s degree in School Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He also holds a license in School Administration from NC Central University.

The district is still working to fill the principal position at Chapel Hill HS.  After an extensive search and several interviews, CHCCS did not find a suitable candidate who would match the characteristics and credentials that staff and parents desired.  The district has contracted with a national search firm who will be able to make contacts with an expanded pool of potential candidates.  This fall, CHCCS will place an interim principal at the school and is currently talking with individuals who would be able to fill this role.

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CHCCS hires new principals

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools hired three new principals at the July 19 Board of Education Meeting.

Jonathan Enns was named principal of Phillips MS.  Enns has served as an assistant principal at Fuquay-Varina HS for the last four years.  He has also been a physics teacher at Green Hope HS in Cary and an Algebra teacher at East Lee MS in Sanford.  Enns holds a bachelor’s degree in Science and Education from the University of Windsor in Windsor, Canada and a master’s degree in School Administration from North Carolina State University.


"Mr. Enns has been a highly regarded leader in his current role and brings with him a clear focus on school culture and instruction," said Superintendent Thomas A. Forcella.
Sherron Leplin has been named the principal for the UNC Hospital School.  Leplin was the principal at E.K. Powe Elementary in Durham for 2011-12 and was also a principal at Grady A. Brown Elementary School in Hillsborough for six years.  She previously worked in CHCCS for seven years.  She served as the exceptional education coordinator for the district from 1997-2000 and then as the assistant principal for Carrboro Elementary from 1997-2000.  She has also been a school counselor, an EC teacher and a language arts/science teacher.  She also worked as a therapist.  Leplin holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Exceptional Children Education from Appalachian State University.  She also holds three master’s degrees: one in Elementary Education from North Carolina A&T State University, two from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with one in Educational Administration and one in Counseling.  Leplin also holds a doctorate in Cultural Foundations:  Curriculum Development, Instruction and Educational Administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

John Williams was named the principal at Phoenix Academy HS.  Williams was the principal of Chewning MS in Durham for the 2011-12 school year.  He has also been an assistant principal at both Riverside HS and Chewning MS.  Before working in education, Williams was a Senior Master Sergeant in the US Air Force.  He was also a professional counselor in Florida.  Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Maryland.  He also has a master’s degree in Science from Troy State University in Troy, Alabama and a master’s degree in School Administration from East Carolina University.


Gregory Mitchell has been hired as a new assistant principal at East Chapel Hill HS. Mitchell was the assistant principal at Cedar Ridge HS in Hillsborough from 2010-12. He has also been a science teacher in North Carolina and Massachusetts. Mitchell holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Duke University. He also holds two master's degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: one is in Science and a second in School Administration.

Robert Bales has been named the assistant principal at McDougle MS.  He was an assistant principal at Chapel Hill HS.

The district is still working to fill the principal position at Chapel Hill HS.

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