CTI Steering  Committee Member and Randolph IB Middle School Math Teacher, Mike Pillsbury, recently led his MATHCOUNTS team to win the state championships in Raleigh, NC.  Mike emphasized the role that teamwork and collaboration played in his team’s success:  “They catapulted from third to first because of teamwork, and that makes me proud,” Pillsbury said.

Mike will lead the North Carolina team in the national MATHCOUNTS competition in May in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations, Mike.  Good luck in D.C.

Click here for a link to a story in the Charlotte Observer. 

CTI Seminar Leader and UNC Charlotte Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Joanne Robinson, received the UNC Board of Governors Award of Teaching Excellence.  The award will be presented formally by a Board of Governors member during the spring graduation ceremony at UNC Charlotte.  Additionally, Joanne was the 2012 recipient of the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence, UNC Charlotte’s highest teaching honor.

In 2011 Joanne led the CTI seminar titled, “Exploring Big Questions.”  Fellows approached a variety of topics through the lens of philosophical inquiry addressing questions such as “What makes something true?”, “Are numbers and people real in the same way?”, and “Would it be good to live forever?”

Congratulations, Joanne!  CTI is very proud of your accomplishments!

Click here for link to press release.

Charlotte Teachers Institute Recognizes CMS Classroom Teachers as Leaders

53 CMS Teachers and 8 UNC Charlotte and Davidson College

Faculty Lead 2013 CTI Seminars

The education leaders who will guide Charlotte Teachers Institute’s 2013 seminar season represent the inclusive and creative focus that distinguishes this unique professional development initiative.

“Our teacher leaders from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) and our faculty leaders from UNC Charlotte and Davidson College are the lifeblood of our work,” said Scott Gartlan, CTI executive director. “They offer a depth and breadth of experience and knowledge that is critical to our efforts to strengthen teaching in CMS.”

CTI is a partnership of UNC Charlotte, Davidson College and CMS working to cultivate content knowledge, creativity, leadership skills and collaboration within and among CMS teachers.

Two local educators will join committees at the Yale National Initiative, of which CTI is an affiliate. Yale named Torrieann Dooley, David Cox Road Elementary School second-grade teacher, to its National Steering Committee and named Ann Fox, English professor at Davidson College to its National University Advisory Council for a fourth time.

Gartlan also announced leaders for CTI’s 2013 Local Steering Committee, drawn from CMS’ teaching force. “Classroom teachers are the driving force,” he said. “Teachers shape the direction of our programs and set goals based on their needs in the classroom.”

New members of the steering committee are: Tiffany DiMatteo, English, Myers Park High School; Nicole Fraser, fifth grade, Davidson Elementary; and Jashonai Payne, fifth grade, David Cox Road Elementary.

Returning Local Steering Committee members are: Intisar Hamidullah, language arts, Whitewater Middle School; Matthew Kelly, Spanish, Independence High; Beth Lasure, art, Mallard Creek High; Michael Pillsbury, math, Randolph IB Middle; Deb Semmler, physics, East Mecklenburg High; Barbara Wesselman, apparel/costume design, Northwest School of the Arts; Cindy Woolery, science, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary; Torrieann Dooley, second grade, David Cox Road Elementary.

CTI’s upcoming round of eight seminars for 2013 will be led by university faculty seminar leaders and CMS teacher seminar coordinators:

• “Charlotte as a New South City: Using the Collections of the Levine Museum of the New South” –Shep McKinley, UNC Charlotte lecturer in history; Alexandra Edwards, Bailey Middle School social studies teacher;
• “The Nature of Energy: How We Use and Store It to Power Our Everyday Lives” – Susan Trammell, UNC Charlotte associate professor of physics and optical science; Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Carmel Middle science teacher;
• “Math and Sports” – Tim Chartier, Davidson College associate professor of mathematics; Minnie Griffin, Oakdale Elementary third-fifth grade teacher;
• “Imagining Modern Bodies: Disability and Art at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art” – Ann Fox, Davidson College associate professor of English; Lucy Beaube, Barringer Academic Center kindergarten-first grade teacher;
• “Grammar for the Real World” – Ralf Thiede, UNC Charlotte associate professor of English/linguistics; Torrie Edwards, W. A. Hough High English teacher;
• “Human Social Groups” – Lisa Slattery Walker, UNC Charlotte professor and chair of sociology; Tamara Babulski, Independence High world history teacher;
• “Chemical Magic” – Durwin R. Striplin, Davidson College associate professor of chemistry; Janet Raybon, Myers Park High science teacher;
• “Urban Encounters: Hispanic and African American Literature” – Davidson College Brenda Flanagan, professor of English; Stefanie Carter-Dodson, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle language arts teacher.

