January 11th, 2024

Inclement Weather

A reminder that Evergreen does not follow Buncombe County or Asheville City Schools in weather related decisions. When we decide to close or delay, we communicate that information via text, phone call, social media announcement, a pop-up on the website’s landing page, and WLOS school closings page.

You can review the official policies in the handbook. (Page 53)

We recognize that our school community commutes from differing parts of the county, and that weather can look very different, depending on your elevation. If conditions where you live are unsafe, you may make the determination not to attend classes that day, and that absence will be excused. Please just let us know by filling out the Tardy/ Absent Form.

Evergreen is closed in honor of MLK Jr Day on Monday, January 15th. If you are able, please join us for a day of service at The Burton Street Peace Garden.

The Burton Street Peace Garden and Market is a community hub for environmental stewardship and social justice projects that support the resiliency of both human and natural ecosystems in the Burton Street neighborhood of West Asheville and beyond!  Growing food, sustaining pollinators and wildlife, engaging youth, caring for elders, growing community through sharing story and voice, through art and activism...these are just some of the ways the community at Burton Street are doing the work.  

If you are craving being in a space with others who are living a mission similar to ours here at Evergreen, this is a place and a time where you can do that.  
Kids welcome!

Other Ways to Honor Dr. King in the coming week:

  • Kenilworth Celebration, a potluck followed by a discussion of the unique connection between Soul City and Asheville.

  • Peace Rally and March to Pack Square which happens every year sponsored by Martin Luther King Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe Co. The march portion meets at 12:30 at St. James AME, 44 Hildebrand Street. If you choose to attend the service beforehand, we urge you to reserve seating for community members who attend the church regularly.

  • Candlelight Service held at Trinity Episcopal.

A Fun, Schoolwide Fund-Raising Tournament: Tourney of the Hoops. March 18th, 2024. Evergreen community Charter School.

The picture shows children on a playing field. One child in the foreground is running toward a traffic cone with Hula Hoops balanced around it.

Tourney of the Hoops

Three Age Brackets.
Three Ridiculous Trophies.
One Goal: To Have Fun while
Raising Money for the School!

March 11th-15th is Spirit Week. In addition to fun dress days, (purposefully planned to be as stress free as possible!) students will gather pledges through personal pledge pages. Sponsors can pledge per minute of play or give a set donation amount.

Each day grade levels will have a chance to win incentives based on percentage of grade level participation (vs dollar amount).


Save the Date! More information and volunteer sign-up sheets to come!

VOLUNTEER CHAPERONES NEEDED FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCE

We are looking for volunteers to chaperone the middle school dance on February 2, 2024. 

Middle schoolers don't always want their own parents chaperoning their dance, so we are asking our whole community to help out.


The sign up link is HERE.
There are slots open from 5:30pm-8:30pm.  

 

Annie and Bash, trying to blend in on campus!

Hello Evergreen Families!

For this week’s Counseling Corner I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. Many of you might already know me, but I am likely a new face to our new families this year! My name is Annie Mast and I am the Elementary Counselor/Behavior Support for Kindergarten – 4th Grade. I am returning from maternity leave after having a baby this past July, and I am excited to be back with all of you in this wonderful Evergreen Community!

A little about me: My family includes my husband Mike (“Coach Mike” to some of our Evergreen Ultimate Frisbee Alum!), our new baby Sebastian (“Bash”), our sweet fur-family Rory (dog), and Callie and Wookie (Cats). I fill my bucket by playing music, seeing live music, dancing, and getting outside in the sunshine! But, right now my most favorite thing to do is just being at home with my family, playing with Baby Bash and introducing him to all of the wonder and beauty in the world! I am a North Carolina native, but I spent 8 years living in Memphis, TN and Atlanta, GA working as a Music Therapist and Creative Expressive Arts Therapist before settling in Asheville in 2014. I first came to Evergreen as a graduate intern in 2016 and officially joined the staff in 2017 after completing my Master’s in Counseling at Western Carolina. I LOVE music and believe deeply in its ability to soothe and heal, and I actively seek opportunities to integrate music/arts into my role here at school, including joining Mr. Brian for K-2 Song Circle every Thursday morning…it is one of the highlights of my week!

