Middle Fork Elementary School principal Tasha Hall-Powell ’01 ’09 with kindergarten through fifth-grade students in the school’s media center. Photo by Heather Brandon ’02
Education exchange a win-win at Winston-Salem Lab School By Megan Hayes ’97 and Mary Giunca
When Middle Fork Elementary School opens for the 2018-19 school year in August 2018, it will have a new name: Appalachian State University Academy at Middle Fork. Appalachian’s Reich College of Education (RCOE) will partner with the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) district to develop Middle Fork into a new laboratory school. Appalachian was selected as one of nine institutions within the University of North Carolina System charged with establishing a laboratory school in accordance with North Carolina House Bill 1030, which passed in June 2016. The initiative partners the two education systems together to improve the performance of the Middle Fork students, particularly in the area of reading literacy, while also offering opportunities for curriculum development for RCOE faculty and students. The University of North Carolina Board of Governors selected Appalachian because of the quality of its educator preparation program. Dr. Melba Spooner, dean of the RCOE, sees benefits for everyone involved. “Middle Fork Academy students will benefit from a new curriculum established by RCOE professors. Middle Fork teachers will have opportunities
to implement the new curriculum with support from RCOE students. RCOE students will benefit from mentorship from experienced Middle Fork teachers in addition to their RCOE faculty. RCOE faculty will have the opportunity to develop an innovative, new curriculum. It’s a win-win all around.” The RCOE and WS/FCS have a history of collaboration that dates back nearly 20 years. Initiatives have included teacher professional development, a reading education master’s program in Winston-Salem and a partnership that provides support for literacy professional development to school system teachers. Students in the new Academy at Middle Fork will be Appalachian students, making this incoming class the youngest in history. Middle Fork teachers will be Appalachian employees. Chancellor Sheri Everts will oversee the lab school, to include establishing an advisory board, the academic program for the school, and standards of performance and conduct for the school. The implementation team for the lab school will spend the 2017-18 academic year in several stages of planning. appalachianmagazine.org
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