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August 27, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized
Introducing High Point’s Extraordinary Educators

By The HP Discovered Team

Standing shoulder to shoulder on the steps of the High Point Country Club, men and women joke and laugh together as the camera captures their smiling faces. As the camera flashes though, it’s clear that several of them are uncertain about being the ones with the spotlight shining on them. These men and women are the ones who stand in the background daily, letting the spotlight shine on someone else; letting the spotlight shine on their students.

But on this day, the celebration and spotlight is focused solely on them, as community members from all walks of life gather to attend Celebrating High Point’s Extraordinary Educators.

The event, established in partnership between the High Point Community Foundation, High Point Schools Partnership (HPSP), and High Point Discovered, was created solely to celebrate the 25 honored educators in attendance – and the ones serving all over our city.

These 25 educators, representing schools across High Point, were nominated by their principals as extraordinary educators in their schools: leaders, mentors and guides for their students who go above and beyond their job requirements. Words are shared throughout the luncheon and reception to honor these teachers and, one by one, they are called forward to receive their gift, which is a small token of thanks for the tremendous work they do.

“And the gift card in the basket is for you!” Dawn Spencer, coordinator of HPSP says as gift baskets are passed to each teacher. Her words are met with a chorus of sheepish laughter from teachers and playful words of warning from principals. Many of the teachers would willingly spend their gift on resources for their students without a second thought. And although today is about teachers, it’s clear, many teachers still have their students on their minds.

Teachers comment about remarkable students they’ve taught and exchange stories about students they all know. One educator, Nita Canon, a teacher at Southwest Guilford High School, laughs as she learns from another teacher at the reception that she has had the teacher’s son in her classroom. Educators exchange stories about their classrooms, often referring to their students as “their kids,” or “their babies.” It’s clear that these men and women don’t just share a profession; they share a family.

So it’s no surprise that when asked about what is most important in their classrooms, this response comes up again and again: relationships.

“Everything else is built on relationships,” Andrea Rauber, of Triangle Lake Montessori says.

Coshenda Clark of Johnson Street Global Studies answers the question almost instantly, when asked what is most important in her classroom.

“Once I have a relationship with the  students, I know them at a different level,” she explains. “I can then meet all of their needs, not just their educational needs. I can meet their academic, social, and emotional needs of their family… If you don’t have a relationship, you can’t do that. So it’s my job to build a relationship and get to know them.”

Teachers like Andrea Emmanuel, a teacher at Welborn Academy of Science and Technology cite their own childhood experience as the inspiration for their relationship-building profession.

“Middle school was a little hard for me,” Emmanuel says, “and I didn’t want any other adolescent around that age to go through the same thing I did. There’s more to life than our environment and the communities we grow up in, and it just takes somebody to show us that.”

Even though many principals admit that there are loads of teachers in their schools that work to be the “somebody” Andrea Emmanuel refers to, it’s obvious the ones chosen to stand before the audience today earned the respect and trust of their colleagues.

Shindiana Harris, Montileu Academy receiving her award

Principals stand proudly be side their chosen teachers, sharing moments of pride they have for their teachers, like Principal Kristina Wheat of Johnson Street Global Studies, who stands beside her teacher honoree, Coshenda Clark.

“Coshenda will not tell you this, but that is one of her greatest strengths is building relationships with families who maybe didn’t have a great schooling experience themselves,” Kristina says. “She partners with them and makes them feel like an important part of her classroom. She invites them in. They volunteer, and they become part of her classroom unit. She really capitalizes on making those positive relationships with her families also, so  she can better support her students.”

Throughout the day, it’s clear that these extraordinary educators don’t just teach in their classrooms but seize the opportunities to push their students through challenges and remind them of their worth and potential.

“[I want] my students to know they are loved and cared for, that they’re important, and that they leave the school year knowing they can do anything,” says Barb Collins, kindergarten teacher at Northwood Elementary.

Another teacher, Jakima Ledbetter of Oak Hill Elementary smiles instantly when asked what she loves about teaching: “Being able to make the lightbulb go off for so many of our students and letting them know there are possibilities!”

And these possibilities that our extraordinary educators provide to our students are possibilities that we can be part of. Cyril Jefferson, co-chair of educator engagement for HPSP and proud Red Raiders alumnus, asks all families in the High Point community to consider ways that they can partner with local schools.