CTI also introduced a full cadre of school contacts. These school contacts are essential to the success of the initiative, as they act as advocates and liaisons within each of the schools, Gartlan said.

• Emily Abernathy, J.V. Washam Elementary
• Kristin Arko, Croft Community Elementary
• Courtney Armstrong, Jay M. Robinson Middle
• Lisa Ashworth, Barringer Academic Center
• Tamara Babulski, Independence High
• Allison Baker, Vance High
• Lucy Beaube, Barringer Academic Center
• Larry Bosc, East Mecklenburg High
• Gloria Brinkman, Harding University High
• Lyndsay Burns, David Cox Road Elementary
• Stefanie Carter-Dodson, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle
• Colleen Casey, Bradley Middle
• Madalina Corneanu, Harding University High
• Jennifer Dalesandro, Bain Elementary
• Tiffany Dimatteo, Myers Park High
• Karen Donaldson, Collinswood Language Academy
• Torrieann Dooley, David Cox Road Elementary
• Alexandra Edwards, Bailey Middle
• Torrie Edwards, Hough High
• Lindsey Elkins, Providence High
• Nicole Fraser, Davidson Elementary
• Miesha Gadsden, Lansdowne Elementary
• Minnie Griffin, Oakdale Elementary
• Intisar Hamidullah, Whitewater Middle
• StaceyAnne Hartberger, James Martin Middle
• Lakesha Heath, Lincoln Heights Academy
• Sarah Hunt, Randolph IB Middle
• Marva Hutchinson, Providence High
• Christie Johnson, Lincoln Heights Academy
• Deshea Jones, Nathaniel Alexander Elementary
• Deb Jung, Winding Springs Elementary
• Matthew Kelly, Independence High
• Melanie Kirschner, Albemarle Road Elementary
• Jennifer Ladanyi, Bailey Middle
• Beth Lasure, Mallard Creek High
• Stephanie Misko, Hough High
• Mindy Passe, Barringer Academic Center
• Jashonai Payne, Clear Creek Elementary
• Elouise Payton, Barringer Academic Center
• Jann Peck, Bailey Middle
• Courtney Pender, Elizabeth Traditional Elementary
• Michael Pillsbury, Randolph IB Middle
• Janet Raybon, Myers Park High
• Julie Ruziska Tiddy, Carmel Middle
• Deb Semmler, East Mecklenburg High
• Jennifer Sieracki, J.V. Washam Elementary
• Amy Strong, North Mecklenburg High
• Kathy Vey, Bradley Middle
• Barbara Wesselman, Northwest School Of The Arts
• May Winiarski, East Mecklenburg High
• Megan Woazeah, Bradley Middle
• Cindy Woolery Elizabeth Traditional
• Michelle Zachrich, Independence High

CTI will host an open house on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 5:30 p.m. at UNC Charlotte Center City at 320 E. 9^th Street to introduce its 2013 educator leaders and its seminars. Details and registration information are available on the CTI website at www.charlotteteachers.org. Teacher applications to participate in the seminars are online and are due March 13.

For more information, contact CTI Executive Director Scott Gartlan, 704-687-2026, info@charlotteteachers.org

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools media contact: Tahira Stalberte, 980-343-0954 tahira.stalberte@cms.k12.nc.us

Davidson College Public Relations media contact: Bill Giduz, 704-894-2244, bigiduz@davidson.edu

UNC Charlotte Public Relations media contact: Buffie Stephens, 704-687-5830, BuffieStephens@uncc.edu

Registration is now open for the 2013 CTI Local Open House.

This event will take place on Thursday, February 28, 2013, at the UNC Charlotte Center City Building.  All interested teachers from participating CTI schools will get a chance to meet the 2013 Seminar Leaders, learn more about their ideas for seminars this year, and meet other CMS teachers from across the district.

REGISTER HERE!