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More school news
Parent network offering orientations
The Parent Leadership Network, a division of Mecklenburg Citizens for Education, is seeking applicants for its fall 2007 class. To find out more, parents are invited to attend one of four information sessions: May 16 or 23 from noon to 1 p.m. or May 17 or 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. All sessions will take place at West Boulevard Library at 2157 West Boulevard. PLN’s goal is to prepare parents with students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to become involved in improving public schools to enhance academic achievement for all students. For more information, call 704-335-0100.
Myers Park graduate wins Tower Scholarship
Lindsey Allen of Myers Park High School has been awarded the Tower Scholarship to attend Agnes Scott College in Georgia, an independent national liberal arts and sciences college for women. Lindsey is the daughter of Linda Allen and Mark Allen of Charlotte.
The Tower Scholarship totals $72,000 over four years. Recipients have achieved high marks in their class standing and SAT I or ACT standardized assessment exams. In addition, Tower scholars also have demonstrated balanced extracurricular experience.
Student raises more than $2,000 for cancer research
Eight-year-old Cassie Stevens didn’t ask her friends to bring gifts to her recent birthday party at Discovery Place. In lieu of presents, the second-grader at Charlotte Preparatory School asked her friends and classmates to donate money for brain cancer research, helping her raise more than $2,000.
According to school officials, many of the attendees donated from their own allowances and piggy banks. Parents also helped donate to the cause.
Cassie also walked in the Angels Among Us Walk – a 5K walk that helps support Duke University Medical Center’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center – in Durham on Saturday, April 28. Cassie’s grandmother, Mary Jo Jones, has a brain tumor and is receiving treatment at Duke.
CMS personnel appointments
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ board extended the contracts of two top staff members at a meeting April 24. Both Guy Chamberlain, associate superintendent for auxiliary services, and Chief Financial Officer Sheila Shirley were given two-year extensions.
The board also approved 10 personnel appointments:
• Ann Marie Clinton, an executive assistant in the curriculum and instruction department since 2004, was named director of extended day programs.
• Eldrenna Durham, principal of Schweinfurt Middle School in Germany since 1999, was named director of school administration and support services.
• Catherine Hammond, principal of J.V. Washam Elementary School since 2006, has been named executive director of the professional development and leadership academy.
• Shelia Ijames, a regional assistant in the elementary division since 2005, was named principal of the ninth-grade academy for the Eight-PLUS program.
• Colette Jeffries, executive coordinator to the chief academic officer, was named director of the after-school enrichment program.
• Cindy Moss, a K-12 science curriculum specialist since 2003, was named director of math and science instruction for prekindergarten through 12th grade.
• Jerry Shepardson, an instructional technology specialist since 1986, was named director of technology services.
• Barbara Ann Temple, a national board specialist since 2001, was named director of teacher professional development.
• Mary Webb, a regional assistant in the high school division since 2004, was named executive director of curriculum support programs for prekindergarten through 12th grade.
• Jerry Winkeljohn, interim associate superintendent for education services since January, was named executive director of school improvement.
CMS job fair results in 725 contract extensions
The first districtwide job fair for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools drew more than 4,000 attendees and resulted in 725 contracts being extended to potential instructional employees. The fair, held April 21 at the Charlotte Merchandise Mart, was part of the district’s effort to fill more than 1,100 job openings for the 2007-08 school year.
“We believe we exceeded all attendance records and found some very, very good people,” Maurice Ambler, chief human resources officer for the district, said after the event. “As of today, we have extended 1,046 contracts for next year, with 190 of those in critical-needs areas.”
That total included 321 contracts extended before the fair to early registrants, he said. Critical-needs areas include teachers in the areas of math, science, English as a second language, foreign language, technology and exceptional children, as well as media specialists.
CMS has extended 55 contracts to teachers of exceptional children, 55 to math teachers, 39 to science teachers, 17 to foreign language teachers, 12 to teachers of English as a second language, eight to technology teachers and four to media specialists.
The total of 1,046 contracts overall also includes 65 contracts issued for instructional personnel in the achievement zone (the area that includes 10 struggling schools), 21 of which were for critical-needs jobs, Ambler said. In addition, five bonuses – two of $10,000 and three of $15,000 each – were awarded to candidates for achievement zone jobs. Two of the candidates were selected for West Charlotte High and the other three for West Mecklenburg High.
Most of the jobs filled were teaching positions, Ambler said, although other administrative jobs also drew applicants to the fair. The event also lured about 600 candidates for noninstructional positions, Ambler said.
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