As your Elementary Counselor, I work alongside students, staff, and families to support our students in becoming their best selves. It is a great honor to support your children, be part of their journeys, and witness their hard work and growth each year. The counseling programming I provide includes both individual and small group counseling opportunities, whole class social-emotional learning lessons, and on-call response for students needing in-the-moment support during the school day. You can learn more about me and the programming I provide HERE. You are welcome to reach out to me throughout the school year as needs arise. Please let me know if there are ways I can offer support/assistance to your child. And lastly, if you see me in the halls, please come up to say hello and introduce yourself!

I am so looking forward to meeting and getting to know our new students and families who I haven’t met yet!

Evergreen Community Charter School is currently recruiting Board members who can represent our Asheville community for the 2024-2025 school year!

Are you interested in stepping into Evergreen’s leadership?  We encourage everyone interested to apply!

Serving on the Evergreen Board is both an honor and a gift offered by Board members. A Board term is three years. Here is a little information about the structure of the Board, Board roles, and expectations of Board members. Please share the Board application with friends and others in your network!!

Applications are due February 28. If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Laine Talley, Chair of the Nominating & Evaluation Committee at heatherltalley@gmail.com.

Little Actions, Big Payoffs

Earn cash for Evergreen by taking a moment to link your grocery accounts to the school! This has to be done anew each year. Have you re-registered yet?

Remember Box Tops for Education? Now you don’t even have to cut off the cereal box top and save them in plastic baggies, we’re in the digital age, baby! Simply download the App and scan your receipts, wherever you shop.

Artsonia also gives a percentage of your purchases to the school. So start your masterpiece mug collection!

Evergreen School # 10713

January 4th, 2024

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Evergreen Community Charter School is currently recruiting Board members who can represent our Asheville community for the 2024-2025 school year!

Are you interested in stepping into Evergreen’s leadership?  We encourage everyone interested to apply!

Serving on the Evergreen Board is both an honor and a gift offered by Board members. A Board term is three years. Here is a little information about the structure of the Board, Board roles, and expectations of Board members. Please share the Board application with friends and others in your network!!

Applications are due February 28. If you have any questions, please reach out to Heather Laine Talley, Chair of the Nominating & Evaluation Committee at heatherltalley@gmail.com.

Little Actions, Big Payoffs

Earn Cash for Evergreen by taking a moment to link your grocery accounts to the school! This has to be done anew each year. Have you re-registered yet?

Remember Box Tops for Education? Now you don’t even have to cut off the cereal box top and save them in plastic baggies, we’re in the digital age, baby! Simply download the App and scan your receipts, wherever you shop.

Artsonia also gives a percentage of your purchases to the school. So start your masterpiece mug collection!

Evergreen School # 10713

December 14th, 2023

Accessibility: Upcoming Dates: Dec 14 | Winter Concert , Dec 14 | Board Meeting, Dec 14 | Appalachian Storytelling Celebration, Dec 20 | Winter Break Begins, Jan 2 | Teacher Work Day - No School - EA Available, Jan 3 | First Day Back for Students

 
 

Merch is back!

Just in time for the holiday season we have some fresh, hot merch back in stock! We will set up a pay point for use after the Winter Concert today, or you can stop by the Development Office (just off the Main Office) to look through/ try things on.

We are offering more sizes than were available in the fall with adult shirts ranging from XS - XXL.

There are limited quantities available so please arrange sales with Susan or Lynni and ensure we have your preferred style/ size before buying online!

Happy Shopping, we look forward to your visit in the Development Office!

