Spark Insider - Summer 2023

SHOWCASING OUR DYNAMIC STUDENTS, TEACHERS & STAFF

SPARK INSIDER

GROWING GREAT SCHOOLS TOGETHER

DPS ROADMAP TO SUCCESS SALUTING OUR SENIORS

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Front Row (left to right): August Freeman and Maesyn Crews

MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

In this, our second annual mail-home edition of SPARK Insider, you are going to read about high-flying students, outstanding educators, and reason after reason why Durham Public Schools is the best choice for your child. We’re proud to share this good news about DPS. Strong public schools are the bedrock of a community and it’s important that you know about our strengths.

I could not be more excited about the coming school year, and the groundwork that we are laying to take DPS to the next level of:

· higher academic performance,

· strengthened social-emotional health for our students,

· an excellent and diverse team of teachers and staff,

· improved family and community engagement, and

· more efficient and effective operations.

Those are five promises we’re making to our community about the future of your public schools. If you have been following Durham Public Schools closely over the last few years, you may also recognize that those are restatements of the five priorities of our Strategic Plan—both the five-year plan we adopted in 2018 and its successor, now in place. You can read more about both plans on page 12 and 13.

Having a plan is crucial to our success. It holds us accountable and keeps us focused as school and district leaders, beyond all distractions. That focus properly rests on your student and more than 30,000 classmates: each with an individual dream, each with unlimited potential waiting to be ignited.

These are challenging times for public education, but in Durham we have a widespread commitment to strong public schools here at home. We believe in the community coming together, learning together, and growing together. I’m grateful that you are a part of the Durham Public Schools community, and look forward to continuing our journey together.

Pascal Mubenga, Ph.D. Durham Public Schools Superintendent

30 Cultivating Potential: DPS Addresses Students’ Learning Needs Through Relationships and Rigor

32 Driving Success

New transportation assistant director is an advocate for students and ambassador for employees

34 DPS Alumna Bringing Joy In a World of Darkness

36 A Gracious Gift

DPS receives $18 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

38 Top Honors

Two DPS schools receive national recognition for magnet programs

42 Lowe’s Grove and Fidelity Investments Partnership Yields Dividends

44 Centering Students In School Nutrition

DPS students help district craft menus that resonate with peers

46 Student Sound Off

PRIVILEGED TO INSPIRE

Hillside High’s Jahara Davis Wins 2023 Teacher of the Year

f you look up the word professor in the dictionary, there are two distinct definitions. One reads “a teacher of the highest rank in a college or university,” and the other is “a person who affirms a faith in or allegiance to something.”

English teacher Jahara Davis, Durham Public Schools 2023 Teacher of the Year, brings the second definition to life. She has created a community of learners for her young scholars, naming her cadre of classes at the historic Hillside High School the Village University. Every student is considered a scholar and she answers to ‘professor’ because she has high expectations.

“I want to create a collegiate culture to build students’ excitement about going to college and out into the world,” she said.

Her allegiance is to her students, and while it’s not necessarily easy, it’s just that simple.

Jahara Davis considers teaching a selfless job and she is a living testament. When her home flooded and she and her family lost everything, she was only 15 minutes late to class the day after the event. She and her children were displaced for several months, so while she and her family put their life back together, she held it together for her students as well.

In addition to the academic knowledge she imparts every day, “they need stability,” she says of students and the reason she shows up. Being their teacher, she says, is a privilege she doesn’t take for granted.

She told celebrants at the Teacher of the Year celebration on May 11: “I have overcome many trials and tribulations to get to this very moment. However, walking in my purpose and trusting in Him has placed me to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right people.”

Teaching is Davis’ second career. But after a stint as a substitute teacher, she realized she had a gift. She’s taught now for eight years and plans to remain in the profession.

“I hope to take the greatness I’ve learned and represent what Durham education truly represents: to embrace, to educate, and to empower. Receiving the award as DPS Teacher of the Year is much bigger than me. This award is for every student I have had the privilege to inspire and touch over the last eight years. I am a small part of their journey, yet they have been the focal point of mine,” said Davis, who says she was called to teach and inspire students who yearned and needed representation like her.

Her desire is to be the nurturing role model that she saw exemplified during her childhood, validating her students’ culture and lived experiences. Her motivation comes from her students who give her hope, and she reciprocates by offering and imparting lessons that are both academic and holistic.

Davis says her teaching superpower is innovation, which allows her to build positive student-teacher relationships and create monumental educational moments. She was influenced by several Black women educators, including her Oma (grandmother), mother, and older cousin who modeled what it looked like to show up as your authentic self every day in a pursuit of knowledge.

Foundation rallies community support for DPS CHAMPIONS FOR EDUCATION

ive years ago, Durham Public Schools

Superintendent Pascal Mubenga connected community leaders to take up the charge of creating a foundation supporting DPS. From there, educators, business leaders, community advocates, parents, and DPS alumni gathered to brainstorm new support that could help transform the district. From those gatherings and through conversations with families and the community, the Durham Public Schools Foundation was born. Now in its fourth year, the Foundation continues to ground itself in supporting DPS students, families, and staff to fulfill the promise of public education in Durham.

DPS Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that unites DPS school communities, public- and privatesector resources and community leaders around strategies to strengthen DPS schools for all students.

The need to support DPS students and staff is more important than ever, and DPS Foundation Executive Director Magan Gonzales-Smith says it should be a priority for all of Durham.

“Durham’s success is linked to the success of DPS, and our schools are at the heart of Durham,” she said. “Everyone in Durham, whether you have kids in DPS or not, has a role in supporting our schools. That’s part of a community goal for shared prosperity.”

Gonzales-Smith has dedicated her entire career to public education. However, her passion for supporting outcomes for students and staff was cultivated as a child.

“My dad is a first-generation college student, and he was the first person in his family to graduate from high school and go to college,” said Gonzales-Smith. “That informed my view of the world at an early age and informs my passion for public education as a way to create more equitable communities. Strong and equitable public schools are essential for having a strong and equitable community.”

From awarding grants to supporting school learning and family needs to scholarships for graduating seniors, the Foundation is making a difference.

Other initiatives include leadership development for students, staff, and families, and two whole school transformation efforts — the WHOLE Schools Movement, which focuses on mental health support for students and staff in direct response to the pandemic, and Bull City Community Schools Partnership, a school transformation model led by the Durham Association of Educators that is being piloted at three schools.

“I am most proud of how the approach to all of our work is rooted in what we hear from our students, teachers, families and schools,” said Gonzales-Smith. “As we hear what their dreams are for their schools, we can enable them to make those dreams a reality.”

DPS FOUNDATION’S WORK IS BASED ON THREE PILLARS:

1. Championing our public schools

2. Investing in our people

3. Fostering innovation and equity

For more information about the Durham Public Schools Foundation, visit bullcityschools.org and follow them on social media @bullcityschools.

DPS PARENT AMBASSADORS Enhancing district and school relations

onnecting with Durham Public Schools families is critical, and the past two years made it even clearer how crucial schoolbased relationships and communication were to students and their families. In direct response to this need, the district launched the DPS Parent Ambassador Program last spring.

“Parent Ambassadors allow us to deepen connections with families in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Dietrich Danner, senior executive director of federal programs and community engagement. “These parents are champions not only for their children and schools, but for all of Durham Public Schools students and staff. They are our cheerleaders in the community, but also supporters and advocates for other families.”

DPS Parent Ambassadors are parents or guardians of enrolled students who proactively engage families, peers, and others in the community in conversations about district programs and initiatives. Additionally, Parent Ambassadors share DPS successes and other important information with current and prospective families. DPS currently has 26 Parent Ambassadors. The goal is to have a Parent Ambassador identified for each of the district’s 55 schools by next year.

The Parent Ambassadors meet monthly and discuss district information and initiatives that can be shared among families at their schools. Ambassadors have engaged in conversations about DPS’s Growing Together Initiative, school performance data, and more. It’s also an opportunity for district leaders to hear directly from parents about issues impacting families and students.

“We’ve built a community of trust and accountability among Parent Ambassadors,” said Melissa Watson, director of student alternatives and supports and one of the program’s administrators. “Everyone is here because they care about student success, supporting families, and celebrating DPS beyond school campuses. It’s powerful.”

Tiffany Foster is passionate about advocacy. When the DPS Parent Ambassador opportunity presented itself, she was more than willing to be of service to the district and DPS families. ”Growing up, she said she didn’t always have someone who used their voice for her.”

“I’m trying to be what I didn’t have as a child,” she said. “Advocacy is not about you. It’s about caring for someone outside of yourself. I’m not advocating just for my child, but for all children in DPS while empowering other parents and individuals to better understand the needs and challenges of schools and the district.”

In addition to her Parent Ambassador role, Foster is on the Membership Committee of the National PTA.

The goal is to transform family engagement. Research shows that when families are engaged, student success soars. The connection that families have with their child’s school and other families creates stronger school communities and a stronger DPS. To illustrate that engagement, Parent Ambassadors are encouraged to share their own experiences with current and prospective families.

“To represent the district in this way, with true communication and transparency, is an honor,” said Foster. “My hope is that we can hear the stories of other families and if we can share these resources, information, and experiences with just one person, that’s how we can ignite the spark throughout Durham Public Schools.”

