By Stephanie Kane
Carrboro Commons Writer

Carrboro High School is in the initial stages of developing the Carrboro High School Academic Integrity Committee (AIC), which will be composed of faculty, students and parents who are concerned with promoting honor at Carrboro High.

Marc Millard, a Carrboro High science teacher, is primarily responsible for the organization of the Academic Honor Committee.
Staff photo by Stephanie Kane

The creation of the committee comes in response to the discovery of an elaborate cheating scheme at Chapel Hill High School this February.

Carrboro High Principal Jeff Thomas said the incident at Chapel Hill High has “put the microscope on our whole school district. We have a high performing school district and high schools from which many students are accepted into Ivy Leagues, so the media attention has been heavy. But I think some good can come of this, and we can learn and grow from a negative situation.”

The Carrboro High AIC will be modeled after the East Chapel Hill High School AIC, which has been in operation for several years and is firmly established in the school’s system.

Marc Millard, a Carrboro High chemistry teacher who previously taught at East Chapel Hill High, is organizing the committee and says the AIC will be up and running for the 2008-2009 school year.

Millard plans to have at least one faculty member from each department present at AIC meetings and is currently gathering teacher recommendations for students who “embody personal integrity and honor.” These students will be extended an offer to join Student Academic Integrity and Leadership (SAIL) next year.

Millard also hopes to have parents in attendance who can voice valuable input and serve as a support unit for faculty, but they will have more limited involvement when confidentiality is at risk.
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By Shannon David
Carrboro Commons Writer

“Get pumped CHS juniors because the first ever Carrboro High School prom is here! Get ready to turn the lights down and turn the music up,” read weekly announcements at Carrboro High School.

Students at Carrboro High School lined up on April 21, 2008 to buy tickets to Carrboro High School’s first prom. The prom will be held at the Carrboro Century Center on May 10, 2008 from 8 p.m. to midnight.
Staff photo by Shannon David

On May 10, Carrboro High School will hold its first prom from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Carrboro Century Center.

The student body has been working hard all year to put on this event. “We have pretty much done everything,” said Erin Harrington, student body co-president. “We have been in charge of finding a DJ, finding a venue, picking out a theme. We are doing most of the grunt work really.”

According to Harrington, the theme for the prom is “Glow in the Dark,” and the catch phrase for event is, “turn the lights down and turn the music up.”

Harrington has worked closely with fellow student Andrew Morin in planning the prom, and Harrington and Morin believe that students overall are excited about the upcoming event.

“We had problems promoting spirit at first,” said Morin. “Some kids said they would rather go to prom at Chapel Hill High.”

“And originally we were disappointed that we couldn’t afford a nice venue like a hotel,” continued Harrington, “but we are really happy with how everything turned out.”
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By Sean Umstead
Carrboro Commons Writer

Carrboro High School Athletic Director April Ross sits at her desk preparing the necessary behind the scenes work that must be done for sporting events to go off without a hitch.
Staff photo by Sean Umstead

When the Charlotte Bobcats began their inaugural season in 2004 they won a modest 22 percent of their games. Setting up one team clearly has challenges; setting up 20 new teams could be overwhelming.

That is what April Ross, Carrboro High School’s athletic director, has on her plate after taking over for Steve Reinhart, who resigned in December.

Ross, originally from Bath, was an athletic administrator at Briggs High School in Columbus, Ohio, before returning to North Carolina.

“I had been looking to come back home, and to open a brand new building to start something great from the beginning, which was one of my career goals,” Ross said.

Ross said her responsibilities include managing coaches, monitoring athletes’ academic eligibility, ordering transportation, scheduling and everything else that’s required to make a program run smoothly.

Ross said the new student athletes are putting forth an extraordinary effort to get teams off to a good start.

“The student athletes try extremely hard,” Ross said. “They give it 100 percent.”

Ross said she understands the difficulty of a new school trying to compete with established and perennially successful teams.
“We don’t have that experience factor,” she said.

