Charlotte 2014 Education Summit

“How Children Succeed”January 22, 2014

1:00 pm - 5:00 pmFriendship Missionary Baptist Church

“How ChildrenSucceed”

Charlotte 2014 Education Summit

Charlotte-Mecklenburg

2

Charlotte 2014 Education Summit Hosted By

Charlotte-Mecklenburg

   

       

GCABSE  Greater  Charlotte  Alliance  of    Black  School  Educators  

               

 

National Alliance of Black School Educators

   

       

GCABSE  Greater  Charlotte  Alliance  of    Black  School  Educators  

               

 

National Alliance of Black School Educators

Planning Committee Members

Communities In SchoolsAngela BeaversFederico RiosAndrew LaddMolly Shaw

Charlotte Housing AuthorityTomico Evans

Charlotte-Mecklenburg SchoolsLaTarzja Henry

Friendship Missionary Baptist ChurchTrevor Beauford

Meckenburg County Department of Social ServicesDarrell Cunningham

Greater Charlotte Alliance of Black School Educators & the National Alliance of Black School EducatorsDr. Betty Gray

MeckEdDr. Bill Anderson

Mental Health Association of Central Carolinas - ParentVOICEKevin Markle

UNC-Charlotte’s Urban Education CollaborativeDr. Chance Lewis

YMCA Lotticia MackRenatta DoverMichael DeVaulDetrina Johnson

Through Their Eyes Videos Special thanks to the following who participated in the Through Their Eyes videos: Torrie Burgess, Michelle Cade, DeAndre Dubose, Jenry Soto, and Karina Soto.

Special Thanks To

3

Welcome to the Charlotte 2014 Education Summit! Communities In Schools, in partnership with nine local education and human service organizations, is excited to have the opportunity to hold this “GradNation Community Summit” event, with support from America’s Promise Alliance and its national GradNation Campaign. The primary goal of the national GradNation Campaign is to achieve a 90 percent graduation rate nationwide by 2020, with no high school graduating less than 80 percent of its students. Today’s summit is in support of this national goal, with a focus on our local situation and the current graduation rate of 81%, and how we can best support our students, families, teachers, and schools in making the 90% goal a reality.

We are fortunate to have several outstanding presenters with us today. Paul Tough is the nationally acclaimed author of the New York Times best seller, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character; and his 2008 book about the Harlem Children’s Zone, Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America. His insight into what children need in order to succeed – and what children themselves inherently “bring” to their own success – will no doubt provide inspiration as well as new perspective on a child’s inner abilities to overcome difficult life circumstances and other challenges.

In addition to Tough, we will hear from Geoff Sanderson, Associate Superintendent with Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools. He has done extensive research on early indicators (by 1st grade) of students whom, without interventions, could be destined for school failure and dropping out. And Sarah Abraham, with Harvard University’s Lab for Economic Applications and Policy, will share the most recent research about systemic and generational poverty, particularly in the Southeast.

But most importantly, we have you – your presence at today’s Summit indicates your concern and your passion for Charlotte’s children and the future of our community. Together we must lead the rallying cry in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and encourage the entire community to take action to ensure that all of our children will have the opportunity to learn, grow, and prepare for a successful future. This summit will end at 5:00 pm today, but our commitment to helping our children must not. We look forward to working with you in the days and weeks ahead.

Molly Shaw Executive Director Communities In Schools of Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Dan Cardinali PresidentCommunities In Schools

4

GradNation Community Summits

Since its launch in 2010, the GradNation campaign has become a powerful movement to increase national high school graduation rates and ultimately prepare young people for success in college, career and life. The latest research shows that, for the first time, America is on track to reach the GradNation goal of a 90 percent national graduation rate by 2020.

The GradNation Community Summits will hasten the United States’ progress towards reaching this milestone. In 100 communities across the country, leaders from businesses, civic organizations, non-profits, local government, public schools, higher education, foundations and faith-based organizations will join with parents and young people to develop a blueprint to accelerate progress. At the heart of these plans will be the Five Promises, the wraparound services that dramatically increase a young person’s chance of success: caring adults, safe places, an effective education, a healthy start and opportunities to help others.

Each community will use its convening to create greater awareness, engagement and coordinated action around increasing graduation rates — all leading to better outcomes for local young people. Emerging from each summit will be a local multi-year action plan to guide future work.

The ultimate measure of success for this initiative will be if communities can leverage these events for greater awareness, engagement, coordinated and sustained action and ultimately greater impact and outcomes for their young people. Additional goals of the Summits include:

• Fuel local collaborative efforts to increase graduation rates and provide young people with the Five Promises;

• Facilitate the creation of local metrics and goals to chart progress;

• Create opportunities for our national partners to share their resources, tools and expertise

• Sustain a model using knowledge, tools and resources provided by America’s Promise and our broader network for continuous connection, sharing and learning.

