Author: Beth Thrift

Building Excitement in K-5 STEM Education – A Conference Success!

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Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin and Steve Johnson

The Building Engineers in K–5 Classrooms 2024 Conference (BE Conference) welcomed over 350 educators from North Carolina, including representatives from 48 counties. The Conference was held on Friday, April 26, 2024, at the McKimmon Center on the campus of NC State University. Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin, Executive Director of SERVE at UNC-Greensboro, welcomed the group and recognized conference organizers and educators for their commitment and dedication to STEM education.

The guiding focus of the RC6 Building Engineers program is to guarantee ALL students in North Carolina access to high-quality STEM practices and career pathways. The program provides ongoing support to LEA cohorts, resources and materials, and statewide support through the Annual Conference and the STEM Teacher Collaborative. Steve Johnson, the Regional Comprehensive Center 6 (RC6) STEM Specialist for SERVE at UNC Greensboro has led the conference through his work with RC6 for the past three years.

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Dr. Charles Aiken and Steve Johnson

Dr. Charles Aiken, Section Chief of Mathematics, Science, & STEM for the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), provided remarks about the importance of viewing STEM education beyond the four walls of the classroom. Audience members were fascinated by the example he shared of Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise, which used 8,409 videos, and 5,905 singers from 101 countries to create a digital experience that showcased digital technology and various math, science, and engineering tools to create a seamless experience. He also provided information about how the NCDPI supports the work of STEM through robotics grants, digital teaching learning grants, a STEM Teacher Collaborative, and STEM Schools of Distinction.

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Dr. Laura Bottomley

“Building Empathetic Engineers to Save our World” was the topic of the morning keynote speech given by Dr. Laura Bottomley, Director, Engineering Education at NC State University. Dr. Bottomley noted in her talk, “Every challenge in the classroom is an opportunity for growth – both for our students and for ourselves. We need to prepare them to solve the challenges that we’ve never experienced before. We need to teach them to be socially responsible, to be optimistic. Let’s not train the wonder out of our students. Let’s let them be excited.”

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Student demonstration at BE Conference

The K5 Engineers Conference would not be complete without our elementary school students! This year’s conference featured a Student Showcase, where attendees had the opportunity to observe students doing inspiring STEM work. The showcase featured projects that students were working on in classrooms across the state. As one attendee noted, “the children were engrossed in their activities, and it was exciting to see the inspiration and joy of learning that they exhibited.”

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Student demonstration at BE Conference
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Ms. Rolanda Baldwin

The lunch keynote featured Rolanda Baldwin, Vice President of Mathematics at UnboundEd. Ms. Baldwin’s presentation focused on the important topic of diversity and inclusion in STEM education. Her presentation was titled “Eliminating the Black Unicorn”, and she shared her personal journey in STEM education, as well spoke about the importance of “reimagining what it means to experience STEM success.”

From “Books + Bots: What’s the Buzz?!” to the “Sky’s the Limit: Elevate your Curriculum with Drones!”, the conference offered five learning sessions throughout the day for attendees on 32 different topics and featured more than 50 presenters who represented the best STEM K-5 educators across North Carolina.

The conference was made possible through a partnership between the NCDPI and SERVE, as well as the following exhibiting partners: Center for Inquiry-Based Learning, Robo Wunderkind, Code.org, hand2mind, Lakeshore Learning, Burroughs Welcome Fund Drone Legends, UnboundEd, and Sphero.

The statewide Building Engineers initiative represents a partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and SERVE‘s Region 6 Comprehensive Center. Learn more about Building Engineers in the K-5 Classroom program.

Post by: Judi Rossabi, SERVE Communications Specialist

Photos: by SERVE staff

Building a Community of Practitioners

Improving Experiences for Preschool to Third Grade Children and All Who Support Their Education and Development

Dr. Sharon Ritchie, Carla Garrett, and Dr. Eva Phillips

SERVE’s Preschool–3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute (DLI) Meeting convened on April 12, 2024, in Chapel Hill. Carla Garrett, Program Specialist for the Comprehensive Center Network’s Region 6 (RC6) at SERVE, was joined by Dr. Sharon Ritchie, Senior Research Scientist (ret.), Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, and Dr. Eva Phillips, early learning consultant, as presenters for the day-long institute. Members of the Preschool–3rd Grade DLI Cohorts I, II, and III were in attendance, plus guests interested in being a part of Cohort IV.

Children Come First — Building Relationships is #1

Garrett noted during her presentation that the work being done at SERVE is framed around the white paper, Children Come First: Ensuring School Policies, Practices, and Strategies Lead to Positive 3rd Grade Outcomes.” She said, “all of our professional development comes out of that paper, including ensuring equitable access to high quality learning, making the connections in terms of alignment, and most of all, a focus on the child and content pieces. We are here to build relationships first of all, and to help you continue to grow your community of practice.”

