PATHSS-Bridge

Five excited CHCCS high school students arrived on the UNC campus on Wednesday, November 1, heralding the launch of this year’s PATHSS-Bridge cohort (Project Achieve for Transitioning High School Students). They settled into a conference room in Abernethy Hall with a chorus of comments like “I am so ready for this” and “I can’t believe we’re here!” With one career coach, one assistant and their program coordinator, Su Wannamaker, these young adults began to explore and adapt to their new learning environment.

      

By the second day of the program, the students were deep into work and self-advocacy lessons, practicing technology skills on their iPads and building community with each other and their instructors. By week’s end, students were introduced to potential job sites; they chose their jobs at Davis Library and the UNC dining services Beach Cafe based on input from the transition facilitators.

      

During those first few days, each student acknowledged how much walking is involved when working on a college campus. However, their excitement continued, undamped by the increasing degree of responsibility and commitment.

      

Adela Van Name, a consultant to the program said, “As a parent of a current PATHSS-Bridge student, and a parent that has been involved since the inception of PATHSS, I am encouraged by the first activities and hope that this sets the tone to continue to build the wonderful program and relationship that PATHSS initiated four years ago with our many supporting UNC partners.”

      

Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools will continue to grow this work-based learning program through TRAC (Transition Ready Agency Collaborative), which the CHCCS school board approved in mid-October.

read more "PATHSS-Bridge"

Say Something

“Kids are the eyes and ears of a society.” This is the message and focus that Nicole Hockley and other Sandy Hook parents bring to their anti-violence work in American schools through the nonprofit Sandy Hook Promise (SHP). Last spring, SHP joined forces with the national student organization SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere). This month, the Chapel Hill High and East Chapel Hill High chapters of SAVE have been awarded $1,000 SHP/Allstate Foundation mini-grants to extend their peer education efforts to prevent suicides and violence in schools and communities. The first major initiative of the year was Say Something week, October 16-20, which overlapped with National Safe Schools Week.

      

Say Something Week was founded on the simple premise that a great deal of violence committed by young people toward others, or turned inward through suicides, could be prevented if their peers were more willing to step forward when they see or hear troubling signs. Three premises were shared over and over through the Say Something campaign: know the signs, take them seriously and tell a trusted adult.

       

“Teens don’t always know what to do if they see something is up,” said CHHS SAVE member Katie MacKinnon, “and hopefully we can provide resources for them to know how to properly say something and protect their peers.”

       

The statistics used in Say Something materials are startling and convincing - four out of five school shooters told at least one person about their intentions before taking action. Seventy percent of suicide victims spoke with their peers or posted warnings on social media. There is an average of nearly one school shooting per week in the U.S. and more than two million American students have suffered violence or crime at their schools. According to the SAVE website: youth between the ages of 12 and 19 are victims of crime twice as often as any adult age group in the United States...including the elderly.

        

As one Say Something slogan goes, “Saving a life is worth a broken promise,” emphasizing the crucial need to find a counselor, a teacher, a parent, with whom to share troubling concerns. SAVE Promise Clubs are student-created and led, but the adults involved highlight the unique roles that young people play in keeping their schools and communities safer. Jim Wise, SAVE adviser at CHHS, said that their club has traditionally focused on preparing for, and supporting, the Mock Crash as well as general youth safety, so joining forces with Sandy Hook Promise provides a flow of new resources and ideas.

       

The emphasis on building a culture of “looking out for one another” is one of the main reasons that several East SAVE members cited for joining the club this year. One student talked about the power of “all paying attention to each other.” Another said that even though she’s only been a member since September, she can tell that the club helps students feel less alone, and the club meetings give them more opportunities to interact with students of different ages or social groups.

       

At East this past week, the SAVE students, plus their adviser Shari Coveney, planned actions for all five days of the week, including handing out “I would be honored to be your Trusted Adult” signs for staff and encouraging students to sign a wall banner that reads, “If this person needed help, I would want you to say something.”

       

The culmination of the week at East was an all-school viewing of the Sandy Hook PSA “Evan,” followed by restorative circles led by 4th period teachers. In just over two minutes, the video illustrates how tough it can be to pay attention to signs of impending crises among fellow students.

