Contact: Laurie Hogan (336) 370-8307
Created: 3/23/2010 4:06:57 PM


Southeastern Region principals travel to Charlotte on Wednesday to begin new partnerships with the principals of similar Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools. The trip is organized by Regional Superintendent Phyllis Martin so the region's principals can share ideas with principals that face similar challenges in another school district.

Principals from 21 of the region's elementary, middle, high and alternative schools will visit classrooms, participate in staff meetings and shadow principals at schools that have similar characteristics, such as Title I status, Montessori magnet program or traditional high school. Afterwards, the principals will gather to discuss what they learned from visiting the schools.

Martin is asking the Southeastern Region principals to examine the school culture, how teachers work together to plan instruction, how technology is used in the classroom, scheduling and how teachers assess their students' learning in the schools they visit. She wants them to ask staff at their partner schools specific questions like, "How did you use your Title I funds this year to help with reading?"

Principal development and support is just one of the ways the Guilford County Schools regional offices support the success of the district's schools.

"I'm very excited about the partnership we're forming with schools in Charlotte," Martin said. "I think our visit will broaden our principals' perspective on what they can accomplish within their schools."