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Clinton superintendent touts Wales learning exchange and seeks community‑schools and ATR grant partnerships
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Wesley Johnson described a learning exchange in Wales, said the district's 'Dark Horse Fellows' initiative will be featured on NCDPI (March 12), and outlined plans to pursue community‑schools grants and Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR) participation through university partnerships; noted uncertainty about federal funding continuity.
Superintendent Dr. Wesley Johnson used the March 9 Board of Education meeting to summarize a learning exchange in Wales, spotlight a district 'Grow Your Own' program and outline plans to pursue grant-funded models including community schools and Advanced Teaching Roles (ATR).
Johnson described visits to schools and meetings with Welsh education officials and said Clinton’s Dark Horse Fellows program was selected for publication on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction website, with a March 12 posting planned. “We were selected and our publication goes out March 12th,” he said.
The superintendent framed Wales’ system as an example for community schools, explaining the model’s central feature: a community-focused assistant principal or liaison who connects families to local health, social and university partners. Johnson told the board he plans to explore joining a university-funded community‑schools grant (examples mentioned: Duke, NC State, North Carolina Central, East Carolina University) to provide the funding arm needed to sustain the model locally.
Johnson also reported the district received $55,000 from a Teaching Fellows grant and said officials are assessing another federal and state grant opportunity, ATR, which aims to deploy highly effective teachers as instructional leaders. “We are very interested in ATR,” Johnson said; he added the grant typically includes a planning year and, if awarded, would affect staffing in 2027–28. The district expects an application window in May or June.
Board members asked about the state and federal funding landscape. Johnson cautioned that community‑schools federal funding is time-limited and that districts commonly attach university partners to manage grant funds. He said he will attend an upcoming community‑schools forum and bring a fuller report in April. “We already have many tenants of community schools here,” he said, and emphasized pursuing formal grant support rather than relying on ad hoc partnerships.
The board asked several operational questions — including the role of universities in providing funding and whether Title I could cover some program elements — and staff said they will continue discussions with regional partners and present next steps to the board.
What’s next: Superintendent Johnson will deliver a fuller presentation in April, continue university outreach for grant partnerships, and return with recommendations on ATR participation and community‑schools planning.
