Frequently Asked Questions for Academic Services
How do I check my child’s grades and progress in PowerSchool?
The Chatham County Schools Home Base Parent Portal provides access to real-time information including attendance, grades, and detailed assignment descriptions and teacher comments. A parent or guardian's access to Home Base is through the password protected Parent Portal.
Public Portal
Chatham County Schools PowerSchool page
Where can I find out more information about the progress of the district or my child’s school?
Chatham County Schools Accountability Results
NC School Report Card
NCDPI Accountability Results
How do I sign my child up for Pre-School?
Applications for Pre-K are accepted beginning in January prior to the Fall enrollment. Please contact the school office and pick up an application if you are interested and return the application to the site where you are interested in applying or to Cindy King at Silk Hope School.
Sites where we currently have Pre-K and children are REQUIRED to be 4 by Aug. 31st, 2016 to be eligible:
●Virginia Cross Elementary
●Siler City Elementary
●Moncure School
●North Chatham
●Perry Harrison
Sites where we currently have Pre-K and children are REQUIRED to be 3 by Aug. 31st, 2016 to be eligible: [We accept 3 and 4 year olds at these sites.]
●Bennett
●Silk Hope
Complete details for how to register your child for Pre-K / Head Start are located on our Pre-K website.
What is the district’s curriculum?
The Chatham County Schools curricula are designed to align to the North Carolina Essential Standards and the Common Core State Standards. The district’s curriculum contains what students should know and be able to do (skills, concepts, and content) and how it is measured (assessments).
The North Carolina State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards on June 4, 2010. The standards provide a clear and consistent framework designed to prepare students for college and the workforce. Chatham County Schools may add additional emphasis at certain grade levels or go beyond what is required by the North Carolina Essential Standards and the Common Core State Standards.
For more information about all Chatham Academic Services and Supports visit:
For more information about curriculum please visit the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for detailed information by content area. For local elementary instructional frameworks click here.
For more information about high school content standards please visit ncpublicschools.org
Link to the High School Course Guide
What is the district’s math sequence and how are middle school students placed in math?
The secondary mathematics curriculum at CCS is aligned with college-and career-readiness expectations and includes rigorous content and application of knowledge through critical thinking for all students. In order to provide our middle school students additional opportunities for advanced math instruction, Chatham County Schools provides students who meet certain criteria the opportunity to take Common Core Math I (previously known as Algebra I) in 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Students who are successful in Math I are eligible for Math II and possibly Math III during their middle school career. The criteria established by Chatham County Schools is designed to ensure that students who are placed in higher level math courses have the prerequisite skills necessary to be successful. In all cases, students who enroll in advanced math courses should be exceptionally strong math and demonstrate the ability to work independently. The instructional design used to teach the high school math courses at each middle school in Chatham County will vary and may include direct instruction from a teacher at the school, virtual or online learning, or some combination.
Chatham County Schools Common Core Math Placement Criteria
All of the following criteria are used to determine eligibility including:
●A minimum score of 1030 at least once during the second semester on the math benchmark test known as Scholastic Math Inventory (S.M.I.). This is a nationally based test of math skills Chatham County gives four or more times a year to students in third through eighth grade. A score of 1030 or higher indicates the student has mastered all of the skills needed to be ready to learn Algebra.
●Students must score a Level 5 on their previous grade level Math EOG. For example, if a 6th grader wishes to take Common Core Math I in 7th grade, the student must score a Level 5 on their 6th grade Math EOG in addition to scoring a minimum of 1030 on their Scholastic Math Inventory (S.M.I.)
●The likelihood of specific levels of success on the Common Core Math I (Algebra I) end-of-course test. The State of North Carolina requires schools to use a program known as EVAAS which provides a measure of the predicted growth and performance of students on reading and math tests including, Math I.
○- 6th Graders should have a 98% probability of a Level 4 on the Math I test based on EVAAS
○- 7th Graders should have 90% probability of a Level 4 on the Math I test based on EVAAS
○- 8th Graders should have 75% probability of a Level 4 on the Math I test based on EVAAS
● In the case of rising 6th grade students, students must also be identified as “highly gifted” in Math as part of the Academically/Intellectually Gifted (AIG) program.
Can my child test out of a class?
Middle and High School students who wish to pursue Credit By Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) will need to show mastery in two assessments. The State Board of Education defines “mastery” as a student’s command of course material at a level that demonstrates a deep understanding of the content standards and the ability to apply his or her knowledge of the material. CDM is the process by which the school district shall, based upon a body of evidence, award a student credit in a particular course without requiring the student to complete classroom instruction for a certain amount of seat time. Questions related to this form should be directed to your guidance counselor. For more information please visit our CDM website.
