Get involved and make a difference
Volunteers go All In For the Kids at 42 CMS schools
Hundreds of volunteers
gathered at 42 schools Aug.17
as part of All In For the Kids, a
partnership between Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Schools, the
Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
and United Way’s Hands On
Charlotte. It was the first day
in a two-day program to help
schools get ready to open for
the 2018-2019 school year.
At Hidden Valley Elementary,
25 volunteers worked to revamp
a courtyard so that it could
become an outdoor classroom – a project that Principal Michael Lungarini
said would expand learning for students.
“They are donating their time and talent,” Lungarini said. “When we get
our community involved, it helps our students.”
Among the volunteers at Hidden Valley were Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and
Bo Hussey, the chief marketing and technology officer for the United Way of
Central Carolinas. Both were enthusiastic about the work.
“We need to volunteer where the needs are – get involved and make a
difference,” Hussey said.
Lyles said the day’s work was the beginning of a long-term partnership
for the school.
“What we are doing today is talking about being all in for kids,” she said.
“We want to make the first day special but create a partnership that goes all
year long.”
Lyles, Hussey and the other volunteers at Hidden Valley were among
hundreds of people from area businesses who took part in All In For the Kids.
The volunteers provided a wide range of
support to get schools ready that included
helping teachers set up classrooms and
landscape work to beautify school grounds.
The help was welcomed by the staff at
Hidden Valley and other schools.
“I’m so excited for them to come in our
school to help out,” Lungarini said. “I will be
recruiting them for later. This is a wonderful
partnership.”
At Renaissance West, 25 volunteers
unpacked books to distribute by grade level and worked with individual
teachers to get classrooms ready for students.
“This is so much fun. We love being here helping,” said Joanne Pabst,
who works at Atrium Health.
Principal Erin Barksdale was excited to have people working in the
classrooms while teachers attended a mandatory back-to-school meeting.
The meeting is especially
important for the 30 new staff
members who are joining
Renaissance as it adds a sixth
grade.
“As a community school,
the support and love from
the community builds and
informs what we are doing
here,” Barksdale said. “When
the community comes inside,
it makes our partnership
stronger.”
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Parent Teacher Magazine • September/October 2018 • 5