In 2001 there were 12 high poverty schools in Charlotte- Mecklenburg; today, there are 53.The State of Mecklenburg’s Children: 2012-2013 Mecklenburg County Child Snapshot, Council for Children’s Rights, Print. November 2004.

5

EMCEE Beverly Dorn-Steele, Director of Community Engagement WTVI-PBS Charlotte

1:00 - 1:30 pm Registration and Refreshments

1:30 - 1:45 pm Welcome Video Alma J. Powell, Chair America’s Promise Alliance Board of Directors

Greetings from Sponsors John S. Gomperts, President and CEO America’s Promise Alliance

Todd Lanham, Director of External Affairs AT&T of North Carolina

Dr. Regina D. Campbell, Campus Dean Charlotte Metro DeVry University

1:45 - 3:35 pm Through Their Eyes Video - Insights from our Students

Dr. Heath Morrison, Superintendent Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

“Tracking Dropout Indicators as Early as First Grade” Geoff Sanderson, Associate Superintendent Montgomery County Public Schools

Through Their Eyes Video - Insights from our Students

Introduction of Speaker Men Tchaas Ari, Chief Program Officer Crisis Assistance Ministry

“Poverty Research in the Southeast and the Long Term Impact of Quality Teachers” Sarah Abraham Harvard University Lab for Economic Applications and Policy

Through Their Eyes Video - Insights from our Students

3:35 - 3:55 pm Call to Action Eric Hall, Executive Director Communities In Schools of North Carolina (CISNC)

3:55 - 4:45 pm Introduction of Keynote Speaker Dan Cardinali, President Communities In Schools

Keynote Speaker Paul Tough, Author of the New York Times best seller, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

4:45 - 5:00 pm Closing Comments Jarrett Royster, National Director of Urban and Educational Development YMCA of the USA

AGENDACharlotte 2014 Education Summit “How Children Succeed”

6

MEET OUR EMCEEBeverly Dorn-Steele

WTVI-PBS Charlotte is known not only for its outstanding array of educational and informative pro-gramming, but also for its ability to become part of the solution to problems facing our community. Promoting that mission is thirty-two year veteran Beverly Dorn-Steele, WTVI’s Director of Education & Community Engagement.

Beverly is best known for her regular appearances on WTVI with station mascot Seemore Good-stuff. She also serves as host for the WTVI Kids Club and produces WTVI community outreach stories.

Dorn-Steele received Bachelor of Science degrees in Business and Physical Education from Win-ston-Salem State University, and studied Dance/Choreography at the N.C. School of the Arts. She is married to former WTVI Producer/Director Tyrone Steele and they have one 21year-old daughter, Danielle Toi’ Steele. Dorn-Steele serves on numerous civic and community boards.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERSSarah Abraham

Sarah Abraham is a Pre-Doctoral Fellow at the Harvard University Lab for Economic Applications and Policy. She works with Harvard economics professors including Raj Chetty and Nathaniel Hen-dren on research combining empirical evidence and economic theory to help design more effective government policies. Her current projects focus on equality of opportunity within the United States and heterogeneity in health outcomes across the income distribution. Sarah received a Bachelor of Science in Economics from MIT in 2012 with a minor in management science from the Sloan School of Management.

Eric HallEric Hall, the President and CEO of Communities In Schools of North Carolina, has over twenty

years of experience working as a classroom teacher, school administrator, and non-profit executive. His work has focused on the needs of students in juvenile justice, alternative education and other non-traditional school settings across nine different states, including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Illinois. His efforts have helped to expand funding for students served in juvenile justice schools, the establishment of state policies to promote equity for marginalized students and the development of school-based practices designed to accel-

erate academic achievement. Eric holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and is currently finalizing his doctoral degree in Education at the University of South Florida with a focus on policy and school-based interventions for disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline.

Heath MorrisonDr. Heath E. Morrison became superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in July 2012, join-

ing CMS from the Washoe County School District (Reno), where he was superintendent. In October 2013, Dr. Morrison unveiled a revised strategic plan for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Strategic Plan 2018: For a Better Tomorrow identifies six goals for the district. It places a strong focus on academic achievement, graduation rates and preparing students for post-secondary success. In the 2012-2013 school year, the graduation rate at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools rose to 81 percent, up nearly five percentage points from a year earlier.

Dr. Morrison was named superintendent of the year in 2011 by the Nevada Association of School Superintendents and also by the Nevada Association of School Boards. In 2012, he was named national superintendent of the year by the American Association of School Administrators.