Does Chatham County Schools have a Dual Language Program?
Yes, Chatham County has a Dual Language Program in 4 schools: Siler City Elementary, Chatham Middle, Jordan Matthews High School, and North Chatham Elementary.
For more specific information about the district’s Dual Language program, please visit the Dual Language website.
Chatham County Dual Language Program
What technology resources will my child use in school?
Chatham County Schools believes that producing globally competitive students means providing them with learning tools and experiences that closely mimic the world in which they will continue their education and work. To that end, technology is broadly available throughout all grade levels in the Chatham County Schools.
Devices:
Chatham is primarily an Apple computer district meaning that students use MacBook laptops, iMac desktops, iPads, and iPod touch devices in the classroom for computing. In our high schools, we support a 1-to-1 Student Laptop Program and each high school student, free of charge, is provided with a MacBook Air laptop in order to complete required work.
Our device to student ratio, by grade level, follows:
●Kindergarten through 2nd Grade - 1:4
●3rd Grade through 5th Grade - 2:5
●6th Grade through 8th Grade - 3:5
●High School - 1:1
Our computing devices are supported by a growing number of other learning devices like Interactive Whiteboards, classroom projectors, digital cameras for both movie making and still photography, classroom response polling devices, 3D Printers, and robotics kits.
Web-Based Applications:
As the world around us transitions to using cloud-based applications we too have embraced this cost-effective model taking advantage of the many free K-12 focused application suites available to our students. Some examples of widely used web-based applications include:
●Google Apps for Education - A productivity suite from google with tools similar to Microsoft Office, but without the hefty licensing costs and with built in collaboration and sharing tools.
●Kahoot - An online game show tool that engages students by providing a platform for content review that makes test prep fun and engaging.
●Moodle - A system that allows our teachers to create online learning resources and provide them to students with built-in quizzing and assignment tools.
●TurnItIn - An online plagiarism detection system that assists teachers in deterring and detecting academic dishonesty.
Technology is constantly evolving and changing so creating a comprehensive listing of all technology your child will use is left up to each individual teacher. Know, however, that Chatham County Schools takes your child’s privacy seriously when it comes to online tools and use of the Internet. We follow CIPA, COPPA, and FERPA guidelines when selecting and using online tools in your student’s classroom. In addition, every student is provided guidance about Digital Citizenship and Internet Safety each year as a part of their curriculum in Chatham County Schools.
To learn more about the Technology and Media Education Services in our district go to the following website.
What arts programs are offered in Chatham?
The Arts are an important part of Chatham County School District. All seventeen of our schools offer some exposure to music, visual arts, band, theatre, and dance. Several of our arts programs have achieved state and national recognition. Northwood High School's Arts Program has been honored three times with the Kennedy Center School of Excellence Award. Chatham Central Band and Vocal Music programs have performed at Disney World. And, Jordan-Matthews students have been honored as Rising Stars in the Triangle from their popular musical productions. A number of the middle schools and high school performing groups participate in state and district MPA(Music Performance Adjudication). Chatham County instrumental students have been selected to participate in All District Band. Chatham County Schools supports All County events for middle school band, middle school chorus and high school chorus. Visual arts students have participated in and received recognition in the Scholastic Art Awards program. Our middle and elementary schools have bustling programs that enrich, challenge, and engage our students on a daily basis.
Every school has access to instructors in the visual arts, instrumental music, and general music. Additionally, we have thriving theatre and dance programs on the high school level.
How does my child get involved in band?
Students who are interested in becoming involved in instrumental music should communicate directly with their school’s band instructor. In most cases, students can join band in sixth grade, though exposure to instruments and other opportunities may happen earlier at individual schools. Band directors usually hold interest meetings for the upcoming school year in late spring. The meetings provide information about instrument selection, rental or purchase, and expectations for membership in the band program.
I think my child is gifted (AIG) what do I do?
The Academically or Intellectually Gifted Program serves the individual needs of students who are highly advanced learners or are intellectually gifted. Following the structure of our AIG plan, teachers and specialists help provide services for students. You will find links to that plan and more within the Chatham County Schools website. Additional information is available through our Chatham County Schools AIG More Information site, your child's teacher, and the school AIG specialist.
●Review the criteria for the program.
●Talk with your child’s teacher to find out ways your child may fit the program’s criteria.
●If you feel your child meets the criteria, pick up a referral form from your school’s AIG specialist.
My child is struggling in school. What supports do you provide?
