Second Grade Students at Northside are Global Change Makers

Economics instruction for second grade students? At Northside Elementary School, they learned the concepts of supply and demand, scarcity and sustainability, and during that unit, they became interested in exploring how economic factors impact access to water around our world. Among other crucial facts, they learned that worldwide, a child dies every 90 seconds from lack of clean water.
   
If it sounds advanced for second graders, think again. This unit became a rich integration of science, social studies and environmental justice. Through stories, virtual reality experiences and Google Earth explorations, students examined water access around the world. When they met Godi Godar of the Democratic Republic of Congo, founder of Go Conscious Earth, students decided they wanted to impact change in the world in a real way. Godar’s nonprofit funds the building of freshwater wells in villages around Lake Tumba in the DRC. By 2016 the group had provided clean water to more than 10,000 people, and the number has grown significantly since then.
   
After Godar’s initial visit with all of the second grade students at Northside, the children brainstormed ways to support Go Conscious Earth. The outcome of those discussions was a plan to collect coins in every classroom at the school by providing “change jugs,” with accompanying information about the plight of limited water access across so much of the DRC. In addition to their coin drive, the students hosted a second grade market in which they used the school’s library makerspace to create items to sell in various stores they would run.  From stress balls to beaded jewelry, the market  allowed students to use the economic principles studied to earn additional money towards this initiative. Parents and staff were invited to visit the market and purchase items that were crafted by the students.
   
On June 5, the jugs were collected, the coins counted, and when Godar returned to visit with the second grade students in the library media center, the contribution to Go Conscious Earth totaled nearly $700. The children seemed delighted to watch the smiling Godar receive the envelope, and several asked questions and made brief speeches about the importance of the fundraising they had spearheaded. This project has started what will be a lasting partnership between the students of Northside and an organization that allows students to give back in substantial and relevant ways.
   
Kathryn Cole, School Library Media Coordinator, helped shape the entire water access curriculum, and she created the publicity to share in the Northside school community, as well as organized Godar’s visits. She produced a Spark Adobe video called “Water Access: How We Can Help,” available for viewing here:   https://spark.adobe.com/video/kLT0Y0gwQdpHL
   
Before Godar said goodbye to the children, he emphasized the degree of lifesaving support their coins would provide. “We will be able to drill a well for one village, and you guys will be the heroes. We will share pictures of you guys. The people in the village will say, ‘These kids in the U.S. have raised these funds, only for you.’”
   
His final words offered inspiration and encouragement. “Plant a little seed, and it grows bigger and bigger. Don’t dream little tiny dreams - always dream big!”

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Morris Grove Elementary Dedicates a Month to Wellness

For the fourth year in a row, April was Wellness Month at Morris Grove Elementary, and the focus was on health lessons and activities for both students and staff. In the hallways, posters outlining the Road to Better Health reminded Geckos about the most important steps to building healthy bodies and minds.
   
One of the favorite activities was the Wellness Month Bingo that allowed students the full month of April to complete and color in each square for a successful bingo card. Squares shared tips like No screen time for an hour before bed; No fast food for a whole day; and, Take a “mindful” walk and pay attention to what you see, hear and smell. A 5th grader said, “The bingo board gave me things I could tell my family to help them stay healthy.”
   
Morris Grove nurse Lara Statile leads a team of teachers, staff and parents that meets regularly. “The mission of the Morris Grove Wellness Team is to  support the entire school community - students, staff and families - to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle by creating a culture that encourages positive relationships with health and wellness throughout the school year,” she said. “The focus on health culminates during Wellness Month in April. Our hope is that the various activities that occur during Wellness Month help to educate students and staff on the importance of maintaining good health and how they can achieve that goal in fun ways.”
   
Starting with the first week of April, everyone learned about Mindfulness and explored ways to practice basic mindful activities. Lucie House, the director of Minded, came to the school and led a staff workshop. Nicole Bohlen, 1st grade teacher, said, “Wellness month gave us an opportunity to bring up so many important topics within the classroom. The kids loved learning how to be mindful and practice breathing with techniques like ‘helicopter breathing’ and putting their hands on their bellies to feel their breaths! The more we surround kids with information regarding their health, the more they will apply it to their everyday lives.”
   
Week Two focused on Physical Activity, which perhaps came more naturally than mindfulness for some Geckos. For the staff, ESL teacher Molly Crawford taught a barre class at the school.
   
During Week Three, attention turned to nutrition and hydration. One of the high points of that week was when the Chartwell’s team set up in the cafeteria during lunch, behind a large table of fresh North Carolina strawberries. One 1st grade student said, “I really loved the strawberries that we got to try in the cafeteria!”
   

On the final Wednesday of April, a group of students, parents and staff represented Morris Grove at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market. They set up activities for market-goers to enjoy, including a scavenger hunt. They offered tastes of kale and sweet potato wedges and asked tasters to vote on their favorites. The attention-grabbing activity that afternoon was a Smoothie Station where people could pedal an exercise bicycle with a blender attached - whir, whir, whir - until a delicious fruit smoothie materialized, cold and refreshing.
     
