December 2021 – Schools In High Point

December 29, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Leaders Extraordinary Leader GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, The Middle College at GTCC High Point,

Extraordinary Leader: Angela Polk-Jones

The High Point Schools Partnership had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Angela Polk-Jones, principal of The Middle College at GTCC – High Point. Ms. Polk-Jones comes from a single-parent home and grew up in the projects of Greensboro as the youngest of 7 children. As a result, she can relate to many of her students that come from similar backgrounds. The love and support from her mom and siblings empowered her to attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro-UNCG to major in Elementary Education and minor in Childhood Development. However, academics was not Angela’s only focus because she also played basketball for the Spartans. In addition to going to the Final Four her junior year, she was a Kodak All-America player and held UNCG’s highest-scoring record for both men and women for numerous years. She is in three Hall- of- Fames and was selected as one of North Carolina’s Top 100 Female Athletes of All Time

Upon graduation from UNCG, Ms. Polk-Jones went on to teach and coach for eight years as a 4th Grade teacher at Millis Road Elementary and head girls’ basketball coach at Grimsley High School, her alma mater. For two and a half years she left GCS to become an Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at UNCG but realizing where her passion was, Ms. Polk-Jones resumed her role as a teacher in GCS and spent the next five years as a Special Education teacher at Bluford Elementary School. She then returned to UNCG to begin her Master of School Administration before becoming an Assistant Principal at Eastern Guilford Middle School for two years. She was also the Assistant Principal at Aycock, now Swann, Middle School for four and a half years. From there, she was hired as the inaugural principal to start the MC at UNCG where she was principal for almost eight years and earned numerous accolades for the school, including the only high school in the country to earn a Gold Level recognition as one of America’s Best Urban Schools from the National Center for Urban Schools Transformation. Before taking over the helm of the MC at GTCC HP, she was principal at the Early College at Guilford for almost two years and is currently entering her 2nd year as principal of the Lions.

Ms. Polk-Jones encourages pride in her students with a focus on college, career, and life readiness. She believes in getting to know the stories of her students in order to help them see their full potential. She also believes in bringing all stakeholders together to give students real-world experiences by creating opportunities through shadowing, internships, and clubs; such as the Arts, Robotics, Writing, Career Exploration, Cultural Diversity, Fitness and so much more. Students get to choose what they want to participate in and the benefits go far beyond book knowledge.

The same success that Ms. Polk-Jones has experienced in athletics, is the same level of success she strives to instill in her students and staff as an educator. Winning is an attitude that Ms. Polk-Jones brings to the table whether she is on the court or in the classroom. It’s always “Game Time”!

Thank you Angela for sitting down and talking with us. We look forward to continuing to talk with and highlight different High Point principals and all the good going on at their school.

December 27, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Educators Extraordinary Educators GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, The Middle College at GTCC High Point,

Extraordinary Educator: Sally Shipley

2021 Extraordinary Educators: Sally Shipley

Great communities have great schools. High Point Schools Partnership creates impactful connections between our schools and the wider community to ensure students and their families are supported and can reach their full potential in High Point schools.

Part of High Point Schools Partnerships’ mission is to improve the image of our schools through storytelling. Who better to tell the stories of High Point’s schools than the people experiencing it first-hand? In this series of eight articles, we will highlight our 2021 High Point Extraordinary Educators as we dive deeper into what keeps them motivated in the face of constant challenges.

Sally Shipley

Sally Shipley has been an educator at The Middle College at GTCC High Point for 8 years, but she’s been a school social worker for 21 years. With The Middle College at GTCC High Point being a smaller school, Ms. Shipley is “grateful to be here because she can truly get to know our students and their families.” The Middle College at GTCC High Point is, according to Shipley, “a place where all staff, students, and families can work together” in an “it-takes-a-village approach.”

Angela Polk-Jones, the principal at The Middle College at GTCC High Point, says Ms. Shipley has “gone above and beyond to locate students, help students devise a plan of action to help get them through this school year, held numerous student/parent conferences, visited students, took boxes of food and clothing items to families, assisted in making sure students had electronic devices or connectivity, and supervised students that were placed in individual classrooms to work” throughout the last year.

