Ranson teachers rocking RED for PUBLIC EDUCATION. Teachers decided to "Walk-In" on Nov. 4 and educate their scholars about social movements, protests and the value of education. Watch.
Teacher NewsletterNovember 2013
Watts Words
From the desk of Learning Community Zone Superintendent, Denise Watts 

It is hard to believe that we are in the home stretch of 2013. As we transition into the month of November, it is appropriate to pause and reflect on many of the things we are thankful!  I am extremely grateful for our talented teachers and staff, dedicated leaders, engaged partners, committed volunteers, and generous funders. I am also appreciative for the opportunity to serve our parents and students. My gratitude is not merely expressed in words, but I hope that it can be recognized in my continued efforts to ensure a quality learning experience for every child, every day!

 

As I mentioned in last month's newsletter, we are anticipating the release of student achievement results from last year End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests in early November. These results will reflect the shift to the national Common Core standards and a significant increase in rigor and expectations for college and career readiness for our students.  Essentially, the tests taken by our students last school year measure learning in a much different way than previous exams. We will use these results to not only set a new baseline for student achievement, but also to further refine supports for our students to ensure their success. The state is expected to release these results on Nov. 8. If you would like to learn more, please plan to attend our Future Lions Family Night in conjunction with Communities in Schools on Nov. 8.

 

Finally, I would like to highlight our continuous learning calendar schools and the Arts and Science Council for their work in hosting our first intercession STEAM camps. In October, well over 60% of students in each of the 4 schools attended these enrichment camps.  While students had the option to stay home during intercession, many of them attended STEAM camp, which provided them with opportunities to discover, explore, feel empowered, and extend their learning in new and different ways!  We are confident that these experiences will help our students thrive both academically and personally.

 

Again, I would like to give thanks to all for continuing to stay involved and supportive of Project L.I.F.T. Regardless of how you are showing your support, it is appreciated and it is making a difference in the lives of over 7,000 children in the West Charlotte Corridor! This unprecedented and collective effort to "lift" student achievement in this zone would not be possible without you!   

Future Lions Family Night

Volunteer at West Charlotte for Campus Face Lift!
 
Trees Charlotte is coming to West Charlotte High School on Nov. 9 from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon to plant about 90 trees for campus beautification. Please volunteer for a community event that will literally change the landscape of West Charlotte. 

 

All volunteers must sign up for food count.

 

 

Fantastic Fourth Graders at Druid Hills!
By: Patricia Miller, 4th Grade Teacher

 

We, as a grade level, believe it is very important to enrich our students' lives in order to provide first hand experiences to better teach the curriculum. We appreciate the grants from Blythe Construction and Community Partnership Education for "The World in Our Backyard" on-site field trips.   

 

The four field trips highly engage students in a fun way while touching on all standards in the Social Studies curriculum. The purpose of these on-site field trips is to provide first-hand experience of events that took place in the North Carolina Regions: Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and Mountains. The experiences also enhance our science, writing, art, and language arts curriculum through drama and expository text with the students.

 

These on-site field trips are developed to support the North Carolina Common Core State Standards and Essential Standards. Photographs, artifacts, historical costumes and traditional entertainment are used to create the experience.  Students are learning about the geographic regions, land forms and natural resources of North Carolina. They also explore how the changing needs of its people impacted social, economic and political institutions.

We are on the Track to Victory in Reading!
By: Kristin Cubbage
Multi-Classroom Leader II, K-2

This fall Ashley Park students were able to participate in a reading program provided by the Dollar General 300. Students and teachers were given posters and individual reading trackers. Each night students logged how many minutes they read on their personal trackers and added their time to the class poster. Students were super excited about the potential of winning an ice cream party, tickets to a NASCAR race, race lanyards and even having NASCAR drivers visit our school to read. The best part of the entire program was increasing time spent on reading every night with families.

 

Mary Humphrey's Kindergarten class averaged 285 minutes of reading each night. They were announced as the school and district winners, and we were told we had two NASCAR drivers coming to our school to read to all of the Kindergarten students.

