Plan for Growth Collaboratively with the County and Towns
Carrboro High opened this August and Elementary #10 will open next year. We must plan Elementary #11 now. Land needs to be banked for future school construction. Funding for the addition at CHS and new construction needs to be secured. I will continue to work closely with the county commissioners on funding capital needs: new schools, renovation of older schools and ongoing maintenance. With approx. $125M of expected new school construction in the near future, growth is a critical budget driver. Schools will continue to be designed for community use, to enhance student performance, to save energy and to include space for exceptional education and technical classes. I look forward to exploring partnerships with other agencies like the Arts Center and reformatting Lincoln Center.
Increase Student Achievement
We continue to experience slow but steady progress in improving student achievement; however, several additional steps need to be taken to accelerate improvement. Partnering with FPG Child Development Institute with “First School” to focus on age 3 through 2nd grade within our schools will improve success for all children, especially at-risk children. First School starts next year at Carrboro Elementary and will expand to Ephesus and FPG Elementary. I support further replication to serve our youngest students. I also support expansion of our dual language program at both the elementary and middle school levels so that native Spanish speaking students become bilingual and achieve at the highest levels. We have enhanced after-school programs to improve achievement, but additional funding could provide more services to more students. We must continue to focus on the transitions to middle and high school. We must actively inform parents and students of Middle College and the new Academy opportunities for high schoolers. I believe that our high schools need to be more nurturing and flexible. We must support students in developing the new required graduation project with the opportunity to integrate it with service learning. Recruiting, retaining and supporting our wonderful faculty and staff are keys.
Improve Special/Exceptional Education
Improving communication, transitions, and training across exceptional education areas aligns with the recommendations of the Special Needs Advisory Council. As the former Special Needs Advisory Council (SNAC) board liaison and a parent of a special needs child, I facilitated the reorganization of SNAC as a parent driven, shared decision-making group studying special education issues and advising the Superintendent. Our goal is to improve services for all students, across disabilities and across the spectrum of need. I strongly advocated for the new pilot high school day treatment program and continue to push for additional mental health services.
Provide Security/Safe Schools
The safety of students and staff comes first, before education can even begin. I do not want fortresses or to unnecessarily restrict community use of school facilities. Instead, the goal is to spend tax dollars on strategic active and passive security measures. We must build a school culture that promotes safety, encourages involvement, and builds relationships so that students and staff will seek help for themselves and others in need of support and will “tell” whenever there is even the slightest possibility of harm. I supported adding an additional security guard at each high school during after-school hours.