Parent Ambassador Tamara Vanie speaks with other ambassadors at a meeting.

A LEGACY OF LONGEVITY AND BELONGING

hen Dr. William Logan was asked to take the reins at the historic Hillside High School as principal after nearly 10 years of service in various capacities, his thoughts immediately turned to the students and what more he could do for them. Naturally, he accepted. Another decade later, he’s still there for them.

Hillside celebrates 10 decades this year, which makes it even more special for this veteran educator. There are 100 years to celebrate, and the list of achievements and celebrations is long and wide.

Hillside’s longevity is a sign of pride, resilience, and strength — characteristics Dr. Logan reminds his staff and students that they possess and that no one or nothing can take away. The school was once one of 300 historically Black high schools in the state of North Carolina. It now stands as one of only five — and the oldest — that remain open and active.

Dr. Logan says that getting students to believe in themselves and in their own potential, and reminding staff that they have the capacity to make a difference in the lives of their students, is a persistent mantra that he repeats and by which he leads. He says the silent battle he fights is to reveal that the Hillside experience, for those who are curious enough to investigate, is totally different from naysayers’ perceptions.

“I allow the students’ and teachers’ successes to speak for themselves,” he says.

Hillside has shown how that should be done.

The district’s Beginning Teacher of the Year, Kiara Thorpe, spoke to this when she was honored for her work last school year.

“There’s so much legacy, there are so many celebrities. There are so many people who have done amazing work and we continue to push out leaders and critical thinkers. Our actions will always outshine what people say. When there are doubts, I know to keep my nose close to the ground and keep working,” she said.

The centennial will celebrate all of the school’s successes and longevity. A 100-year timeline is being created to explain the school’s history and meaning to its students, teachers, and community, past and present. The timeline will be used as a learning tool in perpetuity.

“So many people do not understand the history of the school, and there’s a misunderstanding of the community’s love for the school,” said Dr. Logan. There’s so much love in fact that organizations are willing to fundraise projects that contribute to its legacy. Just this spring, The Triangle Park Chapter of The Links unveiled a newly constructed sound studio at the school for students, staff, and the community to use.

Dr. Logan says the timeline will be unveiled during a community ceremony — date and time to be announced — and portraits of two of the school’s principals will be added to the wall displaying the institution’s lead learners. Nameplates with the principals’ names and dates of tenure will be placed under each portrait.

Noting the community’s involvement in the life of the school, Dr. Logan shared that the Hillside High School Centennial Sub-Committee took care of the celebrations this past spring; the school itself will take the baton and lead the celebration this fall.

Historic Photo Courtesy of Open Durham

HILLSIDE HIGH SCHOOL TURNS 100

Home of the Hornets, Hillside High School relocated to its current location on Fayetteville Street in 1995.

Hillside High School was one of 300 historically Black high schools in North Carolina. The school is now one of five that remain active and open. Hillside was previously located on Concord Street.

HILLSIDE HIGH SCHOOL TURNS 100

A speaker series and documentary are also being planned to pay homage to the school’s history.

THE HISTORY OF HILLSIDE

The largest Black schools in Durham prior to the building of Whitted School in 1887 were the Ledger Public School in Hayti, under the supervision of Miss Ledger, and the Hack Road Public School, where James Whitted, “a highly respected man of mixed races (Black and Indian) who had managed to educate himself,” was superintendent.

In 1887, the Whitted School existed as the James A. Whitted High School, in honor of its first principal. The school, which was located on the corner of Blackwell and Pettigrew Streets, burned in 1888 and was relocated to a Bull Factory warehouse. In 1890, 161 pupils attended the school’s six grades. Whitted taught the upper grades, William G. Pearson taught the middle grades, and two female teachers taught the first and second grades.

The first class graduated from the ninth grade of Whitted School in 1896. Also in 1896, a permanent brick building was constructed on Proctor and Ramsey Street for Black children at a cost of $8,000. In 1899, the building was destroyed and reconstructed, but students were housed in churches during that school year. In 1901, another Black school, West End, was built. At this time, 707 students were enrolled in the Durham Black graded schools. In 1909, the East End School was constructed.

HILLSIDE HIGH SCHOOL TURNS 100

Only nine grades existed at Whitted from 1896 until 1911, but in 1911 a tenth grade was added. The 11th grade was added in 1918.

The Whitted School, which was in poor condition, burned in 1921, and students had to attend double sessions at East End and West End Schools. John Sprunt Hill, a leading Durham citizen, donated land for a new building on Pine and Umstead Street, which was named Hillside Park High School in honor of the donor and due to the fact that the school was located next to Hillside Park, a public cityowned Black Park. The class of 1944 was the first to graduate under the 12-year system. A public address system was installed in the school in 1943 at a cost of $150.

The “Park” was dropped from the name Hillside High School in 1943. In 1950, because of overcrowding in the high school, the Hillside High School students moved into what was then called Whitted Junior High School, located near the campus of North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and now the site of an NCCU science classroom building, and the Whitted Junior High School students moved into the old Hillside Park High School building closer to downtown Durham. The schools’ buildings also swapped names. Hillside High School at this time only enrolled grades 10, 11, and 12 and Whitted Junior High School enrolled seven, eight, and nine.

Additions of an auditorium, cafeteria, auto shop, classroom, and gymnasium were made to accommodate a large number of transferred high school students in 1949. A classroom annex was added to the Hillside building in 1962. In 1966, a new library was added. A new band room was constructed in 1975. Hillside was relocated to a new building in 1995.

Eunice Sanders was Hillside’s principal from 2002 to 2006, resigning after the 2005-2006 school year to move to an administrative position within the Durham Public Schools Central Office. Earl Pappy was the principal of Hillside from 2006 to 2009. He was followed by Hans Lassiter who served as principal from 2009-2012.

The current principal is Dr. William Logan.

ROADMAP TO SUCCESS

uperintendent Pascal Mubenga arrived at Durham Public Schools in 2017 with a clear mission: establish a Strategic Plan to ensure that the educators, school and district staff, and community partners supporting our students would be working in alignment toward the same goals.

“Our families were asking us for a greater sense of direction and purpose, and we delivered,” said Dr. Mubenga.

Five years later, DPS has completed the final year of the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. The 52 educators, community leaders, and parents who were part of the strategic planning committee had no idea that the priorities and goals they drew from community feedback and proposed to the school board would have to carry the district through an unprecedented pandemic.

“We established a new mission for Durham Public Schools,” said Dr. Nakia Hardy, DPS’s Deputy Superintendent: Durham Public Schools embraces, educates, and empowers every student to innovate, serve and leave. “That mission says so much. It begins with care and support for Durham County children, which enables academic excellence, and leads to students taking charge of their destiny. And then there’s the most important phrase in the mission: every student.”

The initial years of the strategic plan saw immediate results, with a sharp drop in the number of schools labeled “low performing” in the state’s accountability model and an increase in student enrollment to launch the 2019-2020

and we delivered.”

school year. The district met its strategic plan benchmarks for academic performance and growth, as well as the graduation rate. Virtually every school reported that it had an active community partner supporting academic, social-emotional, or career growth for its students.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, having the 2018-2023 Strategic Plan in place helped blunt the impact of students having to learn at home and being isolated from their peers.

“From the beginning, technology was a vital part of our academic goals for the Strategic Plan,” said Dr. Hardy. “We were providing professional development to help teachers make the most of the powerful technology at their fingertips to support their students. We accelerated that effort to ensure that every student had a Chromebook at home to support their learning during COVID. Even though our students are back in the classroom, that access to technology for both teachers and learners is a game-changer for equity.”

With students having completed their second full year of in-person learning since the pandemic, DPS expects to celebrate a strong finish to the final year of the 2018-

Strategic Plan Core

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Our families were asking us for a greater sense of direction and purpose,

DPS’s strategic plan takes district to a new level

Strategic Plan Highlights

• Increased teacher compensation to stay among the top-paying districts in North Carolina

• Implemented Student Success Coaches

• Reduced suspension rate

• Launched Ignite! Online Academy

• Made bus routes more efficient

• Improved two-way communication between district, families, and community

• Provided Advanced Academics professional development to all DPS educators

2023 Strategic Plan when academic results are available in September. At the same time, the district launched an even more expansive community engagement strategy to garner input on a successor strategic plan for the next five years.

“We are building on the mission, vision, and core beliefs of the original Strategic Plan,” said Dr. Mubenga. “We are also casting our nets wider to ensure that more of our community’s voice is heard as we develop a new Strategic Plan. Durham is changing and our students’ needs are greater. We want to make sure we’re seeing all of those needs before we focus on the areas where we can have the greatest impact.”

DPS partnered with RTI International’s Center for Education Services to facilitate that community process, engaging with district personnel, parent/guardian and community stakeholders, and students to gain insight. The result was an affirmation and refinement of the Strategic Plan’s original five priorities along with new goals, benchmarks, and strategies reflecting what the district learned from 2018 to 2023.

One member of the original committee is looking forward to the work of the next Strategic Plan. Dr. Kimberly Ferrell was principal of Burton Elementary at the time and is now one of two DPS assistant superintendents overseeing elementary schools.

