Carrboro High Hosts Group from Dominican Republic

An international-CHCCS connection that’s now in its fifth year celebrated a new chapter in December as 15 students and staff from the Julian Javier High School in the Dominican Republic spent a week with families and teachers from Carrboro High. Each day was packed with activity, food and conversations in Spanish and English. Alejandra Castillo, a junior at Carrboro High said, “Not only did the students have fun, but the parents and staff also danced, sang, and laughed along with everyone. We had fun the whole time they were here, taking pictures and sharing stories. It was an amazing experience I’ll never forget.”

During the summer of 2013, several Carrboro High students traveled to the Dominican Republic with Transcending Borders of the Global Leadership Institute. One of those students was Leah Simon, who now attends UNC, and the trip ignited her passion and commitment to the culture and the people they met. When she and the other students returned to school, they began planning various projects and fundraising efforts, under the guidance - and with tireless energy - from teacher John Hite. Dr. LaVerne Mattocks, principal at the time, offered her enthusiastic support as the core group built bridges with the community of Tenares in Hermanas Mirabal Province.

So far, the collaboration-exchange between Carrboro High and Hermanas Mirabel has yielded a mural project (and two vivid murals at the school), as well as a major drive for funds and boots-on-the-ground support of a water project at La Cumbre, a small village that had no access to clean water. In recent years, Carrboro High students and their families have raised tens of thousands of dollars for La Cumbre and Tenares, and each year, new students join this ongoing endeavor. Current principal Beverly Rudolph has picked up where Dr. Mattocks left off, providing assistance to ensure that each undertaking runs as smoothly as possible. John Hite led nine Carrboro students on the most recent trip to the Dominican Republic during the summer of 2016.   

The December exchange that brought 15 Dominicans here had been in the works for some time, but plans were scrambled by the succession of powerful hurricanes in 2017. Throughout the months of delays and complications, Hite stayed focused on making sure the exchange could take place. “There were so many moving parts, I had to make sure it all fit together.” 

Teachers Angela McChesney and Nathalie Gaut also pitched in with a group of students. The hundreds of collective hours paid off in an enriching and entertaining experience for both the Dominicans and the Carrboro High community alike.    

Students and their parents hosted visitors, as did McChesney and Gaut. The itinerary was packed between the group’s arrival and departure from RDU: a UNC basketball game, bowling, trips to the Ackland Museum, the Bennett Place and the Planetarium. Karl Naomi, a Carrboro High senior, said, “They loved Chapel Hill and saw a lot of different things than what they have in their country. Just something as simple as leaves falling off the trees and even a little snow was really cool for them to see.”     

The Dominican group, with their student hosts, also toured the campuses of UNC and Duke, courtesy of former Jaguars who’d been involved in earlier exchanges and fundraising: Leah Abrams at Duke, and Leah Simon and Kristen Lee at UNC.      

But the Dominicans also spent plenty of time at Carrboro High during the week, going to classes and other in-school events, as well as attending both a breakfast and lunch hosted by Youth Leadership Institute students. Senior Stephanie Lopez of YLI said, “I learned new things from their culture and what the education system is like in the Dominican Republic and it was a great experience!” On the final day of the exchange, most of the Carrboro High student body gathered during lunch in the Cafe Commons to share songs and dances from both cultures. The Dominican students performed a traditional dance, in full regalia, and a number of Carrboro High students offered their talents as well.           

The parents of the visiting students expressed their gratitude in emails to Hite after their children had returned home. One father wrote, “More than grateful for that great experience my son has lived. You who welcomed them and treated them so well from North Carolina-- thanks to you, students, teachers, professors and high school director. Thank you very much, it was unforgettable for our children.”


“I am from Peru, but I grew up here and so I felt like I wasn't really connected to my Latino side,” said Alejandra Castillo. “I feel like being with them has awakened (that). Having them here not only brought me closer to people from a different culture, but also to other people from the Carrboro High School community. I can hardly wait for future exchanges between Carrboro High School and Liceo Julian Javier!”

read more "Carrboro High Hosts Group from Dominican Republic"

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)

read more "District High School Students Excel in Learning Through Languages Symposium"

German Teacher at East Chapel Hill Has "Big Plans"

Hip hop, classical music, world language instruction, and a high energy concert in Raleigh all added up to a major reward for East students studying German this fall. In October, the Bavarian band, EINSHOCH6, played a show for North Carolina high school students at Broughton High, and the attendee reviews were outstanding. Barbara Roeder, the only German teacher in the district, was one of the primary forces in organizing the event which was promoted by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). On the Saturday before the October 23 show, the band presented a workshop for German teachers, and Roeder helped organize that event as well.

      

Roeder began teaching German part-time at East last year, but she has already created a strong presence in the district’s world languages profile. To hear her speak about her aspirations for the program, it’s clear she is only just getting started. “I have big plans,” she said with a smile. “Leading school districts in North Carolina such as Wake County and Charlotte-Mecklenburg have strong German programs, and it is important for CHCCS to have one as well.”