       

As the students in Hans Hiemstra’s history class reflected on the action steps they can take to prevent bullying and isolation, many suggested starting with the basics: Be kind, Pay attention, Be friendly to everyone. One student said, “It doesn’t need to be some big intervention…just reach out when you see someone is struggling.” In Dominic Koplar’s class, students zeroed in on the goal of always being inclusive as well as “making an effort to open our eyes to those around us.” And when a classmate’s pain is apparent on social media or in the hallways, Say Something.

Sandy Hook Promise identifies the organization as “a moderate, above-the-politics organization that supports sensible non-policy and policy solutions that protect children and prevent gun violence.” Students participating in SAVE activities need not choose legislative sides, nor embrace specific gun controls.

It’s all about bringing awareness into their own lives, and the lives of their loved ones.

read more "Say Something"

A Conversation Worth Having...

Chapel Hill Carrboro City schools has partnered with The Campus & Community Coalition for a new health education and prevention campaign being launched this fall. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools joins the Campus & Community Coalition, Town of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill, and the Orange County Health Department as part of a community-wide effort to reduce underage alcohol/drug use and experimentation among youth in our community. Throughout the campaign, we will provide parents and guardians with tools, resources, and support to have critical conversations regarding substance use.

Young people who begin drinking before the age of 15 are six times more likely to develop alcoholism or have problems with alcohol later in life when compared to those who wait until turning 21. Communication is key to prevention, and essential in building and sustaining a positive relationship with our children. Our goal for this campaign is to make alcohol-related harms, along with underage drinking, part of a community conversation, and to help facilitate discussions among families.

Campaign information will be distributed and available in a variety of mediums, including online/social media, printed materials, and a government-developed app that features an interactive simulation to help you talk with children about underage substance use.  We are also working with the PTA, Orange County Health Department, community organizations, and other partners to share and distribute these resources.

Our campaign approach is based on research that shows that parents are the number one influence on a child's decision to use alcohol and drugs. Talking to your children at an early age about drinking is the first step toward keeping them substance-free, and can have a real impact on your child's decisions about using substances. Research shows that children are more likely to avoid substance use when they have a strong, trusting relationship with their parents. It is our hope that this campaign, and the resources we provide, will empower you to have these critical conversations.

Please be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks. If you have any specific questions about the campaign, please contact Scarlett Steinert, Director of Healthful Living & Athletics at 919-967-8211 (ext. 28284).  

Sincerely,

Pam Baldwin, Superintendent

Dr. Dorothy Cilenti, Interim Director, Orange County Health Department

Winston Crisp, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, UNC - Chapel Hill

Tony DuBois, Orange County ABC General Manager

Roger Stancil, Town Manager, Town of Chapel Hill

read more "A Conversation Worth Having..."

Turnip the Beet Award for CHCCS!

N.C. Summer Nutrition Program Sponsors Receive

First-Ever Turnip the Beet Awards

Buncombe County Schools, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Rockingham County Schools and the YMCA of Western North Carolina are among the first summer nutrition program sponsors nationwide to receive the Turnip the Beet awards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) sponsors the award to recognize outstanding summer nutrition program sponsors that work hard to offer high quality meals that are appetizing, appealing and nutritious.

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Services Section Chief Lynn Harvey said that the state’s summer nutrition program sponsors work hard to ensure that North Carolina public school children don’t go hungry when school is not in session. “It’s exciting to see four of our program sponsors’ efforts recognized by the US Department of Agriculture with the Turnip the Beet award. We know they work hard to provide meals that are nutritious and appealing to children, and to ensure that those who need these meals the most are aware of their availability,” she said.

Buncombe County Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools received a Gold Turnip the Beet award. The YMCA of Western North Carolina received a Silver Turnip the Beet award, and a Bronze Turnip the Beet award was given to Rockingham County Schools.

The goal of Turnip the Beet award is to showcase sponsors who go above and beyond to ensure their meals are both nutritious and appetizing. States volunteered to participate in the recognition program, and all sponsors participating in the one of programs were eligible to apply. Applications were evaluated on a list of criteria, including serving local foods, variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low fat or fat free dairy products, and culturally-appropriate meals. Recognized sponsors demonstrated excellence in a variety of ways including providing fresh fruit daily, serving a variety of whole grains, conducting taste tests with the children (and incorporating the feedback into the menus), and offering nutrition education activities along with the meals.

For 2016, 49 sponsors from across the country earned Bronze, Silver or Gold Turnip the Beet awards. All awardees will receive a certificate and will be featured in USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Summer newsletter. Gold and Silver awardees will be highlighted in a USDA blog post, and Gold awardees will be identified as Turnip the Beet winners on the FNS Capacity Builder website.