Ross said chemistry within each team is key to building strong foundations, which is even more important when competing with teams that have been together for many years. She said such as foundation can be established by athletes working with their teammates throughout the summer.
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Por Alexandra Mansbach
Carrboro Commons Reportera
Traducido por Leah Szarek

Algunos de los estudiantes en Carrboro High School están tomando el aprendizaje al próximo nivel — el nivel internacional.

La Academia de Estudios Internacionales, o AIS según la sigla en inglés, en Carrboro High School prepara a los estudiantes para vivir y trabajar en un mundo diverso. Los estudiantes aceptados en el programa aprenden de culturas diferentes, los idiomas y los asuntos y las prácticas necesarios para ser individuos más globalmente enterados y cultos.

Los estudiantes de la clase de asuntos globales de Sra. Kalleberg de 2007. Veinticinco estudiantes están participando en el programa.
Foto gracias a Judith Kalleberg

El programa incluye una serie de clases, seminarios, investigación, servicio comunitario y interlocutores visitantes para proveer a los estudiantes de una variedad de oportunidades para aprender.

“Hemos tenido un primer año bueno y repetiremos nuestra asociación el año próximo,” dijo Judith Kalleberg, una de las directoras de AIS. “Los estudiantes están muy emocionados por los cursos electivos ofrecidos, y la matrícula para las clases parece bueno.”

Más de 60 estudiantes toman uno o más clases de AIS, Kalleberg dijo, y acerca de 25 estudiantes son miembros del programa. El proceso de solicitar requiere que el estudiante descargue y rellene una solicitud del sitio Web del programa. La aceptación en AIS está basada en el interés del estudiante en estudios y culturas globales y en una recomendación del maestro. Los estudiantes pueden solicitar entre su primer y tercer año, y cuando están aceptado, los estudiantes deben conformarse con los requisitos de academia.
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By Alexandra Mansbach
Carrboro Commons Writer

Some of the students at Carrboro High School are taking learning to the next level — the international level.

The Academy of International Studies at CHS prepares students to live and work in a diverse world. Students accepted into the program learn about different cultures, languages, issues, and practices to become more globally aware and educated individuals.

Students from Ms. Kalleberg’s 2007 Global Issues class. Twenty-five students are currently enrolled in the program.
Photo courtesy of Judith Kalleberg

The program involves a series of classes, seminars, research, service learning and speakers to provide students with a variety of learning opportunities.

“We have had a good first year and will double our membership next year,” said Judith Kalleberg, co-director of AIS. “Students are really excited about the electives being offered, and registration for the classes looks good.”

More than 60 students take one or more AIS classes, Kalleberg said, and about 25 students are currently members in the program. The application process requires downloading and filling out an application from the program’s Web site. Acceptance into AIS is based on the student’s interest in global studies and cultures and a teacher recommendation. Students can apply between their freshman and junior years, and once accepted, students must comply with academy requirements.
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By Allison McNeill
Carrboro Commons Writer

In Fall 2008, some Carrboro elementary students will find themselves at a different elementary school than they previously attended. Multiple factors contribute to the recent construction of new elementary schools across the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school district.

Karen Aldridge, school social worker at Frank Porter Graham Elementary, says, “Smaller classes lead to improved learning for everyone.” The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school board is preparing to decide what site will be the future home of Elementary School 11.
Staff photo by Allison McNeill

Morris Grove Elementary, the district’s 10th elementary school, located on Eubanks Road, is opening this fall, and discussions for Elementary School 11 are already in the works.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education is “looking at considerations” for possible locations for Elementary School 11, school board Chairwoman Pam Hemminger said.

A long-range facilities committee was formed to discuss Elementary School 11, including possible locations. The committee is “composed of members from different political entities that govern” throughout the school district, Hemminger said.

School board Vice Chairwoman Lisa Stuckey said the committee has been meeting for several months. Its last meeting has been held, but a final report has not yet been written, she said.

The School/County Collaboration Work Group outlined specific qualifications for a site in a 2007 draft of school construction standards. The specifications for elementary schools include that sites must have 16 acres of land, that the land must be flat enough to build on and that it must be within the water and sewer boundaries, Stuckey said.

