Community Partnerships
Contact
The Community Relations Coordinator in the New Hanover County Schools Public Relations Division is responsible for recruiting, developing and supporting Business and Community Partnerships as well as:
- Fostering personal and business contacts
- Recruiting new partners
- Connecting partners with schools
- Supporting communications with business and community leaders with news and information about NHCS
- Coordinating spotlights of community partnerships at New Hanover County Board of Education meetings
- Rewarding exceptional programs and projects related to Business and Community Partnerships
- Coordinating Facility Use or community use of school property in the district
- Coordinating materials distribution for the district
The New Hanover County Schools Public Relations Division is located at 6410 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28412. If you are interested in becoming a partner with NHCS, please contact Caress Clegg at caress.clegg@nhcs.net.
Volunteer
New Hanover County Schools encourages families of students as well as businesses, churches and community members to get involved. There are many ways to make a positive contribution to an area school or the district.
Every day, volunteers change the lives of students across New Hanover County Schools and offer many ways for people in the community to get involved. Some examples of volunteer opportunities in NHCS include:
Business and Community Partnerships allow businesses, churches, clubs, and social groups to engage, contribute and get involved. We encourage and support the development of partnerships that strengthen and enhance the quality of education and community connectedness. The Public Relations Division’s Community Relations Coordinator helps establish, develop and maintain community partnerships, and we promote them so that everyone benefits and our community and school system are stronger as a result.
End of Grade (EOG)
Testing Proctors assist schools in maintaining test security and ensuring all testing procedures are followed. Proctor volunteers are responsible adult community members (i.e., age 18 or older and not enrolled as a student in the K-12 public school system), who must be trained from the North Carolina Division of Public Instruction’s Proctor Guide and NC Testing Code of Ethics by the schools.
Family Partnerships allow family members to volunteer at their child’s school. Family members interested in volunteering in NHCS should call the specific school’s main office for information about their
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volunteer program.
volunteer program.
Mentors to provide one-on-one attention, support and encouragement to students.
NHCS Advisory Committees allow parents and community members to provide advice to NHCS leaders. Some advisory committees include the Advisory County for Exceptional Children (ACES), Business Advisory Committee, Gifted Advisory Council, Head Start Policy Council, and others. You can find more information on the New Hanover County Board of Education page.
NHCS District Event Volunteers assist the district in having successful special events throughout the year such as the NHCS Teacher Trot and Best Foot Forward.
School/Classroom/Field Trip Volunteers assist schools for specific events and help ensure that events run smoothly. Community members interested in volunteering in NHCS should call the specific school’s main office for information about their volunteer program.
Senior/Graduation Project Mentors assist and advise students throughout their required senior project.
Senior/Graduation Project Judges assist in scoring the senior project presentation that culminates all of their semester long work.
Tutors assist students in building their reading, writing, math and other subject study skills, and teach them to strive for academic success.
New Hanover County Schools has a Volunteer Program that community members can access for their volunteer interests in district schools. Once a prospective volunteer submits an application and background check in the NHCS Volunteer Programs/Portal, they can contact volunteer at a school that fits them and the needs of the school.
Mentor
Find everything you need to know about mentoring in New Hanover County Schools.
What is a mentor?
A mentor is someone who, along with parents, provides young people with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement, and constructive example. A mentor is a good listener, someone who cares, someone who wants to help young people bring out strengths that are already there. A mentor is a caring, responsible person who is interested in giving time to a student and encourage the child to develop his or her strengths and capabilities.
What does a mentor do?
A mentor provides a positive role model for children and can do one or more of the following:
Academic Support – encouraging academic success by showing or discussing the benefits of staying in school and evaluating educational choices.
Role Modeling – helping students see and strive for broader horizons and possibilities than they may not see in their present environments.
Attention and Support – mentors provide dependable and consistent attention and support through listening, guiding, and encouraging students to reach their full potential.
Who needs mentors?
All children can benefit from positive role models.
Why is being a mentor important?
Young people look for someone to listen and support them. Things that may seem easy to you are often mysterious to young people. Providing guidance and structure to a young person allows them an opportunity to develop self-esteem and self-confidence.
When does mentoring occur?