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: As a social worker, I primarily worked in crisis situations. I was working at a homeless shelter when I faced a move and was looking for a job in Greensboro. I decided I wanted to work in schools to help students graduate and have a better chance of taking care of themselves as young adults. The diploma is so important, but life skills, social skills, and work habits are also critical for thriving as a productive person. I am pleased to be supporting that growth.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: Servant Leadership – It is not always easy or obvious how to be of service to others. Our social worker code of ethics includes key points that help me: the self-determination of others and empowering others to do what they can do for themselves. To me, this often means not being the hero, but helping others find their own heroic journey.

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: Before you speak, take time to think. Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? Consider that your message should be all three before you say it. I post this in my workspace. I talk to people about it all the time and how hard it is to accomplish. The depth of this practice creates caring communities that can learn and grow together in the home, at school, and in the community.

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: The best part of a day is knowing that I mattered. Fairly often, I have a brief chat or an in-depth problem-solving conversation with a student or a family member and I know that I showed up in the right place and I offered meaningful service to another human being.

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: I love Make A Difference Day! Our Service-Learning Ambassadors Club works for weeks to identify local concerns and leaders in non-profit organizations who will work with our students to help them do community service. The students help with all the details and learn so much about life and how they can be productive. I love those moments when teachers and students see each other in a new light and have opportunities to really like each other as real people. And I know that building relationships makes education work.

Ms. Shipley wishes she could tell her students and their parents that they “ will be family and important to each other for many years, so be kind and supportive to one another. Be curious about all the possible ways to be brilliant people who will make the world a better place.”

Thank you so much to Sally Shipley for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2021 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff

December 22, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Leaders Extraordinary Leader Fairview Elementary School, GCS ..., Guilford County Schools, High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP,

Extraordinary Leader: Abe Hege

The High Point Schools Partnership had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Abe Hege, principal of Fairview Elementary School. Hege has spent all 14 of his years in education as a member of Guilford County Schools. Before becoming a principal he taught for 6 ½ years in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade at Welborn, Swan, Southeast, and Allen Jay Prep. He became the Dean of Allen Jay prep for a year and a half before becoming the assistant principal of Fairview for 10 months. After this, Hege became the principal of Fairview, where he is starting his 4th year. During this time Hege coached girls basketball for 7 years.

Originally from Charlotte, Hege began his educational journey at Central Piedmont Community College before transferring to the University of North Carolina Greensboro where he graduated with a degree in English. Due to this fact, Hege was a lateral entry teacher (someone who didn’t graduate with a degree in education) through the GCS ACT program. Hege went on to earn his Master’s in School Administration from Gardner-Webb University.

Hege shows a great sense of pride whenever he talks about Fairview. He discusses this community as a “growth school” with an “opportunity culture”. Hege says that he is fortunate to have multi-classroom leaders who highlight effective and qualified teacher-coaches who help the leaders of the school. Fairview recently received the Innovative Partnership Grant (IPG), they are planning to use the money to infuse STEAM (Science. Technology. Engineering, Arts. Math) in all aspects of K-5 education. This money will also be used for teacher training and parent involvement. Hege emphasized that this is all under the umbrella of a neighborhood school; Fairview is a public school as opposed to magnet schools that have a STEAM focus.

Fairview has seen great success with teacher retention in the past year with 90% of their teachers returning this year. Hege believes that this shows both teachers’ positive feelings towards the school and towards their students. He also pointed to the incredible skills of his staff that brought them to 3rd place in relation to other restart programs. Hege is expecting significant gains coming this year as all of his teachers are licensed and qualified.

Hege also wanted to highlight the changing culture of Fairview. From a student behavior standpoint, there were 30 behavior referrals in 2019 as opposed to 491 in 2015 and 4 Out of School Suspensions in 2019 as opposed to 95 in 2015. He says this is done through connecting with kids and pointing to his teachers as the leaders in this. Hege also highlighted that the first parent group was started under his administration. He deemed this the “Fairview Association” so parents wouldn’t have to pay a fee to participate, a practice that often excludes many parents from getting involved in schools.

Fairview is a 1-1 technology school that includes all students. Beyond this, the school has been undergoing a major change to ensure its learning spaces are conducive to 21st-century learning. This includes brand new furniture and dry erase tables for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th-grade students, bought with a grant from the High Point Community Foundation.

Thank you Abe for sitting down and talking with us. We look forward to continuing to talk with and highlight different High Point principals and all the good going on at their school.

