Office of the Superintendent

Greetings, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Families!

Thank you for a fantastic start to the 2024-25 school year! We are excited about the new year and its endless possibilities.

October is National Principals Month, and we are excited to announce the finalists for the 2024-25 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Principal of the Year. Congratulations to:

Angela Grant, Esperanza Global Academy (Elementary School Performance Area A)

Rhiannon Polite, Lebanon Road Elementary School (Elementary School Performance Area B)

Tamara Looney, Steele Creek Elementary School (Elementary School Performance Area C)

Raymond Giovenelli, Grand Oak Elementary School (Elementary School Performance Area D)

Stephanie Range, Charles H. Parker Academic Center (Elementary School Performance Area E)

Jessica Savage, Martin Luther King Middle School (Middle School Performance Area A)

Dr. Janet Moss, Coulwood STEM Academy (Middle School Performance Area B)

Tanya Branham, Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology (High School Performance Area A)

Dr. Tracey Harrill, Providence High School (High School Performance Area B)

Dr. Shannon Clemons, Turning Point Academy (High School Performance Area C)

Lydia Fergison, North Academy of World Languages (K-8 School Performance Area)

Learn more about each finalist here. We will announce our Principal of the Year later this month. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released the 2023-24 school performance data last month. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has a bold plan and ambitious goals designed to help all students achieve academic excellence. Our district has much to celebrate:

Our graduation rate rose to 84%

Additionally, our graduation rate for Hispanic students increased 4.4% to 75.2% – the highest graduation rate for our Hispanic students in the last six years.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools ranks #20 out of 115 school districts across the state for the percentage of schools meeting or exceeding growth

146 schools met or exceeded growth – highest number in district history

63 for the last two years

32 for the last three or more years

Exceeded growth in the following content areas:

Reading

Math

5th Grade Science

Math I

Math III

Biology

Met growth in 8th grade Science

108 schools earned a school performance grade of A, B, or C

33 schools improved their school letter grade

Nearly 22,000 K-2 students were at or above benchmark in early literacy, exceeding state and national averages in K-2 reading

Additionally, we are closing early literacy achievement gaps that exist between black and Hispanic students and other student groups

Double-digit increases in early literacy for Hispanic and black students – up 12% and 13.5% respectively from 2022 to 2024

I want to celebrate our wonderful principals for leading their schools, staff and students with excellence. Their leadership and commitment to student success are the reasons we achieved the positive gains we made during the 2023-24 school year. I know they are eager to build upon the momentum and progress we have made.

I know we can count on your support as partners in this work. Thank you for choosing Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Sincerely,

Crystal

Crystal L. Hill, Ed.D.
Superintendent