Prices:

  • Youth Tees - $20

  • Youth Sweatshirts - $38

  • Adult Tees - $25

  • 3/4 Sleeve Baseball Tees - $32

  • Adult Sweatshirts - $40

Next Up for the Culture Disciples Book Club

Toer spent much of his life as a political prisoner, first under Dutch/British colonial rule, later under the Indonesian government as well. This novel was originally told to fellow prisoners in a penal settlement on Buru Island in the 70’s, only to be set to paper almost a decade later. It was immediately banned in Indonesia, and only offered in print in his home country in 2005.

Pick up February’s Book Club selection for your winter break reading!

Here is a summary from a 1992 New York Times review from Barbara Crossette:

"This Earth of Mankind" centers on Minke, a young man of 18 with an engaging sensitivity to the many worlds around him. He is the only "Native" in a Dutch high school in the port city of Surabaya, and he can move confidently in the colonizers' culture, whether they like it or not. He is also the son of a Javanese aristocrat, the friend of a French mercenary wounded fighting rebels in Sumatra and the lover of the exquisite Annelies Mellema, a girl half Dutch, half Javanese. Annelies's mother, a concubine, emerges as the strongest character in the book as she endures Dutch and Javanese prejudices while struggling to run her dissolute Dutch companion's business and raise their two children.

Minke's mother is another strong character, loving her son more fiercely when his father rejects him, but always urging him to be Javanese. When Minke becomes a writer for a Dutch-language journal, she pleads in a letter: "Why do you compose in a language that your mother cannot understand? Write the story of your love in the poetry of your ancestors so that your mother and the whole country may sing them."

The web of relationships Mr. Toer has woven affords a lesson in the complex psychology of colonial life -- of both the colonizers and the colonized. There are few one-dimensional "good" or "bad" characters here. Instead, people grope for an understanding of themselves and the complex society in which they live. In his fluidly rendered translation, Mr. Lane [English translator] has not burdened us with intrusive explanations, although he does provide a useful glossary. Rather than being educated about Minke's world, we are immersed in it.

Segment Header: Counseling Corner

The Wisdom of Winter: Rest & Renewal

When the long, dark days of winter set in, nature seeks rest. Animals burrow underground and settle in for months-long hibernation. The trees and plants go dormant. Daylight decreases. Of course, this can feel counterintuitive as our culture/society promotes a busy, bright, and boisterous holiday season during a naturally instinctual time to prioritize rest. 

Research has shown that intentional downtime can help children regulate their emotions and improve memory and cognitive function. Other benefits of rest and relaxation include:

1. Reduced stress levels – Small amounts of stress are a natural part of life, but too much can negatively impact a child’s physical and mental health. Taking time to rest and relax during the school holidays can decrease symptoms of anxiety or other mental health issues.

2. Improved sleep quality – When children are overstimulated or engaging in too many activities, it can be more difficult for them to wind down. By incorporating moments of rest/relaxation into daily routines, parents can actually help improve sleep quality, allowing kids to feel more refreshed and energized throughout the day.

3. Enhanced creativity and imagination – Children’s brains are like sponges, constantly absorbing information and making connections. However, to foster creativity and imagination kids need time to let their minds wander and explore. Rest and relaxation can provide the downtime children need to let their imaginations run wild and come up with new ideas.

Wondering how to establish balance between our natural instinct to rest while navigating the hustle and bustle of the season? Check out the following links for tips and tricks to find rest and manage stress during the holidays!

31 Days of Holiday Self-Care

5 Tips to Manage Holiday Stress


We hope that you have a wonderful break filled with moments of gratitude, joy, wonder, fun, and hopefully some rest as well! The counseling team at Evergreen can’t wait to see you all in the new year!

Collect Your Cans for the Adventure Program

The holidays are almost here, 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.

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!

December 7th, 2023

Accessibility: Upcoming Dates: 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

Dear Evergreeners,

It’s a busy month, this thing we call December. I hope you are all doing well and keeping up amidst the bustle of holidays.