Morrison holds a doctorate in educational policy and planning and a master of educational administration from the University of Maryland. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary.

7

MEET OUR SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERS, continued

Jarrett RoysterJarrett Royster is the National Director for Urban & Educational Development at YMCA of the USA,

the national resource office for the nation’s 2,686 YMCAs, which serve nearly 21 million people each year.

As National Director, Royster leads the YMCA’s strategic direction in better meeting the needs of some of the nation’s more distressed urban communities, and in particular, providing opportunities and access to help youth succeed in education.

A 26-year YMCA veteran, Royster has served as the Charlotte YMCA’s Community Vice President and has held many roles as Regional Director and Executive Director at YMCAs in Philadelphia, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Royster is a native of Providence, R.I., and holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Springfield College in Mas-sachusetts. He is co-chair of the Eastland Area Strategies Team, a volunteer board in East Charlotte, and serves on the board of the East Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Royster is also the co-founder and past president of the YMCA African American Executive Forum, black professionals committed to the upward mobility of people of color.

Geoff Sanderson Geoff Sanderson has served in senior leadership roles for comprehensive school systems in New

York, Texas, and Maryland where he currently serves as Associate Superintendent for the Office of Shared Accountability in Montgomery County Public Schools. He has managed the implementation of a highly successful student information system in New York, and created real-time program evalua-tion solutions that gauged program effectiveness and return on investment in Texas.

An expert in systems thinking and strategy, Mr. Sanderson’s experience as a trained school psy-chologist has enabled him to develop a deep understanding of the personal dynamics that impact

performance, and recognize the need to develop and implement practical solutions to achieve goals, impact profes-sional practice, and serve constituents. He has worked with many entities throughout his career on using data to drive continuous improvement and directing resources for systemic change.

Paul ToughPaul Tough is the author, most recently, of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and

the Hidden Power of Character, a New York Times best seller that has been translated into 22 languages. His first book, Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America, was published in 2008.

Paul is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine, where he has written extensively about education, parenting, poverty, and politics, including cover stories on character education, the achievement gap, and the Obama administration’s poverty policies. His writing has also appeared in the New Yorker, Slate, GQ, Esquire, and Geist, and on the op-ed page of the New York Times.

He has worked as an editor at the New York Times Magazine and Harper’s Magazine, and as a reporter and producer for the public-radio program, “This American Life.” He was the founding editor of Open Letters, an online magazine. Paul lives with his wife and son in New York.

The 4-year cohort graduation rate for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is 81%. Over 1,200 students dropped out of school in 2011-2012.The State of Mecklenburg’s Children: 2012-2013 Mecklenburg County Child Snapshot, Council for Children’s Rights

8

Excerpted from: LD Advocates Guide, The National Center for Learning Disabilities, www.ld.org

What is advocacy? Advocacy is defined as “active support of an idea or cause etc.; especially the act of pleading or arguing for something.”

What is an advocate?Being an advocate does not mean that you have to quit your job, write big checks to politicians, or rush to Washington D.C. or Raleigh. It also doesn’t mean you have to know everything there is to know about education or every law ever written on the subject. Being an advocate does require that you use your voice to make a difference for children. You have an important story to tell and experiences to share.

New laws are passed every year. It seems simple, but as you know, it is complex and often people with other agendas are pushing lawmakers to make decisions that may not take children or their educators into proper consideration. That’s where you come in. Your voice is critical – it’s the foundation of democracy. You can (and should) tell your elected officials how to vote for laws, budgets, and policies that work.

Becoming an advocate is not a new job or a special title saved for the chosen few, but rather a mindset. If you want the problems in your school district, state, or at the federal level to be fixed or at least improved, you’re going to have to get involved. Parents have been stepping into this role for years; however anyone can do it and make a difference.

How can you get involved? Whether you have five minutes per week or a lot of time to spare, these tips will get you started on the road to advocacy:

1. Get on the mailing list of advocacy organizations. Sign up today!

2. Call your legislators. Politicians are people with their own experiences. If these issues are not a part of their lives, they can’t possibly understand the implications of their votes the way you do. Your local, state, and federal rep-resentatives’ phone numbers can be found in a quick Internet search or at contactingthecongress.org. You don’t need a bill number, nor do you need to be connected to a big organization. They want to hear from you; they have a staff for just that purpose.

3. Write a letter or an email to a policymaker. Just like phone calls, your elected officials welcome hearing from you. Tell them how a particular piece of legislation will affect you and others. First hand and personal stories from their constituents are always helpful to policymakers. In return, you can usually expect to get a reply explaining the issue more fully and what they intend to do about it.