     

One of her teaching choices is to utilize the lesson plans, videos and activities provided through the collaboration of the Deutsche Welle and the German government in the form of das Bandtagebuch mit EINSHOCH6, a comprehensive program that teaches the German language and culture through music.

       

Moving away from sometimes outdated textbooks and plugging into internet resources seemed an obvious choice for Roeder, who has three teenage children of her own. The fact that EINSHOCH6 is comprised of talented, progressive young musicians makes the approach all the more engaging. Roeder said that her students who attended the concert in Raleigh all knew the words to the German songs and sang along through the show. http://www.dw.com/de/deutsch-lernen/tourberichte/s-101553

       

Among the World Language options available to CHCCS high school students, what are the arguments for choosing German? Perhaps most students have little, or no, idea what the benefits of German study might be. Consider the familiar names of German businesses with US headquarters or regional offices in North Carolina: BASF, BMW, Volkswagen, DHL Global Forwarding, Siemens, Stihl, Lidl and Aldi, to name just some of the hundreds of companies. The North Carolina concentration of giant pharmaceutical corporations like Bayer, Merz, Pfizer and Novartis add to the opportunities to work for German or Swiss companies. A current posting for positions with software developer Commercetools describes it as a “growing, international company with three offices in Berlin, Munich and Durham." Roeder noted that many of her students at East intend to pursue one of the STEM fields in higher education, especially engineering, so the choice of German fits naturally with their goals.

      

Another benefit of studying high school German is to take advantage of the generous and abundant opportunities sponsored by the German government or European Union; a variety of scholarships and grants exist for fully funded summer and year-long experiences. Celia Nordby, now in German 3, won the state and then national competition for a three-week, all-expenses paid summer program in 2016. Two of Roeder’s students, Jackie Broz and Hailey Wunder, earned full-year scholarships through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange, making East the only American high school to place two students in that very competitive program.

     

“I chose to take German as a world language because I think it’s interesting, from a linguistics standpoint,” said Nordby. “A lot of other languages, like English, are based off of German or are Germanic languages. I also take it because I think it's an important language to know on a global scale. I want to do work with the UN or the EU, and I really do enjoy it a lot.”

      

Roeder belongs to a group of German teachers in the state who recently launched a campaign called German4NC. (http://german4nc.net/) According to their website, “nearly a quarter of North Carolinians trace their heritage to Germany, by far the largest group in the state.”

       

Not all of her students are motivated to learn the language because of their career goals. Some love German dance techno music, while others are drawn in by the ever-growing youth appeal of Berlin. The multiple inspirations among her students ensure a diverse and engaged cohort of German learners.

      

“I have put in countless hours to prepare students for tests and interviews, advise them and write recommendation letters,” said Roeder. “However, my students’ accomplishments are my greatest reward, and my hope is to build up the program even more in the future.”

      

Barbara Roeder is a native of a small town in Bavaria where her parents still live. She received her B.A. in English from Julius-Maximilians-Universitaet, Wuerzburg, but a scholarship for an exchange year at Davidson College introduced her to North Carolina, as well as her future husband. She has taught German for 25 years, primarily at the college level, and holds a M.A. from Appalachian State University. She has also taught at CHICLE, the local language institute for the past eight years.

read more "German Teacher at East Chapel Hill Has "Big Plans""

Sensei Yoshimi Aoyagi

To step into Yoshimi Aoyagi’s trailer at Chapel Hill High is, by one student’s description, “to step into a bubble.” During first period, 26 students stay alert and focused as they write, listen and speak rudimentary Japanese. When a bleary-eyed student yawns and stretches slightly, Aoyagi adopts a strict expression and reminds the students, “In here we do not yawn,” but moments later she is smiling, and the yawning student, sleepy as he is, grins and nods in agreement.

      

“From the first day of Japanese I, the moment you step into class, it’s different from any other class you’ve taken,” said Jillian Breithaupt, AP Japanese student and class assistant (or sempai) for first period at CHHS. “I love it!”

       

On Saturday October 21 at this year’s Foreign Language Association of NC (FLANC) conference, Yoshimi Aoyagi was honored as Teacher of the Year. During this calendar year alone, she has also won the Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher Award in the Japanese Language category in April, and the Outstanding Achievement Award at Southeastern Association of Teachers of Japanese in March. There are probably many reasons that these awards are flowing her way, but most apparent is the success of her students, year after year, in various essay and speech competitions, as well as her devotion to them on a more personal level. “She’s like our mom,” Breithaupt said. “She’s always asking, What do I need to be doing better to help you succeed?”

      

Sensei Aoyagi came to CHCCS in 2007, after many years of teaching at the college level (Rollins College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and others). She has taught at CHS, East and CHHS, but has now settled in at the latter two - mornings at Chapel Hill High and afternoons at East. At both schools, she covers Japanese I-IV as well as Advanced Placement, and her students quickly form a community that carries them well past graduation.

