Welcome!
The Office of School and Community Partnerships provides support services to education candidates for clinical and internship experiences in local schools, districts, and agencies. By fostering collaborative relationships between the Cato College of Education, surrounding schools, public agencies, and the community, the Office of School and Community Partnerships seeks to enrich the experience of our pre-service educators and faculty. Our office works in collaboration with faculty, public and private agencies, and the community to coordinate long-term partnerships that enrich and enhance our program to ensure excellence and engagement.
Congratulations to Our SPRING 2026 AWARD WINNERS
Abigail Humphries, Traditional Student Teacher of the Year and Overall AY 25-26 Winner
Congratulations to Abigail Humphries! She is a Mebane Scholar and a dual Special Education and Elementary Education major. As part of the SPEL program, she engaged in two different student teaching experiences with two different clinical educators.
Her university supervisor shared that Humphries excelled in collaboration, classroom management, and student engagement, and is “not just ready for a classroom of her own; she is ready to lead.”
One of her CEs was originally reluctant to take on a student teacher this semester, but shared that by the end, it had been “a joy” to have Humphries by her side and to watch her grow and impact her students.
Humphries will go on to teach fifth grade in Mecklenburg County Schools in Virginia.
Joely Guzman, Resident Student Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to Joely Guzman! A graduate of Charlotte’s Graduate Certificate in Teaching program with a concentration in Teaching English as a Second Language, Guzman teaches math to multilingual learners, which means she has to incorporate reading, writing, listening and speaking English into her math lessons.
Her CE noticed her strong connection with her students, detailing her instructional design that made specific, individualized goals for each student and the care that led her to call parents and counselors when students were struggling. She added, “Every morning before school starts, she’ll have a small group of students visiting with her outside her door.”
Her university supervisor praised her work ethic, lesson design, and collaborative spirit, saying, “She makes sure that students see the connections and relevance of math to their lives.”
Guzman continues to teach high school math for multilingual learners in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
Erin Lee – Outstanding Clinical Educator, Fall 2025 and Overall AY 25-26
Cato College annually recognizes a P-12 teacher who serves as a clinical educator to a full-time student teaching candidate. Award recipients should provide exemplary support and mentoring to an undergraduate or graduate candidate in a teacher education program.
This year, we recognize Erin Lee at Harold E. Winkler Middle School in Cabarrus County. Lee’s student teacher, principal, and university supervisor nominated her! She was recognized for her valuable, actionable feedback that promotes growth in preservice teachers. The commitment to her student teacher and the profession is evident in every nomination.
Her student teacher expressed appreciation for the valuable feedback she provided, which promoted growth in teaching strategies and confidence, stating, “She coached me side-by-side — using our planning time to offer specific feedback, share ready-to-use resources, and model strategies I could implement the very next day.”
Terra Dover – Outstanding Clinical Educator, Spring 2026
Cato College also recognized Terra Dover at Union Elementary School in Cleveland County Schools this spring. Dover was also nominated by her principal, student teacher, and university supervisor for her strong mentorship and quality modeling. She has served as a CE for multiple institutions and inspired many future educators at both the high school and collegiate level.
Her student teacher shared, “She has provided consistent coaching, meaningful feedback, and unwavering support that has strengthened my confidence and instructional practice,” and both she and the principal said that Dover goes above and beyond in her role as both instructor and mentor.
Her university supervisor said it best when she looked toward future impact. “Dover’s dedicated investment in her student teacher’s growth creates a lasting legacy of excellence that will brighten the lives of students for years to come.”
