Superintendent's Message - November 13, 2020

  • A Message from Dr. Chris Lowder, Superintendent 11/13//2020
    Superintendent Lowder
     
    We are excited to congratulate CCS Assistant Principal of the Year Chrissy Rotan on her selection as the 2021 North Carolina Secondary Assistant Principal of the Year! She will represent our state in the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Assistant Principal of the Year program, which recognizes outstanding middle and high school principals who have demonstrated success in leadership, curriculum and personalization. The national winner will be named in July. We wish her all the best and know that she will represent our state and our district well.
     
    Congratulations also are in order for Harold E. Winkler Middle School on its designation as an official International Baccalaureate World School. With this designation, Winkler Middle is now part of a global community of schools committed to developing knowledgeable, caring young people who will be ready to negotiate their futures successfully and make contributions resulting in a more harmonious and peaceful world.
     
    Our district will welcome new and returning members to the Board of Education next month. Board Chair Rob Walter was re-elected, and former Board Member Tim Furr will return to the board after serving previous terms. Newly elected Board Members Denise Adcock and Keisha Sandidge also will join the board. I also want to thank Board Members David Harrison, Cindy Fertenbaugh and Barry Shoemaker for their many years of service, commitment and dedication to the students and staff of Cabarrus County Schools. 
     
    Our district continues to follow safety measures related to COVID-19. You can stay up-to-date on the number of positive cases among students and staff through our weekly report, which is located at https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/covid19reporting. Our partners at Cabarrus Health Alliance (CHA) remind you that it is important to answer phone calls from CHA so that you can receive information about contact tracing or other health guidance. They also remind you to stay diligent in monitoring your child’s health, and if you think he/she may not be well, keep them at home.
     
    Last year, Cabarrus County Schools launched the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SS-ARS), which is provided and sustained at no cost to our district through Sandy Hook Promise (SHP), a national non-profit organization that works to improve school safety and culture. Annual training for teachers, administrators and students in grades 6-12 is under way. You can access the Say Something reporting tool through our district website by selecting the Say Something icon on the right side of the page or through our district Safety site at https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/safety.
     
    CCS will continue our Holiday eCard Contest tradition for the 10th year. Students once again will have the opportunity to design a holiday greeting that will be used in official district holiday communications. The entry deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, December 4, 2020. The contest rules and entry form are located on our district website.
     
    Applications for Program Choice options for the 2021-22 school year will be accepted until Dec. 18th. Visit our Program Choice website at  www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/programchoice to learn more about the program options.
     
    As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving later this month, I want to thank each of you for your support and flexibility throughout this most unusual year. I am grateful for our educators who are committed to our students’ success and our students who are as committed to their learning as they are to making an impact in our community and beyond. I also am grateful for the supportive, collaborative relationships we have with elected, business/civic leaders and community members, which benefit our school system and our students in so many ways.
     
    I hope you enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving Break. Please continue to follow the 3 Ws – wear a mask, wash your hands and wait 6 feet apart. Stay safe and healthy.
     
    Sincerely,
     
    Chris
    Chris Lowder, Ed.D.
    Superintendent