     

The students come from many language backgrounds themselves, and for some, Japanese is a third or fourth language. Some choose to enroll in a class because of their strong interests in Japanese culture, perhaps anime or film. Some hope to teach English in Japan. And though Sensei is tireless in her efforts to help them perform at a high level, no one signs up for these classes because they’re easy. By October, even Japanese I students are writing essays, forming the characters in tiny boxes on Genkō yōshi, a special kind of paper.

     

“I always challenge students to develop their cognitive ideas including understanding different cultures,” Aoyagi said. “I want to give them chances to think what they are and what they can do.”

       

The atmosphere in her classes is both light-hearted and formal, an odd balance, but it’s striking right away. Students bow to visitors, and when they introduce themselves, they use different honorifics, depending on the visitor’s status - a parent or older sibling versus a principal. All students call their teacher Sensei. In the profile posted when she won the national Elgin Heinz award this year, her impact is described this way: “Ms. Aoyagi has a reputation for being strict; her classes are rigorous and she sets high expectations. Nonetheless, her students know her best for fostering a classroom environment that is inclusive, exciting, and inspiring.”     

         

One point that Ms. Aoyagi emphasizes is that students who study a foreign language need experiences outside the classroom. Besides encouraging them to enter regional and national competitions, she has established exchange opportunities with schools throughout Japan. More than 120 of her students have traveled with her to Japan during summers since 2009.  In noting her qualifications, the Elgin Heinz committee wrote, “Ms. Aoyagi’s decades-long career demonstrates her sustained commitment to improving mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese, and she has made considerable contributions to enhancing students’ knowledge of foreign language.”

       

In her Level I and II classes, Aoyagi incorporates instructional support from current or former AP students, like Jillian Breithaupt, or Finn James at East Chapel Hill High. At East, 30 students study Japanese I this year. In the district, 109 students are enrolled across the levels.

      

East principal Eileen Tully said, “I am so happy that she has received such an amazing recognition because she works so hard.  She is a fantastic teacher because she is passionate about her students and about sharing the Japanese language and culture with them.  It is simply great that her dedication has been acknowledged by FLANC.”

read more "Sensei Yoshimi Aoyagi"

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.

read more "Board Approves Seven Administrative Appointments"

Christen Campbell Wins State Honor

Christen Campbell has been named Teacher of the Year for the state of North Carolina by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF). She was recognized last weekend at a conference in Charlotte. Christen is a dynamic, creative teacher leader who serves on our 6-12 World Language Curriculum Team. Congrats, Christen, on a well-deserved honor! 

In addition, Christen and Leigh Mote have worked very hard to have the French program receive the recognition it deserves. The AATF has recognized the CHHS French program as an "exemplary program with distinction," which is the highest honor a French program can achieve. Please congratulate Christen and Leigh for this recognition of their contribution to the district's French program and to the students they serve. 

 

Back to CHCCS website

read more "Christen Campbell Wins State Honor"

Teachers' Presentation Voted 10 Best

Five CHCCS Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES) teachers, made two presentations at the annual Foreign Language Association of North Carolina (FLANC) conference earlier this month.  Their presentations were entitled, Cultural Infusion: Blending culture into your lessons and An Assessment Journey: Tales from 5th grade FLES teachers.  Of the 96 presentations made, their Cultural Infusion session was voted as one of the 10 best.  Selections were made based on topic, expertise, delivery, usefulness, audience response and overall quality.

The presentation team consisted of:  Ana Bernad-Calhoun, Morris Grove Elementary; Shawna Catlett, Ephesus Elementary; Luisa Caicedo, McDougle and Scroggs Elementary; Carlos Perera, Seawell Elementary; and Jennifer Roth, Glenwood Elementary.

"It is an honor and privilege for me to work with such an excellent team of teachers," said CHCCS World Language Coordinator Dr. Elaine Watson-Grant.  "Our FLES teachers build the solid foundation that students need in language acquisition within a cultural and interdisciplinary context.  I am thrilled that they are being recognized at the state level for all of their hard work," she added.

The annual FLANC conference was held October 2-4 in Winston-Salem.

FLES Teachers Pictured Left to Right
Shawna Catlett, Carlos Perera, Luisa Caicedo, Ana Bernad-Calhoun, Jennifer Roth

Back to CHCCS website

read more "Teachers' Presentation Voted 10 Best"

Smith MS teacher Creates EU Website

Robin McMahon, a French teacher at Smith Middle School, created a website, Getting to Know Europe, to help share ideas for grant activities.  There is also a an EU grant information site for other educators interested in applying for European Union (EU) grants.

Smith's tradition of Global Connection has been enhanced by McMahon's three EU grants.  Each year, the grant allows McMahon to travel to France and Belgium with students to help learn more about international education.  While abroad, students have met virtually with students back at Smith MS and community members.

In February 2012, members of the EU toured Smith MS and made a presentation.

For more information visit the sites above or contact Robin McMahon at rmcmahon@chccs.K12.nc.us.

McMahon and students on a trip abroad in 2009

Silvia Kofler, head of press and public diplomacy for the EU, speaks with Philip Holmes, Smith MS principal, during a tour in February 2012

Back to CHCCS website

read more "Smith MS teacher Creates EU Website"