Topics Related to Celebrate the Good

Feb. 2-6 is National School Counseling Week. This post was written by Tuere Dunton-Forbes, a seasoned school counseling professional with two decades of experience in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). She currently serves as one of the district’s three School Counseling Program Managers, championing middle school wellness, interdisciplinary collaboration and staff well-being. As a member of the School Health Advisory Council, Dunton-Forbes brings strategic insight and heartfelt advocacy to initiatives that support the whole child — and the whole educator.
This post was written by Alicia Rheel, head of Island Montessori Charter School in Wilmington that serves students K-8. At Island Montessori Charter School, we believe public education is at its best when students are empowered not only to learn, but to contribute meaningfully to the world around them. From their earliest years on our campus, students are encouraged to see themselves as capable, responsible members of a larger community. Learning is not something that happens to them — it is something they actively shape, apply and reflect upon.
Senior Victoria Jimenez-Higdon shares her story.
Every parent wants the same thing: the best pathway for their child.
Not the best pathway in the abstract — the right one for their kid, with their needs, in their community.
How NC’s alternative preparation pathways helped Shaneta Little find her calling.
In this reflective essay, Valencia Abbott, the North Carolina and National History Teacher of the Year for 2025, explores how place-based, inquiry-driven history instruction empowers students to see themselves as historians. Centered on local civil rights history, her work demonstrates how community-rooted learning builds critical thinking, empathy and civic readiness.
North Carolina school and summer nutrition programs go above and beyond to make a difference. Their outstanding efforts to support students’ success in and out of the classroom are being recognized at the state and national level.
The new year ahead offers limitless possibilities for North Carolina public school students, educators and staff members. Below, our North Carolina Teacher and Principal of the Year networks are sharing what they have in store for 2026.
As the year comes to a close, we asked our North Carolina Teacher and Principal of the Year networks to share their highlights from 2025.
Symbols of Resilience in the Northwest.
This fall, State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green and other leaders hosted launch events in each region of the state for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education’s joint strategic plan, “Achieving Educational Excellence.”
Educators in each region are sharing their reflections about the tour stops.