Tom Tate was elected to the Board of Education in 2005. Tate serves as pastor of Plaza Presbyterian Church, a position which brought him to Charlotte in 1988. He is a graduate of Princeton University and received his doctor of ministry degree from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He has served as co-chair of the CMS Interfaith Advisory Council. Tom and his wife, Joanne, have two daughters, both graduates of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Tate is a member of the CMS Policy Committee and is a liaison to the Equity Committee and the Planning Liaison Committee.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Parent University (K-12)

Presenter: Jerri Haigler, Executive Director of Parent University and Family & Community Services CMS  

Parent University is much more than a physical building where parents come to matriculate.  It includes course work intended to help parents understand how to navigate the school district.  It provides parents with the latest information regarding curriculum, educational trends, effective parenting and planning for students’ educational futures.  Parents can participate in Parent University to develop their leadership skills, maximize their ability to assist with learning at home and find suggestions for promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Choosing Your Investments:  Marketing and Recruiting

Perfect Pitch: Marketing your Magnets (K-12)

Presenters: La Tarzja Henry, Executive Director of Public Information for CMS & Robbie Kale, Director of Magnet Programs - CMS

The right students can blossom in the magnet-school environment and finding those students is a critical challenge for an urban district.  This session will outline marketing and recruiting strategies at the district, departmental and school level.  Public forums, recruiting for a new magnet, and planning for an open house are all essential tools for building a magnet program that works.

Distributing the Dividends:  Improving Student Achievement

The Parthenon Group (6-12)

Presenter: Curtis Carroll, Area Superintendent for the Achievement Zone, The Parthenon Group

In 2006, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools formed an Achievement Zone to provide concentrated services for underachieving schools.  The Parthenon Group, a Boston based strategic advisory firm, partnered to design and implement a plan to support the Achievement Zone.  This presentation will include:  an overview of the Achievement Zone Learning Community, a summary of the project management techniques used to monitor the quality of implementation and recommendations for other schools and districts that are considering similar initiatives.

Strategic Partnerships (K-12)

Presenter: Samantha Evans, Director, Office of Strategic Partnerships for CMS

Learn how Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has successfully targeted its efforts toward nurturing partnerships and volunteerism focused on high academic achievement and safe schools.  Gain ideas and tools to help you build mutually beneficial relationships with business, faith and community partners.

Leading the World Bank:  Global Leadership

International Connections (5-8)

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, through a partnership with IBM Corporation, has implemented a communication program with students from Germany and South Africa.  Fifth-eighth grade students are matched with IBM employees who serve as mentors through the IBM MentorPlace Program (www.mentorplace.org).  Students are assigned lessons on various topics such as Teen Violence, the Election Process, Global Economics and current events.  Students and mentors read each others’ newspapers and conduct research on the assignments posted on MentorPlace website.  This session will show examples of the lessons as well as the student and mentor postings.  The presentation will highlight the merits of such a program that provides students the opportunity to communicate internationally on-line while discussing topics that support the goals of an international studies program and the opportunity to have a caring adult mentor that helps strengthen the learning process.

Diversifying Your Portfolio:  Equity and Diversity

The Ins and Outs of Student Assignment in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (K-12)

How do student assignment policies impact magnet programs?   How do race neutral student assignment policies affect magnet schools? This presentation highlights the experience CMS has had with lottery development, wait pools (vs. wait lists), paperless applications, magnet program reviews and community engagement.  Participants will be actively involved.

Opening the Vault:  Innovative Curriculum Design and Theme Integration

Investing Yields Big Dividends:  Vertical Alignment of Curriculum from Elementary to High School (K-12)

Presenter: Sara Wheeler, Director, Project ImPACT, Columbia, SC, Lynn Washington and Pam Hanfland

See how Richland School District Two in Columbia, SC developed a vertically aligned document for technology, communications and media.  Led by a district office technology instructor, teachers from the elementary, middle and high school technology and media magnet programs worked collaboratively to produce a district –wide aligned document for instruction and software.

Distributing the Dividends:  Improving Student Achievement

Opening Up Writing Through the Arts (K-5)

Through a unique partnership between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Magnet Schools and ImaginOn:  The Joe & Joan Martin Center, fourth grade students are finding powerful ways to bring stories to life.  ImaginOn is a vibrant facility located in uptown Charlotte shared by the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte and the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.  Its mission is about helping young people bring stories to life.  Fourth grade students from nearby First Ward Elementary visit ImaginOn each week to explore literacy skills and writing strategies through an artistic lens alongside staff members from both the theatre and the library.  Representatives from the First Ward/ImaginOn partnership will discuss the emerging collaboration, explore the benefits of using theatre, poetry and storytelling learning tools and describe creative approaches to learning paths for kids and the grown-ups who teach them.

Diversifying Your Portfolio:  Equity and Diversity

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education is committed to providing equal access to excellent educational opportunities for all its students in all its schools.  Mr. Wright will present his experience as Equity Committee Chair and share equity issues, reasons behind the issues, and positive steps by CMS to address these issues.  Districts interested in pursuing such an initiative may find this presentation informative.

Choosing Your Investments:  Marketing and Recruiting

Kids Market Best! (K-12)

Presenter: Jermaine Nichols, Lead Consultant, Vision Connect Consulting

The key to convincing parents to choose your magnet program may not be the credentials of the teachers or the high tech lab equipment.  Your program’s recruitment can be greatly enhanced by the words of your confident and articulate students.  This presentation provides participants with the tools needed to train students to present a magnet program that is sure to impress and assure prospective parents.

Opening the Vault:  Innovative Curriculum Design and Theme Integration

Banking on Our Brightest Minds (K-12)

Presenters: Stephanie Range, Director of CMS Advanced Studies, Shirley Kohl, Talent Development Elementary Specialist, Myra Langley, North Carolina Gifted Teacher of the Year, 2008

This presentation will highlight the Advanced Studies program (6-12) and the Talent Development program (K-5) offered in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  Information will be shared about the opportunities and enrichment offered as well as the professional development designed to help teachers meet the needs of our high ability learners.