Accessibility: Upcoming Dates: Dec 1 | Development Committee Meeting, Dec 4 | Facilities Committee Meeting, Dec 7 | First Trimester Progress Reports sent home, Dec 7 | Growth Rings- Parent Dialogue Session -In Person, Dec 8 | Finance Committee Meeting, Dec 11 |Growth Rings- Parent Dialogue Session - On Zoom Dec 14 | Winter Concert, Dec 14 | Board Meeting, Dec 14 | Appalachian Storytelling Celebration

Winter Concert - December 14

Kindergarten through Fourth Grade will be showcasing their musical talents on Evergreen’s stage on December 14th at 1:30pm. There will also be a dance performance from our EverAfter Dance Club.

Parents (and Grandparents, Friends, & Folx) are welcomed to attend. So mark your calendars for this sweet Evergreen tradition!

Thank you to all the Grandparents, Friends & Folx who Joined us Last Week!

The Culture Disciples, a Book Club on a Mission

This will be an Evergreen community reading group, meaning both Evergreen staff and parents are more than welcome to join us.

Our first book is The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. We will host the meeting for this book on Tuesday, December 12th at 4:00pm at the East AVL Library’s Community Room.

That's just in time to get the second book for holiday break reading! 'This Earth of Mankind' by Pramoedya Ananta Toer will be book #2. The meeting for this book will be early Feb (before our Feb break). Our third book will be 'Fire Keeper's Daughter' by Angeline Boulley, with a meeting date sometime in late March (before spring break). If you've already read some of these books, feel free to enjoy them again and join us when we meet for discussion and book-related snacks.

Please let Chaka and Marin know you are interested in being a part of The Culture Disciples by RSVPing here: The Culture Disciples Book Club

Alone We Can do So Little, Together We can Do So Much!

Bring In Your Pennies for our Penny Drive!

It’s a subject of great debate:
Why DO we still have pennies?

Do you have any of these archaic copper disks cluttering your home? You can bring them in to recycle at Evergreen Community Charter School! There will be collection points set up at school entrances through Friday.
(OMG That’s tomorrow!)

Spark Joy! Marie Condo your dresser top, your car console, your pocketbook, your dryer shelf and send those antiquated dust collectors our way, we’ll take care of them!

The next time a merchant hands you an obsolete patina sporting table leveller, let them know that you’ll be putting it to good use supporting the Evergreen Fund.

You are always welcome to send in your electronic pennies too! Donate through our website with a few easy clicks.

Neurodiversity: the human brain is as diverse as the human fingerprint

What is neurodiversity and neurodivergence?

Everybody’s brain works in a slightly different way – in this way we’re all ‘neurodiverse’. We all find some things easy and some things difficult, from how we learn to how we interact with others, and this varies from person to person. And the world would be a very dull place if this wasn’t the case!

However, for some people the difference between the things they find easy and the things they find hard is more pronounced. This is the case for people who are autistic, or have ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia or Tourette’s Syndrome, all of which are included under the ‘umbrella’ of neurodivergence.

Because their brains are ‘wired’ differently than the majority of other people (‘neurotypical’ people), neurodivergent people see and experience the world in a different way – and this can make things difficult because the world is often designed for ‘neurotypical’ people and doesn’t account for the way neurodivergent people experience things.

Neurodivergence isn’t a mental health condition or disability – it’s a cognitive difference. It doesn’t need to be ‘cured’. However, neurodivergent people may need some adjustments made to their environments to help them flourish. For example, some neurodivergent children here at Evergreen may need more peace and quiet to concentrate than their friends at school, or may need a bit more time to do work or to take more breaks, and may find a noisy, busy, brightly lit classroom a challenging environment to learn in.

What are the common signs of neurodivergence?