Two key topics covered in the institute were universal needs and parallel process. Dr. Ritchie spoke about “relatedness and how people who feel related to those around them are able to function as productive members of a community.” Ritchie added, “People who feel related are better able to interact effectively with others, and to give and accept responsibility, cooperate, have compassion, and show respect.”

As noted in the white paper, Children Come First: Ensuring School Policies, Practices, and Strategies Lead to Positive 3rd Grade Outcomes, “a parallel process is one in which the conditions considered desirable for one group are the very same as those established for others.”

During her presentation, Dr. Phillips spoke about the importance of building relationships. “We are thrilled to be working on this project with all of you. It’s my life’s passion to share with educators this important information and we hope that you get both guidance and ideas,” says Phillips.

One segment of the meeting addressed brain research and featured information on toxic stress, memory, self-regulation, and executive function. As Dr. Phillips noted during her presentation, “All of our children are experiencing more toxic stress than ever before. The pandemic bumped toxic stress up to the next level. It has a powerful, unfortunate effect on children in that it can derail healthy development. Play reduces toxic stress and joy is the opposite of toxic stress.”

Nearly 50 early childhood educators from across North Carolina gathered at SERVE’s Preschool–3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute Meeting in Chapel Hill on April 12th.

What Cohort Participants Have to Say

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Michelle Carr (l), second grade teacher at East Carolina University’s Community School with Tracy Cole.

Tracy Cole who has been in the Preschool–3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute since the beginning as part of Cohort I, is Principal of East Carolina University’s Community School in Greenville.

“We are one of nine laboratory schools in the UNC system. This has been an amazing journey participating in the cohort from the very beginning. The support and one-on-one time to listen has been invaluable,” says Cole.

Sam Mehrlich is a member of Cohort II. She is a 24-year veteran kindergarten teacher at Catawba Springs Elementary in Lincoln County. Sam says, “It is a positive and enlightening opportunity for me to be with educators in North Carolina that are passionate about working with young children. The importance of building the transition between the PreK world and early learning. We spend so much time in our own bubble that it’s important to see people from across the state and I feel like I have an opportunity to do something with the things I’m hearing and learning. I enjoyed the interactions from being a part of the cohort. It’s nice to know that there are people advocating for early childhood.”

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Chris Kolasinski (l), Director of PreK and Early Learning, Lincoln County Schools discusses the Distinguished Leadership Institute with Sam Merlich.
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Carla Garrett (l) and Ro Lewis

Ro Lewis, Coordinator of Professional Development and Outreach for NC Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Association says, “The facilitators of SERVE’s Distinguished Leaders Institute act as conductors for the various organizations and stakeholders working with children birth through third grade so that all the entities in all the counties can work together like a symphony to make the beautiful music needed to sing our next generations into the future. It’s empowering to be in a community of people working for the same goal and it keeps your hope afloat!”

Making and Keeping Connections

“One part that we love about this project is making and keeping connections,” says Garrett, who spoke about the importance of the development of the prefrontal cortex in executive function and self-regulation and how it ties into the ability to manage one’s emotions and behavior. “Children cannot learn to self-regulate when regulated by adults,” she added.

SERVE’s Preschool–3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute is offered through the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) at SERVE at UNC Greensboro. Learn more about RC6 here.

Garrett, C., Ritchie, S., Phillips, E.C. (2021). Children Come First: Ensuring School Policies, Practices, and Strategies Lead to Positive 3rd Grade Outcomes. Greensboro, NC: SERVE Center at UNC Greensboro.

In addition to the white paper, read 10 briefs in the Children Come First series found on the RC6 Resources page under the Early Childhood tab.

Post and photos by: Judi Rossabi, SERVE Communications Specialist

Meeting the Moment for Early Learners

Carla Garrett is passionate about early childhood education. She shared her enthusiasm at a recent gathering hosted by the Comprehensive Center Network led by the National Comprehensive Center. The convening, titled “Meeting the Moment: How State Leaders are Using Innovation for Impact” was held in Washington, D.C. on March 5th-6th.

Garrett, who is the Early Childhood Program Specialist for the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6), was joined by team members Melissa Eddy, Assistant Director, Federal Programs at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), and Nicole Pait, Pre-K-5 ELA Director, Richmond County Schools, in a presentation titled “Equitable Access to High Quality Early Learning Environments: A Focus on Preschool-3rd Grade in NC.”

