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 equity, excellence, and engagement.

Congratulations to the Spring 2023 Student Teachers of the Year!

Abby Dailey – Spring 2023 Traditional Student Teacher of the Year

Abby Dailey was an Elementary Education undergraduate candidate who student taught at Royal Oaks School of the Arts in Cabarrus County. Through all of her letters of recommendation, it is clear Abby is a strong advocate for her students’ needs who seeks every opportunity to reflect and grow in her teaching practice to positively impact the lives of her students. A few examples of how Abby went above and beyond during the student teaching semester include serving as a personal tutor for 27 students to prepare for end-of-grade literacy and math assessments, regularly collaborating with classroom teachers, tutors, specialists, and other staff members to ensure student needs are met, and even volunteering to ride a school bus to support students with significant social and emotional needs. We are proud of Abby and are delighted to have her representing the Cato College of Education as our Traditional Student Teacher of the Year.

Alison Horgan – Spring 2023 Resident Student Teacher of the Year

Alison Horgan is an Elementary Education resident candidate who completed student teaching at Albemarle Road Elementary in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. As a resident, Alison completed student teaching while balancing the demands of being both a full-time teacher and a student in the graduate certificate program here at UNC Charlotte. A couple of examples of how Alison went above and beyond during the student teaching semester include serving as grade-level chair, hosting a daily social emotional circle time with students, and creating engaging activities that celebrate and leverage the diversity in her classroom where more than half of her students speak English as a second language. We are proud of Alison and are delighted to have her representing the Cato College of Education as our Resident Student Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to the Spring 2023 Outstanding Clinical Educator!

Justin Armstrong

Carmel Middle School: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

On Thursday, April 27 the Cato College of Education presented Justin Armstrong, a special education teacher at Carmel Middle School in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, with the Spring 2023 Outstanding Clinical Educator Award. Mr. Armstrong was nominated by Drs. Ann Jolly and Jared Thompson. Dr. Thompson is the principal at Carmel Middle School and Dr. Jolly is the University Supervisor to Mr. Armstrong’s student teacher.

Dr. Thompson and Dr. Jolly had this to say about Mr. Armstrong:

“Justin Armstrong has been phenomenal in coaching his student teacher as a sixth grade Exceptional Children’s teacher. Additionally, and just as important, it’s been amazing to witness Mr. Armstrong model how he advocates for students and differentiates support based upon individual need. The warmth, compassion, empathy, and collaboration that Mr. Armstrong models is an invaluable experience for someone transitioning into a career in education.”

“Beginning with the initial meeting and continuing throughout the semester, Mr. Armstrong provided the student teacher with a variety of experiences, in pull-out and co-taught settings. Mr. Armstrong welcomed a student teaching candidate with strong content knowledge and experience tutoring into his classroom and helped his candidate learn how to use these assets as a special education teacher.”