The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's human resources website has a saying posted: Carolina blue is the color of opportunity. I'd say that's pretty spot on. From day one, opportunities have filled the work of opening Carolina Community Academy. Across the first five months, we've had opportunities to learn exactly what it takes to not only open a school but a school district; opportunities to welcome 31 students and their families into a familiar building with an unfamiliar name; and opportunities to see just how far we're willing to go to have a lasting and positive impact in a community that's merely an hour up the road. We're excited to share with you our inaugural update and look forward to the opportunities ahead.
Most sincerely,
Amy Richardson, Director of Carolina Community Academy & PK-12 Partnerships
Meet the Staff
Facilities and Operations
Person County Schools continues to be an excellent collaborator. Due to the nature of our partnership, facilities and operations are the primary responsibility of Person County Schools. A few notes, though:
- The Instructional Assistants in our kindergarten classrooms are each licensed bus drivers.
- Due to the generous square footage that CCA has in Roxboro, plans are underway to redesign an entire wing to offer world-class collaboration opportunities for CCA Staff, Person County Staff, UNC-Chapel Hill staff and faculty, and community members.
- NES and CCA enjoy the support of Person County Schools school nutrition. Each school is a CEP-identified (Community Eligibility Program) location which enables all students to receive free breakfast and lunch.
Curriculum & Instruction
While Carolina Community Academy was founded on wrap-around services for the whole-child, CCA still follows the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. As such, our teachers are supported with understanding their expectations, how best to facilitate student learning, and best measurement techniques to assess student understanding.
- CCA is using interdisciplinary units to teach throughout the year. These units allow students a holistic view of their world and help build background experiences that will anchor future learning.
- Additionally, CCA takes part in the same state assessments in order to determine how students are performing in comparison to the rest of North Carolina. The mClass (literacy) assessment will be completed later in January and results will be used to guide reading instruction.
- Our monthly field trips to UNC-Chapel Hill have been incredible. The Ackland, Morehead, Botanical Garden, and even the UNC School of Education's Human Developoment and Family Science program have been incredible collaborators and gracious hosts.
School Business
Carolina Community Academy is learning the ropes of Lab School business from both the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and other lab schools. Both the finance and human resources support from UNC-Chapel Hill have been top-notch.
- Since North Elementary (where CCA is housed) has not had a PTA in recent years, and due to the level of poverty reported for the area, CCA is working diligently to fund raise in order to provide the same level of funding that other schools typically enjoy for more flexible spending. In short, our crowd-sourced, community-funded efforts are standing in the place of traditional PTA fundraisers.
- Human Resources has been incredibly diligent about recognizing the unique hiring processes for CCA employees. It has truly been a cross-campus endeavor, but the perks of being a UNC employee are already paying off for many of our CCA staff as they've enjoyed a variety of on-campus events and outings.
Campus Collaborations
To date, we've confirmed contacts and (at minimum) tentative plans for collaboration with 12 different campus departments and/or units. To say that Carolina Community Academy is rich in support is an understatement.
- Ackland Art Museum: Hosted our inaugural field trip, came to Roxboro ahead of the field trip to introduce themselves to the kindergarten students, and have already scheduled us for a spring field trip.
- Adams School of Dentistry: Held space for CCA students and families to gain priority spots for their Give a Kid a Smile campaign.
- Carolina Athletics: Gave some of our students their first experience at a live college sporting event by inviting us to the Women's Basketball student day.
- More to come from the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Morehead Planetarium & Science Center, School of Social Work, and more!
- CCA also had the pleasure of hosting the Tar Heel Bus Tour this fall. We were proud to show off our amazing staff, students, and families, and we loved getting a chance to meet faculty from across campus. We're looking forward to the opportunities that come from the connections!
Campus Partners Committed to CCA
- Ackland Art Museum
- Adams School of Dentistry
- Carolina Athletics
- Gillings School of Global Public Health
- Morehead Planetarium & Science Center
- NC Botanical Garden
- School of Education
- School of Library & Information Sciences
- School of Medicine - Allied Health Sciences
- School of Medicine - Pediatrics
- School of Nursing
- School of Social Work
22-23 & 23-24 Advisory Board Updates
The legislation that established Lab Schools requires that the advisory board meet, at least, quarterly. That being said, we want you to be up to date more than once each season. Below is the commitment we're asking each board member to make for the remainder of this year and next.
- Advisory Board Hybrid Meetings will be held from 1:00 - 3:00 on the first Tuesday of August, November, February, and May.
- Advisory Board Updates will be provided on the last Friday of September, December, March, and June.
- Advisory Board Member Visits are always available. We'd love to host you whenever you'd like to join us!
Please check your email to ensure that you've received the Advisory Board Calendar Invitations and Advisory Board Packet from Amy Richardson (amyrich@unc.edu). Invitations will go out on January 11, 2023. Advisory Board packets will be shared one week in advance of the meeting.
More than opening the doors to a new school, the ribbon-cutting ceremony opened the doors to an entire community — a network of people who provide, need, and curate resources for the students of Carolina Community Academy. The collaboration that is blossoming between the two institutions is showing that our name really is our identity — that community is the way forward. We're better together.
Credits:
Created with images by BillionPhotos.com - "Book." • berezko - "Learning numbers on a blackboard" • Plutmaverick - "Books on the table against the background of a chalkboard on which are drawn graphs and charts of growth and decline. Business training school." • faithie - "management board meeting room with whiteboard"