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The presentation team from left to right: Melissa Eddy, Carla Garret, and Nicole Pait

Building a Community of Practitioners

Garrett spoke about a high leverage problem that the RC6 is addressing – improving equitable early school experiences in North Carolina. The RC6 is addressing this problem by providing professional development for elementary and early learning leaders, including teachers, as well as mentoring using evidence-based practices. Audience members were fascinated to learn more about the engagement in the Preschool-3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute. The program is a 10-month (approximately 100 hours) blended learning opportunity developed by Garrett and team members Dr. Sharon Ritchie and Dr. Eva Phillips, in which participants engage with peers, national experts, and content to grow together to strengthen the preschool-3rd grade continuum. The foundation for the syllabus is an RC6-developed white paper, “Children Come First: Ensuring School Policies, Practices, and Strategies Lead to Positive 3rd Grade Outcomes.” Participants receive a Preschool – 3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute certificate upon meeting requirements of completion. This Leadership Institute helps build a community of practitioners to improve experiences for preschool-3rd grade children and those who are supporting their education and development.

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Members of Cohort 2 share Six Word Stories

“Each year, the Preschool-3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute has grown. Cohort participants reach out to partners within their LEAs, organizations, and/or community to raise awareness and recruit new members, building a community of practitioners from across the state. One key element includes recognizing participants for their achievement upon completion, and we accomplish this by awarding Preschool – 3rd Grade Distinguished Leadership Institute certificates,” Garrett said.

Meeting the Learning Needs of Young Children

A portion of the presentation focused on recommendations for using best practices in early learning. The best practices included ensuring alignment of policies, curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices throughout the preschool-3rd grade years, and using research to guide practice and advocate for young children. The panelists shared the importance of ensuring that equity is central when collaborating with early learning partners to plan and implement ongoing professional development.  

The panel took time to share desired outcomes for policymakers and early childhood education leaders; including increased awareness regarding early learning opportunities utilizing ESSA/ESSER funding; increasing the number of early childhood programs and early grades with high quality learning environments that can better support young learners and close achievement and opportunity gaps.

Melissa Eddy, Assistant Director of Federal Programs for the NCDPI, shared how the SEA supports the project from multiple departments, including the Office of Federal Programs and the Office of Early Learning. The panelists emphasized the importance of supporting and promoting the use of ESSA/ESSER dollars for early childhood programs.

Garrett also shared her newest publication “Capturing the Opportunity: How ESSA Can Elevate Our Youngest Learners.” The white paper was co-authored by Garrett, along with Danielle Ewen, a Principal with Sixth Street Associates.   

Building Bridges

Panelist Nicole Pait, Pre-K-5 ELA Director, Richmond County Schools, shared some examples of working with ESSA funds to provide much-needed financial support to help build capacity in Richmond County. Pait participated in the P-3 Leadership Certificate Program through the University of Colorado Denver as a member of the first North Carolina Cohort, which was support by the RC6, and remains involved. She spoke about the success of monthly Pre-K Professional Learning Communities and shared information on RC6 early childhood resources to help elementary principals and central office administrators better understand early childhood education.

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RC6 presentation

“Meeting the Moment was such an awesome opportunity to share our work. It’s about helping build connections. I’m super excited to be able to do what I’m passionate about,” Garrett said. “In North Carolina we have a statewide interest in, and a demand for long-term professional development that involves early learning leaders who are diverse in ethnicity, backgrounds, and roles, and who are focused on promoting and strengthening the preschool-3rd grade continuum,” she added.

Building Relationships

According to Garrett, “It’s really about the relationships,” and her ability to communicate and build relationships is evident by her outstanding accomplishments in the field of Early Childhood Education.

How to improve equitable access to high quality learning environments through knowledge and access to resources was a key focus of the presentation. The group shared information on how to structure supports in their efforts and guidance on how to develop strategies at the state and local levels to reduce inequities.

Garrett and her colleagues asked audience members to consider ‘who are your partners in education and consider who could be your partners in thinking about how to support the preschool–3rd grade continuum. Also, think about who is missing?’

When asked if she could sum up her overall thoughts on early learning, Garrett responded, “My focus on relationships and passion for appropriate practice contribute to my mission of providing the best possible experiences for young children and their families. The RC6 Early Childhood project allows me to do just that. I am thankful for the incredible leadership at SERVE who support this work.”

The Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) table at the Meeting the Moment convening

Story by Judi Rossabi, Communications Specialist, SERVE
Photos provided by: Carla Garrett, Early Childhood Program Specialist, Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) at SERVE

Networking, Collaborating, Analyzing Challenges, and Sharing Effective Practices

The 2024 Innovative Partnership Grant (IPG) Spring Convening was held on February 27th & 28th at the Rowan-Salisbury Schools district office. More than 80 participants gathered to network, collaborate, analyze challenges, and share effective practices. The group in attendance included Principals and School Coaches from 13 Cohort II and 15 Cohort III IPG schools across the state, their District Liaisons, and external partners, as well as representatives from NCDPI.

