Good evening!

Today starts our official weekly “Sunday Message”. Please make sure that you read the message carefully as there will be important information in each weekly email to help you stay “in the know” as to what is happening on campus throughout the week. You can also find updates as to what’s going on at CGS by checking out our website and Facebook page .

Feedback Form 22-23

This year we will be using a “Feedback Form” to continue streamlining communication. If you missed something or just need clarity on an event, etc. please fill out the form found here. This form will be monitored weekly and answers to frequently asked questions will be provided in the weekly Sunday message. Thank you for your feedback! For any pressing needs, you’re welcome to email or call the staff member you are looking for. This form is great for generic school wide questions.

Open House/1st Day:

We are excited to see everyone in 1 SHORT WEEK! School officially begins on Monday, July 25th. I want to provide some clarity as this is the 1st time we’ve done our first day of school as an “Open House” type event. Please see the answers to some questions below that I’ve received this week. Please let us know ASAP if you and your family aren’t returning to Clover Garden School this school year so we can plan accordingly and replace your enrollment spot. Please email Nina Miller at ninamiller@cgsnc.org if you plan to withdraw your student.

  • “Why” are we doing Open House on the 1st day of school?
    • Great question! We have an enrollment committee at CGS and we are always looking for new and improved ways to serve our school, students, and community. One of the biggest concerns we have when starting our school year occurs on DAY 1. Charter Schools are funded for the ENTIRE school year on the ADM (Average Daily Membership) of students collected in the building on Day 1. Perfect Attendance on Day 1 is IMPERATIVE for our school and how we get our funding from the state. Next of importance is the next 19 days. The state uses a formula to calculate the total number of students in the building on Day 1 and then again at the end of the 1st 20 days. By having Open House on the 1st day of school, we know this puts many of our working parents potentially in a bind to come during the school day, but by mandating that all students come on the first day, YOU are helping us to ensure our funding is solidified for the school year.
  • Who can bring my student? I can’t attend- I have to work.
    • We truly understand the potential complication this new schedule may cause our working families. Because of this, ANYONE you feel is an appropriate adult to bring your children in for their required session is OK! Please know they will be receiving information about your student and their teachers/classes this school year. They will also be required to fill out contact information for you and your family. Please prepare the adult bringing your student for this process.
  • Can I come at a different time than my scheduled time?
    • We understand that some of you may want to come together with other families or that you may be bringing other students. We are absolutely flexible on this BUT please remember that we strategically divided the sessions up to help navigate the logistics of bringing almost all of our students into the building on Day 1. This means that there are approx. 200+ students coming each session. This means that if you come during a different time, you are negatively impacting the time allotted for others attending during their protected time. Please be mindful of this and please only attend the session allotted for you unless there is a reason (carpooling) that you’d need to attend a different session.
  • I’m just not able to send my student on the 1st day so they will come on Tuesday.
    • Please make sure that your student is in attendance on Monday. Every day is important but especially our 1st day.
  • Will there be “Before and After School” or Buses running on Monday, July 25th?
    • No, Before and After School will begin on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 as will our transportation system.
  • Do I drop my student off on Monday, July 25th?
    • No, an adult must accompany your child during the 1st Day/Open House event. Your child will need to leave campus following the end of his or her session with their supervising adult. Thank you!

Student Schedules and PowerSchool Access:

PowerSchool went down for maintenance this weekend so please bear with us as we await it’s return.

  • PowerSchool should be up and running for all of our students in Grades 1-12 on Tuesday, July 19th. . All passwords for student accounts will be reset to Clover2022. The password is case sensitive with a capital C in Clover.
  • Parents in grades 6th-12th will be able to access PowerSchool on Tuesday, July 19th as well.
  • Parents in grades 1st-5th will be able to access PowerSchool later in the week. Your child’s teacher will be reaching out to you this week so you’ll know whose class your student is in.
  • Kindergarten parents, you will receive more information about PowerSchool on Thursday during your student’s scheduled Open House visit.

Please understand and remember that the schedule is still “moving and shaking” this week as students drop courses, staff changes occur, course offerings change, etc.

Official schedules will be available on Monday, July 25th.

The Add/Drop period ends on Friday, July 29th for students in grades 6-12. There will be a Google document made available for any course changes/offerings.

Below you will find directions for setting up your Parent Portal account in Power School. If you already have an account and are “locked out”, your account will need to be reset and that can only be done with our school’s registrar. You’ll need to email Mrs. Nina for your account to be reset at ninamiller@cgsnc.org. Remember that your student will be able to access PowerSchool in the meantime until your password reset request is filled by using their ID (unique ID number that can be found on old report cards, progress reports, schedules, etc.) It’s usually a 6-9 digit number that doesn’t change year to year. It follows a student throughout their educational journey. If you need help locating this unique number, please email Mrs. Nina or any member of administration for assistance.

Big picture

Handbook Updates:

Handbook updates for our Student/Parent Handbook have been approved from our school’s board of directors. See the highlights below:

  • Jeans with holes are allowed as long as the holes are not gaping and fall at least at the knee level or below.
  • Leggings, sweat pants, yoga pants, athletic pants, athletic shorts are allowed as long as they are appropriate (not see through) and meet the length requirement of falling at least mid-thigh length.
  • Nose studs are acceptable as long as it doesn’t compromise safety.
  • Cell phone usage in the hallways or common spaces (Phone Zones) are acceptable. However, phone usage will only be allowed during instructional time in the classroom if allowed by the teacher.
  • Lastly, FIELD TRIPS ARE BACK! We will be traveling again this school year on field trips! : )

Grizzly Den Before and After School Program:

Online registration will open for our Grizzly Den (Before and After School Program) beginning on Wednesday, July 20th. Registration fees can be paid on the first day of school on Monday, July 25, 2022. Both the online application and the paid registration fee are required for a child’s spot to be reserved. You will be able to find information regarding policies, procedures, and pricing beginning on July 20th, 2022 by going here.

