The North Carolina New Schools Project: Media Coverage | 2012

Winston-Salem Journal | Non-traditional Early College graduates first high school class in Forsyth County

May 10, 2012 - Early College of Forsyth, a local school system program that offers college credit to high school students, graduated its first class Thursday. All 50 seniors who started the year with the school received their high school diplomas, Principal Fran Cook said. Forty-six also got their two-year associate degrees through the school's partnership with Forsyth Technical Community College and were to walk in the college's graduation ceremony Thursday evening. Early College of Forsyth is an NCNSP-partner school.

Early College is essentially a magnet school in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County system, meaning interested students from around the county can sign up to attend. But the focus is on recruiting students who may be the first in their family to attend college, Cook said. "It makes college more accessible to all students, not just those who grew up knowing their parents went to college," Cook said Thursday. "They take college classes right off the bat, and while they're working on their high school diploma, they're also working on their associate degree."

Richmond County Daily Journal | 'Legacy Class' graduates from Richmond Early College High School

May 10, 2012 - It's the last week of high school and community college for 32 students in the Richmond Early College High School (REaCH) at Richmond Community College. REaCH is an NCNSP-partner school.

Twenty-nine are "Super Seniors" who were the first cohort of the five-year program and are known as "The Legacy Class," and three are seniors finishing a year early. All but two will receive an associate degree at graduation along with their high school diploma. The other two students chose to major in Mechanical Engineering Technology. For some, the next stop is a university; for others, it is the workforce.

Sitting in Katherine Ulrich's British Literature class, students are discussing projects for next year's students. A great legacy to leave a school is the knowledge you've gained while being there. They all say they are happy to have chosen to attend REaCH. Parents may have started the discussion that resulted in their getting two years of college at no cost, but they made it happen.

Fayetteville Observer | Hoke County students encouraged to bring their own computers to class

May 8, 2012 - Students lounging in a sunny spot on campus with a wireless device or typing furiously away on a laptop are scenes usually reserved for college brochures. But in Hoke County schools, it's just a typical day in class. The school system is attempting to create a collegiate feel through technology, according to Jason Atkinson, director of Technology, Media and Arts Education for Hoke County Schools, and Corey Edens, technology coordinator.

This school year, the system instituted a "bring your own device" program that allows students to use their own laptop computers or handheld devices, such as tablets and smartphones, in the classroom and tapping into the system's wireless Internet.

Cody Holcomb, a sophomore at SandHoke (an NCNSP-partner school), said technology helps him stay connected in and outside of the classroom. Teachers use an interactive portal website called E-chalk to post assignments and host discussions so that students who might miss a day because of illness can stay caught up. "It makes us go the extra mile and stay involved," Holcomb said.

NC State Alumni Magazine | Early to rise

April 30, 2012 - High school freshman Amandi Franks will graduate a year later than most high school students. There will be no glitzy prom or hours-long graduation ceremony to mark the occasion. His high school experience will lack typical trappings such as Friday night football and pep rallies. But Franks, one of the first 55 students at a new high school based at NC State, will have earned two years of college credit for free when he graduates in 2016 -- putting him well on his way to becoming a veterinarian. "I've loved animals since I got my first dog when I was seven," says Franks, 15, who hopes to eventually earn a degree from NC State. "Now I'm on a straight path to my goal."

[Click the link to read more about Wake-NC State STEM Early College High School from the NC State Alumni Magazine]

The Herald-Sun | Neal students link to astronauts on International Space Station

April 26, 2012 - "Station, this is Neal Middle School," Principal Jill Hall announced at 10:12 a.m. Wednesday, looking into one of two large video screens erected in the school's gymnasium. "How do you hear me?"

"Neal Middle School, we've got you loud and clear aboard the International Space Station," responded one of the three astronauts gazing out at the crowd, prompting about 630 students - and a few giddy adults - to shriek with delight at the NCNSP-affiliated school.

From more than 200 miles above Earth, Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and flight engineers Don Pettit and André Kuipers fielded students' questions ranging from the serious to those that incited giggles.

WUNC | American Graduate - Live from Greensboro

April 18, 2012 - In an age that demands more skill and higher levels of education from its workers, some students still choose to drop out. What can be done to help them? Guilford County Schools in North Carolina has tackled that question and made a lot of headway encouraging students to stay in school. Host Frank Stasio talks about Guilford's impressive graduation rates and the state of public education with Terry Worrell, a regional superintendent for Guilford County Schools; Jeff Tiberii , the Greensboro Bureau Chief for North Carolina Public Radio WUNC; Margaret Arbuckle, executive director of the Guilford Education Alliance; Carl Serrette, a parent of two children in Guilford County Schools, student mentor and PTA president at Jamestown Elementary School; and Jerome Mack, a senior at High Point Central High in Guilford County.

NCNSP works with several early college high schools in Guilford County, including two schools that had no dropouts in 2010-11 (Middle College at NC A&T State University and Early/Middle College at Bennett).

News 14 | Duplin County seen as model for education innovation

April 18, 2012 - (Click link for video) - State education leaders are looking to Duplin County for some educational innovation inspiration.

On Wednesday, N.C. schools superintendent June Atkinson, along with business leaders visited Duplin Early College High School. The school has about 150 students and offers a 13th grade where graduating "super seniors" receive an associates degree. Superintendent Atkinson said it is important to prepare students for whatever it is they will do after graduation.

Duplin Early College and other high schools in Duplin County are affiliated with the NC New Schools Project.

Quintiles awards scholarships at City of Medicine Academy

April 14, 2012 - RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK - Quintiles will grant four scholarships to 2012 graduates from the City of Medicine Academy as the biopharmaceutical services company celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Quintiles 30th Anniversary Scholarships will be grants of $2,500 each, awarded to four students pursuing further studies upon graduation from CMA, the statewide anchor for a cluster of health-related STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) high schools in North Carolina. Quintiles established a relationship with the school through the company's support of the North Carolina New Schools Project.

CMA administrators developed the protocols by which the Quintiles scholarships will be awarded and will select the four recipients at the school's Senior Night event on Friday.

WUNC | Early/middle colleges boost Guilford graduation rate

April 11, 2012 - North Carolina had a high school graduation rate that ranked 25th in the nation last year. The state statistics are showing improvement, but still about 27 out of every 100 students do not receive their diploma on time. Of all the large and urban school districts in the state, Guilford County has the best graduation rate. Part of the reason is a growing number of the district's early and middle colleges, most of which are affiliated with the NC New Schools Project. Students at those schools are now earning degrees at a near perfect pace. Jeff Tiberii reports from the Early/Middle College at GTCC Jamestown as part of the American Graduate series.

Herald Sun | Neal adjusting to changes

April 8, 2012 - After some initial bumps in the road, Neal Middle School is "rocking and rolling" with a number of changes implemented at the school this year, Principal Jill Hall says.

The middle school this year implemented a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning model. That transformation, supported by the North Carolina New Schools Project, was accompanied by a Citizen Schools extended-day program for sixth-graders and the addition of 15 Teach For America corps members.

... One partner in Neal's multifaceted transformation effort that has earned nothing but praise from administrators is the North Carolina New Schools Project. NCNSP, a public-private nonprofit, is providing professional-development opportunities for teachers and coaching a couple of time a week. That's particularly valuable for Neal, given that so many of its teachers are new.