Summer meals are critical in the lives of millions of our nation’s youth, whose risk of food insecurity increases during the summer months when they no longer have access to the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. North Carolina Summer Nutrition Programs serve meals at no cost to children and teens, ages 18 and younger, at almost 3,000 locations across the state. North Carolina Summer Nutrition Programs work with sponsors, local education agencies and community partners to help feed hungry children by serving meals to students when school is out.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Services administers the state’s Summer Nutrition Programs using federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Citizens and organizations interested in more information about getting involved as a site provider or volunteering at a summer meals site should contact NCDPI Summer Nutrition Programs Manager Cynthia Ervin.

read more "Turnip the Beet Award for CHCCS!"

Kara VanHooser - 2017 New Voices Award for Excellence

New Voices is a local non-profit with a mission to help children with severe communication and physical challenges maximize their learning potential. The ultimate goal of New Voices is inclusion in all aspects of life. The Lara Jane Parker Awards Program was established to provide both reward and recognition to those outstanding teachers, therapists, parents, education and health professionals and leaders who work daily to improve the lives of New Voices children. These individuals help improve their schools and their communities in ways that will allow these children to be fully included in all aspects of their daily lives.

The award for excellence recognizes individuals from the Alamance/Burlington, Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange, Wake counties school districts and the Chapel Hill—Carrboro City Schools, who have direct instructional or therapeutic contact with a school-aged child (or children) with communication and physical challenges.

Kara VanHooser, a speech language pathologist at McDougle Elementary School, is one of three winners of the 2017 Award for Excellence. Kara has over 20 years of experience and serves as the Exceptional Children’s team lead. Kara is proactive in engaging a child’s whole team, including families, private therapists and physicians to meet the student’s communication and other needs. She invites local and state politicians to meet her students and to understand their challenges. She maintains regular contact with them to discuss the issues that affect her students.

Kara received her Masters of Science in Speech/Language Pathology from James Madison University. She was nominated by Delia Hudson, her peer speech language pathologist, working at McDougle Elementary School. She will be honored at a ceremony on April 19 at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill.

Congratulations Kara!

read more "Kara VanHooser - 2017 New Voices Award for Excellence"

National School Social Work Week

The week of March 6-10 marks the celebration of National School Social Work Week. 

With the theme of "Be the Change," school social workers across the country will highlight their critically important role in helping students every day to meet the academic, social, and emotional challenges on the road to becoming successful and productive young adults.  

Join us in thanking our CHCCS School Social Workers for the very important role they play in the success of our students and our schools. 

read more "National School Social Work Week"

Grand Opening - Family Resource Center at Culbreth Middle School

The Family Resource Center at Culbreth Middle School will celebrate its grand opening all day
on Friday, March 3. The Center is a comfortable, friendly space where parents in the Culbreth Community, including feeder schools, can relax, enjoy a cup of coffee with a neighbor, and receive information and support on parenting topics and school and community resources. Books and games are also available for check-out.

The Family Resource Center is located in the main hallway of Culbreth Middle School and is open from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  The Center will sponsor a speaker series, book groups and other special events. The Center is hosted by community leaders, mental health professionals, teachers, public health care providers, district personnel, and parents, who will offer their specialized knowledge and foster community relationships.

read more "Grand Opening - Family Resource Center at Culbreth Middle School"

CHCCS Names Executive Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools is pleased to welcome Dr. Alicia Tate as our new Senior Executive Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services. Dr. Tate comes to us from Guilford County Schools, where she has served as Executive Director for Exceptional Children since 2013. She held the same role in Iredell-Statesville Schools from 2009-2013. Prior to that, she served as an exceptional children program director, specialist, teacher and site facilitator at several schools in North Carolina and Virginia.

Dr. Tate earned her doctorate and master's degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her bachelor's degree from East Carolina University.

She will begin with CHCCS later this summer, replacing the recently retired Dr. Sherron Leplin.

read more "CHCCS Names Executive Director of Exceptional Children and Student Services"

New Kids on the Blog

CHCCS speech-language pathologists have created a new blog.  Bookmark this link to see short articles of interest.

read more "New Kids on the Blog"

PBIS Recognitions

The North Carolina Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) recognition ceremony was held on November 17, 2015. Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS) had 17 of 19 schools recognized by the state as fully implementing PBIS schools.