4. Talk about what you know. Talk to family, friends, even someone you meet randomly about concerns and what can be done about it. Tell your story, talk about your concerns, and offer ideas about what can be done. Politicians want to be asked to do something, so seize the moment and ask them to be proactive on the issues that matter to you.

5. Go public. Call a radio station, or write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Explain why the legislation is an important issue and how things can be changed for the better. Put up signs, and call a meeting in your neigh-borhood to discuss policies. As an advocate you don’t have to go it alone. To the contrary, you should try to get as many people excited and active as possible.

6. Vote. It seems basic, but it is vital that you exercise this right. You can even go one step further by helping can-didates who support educational issues and policy with their campaigns. The knowledge you have can help a candidate clarify his or her position on an issue that is important to so many people

BECOME AN ADVOCATE

Students living in low-income families are six times more likely to drop out.Dropout Rates in the United States: 2001, Phillip Kaufman, Martha Alt, Christopher Chapman, National Center for Education Statistics, November 2004.

9

TAKE ACTIONEvery 26 seconds a child drops out of school. Join us in taking a stand against the dropout epidemic. Ending the drop-out crisis requires a commitment from our entire community to rally around our children. Schools alone cannot solve the dropout crisis. Children need families and communities advocating for them too. You, your friends, family and employer can make a difference by speaking up. It’s as easy as 1,2,3!

1. Call or Send an Email/ Letter to your Congressional representative. To make sure all of North Carolina’s children are receiving the support they need to stay in school and graduate, we need to make sure that the education of our youth is the top priority of our legislators. By calling or writing to your representative, you can make it clear that the future of our youth needs to be their top priority. Speak up for the thousands of North Carolina children who will not make it to their high school graduation

Share the benefits of early education programs like Pre-K programs and valuing and supporting teachers with competitive salaries and benefits to continue their education. Encourage them to support policies that prioritize children and schools.

2. Pledge to VolunteerDon’t just think about it – visit a website or call a local education-related organization to inquire about volunteer opportunities! On page 10 of this program, we have included a description and contact information for each of the Charlotte 2014 Summit Partner Organizations and the volunteer opportunities they offer.

3. Support EducatorsFrom now through February 28, please take a moment to recognize an educator or share a pledge of support for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and public education:

• Tweet messages to @CMS_schools using #CMSappreciation• Send emails to appreciation@cms.k12.nc.us • Post pictures or videos to www.facebook.com/CharlotteMeck-

lenburgSchools• Call 980-354-1108 and leave a message of support• Text a message to 980-354-1108• Encourage your organization and community stakeholders

to share messages • Include information about how to recognize CMS educators

in your business newsletters and on your websites

In Mecklenburg County, more than 1 in 5 children live in poverty, a 76% increase in total number from 2007 to 2012.The State of Mecklenburg’s Children: 2012-2013 Mecklenburg County Child Snapshot, Council for Children’s Rights

10

As a participant of the 2013 Charlotte Education Summit, we hope you will follow up and take action to become more engaged with local schools and the students who need your support. Below is a description of the Partner Organizations in today’s summit, all of which offer a variety of volunteer opportunities and ways you can demonstrate your support for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and public education.

Charlotte Housing Authority has children who can benefit greatly from tutoring, mentoring, after school academic pro-gramming assistance, reading buddies, lunch buddies, educational programs, “out of school time” program opportunities (including summer), and STEM programming. CHA also has programming to support parents in understanding academics and success. Contact Tomico P. Evans, Interim Director, Client Services at 704.336-5619 or e-mail tevans@cha-nc.org. Please visit our website at www.cha-nc.org.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, a consolidated city-county public school district, is the second-largest district in North Carolina, serving more than 144,000 students in 160 schools. Our district is diverse, with students from 157 countries. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools provides a similarly diverse range of academic options intended to ensure academic achievement in a personalized, 21st-century learning environment. Our offerings include International Baccalaureate pro-grams, 32 Advanced Placement courses, 37 magnet schools with nine different specialized themes and Career and Tech-nical Education. We also provide personalized programs for gifted learners and specialized programs for learners needing additional support. As a district, we are committed to educating every child, every day, for a better tomorrow. For more information, visit our website at www.cms.k12.nc.us.

Communities In Schools’ mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. CIS-Charlotte currently provides case management services to more than 6,000 students in grades PK-12 in 43 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools that have some of the greatest needs but the fewest resources. An additional 30,000 students are served each year through school-based programming and coordination of resources. Volunteers play a vital role in our mission to support these students and schools. We primarily need volunteers to serve as mentors, tutors, career coaches or classroom assistants; however, we also have opportunities to assist with special events. Visit www.cischarlotte.org or call 704.943.9536 for more information.

