lacrosse , jewelry making , Spanish and golf . The Odyssey of the Mind team has made it to the state tournaments and world tournaments in the past . There ’ s also a Girls on the Run club and a choral group , MI Express Choir , that sings at locations all over Charlotte , such as the Government Center and the Levine Children ’ s Hospital .
Teachers are a big reason for the Sharon success . Says PTA President Peg Deschamps , “ The teachers work hard to make learning fun for the kids . They make every child feel smart and successful . The students come to school each day excited to see what ’ s in store . Whether it is researching a subject for Halls of Wonder or learning a new dance for a production , there is something to look forward to each day .”
Phelan calls her teachers “ phenomenal ,” and the staff is helped by the administration ’ s firm commitment to their professional development . For one thing , it is handled in-house and on-site , led by an MI coordinator . “ It ’ s about collaboration and teachers leading and teaching others to best meet the students ’ needs ,” she says .
But everyone acknowledges that the school wouldn ’ t be as special as it is without its volunteers , who include parents , grandparents , parents of former students , members of the community and college students . Last year , nearly 1,000 volunteers donated their time .
“ Our volunteers are an extension of our staff ,” Phelan says . “ There ’ s a strong community feel here . The children even play on the grounds here on the weekends .”
Notes Rashonda Rose , who was recently named the school ’ s Teaching Assistant of the Year , “ It ’ s family here , and it ’ s great to work here . People care about every child here . And it ’ s not just academics … they care for them as if they were their own . “
Sharon also hosts a six-week Freedom School during the summer in conjunction with Trinity Presbyterian Church and Church at Charlotte . It is a free literacy-focused program run with the help of volunteers ; enrollment is income-based .
The PTA is another big contributor to the school ’ s success . “ The school is special because of the dedication of the staff and the PTA and the working relationship they have ,” observes Baker , named Sharon ’ s Teacher of the Year in February . “ The PTA goes above and beyond … they listen to our feedback on what we need and do what they can to get it .”
The PTA raises money through its annual fund drive and the yearly Boosterthon Fun Run . The annual fund drive serves as a capital campaign that pays for the PTA ’ s operating budget , the school ’ s technology plan and other extras . This has recently included purchasing smart boards and laptops for the teachers , new playground equipment and a new marque .
The spring Boosterthon raises funds to help pay for field trips . As a result , many of the field trips are free , and others are much less expensive than they would have been otherwise .
The PTA also sponsors a variety of activities throughout the year . There is the back-to-school picnic each fall , book fairs , a storytelling festival , a celebration event for fifth graders , a staff appreciation party and events for prospective parents .
The annual Fun Friday , the family carnival held every spring , is undoubtedly the PTA ’ s most popular project . Booths offer face painting and teacher dunking ; at the M . A . S . H . tent , children get colorful fake casts to wear ; and everyone dances to tunes spun by live DJs . There ’ s a raffle for books or such out-of-the-box prizes as lunch with the principal . Tickets can be purchased , but students can also earn them by meeting their Accelerated Reader goals .
PTA President - Peg Deschamps & Children
Sharon Elementary School
4330 Foxcroft Road Charlotte , NC 28211
PH : 980-343-6725
http :// schools . cms . k12 . nc . us / sharonES / Pages / Default . aspx
Principal : Catherine Phelan
My School Rocks ! – 25