Expansion Updates:

Expansion updates will be part of the weekly Sunday message! Here’s a summary of the AMAZING progress we’ve made thus far:

Current Project Activities (Sitework):

  • Erosion Control and Clearing are complete
  • Building pads are complete
  • Parking lot, driveways and road access are complete to subgrade (islands are laid out)
  • Storm pipe and storm structures are complete
  • Well drilling is complete
  • We have received all building permits from Alamance County
  • Contractor trailer onsite

Upcoming Activities (Building):

  • Survey building corners and elevator shaft
  • Building layout for foundation work
  • Tying rebar for footings
  • Start foundations for building

Please see the photos below!

School RenderingDrone FootageSite Work
School RenderingThis is a picture of what the new school will look like!Drone FootageHere is an aerial shot of the property.Site WorkBuilding layout for foundation work

Expansion/Funding Concerns:

We’ve had some questions and concerns lately regarding our Expansion Project so we thought it would be a great time to “refresh” your memory as to the WHY we are expanding to an additional campus. For those that are unaware, our Expansion project began in 2019 before Covid-19 hit. For the past 3 years, our school administration, school board, accountants, finance committee, and long range planning committee have all been working tirelessly behind the scenes saving, planning, negotiating, and orchestrating this business decision. Some of the decisions being made are in regards to the architect/engineering team, selecting a contractor, following through the permitting process, and the funding (bond) process. There are many meetings and processes taking place while we anxiously await our July 2023 projected opening date.

Listed below are some “WHY’s” to the reasoning behind our expansion project.

  • Waiting List:
    • Clover Garden School has had a consistent 600 student waiting list for the past 5 years. Students and families LOVE what Clover Garden School has to offer our students. With this, many families are waiting and wanting to be a part of our school community! Many on our waiting list include some of our current CGS families awaiting room for their other children who are siblings to those currently enrolled the opportunity to enroll into CGS. This is one of the reasons this expansion decision is necessary. By increasing the school’s total student enrollment would help open additional spots for families trying to get in.
  • Opportunities for our Students:
    • Our high school is being built with the future in mind. Our high school students will have a campus that will encourage a more “college type” atmosphere and will allow our students the freedom and flexibility with course offerings and activities that they have previously expressed interest in. Students on our current campus will have opportunities and activities that are specifically designed for a younger audience and will cater to our middle and elementary students.
  • Funding:
    • The Board of Directors, Finance Committee, and Administration are faced with school business challenges each year with increasing operating and benefit costs. Schools are funded by a variety of local, state, and federal sources based off of a per pupil allotment. It is detrimental and essential for schools to grow in order to maintain an adequate healthy fund balance. Expanding will allow the school to increase our ADM (average daily membership) and generate additional revenue.

https://www.dpi.nc.gov/data-reports/north-carolina-school-finances

https://www.dpi.nc.gov/students-families/alternative-choices/charter-schools

  • Current Campus Restrictions
    • Unfortunately, Clover Garden school cannot grow at our current site. The land/soil that we have available is considered unsuitable for septic.
  • Where is the new campus? Who will attend?
    • Our new expansion site will house our High School students only. There is a potential for middle school students to be moved to the campus but not in the current plan or in the near future.
    • Our property is in very close proximity to our current site and is approximately 2 miles from our current campus. The temporary address is 5606 Pagetown Road, Burlington, NC 27217. After you leave campus on Monday- drive by and check it out!
  • Are there funding issues regarding the Expansion?
    • Currently, there is a significant amount of conversation in our Clover Garden School community in regards to “cuts” being made this school year in regards to funding. Our school board, school administration, and finance committee have been working very hard to take a “conservative approach” to the budget this school year which has involved reducing budgetary line items across the board and overall management of the school. Where might you see these changes? Here are just a few examples:
  • School-wide:
    • Teachers will have limited funding available for things such as copies, classroom resources, professional development/workshops, advertising, maintenance, technology, etc. These are just a few areas in which our teachers/families may notice “changes”. These areas have been “reduced” not eliminated. Teachers and staff will have what they need to teach their courses but if a program isn’t being used on a daily basis, we will not be renewing those subscriptions, etc.
  • Athletics:
    • There was funding reduced from the athletic budget this school year. Athletics will not be given funding directly from the school this year. Our athletics program will have to find other sources of revenue such as fundraising, sponsorship programs, etc.to fund the program. The school will still take care of administrative costs.
  • Band:
    • Our band program will not receive additional funding directly from the school this year. Our band program will have to find other sources of revenue such as fundraising, sponsorship programs, etc.
  • These are all decisions being made in order to be conservative this school year in regards to our budget. The reason for this conservative mindset is because overall our expenses have increased (benefits, insurance, etc.) and our revenue hasn’t. Some of this has been a part of natural inflation but part of this is due to the nature of the economic world post- Covid. We must make these changes in order to continue to stay on track for our future at CGS. We appreciate your patience as this year will be tough! BUT, we will make it through by working together. Great things are yet to come if we stick it out and do what we need to do NOW to have a better FUTURE tomorrow.

Have a WONDERFUL week Grizzlies!!

See you in 1 week!!

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