Dates of Note
April 11th- Conference Day
April 14th-18th - Spring Break - No School
April 24th - Board Meeting Virtual
April 28th- Earth Day Celebration
April 28-29th - Plant Sale
May 1st - N&E / Executive Committee
Hello Evergreen Families,
Did you know that North Carolina is now 41st in the nation for average teacher pay and 42nd in starting pay? Every state surrounding NC pays a higher average and starting salary for teachers.
Even worse, NC is 47th in the country for education funding. Schools spend much less per pupil and relative to taxpayer income than most other states.
The NC General Assembly is currently creating the next biennial budget and considering other legislation (see below) and needs to hear what matters to you.
Three bills, among other pending legislation, warrants your attention. For more information, please visit the websites provided below:
NC House Bill 595 would prevent instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality from being included in curriculum provided in kindergarten through sixth grade.
NC Senate Bill 227 would eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) in Public Education
Federal HR 2456 calls for Orderly Liquidation of the Department of Education Act “To terminate the Department of Education, and for other purposes”.
On the topic of budget, it is important for Evergreen families to be aware that, following the passage of House Bill 10 last fall, significantly more taxpayer dollars are reallocated from public education to private education via Opportunity Scholarships. The North Carolina General Assembly allocated $463 million for Opportunity Scholarships in 2025. These scholarships are no longer subject to income caps and go to private schools that have discretion to refuse admission to any student they choose, including those with learning differences, special needs, and behavioral challenges. As well, private schools are not accountable for state curriculum standards or assessments.
Senate Bill 406 (2023-2024 Session) - North Carolina General Assembly
We urge Evergreen parents and community members to contact your local lawmakers to urge them to support public education funding including teacher pay and tell them how you feel about these proposed bills and current law.
To determine who your lawmakers are, and how to reach them, enter your home address into 5 Calls (5calls.org)
Our Evergreen Legislative Committee (a board committee) meets regularly to stay abreast of rapidly changing State and Federal legislation that affects our school, funding, and community. For more information, or if you are interested in joining the Legislative Committee, please contact me. I’d love to be sure that our legislators hear our voices as they make decisions!
child care info - Conference Day
For Friday morning, the 11th, we will host drop-in care in the gym.
Bring your child(ren) in with you and speak with EverAfter staff to sign them in and out. You MAY NOT just send them to wherever you see other kids. It'll take you a few minutes to do that; please plan accordingly so that you are not late to your conference time--your child's teachers' time is both valuable AND limited!
We also ask that if you prefer not to use EverAfter, please keep your children with you, or just outside of whatever classroom you are conferencing in. Unsupervised kids will be sent back to their parents or to the main office. Thanks for keeping kids supervised and safe!
Additionally, if you need all day care for your child on the 11th, and you are registered for EverAfter, please refer to information in the EverAfter Newsletter dated 4/3. For questions, please reach out to EverAfter Director James Wilson.
ALL PARENTS- Please take a moment to check the Lost and Found in the Main Foyer on your way to your conference.
All Around Artsy Open House - NEW TIMES
Join us as we celebrate Multidisciplinary Artist and Evergreen Alum, Kira Bursky, in her first Asheville pop-up at Resurrection Studios Collective.
Kira will be on-hand to chat with guests and will talk about her journey as an artist.
April 22nd : 3:00-5:00pm
Her collection spans from prints to wearable art, she even has a colorful little vending machine that dispenses mini prints. Kira has ensured that her bold style comes in all price points!
Let’s gather to support this ‘Evergrown’ community member! Or stop in anytime between now and 4/30!
*Parents please note that a portion of the collection is comprised of powerful and surreal depictions of Helene. You can preview these pieces and more, and follow Kira via her Instagram: All Around Artsy!
(Think Kira looks familiar? Kira’s Mom, Lauren, is our artsy EverAfter Staffer!
If you’ve had fabulous art coming home from EverAfter, that is Lauren’s influence!)
Earth Day! - April 28
Every year in late April Evergreen hosts an Earth Day event which engages students in a wide array of service and learning opportunities. This day is accompanied by a Plant Sale whose profits benefit our Environmental Education program.
For more information on this year’s Earth Day plans, visit our Earth Day page!
Students will be making nature prints, available to take home for a sliding scale donation starting at $5.
There will be a Worm Composting System up for RAFFLE for all your composting needs.
Thank you to our friends at Asheville Greenworks for providing a tool trailer for the day. Thank you also to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for providing native plants that we will be installing around campus to enrich our campus’ habitat!
We need to borrow some equipment for various Earth Day stations, such as plastic shovels, water jugs, and fern fronds. If you are loaning pieces, please be sure to label them for safe return.
Seeking Plant Sale Volunteers
We need volunteers to help with the annual Earth Day Plant Sale. No need to be an expert, just a love of plants!
