CMS Engagement in Action!

October invites us to pause, connect, and grow. As the vibrant colors of fall begin to unfold, we’re reminded of the beauty of change, both in the natural world and within our schools and communities.

This month, we look forward to deepening our partnerships through meaningful engagement that nurtures the whole child and supports every family.

Family Academy On the GO! brings workshops and resources directly into the community to support student success and well-being. Each session covers key topics such as Academic Success, Navigating CMS, Health and Wellness, Financial Awareness, Life and Leadership Skills and Technology and Cyber Safety.

September's Family Academy on the Go! session was hosted in East Charlotte, connecting families with CMS departments and community resources. As a bonus, attendees were entered into a raffle for a chance to win a $100 gift card!

🎥 Check out a clip from the event linked here!

Family Academy Virtual Lunch & Learns

Every Thursday: 12-1 PM

Link to join each session: bit.ly/CMSFamilyAcademy

October 2: Mastery Connect Family Portal

October 9: Everything Elementary Academics

October 16: Understanding AI in CMS

October 23: Parents and MTSS: Understanding my Role within the Framework

October 30: Supporting AIG and Advanced Learners in Middle and High School

📚 Family Academy On Demand: Empowering Families to Support Learning at Home!

Looking for ways to better support your child’s learning journey? Family Academy On Demand offers a growing library of pre-recorded webinars designed to help families access and navigate district resources with confidence. Whether you're exploring academic tools, understanding school systems, or seeking strategies to support learning at home, these sessions are available anytime, anywhere to fit your schedule.

🔗 cmsk12.org/familyacademy

Visit the Family Portal for a one-stop shopping experience! Access district instructional resources, learning tools, curriculum guides, and more—all in one convenient location. Whether you're helping with homework or planning ahead, everything you need is just a click away.

📲 Explore the portal today at www.cmsk12.org/familyportal and stay connected every step of the way!

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) assessment to students in kindergarten through grade 3, as well as to grade 4 Read To Achieve students, in accordance with North Carolina legislation three times a year—fall, winter, and spring. This important literacy screening tool helps teachers monitor foundational reading skills and tailor instruction to meet each student’s needs.

To support families in interpreting the mCLASS HomeConnect Reports (the caregiver version of DIBELS results), we’ve compiled a set of helpful resources available through the CMS Family Portal in the K-12 Assessment pathway:

• 📺 Assessment Insights: Empowering Families to Support Student Success
  
• 📘 mCLASS Home Connect Resources
• 📖 mCLASS Home Connect Resources User Guide
• 🧭 mCLASS Caregiver Hub
• 🎥 DIBELS/mCLASS Parent Reports Video

These tools are designed to help you understand your child’s progress and provide meaningful support at home. We encourage you to explore these resources and reach out with any questions.

You're invited to the CMS Title I Family Advisory Committee!

Come learn about the benefits of Title I programming and engage in meaningful conversations with school and district leadership.

📅 Date: October 27, 2025
🕕 Time: 6:00–7:00 PM
🔗 Click to Join

Are you ready to take your role as a parent to the next level? Join us for our Parent Leadership Series—a space where passion meets purpose. Learn how to become a confident advocate for your children and a powerful force in your community.

Let’s turn your dedication into action! Join us for the first session using the link: Parent Leadership

🗓 Session Date: Tuesday, October 29
🕙 Time: 12:00 - 1:00 PM or 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Visit: CMS Learning and Language Acquisition Webpage

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Food Policy Council offers practical, people-centered programs to help families access fresh, affordable food. Whether you're using SNAP benefits, looking for senior produce vouchers, or exploring community fridges and local farmers markets, CMFPC is here to support you. These initiatives are designed with equity and dignity in mind—so you can get what you need, close to home.

To learn more and find resources near you, please visit: charlottefoodpolicy.com/our-initiatives

Are you a college student in North Carolina who needs help buying food? Every day, millions of Americans — including college students — use SNAP/FNS benefits to help them access nutritious food. Many students are unaware they may be eligible for SNAP/FNS benefits. Sharing information with your students is a great way to help them learn more. Take this short quiz to determine your potential eligibility for SNAP/FNS food assistance. To learn more about the process, visit: https://nccollegefoodbenefits.org/eligibility/

• What: Kids Workshops: Activities & Crafts
• When: Saturday, October 4th (8:00am-5:00pm)
• Location: Multiple locations in the Charlotte Area
• Cost: FREE

For more information and to register, please visit: www.homedepot.com/workshops

Autumn is here, and the season is bursting with family-friendly fun! From lively fairs and festive fall events to cultural showcases and spooky Halloween happenings, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Find it all here: Fairs and Festivals around the Charlotte area!

Did you know your school and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library offer free resources for the whole family? From books and magazines to 15 hours of free professional virtual tutoring each week, the library is a fantastic way to keep learning going at home — for students and adults alike!

Want to learn more?

Join us for Family Academy: Welcome to Your Library!—a session designed to help families explore all the amazing tools available through our local libraries.

