Congratulations to Dorie Hall, the CHCCS Executive Director of Secondary Math and Science, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Dorie was nominated by Valerie Sellars, a Secondary Science Coach. “It is with pleasure that I submit a recommendation for Dorie Hall as a recipient of the CHCCS CHAMPion Award. She understands the importance of relationship building in both student-teacher, coach-director, administration-director, and community-district relationships. Ms. Hall has a vast knowledge of leadership strategies to support all those she serves. As evidenced in her work experiences, she is passionate about empowering individuals and teams to fulfill the strategic plans of CHCCS.

“As an academic leader and Director of Math and Science, Ms. Hall has built a district-wide instructional vision and implementation plan for improvements in math and science curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and has provided robust on-ramps for honors courses that have resulted in improved achievement for secondary math and science students. She has an innovative approach to leadership. As a leader in the instructional services, in addition to mathematics and science, she oversees other district initiatives such as Middle School Summer Success and Credit by Demonstrated Mastery for high school subjects.

“Ms. Hall often refers to herself as a lead learner. She actively demonstrates this philosophy by leading learning opportunities. She develops and leads large-scale professional development events for the district and its schools, including training for district leadership teams. This work includes monitoring instruction through frequent instructional rounds to provide effective feedback. She also provides learning opportunities for one-on-one support and teams of teachers and school math coaches related to teaching and learning, effective instruction, curriculum, and student engagement. Ms. Hall has shared her expertise as a lead presenter at state conferences about her equity driven instructional work in CHCCS.

“CHCCS students, teachers, coaches, school administrators, and district level departments are better because of the work that Ms. Dorie Hall has done and continues to do throughout her career in CHCCS. Her connections and passion for empowering teams to lead are valuable skill sets. I have seen this personally, as a member of her team, as a district science secondary lead coach, in the numerous school visits, meetings, etc. that I have attended with Ms. Hall, where participants define and implement initiatives. Participants leave with new ideas and excitement from working with her. Ms. Hall will always give herself in the support of others.”

Congratulations to Sylvie Williams, a bus driver in our transportation department, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Sylvie was nominated by two East Chapel Hill High School students, Pri Finkral and Louis Dasher. Pri said “She is an awesome bus driver who always does her best to make sure everyone gets home as soon as they can. She's friendly and always makes everyone's day brighter. She genuinely cares about her students and tells us so all the time. She always goes above and beyond, regularly asking about and then volunteering to take home students that have no bus driver. All her students love her and we look forward to seeing her every day. She works so hard and is such an amazing person!!” Louis added, “She is the hardest working bus driver in the district. She is always helping get everyone home, and she always stays happy.”

Congratulations to Jon Evans, the athletic director at both Culbreth Middle School and McDougle Middle School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Jon was nominated by Culbreth principal Luke Paulsen. “Jon Evans pours his heart and soul into two athletic programs (CMS and MMS). He conducts incredible coaching meetings to inspire and set the tone for each athletic season. He cares about kids and wants to see them succeed, first as a student and person and then an athlete. He hosts bi-weekly leadership meetings with student athletes. He collaborates with the PlayersNext organization to bring collegiate athletes into our school. He works with athletic boosters to build the athletic program which included throwing a huge Halloween dance that over 400 of our students attended and had a blast. He steered the CMS pep rally to recognize our student athletes, clubs and SGA for the fall and continues to build the school spirit. Not to mention all the other day to day activities it takes to run TWO big athletic programs. Absolutely a CHCCS CHAMP!”

Congratulations to Julia Royal, a school counselor at Chapel Hill High School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Julia was nominated by fellow counselor Jacquelyn Fairey. “Ms. Royal goes above and beyond for her students, staff, and community. She often takes on multiple roles and tasks that go well beyond a school counselor's job description. When trying to schedule a meeting with the whole student services team, Ms. Royal often has her google calendar filled daily with meetings with students, parents, and other various events. Additionally, when one of our coworkers from a different department was out on maternity leave, Ms. Royal stepped up to take on the demanding task of scheduling college visits. Another one of Ms. Royal's extracurriculars is as the SAVE Club staff leader where she has organized many events for our school. In the five plus years I've been here, I don't think I've seen Ms. Royal say no to a new task or role. She strives to help make our students and community better all around!”