April 28th & 29th
April 28th 8am-6pm
April 29th 8am-4pm
Celebrating Dr. Susan
Please join us in gathering to honor the memory of Dr. Susan Mertz with a celebration of life on Saturday, May 3rd.
If you are new to Evergreen, Dr. Susan was our Executive Director from 2007-2023. Her quiet grace and strength were and are an inspiration to many.
Guests are encouraged to bring a piece of art work or written expression for a Gallery Walk Installation, contributions will be gifted to Dr. Susan’s family.
Please RSVP, volunteer options available in the RSVP form.
Please share this event with alumni, or other community members that you feel may not see it otherwise.
The following excerpt is from a picture book called, Maybe, which is available in the school library. It inspired the centerpiece of Dr. Susan’s final graduation address. In the end, she was not able to deliver the speech herself, and it was given by Jen in her stead. It feels fitting to offer these words up again at this time, when it feels like we could all use just a little more encouragement.
“This world needs your gifts, your talents, your big ideas.
And maybe you are just getting started.
What if you are only scratching the surface of what you can do and who you can be?
What if you have talents you haven’t discovered yet?
There is something powerful, even magical, about you.
You already have everything it takes to do big things.
Maybe you have no idea just how good you really can be?
And maybe you don’t know how much you matter?
But maybe, just maybe, the world has been waiting centuries for someone exactly like you.
One thing is for sure, you are here.
And because you are here...
...anything is possible.”
Dr. Susan went on to write, “Hold onto your integrity, hold onto each other, and hold onto your dreams.”
We hope to see you May 3rd with your all dreams and your dreamers.
Annual Evergreen Art Show at East Asheville Library
May 3 - May 30, 2025
Reception 4:30pm on Thursday May 8
(list of participating student artists will be shared soon)
7th grade Ceramic Tiles will be on display at the N. Asheville Library!
May 10 - June 3, 2025
Carpooling
With all the construction happening on New Haw Creek Road, now may be a good time for us all to revisit the idea of carpooling with other families!
Register below and we will share your information with other families interested in carpooling to/from Evergreen from your area of town. Or start a conversation with your Evergreen network about taking turns doing the morning or afternoon drives. We are happy to make extra tags to facilitate pick-ups!
Registration to find Carpool Connections!
Let’s return to these tried and true methods to reduce our carbon footprint and ease traffic, especially on Mondays!
Maybe next year we’ll be able to start a Walking Campaign!
Summer Camp Registration is now open! Rising Kindergarteners welcome! Click on the graphic above to get started!
Robin’s Nest Needs
Thank you to everyone who has donated to restocking! Still looking for some underwear and t-shirt sizes!
Please sign up below to help us re-feather our Nest!
Donations can be dropped off in the main office.
Keep Flooding Back Love
Need to be added to the list? Reply to The Scoop email to get us your info.
Thursday Staff Treats
Staff members look so forward to Thursday morning snacks in the staff lounge. Help bring smiles.
Sign up here to volunteer to bring in snacks like muffins, fruit, bagels, etc. You can log volunteer hours for bringing in treats.
Thank you,
Kellam
(parent and long time treat organizer and staff champion)
Connect With Free Resources for Families
Buncombe County
Public Library
Buncombe County Library has such a rich calendar of free events for the community! Lego Clubs, Ukelele Lessons, Intro to Mindfulness, Book Clubs, Festivals, Watercolor Painting, Clothing Swaps, D&D!
Come find your community (and a good book) at the library!
Don’t forget to check out ZOOM Passes, your free ticket to local attractions.
Bounty & Soul Market
“We know our farmers and they know us. We honor their work as sacred.
Knowledge is power and communities are wise. Communities have the resources to care for each other.
Together we create a just and equitable food and health system.”
Use the button above to find a pop-up market near you.
Resources for Resilience
Resources for Resilience shares practical tools and research-based resources that people of all ages can use to manage stress and find compassion and connection. Our trainings and professional development workshops help participants work together to prevent future adversity and create healthier, more resilient communities.
Click the button above to learn more about their workshops, trainings, and listening circles.
Ways to give that don’t involve cash!
Do you use aluminum cans in life? Do you want to help support our Adventure Program? If the answer is yes to both then we’re looking for you. Our Cans for Climbing program is a major fundraiser for Evergreen’s Adventure Program that is easy to participate in. All you need to do is drop off any aluminum cans you have in the Cans for Climbing Trailer located right by our buses.
Download the app and start scanning your receipts at checkout!
Linking your card really does make a difference! If you cannot afford to give monetarily to our fundraisers, linking your grocery cards is a great way to make sure that you are helping to support our school!
Click on the picture to get started.
School ID Number 10713
Purchase a book for the library, or use it as a book recommendation list for your next library trip!
Did you know that 10% of each Artsonia purchase is donated to the school.