“Alone we do so little; together we can do so much,” said Dr. Kimberly Ferrell quoting Helen Keller. “As a principal I was honored to be on the committee. Our meetings

were well planned with expected outcomes that would forge our work to heightened levels. In my new role, the Strategic Plan guides my work daily in leading principals in embracing excellence.

“A Strategic Plan is the blueprint that makes the difference.”

2023-2028 Strategic Plan Priorities

• Priority 1: Foster Academic Excellence

• Priority 2: Provide a Safe and Healthy School Environment That Supports the Whole Child

• Priority 3: Recruit, Support, and Retain an Exemplary Staff

• Priority 4: Cultivate Meaningful and Authentic Community Engagement

• Priority 5: Conduct Business, Administrative, and Operational Functions Responsibly and Equitably

Durham Public Schools kicked off the 2018-2019 school year with an Employee Convocation to celebrate public education and the launch of the Strategic Plan.

SALUTING OUR SENIORS

Class of 2023 gears up for life after DPS

s another school year comes to a close, seniors across Durham Public Schools are preparing for a new beginning. Over the years, our DPS family has watched them learn, grow, and persevere. We’ve witnessed them overcome challenges and explore new opportunities. Our school communities and the Durham community honor the work they have done to reach this milestone. Our seniors are to be celebrated. Whether college or career is their calling, the future is bright for the Class of 2023. As we congratulate them for their collective success, we are pleased to highlight a few members of this graduating class as we count down to caps and gowns.

Deniya El-Amin has achieved a 4.5 weighted GPA and will major in criminal justice after graduation. She’s maintained perfect attendance despite a house fire that totally consumed her home. It’s no wonder that her mantra is, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” And if you were to ask her what advice she’d give to younger DPS students, she easily offers, “The most important lessons are learned in the difficult times, not the easy ones.”

Academics and athletics have come naturally for Marcus Webb. So much so that the senior–ranked among the top 10 in his class– is entertaining college scholarships for both. Excelling in all of his school endeavors has served him well and he’s thrilled about what that means for his future. Marcus’ mantra is, “Finish it early/now so I don’t have to worry about it later,” which has carried him far. In that vein, his advice to his younger peers is, “Stay on top of your work and don’t let the distractions get to you.”

DENIYA EL-AMIN NORTHERN HIGH SCHOOL

MARCUS WEBB SOUTHERN SCHOOL OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY

RUTENDO MUKELABAI RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Rutendo Mukelabai’s philosophy on life is to try even if you fail. She’ll carry this belief with her to college when she matriculates at UNC-Chapel Hill to pursue a degree in nursing, where she may very well be able to give her patients an opportunity to restart their lives. She’s seen how effort can pay dividends by watching her parents accomplish much with humble beginnings after arriving in America with very few resources. They are the ones who give her the drive to succeed, she says. She thinks author, singer, and dancer Maya Angelou said it best, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

HARMONY FAIRLEY THE SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE STUDIES

Harmony Fairley wants to pursue a double major in political science and criminal justice from one of the eight universities that have offered her full rides, then pursue law school with the goal of becoming a civil rights attorney. She has earned the most scholarships in her senior graduating class of 65. “Being in an engaging environment with educators that have a desire and heart to not only educate but prepare you for the next [steps] is more than an amazing experience. It’s a lifetime achievement,” said Harmony. For her peers, she has wise counsel. “Make your school experience your experience! Don’t allow the input of others to stop you from engaging, evolving and being the best you! You are an original not a duplicate so radiate your atmosphere with your originality!”

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

SYDNEY HAWKINS CITY OF MEDICINE ACADEMY

Everything Sydney Hawkins has done as a student has positioned her for the next level of success. After she graduates in the top five percent of her class, the City of Medicine Academy student plans to attend UNC-Chapel Hill next year and continue her focus on health and medicine and major in chemistry on the pre-med track. Her ultimate goal is to become an orthopedic surgeon with a specialty in sports medicine. She specifically wants to work with athletes to treat their injuries and be a part of their total recovery. Her time at CMA has no doubt provided a solid foundation for her future endeavors. As she looks toward her future, Sydney wants to ensure that other DPS students have the opportunity to thrive in school as well. “I would tell younger students to advocate for themselves,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask questions, but also have fun and enjoy your time in school.”

EMMA CAIN JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL

Emma Cain credits her DPS education for providing her with the best experiences of her life.

“I have spent all of my schooling in DPS and have grown, both as a student and a person, throughout elementary, middle, and high school,” said Emma.

“My best memories are the everyday memories I have of playing capture the flag at recess at Morehead, or learning in the glass house at Lakewood, or participating in open discussion in my classes at Jordan. The people I have met and the everyday hands-on learning have been the best.”

Fond memories also led to a lasting legacy of compassion and service within the Jordan High School community.

She and a friend established the JHS A Lotta Love Club, a partner club supporting local non-profit A Lotta Love which works to alleviate the trauma of homelessness by creating dignified, safe, and emotionally-inspired spaces for people living and working in shelters and crisis centers.

JHS A Lotta Love was active while many school organizations shut down during the pandemic. Once students returned to in-person learning, JHS A Lotta Love continued to flourish with an increase in membership and the tangible work they do to support those experiencing displacement - all due to Emma’s passion and organization.

Emma is driven by her future and the goals she hopes to accomplish. “I show up to school, ready to learn and excel so future [Emma] is able to achieve her dreams.”

Upon graduation, Emma will attend UNC Chapel Hill and major in journalism.

NICOLE ‘NIC’ MARTIN

Nicole Martin, who goes by Nic, says her Early College experience opened doors to a world of friendships and excellence.

“It is a very welcoming and supportive environment that allowed me to perform at my best and exposed me to many helpful resources…My fondest memory as a student is the experience of being able to meet new people and create amazing friendships with other students and faculty both in the J.D. Clement Early College High School and NCCU campus,” she said.

Her teachers and administrators agree that she is certainly a humanitarian.

Carrying forth her commitment to humanity, Nic plans to enter North Carolina Central University’s nursing program to earn a Bachelor of Science degree.

She repeats a quote that she says she’s heard from more than one influential person in her life: “‘Do not view challenges as problems but rather an opportunity to make you stronger.’ I think it is a very good mindset to have so you can continue pushing yourself and successfully arrive at your ultimate destination.”

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

YANICE GIBSON MIDDLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL AT DTCC

Middle College senior Yanice Gibson plans to travel the world and expand her impact on others after graduation. Through a program called Verto Education, she will travel to Spain to study business for a semester. After completing that program, she will enlist in the Air Force and earn a second associate degree. She then plans to return to school for her bachelor’s degree in business. While she plans to make many memories, she credits the ones she’s made as a DPS student with furthering her success and developing her character. She is particularly thankful for the impact her National Honor Society (NHS) experience has made. After she earned her membership into the NHS, she was intent on making her mark by prioritizing diversity within the organization. She became the chapter’s president.

Under her leadership, she said the chapter raised more than $1,100 to fight menstrual poverty thanks to a team that provided “amazing” support. The project’s goal is to create feminine hygiene care packages and donate them to a non-profit organization in need.

“I am proud to represent Durham Public Schools as a part of my mission to innovate, lead, and to make a change,” she said.

J.D. CLEMENT EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

ADRIEN JACOBS DURHAM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Purpose-driven. Humble. Mature. Genuine. These are the words that have been used to describe Durham School of the Arts senior Adrien Jacobs. He leads with his heart in everything that he does, and that has certainly contributed to his success inside and outside of the classroom. He will attend Dartmouth College and major in biology as he plans to pursue a career in research. He will also compete as a collegiate athlete as a member of Dartmouth’s track and field team where he hopes to achieve more personal goals and records.

Adrien says one of his fondest memories as a student in DPS was sharing his college acceptance with friends and teachers. He received the big news while in class last December.

“There was a lot of screaming, crying, and happiness that day,” he said. “Finding out I got into my dream college was amazing, but having people in my school who were thrilled with my accomplishment was truly breathtaking.” While the achievements continue to pile up for Adrien, he knows his greatest and hardest lessons are still to come. “If we never fail, how will we grow? Although failure can be disappointing and at times heartbreaking, it helps facilitate the journey. I believe that the purpose of living is to progress,” he said.

When Mikal Ali leaves DPS, he’ll be taking residence at a different address in the Bull City - Duke University. He is the recipient of the QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship that connects talented students who may otherwise be marginalized to leading institutions of higher education. He was one of 1,755 finalists to be considered for the scholarship. The work he’s put in over the last 13 years is a testament to his determination to succeed.

Mikal is one of the top 10 students in his graduating class. His academic achievements have led him to the Young Scholars Summer Research Institute at Duke as well as research opportunities with professors at NC State University. Learning hasn’t always been easy for Mikal. In his youth, he struggled with reading. His grandmother, who was a retired educator, relocated to help him overcome his challenges.

Mikal says Hillside’s International Baccalaureate program, supportive teachers at the school, his parents, and other mentors have served him well as he prepares for college. He

plans to major in psychology so that he can do his part to help maintain the well-being of Black males.