The last week’s focus was, appropriately enough, sleep! A third grade student shared, “I learned that it's important for me to get 10-11 hours of sleep. I didn't know that before, and now, I try to get that much.” The Wellness team composed a list of sleep tips to share with staff, under the heading, Why all this fuss about sleep? “Many of us have forgotten what it feels like to be truly rested,” was an observation that probably resonated with the entire staff at this time of year.
   
Adaptive Curriculum teacher assistant, Alexa Payne, said, “I really liked all of the practical tips each day on the MGE morning news.”
   
And another 1st grader said, “Wellness Month helped teach people how to stay healthy.” Well-expressed, Geckos! And a big shout out to Lara Statile and the Wellness Team who created such a comprehensive exploration of pathways to better health.

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Scroggs Art Teacher Receives Fulbright Award

A huge congratulations goes out to Sarah Cornette, the art teacher at Scroggs Elementary, who has received a Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching grant to Greece from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Sarah is one of approximately 35 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad through the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program in 2018-2019. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement and demonstrated leadership potential.

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, and is designed to build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations in foreign countries and the United States also provide direct and indirect support to the program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has provided more than 380,000 students, scholars, teachers, artists, professionals and scientists the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Fulbrighters address critical global challenges in all areas, while building relationships, knowledge, and leadership in support of the long-term interests of the United States. Fulbright alumni have achieved distinction in many fields, including 59 who have been awarded the Nobel Prize, 84 who have received Pulitzer Prizes, and 37 who have served as a head of state or government.

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program sends U.S. teachers abroad and brings international teachers to the United States for a semester of independent study and professional development focused on sharing international best practices and developing students’ global competence. Based at university-level schools of education or other educational institutions in the host country, participants complete an inquiry project, take courses, share their expertise with local teachers and students, and engage in action planning to implement what they learn on the program when they return home.

We are so proud to have one of our very own Scroggs Frogs representing our school district - and our nation - in this amazing program. Way to go, Sarah!

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CHCCS COMPOSTS A MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD WASTE

In our school cafeterias, every day during lunch time, students scrape and sort and dump their food waste into different bins, including the prized compost bins. Most students have adopted the quick actions as habit, and few are aware that Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools have created one of the most comprehensive and effective composting programs of any North Carolina school district. “It’s a win-win-win,” said Dan Schnitzer, Director of Sustainability (and perhaps local King of Compost!). The district is saving money, students are learning about everything from worm bins to sequestering carbons, and cafeteria scraps are being transformed into high-quality soil instead of ending up in a Sampson County landfill, releasing methane and damaging air and water quality.

“Students feel accountable for composting, and they consider it as a daily routine,” said Laura Fonseca, second-grade teacher at Carrboro Elementary. “This strategy is empowering them, the next generation, to be aware of being environmental friendly.”

Since 2015, when CHCCS began composting with Brooks Contractors in Chatham County, more than a million pounds of compostable waste have been diverted from the landfill. For a little perspective, it would require more than 21 dump trucks to haul that amount of waste, and the carbon emissions avoided by the composting equals the emissions of more than 100 cars driven for a year.

When Schnitzer began his sustainability work in the district more than three years ago, Assistant Superintendent Todd LoFrese had already laid the groundwork for establishing a composting program. Now that the town of Chapel Hill no longer has its own landfill for public use, the negative environmental impact of transporting food waste to Eastern North Carolina has further increased the motivation to compost. 

Schnitzer analyzed our district’s cafeteria waste by following garbage trucks around and checking how full each dumpster was, as well as how often they were picked up. He found plenty of excess capacity and margins to cut; district-wide, elementary and middle school cafeterias were tossing 158 bags of landfill waste a day. By decreasing the number of school dumpsters and the number of pick up times, the money saved could be applied to the composting expenses, and now the district produces only 18 bags of landfill waste a day from the cafeterias. Each elementary school has reduced its output to about one bag daily. Like he said, win-win-win!

Now that the system is set up, Schnitzer begins each school year by visiting every cafeteria to provide orientations, and to receive feedback on how the composting went the previous year - he’s always eager to hear suggestions for improving the process. 

Once the year is underway, he visits as many classrooms as he can to talk with students about how and why we compost, with slide show presentations and worm bins. He said that the youngest students are often so delighted that they can talk about “worm poop” - and, in fact, repeat the word “poop” again and again. They are transfixed. Schnitzer said he’s lost track of the number of parents who’ve emailed or spoken to him about their children advocating for home composting, setting up worm bins and creating backyard gardens.

Mindy Morton, Math/Science Specialist at Carrboro Elementary School said, “We are definitely ‘All In’. All of our classrooms participate in snack composting as well as the cafeteria composting.”

“Composting has become second nature to the kids here at Northside,” said Elizabeth Symons. “Last year, my third-graders took true ownership in composting when, during our Plants unit in Science, they were responsible for saving compostable materials for a week at home to bring in to add to the compost pile in our garden. Once they learned about the decomposition process, and saw how their ‘waste’ turned into nutrient-rich compost, I saw a noticeable change in my students' behaviors post-snack and lunch.” Symons said that now, when students occasionally eat lunch in the classroom, they'll ask her to go to the cafeteria to compost their leftovers. “The lessons they have learned through the composting process have transferred into their daily lives, as they are more conscious about trash, recyclable materials, and food waste.”    