“Education is both an issue and an opportunity, ” Jefferson says to the audience. He then reminds all those in attendance to thoughtfully consider the narrative and perception around High Point schools.

Paul Lessard, President of High Point Community Foundation

How do we tell our own stories a bout schools?” he asks, and encourages the audience to find ways to tell the truth, which he calls a “remarkable truth,” about our schools. “We can all be champions of education.”

Other speakers, like Dr. Tony Watlington, GCS chief of schools, remind the audience to consider how far the school system has come, quoting President Lyndon B. Johnson’s vision on quality and equal educational opportunities for all students.

“We can do better, and we have to do it together,” Dr. Watlington says.

Many teachers already see the individual needs and successes of schools beyond their own, like Lucinda Johnson, teacher at Penn-Griffin School for the Arts.

“I believe all kids can learn, a nd I believe all students should have a highly qualified educator who provides equitable education for them,” she says. “[I hope] that we get better and better every day, that we can serve more students. [I hope] that we set the bar very high for our expectations for what education looks like in every school.”

The afternoon ends with resounding applause and a sense of resolve that the more we recognize the individual men and women who are extraordinary educators, the more we seek as a community to come alongside our teachers and choose to serve, support and celebrate these teachers, the more our community will thrive.

“As a community and re ally as a village together, we have to raise our children,” Cyril Jefferson concludes.

“You have our most valuable possession in  your hands: our kids,” Paul Lessard, president of the High Point Community Foundation, charges teachers. “And it’s the sacred duty of every community to own their schools.”

At High Point Discovered, we too believe it’s our sacred duty to recognize the men and women who hold in their classrooms our city’s students. That’s why we are excited to introduce our Extraordinary Educators series! Over the next year, we will be featuring the 25 teachers chosen to represent their schools, sharing stories on who they are, how they lead, what inspires them, and why they love what they do. We hope you’ll share their stories with your communities to remind everyone of the people who may not always stand in the spotlight but always carry the light of education forward.

Because as Andrea Emmanuel so aptly put it, “We are growing future leaders of America. We are growing great, independent adults who will one day do the great things we’re doing.”

Link to Original Post: https://barbourspangle.com/introducing-high-points-extraordinary-educators/

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August 26, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized
From tears to fist bumps, students return to class

By Cinde Ingram

HIGH POINT — Back to school reactions ranged from tears to fist bumps on Monday as the youngest students returned to Fairview Elementary School along with other Guilford County Schools on the traditional calendar.

Teacher Tanya Rodriguez said she was seeing evidence of “some nerves, but a lot of smiles” as students arrived at 7 a.m. at Fairview.

“Tears from some and parents, too,” said Quasheba Carter, a teacher who reported hearing more than one parent say “I don’t want to leave my baby.”

Many parents walked with their children through Fairview’s brightly colored hallways. “The story begins in kindergarten” was the message outside teacher Deidra Andrews’ classroom, where kindergarteners were busy at their desks.

David Gonzalez stood in the hallway with his three young children as his wife got one of their two kindergarten students settled into class. “It’s a little rough the first day,” he said. “It’s hard to let her go but she’s actually doing pretty good now that she’s distracted.”

“So far, precious,” said Nicollette Jones-Flowers, a first-grade teacher who was wearing a first grade crew T-shirt and helping some of the school’s approximately 450 students find their classrooms.

Keante Moore, a fourth-grader at Fairview Elementary, talks with his teacher Megan Reynolds on how he spent his summer during the first day of class Monday. Laura Green | HPE

Fairview Principal Abe Hege described it as a great start. “We’ve got a lot of excitement coming from last year into this year,” he said. “I think we saw more of our families at this Open House than we have in years past. The rain opened up on us from 6-7, but everybody bonded together and we moved everything inside the gym. Our parents did a great job and teachers loved it. This year we’re seeing a little more parental support, which is always great.”

Members of Wesley Memorial Church had cooked more than 600 hotdogs for the Open House and the Wednesday evening downpour didn’t damper anyone’s interest, said Pam Greene, a student support specialist at Fairview. “The families got to interact more because of the rain,” she said.

Inside High Point Central Monday, high school teachers wasted no time in getting back to academics.

“I’m not going to make you shout out your answers,” teacher Shaun Trepal told his 10th-grade world history class. “Don’t get down on yourself if you’re still shaking the dust of summer off your brain. We’re here to learn.”

