Karen Cleary - Well,  we are really welcoming her back from a year of spending time with her daughter, Shea Vivian. Mrs. Cleary holds a job sharing position at the school for 2011-2012. She will be working with Mrs. York teaching Language Arts and Social Studies in one of our Discoverers I classrooms. We are pleased to have her return to our staff. Mrs. York will be teaching math and science.

Elizabeth Evans is our new part-time Language Arts and Social Studies teacher with the Apprentice Scholars. Mrs. Evans moved to Charlotte about 4 years ago with her husband Scott and their dog Mick. She has a Bachelor's Degree in History from Berry College in Rome, GA, and a Master of Education in Social Studies from UNC-Charlotte. She will be highly qualified in Language Arts and middle school teaching when she comes to our school in August.  Her teaching experience is in traditional schools and charter schools. She grew up in Alabama and is a "huge fan" of the Crimson TIDE.

Collette McLain  will be our new EC (Exceptional Children) teacher. She works part-time as an EC teacher in Cabarrus County Schools and will be joining the Scholars' Academy as a contract teacher. Her degree is in special education from UNC-Charlotte.

Ari Pieper is reducing her time at the school for the 2011-2012 school year to a half-time position. Mrs. Pieper is enrolled in the Master's Degree program in Gifted Education at UNC-Charlotte. She hopes to finish in one year. She will be teaching one Apprentice Scholars math class and one Apprentice Scholars science class.  The upper level grades schedule is being finalized and will be available soon.

Kara Roberson is our new middle school mathematics teacher. Mrs. Roberson has four years of teaching experience at the middle school and high school levels. Her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics is from Wingate University and her Master of Science degree in mathematics was awarded by UNC Wilmington. She is also a graduate of the North Carolina School for Science and Math and she is currently working in a local lab. Mrs. Roberson loves animals, travel and trying new cuisines. She likes the first day of school because "it is exciting to see new faces." We are happy to have her with us this year.

Rachael Weeks and husband, John - and our entire school community welcome Brooklyn Rachael and Brenna Ruth. They were born last week and the most recent report has all of them, mom, dad, and babies, doing well.  Mrs. Weeks will be awarded her Math Specialists degree in August. Which leads us to...

Third Grade for 2011 - 2012 will be departmentalized. Mrs. Metcalf will be teaching language arts and social studies to both third grade classes and Mrs. Weeks will be teaching math and science to both classes. Students will be assigned to a homeroom and spend half a day with each teacher - much like the model we use with our Investigators II (4th grade) students.
 
SPECIAL NOTE FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS - You must bring your proof of T-DAP immunization to the school office by October 6, 2011. Students who do not have the proof of immunization by that time will not be permitted to come to school until we have the correct paperwork.