By next year, classes may be able to take field trips out to Goldston to see where their scraps are being processed into compost. Brooks Contractors is establishing an educational building, and students would be able to view the wind rows and turning machine, as well as examine the various stages of decomposition. But for now, our students are already learning a great deal.   

In February, the district received the annual delivery of donated compost from Brooks Contractors. “Many schools use that compost to bring their gardens to life and to complete the natural cycle!” said Schnitzer. 

“Composting is a great way to teach kids to be aware of the waste they are creating,” said Arwen Carlin, third-grade teacher’s assistant at Carrboro Elementary. “Diverting waste from the landfill is so important for our future on this planet! By teaching the kids how to compost and recycle, and the reasons we need to do these things, we are giving them a chance create a more sustainable future for themselves.”

“This has truly been a community effort,” Schnitzer said, “and I especially want to thank our district custodians, cafeteria employees, teaching assistants, Amy Brooks of Brooks Contractors and everyone else who has played a hands-on role in bringing this program to life. We will use this milestone as a springboard for continued growth and success.”

Last spring, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools received the Best of Green Schools 2017 Award in the School System category from the Center for Green Schools at the U.S Green Building Council. Nationally, CHCCS was the only “School Systems” award winner.

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Glenwood Claims Battle of the Books Title

Battle of the Books is a reading competition that takes students on a reading adventure with award-winning books. The goal is to make reading fun and exciting! 

On April 4, six elementary schools, including Carrboro Elementary, Estes Hills, Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe, Glenwood, Scroggs, and Seawell, participated in the district competition. The books were selected by the librarians in the participating schools. 

This year, we congratulate the All-Stars of Glenwood Elementary School for winning the 2018 Battle of the Books competition. Way to go, Glenwood Gators and all of the participating students and schools for their hard work, dedication to reading, and participation in this annual reading program.

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NCCU Football Players Visit FPG Third Graders

When the third grade students arrived at Frank Porter Graham Bilingue (FPGB) Elementary on Wednesday, March 7, they found a large banner hanging in their hallway: FPGB (loves) the Eagles. A mystery, to be sure. Several young football fans thought maybe the Super Bowl winners were being celebrated, and one student asked why the Patriots weren’t included. But a little past 10:30 that morning, the mystery cleared when 10 football players from North Carolina Central University - the Eagles!- showed up in their jerseys, wearing big smiles. As they divided up in small groups and entered each classroom, many of the astonished third-graders squealed and clapped, while others stared in disbelief.
     
During these long weeks before spring break, teachers welcome all the creative measures they can use to keep their students engaged. Kelsey Mackay, a teacher on the team, approached social worker Kerry Sherrill, seeking strategies for the extra encouragement and motivation some of her students really needed. What better way to get their attention than to invite a group of conference-winning football players over to spend part of the morning?
     
MacKay grew up in football-rich South Carolina, and she attended Clemson. She already had a strong sense of how much impact can come from athletes in the classroom. She and Sherrill brainstormed ideas. “We decided to try Central, because of the reputation of their tight community among alumni and current staff and players,” Sherrill said, “and to expose our small population of Black American students to positive messaging and role models who look like them.”
     
Sherrill reached out to her social work colleagues in the district and very quickly, a couple of NCCU alumni were able to arrange a contact in the football office. In the email invitation to Travis Taylor, director of football operations, Sherrill and MacKay wrote, “Third-grade is a tough year with the End-of-Grade exams starting and more pressure on the students.  We would like to have players come to each of our four third-grade classrooms and talk about what character traits have helped them as they developed into adults, if they have faced and overcome challenges and barriers, and what advice they would give the children about not giving up.”
   
The carloads of players and athletic support staff drove up to FPGB a few days later.
   
After the Eagles’ surprise entrance, and once the students had settled down and taken their seats on the floor, the pairs and trios of athletes answered questions about ways to strengthen team unity and how to manage conflict and frustration. When one student asked, “What do you do when you’re frustrated?” the players’ responses ranged from, “Try to step away and get myself together,” to “Go and call my mom and talk it through.”
   
The children listened intently, faces upturned toward the tall young men, and often they nodded solemnly. Sherrill reported that the very next day, “One student was getting frustrated and he pulled out his autographs to motivate him and was able to re-engage in his assignment.”
   
“What are some values that have helped you?” asked a student.
   
“My mom always got me to school on time and she made sure I ate my vegetables and fruit-- no junk food!”
   
“Mom always made me do my homework and then go to sleep by 9:00,” said another Eagle, to which a teacher called out to her students, “Did you hear that ? 9:00!”
   
“I always try to do my best and stay ahead of the game," said one player. "It’s hard to be successful without doing well in school - and always support your friends!”
   
One athlete said, “No matter what people say about you, don’t let them tell you what to think about yourself.”
   
