On April 24, 2020, the governor and state education leaders announced that all K-12 schools in North Carolina will be closed to the end of the school year. We know there are many questions, and we will provide further updates as information becomes available.
Our buildings are closed, but we are wide open for learning and growing together! Please read our most recent COVID-19 update for complete details.
School Lunch Heroes Day is May 1, and Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-8, 2020. We invite you to send a "Thank You" message to a teacher or any staff member on our new #ThankYouTCS Flipgrid.
If you're not sure how to use Flipgrid, ask your student... they can show you!
You can leave a photo or video message to thank any teacher, teacher assistant, cafeteria worker, custodian, bus driver, mechanic, support staff, or administrator—anyone who makes Transylvania County Schools better for you and for others.
Check out what others have said, or send your message. We thank you for stopping by, and hopefully you will leave one or more messages for staff who have made a difference this year.
Stay tuned for additional outlets where we will feature the authentic voices of our students, staff, families, and community partners.
During this difficult time, the consistent effort and positive spirit among members of our Transylvania County Schools family is powerful and encouraging, and it helps us grow stronger together.
For an example, read our first "Teacher Voice" blog post below, by 7th grade teacher Monica Schultz of Brevard Middle School, written on April 24, 2020—the day NC public school buildings were closed through the end of the academic year due to the coronavirus.
When Friday Stood Still…
April 24, 2020
Monica Schultz, 7th Grade ELA
Brevard Middle School
We left on a Friday, wondering what would happen, but sure we would see each other again. It was more of a “See you Monday or See you later” kind of good-bye. We didn’t go back into the classroom together again. Now we know that we won’t hug this group of students on the last day of school.
What would we be celebrating during a normal end of year time? We would be working hard as we still are. We would be celebrating the amazing growth of the kids from fall to summer, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We watched them change and mature. We watched them struggle and cry. We watched them grow and learn. And, we watched them talk and laugh. I still celebrate them.
You see... when a student enters your classroom, you don’t know each other. In a few months, you grow and trust each other. Your students become family. They become your constant. The last quarter of the year becomes a culmination of all the combined work, struggle, success, and joy. And at the end of the year, there are shouts of happiness and there are tears of sadness. A teacher’s experience doesn’t stand still.
Now, I am thankful to see my students online. It’s not easy, but I am thankful that they connect through their assignments. I’m trying to keep it simple, encouraging, and worth their time. I know that they are learning more during these times than I can plan.
I hope they know how much they mean to me this year and that I will never ever forget them or what we have been through during this pandemic time together. I hope they know how much they taught me and how much joy they gave me.
That day, when Friday stood still and the board was not erased and the papers were still on my desk for Monday, will be forever in my heart. Friday stood still, but these students moved forward with more understanding and gratefulness than we could have imagined. I will take our memories into tomorrow.
Teachers: Submit your own essay of up to 350 words reflecting on the school year, on teaching, on what you have learned or what you hope for, or a topic of your choice.
All readers: To submit a "Thank You" message or read messages sent to any staff member of Transylvania County Schools, visit our #ThankYouTCS Flipgrid. All photos and videos are moderated to be suitable for all ages, at all times.