Every neurodivergent person is of course different, and different conditions have different signs. But there are some common signs. Some of these can make life difficult, but others are strengths. These include:

difficulty picking up social cues and communicating in social situations
problems with speech and language
physical tics or behaviors, like rocking
sensitivity or insensitivity to light, sound, heat, crowds or other stimuli
a strong preference for routine and dislike of change
difficulty focusing or, on the other hand, having extremely good powers of concentration
innovative thinking
close attention to detail
a heightened ability to recognize patterns, often leading to strong skills in music and technology.

Why is it important to talk to children about neurodiversity?

Just as it’s important to talk to children about how people and families come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and colors, it’s also important to let them know that people can think and feel in different ways too. And it’s never too early to start talking about this together. The more they know about the differences between us, the more they can come to understand and accept other children and adults who aren’t like them. This can help prevent them from making hurtful comments and reduce problems like bullying.

Tips for talking to children about neurodiversity:

Tip #1: Talk to them positively about difference
Tip #2: Talk about how everyone learns differently
Tip #3: Explain the difference between fairness and ‘the same’
Tip #4: Watch programs and read books that celebrate diversity
Tip #5: Talk about being kind and understanding

I think my child might be neurodivergent – what should I do?

People don’t become neurodivergent – they’re born that way. But sometimes it can take a while for the signs to appear. Some children will even mask the signs in order to fit in with their friends. If you suspect your child may be wired differently from others, your first support should be your doctor or, if your child’s at school, their teacher, to see what they think.

Climbing Club Starts Friday

EverAfter’s coveted Climbing Club for kids Third Grade and up starts Friday, December 1st.

We recently took a vote and now any interested Second Graders are welcome to join the club too.

Now anyone second grade and above can sign up here to reach new heights!

Climb On, Second Graders, Climb On!

EverAfter Pick-Up Protocol Review

Remember to sign your child out with staff BEFORE going to the playground or field.

Please remember that if you are running late, even through no fault of your own, your child will be sent to EverAfter at the end of their pick-up window.

Students who are sent to EverAfter because of not being picked up from school on time will be charged a $3 fee if picked up within 30 minutes of the end of their pickup window, or a full daily fee if picked up after 30 minutes.

Everyone runs late from time to time, so we have these protocols in place to keep students safe. If you have trouble making it on time each day, consider reaching out to your class community to see if arranging a car pool or trading off pick-up days would take some pressure off.

Collect Your Cans for the Adventure Program

The holidays are coming up, people are gathering again, parties are being planned, and we all know what that means: seltzer water. Tons and tons of healthful, fizzy seltzer water!

Please make a plan to keep your aluminum separated, and bring it to the trailer near the gym so that our Adventure Program can turn all those spent cylinders into cold hard cash!

Tell your neighbors you’ll take theirs too. Set up a collection bin in your driveway.
Work in the service industry? Set up a system at work and we’ll come up with an arrangement to make both businesses greener!

Or just bring your cans, each and every one counts! Thanks all, and please consume from aluminium responsibly!

Many of you have asked for a template that you can send to co-parents, grandparents, and extended family. Here is a script that you could easily copy/paste into an email. Or please feel free to download the linked graphic above!

I just wanted to let you know that ____________’s school is accepting year end gifts for The Evergreen Fund. The fund helps support the school by funding teacher salaries and facility costs.

As of today we have raised 64% of the funds needed to meet the daily costs of providing an exceptional public school education!

We hope you’ll use the year end giving season to consider making a one time or recurring gift to help us the rest of the way to our goal and to ensure our school continues to thrive!

There are a number of ways to give:

You can make a one time or recurring gift through the website. You can mail your gift to the school’s address, below. Or you can drop it off at the front office.

Evergreen Community Charter School
50 Bell Rd.
Asheville, NC 28805

Of course, the school is a 501c3, so all gifts are tax deductible. EIN# 56-2094405

Thank you so much for considering supporting your loved one’s public charter school! Every donation, no matter the amount, makes a real and lasting impact!

November 30th, 2023