“I learned through Kamal Bell’s Sankofa program that the rewards in life are in direct proportion to the way you give back to your community. Do your best and give it back to the people,” he said.

MIKAL ALI HILLSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

AVA THE STEM PRINCESS TELLS HER PEERS “YOU CAN BE ANYTHING…”

va “the STEM Princess” Simmons, a fourth grade student at Spring Valley Elementary School, is a nine-year-old STEM entrepreneur who uses her platform to spread the word that youth with learning challenges should not be ashamed. It just means you learn differently. She knows, she says, because she herself learns differently. Ava and her mother proudly proclaim that she now has a 504 Plan that will help catapult her to success.

We recently caught up with the author, influencer, creator and CEO of her STEM-centered business, the Team Genius Squad, while she was on a mission at the Book Harvest Block Party at the American Tobacco Campus. She was accompanied by her mother and dressed to impress with her personalized lab coat emblazoned with girl power, the NASA logo, planets, astronauts, and chemistry patches, some of which she purchased and others that she created herself.

“I used STEM to help me with my reading and math skills, and now I can read up to grade level and read in class like all of my friends,” Ava said.

She’s also a proclaimer of the art of business and making your dreams come true.

In her book, Ava Discovers Her Inner Genius Using STEM, she writes, “With the proper tools, you can be anything that you want to be.” The book has accompanying activity and coloring books.

Ava said her mom noticed that she loved videos so she practiced by

talking to her dolls, watching videos and getting ideas from cooking videos. Once she decided upon her subject matter, she decided to write a book because COVID-19 was a barrier to in-person presentations. She also offers YouTube lessons on how to publish your book.

In her book, Ava tells her story by sharing that she discovered her inner genius after troubling experiences led her to the principal’s office. Her parents sought help and found that their daughter had a reading disorder. Once Ava’s challenge was determined, she soared. She was given a 504 Plan that helped her improve her reading skills. She now teaches STEM lessons and presents publishing workshops on YouTube. Her work has been viewed 600,000 times on YouTube, and she has 90,000 followers on social media. Social media aside, Ava’s can-do spirit as a student is a motivating factor at her school.

“We are very fortunate to have Ava The STEM Princess at Spring Valley. Her love of STEM activities, excitement for learning and her positive attitude inspires other students to do their best and persevere,” said her principal, Gwendolyn Wilson. Ava’s best advice for her peers is to believe in yourself, find something you’re good at doing, and encourage others.

She wants to establish relationships with companies to spread her message farther about STEM and its impact on young people and their ability to think critically.

Since becoming an author, Ava has been featured in Forbes magazine, she has partnered with the PBS North Carolina Rootle Roadster Tour, and she hosted a STEM event at her school. Her book can be found on Amazon as well as at the Durham County Library. She plans to write another book as well.

DPS’s newest school opened its doors to the community last August. Students and staff have already sparked success in their new school.

CELEBRATING A DECADE OF OUTDOOR LEARNING

urham Public Schools’ crown jewel of outdoor education celebrates a milestone this year and will commemorate 10 years of learning, exploration, and hands-on experiences for Durham students.

The peaceful 30-acre farm, forest, meadow, and aquatic learning center is appropriatly nestled next door to Eno Valley Elementary, Carrington Middle, and Northern High schools for tranquil instruction.

“It’s welcoming, where people feel at peace.

It’s a transformative space for people’s emotional wellbeing, a good healing space,” said Ashley Meredith, the Hub Farm’s program manager.

Meredith has led the program for half of its 10 years, starting with the program as an AmeriCorps member immediately after graduating from college. She’s had the privilege of helping to expand its reach through programs and physical improvements.

“I think an opportunity like this is unparalleled for lots of students. It’s a really good way to level the playing field in terms of experiences. It’s really important for equity,” said Meredith.

Former Eno Valley Elementary School Principal Jason Jowers supports that belief.

“Outdoor learning provides students an opportunity to acquire background knowledge in topics they normally would have no exposure to. This is critical during EOG testing where literacy passages pull on the background knowledge of students,” he said.

Schools bring their students for field trips to the farm for exposure to wildlife, farm animals, and to learn about environmental stewardship, health and nutrition, and career development. The farm has quite a following on social media — Instagram and Twitter — and the newsletter has 1,400 subscribers.

While one can quantify the reasons for the farm’s utility, Northern High School Culinary Arts instructor Peter Brodsky says the resource is immeasurable.

“The impact goes so far beyond culinary or agriculture classes and really extends to everyone that is able to engage

The Hub Farm is a 30-acre outdoor learning oasis comprising a farm, forest, meadow, and pond. The farm is a valuable resource for district teaching and learning.

with the farm as a resource and incorporate the space into their instruction,” he said.

Meredith has high hopes for the farm’s impact.

“It’s a place that holds so much potential. There are endless opportunities to continue to build on it whether it’s through programming or physically. I hope it continues to become a bigger, rock-solid piece of the community,” said Meredith.

It is undoubtedly a meaningful resource for the district’s teaching and learning communities, especially at Eno Valley Elementary, according to Jowers.

“The Hub Farm is intentional about making sure they provide lessons that correlate to what is happening in the classroom. It is not just a set curriculum that they are unwilling to adjust. They are open to collaboration and want to do what is in the best interest of student achievement,” he said.

Brodsky can attest to successful collaboration.

When asked how he utilizes the farm, he said, “In so many ways! The Hub Farm is an incredible resource to teach students about modern agriculture, historical agriculture, organic farming, and so much more. Students are able to engage in real time with products throughout their growing season, from seed to harvest. They are able to see the critical role of honeybees and other pollinators in our food systems.

Students can also interact with livestock being raised in humane and ethical conditions, and explore how that contrasts with large scale industrial farming.”

Brodsky says he’s also seen English students writing poetry at the pond, outdoor education students in kayaks, and math students calculating the height and circumference of trees. “From K-12 in all aspects of our instruction there is no class that wouldn’t benefit from hands-on outdoor learning that is so readily available at the farm,” he said.

Brodsky says every student enrolled in his culinary arts courses visits the Hub Farm at least once a month or more. Students in higher level culinary courses have the opportunity to plan, plant, manage, and harvest crops at the Hub Farm for use in the catering menus they develop throughout the semester.

Learning at the Hub Farm is fun, said Brodsky. When fall semester starts, the farm is perfect for teaching a variety of preservation techniques.

“Every year we make a variety of jams and jellies, including annual batches of our famous pepper jelly,” he said.

The class also pickles peppers, okra, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and carrots. They make sauces and garnishes with the fresh herbs from the farm and baked goods using the chicken and duck eggs. Students have even produced full meals entirely with products grown and raised at the Hub Farm, including working with some ducks that were processed at the farm to produce pate, confit, sausage, stock, and more.

Fun Facts About The Hub Farm

• In the 2021-2022 school year, 2,514 students visited the Hub Farm, more than 2,000 pounds of produce were shared with the community, and the first summer camp (summer 2021) was hosted with 96 students from 20 schools.

• More than 20,000 students have visited the Hub Farm.

• The estimated number of volunteers is more than 1,700.

GROWING GREAT SCHOOLS TOGETHER

Academic and operational leaders join forces with community to foster growth, equity, and access

hen it comes to teaching and learning, families seek the best for their children. Durham Public Schools seeks to be the first and best choice, and the district’s Growing Together initiative intends to assure families that every DPS school is a great school—no matter whether it is a neighborhood school or one that families apply to attend. Beginning with the adjustment of elementary school boundaries and specialized program placements effective in 2024, and continuing with middle and high schools effective in 2025, DPS is intent on serving families better by:

• responding to Durham’s explosive population growth,

• increasing equity among schools to ensure that all students benefit from high-quality academic programs, and

• increasing families’ access to application programs by establishing them across Durham County.

For some DPS employees and stakeholders who have worked on the initiative, the mission is intensely personal.

CHILD OF DPS

DPS director of student assignment, Melody Marshall, is a product of Durham Public Schools from kindergarten to graduation. From Morehead Elementary to Rogers-Herr Middle to Hillside High, Ms. Marshall experienced all of the normal peaks and valleys of school life, but she also experienced a seismic change: she was a DPS student before DPS truly existed.

“Before 1992, there were two school systems in Durham County. The city school district was majority-Black, and the county school district was majority-white,” said Marshall. “There were resource disparities and political divisions, and for all of the efforts to bring the two school systems together there was mistrust on both sides. ” Neither school board was in favor of merger. That changed in 1992 when the state legislature merged the districts, but the merger didn’t come easily.

For almost 30 years, DPS made only minor changes even as Durham has transformed around us. I’m thrilled that we are finally acknowledging the needs of all of our families. And we did it with the community’s voice at the table.”

““There was a promise that our city schools would gain more resources, and that our schools would be more equitable,” said Marshall. “But one major piece of work was left undone for decades. Merger proponents saw that if we didn’t continue to look at school boundaries and magnet programs, that we would continue to struggle to give every family the same kind of access to high-quality academic programs.

Current Map Proposed Map

For almost 30 years, DPS made only minor changes even as Durham has transformed around us. I’m thrilled that we are finally acknowledging the needs of all of our families. And we did it with the community’s voice at the table.

