Lee County Schools welcomed State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green and a delegation of education leaders from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and the Golden LEAF Foundation for visits to three schools in the district on Wednesday.
West Lee and SanLee Middle Schools are in their first year participating in the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative, a program designed to strengthen academic outcomes and expand career readiness for middle school students statewide. Through the initiative, the Golden LEAF Foundation and NCDPI are investing $2.1 million over five years to support programming at both schools.
During the visit, Superintendent Green and his team met with district and school leaders, toured classrooms, and engaged directly with students and teachers to observe the initiative in action.
“The most impressive thing was actually seeing the student engagement at both schools in different ways,” explained Superintendent Green. “Seeing the students at West Lee working in small groups was exciting, particularly in the Open Up Curriculum.”
At West Lee is participating in the Transformative Schools (TS) cohort of the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative. Schools participating in the TS cohort are implementing the Open Up Math Curriculum and deploying targeted coaching and professional development for teaching staff using resources such as the Marzano High Reliability Schools Framework.
SanLee Middle School is part of the Personalized, Competency-Based Education (PCBE) cohort, which emphasizes student self-assessment and the development of individualized, competency-based learning goals.
“It was neat to see students at SanLee evaluating themselves as to where they believe they are in their own education journey,” said Green.
Across both campuses, visiting leaders observed instruction in multiple subject areas, including probability, life sciences, Math I, and Earth Science with a focus on small group collaboration and student-driven learning.
Superintendent Green emphasized the broader importance of the initiative, particularly for rural districts. “First, the focus on mathematics and trying to improve math instruction is critical. Golden LEAF is also incredibly important because it begins to show the types of resources that are needed in schools so that educators can get the level of professional development that they need which can then be translated for students. I believe this initiative lays the groundwork for improved outcomes for not only the students in our schools who are engaged, but ultimately, for the entire state of North Carolina.”
Lee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Chris Dossenbach said the visit highlighted the district’s ongoing progress and strong partnerships. “We were honored to host State Superintendent Maurice ‘Mo’ Green, representatives from the Golden LEAF foundation, and members of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. We are deeply grateful for the funding provided by the Golden LEAF Foundation and for the continued partnership and unwavering support of Superintendent Green and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as we work to provide the best possible opportunities for all students.”
Although Southern Lee High School is not part of the grant, Superintendent Green also visited the campus during his trip. “Our state’s students and educators are so special and talented. I had a wonderful chance to be at Southern Lee High School and meet a long-term teacher, Ms. Vicki Wilkins, with 51 years in public education. I also had an amazing lunch experience where the food was prepared by students in the culinary arts program led by Mrs. Downey.”
Dr. Dossenbach closed by adding, “This visit provided a valuable opportunity to showcase the many positive things taking place across our district and to highlight the dedication of students, staff, and school leaders. We are thrilled that leaders from around the state are learning about the ways students are able to thrive in our community.”