Tenisea Madry, Statewide Program Administrator, Office of Federal Programs, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), led the two-day event with a myriad of interesting activities that kept attendees engaged. Madry was joined by Tim Dryman, Consolidated West Section Chief, NCDPI.

First day goals were to:

  • Provide time and space for the IPG Community of Practice to meet face-to-face to share and solve problems together.
  • Engage members in networking and dialogue with one another.
  • Cultivate intentional bonds and bridges among members of the community that extend the reach of the community.
  • Support members in collaboration and collective advocacy.
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Tenisea Madry and Tim Dryman, NCDPI.

The NCDPI established a competition to award Innovative Partnership Grants (IPG) to Comprehensive School Improvement (CSI) schools in the Spring of 2020, 2021, and 2023. This grant provides additional fiscal resources, technical supports, and site visits to help schools improve student achievement and, ultimately, to assist these schools with exiting the federal identification/status of CSI.

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Teams work together on problem-solving.

CSI schools participating in the IPG program are offered coaching and feedback to ensure continuous improvement. The Region 6 Comprehensive Center at SERVE, provides technical assistance to the North Carolina IPG team for planning and implementing support to the IPG-funded CSI schools, as well as provides supports to the IPG School Coaches, Principals, and District Liaisons community through ongoing virtual and face-to-face facilitated events and relevant resources.

Five key pillars of the IPG program include:

  1. Having a 12-month IPG School Coach at the school to assist leadership with the implementation of evidence-based school improvement strategies;
  2. Identifying an external partner who collaborates with the school to provide expertise to assist in fully and effectively implementing evidence-based school improvement strategies;
  3. Having a principal who is committed to the CSI school throughout the duration of the full implementation phase of the grant;
  4. Utilizing NCStar for school improvement planning; and
  5. Setting goals tracking goal for student achievement in reading/language arts, mathematics, and science.

One example of fostering networking and sharing of effective practices is when five schools from Cohort II shared some of their most successful practices in an “Around the World” activity. The five Cohort II teams invited to share, each took a portion of the room, while other attendees from Cohort II and Cohort III rotated around in intervals. Presenting schools included: Career Readiness Academy @Mosley, Fairview Elementary, Renaissance West STEAM Academy, Selma Middle School, and Vance County Middle School.

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Charles Broadfoot and Sonia Martin

Charles Broadfoot, Principal, at the Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC, spoke about how their #1 goal has been to improve climate and culture at Mosely by integrating SEL practices into every classroom. He felt their efforts were successful – when the school was recently faced with closure, it was the students who fought for it to remain open. With just over 60 students, the Career Readiness Academy has the smallest enrollment in the state.

Principal Dwight Thompson, Renaissance West STEAM Academy, revealed that one of the first action steps he took after becoming principal in 2017 was to remove all in-school suspension. Thompson, whose school has over 800 students, was recently named Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s Principal of the Year in 2023. He uses community and corporate partnerships to implement a strong vision of success for students. The academy is a neighborhood school with a focus on academic achievement, youth programs, health and family services, and community engagement.

Teams also engaged in activities that allowed them to share some of the challenges they faced in their schools working in role-alike groups to present a Problem of Practice to their colleagues, who actively listened, engaged in inquiry, and brainstormed to provide possible solutions that could be implemented to help mitigate or solve the challenge at the school. Believing that the “wisdom is in the room” the Program Administrator provides a safe space for role-alike groups to openly discuss challenges with their peers, who may be facing similar challenges or has faced and found solutions.

At the end of Day One, all 13 teams from IPG Cohort II were celebrated for their positive results with a plaque to take back to their respective schools.

“We recognize outstanding dedication and successful three-year commitment to the Innovation Partnership Grant Cohort II Schools. Your unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence has significantly contributed to the advancement of learning,” Madry said.

Since Cohort III is in their first year of implementation, Day Two was designed to provide grantees with the opportunity to reflect on program implementation thus far and refine ideas for moving forward. The session also included a section on how to develop stakeholder engagement, performance monitoring of partnering organization, data tracking and reporting, and fiscal accountability. Participants had the opportunity to debrief through reflection, refinement, and learning from each other.

NCDPI Team are pictured left to right:
Pauletta Thompson, Tenisea Madry, Tim Dryman, Shauna Andrews, and
Toya Kimbrough.
“I have always been a proponent of school improvement, and I strongly believe that IPG provides that equity to put everyone on an equal playing field. The convening provided an opportunity for IPG schools across the state to network, collaborate, and share successes and challenges to make each of their schools better through support of IPG.”
Tim Dryman, NCDPI

Story and Photo: Judi Rossabi, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Priscilla Maynor on American Indian Education
in North Carolina

Dr. Priscilla Maynor describes herself as a lifelong educator, starting her career as a special education teacher in Robeson County, NC. From there, Priscilla’s professional career spans working as a school administrator, district administrator, Senior Advisor to the State Superintendent, and Executive Director for The NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). In 2011 Priscilla’s career led to an executive leadership role in national consulting in the areas of leadership development and technology. In this role, she worked on a portfolio of education innovation projects supporting grantees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Her vast skills in K-12 Education brought Priscilla to SERVE, where she is currently the Interim Director of the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6). As the Interim Director, Priscilla is the key contact person for state education agencies (SEAs) in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, providing capacity-building services addressing high-leverage challenges identified by the U.S. Department of Education.