The Relatives provides a vital lifeline for youth in Mecklenburg County who are facing difficult circumstances such as homelessness, abuse, or neglect. Their programs offer immediate support, shelter, and guidance to help young people find stability and hope.

The Relatives Safe Place Video

Join us in continuing to celebrate the vibrant histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino families across our schools and communities. Their legacy enriches our classrooms, inspires our students, and strengthens the bonds that connect us all.

Local Events in Charlotte:

• October 3: Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Compare Foods
• October 4: HOLA Charlotte Festival
• October 11: Latin Night in Camp North End

We are thankful for all of our families, whose cultures and contributions help create school communities where every child feels supported, celebrated, and empowered to succeed!

If you would like to know the best strategies on how to pay for college, please register for this FREE webinar. Topics that will be discussed include:

• How to pick colleges that will give you the best merit and financial packages
• The FAFSA form and all other information you will need to understand
• How to lower your “out-of-pocket” costs and get the maximum amount of money from each school
• Which assets are taken into consideration when the U.S. Department of Education calculates Federal Student Aid?

To register, use the link: College Webinar

If you’re a senior at a North Carolina public high school with a weighted GPA of 2.8 or above, and you meet the NC College Connect requirements, you are automatically admitted to select North Carolina colleges and universities.

To learn more visit: https://www.cfnc.org/nc-college-connect/

The Johnston Ziegler Safrit Youth Leadership Scholarship has now increased to $10,000!

Recently, we announced another legendary name has been added to our scholarship, now known as the Johnston Ziegler Safrit Youth Leadership Scholarship. As a result of the generous response to this announcement, we have increased this annual award to $10,000.

Please take a moment to watch this heart-felt video to learn about with this scholarship means for high school seniors in the future.

About the Scholarship: In 2012, the Johnston Ziegler Youth Leadership Scholarship was created to recognize a local high school senior who, like our founders, Dr. John G. Johnston and Barbara Ziegler, demonstrated outstanding leadership, advocacy, and passion for service in their community. Today, fourteen recipients proudly wear the name of Johnston Ziegler scholarship award winner.

Mark your calendars! Encourage a young leader who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, advocacy, or service for adolescents to apply for this distinguished award.

The application for the 2026 Johnston Ziegler Safrit Youth Leadership Scholarship will:

• OPEN: October 1, 2025
• CLOSE: December 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm
• Learn more at: Johnston Ziegler Scholarship – Teen Health Connection

ECAC is providing educational webinars each month, focusing on topics including IEPs, resources for parents of children with special needs, transitioning back to school, children’s behavior, and more.

Click Here to view upcoming webinars and trainings.

Families play a powerful role in student success! The Strong Fathers/Strong Families resources offers tools and activities designed to help famiies stay engaged in their children’s learning. From literacy games to STEM challenges, these resources provide fun, meaningful ways to connect school and home.

📂 Explore resources below:

• 10 Things Families Can Do to Help Kids with Homework
• Family Check-in
• Early Childhood Activities

In 2022, the Meaningful Medicine program launched at CMS. It offers School Based Virtual Care (Telemedicine) clinics in 115 schools, School Based Virtual Therapy supporting emotional wellness in 32 schools, and provides three career pathway programs for High School students interested in the health care field.

• Meaningful Medicine Overview

• Atrium Health Levine’s Children’s School Based Virtual Clinics (SBVC) information and School Based Virtual Care locations

• Atrium Health School Based Virtual Therapy locations

• If you are a CMS High School student seeking information about health-related career pathway programs through Atrium Health, please visit the Career Development webpage

The Meaningful Medicine initiative launched in 2022 with a $10 million, five-year grant from Bank of America to the Atrium Health Foundation. The program’s focus is to improve access to health and emotional care, and promote economic mobility in Charlotte through key health-related career programs for High School students.

October is National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S., claiming over 356,000 lives annually, including more than 23,000 youth under age 18. Immediate action saves lives—calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED (if available) are critical steps.

October also marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month—a time to promote early detection and encourage regular screenings. Breast cancer affects 2.3 million women globally, and early detection can save lives. This initiative provides resources to help individuals prepare for mammograms and understand risk factors.

Visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation for free resources and guides to support early detection and health awareness.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.

On Wednesday, October 22, join the movement by wearing and sharing orange.

This simple yet powerful act sends a visible message of commUNITY and support for students who have experienced bullying. Let’s stand together to create safe, inclusive spaces for all students. 🧡

CMS Family and Community Engagement is excited to support and promote family engagement opportunities within the community. From hosting professional learning sessions to sharing resources and engaging with your organization, we are here to support you! Please complete the form linked below to engage with our team related to your upcoming event. A member of our team will connect with the point of contact listed in the form.

https://bit.ly/CMSCommunityEngagementEvents

CMS Family and Community Engagement

Email: familyengagement@cms.k12.nc.us

Website: CMS Family and Community Engagement

Facebook: facebook.com/CMScpfe