GROWING GREAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TOGETHER

The Growing Together initiative began with elementary schools. One of the initiative’s foundations is ensuring that outstanding programs and academic experience are in every school, not just in application or “magnet” schools.

“We are investing in and placing rigorous, high-quality academic programming in every elementary school,” said Dr. Debbie Pitman, assistant superintendent for specialized services and a key Academic Services leader on the Growing Together working group. “For example, beginning in 2024 every elementary school will have a daily, intentional focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)

instruction. Currently we have some magnet schools with a STEM programming emphasis, but tomorrow’s careers will require that every child have that access. Parents and guardians shouldn’t have to worry about getting in the ‘right’ school to have that kind of support.”

In addition to a daily STEM focus, each of DPS’s elementary schools will also provide every week:

• Weekly visual arts instruction in a dedicated classroom

• Weekly music instruction in a dedicated classroom

• Weekly world language exposure

DPS is also significantly expanding families’ access to other specialized academic programs tailored to students’ individual needs. Geographically located across Durham County in five equitable regions, DPS will offer six application schools that operate on the year-round calendar and five application schools that offer Dual-Language Immersion, the opportunity for students to develop fluency in two languages while they receive the same high-quality core instruction

other DPS schools provide. Families may apply to enter these programs based on the region they live in.

Finally, DPS is also expanding elementary access to Montessori education by expanding the program to a third school, and to the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme by expanding it to a second school. These schools will be available based on regions as well.

“We are preparing our students for an international world full of technology, opportunities for creative expression, and diverse cultures,” said Dr. Pitman. “I can’t emphasize enough the quality of programming and teachers in every school. We are truly growing great schools together.”

PLANNING FOR EQUITY AND ACCESS

As Ms. Marshall noted, the county changed around Durham Public Schools over 30 years. Neighborhoods aged and changed. Magnet programs were established to attract wealthy, white families to impoverished neighborhoods that later gentrified—but the magnet programs remained as they were, unchanged.

“Before Growing Together, our student assignment policies and practices were no longer serving our families and community the way they had been intended,” said Mathew Palmer, DPS executive director for school planning, transportation, and school nutrition. A planner by nature as well as by trade, Mr. Palmer saw with his colleagues that school boundaries and magnet application rules were out of step with families’ lived reality.

There was a promise that our city schools would gain more resources, and that our schools would be more equitable. But one major piece of work was left undone for decades. Merger proponents saw that if we didn’t continue to look at school boundaries and magnet programs, that we would continue to struggle to give every family the same kind of access to highquality academic programs.”

““We reached out to our community after we received the charge from our Board of Education to explore the changes that our families needed,” said Mr. Palmer. “Over the course of three years—even during the worst of the pandemic— we received hundreds of ideas and data points from parents, guardians, teachers, and members of stakeholder organizations. The community’s voice helped ensure that we did this work with a growth mindset: dreaming and planning without being limited to the past but envisioning a greater future.”

Mr. Palmer and his team of planners

first pored over census and other data to establish the five geographical regions based on community infrastructure such as freeways and demographic data. They then revised school boundary lines within those regions to account for neighborhood changes since 1992 as well as projecting the future growth of Durham County.

“People believe that our schools are under-enrolled, but that’s especially untrue at the elementary level,” Mr. Palmer said. “Today we have some schools that are bursting at the seams and are using mobile classrooms that were ‘temporary’ years ago. In addition, we needed to make space for our community, school board and county commissioners’ priority to expand pre-K classrooms throughout the county.”

GROWING GREAT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS TOGETHER

Following additional community engagement, in June 2023 the Durham Public Schools Board of Education approved further recommendations for DPS secondary schools, effective the following year, in 2025. The project extends the commitment to offering high quality arts, global languages, and STEM experiences in every school serving students from grades six to 12, while ensuring consistent feeder patterns from elementary to middle to high school and providing program continuity for students in the elementary application programs: Year-Round, Dual Language Immersion, International Baccalaureate, and Montessori.

In particular, DPS expands access to year-round middle schools to support the students rising from our increased number of year-round elementary schools, with The School for Creative Studies joining Rogers-Herr as a regional year-round option for grades 6-8. The growth in elementary Montessori programs is further supported with the establishment of a second Montessori middle school at Lucas to join Lakewood Montessori, and Dual Language Immersion will be brought to Brogden Middle.

DPS’s outstanding high school application programs will remain supported and enhanced, and student assignment boundaries at middle and high schools have been adjusted so that students will be able to go together to the same schools, from elementary to middle to high. To give students from lower-income neighborhoods more equitable opportunities to enter application schools, a weighted lottery will be used at schools that currently serve a lower percentage of those students than the district average.

“The power of the Growing Together initiative is in providing both greater access to stronger academic programs in every school, and also strengthening community relationships as students rise together from elementary to high school,” said Superintendent Pascal Mubenga. “I am so excited to help Durham Public Schools support and reflect the Durham of today, and to help prepare our students for the Durham of tomorrow.”

With housing developments bursting from the ground, the new boundary lines and application program placements effective in 2024 and 2025 will provide families greater access to high-quality programs closer to home while improving bus service—a win-win all around.

Ms. Marshall, the student assignment director, is excited to see an old vision being realized. “We’re on the path that we started on 30 years ago,” she said. “A more equitable district where every family, regardless of background or address, can access a great education for their child. We really are growing together.”

For more information about Growing Together, visit dpsnc.net.

High School Boundries

Middle School Boundries

ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY

RECIPROCAL VALUE:

DPS IT Interns Learn and Provide Much-Needed Support

hen Joy Malone, executive director of DPS Information Technology, received an invitation to speak at the North Carolina Executive Mansion last spring to share information about the DPS IT Summer Internship Program, she gave center stage to the two students who accompanied her. The trio visited the Mansion courtesy of the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE). NCBCE operates out of the office of the governor.

Hillside High School Senior Zachary Tucker and J. D. Clement Early College Senior Le’lah McCoy were two of eight students who participated in a paid internship program last summer developed by Malone in collaboration with Dr. Julie Pack, executive director of DPS Career and Technical Education. Prior to the pandemic, DPS was considered a three-to-one (3:1) district, averaging one technology device per three students. To facilitate remote instruction, DPS received approximately 31,000 Chromebooks through the CARES Act and other private funding sources to become a 1:1 district. Malone quickly realized that receiving the devices was the blessing, while supporting the devices with no additional headcount was the curse. Dr. Pack came to the rescue and engaged school-based career development coordinators in recruiting students to apply for the DPS IT internships.

“This was our strategy to attract CTE students to a realworld IT opportunity while solving the challenges we faced with supporting a new 1:1 district. It was true work-based learning,” said Malone.

Students were chosen from New Tech, Hillside, Riverside, J.D. Clement Early College, and Durham School of the Arts. They were onboarded and paired with a mentor from DPS IT, given an opportunity to choose their specialty interest, and asked to journal their experience for a final presentation after the internship ended.

Zachary and Le’lah were all in. Both share that helping others through this work was fulfilling.

Zachary, who worked alongside the technology administrator at Hillside High School, describes it as “almost exhilarating that we were able to work and see how much goes into IT. We were engaged in solving problems step-bystep so teachers were able to teach their classes.” Upon graduation, Zachary matriculated at UNC Chapel Hill where

Jared Boney, a DPS graduate, chose to intern with the district’s IT department for an insider’s experience. He’s now an employee.

he is majoring in business administration with an interest in analytics.

Le’lah, a senior at Early College, said she changed her mind from majoring in computer science to a major in business information technology after working with Malone to tackle the challenge of making the internet accessible to those who didn’t have it and experiencing first-hand the power of knowledge and strategy. Le’lah received a merit-based scholarship for $28,000 and is excited to be attending Malone’s alma mater, NC A&T State University, to earn her college credentials.

“It made me feel good once it was over. I love helping people, and I love helping people in my community. This generation relies on technology so we have to learn it,” she said.

Accompanying Malone to the Executive Mansion to speak about their experiences was unforgettable, said Zachary. “It was exciting being surrounded by great, impactful people.”

FROM INTERN TO WORKING PROFESSIONAL

2022 Durham School of the Arts graduate Jared Boney says his mother met Malone at a job fair and came home to tell him about an opportunity that may interest him. He, too, was all in, and became one of eight interns this summer. Now he’s working full-time in IT for Durham Public Schools.

Jared said he wants to remain current in the field, so work and school are currently his top priorities.

“It seems like an interesting field and I needed knowledge so I could figure out which pathway I want to go into,” said Jared, who is also enrolled in Durham Technical Community College, where he is earning technology certifications. He’ll be working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in business after he earns his associate’s.

He said he plays video games and has always been intrigued with how they are made and the coding required to create them. Since he hadn’t decided upon his college major, working in IT for the school system was a good opportunity to research his career options and work simultaneously. He hit the ground running, helping to network the district’s newest elementary school, Lyons Farm Elementary.

Jared’s learned how to set up switches as well as network systems. He provides phone and tech support and

troubleshoots IT issues for his DPS co-workers. “I try to do what I can to help them,” he says.

Malone said her intent has been to ensure that Jared and fellow interns like him would learn how to navigate the structure of corporate America. She requires a final presentation from the interns to allow them time to capture the work they completed and reflect on the experience.