Congratulations to Stephanie Jeffries, a 4th grade LEAP teacher at Seawell Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Stephanie was a gifted specialist at Ephesus before stepping into this role. She was nominated by three staff members and three parents! Here’s what they had to say:

“Stephanie Jeffries is deserving of this award because she TRULY stepped up when there was a need. While knowing that her job as a gifted specialist is extremely important, she also knew that there were students who were without a classroom teacher at Seawell and stepped in with positivity and eagerness. She shows that she is committed to serving students no matter the situation. Stephanie is very much deserving of this recognition.” - Liz Vail, Equity Specialist for Instructional Equity

“Stephanie is an outstanding teacher leader. Her joy in the classroom is contagious. She works to find the strengths in each of her students and she connects her lessons to real life learning. She also steps in to help her fellow teachers and the same joy and connection shines through. She recently stepped in to cover a vacancy and gave her absolute best effort. Her students are engaged, happy, and challenged!” - Kate Kennedy, Director of Advanced Learning & Student Leadership

“Stephanie came to Seawell's campus this year to teach our 4th grade LEAP program students. She has built positive relationships and rapport with her students and staff members. Stephanie's classroom is very welcoming and you will find exploratory learning and student centered learning taking place on a daily basis. Stephanie exudes passion, excitement, dedication, and love within her role as an educator. She has been a true asset to SES.” - Lakisha Perkins, Instructional Coach, Seawell

“[While she was at Ephesus] Ms. Jeffries was an amazing member of the Ephesus community. She volunteered to support the PTA, connected with staff, supported all the classrooms with extra challenges, and engaged so fully in the Ephesus community. We miss her so much!” - Irene Skowronek, parent

“Mrs. Jeffries is the best teacher ever!!! Her dedication to her work and students is impeccable.” - Liwei Zhou, parent

“Ms. Jeffries noticed that a group of boys played football everyday at recess, and she went from cheering them on and being the sideline commentator to organizing a "Super Bowl" with a national anthem singer, referee, cheer squads, and banners to run through. She even streamed this on a Google Meet for parents to watch. The fourth grade LEAP students (and parents) are new to school and to each other, and we all faced some uncertainties starting this year. She found a way to bring kids together, while encouraging them to play and have fun.” - Caroline Zarzar, parent

Congratulations to Tim MacArthur, the Instructional Technology Facilitator at Carrboro High School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Tim was nominated by CHCCS parent, Sarah Stroud. “Tim has been an unsung hero as IT Director at Carrboro High School. He swiftly resolves any issue or question about the Chromebooks or any other aspect of ed tech. Technology can be a huge source of stress for students and families, but having Tim on the front line is very reassuring.”

Congratulations to Riya Kavalippadan, a 5th grader at Rashkis Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Riya was nominated by the entire 5th grade team at Rashkis - Elizabeth Wanee, Craig Walker, and Jim Roby. “Riya is the embodiment of the phrase ‘it's not about being perfect, it's about effort.’ Not only does she put an immense amount of effort into her classwork, she puts an enormous amount of effort into being a good person. She is part of the Library Crew, which helps our librarian organize our wonderful books and helps younger grades find books. She has been assisting another student who needs additional support during transitions and helps them get situated in all their classes. Lastly, she is always willing to assist her classmates and teachers in whatever help they need. As teachers, we all hope our students put in the effort they need to in order to succeed in and outside the classroom, and that is exactly what Riya does.”

Congratulations to Janine Sobolewski, a long-term substitute at Smith Middle School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Janine was nominated by two staff members at Smith, Melissa Barry and Courtney Cunningham. Melissa told us, “Over the past few years, our EC department has had a staff shortage. Janine Sobolewski stepped in as our long-term sub, and has gone above and beyond to support our students, families and staff. She is dedicated to student success, is an active team player, and exudes compassion, confidence, and joy. Janine is truly exceptional; she has weathered the pandemic with Smith, teaching both in person and online. Her wrap-around care and commitment has helped to make our Smith family cohesive.” Courtney added, “Janine is a sub who has been helping out in our EC department for the past 3 years. She does not get the recognition she deserves. We would have not survived the past 3 years without her.”

Congratulations to Raymond Miles, an EC TA at Carrboro Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Raymond was nominated by Darriel Lewis, the assistant principal at Carrboro. “[Raymond is] one of the first to arrive and the last to leave. Serving as one of our EC TAs throughout the day, he supports students with varying needs all with calmness and a smile. He takes time with his iPad in hand to support students with reading and writing and allows them to flourish just being themselves. He then clocks out as a TA and finishes the day working in our after care program building relationships with students. Students in and outside of the EC program love Raymond. He is truly a pillar in our Carrboro community.”