Guilford County Schools Superintendent Sharon Contreras talked with students and staff as she toured Allen Jay Elementary, Ferndale Middle and High Point Central Monday morning before traveling to Northeast High, Northeast Middle and Stokesdale Elementary later in the day.

While visiting the ProStart culinary class at Central, Contreras asked students whether they were willing to take on the challenge of planning and preparing a holiday luncheon for her staff of about 25. She said she usually pays about $1,500 for the luncheon and would rather pay that to help support the class. Contreras told them she expects the students’ white jackets to be pristine when they serve the meal.

High Point Central junior Zarria Quick, 15, said she felt nervous but confident after accepting the superintendent’s challenge.

During Contreras’ visits to various schools, she makes sure they have received books and new materials the Board of Education invested in and her staff ordered.

High Point Central Principal Shelley Nixon-Green, left, leads Guilford County School Superintendent Sharon Contreras on a tour of the school during her visit Monday, the first day of classes for the traditional calendar schools. Laura Green | HPE

“It’s not that I don’t trust them, but I’m inspecting what I expect,” Contreras said. “On the most basic level, it’s just to welcome students, staff and families back. Also I’m checking to make sure the materials are here and that our facilities staff adequately cleaned the buildings. I expect on the first day of school the buildings to be sparkling, that they’ve mowed the grass and that their flowers and mulch are in place to make the school bright and welcoming.”

Central Principal Shelley Nixon-Green estimated 30 students showed up at the school Monday in addition to the more than 1,300 enrolled.

“Our teachers are starting with teaching on day one,” Nixon-Green said. “Teachers are focused on teaching, building relationships and continuing growth. We have a great staff. We’re really excited about the new school year. One of our challenges is making sure we continue to provide the opportunities that all of our students deserve in academics and otherwise. As a staff, we call those opportunity gaps. That’s a daily challenge and that’s what a lot of our students face.”

In addition to visiting six traditional calendar schools on their first day of classes, Contreras went to the juvenile detention facility where GCS teachers work with incarcerated students.

“They are our most vulnerable students, and often they’re throw-away kids,” Contreras said. “I want them to know ‘you’re not a throw-away kid.’ People forget they’re there. I want to make sure the books were delivered to the jail and that they’re there in class. Very often they will write to me. Last year two of the students kept writing to me for more and more books. That’s important to me that even though they are in detention that they know they get a second chance.”

Link to Article: https://hpenews.com/news/10690/from-tears-to-fist-bumps-students-return-to-class/

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High Point Central seniors Ashley Anne Combs, left and Emmy Weiland stand in their parking spaces that they personalized by painting a colorful design of a sun and a moon. The seniors spent about a week to complete their artwork.
August 25, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized
What’s new for new school year?

By Paul B. Johnson

HIGH POINT — Guilford County Schools will launch new programs and initiatives while expanding on some ongoing ones as the new school year begins this week.

Traditional calendar schools start the 2019-20 academic year on Monday as summer break comes to an end. The county school system will welcome about 73,000 students, including about 13,770 in High Point schools.

The county school system plans to launch or enhance outreach to students and parents.

One example: a partnership with the High Point Public Library to make learning easier and more accessible.

The school system has established a “partnership with the High Point Public Library and the Greensboro Public Library that allows our students to be able to have 24-hour access to many online resources,” said Janson Silvers, school system media relations specialist.

In addition, students may borrow up to 10 items at any time from one of the libraries.

“This partnership also wants to focus on eliminating any barriers to access of our public libraries and the wonderful resources they contain,” Silvers told The High Point Enterprise.

A pair of High Point schools will become part of a new online effort to keep parents informed about their children’s bus schedule.

Allen Jay Preparatory Academy and Johnson Street Global Studies will be part of a pilot program with a digital bus app. The bus app should allow parents to check where their children’s bus is on the road and the times for picking up or dropping off students.

The school system also intends this school year to build on its campaign to promote attendance by students, an effort that was launched last fall. The school system is partnering with Attendance Works, a national nonprofit that aims to bolster school attendance.

For the 2017-18 academic year, 14.8% of Guilford students — or more than 10,000 — were chronically absent. The total represented a decrease from the previous school year of 15.7% but remains unacceptably high, according to school leaders.

Through Attendance Works, educators collect data to better understand in detail why students are missing classes.