“I want them to take ownership of their work and create a final presentation. It’s valuable for the student and the department. They truly did work that was value-added,” she said.

Jared says the experience has been indisputably valuable. Having worked part-time for fast food establishments until now, he says he’s learned office etiquette. He says his biggest takeaway thus far has been learning how to conduct oneself in a business setting.

“It’s fun to see the relationships grow,” said Malone, who says Jared’s co-workers give him support, career advice, and coaching.

Malone said Jared listens, observes, and demonstrates what he takes in.

“I’ve told him that when he has questions to bring pen, pencil, and a notepad, and he does just that. It’s encouraging that he’s taking in what we’re feeding him,” she said.

Jared and IT Executive Director Joy Malone confer on a project.

CULTIVATING POTENTIAL:

DPS Addresses Students’ Learning Needs Through Relationships and Rigor

s director of Advanced Academics, Laura Parrott’s goal is to make real the promise to every student that “we see you.” As a progressive, diverse, growing school district with 55 schools and 32,000 students who speak more than 100 languages– including its superintendent who speaks five languages himself–Durham Public Schools offers an academic program that serves the needs of all learners.

Advanced Academics oversees all K-12 advanced academic programming in the district, placing equity and inclusion at the forefront. Its work is aligned to the district’s strategic plan, the educational blueprint created by DPS, its stakeholders and community.

Every child is seen. Literally.

Most notably, every student in kindergarten through second grade receives advanced educational services by a licensed AIG (academically intellectually gifted) licensed teacher. These district experts get to know the younger DPS students and, during this time, they observe their potential and needs as learners, such as the quiet child who comes alive when the program is in operation.

All elementary schools have at least one full-time AIG specialist. The AIG specialists help classroom teachers recognize characteristics that are sometimes overlooked by the regular curriculum.

“We’re about nurturing our students districtwide, cultivating their potential beyond reading and math,” said Parrott. In third through fifth grade, DPS ensures that all students with advanced learning needs have intentional services from an AIG licensed specialist and/or teacher with weekly mandated services in reading and math. The services are based upon acceleration, enrichment, and core curriculum extensions.

EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE

Parrott unapologetically works under the equity creed.

“Diversity has always been huge for me because what we know is that giftedness can always show up in any demographic group. In any group, there are students who are advanced. Remediation is important but if we don’t give [advanced students] what they need in the beginning, it’s going to be difficult,” said Parrott.

“We know that the benefit of education is learning to live in a global society. We provide the rigor and enriched experience,” said Jamel Anderson-Ruff, coordinator of Advanced Academics.

Advanced Academics offers 29 Advanced Placement (AP) courses, including the arts, with a “phenomenal faculty who are up to the challenge,” said Parrott. Advanced Placement teachers have been recognized at the state level and have been tapped to lead support sessions in their content areas. “Their work beats the global and state average,” said Parrott. “It’s their passion. They want to make a difference for our students.”

In addition to the AP courses, e-learning and online offerings are available to middle and high school students through the district’s Ignite! virtual school, through NC Virtual, and under a partnership with the NC School of Science and Mathematics.

“Our students can accelerate through these opportunities,” said Parrott.

Students can earn Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) and test out of AP courses with a 90 percent passing score, even without seat time, and progress to the next class in the sequence, according to Parrott. This gives students the opportunity to take more courses or move on to the college level, she said.

CDM is a form of acceleration to maximize opportunities for high school students. It’s open to middle and high school students for high school level courses. It’s a little known fact that Durham is one of the leading school districts in the

number of students who successfully go through this process.

High school also provides open access to advanced learning courses, not to mention Governor’s School. Partnerships among schools allows students to take courses that aren’t available at their base schools.

Then there’s SPARK Camp, a one week districtwide exploration into topics chosen by its own fourth through eighth grade participants. Connected to standards, SPARK uses creativity, higher order thinking skills, active participation, and different curriculum structures to maintain these advanced learners’ interest. With up to 300 slots, DPS uses a lottery system to fill them, and scholarships are offered.

Rising ninth and tenth graders participate in Explore Your Options sessions designed to inform families about the opportunities to enroll in Honors, AP, IB, Dual enrollment, as well as CDMs to give them information as they plan their four-year pathways. These events also include small group and one-on-one sessions for families.

“The key is to look for students and not wait for them,” said Parrott.

“The academic performance of our students speaks to the work. We make it a point to serve students who are not identified. It’s about serving an advanced learning need and not an identification label,” she said. The process includes portfolios to address students who don’t test well, and partnering with ESL (English as a Second Language) and EC (Exceptional Children) teachers.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES ADVANCED TEACHING TECHNIQUES

Advanced Academics offers a 30-hour professional development session focused on characteristics of advanced learners and how to recognize them. Called TAP — Teachers Advancing Potential — the course is open to all K-12 educators. The curriculum includes strategies on how to respond to students’ academic, intellectual, and social needs. Parrott said there are immediate results.

“Teachers were approaching their students with a more appropriate challenge,” she said.

Advanced Academics oversees all K-12 advanced academic programming in the district, placing equity and inclusion at the forefront.

DRIVING SUCCESS

It’s always good to see your work on paper come to life. I love the feedback that I get as well. I’m a big proponent of that. The drivers are actually out there.”

New transportation assistant director is an advocate for students and ambassador for employees

chool starts well before the tardy bell rings for the professionals who transport our students to their respective buildings every day. For many of those drivers, it starts before 5 a.m. That’s when they board the vehicles in the morning darkness to warm them up and make maintenance checks to ensure they are road-ready.

But while we depend upon them, upon whom do they depend so that their work is performed efficiently and with proper support?

Enter Annie Fullwood, the district’s new assistant director for ridership and customer service. Fullwood says her mission is to coordinate the logistics required to ensure that all students get to school safely and on time consistently.

Although challenging, the work is exciting to Fullwood. She understands the impact that drivers have on a student’s school day, and the importance of listening to the families and making every effort to address issues that parents bring to the forefront.

A former data manager, Fullwood cut her teeth on the work after her supervisor in Pamlico County asked her to

step in as an interim transportation coordinator. She had also worked as a data manager in Brunswick County for an elementary school, high school, and early college, so she wasn’t entirely new to the tasks associated with the job. The South Carolina native has also served the Elizabeth CityPasquotank, Craven County, Johnston County, and Wilson County school districts.

Students participate in a Walking School Bus during a Walk & Roll to School event.

In October, she brought her wealth and breadth of experience to Durham Public Schools.

“I really am happy to be here. I just hope that I’m able to make a difference and that I’m learning and imparting my experience with results,” she said.

She also serves as a bus driver’s ambassador and advocate. She wants the public to know that “drivers really do care about the kids,” she said. As a hands-on manager, Fullwood says understanding and compassion go a long way.

Just as important is data management, she adds. Student information and transportation must be on the same page, she insists. To that end, drivers need correct route sheets, and they need an opportunity to give feedback so that there is continuous improvement.

“It’s always good to see your work on paper come to life. I love the feedback that I get as well. I’m a big proponent of that. The drivers are actually out there,” she said. So she meets them where they are, visiting stops to investigate and “look at the big picture. Sometimes you have to go out into the field and listen to the drivers.”

Customer service begins internally with the professionals responsible for safe, efficient transport. Listening to parents is a priority as well.

“These are their babies, and if a parent is transferred to me, I try to fix it that same day. I believe in helping right away.”

Fullwood says her job requires re-evaluating stops, making sure stops are efficiently routed, making sure buses are on time, communicating with administration and parents, matching ridership information and real-time services, and complying with state requirements.

What most don’t know is that the district’s efficiency rating and its transportation budget are intertwined. “It’s an organized chaos that requires innovative thinking,” she says. How do you handle a 7:45 a.m. start time at a school when you can’t drop students off at the school until 7:15 and you have minutes before you have to be at the next school’s first stop?

And how do you handle bus driver vacancies when the demand doesn’t stop?

“I see what the challenge is, and I have to see it through,” she said. It’s a daily process with daily changes to our bus routes. There’s no stagnation in transportation. It’s always moving. Every single day, there’s an opportunity to learn and to improve. If we’re not doing that, we’re not doing what we need to do for our county and our students.”

Annie Fullwood (right) Angela Blake (left)

DPS ALUMNA BRINGING JOY IN A WORLD OF DARKNESS

hen Ayesha Rascoe settled onto her throne as host of National Public Radio’s (NPR) global newsmagazine NPR Weekend Edition Sunday on March 27, 2022, one of the jewels in her career crown represented her years as editorin-chief of *Southern High School’s newspaper.

“It had a really big impact on me,” she said. “It was a big role in my life.”

Rascoe says she’ll never forget receiving a letter of appreciation–that she thinks she still has today–from a state official for her fair coverage of a dignitary’s visit to the school. Being viewed as a fair, objective reporter is the biggest compliment she says she can receive as a journalist.