December 20, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Educators Extraordinary Educators Fairview Elementary School, GCS ..., Guilford County Schools, High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP,

Extraordinary Educator: Muriel Sanders

2021 Extraordinary Educators: Muriel Sanders

Muriel Sanders

Muriel has had the pleasure of working at Fairview Elementary School since 2007. Her students bring her joy and are her why. They remind her of her 2 daughters and inspire her to show up and give her all, even at times when she doesn’t quite feel up to it.

Abe Hege, the principal of Fairview Elementary school, describes Ms.Sanders as “a beloved and valued member of the Fairview staff” who “does whatever it takes for her scholars and teammates”.

According to Hege, during remote learning, Ms.Sanders “never lowers the bar for her scholars, equipping them with the skills they will need to be successful.”

Ms.Sanders wants her students to know “I care about each one of you.”

She goes on to say, “Every day I step into the classroom, I commit to doing my best, advocate for my students, and work to prepare them for this world through education. I love what I do, I love the people I get to serve and count it as an honor to help build the next generation of leaders. You are loved, valued and cared for. “

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: I became an educator out of curiosity, initially. I wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes in education, that parents don’t always get to see. When my youngest daughter began school, I volunteered for several activities/events in the classroom and at the school. I became more interested in the day to day operations of education. From there, I decided to return to school and obtain my degree in education.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: My teaching style and leadership style are based on modeling. In Kindergarten, Students learn most by seeing and then doing. If I model the behavior or action, I expect my students to follow and do the same. I do my best to bring life into the classroom and the best way to do that is to inspire the students to do their best by showing them my best, Daily!

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: There are 3 ideals that guide my philosophy and classroom motto:

Choose your attitude
Do your best
Don’t say you can’t because you can if you try

These 3 ideals are very simple but are important in shaping young students’ minds. When you show up to my classroom, you leave what happened at home at the door. My expectations are for all my students to do their best. I don’t believe in using the word can’t because you can if you try.

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: The best part about every day is knowing I am making a difference in a student’s life. The school I have been working at is in a low-income area and the students are not exposed to much outside of their own community. I encourage them and expose them to much more than they would see on a regular basis. I love seeing them excited about learning.

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: When I first began teaching, I had a student that thought he was my bodyguard. He did everything from checking my mailbox, to sitting right next to me during carpet time. He was so intelligent and was an overall amazing student. His care for me melted my heart.

Mrs. Sanders is just one of High Point’s 2021 Extraordinary Educators. Tune in for the next few weeks to hear more stories and critical moments from our local teachers!

Thank you so much to Muriel Sanders for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2021 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff

December 15, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Leaders Extraordinary Leader GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, Montlieu Academy of Technology,

Extraordinary Leader: Kimberly Scott

The High Point Schools Partnership had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Kimberly Scott, principal of Montlieu Academy of Technology. Scott is originally from D.C but moved to the triad for school. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro before continuing on to Greensboro College to receive a Masters in Elementary Education and then High Point University to receive a Masters in Educational Leadership. From here she went on to become a High School biology teacher before following her assistant principal to Montlieu where she has been for the past 15 years. While at Montlieu, Scott has served as a science coach, magnet coordinator, Assistant Principal, and now principal where she is entering her 7th year.

When asked about the great programs going on at Montlieu, Scott told us about their STEM (Science.Technology.Engineering.Math) Lab. This lab is mainly run by their magnet coordinator. Students can enjoy such activities as engineering, robotics, and coding class while engaged in this space.

Another area that Scott wanted to share with the community was their Monthly Character Breakfasts. This event is designed to celebrate students who go above and beyond in their daily expectations. A great celebration that has been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scott still wanted her students’ to be properly celebrated so she informed us that these events will begin to be streamed to family members. Scott also wanted to highlight the many community partners that make this event possible. This great celebration comes at no cost to the school as community partners donate all that the students need.

Thank you Kimberly for sitting down and talking with us. We look forward to continuing to talk with and highlight different High Point principals and all the good going on at their school.

December 13, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Educators Extraordinary Educators GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, Parkview Village Elementary School,

Extraordinary Educator: Juandalynn Jones-Hunt

2021 Extraordinary Educators: Juandalynn Jones-Hunt

Juandalynn Jones-Hunt

Juandalynn Jones-Hunt has been at Parkview Village Elementary School for about 10 years. She loves “the community, the students, the families, the community partners, the arts advocacy, and the staff with whom she has shared so much of her life.” Jones-Hunt feels like she’s as much a part of the community as it is a part of her.

