Celebrating the first week of school, literacy progress, and what’s ahead for CMS

Hi Friends,

✨ School started this week—and I’m already seeing great things! ✨
First, thank you for your patience as we navigate multiple system changes this year on top of the usual first-week logistics. I know many families have experienced bus delays or login challenges. Infinite Campus is new to the entire state, and like with any large launch, there have been a few hiccups along the way. If you are still having issues, please know CMS is actively working to resolve them. Use our Lets Talk platform (more on this later) to reach out and get your issues solved.

On Monday, I visited Sedgefield Montessori. The brand-new campus is beautiful, featuring new gardens, kitchens, and hands-on learning activities. This project is also worth celebrating because it’s the first completed project from the 2023 Bond! You can see updates on other bond projects here: cmsbondconstruction.com/cms-projects

Later in the week, I joined Classroom Central at Hidden Valley Elementary as they handed out school supplies. By Day 3, I saw incredible teaching and learning already happening. A huge shout-out to Principal Barksdale and her team for setting such a strong tone to start the year.

I want to wish every student, teacher, family, and staff member a very happy start to the 2025–2026 school year. 🎉

👩‍🏫 Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR): A Proven Model for Teacher Success

There has been discussion in the news about the Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR) Program, which has been a bright spot in teacher support and student outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• 90% of schools that moved off the “low-performing” list last year were ATR schools.
• ATR gives excellent teachers leadership opportunities without leaving the classroom.
• This helps keep strong educators in CMS while mentoring new teachers.

Why CMS is pushing for flexibility at the state level:

Pay: NC ranks 43rd in the nation for teacher salaries, averaging $58,292 (nearly $14,000 below the national average). Higher stipends for ATR teachers would help us retain great educators and keep them in the classroom.

Class size limits: Currently capped at 16–18 in grades K–3. Allowing trained ATR teachers to lead slightly larger groups would extend their impact to 5,340 more students.

💬 New Tool for Families: Let’s Talk!

Have a question, concern, or idea for CMS? Now there’s a simpler way to reach the right person.

Let’s Talk! is a new online communication tool where you can:

• Pick a topic or department from a dropdown menu.
• Type your question, comment, or suggestion.
• Get routed directly to the right staff for a response.

📍 You can find it on the CMS homepage, your school’s webpage, or by clicking the purple “Contact Us” button on any department page.

Think of it as customer service for CMS families—making it faster and easier to get answers.

How You Can Support My Campaign

I’m running for re-election because every child and every educator deserves the resources to thrive. We are doing great work, but we are not done yet.

I would love the oppertunity to earn your support and vote
If you’d like to support:

• 💵 Donate here
• 🙋 Sign up to volunteer
• 📣 Share this newsletter with friends

Together, we can keep CMS moving forward.