Congratulations to NaTasja Jeter, a senior at Chapel Hill High School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! NaTasja was nominated by Benjamin Knight (CHCCS student), Lorie Clark (Coordinator for Student Leadership and Engagement), and Kate Kennedy (Director of Advanced Learning and Student Leadership).

“Tasja is a strong leader in our school and district community, who effectively advocates for students’ needs. Recently, she, along with CHHS’s BBSU, CHS’s BBSC, and ECHHS’s LCSOC, organized a screening of “I’m Smart Too”, which was attended by district leaders and varied stakeholders. The event encouraged creative problem-solving, facilitated the sharing of ideas, and fostered connections between different people interested in improving racial inequities in the district.” - Benjamin Knight, student

“NaTasja is an incredible young lady. Not only is she an outstanding student but she is a social justice advocate for students and the community. She has volunteered in various capacities with local organizations and stays busy as a student advocate. She is a member of YLI, TigerLinks, co-founder of Black and Brown Student Union and CHHS SIT.” - Lorie Clark

“NaTasja is an outstanding senior at Chapel Hill High. She was selected to attend Governor's School last summer and she is also our Gifted Program Advisory Council Student Representative. She leads with joy and strength and puts the needs of her classmates into the center of all she does.” - Kate Kennedy

Congratulations to Alejandro Huerta, Lead Custodian at Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Alejandro was nominated by Principal Karen Galassi-Ferrer and Assistant Principal Kat Rangel. “‘Mr. Alejandro’ is such an integral part of FPGB, I know this paragraph won't even begin to show how much he means to our school. As lead custodian, he takes pride in ensuring our school is clean and functioning well each and every day - and in a school as old as FPGB, that is not easy!! He doesn't want our school to just be clean, but to be beautiful and takes on added painting projects to brighten our space--from the joyous yellow in the admin offices, to our fun multi-colored wall and even the cute tree bench he built and painted.  He is wonderful with our students (and staff!) and was invaluable in several situations with students in crisis. He brings joy every day to FPGB!”

Congratulations to Gabriel Graña, Media Specialist at Smith Middle School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Gabriel was nominated by CHCCS students Nicholas Nolan, Alexandra Jamieson, and Ella Levy, as well as ELL teacher Christiaan Van Jimenez.

“He tries his hardest to make the library the safest space in this school. He's been making us happy by speaking up for us.” - Nicholas Nolan

“He's a great librarian and a great ally to the lgbtq+ community! He's very kind to people and hosts events like Harry Potter Week.” - Alexandra Jamieson

“He supports LGBTQIA+ unconditionally, he steps out of the way to support pride month and he's always very helpful and kind.” - Ella Levy

“In addition to being our amazing bilingual librarian, Mr. Graña has worked tirelessly to make Smith Middle School the most inviting place it can be. He has opened the library to students every minute of the day and has made it a safe space for everyone. He works to help students make connections with others to support their emotional as well as intellectual growth. He supports the ESL, EC, and AIG departments, jumps into classes, leads sessions in the library, and makes it a mission to cultivate a love of reading everywhere he goes. During the pandemic he reached out to and facilitated virtual meet and greets with authors. He continues to work with the Equity Team to bolster representation in our school community and curriculum.” - Christiaan Van Jimenez

Congratulations to Stevie Crownson, a floater custodian at Lincoln Center, one of three employees from Operations nominated by Executive Director of Capital & Facilities, Eric Allen. Bobby Woodard and Lay Po were also recognized and have been featured in previous CHAMPions posts. They received their CHAMPions award at the April 21 Board of Education meeting. Mr. Allen said of the trio, “These three gentlemen display the character that embodies what school districts should be about. They are extremely hardworking. Everyday they exhibit the servitude that is required of everyone in the arena of public education. They do not complete tasks for individual praise but for the betterment of the students and the district. In my time here in CHCCS, I have received emails from principals, teachers and community members highlighting the great things that these men accomplish on a daily basis. CHCCS would not be as great as it is without these gentlemen.” 

Mr. Crownson, a graduate of Chapel Hill High School, first worked for the district as a contracted night custodian. He was then the Head Custodian at Glenwood Elementary. After winning employee of the year honors and a short hiatus last year, he returned to his “Family” as a floater custodian at Lincoln Center.

