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Speaking of Schools

Speaking of Schools: Dr. Jillian La Serna of the CHCCS School Board

As the CHCCS community takes a break for Thanksgiving and a mental health pause, Chair of the Board of Education Dr. Jillian La Serna joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell. She discusses the decision to prioritize mental health, as well as highlights from a recent school board meeting and her time as chair coming to an end.

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Speaking of Schools: Jasmine Johnson and Crystal Epps

On November’s Speaking of Schools Teacher Feature, Scroggs Elementary School fifth grade teacher Jasmine Johnson joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell to share details on her virtual reality elements of teaching. Plus: CHCCS Principal of the Year Crystal Epps shares her perspective on how Johnson’s projects are helping student engagement.

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Speaking of Schools: Dr. Monique Felder of Orange County Schools

Superintendent of Orange County Schools Dr. Monique Felder joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell for Speaking of Schools. She details how her district is approaching the approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11, as well as some recently loosened public health protocols. Plus: Felder wishes luck to the Cedar Ridge volleyball team before their state championship match.

Editor’s note: This interview was recorded on Friday, November 5, due to the Orange County Schools Board of Education meeting on Monday evening.

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Speaking of Schools: Angela McChesney, Ka Yi and Zaida Walker

For this month’s Teacher Feature on Speaking of Schools, several educators in the CHCCS Newcomer Program speak with 97.9 The Hill. Newcomer teachers Angela McChesney and Ka Yi share their experiences working with students who learning English as their second language, while parent liaison Zaida Walker shares details on the program’s success and importance.

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Speaking of Schools: Dr. Nyah Hamlett of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

Superintendent of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Dr. Nyah Hamlett joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on Monday, October 18. They discuss the mental health of students and educators in the district, as well as an update on this at the upcoming school board meeting. Plus: details on how the district has fared with COVID-19 prevention measures in place.

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Speaking of Schools: Hillary MacKenzie of Orange County Schools

Chair of the Orange County Schools Board of Education Hillary MacKenzie joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell on Monday, October 11. She details the district’s recent problems with demonstrators wearing the gear of “Proud Boys,” a designated hate group, near Orange County campuses.

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Speaking of Schools: Paul Estrada of Chapel Hill High

On the first ever Teacher Feature on Speaking of Schools, Chapel Hill High School arts teacher Paul Estrada joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell to share his story and classroom projects. Dr. Brenda Whiteman, the arts education coordinator for CHCCS, and Madeline Blobe, the executive director of the local Public School Foundation, also join the conversation.

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Speaking of Schools: Jillian La Serna of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

This week on Speaking of Schools, Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education Jillian La Serna joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell. She discusses the ongoing public health points the district is monitoring in the new school year, as well as future vaccine approval for younger populations and leadership changes at CHCCS.

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Speaking of Schools: Hillary MacKenzie of Orange County Schools

With the first few weeks of school now underway, Hillary MacKenzie of the Orange County Schools Board joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell. She discusses seeing the return of students to classrooms, the launch of the district’s Virtual Academy, issues with car-rider line traffic and more.

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Speaking of Schools: Nyah Hamlett of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools

After a full day of touring campuses and welcoming back students, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Superintendent Nyah Hamlett joins 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell to talk about the new school year.

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