One of the highest percentages in the state, CHCCS had 15 schools recognized in 13-14 school year. Ten schools earned Exemplar status, which is the highest level of recognition. Of the 37 counties that had Exemplar schools, only five districts had ten or more schools. Most of those districts are considerably larger than CHCCS. Our alternative high school, Phoenix Academy High, increased its level of implementation and was recognized as a model school.

read more "PBIS Recognitions"

CHCCS College Fair Scheduled for Sept. 24

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools are hosting a joint college fair on Thursday, September 24, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Dean Smith Center on the campus of UNC.

More than 100 colleges, universities, community colleges and technical schools will be represented at the event.  To see a complete listing, click here.

The event is free, and while it is geared towards juniors and seniors, any high school student is welcome to attend.

read more "CHCCS College Fair Scheduled for Sept. 24"

CHCCS College Fair Scheduled for Sept. 23

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools are hosting a joint college fair on Tuesday, September 23, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Dean Smith Center on the campus of UNC.

More than 100 colleges, universities, community colleges and technical schools will be represented at the event.  To see a complete listing, click here.

The event is free, and while it is geared towards juniors and seniors, any high school student is welcome to attend.

Back to CHCCS website

read more "CHCCS College Fair Scheduled for Sept. 23"

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

Back to CHCCS website

read more "2013 College Fair"

Student Code of Conduct

It is the obligation of our school district to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills, behaviors and attitudes necessary to achieve their learning potiential. Students have a much greater chance of reaching this goal when they attend schools that are safe and free of distractions.

We have created a Student Code of Conduct Handbook to present all the district policies related to student behavior in a single document.

We ask that students and their parents/legal guardians review the information that is included in the handbook and acknowledge receipt of this information, either electronically (preferred) or in writing. See page three for details. Thank you in advance to everyone for reading, knowing and meeting the behavioral expectations listed in the document.

Back to CHCCS website

read more "Student Code of Conduct"

Leplin Named Executive Director of Exceptional Children

At its July 18 meeting, the Board of Education approved the hiring of Dr. Sherron Leplin, currently principal of the UNC Hospital School, as the district’s new executive director of exceptional children.  Leplin brings a well-rounded background, along with a depth of experience, to her new role. She previously served as a principal with Durham Public Schools and Orange County Schools, as an exceptional children coordinator and assistant principal with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and a counselor, coordinator and teacher with Guilford County Schools.

Leplin earned her doctorate and two master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also earned a master’s degree from North Carolina A&T University and a bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University. 

The Board also approved Tony Widder as the interim assistant principal at Scroggs Elementary.  Widder spent the past school year at Scroggs Elementary as an administrative intern. He also served as a math teacher for seven years at Reedy Creek Middle School in Wake County.  Widder received his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in Ohio.

Dr. Sherron Leplin

Back to CHCCS website

read more "Leplin Named Executive Director of Exceptional Children"

District Holds College & Career Night

The 2012 Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools College Fair was held at the UNC - Dean Smith Center on September 19.  This year, 104 colleges and universities were represented and 1,200 students and parents walked the concourse of the Smith Center.

"The goal of the fair is to bring together representatives of educational institutions with students and parents from the two school districts," said Jeff Reilly, CHCCS student services coordinator.  "The fair offered students the opportunity to speak directly with college and university representatives about their programs."

This annual event is sponsored and planned by both school districts. 

Back to CHCCS website

read more "District Holds College & Career Night"

NC Receives Grant to Cover AP Test Fees for Low-Income Students

On August 8, 2012, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) notified school districts across the state that every eligible North Carolina high school student taking an Advanced Placement (AP) exam this year will have his/her test fees covered.

NCDPI will receive more than $800,000 to cover the cost of exams during the 2012-13 school year as part of the Federal AP Test Fee Program, which is authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I Part G.

Dr. Rodney Trice, associate superintendent for student and school services and equity oversight, stated his office would work to share this information with students, families and high school guidance counselors once the state releases more information about how to apply for the federal funds.

In 2011, 30 percent of the state's high school seniors took at least one AP exam.  A total of 15,496 students or 18.4 percent of the class of 2011 earned a 3 or better on an AP exam.

Students and parents are encouraged to visit the College Board website for more information about the AP program.

Back to CHCCS website

read more "NC Receives Grant to Cover AP Test Fees for Low-Income Students"