I’m using my space this month in part to share necessary information with you - part of our job as a school is to ensure that you are well informed as parents so that we can partner together to best support our students’ growth and development.

Also, I’d like to invite you to explore your family’s traditions, expectations, and relationship with the holiday season. I’ve been reading and listening and really reflecting on holidays and celebrations here in the US and around the world. I’d like to invite you to join me via zoom on Monday for our next parent dialogue session - we’re discussing the holiday season and dominant culture privilege especially as relates to the holidays. My hope for this season, while spending time with my kids and family, is to dig in and learn more about traditions and beliefs that many in our country share and explore my personal biases and blind spots while expanding my understanding of celebrations. I hope you’ll join me in discussing and learning!

Here are a couple of notices to inform you of your rights as a parent; this information can also be found in our Community Handbook.

Assessments:

As a public school, Evergreen is required to participate in the state’s testing and accountability program. Although Evergreen’s program is not “test driven,” standardized testing is one of many measures of student progress by which we measure our effectiveness as a school. Regularly administered tests include the North Carolina beginning-of-grade (BOG) test in reading in third grade and end-of-grade (EOG) tests in reading and math given once per year in third-eighth grades, the EOG science test administered in fifth and eighth grades, and the Math I end-of-course (EOC) test, given to students who complete Math I. Some of Evergreen’s students with identified exceptionalities take alternative assessments or receive accommodations on standardized tests as documented in the student’s Individualized Education Plan.

Test score information is distributed to students, families, and teachers as soon as it becomes available and schoolwide results can be found on the State Report Cards website: School Report Cards | NC DPI. Parents may request and be provided with information about state policy regarding student participation in standardized tests by contacting the school testing coordinator, Tim Bushnell (5-8 Associate Director).

Dates of testing, a description of the tests, and the use of scoring will be distributed to families in a timely manner. The third grade BOG test occurs during the first ten days of school and EOG/EOC tests are administered during the final ten days of school; please refer to the school calendar on the Evergreen website for exact dates.

Additional information regarding North Carolina required testing can be found here: https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/testing-and-school-accountability

At any time, parents and family members can request:

  • information on policies regarding student participation in assessments and procedures for opting out and

  • information on required assessments that include

    • subject matter tested;

    • purpose of the test;

    • source of the requirement (if applicable);

    • amount of time it takes students to complete the test; and

    • time and format of disseminating results.

Teacher Qualifications:

As we hire teachers, we always strive to place licensed teachers into our lead teacher roles. There are times, though, when the right person for the role is qualified but is not a licensed teacher. Moving forward, you will receive a notification at the beginning of the year if your child’s teacher is not licensed, is assigned out of field, or is teaching under a provisional or emergency license. If your child is currently in a class that is taught by a teacher in this category, we will send you a notification soon. You are always welcome to ask about your child’s teacher’s qualifications by requesting them in writing to one of our Associate Directors or to me directly.

Accessibility:

We strive to make all school communications available in a language/format that is accessible to anyone. We ask families to indicate in enrollment forms whether they need a different format or language for school communications but if at any time you would like to receive school communications in a different format or language, please let us know and we will ensure that you are receiving information in an accessible format.

Take care of yourselves and each other through the holidays and I’ll look forward to hearing all about your celebrations and family traditions this winter.

ps- When the weather turns icy/snowy, we make decisions about staying open/closing/delays that are independent of Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. To notify families, we will send out a text/robocall and also post it on WLOS and our socials, ideally by 6am.

Also, progress reports went out today via email. Contact Cameron Brantley (K-4th grades) or Tim Bushnell (5th-8th grades) if you didn't receive the email.

Fifth Grade Holiday Market

On December 15, during school hours, the fifth grade classrooms will be transformed into the annual Fifth Grade Student Holiday Market.

Hot chocolate, treats, along with crafts made from landfill bound materials will be available for sale. All items cost $1.