"Knowledge is the only thing that cannot be taken away from you,” an athlete told the children, and Sherrill reported that a week later, the teachers were still sharing that quote.
   
When a student asked, “What does it take to win a championship?” the football players became even more animated.
   
“You’ve got to be a family, from the coaches down.”
   
“Gaining knowledge everyday - trust in what your teachers and coaches tell you. They really care about you!”
     
The players all talked about their very hectic schedules, but they emphasized that they’re students first, and they’re always working hard to balance classwork with being student-athletes.
     
Then came Part Two of the Eagles’ visit - board games in each classroom! Sherrill and MacKay had hoped to organize outdoor activities, but with the cold rain, they had to devise a Plan B. The laughter and hooting that came from each table of game-players filled the rooms.
     
Over and over, the students said, "BEST DAY EVER!!!!"
     
As athletes finished signing autographs and began to say goodbyes, one child asked, "When are they coming back?"
     
Over and over, the teachers talked about how amazing it was to see all the smiles on children's faces, and the excitement and joy they expressed.
     
Travis Taylor shared his own message once the football players had returned to the NCCU campus.

“Thank you for reaching out. The players absolutely loved their time at your school. I think this is a new partnership that’s going to be wonderful for both parties. It’s moments like this that make you realize you’re doing something right, to know that we inspired and made those kids’ day special. We love you guys - you are a part of our team. One family, one team!”

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McDougle Dolphins Meet Quinoa (Keen-wah)

The mood was festive and bright on a chilly Thursday in McDougle Elementary School’s atrium, as class after class of Dolphins filed in, one or two at a time; they sat on the floor and learned about whole grains, MyPlate and especially, the star of the day, Quinoa. Advertised by Chartwells Child Nutrition as a sampling and education extravaganza, a full team of CHCCS Chartwells staff partnered with Chef Jay-Z from InHarvest to present a quinoa-palooza that was pleasing to both the palate and the eye.

March is National Nutrition Month, and Chartwells has been busy throughout the district with various special events, but the spotlight is on quinoa. The March lunch schedule notes that “Quinoa contains all 9 amino acids- a complete protein with 5 grams in one cooked cup.” It’s an intact grain, gluten-free - and there are 120 different types of quinoa. The signature dish presented by district chef Jordan Keyser, chef Jay-Z(iobrowski) and the team at Chartwells is Cilantro-Lime Quinoa, served in crunchy tacos with chicken or beef, or as part of the SONO lines in the high schools.

Lynne Privette, CHCCS registered dietitian, led the initial lesson and game of “Guess the Grains” when she showed the students displays of oats, wheat berries and mixed rice. They learned how to say “kamut” and “legumes,” but when it came time to introduce the children to the correct pronunciation of quinoa (with a large poster that spelled out “Keen-wah”), the Chartwells team smiled as most of their audience called out the perfectly inflected word, without the phonetic spelling assistance. “Only in Chapel Hill-Carrboro,” whispered one adult observer. 

Next up was Chef Jay-Z, who talked about the MyPlate app, and he showed them how a healthy plate contains at least a quarter of whole grains for each meal. “You want to eat a breakfast of whole grains instead of Pop-Tarts,” he told them. “You’ll stay awake longer, your brains will work better and you’ll get better grades.”

And how did students respond to the lesson on nutrition, and the follow-up sample of cilantro-lime quinoa and chips? Tamara Baker, communications and project director for No Kid Hungry NC, attended the full event and shared this feedback. "The excitement and joy on the children's faces at the whole grains nutrition learning event at McDougle Elementary sent an important message: They loved the tasty morsels! We need to spread the word that healthy foods that are both tasty and provide mega-fuel for growing bodies and minds are available at lunch and breakfast in our schools!"

Even the youngest children, the Pre-K students, sat rapt, waiting patiently to receive their portions, and most of them tucked right in. “Awesome,” and “so good” and “I love it” were the reactions from many.

As a kindergarten class filed back out of the atrium, one boy said, “For some reason I feel like running real fast now.” Another child said, “My grandma needs some ‘cause she broke her hip.”

Lessons learned, and when those quinoa tacos show up on the lunch line the next two Tuesdays at McDougle Elementary, there’ll be a lot of intact grain experts, ready to recap their knowledge and chow down.

Liz Cartano, the CHCCS director of child nutrition, shared her reminder about the importance of the Chartwells commitment to Eat Lean and Live.  “We are not only about the food we serve each day in the cafe but about how we impact the child through food, nutrition ed and the importance of being dedicated to the community that we live in.”

No Kid Hungry NC
InHarvest

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Glenwood Hosts African-American Read-In

History Month by hosting a Read-In with guest readers, who all shared storybooks, poems and biographies of and by African-Americans. Glenwood’s event took place February 8th and 9th in classrooms and the media center. Nearly every student, K-5th, experienced the gifts offered by more than two dozen readers who included Superintendent Dr. Pam Baldwin, CHCCS district staff members, School Board members, UNC athletes and a variety of Orange County commissioners and others.