These requirements represent a traditional school, one that is on a site that allows for future building expansion, outdoor play areas, full athletic facilities and on-site parking, according to the S/CCWG proposal.
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By Sean Umstead
Carrboro Commons Writer

The inaugural year of Carrboro High School is nearing an end, but the work has just begun for Principal Jeffrey Thomas. He knew it was a big undertaking to start a new school, but when he looks back at its first year, he has an entirely different perspective.

Carrboro High School Principal Jeff Thomas has led the school through the challenges of its inaugural year.
Staff photo by Sean Umstead

“Being a high school principal is a monumental task … and opening a new school was a bigger job than I ever envisioned it to be,” Thomas said.

Guiding growth

Thomas, who spent six years as a vice principal of Chapel Hill High School, said he looked forward to his role as principal of a new school.

“I have an opportunity to shape and form the culture,” Thomas said. “Based on many factors; the personnel I hire, the programs we institute, down to the choice in furniture.”

Thomas said he wants to be a positive role model and leader for students and teachers. He said it is important that the school have an atmosphere of support, even if problems arise.

Thomas said he tries to be available to everyone, especially the students.

“I’ll give them my time and listen to those who had a hard time adjusting —primarily juniors — because they’re used to being in a big school like Chapel Hill High,” Thomas said. “They see this more as middle school because it’s smaller. They don’t see the freedom that they had there.”
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By Morgan Siem
Carrboro Commons Writer

The stillness that characterizes most elementary schools on Saturday mornings is missing at Frank Porter Graham Elementary. Julie Spomer makes sure of that.

The Karen refugees from Burma show off the friendships they’ve made in the gardening club at Frank Porter Graham Elementary, where many of the children are students. From left to right: Hsar Ree Ree Wei, 9; Iza Garayua-Tudryn, 7; Hla Win Tway, 10; Hsar Paw Paw Wei, 12; Mueh Pay, 10; and Kyew Shar Aye, 9.
Staff photo by Morgan Siem

Saturday has become her favorite day of the week since the inception of the gardening club with the Karen refugees, she said.

After being granted political asylum by the State Department through the efforts of Condoleezza Rice in the summer of 2007, a group of Karen refugee families now lives in Carrboro with help from Lutheran Refugee Services. They had been living in Mae La refugee camp in Northern Thailand after fleeing the militaristic government of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

“When we lived in Mae La, the Burmese hated us and would bomb our camps,” said MiH Too, who immigrated in September 2007 with her five children. Her 11-year-old daughter is a student at Frank Porter Graham and a member of the gardening club there.

On Saturdays, her daughter and the other Karen students come together, along with some of their parents, for gardening club meetings at the school.

The idea for the gardening club arose during a meeting in which community members discussed ways to help the Karen refugees feel more connected to the community.

“They wanted to give back to the school in a way that builds community and school pride, but they can’t financially,” said Spomer, who teaches English as a second language at Frank Porter Graham.

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By Alexandra Mansbach
Carrboro Commons Writer

Even the pouring rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the women’s Carrboro High School soccer team on a recent game night.

Carrboro High School took on the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics on March 19 in a game riddled with rain, wind and power outages. But the team stayed strong, passing accurately and communicating clearly — eventually ending the game with a 1-1 tie in overtime. The Carrboro soccer squad appeared to be anything but a new team.

Coach Robin Bulleri talks to the Carrboro High School women’s soccer team during halftime of their March 19 game.
Staff photo by Alexandra Mansbach

“This is an entirely new program. The teams are actually very young,” said Scott Swartzwelder, president of the CHS Athletic Booster Club. “It’s kind of a double-edged sword.”

The newness of the program gives students who have little experience in sports a chance to play and, because there are no seniors at the school, no players will graduate at the end of this school year.

“There are lots of kids with little experience,” Swartzwelder said. “We’ve got some great athletes here, and a lot of these kids wouldn’t even get to play somewhere else.”

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