Parkview Village Elementary School’s principal, Crystal Gregory, describes Mrs. Jones-Hunt as someone who is “helpful, creative, and always willing to help.” When entering Mrs. Jones-Hunt’s classroom, Gregory says she “always knows I’m going to leave knowing something new about famous artists and how they contributed to society.”

During remote learning, Mrs. Jones-Hunt was able to “provide meaningful art activities for her students that did not require materials that students did not have at home. Her lessons and activities highly resembled the unique teaching she does face to face every day.”

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: My high school art teacher, Elaine Helmstetler, poured so much of herself, her love of art, her knowledge of materials and techniques, and her love for her students into us and I wanted to be that beacon of light for someone else. She gave art purpose and art gave me purpose.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: I am one who likes to model expected outcomes, procedures, and techniques for students before guided practice prior to encouraging independent work so that students have room to be creative after gaining confidence in creating.

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: Yes. A Native American saying was taught to me when I lived among the Lumbee Indian tribe as a young adult and I try to remind myself to live by this rule of thumb as I teach it to my students. “ When you find out what is worth keeping, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” Life is too short to be measured in disappointments and regret.

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: My favorite part of the day is greeting students because all slates are cleared and a new day with new opportunities awaits us all.

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: The mother of a kindergartner student told me that the family was at a weekend event and her daughter recognized the work of an artist that I had covered in class earlier that semester and her grade K student went on to tell the family details about the artist, the work and the style of the piece. I knew then, the answer to the WHY I do this.

Mrs. Jones-Hunt realizes and wishes she could tell her students that she “truly believes she wants more for my students than they may realize they want for themselves.”

Thank you so much to Juandalynn Jones-Hunt for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2021 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff

December 8, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Leaders Extraordinary Leader GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, Parkview Village Elementary School,

Extraordinary Leader: Crystal Gaymon

The High Point Schools Partnership had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Dr. Crystal Gaymon, principal of Parkview Village Elementary. Gaymon is originally from Thomasville, NC. She is a North Carolina A&T graduate with a Bachelors’s and Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Cultural Foundations in 2017. Gaymon taught 1st and 2nd grade for 6 years at Falkener Elementary and served as a curriculum facilitator for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools for 4 years. After this she was Assistant Principal of Irving Park for 6 years before becoming the principal of Parkview in 2017; this is her 5th year at this school. All of this rounds out to be an impressive 21 years in education.

Outside of school, Gaymon spends time with her two children. One daughter is 23 and is working on her Master’s of Business Administration. Her other child is 8 years old and a current 3rd grader. They enjoy puzzles, fishing, crafts; all of which allow for soothing thought time to get lost and decompress.

When asked about what she was proud of, Gaymon pointed to her Arts Department. They are working on a Fall Magnet Performance that is coming up in December. This department has had to get very creative with the ways they put on this performance. Parkview Village Elementary is an Expressive Arts Magnet School so projects like this are very important to students.

Thank you Crystal for sitting down and talking with us. We look forward to continuing to talk with and highlight different High Point principals and all the good going on at their school.

December 6, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Educators Extraordinary Educators GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, Southwest Elementary School,

Extraordinary Educator: Carmen Longest

2021 Extraordinary Educators: Carmen Longest

Carmen Longest

Carmen Longest has been at Southwest Elementary School for two years. She loves the “large community support and dedicated teachers,” and cites Southwest’s committed teachers as the reason why she has “grown tremendously as an educator” since starting there.

Michelle Thigpen, the principal at Southwest Elementary School, describes Mrs. Longest as “the type of teacher that you dream of for your own child. From the moment you walk into her classroom, you can feel the positive energy from everyone in there. Her excitement to start the day is contagious for both the staff and students.”

In addition to a great atmosphere, Thigpen says Mrs. Longest’s “instructional approach is both engaging and strategic so that all students are provided access to the grade-level standards while she is teaching.”

Q: What inspired you to become an educator?

A: My 4^th grade teacher inspired me to be a teacher. She had a lot of classroom pets and made sure everyone in our classroom had a job to help take care of them. We all had a purpose in her classroom and everyone depended on each other to help. She made the classroom ours, not hers. She made me want to come to school every day by making learning fun and engaging. I knew I wanted to be just like Ms. Hoover when I grew up.