"I always enjoy my time reading with our students," said Board Member James Barrett. "Their natural curiosity and passion for learning is inspiring." Board Vice-Chair Margaret Samuels and Board Member Amy Fowler also took their turns in the reader’s seat.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners was also well represented in the slate of readers. Chair Mark Dorosin shared a quote that really inspired the 5th graders: "The struggle is the victory." That simple statement prompted much circle discussion among the 5th grade students. They shared their own struggles and talked about how working through struggles is a victory in itself.

Commissioner Renee Price first spoke about her educational background, as well as her professional journey. She mentioned that, as a graduate student, she had spent most of a weekend accompanying Rosa Parks to events. Students were fascinated by that revelation, and they had plenty of questions for Price. She then read a number of Langston Hughes poems to 4th grade students, and she sought their responses and interpretations.

“The readers inspired students to learn more about African-American history, leaders, and authors, as well as inspiring them to continue working hard in their educational paths,” said Katherine Whittington, Glenwood, Principal Intern and co-organizer of the read-in.

A small group of 5th grade female students enjoyed a Lunch-and-Listen when their guest readers appeared in the classroom. JoJo Jones, a UNC freshman basketball player, and Ru Mucherera, a soccer player, took turns reading, asking the girls questions and sharing their own thoughts about education, stories, and sports. 

Jones read Despite the Height, a book by former UNC star point guard, Ivory Latta; the picture book captures the WNBA player’s experience learning to play basketball against her older, bigger brothers. Both women encouraged the girls to remember how important it is to focus on academics, even when sports are a primary passion. “Do the best you can in school,” Jones said. “Just because you play the sport well doesn’t mean you automatically get to go to any school you want.” She went on to say that she’d like to play professional ball, but not for long; she hopes to return to law school and become a sports lawyer. Jones provided an off-the-cuff, brief overview of Title IX, and she urged them to think about why it matters in so many areas of women’s lives.

“Discussions about the books, authors, and lives of those that they read about continued to be discussed throughout the week,” Whittington said. “We loved seeing our young scholars interact with community volunteers who inspire them and challenge them.”

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Mayor Hemminger Visits McDougle Elementary

Third grade students at McDougle Elementary School are diving into the subject of Local Governments this month, so what better way to learn about municipal leadership than to hear from the Mayor herself.

      

Mayor Pam Hemminger spent nearly an hour with the students on Monday, December 4 as they prepared to construct their own versions of municipal governments, including electing a mayor for each classroom.

      

Students and their teachers had prepared lists of questions, ranging from “What is your family like?” to “Why do houses in Chapel Hill cost so much?” and “When you make decisions, who do you think about?” The mayor managed the room full of children with ease, and she noted that when her four children attended district schools, she volunteered frequently. Blending specific facts and policy ideas with humorous anecdotes, the mayor provided an abundance of information to her audience.

      

In response to the question, “Is it hard or easy, being the mayor?” Hemminger shared that some days can be really challenging and long, while others are relatively easy. She described how she can’t go out in sweats like she used to, and how surprising it was to “lose” her name. “Now everyone just calls me Mayor.” When she noted that she’s paid as a half-time employee, even though she often works 70 hours a week, one student shrieked from the back of the room, “WHAT???”

      

Hemminger laughed. “Yes, I said What? too.”

      

A student asked if Hemminger had always wanted to be a mayor, which elicited a big smile. She said no, not at all, though she had served as class president in high school. “I guess I’ve always wanted things to run better…I love helping our community. I wasn’t really planning on running for mayor.” She noted that Chapel Hill has a tradition of welcoming diversity and outside-the-box thinking. “But I felt like we were moving away from that, towards being just a bedroom community for people who could afford it. My own children said, 'Mom, quit waiting for change to happen. You’ve always told us, Be the change you want to see in the world,'” a statement that made several students nod their heads.

       

Students wanted to know if she lives in a “fancy house,” and the mayor admitted it’s become fancier since her husband insisted they add a Ping Pong Room, which was also met with students’ approval. They asked her if she can take gifts, so the mayor explained that government officials take an ethics training that emphasizes how important it is to avoid gifts and special favors.

      

Many children were curious about the “best part” of being Mayor. Hemminger shared that she had been able to give hugs to both President Obama and singer James Taylor, and that day was one high point. A student inquired about other celebrities. “Have you hugged Taylor Swift?”

       

Natalie Sayag, one of their teachers, asked if Hemminger, also a former school board member and chair,

had specific advice to prepare them for the afternoon’s government simulation. The mayor replied, “It’s really important to hear every voice at the table.”

       

“It’s been an amazing, amazing experience,” Hemminger told the students as they stood up to file back to their classrooms. A few children hung back to give the mayor a hug.

       

At the end of the day, Stephens Watson, another third grade teacher, shared this observation, “During the simulations this afternoon, I think the kids were really taking Mayor Hemminger's advice to listen to everyone's opinion. The kids were excited to get their roles and it seemed like they realized the importance of each role in the government.”

       

Who knows? Maybe cafeteria and classroom conversations this week will include new phrases like “affordable housing,” “stormwater fees” and “rural buffers.” And maybe a few aspiring politicians, currently studying at McDougle Elementary, will look back on today’s mayoral visit as the day it all started.