Mentoring occurs at the student’s school site during the school day. Typically, mentors meet with students at least twice a month but the time commitment can be more depending on the mentor’s availability. Mentoring should be at least a one school year commitment.
Which schools need mentors?
A majority of schools in NHCS need mentors to provide one-on-one or group mentoring during the school day. Please contact the specific school or schools that you are interested in mentoring students.
Interested in mentoring a student?
Thank you for your interest in becoming a mentor. You are taking the first step towards making a difference in the life of a deserving child or adolescent. Whether you are an experienced or novice mentor, NHCS staff members provide guidance and support to mentors. Volunteers are assigned in two categories - Level I and Level II. Level I volunteers interact with students under the supervision of NHCS staff. Please note that anyone offering to mentor or volunteer must comply with New Hanover County Schools background check requirements if they become a Level 2 volunteer. Specifically, if you are going to mentor a student or students without the supervision of a New Hanover County Schools employee, you will have to complete a background check prior to your mentoring assignment. If you are planning on being a Level I Volunteer/Mentor, please complete the Volunteer Application and return it to caress.clegg@nhcs.net or NHCS, Attn: Caress Clegg, 6410 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC.
Some things to consider if you want to be a mentor
The time commitment can vary depending upon the school or program that you become involved with; however, it is highly recommended that a mentor and mentee meet at least twice a month for 30 minutes to an hour during the school year. This time commitment provides the opportunity for a positive consistent relationship to develop.
Partner
Are you looking for a way for your business, church or community group to contribute to the community in a meaningful way? Consider connecting your business, church or community group with one or more of the schools in the district. NHCS enjoys exceptional partnerships with people in business, industry, and the nonprofit sector that bring excellence to our schools.
NHCS Community Partnership Highlights
YWCA - Lower Cape Fear
What's Wrong with Different Anti-Bullying Program
What's Wrong with Different Anti-Bullying Program
Legacy Project - Wilmington Rotary Club
What We Do
The New Hanover County Board of Education supports partnerships between New Hanover County Schools and the community. The Board believes it is vital to engage families and community members in the life of the schools. The Board supports partnerships that enhance academic outcomes and further the district’s vision, mission, and goals; this can be found in the Board Policy 9000. Currently, NHCS have over 200 business and community partners in 45 schools.
A community partnership can range from one-time events or donations to on-going projects. A few examples of community partnerships include:
Businesses & Corporations
- Chick-Fil-A provides food donations, gift cards and discounts to various schools.
- Corning provides speakers and volunteers and various schools.
- Food Lion provides food donations and partners with Nourish NC to support students.
- General Electric (GE) provides volunteers and speakers at various schools.
- Hendrick Toyota – Wilmington provides a new automobile to the NHCS Teacher of the Year and supports the Educator of the Year program.
- Lawyers for Literacy provides volunteers to read to and with elementary school students at various schools.
- McDonald’s provides food donations.
- Monteith Construction - Camp Schreiber, which provides tutoring and leadership building skills in males in various schools including Gregory, Williston, Trask, Hoggard, Laney and New Hanover to help build college educated leaders who have a positive impact on their community.
Clubs
- Cape Fear Garden Club provides gardening activities and gardening specific donations to various schools.
- Rotary Clubs provide mentoring, volunteering, tutoring, snacks and financial donations to various schools.
- Kiwanis Club provides tutoring and volunteering at various schools.
Fraternities and Sororities
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Wilmington Alumnae Chapter, provides mentoring of girls and food donations to students and families.
- Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity provides food donations to students and families and support to students at several schools..
- Phi Beta Sigma, Delta Nu Sigma Chapter provides supplies and volunteers to positively greet students at the beginning of the school day.
If you are interested in becoming a partner with NHCS, please contact Caress Clegg at (910) 254-4319 or caress.clegg@nhcs.net.
Donate
Interested in providing a monetary donation or contributing to the community in a valuable way? Consider donating to NHCS, there are many ways in which you can contribute from uniforms, school supplies, scholarships and specials school projects.
Consider collecting school
supplies and dropping them off
to your neighborhood school.
Many schools in the NHCS district
have uniform policies, and can always
use assistance in providing uniforms
to students with the need.
Consider giving a financial donations towards the New Hanover County Board of Education Scholarship for Future Teachers or establishing your own scholarship for high school seniors.