As an American Indian and a member of the Lumbee Tribe, one of the eight tribes located in North Carolina, Priscilla believes both her personal and professional experiences afforded her the opportunity to better understand the different perspectives around education and the variation of needs across the state in schools serving Native students.

While serving at NCDPI as the State Liaison for the State Advisory Council on American Indian Education (SACIE) Priscilla reached a turning point in her career, “I had the opportunity to travel across the state and spent a lot of time getting to know the tribal communities, the children, the families, and the community much broader.”

“Through serving with the State Advisory Council on American Indian Education, it put me in a place of influence to educate others about tribal communities, to bridge and connect understanding across differences to better inform policy.”

In North Carolina, there are eight tribes, one federally recognized, and seven that are state recognized. You may not know it, but North Carolina has the sixth-largest population of American Indians in the U.S. In North Carolina, the last census in 2020, there were slightly over 120,000 American Indians in our population. There are also four urban centers that support American Indian families in the urban areas: Wake, Guilford, Cumberland, and Mecklenburg, counties of our state.

NCDPI reported for the 2020-2021 academic year, there were 15,953 students who were enrolled in public schools in North Carolina who identified as American Indian or Alaska Native; of those students, just under 13,000 students are served in 19 school districts that received Federal Indian Education dollars through the Title VI Indian Education Act. Those funds flow directly to school districts to support the unique culture, academic needs of American Indian students.

A recent process that has helped with collaborative discussions on American Indian Education is the Circles of Reflection, a pilot initiative led by The National Comprehensive Center. It is a three-phase process to engage state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), tribal education departments (TEDs), or tribal education agencies (TEAs) in discussions about the states’ support for educating Native students. To learn more about the Circles of Reflection, read the Circles of Reflection Impact Story on the Comprehensive Center Network website.

North Carolina was one of four states that participated in the national Circles of Reflection pilot. Priscilla explained the North Carolina priorities that came out of the discussions. “It was a formalized structure of state education leaders, tribal leaders, and tribal community members sitting around the table to talk about the issues, problem solving together, and moving forward with a plan.”

One key priority identified was addressing teachers’ understanding of the culture and language of American Indian students. “The teachers are thirsty for more information about the communities and students they serve.” Priscilla believes discussions on teacher professional development across the state are integral particularly with those counties that have significant populations of American Indian students.

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Dr. Priscilla Maynor wears a traditional Honor Blanket given to her during
the 2023 SACIE American Indian Education Summit

The State Advisory Council on Indian Education (SACIE) established by a North Carolina General law in 1987 to create an advisory council to the State Board of Education (SBE) is integral in advising state leaders and educators across North Carolina. This Council prepares an annual report on ways to meet the educational needs of American Indian students. The annual report is a valued resource taking actionable steps to support Native education in the state.

In January 2023, SACIE held an American Indian Education Summit to promote equitable and intentional practices in American Indian Education. Priscilla was among three Honorees at the Summit. She received recognition for her past role as a senior member of the NCDPI Leadership Team supporting Native Education.

As she reflected on the key messages from the Summit, Priscilla emphasized the importance of American Indian Education leadership. “It can help coordinate and bridge the various tribes and all the schools and entities involved in educating Native youth.” She believes American Indian leaders speaking collectively about how to create equitable opportunities help with solutions to challenges American Indian students face related to the high rate of high school dropout, trauma, and academic performance. “Bringing folks together to create and think through solutions is vitally important.”

Priscilla believes in the essence of elevating the voice of community. Throughout her career, she often references a quote, by Wilma Mankiller, the first woman Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, “Whoever controls the voice controls the future of our children.” According to Priscilla, our Native children play a crucial role in preserving American Indian culture and traditions. “They are the communities’ primary resource for sustaining our Native ways of knowing, culture, and traditions, and also are the ones who will carry forward and sustain our people’s identity and heritage in future generations.” Priscilla believes in the importance of including the voices of American Indian communities in decisions regarding the education of American Indian students. She added, “Whoever controls the voice controls not only the future of our children but also the future of our communities and Native identity.”

In her role as Interim Director, Priscilla shared her hopes for the future of the RC6 related to supporting American Indian Education. “I hope that Region 6 can play a role in helping the state and the local districts build their capacity to engage with the tribes authentically in those areas where there are identified needs.”