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Mary Andrews Named National Family Teacher of the Year

Mary Andrews isn’t sitting still in retirement. On the contrary, she’s building on her 40-year teaching career by expanding family literacy programs throughout the Chapel Hill community. Today, Toyota and the National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) surprised Andrews during a reading event with local families with the news that she is the 2017 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year.

Andrews and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Public School Foundation also received a $20,000 check to further Family Reading Partners (FRP) program outreach.

“Mary’s dedication to working with families to change the academic and life trajectories of vulnerable parents and children is impressive,” said Dr. Joshua Cramer, vice president, NCFL. “Her work is in alignment with NCFL’s mission to eradicate poverty through two-generation education solutions for families. We are proud to recognize her as our 2017 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year.”

Andrews’ FRP and READ2ME programs are designed to model and encourage reading together as a family. Facilitators teach parents how to interact with their children to promote kindergarten readiness and reinforce that parents are their child’s first and most important teacher.

Additionally, the program works to address the 30-million word gap many low-income children face upon entering kindergarten.

“Mary’s work with Chapel Hill and Carrboro families makes a visible impact on our school system and our community,” said Superintendent Pam Baldwin, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (CHCCS). “We are grateful for her continued work to support families in our district. She is building a legacy of family literacy that is contagious and inspiring.”

Andrews’ literacy programs began on a small scale during her teaching career and were later adopted district-wide. Once retired, she expanded programming to reach more low-income community members with young children, including:

     • Teenage parents: high school students join Andrews monthly during lunch to complete an FRP session and receive books for their babies;
     • Recovering mothers: monthly in-home sessions are held through the UNC Hospitals’ HORIZONS program;
     • Refugee families: In partnership with the Refugee Support Center, Andrews finds bilingual books and hires interpreters to spread the message;
     • Parents of newborns: Andrews visits low-income parents referred by Orange County Health Department and, upon invitation, returns every six months with new books until the child reaches kindergarten;
     • Early Head Start: Andrews meets families at Early Head Start centers for FRP lessons and book giveaways; and,
   
• Family Success Alliance: a county-wide collaborative using a multi-generational approach to overcome poverty for families.

The Toyota Family Teacher of the Year award, a national honor now in its 21st year, recognizes families play a crucial role in the success of children, and salutes educators who are exceptional at using intergenerational approaches to engage students and their families in education.

Andrews and runner-up Fernando Gonzalez, of Tucson, Ariz., will be recognized for their accomplishments at the annual NCFL Families Learning Conference in Tucson on October 9. The conference convenes the nation’s most progressive experts in education, policy, and family and parent engagement to discuss and share the latest information regarding multigenerational approaches to learning.

“We’re proud to recognize Mary Andrews as Toyota Family Teacher of the Year for the dedication to countless children and families through her unique literacy programs,” said Mike Goss, general manager, social innovation, Toyota Motor North America.

Gonzalez, a family literacy specialist with Make Way for Books in Tucson, was chosen as the Toyota Family Teacher of the Year runner up. Gonzalez works to empower parents to embrace their role as the first, best and most important teacher in their child’s life, as well as to become advocates for their children’s education. With this recognition, Make Way for Books received a $5,000 grant to continue Fernandez’s work engaging families through six-week programs that meet families where they are – in apartment and mobile home communities, social service agencies, and neighborhood centers.

Goss added: “The work of Mary and Fernando will increase children’s upward mobility and ability to break intergenerational cycles of poverty. This will pay dividends for these students, their families, their schools and their communities for generations to come.”

ABOUT NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILIES LEARNING
The National Center for Families Learning (NCFL) is a national nonprofit organization working to eradicating poverty through education solutions for families. Partnering with educators, literacy advocates, and policymakers, NCFL develops and provides programming, professional development, and resources from the classroom to the community that empower and raise families to achieve their potential. For more information on NCFL visit familieslearning.org.

ABOUT TOYOTA
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands. Over the past 60 years, we’ve built more than 30 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 44,000 people (more than 34,000 in the U.S.).  Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.6 million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today. 

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Board Approves Three Administrative Appointments

The CHCCS Board of Education approved three administrative appointments at its July 24 meeting.

Pamela McCann

Pamela McCann was named principal of Estes Hills Elementary. She is currently the assistant principal of the same school, arriving in 2016 from Durham Public Schools. In Durham, McCann served as an assistant principal at both Creekside Elementary and Githens Middle. Additionally, she worked as an academic coach and classroom teacher, with experience in Social Studies, Language Arts and Behavior Intervention. Her teaching career included time in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Durham Public Schools and Orange County Public Schools (Florida). McCann completed her Bachelor of Arts and her Master of School Administration from North Carolina Central University.