During the new academic year, educators also intend to build on what’s called its social and emotional learning initiatives. The program refers to an effort to help adults and children understand and manage emotions, set and achieve goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

The school system has lined up first-day activities for schools on Monday. They include the Southwest Guilford High School band playing for boys and girls at Florence Elementary School in High Point and High Point Rockers mascot, Hype the rocking horse, welcoming children at Colfax Elementary School.

The school system also will continue to advance its Career Technical Education, or CTE, initiative with the new school year. The remaining three CTE academies opening are the Academy of Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering at Smith High School, the Academy of Computer and Information Science at Northeast Guilford High School and the Academy of Transportation, Distribution and Logistics at Western Guilford High School.

Link to Article: https://hpenews.com/news/10646/whats-new-for-new-school-year/

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August 13, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized Extraordinary Educators Guilford County Schools, High Point ..., High Point Community Foundation, High Point Schools Partnership,
Partners celebrate High Point educators

By Cinde Ingram

HIGH POINT — The words inspire, advocate, empower, tireless work and commitment were repeated as top High Point teachers were recognized with Extraordinary Educators Awards on Tuesday afternoon.

The High Point Community Foundation collaborated with the High Point Schools Partnership to honor one teacher from each of Guilford County Schools’ High Point campuses at a luncheon at High Point Country Club.

Each High Point principal selected a teacher from their school who demonstrates commitment to student success above and beyond expectations.

Picking only one educator was a tough call for principals to make, said Dawn Spencer, coordinator of HPSP. Each Extraordinary Educator received gift bags that contained $50 gift cards.

“There’s a new energy and a hope, an excitement for the future of High Point,” said Matt Thiel, co-chair of HPSP, noting the recent downtown redevelopment. “I want to see as much of that energy, that excitement, that revitalization flow into our schools … because I believe you cannot have a great community without great schools and you can’t have great schools without a great supporting community. We need to be lifting up our schools, supporting them, promoting them and congratulating them.”

High Point Community Foundation President Paul Lessard thanked teachers, administrators, school board members and other local government leaders in attendance for taking the time to care about education.

“In a society these days that’s become more and more self-focused, I think teachers stand as a great example of servant leadership,” Lessard said. “You’re not in it for the money or the fame, you’re in it for the kids.”


Teachers named as Extraordinary Educators include:

Allen Jay Elementary – Nicole Salter

Allen Jay Prep – Chris White

T. Wingate Andrews High School – Natalya Moore

Fairview Elementary – Aminata Payne

Ferndale Middle – Valerie McCain

Florence Elementary – Kara Mason

Kearns Academy – Forrest Littleton

Kirkman Park Elementary – Mary Nifong

High Point Central High School – Michael Holden

Johnson Street Global Studies – Coshenda Clark

Middle College at GTCC High Point – Afzal Khan

Montlieu Academy – Dana Harris

Northwood Elementary – Barb Collins

Oak Hill Elementary – Jakima Ledbetter

Oak View Elementary – Candace Scott

Parkview Village Elementary – Lakayla Allamby

Penn-Griffin School for the Arts – Lucinda Johnson

Pruette SCALE Academy – Donelle Lyon

Shadybrook Elementary – Laura Blythe-Goodman

Southwest Elementary – Wendy Kitley

Southwest Middle – John Anderson

Southwest High – Nita Canon

Triangle Lake Montessori – Andrea Rauber

Union Hill Elementary – Wendy Young

Welborn Academy – Andrea Emmanuel

Link to Article: https://hpenews.com/news/10433/partners-celebrate-high-point-educators/

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August 13, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized Career and Technical Education CTE, GCS ..., Guilford County Schools, Work-Based Learning,
More GCS Students Participating in Work-Based Learning

August 13, 2019 – More GCS students are gaining hands-on experience in the workplace as part of their Career and Technical Education (CTE) training. In fact, 30 percent of students who are focused on a particular career pathway, also called CTE concentrators, participated in an internship or apprenticeship last year, up from 21 percent in the 2017-18 school year.

Participation in work-based learning by racial and ethnic groups was proportional to enrollment as CTE concentrators, with greatest participation among Black students. More females than males, about 84 percent, participated in work-based learning, with black females participating at the highest rate.

