PITTSBORO — Chatham County Schools administrators want input about summer opportunities for academic enrichment, so a survey has been created to collect community responses.
“As we move into the last quarter of the school year, we typically begin planning both for the summer and for the upcoming school year,” reads the beginning of the survey, found on the district’s website. “Please take a few minutes to complete the following survey to provide feedback related to your interest in summer programming for your child, as well as feedback for instructional programs for next year. We appreciate your assistance in planning opportunities for our students.”
Besides collecting information about a student’s school and grade level, the survey also asks for interest in different types of academic support/enrichment programs, dates for a summer learning period and options for flexible learning opportunities for the 2021-22 school year (standard schedule, fully virtual, half-day and hybrid options).
“We are gathering information to make a determination regarding the following options,” says the question regarding “flexible learning opportunities.”
Legislation passed by the state House last month requires N.C. schools districts to create a summer school program to help students who have fallen behind during COVID-19. That bill requires districts to offer at least 150 hours of summer in-person instruction, along with enrichment activities. While geared toward students particularly negatively impacted by remote learning, the summer programs are voluntary and open to any student, space permitting.
The survey can be found on the district's website.
- CN+R Staff report
Gov. Roy Cooper’s proposed state budget, presented last week, would give teachers an average 10% pay raises over two years — $485 million in teacher and administrator pay, along with restoring master’s degree pay, which was eliminated in 2013.
The proposal also included a 7.5% raise for school district central office staff and noncertified public school employees, $15 an hour minimum wage for noncertified public school employees (such as cafeteria workers and bus drivers) and $2,000 bonuses for many education employees this fiscal year, plus another $1,000 bonus next year. Those bonuses would go to teachers, principals, noncertified public school employees as well as university and community college employees. The proposal also includes $52 million for educator recruitment, retention and training, along with $80 million for more school nurses, counselors, social workers and psychologists.
The budget includes just over $16 billion in 2021-22 and almost $16.8 billion in 2022-23 just for education.
In 2020, teachers did not receive any across-the-board raises. Now that Democratic Gov. Cooper presented his plan, the Republican-controlled Senate and the House must come up with budget plans of their own, taking Cooper’s suggestions into account.
- CN+R Staff report
PITTSBORO — North Carolina leads the nation with 23,090 teachers having earned certification from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, and Chatham County Schools bolstered that number.
The district’s educators most recently earning national board certification are:
• Chatham Middle School educator Kevin Bishop, who earned certification in social studies and history for middle and high school students
• Dr. Salita Callicutt, an itinerant teacher, who earned certification as an exceptional needs specialist for students in elementary through high school
• Horton Middle School educator Charity Clark, who earned certification in mathematics for early adolescents
That makes 74 Chatham County Schools educators with national board certification.
North Carolina teachers with national board certification receive a 12% supplement to their salary, as well as eight credits for continuing education. The certification — the highest credential in the teaching profession — requires candidates to build a portfolio that includes work samples from students and a thorough analysis of their classroom teaching.
Chatham County Schools teachers who earned national board certification during the 2019-20 school year are:
• Catherine Oldham, who teaches at Moncure School and Pittsboro Elementary School; she earned certification in literacy for reading and language arts for elementary and middle grades
• Michelle Scott, an educator at Silk Hope School; she earned certification in school counseling for students in elementary through high school
• Sydney Sportelli, an educator at North Chatham Elementary School; she earned certification as an early childhood generalist
In addition:
• Pittsboro Elementary School educator Karen Jeremiah renewed her certification in library media for students in elementary school through high school.
• Chatham Middle School educator Theresa Joyner renewed her certification in social studies and history for early adolescents.
• Chatham Grove Elementary School educator Emily Richardson renewed her certification as an elementary school generalist.
- Chatham County Schools