LAURINBURG — North Carolina’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mo Green, visited Carver Middle School on Monday alongside leaders from the Golden LEAF Foundation as the school begins participation in a major statewide school improvement initiative.
Carver was recently selected for the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative, a five-year, $25 million program aimed at improving academic outcomes and career readiness for middle school students across North Carolina.
Green and Golden LEAF Foundation President and CEO Scott Hamilton toured classrooms, met with staff and observed student engagement during their visit. They were welcomed on campus by school ambassadors, the Blue Blazers and the school marching band.
“This morning I was able to see the tremendous culture, the positive culture here,” Green said. “Walking around the classrooms, you can see students engaged in their lessons.”
Green said he also spent time with faculty and staff and noted a strong sense of pride throughout the school.
“I certainly enjoyed spending a moment or two with the staff and faculty,” he said. “You can really see the pride that exists at the school. I look forward to continued improvement over the life of the grant.”
Hamilton said the initiative was designed to make a meaningful impact on education in rural communities.
“The board of directors of the Golden LEAF Foundation wanted to find a project that was really transformative to education,” Hamilton said.
Schools were selected through a competitive application and interview process involving district and school leaders. Carver is one of 15 schools statewide chosen for intensive support through the program.
“We are doing tours of those schools that were selected to be a part of the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton added that the school’s leadership and culture stood out during the visit.
“There was an energy in the principal that spilled into her team and, in turn, to the students,” he said. “We could see the engagement of the students with the teacher and the teacher with the students, and how the students were engaging with each other. It was a great experience, and we look forward to tremendous results as we move through this process.”
The initiative is led by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation and implemented in partnership with Marzano Resources.
Carver will participate in the Transformative Schools cohort, which focuses on implementing innovative instructional strategies, particularly in mathematics and career development. The school will receive coaching and support through the Marzano High Reliability Schools framework, along with access to curriculum resources, instructional coaching and career development tools tailored to student needs.
The Golden LEAF Schools Initiative includes two cohorts: the Transformative Schools cohort and the Personalized Competency-Based Education cohort. In total, 20 schools across rural North Carolina are participating.
The program is designed to provide long-term support, including professional development, funding and collaboration opportunities, with the goal of improving student outcomes and strengthening education in economically distressed communities.
Leave a Reply