Chartered in 1909 as the Chapel Hill Graded-School District, Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools has certainly seen its share of growth and change over the century.
This year, the district will host a number of commemorative and educational events in celebration of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ 100th birthday.
“We want to make it not only a celebration, but an opportunity for learning,†said Stephanie Knott, the district’s assistant superintendent for community relations.
The celebration kicked off on Wednesday at the annual Back-to-School Convocation, where district faculty viewed a new video chronicling the 100-year history. The four-part, 25-minute film is available to the public online at www.chccs.k12.nc.us.
Knott said other commemorative events will include the creation of a visual arts timeline, classroom lessons dedicated to district history and plays in which students will portray characters from the past 100 years of the school district.
The district’s history includes not only Chapel Hill schools, but also early black schools, which joined the district in 1930 after the black community voted in favor of the special district tax and a longer school year.
Carrboro schools didn’t join the district until 1959, when residents of Carrboro voted to leave the Orange County Schools district and join the Chapel Hill district, forming Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.
Throughout the 2008-09 school year, students and community members will have the opportunity to learn about the district’s rich 100-year path to where it stands today, with more than 1,100 teachers and more than 11,000 students.