Q: What’s your teaching/leadership style?

A: My teaching style is very student-centered. Once I build relationships with my students, I am able to understand their learning styles. This helps me adjust my lessons to the wide range of student needs in the classroom. Sometimes, this means individualizing the instruction to meet the needs of certain students. As a whole class, the more engaging and fun, the better. We sing and put motions with everything.

Q: Do you have a classroom motto or philosophy you abide by? Why?

A: The motto of my classroom is “our class is a family.” Since students spend more time with me and their classmates than their own families, it is important for my students to know they are safe, loved, and respected. Creating this motto in our classroom allows for a space where students feel safe to make mistakes, celebrate what makes us unique, and allows them to learn from each other. I love it when the Kindergartners make their own reference to our class family all year. They will tell me how much they missed our class family over break or even hold each other accountable by telling another classmate “we don’t treat our family like that.”

Q: What’s your favorite part about every day?

A: The best part of my day is greeting the students as they enter my classroom. As the students stagger in, I am able to greet them with a hug, smile or a short, personal conversation, which lets them know how happy I am to see them. Greeting each child helps start our day on the right foot.

Q: What’s your most memorable moment as an educator?

A: As educators, we have memorable moments every day. I love seeing the light bulb come on with students who have been struggling to understand a concept or when Kindergarteners read their first book on their own. There is nothing like seeing a Kindergartener’s face light up after they read their very first book!

If Mrs. Longest could tell students’ parents anything, she would tell them “ it takes a village. Teachers need your support and a positive attitude towards school and involvement. We cannot do our job without you.”

If she could tell her students anything, she would say “learning is fun! I tell my students every day that we have something fun planned. Sometimes it is something simple like reading a favorite story with funny voices and other times we are making our own compost jars and having a royal tea party! Whatever the activity, the students always have a positive attitude while learning.”

Thank you so much to Carmen Longest for your dedication to High Point’s students. Congratulations on being selected as your school’s 2021 Extraordinary Educator!

To find out more about High Point Schools Partnership and our work, please visit our Facebook page and check out our page on Guilford Education Alliance’s website.

Article written by High Point Schools Partnership Staff

December 1, 2021 0 Comments Schools in High Point Extraordinary Leaders Extraordinary Leader GCS, Guilford County Schools ..., High Point Schools Partnership, HPSP, Shadybrook Elementary School,

Extraordinary Leader: Kendrick Alston

The High Point Schools Partnership had the privilege of sitting down and talking with Kendrick Alston, principal of Shadybrook Elementary School. In his second year with Guilford County Schools, Dr. Alston is eager to learn about all our city has to offer. He served 13 years in his previous district, 5 of those years were spent teaching in a Title 1 school with a 97% poverty rate. Dr. Alston has taught as a 5th-grade math teacher and has served as Assistant Principal in a Title I/High Needs/3rd-5th grade school. His principal experience before Shadybrook includes serving in a Prek-5th and Prek-2nd elementary school. During the 2020-2021 school year, Dr. Alston served as one of the Assistant Principals at Allen Middle School here in GCS.

Though Dr. Alston has worked in a number of challenging environments, he has left each with an unwavering belief that, regardless of student background, all students can learn through quality instruction. As a new member of the Shadybrook staff and community, Dr. Alston feels that it is important to learn about the history of this great school and community, while also looking forward to embracing the evolution of our school and community dynamics. This belief inspired his goal of learning about his community to understand what resources are available for the students and families.

Alston told us about so many great projects and goals that have been circulating the halls of Shadybrook. The first was a book club for 4th-grade transitional students. This is a chance for students to get more practice reading books that are of interest to them in a safe and encouraging space. Dr. Alston shared a goal he has been prioritizing that focuses on consistent language and frameworks between grades. During their “SOAR” time, students across grade levels will be engaged in different focus areas. These include teacher groups, independent reading/writing, vocabulary development, and access to technology instructional resources. Dr. Alston and the staff will be working collaboratively to identify ways that the school can continue to align best practices across all grade levels for the betterment of all students. In addition to these efforts, Dr. Alston told us how a tutor position paid for by Title I funds, will now serve as an Early Learning Interventionists and provide small-group intense help to ensure all students progress together.

Thank you Kendrick for sitting down and talking with us. We look forward to continuing to talk with and highlight different High Point principals and all the good going on at their school.

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