Her interest in journalism began at Carrington Middle School, and she nurtured it while in high school after being told about newspaper class. As a junior and senior, it was her favorite class where she made lifelong friends, spent lunchtime in the newsroom, and thoroughly enjoyed covering the news as a newspaper staffer. She also sought other opportunities to write and became a published journalist for the teen section of Durham’s The Herald-Sun

After graduating from Southern in 2003 (shoutout to her English and journalism instructor, Ms. Foster), the rest, as they say, is history. She reiterates that Southern had a big role in her trajectory “because I knew I wanted to be a journalist.” She loved history and writing, thinking she could “write tomorrow’s history today.” And over time, she learned that she could ask probing questions. But let’s be clear, she says, “I didn’t have a five-year plan.”

Now the “queen of questioning” brings 10 years of reporting for Reuters, six years covering the White House, and four years as NPR’s White House correspondent to the national airwaves as host of Weekend Edition Sunday. She’s earned her stripes. She’s traveled abroad, including to Japan and Russia, covering policy, energy, and the 2010 BP oil spill. She’s also covered American legal cases and the United States’ response to a meltdown at a Japanese nuclear plant. Then, she started filling in at the White House.

now encourages aspiring journalists to do the same. She said developing confidence in her ability to do the work was one of the biggest challenges she’s had to overcome. She told herself, ‘I can do this and I have something to offer.’ She faced uncertainties about who she was, what she could do, and what she was offering.

I hope that I can change lives (through information), so I hope that what I do makes a difference. The world is very dark so if I can bring you a little piece of joy and brighten your day a little bit, that’s a gift and that’s what I want to do.

“I thank God that over time, I have (developed confidence), and it has taken time to really develop the idea that I do have something to offer. I’m good at asking questions, I’m good at breaking down complex subjects into a way that people can understand. There’s worth in that. And sometimes the abilities that we have are not the abilities that everybody else has. And if you’re not like everybody else, you’re like well, what is my gift? But your gift is for you and so it can be different. But that doesn’t mean it’s not of value, it’s not of worth.” Her family taught her that she would be successful if she was honest, worked hard, and treated people well. She takes that to heart, and seeks out stories of inspiration to share with her readers and listeners because she wonders how the world will fare through this tumultuous time.

“I don’t think that I had recognized how much time and experience I had built up to that point, things that I could take with me all that time that were of value. And when I got to the White House, I was able to take my knowledge of policy and put that to work.” Her ability to ask thoughtful questions garnered attention, and NPR recruited her in 2018.

“I really felt like I found my voice,” she said.

Her discovery came through hard work. Because she had faced her internal and external difficulties head on, Rascoe

“I worry about the future of this country now… What I always wonder is how people are able to survive and… what can be done to help people live better, fuller lives, and not fall through the cracks. So that is something that I am always thinking about, especially for those people who are from marginalized communities who are often not necessarily thought of. So, I try to focus a lot of my reporting on those people.”

For her, information is key, and giving her subjects a voice is critically important to her work.

“I hope that I can change lives (through information), so I hope that what I do makes a difference. The world is very dark so if I can bring you a little piece of joy and brighten your day a little bit, that’s a gift and that’s what I want to do.”

*Southern is now named the Southern School of Energy and Sustainability.

A GRACIOUS GIFT

DPS receives $18 million grant from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott

ifts come in different shapes and sizes. That certainly rings true for the recent gift Durham Public Schools received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This unexpected package just happened to be an $18 million grant.

“Ms. Scott’s recent gifts to public and charitable organizations have been focused on fostering equity, opportunity, and achievement for American communities,” said Dr. Pascal Mubenga, superintendent. “We are pleased and humbled that Ms. Scott has taken note of DPS’s commitment to embrace, educate, and empower each student.”

The grant, administered by the National Philanthropic Trust, is unrestricted, meaning it can be used how the district sees fit. A contribution of this nature is rare for school districts and DPS leaders wanted to ensure that considerable thought went into how to prioritize the use of the grant funds. The DPS Board of Education, administrators, principals, teachers, students, and community members were brought to the table to share their thoughts and recommendations.

“When we received these funds, folks wanted to know immediately what we were doing with the funds,” said Mubenga. “It was really important for us to go through the process and ensure everyone was involved.”

A recommendation for how the district will use the funds was presented to the Board for a vote at its February work session and was unanimously approved.

“At the end of the day, these resources will support student achievement,” said Mubenga. “Hearing from our

principals, teachers, and students helped inform our direction for how we comprehensively support our students. We look forward to seeing this gift at work in our schools.”

Grant spending includes six primary areas which are connected to the district’s strategic plan. Almost half of the grant - $8.22M - will support academics across the district including professional development for staff, instructional resources, interactive classrooms, and funds to enhance Career and Technical Education programs at high schools.

Implementation and outreach for DPS’s Growing Together initiative for elementary schools will also be supported by the grant, as well as mental health supports, equity programs, and the creation of a Family Engagement Center.

The remaining grant funds will be used for:

• $1.28 million for school support including funding support for the DPS Foundation’s WHOLE Schools Movement and also for a teacher housing initiative, plus funding for high school clubs and activities,

• $2.5 million for human resources efforts including the Bull City Scholars “grow your own” program, which helps DPS students attend college and become teachers; math and science recruitment; assisting DPS employees with securing teaching credentials through the DREAM program, and more,

• $1 million for operational enhancements to emergency radio communications,

• $1.5 million for transportation service enhancements to support the Growing Together transition years and a replacement plan for district support vehicles, and

• $3.5 million for required transfers to charter schools.

“I want to thank Ms. Scott for witnessing and supporting the great work of DPS educators and staff to support students and families,” said Bettina Umstead, Chair of the Board of Education. “We will focus on using this to enhance our work with schools that will ignite the limitless potential of our students.”

TOP HONORS

Two DPS schools receive national recognition for magnet programs

akewood Montessori Middle and Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College were two of only 24 schools nationwide deemed Top Schools of Excellence, receiving highest honors, from the Magnet Schools of America.

A total of 10 Durham Public Schools magnet schools have been notified that their programs have earned merit awards for meeting the high standards set forth by the national organization.

The School for Creative Studies earned a Merit School of Excellence designation.

Schools of Distinction honors were bestowed upon:

• Burton IB Magnet Elementary

• City of Medicine Academy

• George Watts Montessori Magnet

• Hillside High School IB

• Lowe’s Grove Magnet Middle School

• Neal Magnet Middle School

• Southern School of Energy and Sustainability

“We are extremely proud of the work that our magnet school administration and teachers are doing to expand opportunities for our students. This achievement is well-earned and well-deserved. I am especially proud of Middle College and Lakewood Montessori for the national recognition that they have earned,” said Dr. Pascal Mubenga, Superintendent.

Principal Donald Jones of Lakewood Montessori said student-staff interaction is foundational to success.

“Lakewood Montessori has a dedicated and talented staff that cares deeply about the students and community we serve. We strive to create an educational experience that fosters academic curiosity and personal growth, and a social community that encourages a thoughtful, empathetic understanding of our relationship with others and the natural world in which we live. Through our Montessori curriculum, we hope students leave us with a deep appreciation of their individual worth and more importantly how that worth can, in turn, positively impact our community as a whole,” he said.

Principal Crystal Taylor-Simon at Middle College High School further states that student supports are non-negotiable.

“At Middle College High School, we use our data to be intentional about providing supports for students. The student supports team and our teachers are creative in

ensuring that the supports match the individual student’s academic and social/emotional needs. Our parents and our community partners also play an integral part of supporting our students and we couldn’t have done this without them,” said Taylor-Simon.

Durham Technical Community College President J.B. Buxton is proud of the partnership forged by DPS and DTCC.

“This designation by Magnet Schools of America is positive proof of the high quality education students receive at Middle College High School. We are a proud partner with Durham Public Schools in ensuring that every student at Middle College High School not only graduates prepared for postsecondary opportunities, but has the ability to earn a college credential or degree while enrolled at Middle College High School. Congratulations to Principal Crystal TaylorSimon and her team for this achievement.”

The schools will be recognized and receive a Top Magnet School of Excellence Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at Magnet Schools of America’s 40th National Conference hosted by Dallas Independent School District, April 18-22, 2023.

To receive a national merit award, members of Magnet Schools of America must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. These schools are judged on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme.

“Durham Public Schools is a top-notch district,” said Mubenga. “These accolades are a testament to the quality education that DPS offers students.”

Students and staff at Middle College High School at Durham Technical Community College celebrate their national recognition.

AN EVENING TO SHINE

The arts were on full display as more than 500 DPS students showcased their talent at the district-wide event held at the Durham Performing Arts Center in February.

LOWE’S GROVE AND FIDELITY INVESTMENTS PARTNERSHIP YIELDS DIVIDENDS

or more than a decade, Fidelity Investments has partnered with Lowe’s Grove to support teaching and learning. The longstanding partnership has yielded exemplary results, strengthening the relationship between public and corporate entities.

Lowe’s Grove Principal Jessica Austin has served as the school’s lead learner for two years, and considers the partnership “a blessing. When I came in, they reached out to me.”

Every year, Fidelity agrees to work on a large project. They’ve helped to restore the school’s indoor garden, created a Zen garden, helped build outdoor learning areas, painted murals, and supported the 8th grade dance. Fidelity employees have also taught six-week-long grade level financial literacy classes, and hosted students at the Fidelity campus to engage in financial literacy activities. When teaching staff numbers were low as schools reopened after the pandemic, they filled in the gap with their financial literacy classes. They even created teacher wellness boxes after staff returned.