Monica Bintz

Monica Bintz was named principal of Culbreth Middle. She is currently assistant principal of Phillips Middle, where she has worked since 2015. Prior to that, Bintz worked as a principal intern and teacher in Durham Public Schools, and as a Language Arts teacher in Charlottesville, Virginia. Her experience also includes serving as a teacher and dean of students in Brooklyn, New York, and as a teacher and basketball coach in Washington, DC. Bintz completed a Master of School Adminstration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Education from the City University of New York, Hunter College, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Mary Washington.




The Board also approved the appointment of Tiffany Cheshire as assistant principal at Phillips Middle.

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Board Approves Seven Administrative Appointments

The CHCCS Board of Education approved seven administrative appointments at its meeting on Tuesday evening.

Beverly Rudolph

Beverly Rudolph was named principal of Carrboro High. Rudolph has been the principal at Culbreth Middle since 2011. Prior to that, she served as assistant principal at East Chapel Hill High from 2007-2011. She also taught English/Language Arts in Edgecombe, Buncombe and Cabarrus County Schools. Rudolph earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina – Asheville, her Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in School Administration and Supervision from the University of Virginia.

Drew Ware

Drew Ware was named principal of Phillips Middle. He has been the principal of Estes Hills Elementary since 2013. Prior to that, he served as a principal, assistant principal and classroom teacher in the Wake County Public School System. Ware earned his Bachelor of Arts and Master of School Administration from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. He is currently working toward his Doctorate of Educational Leadership.

Arrica DuBose

Arrica DuBose was named principal of Seawell Elementary. She has been the principal of Creekside Elementary in Durham Public Schools since 2012. She has also served as a school improvement specialist for Title 1 schools, parent involvement district coordinator, summer school administrator and teacher for Durham Public Schools. She also spent five years as an assistant principal in the Wake County Public School System. DuBose earned her Bachelor of Science from Winston-Salem State University, her Master of Education from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Educational Leadership from East Carolina University.

Two assistant principals were named. Michael Brown will serve at Morris Grove Elementary and Tomeka Ward- Satterfield will serve at Carrboro High.

Dr. Elaine Watson-Grant, currently the school district’s coordinator of dual language and world language, has been named Director of Elementary Education. David Bouldin, currently of Chatham County Schools, has been named Exceptional Children’s Compliance and Educational Programs Coordinator.

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Lulu, the Chewing Gum Artist

The vision came to her a few summers ago at camp when Lulu Nery was briefly trapped under a bowling alley table. Stuck in that position she looked up, and the amount of chewing gum under the table made a powerful impression- “thousands” of chewers’ castoffs, she guessed. “There were so many different colors, textures and patterns which gave me an idea.” Art, she thought with surprise, and that’s how the new permanent Ephesus artwork came into being.

     

Lulu is a 5th grader in Ms. Sheila Singh’s class who has achieved a new notoriety among her schoolmates. Although Ephesus school policy allows for chewing gum, it also stipulates that students chew quietly and dispose of gum properly. But Lulu had noticed that gum proliferated under desks. “Last year I could always identify my desk, not by the name tag, but by the gum!  My desk had a purple and white chewing gum pattern. It was kind of  fascinating but really gross.” 

     

As Lulu wrote in her project proposal, “What if we just stopped the growing population of gum under desks, and redirected the flow of never-ending chewing gum?  What if we made art?” 

     

Next step for Lulu was a conversation with the art teacher, Ms. Hannah Murphy, Principal Victoria Creamer and Assistant Principal Danielle Sutton. They devised a plan, and then Creamer sent an email to Ephesus parents, which included Lulu’s guidelines. 

They clarified that the project was open to “all Roadrunners,” and was completely voluntary. Lulu noted, “Each person can contribute to creating our own abstract Ephesus Chewing Gum Masterpiece!” Ms. Creamer added, “We will also use this project as an educational opportunity about preventing the spread of germs with regular hand-washing. Wash your hands afterwards!”

      

The designated canvas was set up outside the main office for a month, and during that time the blobs, streaks and shaped pieces of gum accumulated to create a distinctly Jackson Pollock-ish work. The colors range across the spectrum. Upon close examination, a red Gummi Bear and a sneaky Googly Eye show up as the two “non-gum” contributions. When it was time for Lulu to memorialize the gum for posterity, she enlisted her grandpa to find a substance to use as protective coating. “My grandpa has everything in his tool shed!”

       

Lulu said that she originally imagined a fully covered canvas, but now she appreciates the amount of white space still visible. 

“Like music, the silences are just as important,” she observed.

       

The five layers of coating haven’t entirely masked the whiff of fruit flavors still emanating from the artwork, though any germs have been neutralized. The canvas has now been set up in the atrium as a permanent contribution. Principal Creamer’s pride is evident in an email, “I am so proud of Lulu's creativity and her initiative!”

      

And Lulu? Her own webpage on fineartamerica.com shows a growing collection of abstract digital art for sale. She doubts she’ll spend more time exploring gum as a medium. After all, she doesn’t much like gum. Lulu had only chewed two pieces in her lifetime, before the call of the blank canvas (or the bottom of a table) inspired her to chew a few pieces more.

