This story was first published in the May 2024 issue of Briar Chapel magazine. In March, I shared a few good websites for finding accurate information about Chatham County. Two of the sites—myFutureNC.org and ncforum.org—indicated that Chatham County’s student to counselor ratio was in need of improvement. At 171:1, the

Imagine walking into a room filled with tables of brand new books and being told you get to pick out and take some home to keep. For book lovers, it’s a dream. For 2,600+ Chatham County Schools’ students, it will be a reality this spring as Chatham Reads—a program of

Providing fact-based information on the strengths and needs of our local public schools is vital to CEF’s mission of engaging our community as public school advocates, as well as to garnering financial support. As the marketing manager for the Chatham Education Foundation, I have to rifle through a lot of

Each year, the Chatham Education Foundation awards Creative Teaching Grants to Chatham County Schools’ teachers going above and beyond for their students. In the past, CEF has funded projects covering a wide range of educational opportunities from Exceptional Children resources to literacy tools to arts programming to STEM projects to

Please note: This article was written for the December 2023 issue of Briar Chapel magazine with the title Introducing your neighborhood’s new school leaders: Dr. Miah Hart-Olivis, Ms. Amy Doty and Dr. Randy St.Clair. For all three traditional public schools to which Briar Chapel residents are assigned, the 2023-24 school

When the 2023-24 school year began at the end of August, North Carolina’s public schools did not have a budget. That is not okay. Just two weeks prior to the start of school, the General Assembly approved Senate Bill 49, a very complex piece of legislation known as the Parents’

When it comes to applying for college, figuring out how to pay for it is typically the most daunting part for parents; for students it’s likely writing the essay. With October being the College Foundation of North Carolina’s Countdown to College month, CEF has rounded up some tips to help

If your kids headed back to school or started kindergarten this fall, chances are at least one of their teachers is either not fully licensed* or experienced (having taught 3+ years). According to a 2023 BEST NC report on teacher pay in North Carolina, 26 percent of Chatham County public

It’s August which means it’s back to school for traditional public school students. While you’re shopping for supplies and filling out endless forms, now’s also the time to start thinking about how you want to be involved in your child’s education as myriad organizations will be vying for your time

Strong public schools benefit all Chatham County residents by educating our youth and generating the workforce of tomorrow. When our students have access to the resources they need and varied curriculum options, they are ready for college or career. Strong public schools also increase home values. Economists estimate that a