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inside nhcs December 17, 2021

Tanya Argo Guides Students to Find Their Voice | Abbey Nobles is Regional TOY | Holiday Message from Dr. Foust | NHCS Recap | Letter from NHCS Parent | Spirit of Giving Week Photos | In Brief | Inside NHCS Submissions

Tanya Argo Guides Students to Find Their Voice

As the holidays approach, some of us are thinking about reuniting with family with a tender combination of eagerness and angst.

Sure, it will be great to see them, but what the heck am I going to talk to these people about?

And what’s my exit strategy when I’ve had enough?

For lead speech pathologist Tanya Argo, that’s part of the curriculum.

In her Intensive Social Communication Skills classes, she leads neurodiverse students who might otherwise be challenged to pick up on social cues through scenarios where they can practice making meaningful connections with others.

One day it might be differentiating between how you talk to a principal or a boss versus a family member.

Another day it might be role-playing eating at a restaurant, or having lunch table conversations in the school cafeteria.

And one day recently at New Hanover High School, the lesson was about navigating holiday get-togethers.

“When we’re with people we haven’t seen in a while, remember to use our friendship file,” she said, referencing the mental “file” of things you know that person cares about.

“The friendship file is when we're thinking about…” she pauses.

“You,” the students respond.

“Now why is that important? It shows that you…”

“Care,” they finish.

A student named Hasan demonstrates for his friends how to greet someone you haven’t seen in a while.

“Hello! How are you? It’s good to see you!” he chirps.

Everyone agrees he sounded happy. “Right!” Ms. Argo encourages. “His volume was a little bit louder, and his pitch was a little bit higher.”

She models the tone you could use to strike up a conversation with a young cousin, starting with an approachable “hey little dude” and segueing into asking about school.

“Now if you were going to talk to my great aunt Bertha, how would your tone change?”

From the students’ response, it’s clear she has used this aunt as an example in class before.

It’s a way of normalizing the struggle of communicating with people who are different from you, and showing that sometimes everyone — even adults, even people who aren’t on the spectrum — has to communicate with people and around topics that aren’t their favorite.

“She’s older, and you’re going to show her that respect,” Ms. Argo says.

“Especially if she’s a Karen,” Hasan deadpans.

Ms. Argo throws back her head in laughter. “I don’t know if she’s a Karen,” she says, trying to soften his unfiltered assessment. “She just has high expectations.”

She turns and adds with a smile, “I tell them all the time, if you ever run into me in public with some of my family members, pretend you don’t know anything about them.”

She pivots into how to exit a conversation without being rude.

Trey suggests, “You need a faux ending, like ‘I gotta leave. See you later.’”

(Which really, who among us hasn’t wanted to say at one time or another.)

“But you’re at someone’s house. You’re not really going to walk out the door, are you?” she says, suggesting instead, “‘Oh I see so-and-so over there, I’m going to run and say hi,’ or the one we know will always work: ‘I think my mom needs help…”

“... in the kitchen,” they finish.

If you’re tempted to write ideas these down, you’re not alone.

After 24 years as a speech language pathologist, Argo is an expert in helping students with pragmatic language skills like making letter sounds, retrieving vocabulary, or overcoming a stutter.

But many people don’t realize that speech therapy can also include teaching students to use and interpret the right body language for the situation; to actively listen and take turns in a conversation; to say not only the right words but in the right tone.

They might be soft skills, but they can be life changing.

They mean that these students have the tools to build relationships that add joy and meaning to their lives.

They can navigate the workplace and find independence as adults.

And they can find a sense of belonging where it once seemed like everyone else was using a playbook they hadn’t gotten a copy of.

“For those of us who don’t have those traits of autism we naturally learn those skills,” she said. “It definitely takes more of that intentional teaching to help them with those skills.”

While her team had been able to deliver teletherapy during periods of remote learning over the last two years, this re-entry period is where so much growth is happening again.

Like all of us, her students are re-discovering the rewards and challenges of being face-to-face with others.

“If you think about it, communication is everything, and if you can’t do it, it’s very isolating,” Argo said. “Being able to express not just your wants and needs, but your thoughts and your feelings and your likes and dislikes — that makes you human.”

Abbey Nobles is Regional Teacher of the Year

Abbey Nobles's dad stood just behind the media on the New Hanover High School lawn as they interviewed his daughter after her unveiling as 2022 Southeast Region Teacher of the Year.

He watched her answer their questions with poise and eloquence and passion. He was very clearly bursting with pride, but not really surprised.

"She was a little teacher, even when she was a kid," he said. "Everything always had to be just so."

Abbey is the kind of teacher for whom this work is more than a career, it’s a calling, Superintendent Dr. Charles Foust said in his remarks at the event, where the entire NHHS staff and education leaders from the district and state gathered to celebrate the announcement.

“She meets each one of her students where they are at, and she creates a classroom environment where every student feels welcomed, capable, and seen,” he said. “She shows her students their potential, and they rise to meet it.”

In her sixth year of teaching English at New Hanover, Abbey focuses on intensive behavior and English learners in the classroom, and amplifies student voice through service on the NHCS Equity Workgroup. She holds degrees in English and International Studies with a Spanish minor, and offers bilingual instruction in her classroom.

In her remarks at the surprise event, Abbey said the recognition belonged not just to her, but to New Hanover students and staff.

“We do incredible work, and it’s hard and we’re tired and we really need this holiday break,” she told her colleagues, “but I want everyone to know that what we’re doing is valuable. Our students know that we care… and we’re together and we’re a team and we’re fighting for them.”

Abbey will move forward to compete with eight other educators across the state for North Carolina Teacher of the Year. The North Carolina Teacher of the Year will be named in Spring 2022.

To see video from this event, CLICK HERE.

A Holiday Message from Dr. Foust

Dear NHCS Employees,

The end of the year is a great time to pause and consider all that we've accomplished throughout the year and look forward to the impact we will make in the year ahead.

This has been another year full of challenges, but we've maintained focus on what matters most: Making a difference in the lives of our students.

I want you to know I see the incredible work each of you put in, day in and day out. I appreciate your continued dedication and professionalism. I'm proud to be on #TeamNHCS.

I wish you and your loved ones a winter break filled with peace, hope that you can recharge, and focus on the things that bring you joy.

I know we will continue to make a difference together in 2022.

Charles Foust

NHCS Recap for Week of December 13

Rachel Norfleet is BTOY Finalist

Congratulations to Wrightsville Beach special education teacher Rachel Norfleet, who is a finalist for state 2022 Beginning Teacher of the Year.

She will attend the NCCAT’s Beginning Teacher of the Year Program, scheduled for Feb. 14-18 in Cullowhee.

To read more about this extraordinary educator, check out this article.

We received this letter from a New Hanover County Schools parent who wanted to offer some recognition and encouragement for the hard work our staff have done on behalf of kids this year.

Spirit of Giving Week

In Brief

A "Stuff The Principal's Office" Boxed Cereal Food Drive, organized by 5th Blair Grade teacher Amy Williams and the Student Council, generated 950 boxes of cereal to donate to Nourish NC.

Congratulations two Wrightsboro educators who earned their UNCW degrees last weekend. Haley Deliberto earned her master's in Professional School Counseling and Armesha Corbett, who earned a degree in special education.