 

65 kindergarten children were prepped for the event by watching NASCAR clips on YouTube. They entered into the media center and listened to two drivers, Matt Kennseth and Brian Vickers, read their favorite stories. The drivers talked about reading and how important it will be for the rest of their lives. The drivers didn't get out of there without hearing a few "Your car goes fast!" and "We saw you crash your car!" remarks.

 

To top off all of the excitement, every student that participated received tickets to the NASCAR race and a lanyard. Our K-2 winner was D'marion Foster (kindergartener) and our 3-5 winner was Malaysia Jones, (5th grader). These students both received 4 tickets to the race. Meaghan Loftus and I got to attend the race and collect a $2,500 check for participating. We are super excited to spend this money on books that our students can take home nightly. 

The American Promise



Bruns' Writers Meet Morrison
 
Ms. Partlow, middle school Communities In Schools coordinator, at Bruns Academy took a group of students who write and produce the CIS Newsletter to tour the Charlotte Observer.
 
Reporter Justice Isom showed the students around. During their visit the young writers bumped into Dr. Heath Morrison and was able to snap a quick photo with the superintendent. 
 
Pictured here from left to right are Lovie Haddock, UNCC intern; Karen Neal, CIS elementary site coordinator; Cory Gibson; Areontae Long; Justice Isom, Observer reporter; Shakara Sloan; Joseph Odom; Dr. Morrison, CMS superintendent; Amia Wint; Bianey Julian Aviles; Kenneth Davis (hidden) and Diana Partlow, CIS middle school site coordinator. 

Content Literacy Strategies
  

From the L.I.F.T. Teaching & Learning Team

 

"I am not a literacy teacher, I teach ....!"  If you are a content area teacher, I'm sure you've thought or heard this recently.  The next time you think or hear someone say this, ask yourself/them the following questions:  

 

Do students read in your class?

 

Do students write about relevant concepts related 

to the content you teach?

 

Are students expected to discuss and explain the content you teach?

 

Do students have to listen and respond to the comments and opinions of others in your class?

 

The answer to all of these questions is "Yes!" 

 

Therefore, ALL teachers should know content literacy strategies and use them.  This month, instructional leaders from each school learned various strategies and will share them in upcoming planning sessions and/or staff meetings.  We highlighted a few that you can implement immediately. Check with the instructional leaders in your school for many more ideas and resources.

 

Vocabulary Riddles

 

This is a non-traditional strategy for teaching vocabulary in all content areas. Vocabulary riddles require students to think at higher levels, close read for pertinent clues, and write about content vocabulary.  Students can create and share them as a review or at the end of a lesson.  Also, riddles can be placed in learning stations or assigned for homework.

 

What am I?

Written by Bruns Academy Instructional Leaders

 

A promise of relationship

Made without a ring

Investment and involvement

To this union I will bring

 I make your lessons sing

 

I am Engagement.

 

 

 

RAFT

 

This instructional technique teaches students about various perspectives, and it helps students with pre-writing and presentation planning.

 

ROLE
AUDIENCE
FORMAT
TOPIC
White Blood Cell
Red Blood Cell
Thank You Note
I Appreciate You!

 

 

October 31, 2013

 

Dear Red Blood Cell,

 

I just wanted you to know that I've noticed how hard you've been working to take care of me and the other parts of the body.  I appreciate the oxygen you give us daily.  You inspire me to do better.  When viruses and germs invade our space, I will attack them with all my might.

 

Thank you for your dedication and inspiration.

 

White Blood Cell

 

In This Issue
Future Lions Family Night
Volunteers Needed!
Druid Hills 4th Grade
Ashley Park Reading
Upcoming Events
WC Co-Principal Named
Join Mobile Club
Calendar
 
Nov. 8 @ 5:30p
Family Night Out
@West Charlotte HS

Nov. 9 @ 5:00p
Nolimit Larry Celebrity BBall Game
@West Charlotte HS Gym

Nov. 26 @ 7p
"American Promise" Movie
Studio Movie Grill
Co-Principal Named at WC
  
Timisha Barnes-Jones has been named co-principal at West Charlotte High School. She will lead day and night programs at L.I.F.T. Academy and oversee master schedules and specialized learning programs for students on the main West Charlotte campus.
Intercession Fun at Thomasboro
  
Thomasboro was on intercession for two weeks in October. Teacher and AVID coordinator, Okema Owens captured the interactive learning led by the Arts & Science Council in a video journal.

