Superintendent Weekly Update

(Pictured left to right: YCS Superintendent Kathy Amos, State Superintendent Mo Green, YCS Assistant Superintendent Dr. Heather Cox, Director of Elementary Education Andrea Allen, Retired Transylvania Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff McDaris)

We appreciate newly elected Mo Green for visiting Yancey County to discuss our immediate needs while continuing to recover from Hurricane Helene. Superintendent Green is passionate about assisting WNC students, faculty and staff and our public schools. Thank you for listening and we look forward to your visit in the future.

"Maurice “Mo” Green’s vision for North Carolina public schools can be summed up in three words: Achieving Educational Excellence. The son of a special education teacher, Green is a lifelong champion of public education and has seen first-hand its ability to transform both lives and communities.

As North Carolina’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, he is committed to ensuring all students in public schools have access to a high-quality education. He strongly champions greater support and resources for public education, striving to create a brighter future for students, educators and communities across the state.

After doing two United States judicial clerkships and working as a lawyer in private practice, Green served as general counsel for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), the second-largest school district in North Carolina, starting in 2001. In 2006, he was named its chief operating officer and later moved into the role of deputy superintendent.

In 2008, he became superintendent for Guilford County Schools (GCS), the third largest district in North Carolina. During his more than seven years of leadership, he was widely recognized for his innovative approach to education and impactful reforms. Under his guidance, the district achieved significant improvements in academic performance, increased graduation rates and prioritized character development, earning both state and national acclaim for these successes.

After leaving GCS, Green served as the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, an influential North Carolina foundation that supports various causes including public education, from 2016-2023. During his tenure, he led a strategic assessment and planning process that resulted in All For NC, a framework for grantmaking and learning that centers efforts to strengthen democracy, advance public education, foster a healthy and sustainable environment and promote social and economic justice.

Green has served on numerous boards focused on educational issues including homelessness, athletics, policy, media, arts and community support. He is a double Duke University graduate, with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics and a law degree. Green is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha and Sigma Pi Phi (the Boulé) fraternities. He is married and has two adult children, both of whom graduated from North Carolina public schools." (NCDPI, 2025)

Thank you to all of our incredible faculty and staff members who are working so hard to provide all of the necessary academic and emotional support for our students. We continue to deal with the winter weather and infrastructure surprises that alter our normal school routines. We appreciate your efforts and know that our students need you every day!

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”

King’s emphasis on faith speaks to the courage required to initiate change. This quote encourages individuals to step forward, even in the face of uncertainty. It resonates as a powerful message for those working towards positive change, fostering resilience and determination in the pursuit of a better future. (Havens, 2024)

“Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”

King emphasizes the importance of education in cultivating critical thinking skills. The ability to evaluate information is crucial for informed decision-making and responsible citizenship. (Havens, 2024)

After 23 seasons of leading the Mountain Heritage Cougars football team, Coach Joey Robinson has announced his retirement effective February 1, 2025. Coach Robinson has seen incredible success with the Cougars, ending his career with an overall record of 166-115, a conference record of 80-60, nine conference championships and two trips to the 2A state final game.

“Robinson transformed the Mountain Heritage program, starting with a Yancey County youth league he founded as Mountain Heritage's offensive coordinator in 1998. The program has been instrumental to Mountain Heritage's success, with players running the same offensive scheme from second and third grade through senior year of high school. Players from the 2009 regional championship team to the 2024 squad all played through Yancey County's youth league.

It's what Robinson said he's most proud of as his career wraps up.”

-Citizen Times

Coach Robinson has been a mentor and leader on and off the field. After Hurricane Helene, he personally drove to his players’ houses where possible to check on them and see how he could help. With the schools being used for shelters, distribution points and basecamps for various agencies, Coach Robinson and many of his players volunteered wherever they could throughout the county.

Kathy Amos, Yancey County Schools Superintendent stated, “I love Friday night football! I appreciate Coach Robinson’s love of the players, the sport and our community. He has been a driving force in the success of our football teams through the years in the conference, and throughout the region and state. Thank you for your dedication and we wish you the best in your well-deserved retirement.”

“Coach Rob is one of a kind for Heritage Football, and has garnered respect across the state for his consistency, commitment and leadership in high school athletics. He’s much more than a football coach to MHHS student-athletes and faculty/staff, and to Yancey County. It has been a very personal experience for myself, in going from watching his teams play when he was in high school and I was growing up, to taking his weights class when I was in high school, to serving as his principal in my current position. He will be greatly missed, and has set us up for much success going forward.”

-MHHS Principal Daron Williams

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is the highest recognition that a kindergarten through 12th grade science, technology, engineering, or mathematics teacher may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Up to 110 teachers are recognized each year.

Read the full article here

The American Red Cross will be hosting a Sheltering Volunteer training session for Yancey and Mitchell counties. This training will take place on January 25, 2025, at the Yancey Senior Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

To expedite your training experience, we kindly ask that you complete the Red Cross volunteer application prior to attending. This will help streamline the process and ensure a smooth training session.

Event Details:

• Date: January 25, 2025
• Time: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
• Location: Yancey Senior Center
• Counties: Yancey and Mitchell
• Lunch: Provided

Please follow this link to register or scan the QR code below.

https://volunteerconnection.redcross.org/?nd=intake_content&tagent=rcohomesh&entry_point_type=global_entry_point&entry_point_id=60

Ignite Creativity in the Classroom!

Applications for Arts in Education grants open January 6th!
Teachers, schools/districts, and nonprofits can apply for funding to bring standards-based artist residencies to a school, offering students hands-on opportunities to connect with their learning in a new way while deepening their interest and skills in the arts!

• Have an artist in mind? Check out the Artist in Residency Grant to bring them into your classroom! Learn more and apply here: ncarts.org/AIRgrants.
• Need help finding the right fit? The cARTwheels Grant connects you with a curated list of artists tailored to your school’s needs and student’s interests. Learn more and apply here: ncarts.org/cARTwheels

The Power to Explore Challenge is back! NASA is calling on all K-12 students to research Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS), a type of nuclear “battery” used in space exploration, and dream up a new RPS-powered space mission to any moon in our solar system!

Grand prize winners from each grade category (3 total) will receive a trip for two to NASA’s Glenn Research Center to learn about the people and technologies that enable NASA missions. Every student who submits an entry will receive a digital certificate and an invitation to a virtual event with NASA experts where they’ll learn about what powers the NASA workforce to dream big and explore.

Sign up for the contest and learn more here!: https://www.futureengineers.org/powertoexplore

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025

Middle and high school students in the 18 western NC counties encompassed by the Dogwood Health Trust will be offered a FREE Summer Accelerator course!

These programs will be residential and will all be held at NCSSM-Morganton for one week only.

July 20th – 25th, 2025

You MUST live in one of these 18 counties in the Dogwood health Trust area: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, and Yancey as well as the Qualla Boundary.

The application process is competitive so plan to apply early. The deadline to apply for this program is February 28, 2025!

For more info or to apply, click here

Email: kathyamos@yanceync.net
Website: www.yanceync.net
Location: 100 School Circle, Burnsville, NC, USA
Phone: (828) 682-6101