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Literacy, Learning and Leadership

The Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership Institute students at Carrboro High and Chapel Hill High became pen pals with students in the Mary Scroggs After School Adventures Program. After School Adventures was created by 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 partnership was initiated by After School Adventures to help students with their writing. Second-grade students wrote letters to Blue Ribbon Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) students. The first letter was an introduction in which elementary students shared basic information and their hobbies. The high school students responded to the letters. The exchange experience was a real motivator for the second-graders. One After School Adventurer was quoted as saying ​“I wish I could meet my pen pal Gan.”

The pen pal project concluded, Tuesday, April 18, with a surprise visit from the high school pen pals. The after school celebration provided students an opportunity to meet their pen pals, play games and enjoy pizza. The students were enthusiastic about meeting their pen pals.

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

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The 2016-17 North Carolina PTA Diversity and Inclusion Award Goes To...

The Frank Porter Graham Bilingue Elementary School PTA has been selected as the recipient of the 2016-17 North Carolina PTA Diversity and Inclusion Award.

The purpose of this award is to recognize and pay tribute to a PTA that is dedicated to serving the needs of all families and individuals in their school, that supports practices and sponsors programs that are inclusive, supports the under-represented, and results in positive changes at its school.

Awards winners will be recognized during the Annual State Convention that will be held on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro on May 20.

Congratulations to the Frank Porter Graham Bilingue Elementary PTA on a well-deserved honor.

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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!

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Former Governor Bev Perdue Visits Northside Elementary

Former North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue stopped by Northside Elementary earlier this week to meet with students and share a story. In addition to reading with them, she explained various aspects of being Governor and helped prepare them for an upcoming trip to Raleigh.

In addition to being the first female governor in North Carolina, Perdue is also a former elementary teacher, Governor Perdue really enjoyed her time with the students, and they found her captivating. They were able to ask her very specific questions and received truthful, detailed answers.

The staff also enjoyed their time with her. It was a great visit. Thank you to everyone who worked to make this happen.

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Mix It Up!

It’s a simple call to action: take a new seat in the cafeteria. By taking a risk, this one day, students can cross the lines of division in a safe, controlled environment, meet new people, and help build an inclusive and welcoming school community. Mix It Up is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program, which aims to reduce prejudice and improve intergroup relations in the nation’s classrooms and communities.

Recently, two CHCCS schools were named Mix It Up Model Schools. They were among only 76 schools nationwide to be recognized for this accomplishment. Below are the write ups detailing how each school promoted the event.


Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe

Organizers compiled lessons and resources from Teaching Tolerance and shared them with all grade-level teachers, who then integrated the material into classes a week before Mix It Up at Lunch Day. Preparing fourth- and fifth-grade student leaders - including those classified as academically or intellectually gifted, those receiving special education and pairs of students who’d previously struggled to get along - was another important element of getting ready for the event. On the big day, “Would you rather?” questions created by the student leaders were a huge hit!


Morris Grove Elementary School

Mixed-up seating and clothing weren’t enough for Morris Grove Elementary. The cafeteria staff joined in the fun by mixing up students’ lunch trays, serving the food backward and mixing fruits and veggies together! With this fun spirit and conversation starters at every table, students were able to find common ground with new friends. After the Mix event, Morris Grove devoted a whole month to showing gratitude toward one another.

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The Little Mermaid at Carrboro Elementary

The Carrboro Elementary Players recently presented their annual theatric production. This year's show was The Little Mermaid.

Directed by the amazing Deb Cox, 78 cast and 71 crew members, made up of third-, fourth- and fifth-graders, delivered a Tony-worthy rendition for their school peers on Friday afternoon in the Carrboro Elementary Auditorium.  Two more shows are scheduled for the public on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Click here to see a clip from the performance. You will enjoy the beautiful singing, the incredible set, and the colorful costumes. Congratulations to Ms. Cox and the entire Carrboro Elementary team on a job well done!

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Rashkis Elementary Farmers Market

Exploring new flavors and fresh, local foods were on the menu at Rashkis Elementary School in the café and courtyard on Thursday, October 20. Students enjoyed an opportunity to participate in a pop-up Farmer’s Market at their school, sample new foods, talk with a Chartwells K12 Chef and select a made from scratch lunch in the café.

Chartwells K12 and Foster Caviness Produce partnered with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Rashkis Elementary to host a pop-up Farmer’s Market that allowed students to shop for fresh produce using fictional money to make purchases. Students were able to take home the fresh produce they “purchase” from the Farmer’s Market to share with their families. Additional celebrations occurred throughout the school including:

     • Featured café menu of fresh, house made foods including Italian baked lasagna with fresh made marinara sauce, pinto beans, Greek tomato salad, fresh steamed broccoli and assorted fresh fruits and vegetables;
     • Chartwells K12 Chef Jordan Keyser conducting a demonstration table featuring a warm tri-colored sweet potato sauté;
     • Guess the Greens game and a sampling of our Imperfectly Delicious Produce.

 “Our students are so excited about the Farmer’s Market, the opportunity to shop and to learn about the fresh and local foods served in the café every day,” said Liz Cartano, Chartwells K12 Director of Dining Services. “They really love the chance to meet one of the real chefs that help design their meal.”

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