Students Question Mayor Candidates
  
West Charlotte freshman Myah Hobgood, Marthony Hobgood's sister, is featured on Generation Nation's blog for participating in the Q&A session with Charlotte's Mayorial Candidates.   
 
WC Grad Receives Full Scholarship
  
A West Charlotte graduate and former IB student who currently attends Hampton University received a full football scholarship to Hampton during a game.
DJ Ace Visits Ranson
   
CBS Radio's DJ Ace, a Ranson IB alum, returned to the school on Oct. 16 to talk about developing goals and dreaming big. Ace also described his work day at the radio station.

 

Ranson's Mr. Kirkley was Ace's middle school math teacher while Raider principal, Ms. Harris, was the DJ's assistant principal at Vance High School during his senior year. 

Christmas at Ashley Park
   

Ashley Park Pre K - 8 School is partnering with a faith-based  organization in our community, Warehouse 242, to support our families during the holiday season.  In the past Warehouse 242 along with Forest Hill Church, provided the Christmas Village Toy Store - a store where families could shop and purchase new toys, at a great discount, for our children.  

 

The toys were purchased, donated and repriced by volunteers from Forest Hill Church.  The toys were sold at a cost of approximately 25% of the original cost.  The profits from the store are put back into the community by providing scholarships for our  children to attend summer camps.  

 

This year we are looking for ways to expand our commitment to the community by providing training and leadership roles for parents to assist in running the store.    

Nolimit Larry Celebrity Basketball Game
   

Nolimit Larry prepares the Queen City for another action-packed, star-studded weekend Nov. 8-10. Larry will host three events to celebrate his birthday and support the Children of Murdered Parents (COMP) Program. A COMP child who lost their father will also be honored during the weekend events. 

 

Nolimit Larry's birthday weekend would not be complete without a high stakes basketball game with Larry and his celebrity friends. For its 8th year in a row, the COMP Program is hosting They Got Game: A Celebrity Charity Basketball Game at 5 p.m. This year's game will be held at West Charlotte High School on Nov. 9. 

 

Playing in the game will be hip hop artist Pastor Troy, Ying Yang Twins, Smoke of Field Mob, Bettie Grind and Mr. 704 also R&B singers Sammie, Bertell and Mike of Day 26. Nonprofit founders Robin Emmons of Sow Much Good and Carrie Cook from EmpowHERment will participate as well. Radio personalities QCB and Sportie Odie have joined the cause along with models Alexis Green and Daiza Moore.

 

Get Tickets.

LIFT Teacher Selected for Fellowship
   

Congratulations to Tracy Osborne, CTE Teacher at Ranson IB Middle School, (far right on picture) for being accepted into Research Triangle Educators' Design Network Fellowship for Fall 2013.  Through this fellowship, Ms. Osborne along with five other entrepreneurial educators will analyze existing school models from across the country that personalize learning through innovative teaching roles and strategic uses of time and technology.

Core Value Award Given to 
L.I.F.T. Teacher
   
Teach for America's Core Value Award was presented to Mr. Kevin Poirer, the science teacher at L.I.F.T. Academy in October.
Join Your School-Based Resource Team!
    
What are school-based resource teams?

 

It's the sustainability structure we are implementing to increase parent and community engagement in each school. The goal of the team is to develop, guide and implement the community engagement work at the schools. In the end, each school will have a process and a team that is able to continue the successful community engagement work at the school level. The community engagement team will work directly with you all to develop and implement the team. We will serve as a part of the team, but the school will own the team.

 

What does the team look like?

 

It is a team with a project manager/leader, community members, parents, students, teachers and administrators. In some cases this can be a reorganization of the current teams that exist for parent and community engagement. Using a proven system, the team will expand to include parents, students and community members. The community engagement team will train the project manager on using this system, work with them to recruit parents, students and community members and help get the group working toward common goals.

 

Interested in serving on the school-based resource team for your school? Email.
Got Stories?
   
If you would like the #Ready2LIFT Newsletter to feature an event or news in the L.I.F.T. zone, SEND IT!