Priscilla would like to work to create solutions for increasing awareness of American Indian culture and native language, through professional development for teachers and collaborating with tribal leaders.

Story and Photo: Sana Silvera-Roy, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Breaking Educational Barriers in P-3
(Pre-K through 3rd Grade) Education 

2022 has been an exciting year for the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) and particularly for the Early Childhood project. Carla Garrett, SERVE’s Early Childhood Program Specialist, leads the project, which focuses on providing equitable student access to high quality learning environments. The early childhood project aims to improve educational policies, practices, and strategies by enriching early childhood educators’ best practices that will lead to positive P-3 outcomes.

NC P-3 Leaders with Carla Garrett, SERVE Early Childhood Specialist, on far right

The project’s central focus is to improve equitable school experiences for North Carolina’s youngest learners. Part of this comprehensive project included the RC6 providing support, resources, leadership, and mentoring for the first North Carolina cohort’s participation in the P-3 Leadership Certificate program, created and implemented by Dr. Kristie Kaurez, an associate clinical professor at the University of Colorado Denver.

March marked the graduation of Cohort 1 from the P-3 Leadership Certificate Program. Cohort 1 comprised 13 early childhood leaders from across the State – one leader from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), and three expert facilitators.

George Hancock
George Hancock

George Hancock, the Executive Director of the SERVE Center and the Co-Director of the RC6, offered his insights into the work the RC6 is doing to support the continued efforts of North Carolina’s P-3 Leadership Certificate Project.

Having worked at multiple levels in North Carolina education, including instruction, administration, technical assistance, policy development, and inter-organizational collaboration, George began his career as a teacher and principal, and has been a district-level federal programs administrator and state coordinator for School Improvement Grants.

While working in schools, he saw the positive impact that early childhood education can have on a young child. “I was fortunate to work with solid Pre-K teachers and saw what that could do for children in a local community.”

George recalls that at times; however, some policies and programs have created unintentional barriers for early childhood educators, such as lack of training opportunities, resources, and government funding. Concerning is the impact a lack of attention to early childhood education could have on the developmental stages of North Carolina’s youngest learners. “Without the attention, we’re going to be in danger of losing out on an incredible opportunity to change the lives of these young children.”

He credits the work of the RC6 team, particularly those working with the P-3 Leadership Certificate Project, with the opportunity to help break down educational barriers. Initiating “the project was an opportunity to say we know the right things to do for children.” He believes the RC6 team that helped implement the P-3 Leadership Certificate Project knows the work, has the experience, and has done the research to help put those pieces into place to positively impact P-3 education. “What we wanted to do with this early childhood work was to build it from the grassroots level.”

The process was to engage teachers, principals, and district representatives and have their voices play into the work.”

George Hancock

“We’ve developed a white paper of best practices that includes what we know can work for young children.” Children Come First: Ensuring School Policies, Practices, and Strategies Lead to Positive Third Grade Outcomes uses research-based strategies that ensure school policy, practices, equity, and strategy lead to positive third-grade outcomes. The P-3 Leadership Project participants take this knowledge back to their early childhood classroom environments with an intended outcome for educational leaders to apply the knowledge gained in the program back in the classroom. The goal is to help North Carolina’s early childhood educators eliminate achievement gaps associated with equity, literacy, and mathematics.

George agrees that policies coming down from the State that focus on end-of-grade assessments must be in place to improve academic achievement outcomes. “These assessments are no doubt important to track the progress of students.” He added, “While the academic focus is essential, it is equally important to focus on the developmental stages of young children.” Believing positive student outcomes involve a systems approach supporting teachers and school administrators, he noted, “This framework is critical to breaking down some barriers and meeting people where they are.”

Acknowledging that with the onset of the pandemic that it has never been a more challenging situation in the schools and district, he reflected, “I don’t think it’s ever been more difficult to be in a school, a classroom, or a school district for various reasons.” However, he is confident that despite the current challenges faced within schools and districts, people in classrooms, all the way up to the state level, are still working hard for children. He stated, “We must accept those challenges, and when putting policies in place, we must remember that we are dealing with real people.”

George wants to keep the momentum that the RC6 has initiated in breaking educational barriers by expanding the work started in the first year of the North Carolina P-3 Leadership Certificate Project to more educators across the state. He summed up his thoughts on early childhood education, concluding, “We must get this one right, not just with our P-3 leader-ship group, but across the state and country.”

Story: Sana Silvera-Roy, Communications Specialist, SERVE
Photos: Curtis Burgins, Communications Specialist, SERVE

First Recipient of the Edward Frick Technology Achievement Award

Moore County Schools Graduate Shows Leadership in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Becoming the First Recipient of the Edward Frick Technology Award.

