A lasting legacy
State of Our Schools event highlights value, partnerships of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
held the 2015-2016 State of Our
Schools address Jan. 21 at West
Charlotte High School. Superintendent
Ann Clark told an audience of
community, government, faith
and school leaders that CharlotteMecklenburg Schools provides
enormous value and a lasting legacy
to the community.
“We are a diverse district with all
kinds of students – and our graduates
have become doctors, lawyers,
political servants, educators, inventors
and so much more,” she said.
“They are improving the world and
community every day – and it started
with that first day in kindergarten,
continued through middle school and
high school and on to college and
career. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
has helped hundreds of thousands of
students learn and grow and reach
their dreams.”
Clark also emphasized the involvement of community partners helping
students to succeed.
“So many partners give us their time, their treasure and their support,”
she said. “Local sports franchises have supported grants for teacher
innovation, reading programs and books for students. The involvement of
faith houses, local businesses, community organizations and individuals is
substantial in Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Schools and it is helping individual
schools meet the needs of student’s
families to remove barriers to learning.”
Clark was joined by students,
school staff and members of the
community. Other speakers included
Alla Robinson, third-grader at Steele
Creek Elementary; Tissa Easter, Alla’s
reading mentor; Bryan Fischer, seventhgrader at Jay M. Robinson Middle;
Xavier Turner, seventh-grader at Quail
Hollow Middle; Mojdeh Henderson,
principal at Berewick Elementary;
Sarah Wright, teacher at Elizabeth Lane
Elementary; Lenoir C. “Lee” Keesler,
CEO, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library;
Munro Richardson, executive director,
Read Charlotte; Ismael Hernandez,
senior at Levine Middle College High
and Nicson Ticas Ulloa, fourth-grader at
Huntingtowne Farms Elementary.
The program also included remarks
by Mary T. McCray, chairperson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of
Education. Clark was introduced by Jametta Martin-Tanner, principal of Ridge
Road Middle, and Carrie Cook, vice president for governmental affairs at the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. The West Charlotte Ensemble provided
music and students in the West Charlotte Culinary Arts program provided
food. The JROTC Lion Battalion and student government ambassadors at
West Charlotte also participated in the event.
Nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit
Myers Park High students plan and execute entrepreneurship symposiums
Preparing students to be entrepreneurial,
innovative and creative thinkers is something two
Myers Park High School students are achieving
this year. Junior Milan Novakovic and sophomore
Marisa Patel are members of the school’s DECA
club, which prepares members to be leaders and
entrepreneurs. Earlier in the sch