Congratulations to Patty Moore, School Social Worker at Glenwood Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Patty was nominated by fellow School Social Worker, Wendy Johnston. “Patty is an exceptional member of the Glenwood Team. She worked diligently to maintain a strong relationship with all families while remote. She regularly reached out to incoming families to establish a personal relationship with each so they had someone with whom to connect and ask questions. She is the leader of the MTSS Committee and works daily to support teachers in data collection and child find concerns. Patty has a vision for students which includes building not only great educational experiences, but also healthy thinking and strong interpersonal skills. Patty looks at the daily work of being a School Social Worker in the broad scope of growing happy families and strengthening the community.”

Congratulations to Andres Reinosa, Second Grade Dual Language Teacher at Carrboro Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Andres was nominated by CHCCS parent Sara Garcia, who said “Excelente maestro.” Dual Language Coordinator Gina Bachelor added, “The level of mutual respect between him and his students is exceptional. The environment he creates allows for every student to learn. He is able to bring abstract concepts into concrete examples, and his students use content-specific Spanish so well that it’s hard to identify the native speakers from the non-native speakers.”

Congratulations to Ellen DePinto, Third Grade Teacher at Morris Grove Elementary School, today’s CHCCS CHAMPion! Ellen was nominated by CHCCS parent Lindsay Bedford. “Ms. DePinto is a third grade teacher who finds a way to meet each of her students exactly where they are. Her biggest strength is really knowing everything about her students and then helping to build them up in many areas that might not necessarily be academic, but are essential to their learning and success in school. For example, Ms. DePinto strongly values independence - in assignments, as a participant in group work, with executive functioning skills, and social emotional regulation. In each of her students, Ms. DePinto finds areas such as these that can be improved on and gives her students individualized strategies to help them learn and grow. Thank you Ms. DePinto, for valuing each of your students and helping them become the best version of themselves!”

Congratulations to Lay Po, Head Custodian at Lincoln Center, one of three employees from Operations nominated by Executive Director of Capital & Facilities, Eric Allen. Bobby Woodard and Stevie Crownson were also recognized. Bobby was featured in April and Stevie will be featured in a future CHAMPions post. They received their CHAMPions award at the April 21 Board of Education meeting.

Mr. Allen said of the trio, “These three gentlemen display the character that embodies what school districts should be about. They are extremely hardworking. Everyday they exhibit the servitude that is required of everyone in the arena of public education. They do not complete tasks for individual praise but for the betterment of the students and the district. In my time here in CHCCS, I have received emails from principals, teachers and community members highlighting the great things that these men accomplish on a daily basis. CHCCS would not be as great as it is without these gentlemen.” 

Mr. Po’s began his career at CHCCS as a custodian at Carrboro Elementary School. He transferred to Lincoln Center as the Head Custodian at Mr. Woodard’s urging.

Julie Werry states, “‘Mrs. B’ as she is called is an amazing CHAMPion teacher! She is intentional about meeting every student where they are and emphasizing their strengths while at the same time gracefully addressing their challenge areas. She takes time to recognize students for the wonderful connections they are making to what they are studying. She takes pleasure in seeing that what her students learn in the classroom carries beyond the walls of the building and impacts them in their own worlds. She is a wonderful person, teacher and mentor especially during these times! My family is grateful to her and has relied on her heavily!”

Whitney and John Martin added, “Ms. Bernasconi leads her 1st grade class with incredible enthusiasm, grace and compassion. Each day she points out ways she ‘made a mistake’ or is ‘learning new things’ so that her classroom is a place of courage and growth. I can think of countless days that her leadership lifted up my daughter and also myself.”

Congratulations to Bobby Woodard, CHCCS Custodial Supervisor, one of three employees from Operations nominated by Executive Director of Capital & Facilities Eric Allen. Lay Po and Stevie Crownson were also recognized and will be featured in future CHAMPions posts.

They received their CHAMPions award at the April 21 Board of Education meeting. Mr. Allen said of the trio, “These three gentlemen display the character that embodies what school districts should be about. They are extremely hardworking. Everyday they exhibit the servitude that is required of everyone in the arena of public education. They do not complete tasks for individual praise but for the betterment of the students and the district. In my time here in CHCCS, I have received emails from principals, teachers and community members highlighting the great things that these men accomplish on a daily basis. CHCCS would not be as great as it is without these gentlemen.” 

Mr. Woodard’s first position at CHCCS was as Head Custodian at Glenwood Elementary School before transferring to Facilities and Maintenance in Central Office. He is in his 27th year of service!