Mayra Pulido, a North Moore High School 2021-22 graduate, is the first recipient of the Edward Frick Technology Achievement Award. Over the next ten years, the award will fund one Moore County graduating senior with a $1,250 scholarship to pursue post-secondary education in STEM-related career paths. The funds are made possible by Edward R. and Sally Frick in partnership with the Public Education Foundation of Moore County.

Mr. Frick is a retired IBM executive who designed and installed the company’s first online banking system and its first banking computer network. As a person in the technology field, Mr. Frick believes the award can help build a student’s path to a STEM-related career. Mr. Frick has seen the initiative that Moore County Schools are doing in STEM and hopes the annual scholarship will motivate students to pursue a career in the field. He believes awarding the scholarship to graduating seniors will help younger students envision themselves following the same educational path.

The award was presented to Mayra by Mr. Frick this past spring at the 5th annual Building Engineers K-5 Classrooms Conference robotics showcase held at Pinecrest High School, co-sponsored by the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) at the SERVE Center, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), and Moore County Schools. The showcase featured 86 teams from all 13 elementary schools in Moore County.

Award recipient student
Pictured left to right, Mayra Pulido
and Mr. Edward Frick

Mayra described what it meant for her to win the award. “It’s an honor to receive the award.” She believes winning comes with a responsibility for her to be a leader for younger people in STEM programs. She would like other students to know they can pursue a career in the STEM field. “I want other students like me to know they can continue their education and do this.”

Mayra’s initial interest in STEM started with a broken cell phone. “When I was in the 6th grade, I dropped my iPhone on the floor, and the screen was completely shattered.” Mayra believed she could fix the phone because she was already taking robotics classes. “Unfortunately, I failed.” Mayra told her mother, “I will fix the cell phone screen one day.” Mayra knew back then that succeeding in STEM would take failing and restarting. Her determination is what sparked her interest in STEM.

In a previous interview, Steve Johnson, the STEM Specialist at the Serve Center, said, “STEM tasks are set up to be very failure driven.” He explained that the failure students experience helps develop their problem-solving and leadership skills.

Since the 6th grade, Mayra has competed in at least ten robotics competitions at the district and state levels. She has been a key contributor to many robotics teams like the North Moore High School All-Girls Cyber Patriot team, which reached the silver status each year and finished in the top three in the last two years. Mayra was also a key contributor to the Girls Go Cyber Start Team from North Moore High School. The team was one of nine from North Carolina to qualify for the National Round in the 2019-2020 school year.

Mayra knows that she could not have accomplished the academic success she has thus far without the support of her family and teachers. She credits her interest in a career in STEM to her robotics coach, Tyler Callahan, the Digital Integration Facilitator for Moore County Schools. “He is my role model; someone I look up to.” Mayra watched Callahan work with Technology almost daily, inspiring her to pursue a STEM career. “It made me believe I could be like him and maneuver through engineering and technology.”

When Callahan learned that Mayra mentioned him as a role model, he said, “I was humbled and honored,” adding, “It’s extra special coming from Mayra.” He described the overall motivation Mayra has and her potential as “unmatched.” He said, “Mayra is not only a great student but a true leader. Callahan is confident Mayra will be a role model for many people throughout her life. “I know that is going to happen.”

Mayra embodies problem-solving and leadership skills. Over the years, “I saw her becoming someone other students would reach out to when they had questions,” said Callahan. “I think STEM has played no small part in that it is definitely something that made a good foundation for her leadership skills.”

Mayra wants to maintain the role of a leader. She believes a leader must put in the effort they want to see in the world. “I believe as a leader if you want to change, you must be a part of that change.” Mayra also believes a good leader knows how to work as a team. The difference Mayra aspires to see in the world is to use what she has learned in STEM to help change pollution. “It is a big issue in today’s world. I hope someday I can help solve this problem.”

Mayra advises other students interested in STEM, “If you know that you are interested in a STEM subject, choose that path and stick to it.” She encourages students interested in a STEM career to focus on school and take suitable classes to help them prepare for a future in a STEM-related field.

Mayra plans to start college this fall at Sandhills Community College in Moore County, pursuing an associate degree with a pre-engineering track. While in college, Mayra expressed her interest in expanding her knowledge in STEM, and with that knowledge, she would like to start a career in STEM.” Mayra would like to complete her four-year degree at UNC Charlotte.

Story: Sana Silvera-Roy, Communications Specialist, SERVE
Photo: Curtis Burgins, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Robotics Showcase Paves the Way for Innovations in STEM

Moore County is leading the way for North Carolina students by implementing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs in various lesson plans. STEM programs are being integrated into the school curriculum thanks to STEM lessons that introduce students to innovative ways of solving problems. Traditional education uses testing methods to measure students’ grade performance. Adding STEM lessons complements the school’s curriculum by helping students sharpen their problem-solving skills, which are helpful to students in the classroom and beyond.