MeckEd is an independent, nonpartisan proponent of excellent public education. We believe that every child, regardless of neighborhood or zip code, deserves a quality education to prepare them as contributors in our local and global econo-mies. To fulfill that vision, MeckEd educates, engages and impacts the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community through work that supports strong, vibrant and successful public schools. To learn more about MeckEd, and to become an advocate for public education, subscribe to our e-Newsletter at www.MeckEd.org.

Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services, in collaboration with its partners, protects the health and safety of all North Carolinians and provides essential human services. DSS is always looking for individuals to assist the children who are in the County’s foster care system. If you are interested in providing tutoring services or becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please call 704-336-KIDS or visit our website http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/dss/adopt/howto/Pag-es/Default.aspx.

Mental Health Association of Central Carolinas ParentVOICE program provides education and support to inspire youth with mental health challenges and teaches their families and caregivers to advocate for quality services and successful outcomes. Staffed by parents/caregivers of youth with emotional, behavioral and mental health issues who are certified as Family Support Specialists, ParentVOICE staff have helped families navigate the education, mental health, child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Mecklenburg County for over 8 years. The ParentVOICE program educates, supports and connects parents facing similar issues, and empowers parents to advocate for their child’s needs. At ParentVOICE we meet families where they are, build on their functional strengths, and support them in reaching the goals they have identified for their families. We pride ourselves on being able to support families at no cost to them, everything we do for families is FREE. Contact ParentVOICE at 704.365.3454 or visit our website www.mhacentralcarolinas.org.

The National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) and its local affiliate, The Greater Charlotte Alliance of Black School Educators (GCABSE) purpose is to enhance and facilitate the education and social development of all students, especially students of African descent, throughout Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District. We work in partnership with NC

GET ENGAGED

11

GET ENGAGED, continued

Over 150,000 staff & youth have partipated in our

HIGH ENERGY Trainings!

Youth CultureDiversity TrainingStrategic PlanningTeam Building

INFO@LeadingToChange.com888-LTC TRAIN (888-582-8724)

Department of Public Instruction, U.S. Department of Education, local school districts in NC, local organizations and businesses in delivering services to students and families. Our “opportunities to serve” are in the areas of mentoring, tutoring, and profes-sional development activities for students, parents, administrators, and teachers. We also recruit volunteers for working with students in the area of literacy. Visit our websites for more information: www.nabse.org and www.gcabse.com

YMCA of the Central Carolinas, comprised of 19 Y branches and 2 resident camps, engages approximately 270,000 men, women and children – regardless of age, income and background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The Y operates two youth programs inside Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: Y Readers, a literacy program for pre-kindergarten to second grade students; and Y Achievers, a career and college readiness program for high school students. Volunteer with Y Readers as a reading buddy, lead an activity or host a school supply/book drive for program students. Volunteer with Y Achievers as a mentor, lead a workshop or provide an internship or job shadowing opportunity. Contact Michelle Mosko at Michelle.mosko@ymcacharlotte.org.

Thank You to UNC-Charlotte’s Urban Education Collaborative and Leading to

Change for donating their time, talents and treasure to educate and inspire our youth!

Charlotte 2014 Teen SummitJanuary 22, 2014

10:00am - 1:00pmUNC-Charlotte Center City Campus

 

 

Formed in 2011, the mission of UNC Charlotte’sUrban Education Collaborative is to advance theintellectual, social, economic and educationalconditions of urban students in the state of NorthCarolina and the nation through knowledgedissemination, innovative programming andstrategic partnerships.

For more information, contact:

Chance W. Lewis, Ph.D. chance.lewis@uncc.edu

Collaborative Director, Carol Grotnes Belk Distinguished Professor of Urban Education

www.thecollaborative.uncc.edu

Stay Connected for Summit Updates!

Charlotte-Mecklenburg

601 E. 5th Street, Suite 300 | Charlotte, NC 28202 | 704.335.0601 | www.cischarlotte.org

Stay Involved! Join us for:

www.facebook.com/cischarlotte @cischarlotte#CLT2014EducationSummit Search/use this hashtag for Charlotte 2014 Education Summit updates.

“Getting Ahead” ClassesComing in February to a YMCA location near you!

The “Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World” curriculum was written for people to examine the impact that poverty has on individuals, families, and theircommunities. It also provides access to information found in Bridges Out of Poverty and provides a safe, agenda-free learning environment where adults will work through modules related to the causes of poverty and resources for making positive life changes. Weekly classes include free childcare, participant incentives, snacks and class supplies.