Chatham County Schools is committed to ensuring every child learns at high levels. CCS makes every effort to recognize students who may need additional support to reach grade level expectations, both academically and behaviorally. All students are regularly monitored to ensure grade level performance and are given brief screeners several times throughout the year to help schools identify students needing more support. Administrators, teachers, and staff are prepared to intervene and provide additional support as soon as they suspect potential problems. If you believe your child needs help, the following steps can help ensure your child’s needs are being met.
Step 1. Talk with your child’s teacher
Set up a time to talk to your child’s teacher(s). Items to discuss are:
●What is the problem? As a parent, where do you see your child struggling? What are the teacher’s concerns?
●What support is available in the classroom to help your child in the identified area of concern?
●How will you know if the support is helping? Ask the teacher how he/she will monitor your child’s progress.
●Create a plan for communication. How will the teacher keep you informed about your child’s progress?
●Make a plan to follow up with the teacher within a few months. If your child continues to struggle, discuss Step 2 with your child’s teacher.
Step 2. Targeted support identified through the problem-solving model
If your child continues to struggle even after differentiated classroom support, more targeted supports are available.
●Your child’s teacher will participate in the problem-solving model with his/her colleagues. As a team, they will work to identify more targeted support for your child and develop a plan of action.
●Your child’s progress is monitored regularly.
●The problem-solving team will review your child’s progress and make changes as needed.
●Create a plan for communication. How will the teacher keep you informed about your child’s progress?
●Make a plan to follow up with the teacher within a few months. If your child continues to struggle, discuss Step 3 with your child’s teacher.
Step 3. Individualized problem-solving
If your child continues to struggle after targeted support and teacher collaboration, more intensive and individualized supports are available.
●You can participate in the problem-solving model with your child’s teacher along with specialists, such as literacy coach, school psychologist, counselor, and administrators, at your child’s school.
●The problem-solving team will work collaboratively to develop an individualized plan with intensive supports.
●Your child’s progress will be monitored every 10 days of intervention and supports adjusted as need.
*Please note the problem-solving model described above follows the Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities, specifically NC 1503-2.5 where two interventions to address skill deficiencies and documentation of the results of the interventions, including progress monitoring documentation is required before a student can be considered eligibility for services in most categories, including Other Health Impaired, Specific Learning Disabled, and Severely Emotionally Disabled.
What services do you provide for children with special needs?
Our Exceptional Children's programs are designed to support students with disabilities as they acquire academic, social, and functional skills. We support the policy of moderate inclusion, so that even students with the most severe disabilities spend time with typically developing peers. We serve students from 3 through 21 years of age.
The Chatham County Schools serve students with disabilities in the following categories: autism spectrum disorder, serious emotionally disability, deaf/blind, intellectual disability, hearing impaired, specific learning disability, multiple disabilities, other health impaired, orthopedically impaired, developmentally delayed, speech or language disability, traumatic brain injury, and visually impaired. Services are provided as outlined in each student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) in accordance with Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities. In most cases, the student receives special education and related services in their home school. In a few instances though, the student is transported to a different school for the special education programming. Transportation is provided at no cost to the parent.
Exceptional Children (EC) Staff / Resources:
●Exceptional Children Teacher(s)
●Speech Language Therapy
●Occupational Therapy
●Physical Therapy
●Teacher of the Hearing Impaired
●Teacher of the Visually Impaired
●Audiologist
●School Psychologists
●Autism Specialist
●Behavior Specialists
To learn how students receive EC services, please see our EC Services website: Exceptional Children
Where do I find a list of courses for my middle or high school student?
Our online High School Course Registration Guide contains information about the range of classes available to students, as well as, suggested resources for college and career planning.
The Chatham County middle school program follows the required North Carolina Standard Course of Studywhich includes Language Arts, Math, Social Studies and Science at each grade level. Students who demonstrate high skill levels in Math have the opportunity to qualify to take high school level math courses in middle school. At each school students will also be able to participate in a number of different electives, or specials. These can include Spanish, Art, Music, PE/Health, Media, Band, and Chorus. The exact options and schedule of these electives may be different at each school.
What are Honors courses and how are they different than a regular course?
Honors courses provide high school students with the opportunity to take challenging courses which can prepare them for Advanced Placement (AP) courses, college, and career readiness. Beginning with 9th grade students in the 2015-2016 school year and new high school students thereafter, all high schools will use a revised weighting scale for advanced courses. Honors courses will receive 0.5 additional weighted credit for these students. Students starting high school in 2014-2015 and earlier will continue to use the existing course weighting system and receive 1.0 additional weighted credit for Honors courses.