But the pandemic didn’t limit their accessibility, said Austin. They made themselves available, creating posters with quotes and positive affirmations.

“They have really partnered with us, not necessarily with finances, but people-rich assistance. They ask us what we

need and they send volunteers,” said Austin. It’s a simple formula, she says.

Jade Manley, community relations manager with Fidelity, says volunteerism is part of the organization’s culture.

“We value supporting the financial health of communities by creating access and opportunities for underserved students that encourage saving for the future, investing, and building generational wealth. We do this because we believe in a future where everyone is empowered to shape their financial futures and improve their lives.”

Manley added, “Through Fidelity Cares, we create opportunities for associates to volunteer in communities where Fidelity has a presence. In North Carolina, we partner with nonprofits like Activate Good to assist in transformation days at Lowe’s Grove Middle School. These are large-scale projects like building the Zen garden to assist those experiencing food insecurity. Also, partnering with Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina to help deliver relevant programming to help plant the seeds for planning for a secure financial future.”

Fidelity has been known to send 125-130 volunteers to the campus for beautification projects; hallway paint spruce-ups (“Sometimes a coat of paint will make you a feel a little bit better about the environment,” said Austin.); and other projects like planter restoration, weeding and mulching, painting benches, installing new benches, and even leaving the school with the gardening tools brought to do the work. Most of the murals in the schools have been painted by Fidelity volunteers.

Austin said she and her staff have a vision meeting with Fidelity representatives in the spring to discuss anticipated needs.

“They have really been a resource,” said Austin. “They’ve become almost a thinking partner. It helps us to think a little bit outside of the box, dream just a little bit to positively impact the teaching and learning process. Just amazing. It’s been a huge asset, not just a monetary donation.”

Austin said the partnership has taught her much.

“One of the things that I have learned is that sometimes principals can get so busy and sitting in the principal’s seat can get so lonely. It was great to have a partner in Fidelity that made things a little bit easier. I knew I could reach out to them and they would support. They have been consistent.”

And that support continues to grow. The partnership is expanding to the PTA, and Fidelity employees have met PTA members and discussed initiatives.

“It’s been really great to know that they care so much for the community. It makes you feel like people are invested in our community and the teaching and learning process,” said Austin, who shared that she met a former Lowe’s Grove teacher whose commitment didn’t wane even after leaving the teaching profession. She now volunteers at the school through Fidelity.

That the former teacher would return to volunteer spoke volumes to the relationships and support that help build a school’s culture of success.

“I would really encourage leaders to cultivate that partnership with those who are willing to be with you consistently and be there in person. It’s great to have a partner that is really invested in the community. The staff and the students benefit because it helps to change the work environment,” she said.

One year, Fidelity donated a trailer for Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes to partner with agriculture and CTE.

Rosalind Garmon, the district’s CTE equity coordinator, said Fidelity’s support is invaluable.

“It shows the Durham community that we are connected. They also get the opportunity to see our students and our educators at work. I cannot say enough about Fidelity.”

Fidelity Investments staff pose for a group photo before kicking off Community Day. Fidelity has a longstanding partnership with Lowe’s Grove.

Members of the Fidelity team participate in a campus beautification project at Lowe’s Grove during Community Day.

CENTERING STUDENTS IN SCHOOL NUTRITION

DPS students help district craft menus that resonate with peers

im Keaten and Dr. Linden Thayer are utilizing the privilege of leadership to do more than just feed students in Durham Public Schools. The director of school nutrition and assistant director for food systems planning are centering student voices in order to provide sustenance that satiates hunger and feeds the mind. They hope to elevate the school breakfast and lunch experience by listening actively to the ones who are actually eating the food being ordered, prepared, and served in DPS kitchens every day.

They are soliciting feedback, thoughts, and ideas from student leaders like the members of Dr. Pascal Mubenga’s Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, members of the Hillside student community, as well as outside youth advocacy organizations such as Student U and Pupusas for

Education, to get feedback on current operations as well as develop a vision for the future of school food. Keaten’s team is taste-testing menu items like Asian dumplings with teriyaki sauce and new vegetable blends, hosting brainstorming sessions, and holding space for concerns around everything from portion sizes to the cultural relevance of menu items.

Keaten and Thayer are also conducting informal community conversations to bring school food and nutrition to the forefront of our students’ in-school experience, and have received positive anecdotal messages about the improved meals. During one informal conversation, a high school student told them that the dumplings were tasty but they needed dipping sauce. A sauce was then added to the menu.

“We’re excited to engage,” said Keaten, who added that his department is committed to more family and parental involvement as well. “We want to be a part of this

community, and continue to offer things that meet their needs.”

People’s needs change over time, added Thayer. “We need to continue to evolve to meet the needs,” she said. “For example, we have to take on allergies and dietary restrictions in a more holistic way. We have to take on issues that are salient to our student population, like the climate crisis and health disparities.”

That evolution in DPS school food includes expanded partnerships with the Durham County Department of Public Health’s DINE (Durham’s Innovative Nutrition Education) program, which sends food specialists into schools and the community to conduct nutrition lessons, provide hands-on cooking experiences, and teach the history and origin of certain foods. Designed and implemented by the public health department, the program is supported by funds from both SNAP-Ed and Durham County.

In addition to partnerships that help students and the community embrace good nutrition, DPS school food hosts special events and initiatives like National School Lunch Week (October) and National School Breakfast Week (March) to celebrate and recognize the importance of healthy eating, and events like NC Crunch Day (October) and Taste of NC Day (January) to showcase North Carolinagrown products and producers.

DPS is shifting priorities and values in other ways in its operations. Examples of these changes include prioritizing professional development for staff, participating in DPS Maintenance & Environmental Services and Don’t Waste Durham’s pilot recycling program, and considering how to implement reusable trays and serviceware. Recent USDA grant funding will also facilitate the purchase of an additional $122,000 in local and regional products for school food programs between January 2023 and March 2024.

Keaten and Thayer ensure that the district’s school nutrition department is represented and participates in a host of wellness, career, food security, and food production spaces within DPS and in the greater Durham community. Keaten co-facilitates the DPS SHAC (Student Health Advisory Committee), and Thayer participates in the Durham Food Security Network and County-City Food Security Team. Keaten and Thayer are cultivating

partnerships with local and regional food producers and distributors to lay the groundwork for future mutually beneficial partnerships.

The department represents a large, reliable institutional buyer for local and regional products, which is key for healthy growth of local and regional producers, aggregators, and value-added processors; at the same time, as DPS looks to a different food future with many more scratchmade items, DPS school food needs to build up the farmer and producer base to support those scratch-cooking efforts. Early pilot menus have incorporated local products from Farmer Foodshare, Firsthand Foods, Guglhupf Bakery, and Lantern Restaurant, to name a few; conversations are continuing to happen with farmers large and small, from the Black Farmers Market to Dawnbreaker Farms to Piedmont Microgreens, about how DPS school food can be a positive player in a healthy regional food system.

Keaten and Thayer believes that food is a central part of the larger conversation in our district around equity, wellness, and belonging. They are committed to listening, learning, and acting for positive change in school food, and through school food; and they are committed to student leadership in this work.

For students and families interested in learning more and engaging in these efforts, please contact Dr. Linden Thayer ( linden_thayer@dpsnc.net ).

STUDENT

What are you most excited about for this school year?

I am excited to learn more and expand my knowledge in preparation for middle school next year.

Ian Fernandez Gonzalez

5th Grade

Southwest Elementary School

I am most excited to see how my peers, teachers, and staff will motivate and push each other to improve this school year.

Avery Foster

8th Grade

Shepard IB Magnet Middle School

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Spark Insider

Spring 2023

Volume 3 Issue 3

I am excited that this is my last year as a high school student. In 11th grade, I’ll start taking college courses.

Sa’adatu Suleiman

10th Grade

J.D. Clement Early College High School

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sheena Cooper

Crystal Roberts

Chip Sudderth

SOUND OFF

What do you love about your school?

I love the opportunity to take interesting classes and earn college credits while in high school.

Ryan Vook

12th Grade

Middle College High School at DTCC

I really like the community. I like how everyone feels included and knows each other.

Zora Lentz

8th Grade

Lakewood Montessori Middle School

I love that all the kids treat me the way they want to be treated.

Diana Sauceda Lopez

5th Grade

Fayetteville Street Elementary School

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Tony Cunningham, Jr.

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Kevin Brown

Harrison Brackett

Durham Public Schools

511 Cleveland Street

Durham, NC 27701

919.560.2000

dpsnc.net

A BOUT THESPARKINSIDER

The DPS Spark Insider is a publication produced by Durham Public Schools in partnership with Durham Magazine. The Spark Insider shares the stories of DPS students, teachers, and staff with the larger Durham community.

Durham Public Schools

Board of Education

Bettina Umstead, Chair

Emily Chavez, Vice-Chair

Natalie Beyer

Jessica Carda-Auten

Jovonia Lewis

Millicent Rogers

Alexandra Valladares

The SPARK Insider is sponsored by