On April 19th and 20th, The Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) at the SERVE Center co-sponsored the 5th annual Building Engineers K-5 Classrooms Conference. On the second day of the Conference, a robotics showcase at Pinecrest High School featured 86 teams from all 13 elementary schools in Moore County.

Adults at conference
Pictured SERVE Staff left to right, George Hancock, Executive Director; Bridget Johnson, Specialist for State Projects; Steve Johnson STEM Specialist

Steve Johnson, SERVE’s STEM Specialist since 2021, led the event. Steve’s passion for growing high-quality STEM programs is evident in his work within schools, particularly with the work he does leading the annual Building Engineers in K-5 Classroom Conferences. Before joining SERVE, Steve was the Assistant Director of Technology for Moore County Schools. 

Steve praises the teachers, Digital Integration Facilitators, and other support staff in Moore County Schools for pulling off such a fantastic event. “One of the greatest rewards of inviting educators from across the state to the event is how much love and applause they shower upon Moore County Schools’ elementary engineers,” said Steve.

It has been two years since the Conference was an in-person event, and you could feel the energy and the excitement in the building. “It’s incredible to come back and to be able to do this in person after over a two-year hiatus,” said Tim Locklair, Interim Superintendent of Moore County Schools. The event has been held virtually for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

students working on robotics
Dash Team – Robotics Showcase Pinecrest High School, Moore County

STEM helps students gain essential problem-solving and critical thinking skills in all subjects. With the increasing developments in technology, “STEM prepares the student for what is coming next for them,” said Dante Poole, Principal at Aberdeen Elementary. He added, “STEM helps students gain the ability to think deeply about a problem and come up with a solution.”

STEM also homes in on the fact that it is okay to fail, using what was referred to at the Conference as the four Cs, which stands for creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. 

students working with robotics
Spike Team – Robotics Showcase at Pinecrest High School, Moore County

A seven-year STEM teacher at Aberdeen Elementary, Beth Alderson, explained how the four Cs translate into all subject areas, “You do not have to be good at math to be good at STEM. It is a coping skill and a living skill.” She added that STEM helps students with much-needed life skills.

Will Herring, Assistant Director of Technology, said the event started seven years ago with six or seven teams. He noted, “What started as a club spilled into classrooms and ultimately created the robotics event that allows students to get hands-on experience. He called it “Hard Fun,” precisely what it was.


Another first happened during the Robotics Showcase. Edward Frick presented the first Frick Technology Achievement Award, made possible with funding from Edward R. and Sally Frick in partnership with the Public Education Foundation of Moore County. Frick is a retired IBM executive who designed and installed the company’s first online banking system and its first banking computer network.

student receiving STEM scholarship award
Pictured from left to right Mayra Pulido, Edward Frick, Andrew Lyons President
FirstBank, Dr. Tim Locklair Interim Superintendent for Moore County

Each year, one graduating senior will receive a $1,250 award for post-secondary education. The award supports graduating seniors from Moore County Schools who plan to pursue a career in a STEM-related field. A committee consisting of high school counselors, Career Technical Education staff, and Digital Integration Facilitators selects the student. This year’s award recipient is Mayra Pulido from North Moore High School.

According to her college advisor, Mayra is very passionate about her involvement in STEM and Engineering Clubs, and she exemplifies leadership in everything that she does.

Mayra will attend Sandhills Community College to pursue an associate degree with a pre-engineering track. She completed the Sandhills Promise, a dual enrollment program, which will pay for two years of free community college tuition. She plans on completing her four-year degree at UNC Charlotte.

Story: Sana Silvera-Roy, Communications Specialist, SERVE
Photos: Curtis Burgins, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Building Engineers in K-5 Classrooms Conference

April 19th – 20th – Sandhills Community College, Moore County, NC

Elementary educators, learn how to utilize high-quality STEM practices in your classrooms and watch K-5 students put their programming and engineering skills to the test in real-time challenges at the Building Engineers in K-5 Classrooms Conference, April 19-20. Join fellow elementary educators from across the state at Sandhills Community College for more than 40 hands-on concurrent sessions. More conference info is available at k5engineers.org/conference. Registration is limited. Sign up NOW here.

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This website was developed under a grant from the Department of Education through the Office of Program and Grantee Support Services (PGSS) within the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), by the Region 6 Comprehensive Center (RC6) at the SERVE Center at UNC Greensboro under Award #S283B190055. This website contains resources that are provided for the reader’s convenience. These materials may contain the views and recommendations of various subject matter experts as well as hypertext links, contact addresses, and websites to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any outside information included in these materials. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, service, enterprise, curriculum, or program of instruction mentioned in this document is intended or should be inferred.

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