Health science and human services, which includes education, were the most represented clusters of students participating in an internship or apprenticeship, with health science at 50.4 percent and human services at 32.2 percent of all placements. STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields followed at 9.8 percent, and other career clusters made up the remaining 7.6 percent. Forty-five students participated in a STEM internship or apprenticeship in 2018-19, compared to only one in 2017-18.

“We are excited to see growth in the number of students who are putting their career and technical education skills to work in the field before graduation,” says Dr. Kathleen A. Dawson, chief innovation officer. “This gives them a competitive advantage that will help them in their future education and career choices.”

Internships and apprenticeships will be incorporated in the five signature academies launching this year and in the coming years. The district will also continue to incorporate work-based learning opportunities for CTE students who are enrolled in other schools and will continue to grow its partnership with Guilford Apprenticeship Partners.

The CTE Business Advisory Council, led by Deborah Hooper of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and Patrick Chapin of Business High Point, will be instrumental in creating a system with Guilford County Schools for building business partnerships and increasing work-based learning opportunities for all students.

The work-based learning measurement supports Goal III of the Strategic Plan, which is to increase the percentage of graduating seniors who complete a rigorous career pathway to 35 percent.

Link to Article: https://www.gcsnc.com/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=174&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=98161&PageID=1

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August 7, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized
First Teen Leadership class graduates

By Cinde Ingram

HIGH POINT — More than 20 teens graduated Tuesday from the YMCA of High Point and Business High Point-Chamber of Commerce’s pilot Teen Leadership High Point summer program.

The six-week program, modeled after the chamber’s 10-month adult Leadership High Point curriculum, brought together 26 teens ages 13-17 from throughout the city and gave them greater community exposure.

Starting with a scavenger hunt on June 25, the teens explored High Point University’s campus. Each week’s program afterward was based on a theme that introduced teens to multiple organizations and community leaders throughout High Point. The students were able to make connections with mentors in numerous fields of work such as manufacturing, art, production and film, news, emergency response and many more.

The inaugural Teen Leadership High Point class was treated to a graduation luncheon at the Hartley Drive YMCA. In addition to the teens, the luncheon and ceremony was attended by their parents, volunteers, representatives of several community organizations, City Council members and High Point Mayor Jay Wagner.

Guilford County Commissioner Carlvena Foster, executive director of the Carl Chavis YMCA and a candidate for High Point mayor, discussed the purpose of the teen program. Program Chairman Cyril Jefferson and the Rev. Frank Thomas also offered inspiring words. Teen Leadership High Point participants Glenwood Allen, Macaiah Nwabueze and Kyndahl Stubbs showed their skills by providing reflections or an invocation. Each teen was given a certificate of completion.

The teens and their parents were also treated to an evening of baseball with the High Point Rockers. HPU, Vann York and Bethany Medical Center provided suite tickets for the 6:30 pm game.

“It was a great inaugural year for the program, and organizers hope to continue every summer for years to come,” said YMCA CEO Lynn Lomax.

Discussing the success of Teen Leadership High Point, Lomax said he envisions it becoming bigger than simply a YMCA or chamber program.

“This should be a community program in order to maximize the impact we can have on young people,” Lomax said.

Link to Article: https://hpenews.com/news/10320/first-teen-leadership-class-graduates/

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August 5, 2019 0 Comments Schools in High Point Uncategorized
New state law requires high schools to take personal finance class

By Tribune News Service

Beginning next year, high schoolers will be required to take a class in personal finance before they can graduate.

On June 27, state legislators passed House Bill 924, which requires all high school students to take a course on personal finance, including the true cost of credit, managing a credit card, borrowing money for large purchases, home mortgages, credit scoring, paying for post-secondary education and other financial literacy issues.

The new requirement will apply to students entering ninth grade in the 2020-21 school year.

Mary Phillips, Career and Technical Education instructional management coordinator for Lexington City Schools, said the new requirement will benefit all students. “All students are encouraged to take financial management courses, but they don’t necessarily take advantage of the opportunity,” she said. “With this being mandated by (the Department of Public Instruction), all students will have the opportunity to review skill sets and best practices for financial management. It will reach all students as opposed to it being a selected course.”

The new economic and personal finance course would be available as a CTE or social studies option.

Link to Article: https://www.greensboro.com/news/education/new-state-law-requires-high-schoolers-to-take-personal-finance/article_dad3c723-ccdb-5bae-9c53-9e5461a30526.html

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