McDowell, Rutherford & Onslow Counties - April 26-29

Covering over 300 miles in four days, Superintendent Catherine Truitt’s District Visits and Voices initiative continued in opposite regions of the date, visiting McDowell and Rutherford counties on April 26-27 in the southwest and wrapping up the week in the southeast county of Onslow on April 29.

Covering over 300 miles in four days, Superintendent Catherine Truitt’s District Visits and Voices initiative continued in opposite regions of the date, visiting McDowell and Rutherford counties on April 26-27 in the southwest and wrapping up the week in the southeast county of Onslow on April 29.

The DPI team visited four schools throughout Monday’s visit to McDowell county. Truitt met the regional principal of the year, Jill Ward. Early literacy was an emphasis as the team saw pre-k initiatives for two- and three-year-olds. Students are at the center of every move in McDowell county to ensure what is best for their growth both academically and social-emotionally. Teachers are empowered to lead from their classrooms through a homegrown advanced teacher model that sparks leadership development at all levels. CTE is instructed with a clear pathway into the workforce. The personal connection fostered by staff with students was evident as they guided students along a path of success at all levels within the district.

Continuing their tour in the west, Truitt and her team visited Rutherford county Tuesday. The DPI staff began the day with the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, learning about the Rutherford County Schools and McNair Educational Foundations. At their two elementary school visits, Truitt’s team again saw the emphasis on early literacy and Facebook’s Project STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) throughout their morning to instill a love of learning for all ages. Wrapping up their day at Chase High School and East Rutherford Middle School, the DPI staff witnessed the McNair Mentor program in action. The program pairs middle and high school students with community mentors. As a result, the community is highly invested in the school system and its members have a personal interest in the success of public schools.

Truitt and the DPI staff wrapped up their week of District Visits and Voices in Onslow county on Thursday. The team was greeted by Swansboro High School staff, including Southeast Regional Teacher of the Year, Daniel Scott. The morning was spent visiting the Eastern Regional Skills Center and learning about automotive technology, welding, graphic design and culinary arts witnessing the students’ passion with a purpose that reflected the geography and local workforce needs. After a delicious lunch of homemade shrimp and grits by culinary arts students, Truitt’s team observed the Science of Reading in action at Summersill Elementary School. With an emphasis on an educator mindset shift, teachers could “see the light and not feel the heat” as one Onslow county teacher said.

Now what? The student support model in each county this week put students at the center and that theme carried across each visit; however, its implementation was unique to the demographic and geography of each county – ranging from early literacy to mentorship to CTE. Additionally, Onslow county’s literacy program, grounded in the Science of Reading, showed great promise for the upcoming statewide transition. Conversations in Onslow presented the DPI staff with the opportunity to ask questions and walk away with a better understanding of how it can serve districts and schools across the state as the literacy transformation gets underway.

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