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Keeping You Informed! |
Our “Community Schools: A People’s Perspective”  forum on June 9 proved that District 2 already holds the talent, vision, and willpower to transform every campus into a community-powered hub. Parents mapped neighborhood assets in real time, students spotlighted barriers only they can see, and local partners pledged resources from mental-health counseling to workforce coaching and all before the evening ended. This blog post picks up exactly where that momentum left off. It distills the forum’s biggest takeaway. Solutions must be designed with the community, not for it. It lays out the next steps: forming Community School Councils, launching an asset-mapping sprint, and recruiting site coordinators rooted in our neighborhoods. Think of June 9 as the ignition and these pages as the blueprint for keeping the fire burning until every child in District 2 feels the difference. Community Schools: Turning Our Schools into Hubs of Opportunity I’ve walked the hallways of District 2 schools as a mother, a community organizer, and with your help, a representative on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. In every role I’ve seen the same truth: when a child’s family is struggling, when health care is out of reach, when housing is unstable, classroom success is an uphill battle. The Community Schools model tackles those barriers head-on by wrapping academic rigor with the resources families actually need. The CSM is a proven strategy for liberation and belonging. What exactly is a Community School? A Community School is both a high-quality public school and a neighborhood hub. It keeps the doors open before and after the bell for tutoring, health clinics, mental-health counseling, meals, adult education, and culturally rich activities. Teachers still teach but a site coordinator braids together nonprofit partners, local government, and parents so educators can stay laser-focused on instruction. Why it works
The evidence is so compelling that North Carolina launched a statewide Community Schools Coalition last year, backed by U.S. Department of Education funds.nccscoalition.org Evaluators at Duke University are already tracking positive early results.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu How this model answers CMS’s biggest challenges
My plan for District 2 Secure sustainable funding by recruiting philanthropic partners and leveraging the new federal Full-Service Community Schools grants. Place a trained coordinator in each pilot school and no one-size-fits-all fixes, but a shared standard of excellence. Momentum is already growing Earlier this month our Community Schools: A People’s Perspective forum drew educators, students, and advocates to map out next steps. If you missed it, visit our Google Site to read the exploration report and view the growing resource library. We’ll keep adding updates, events, and volunteer opportunities there Join the movement
Together we can transform every District 2 campus into a beacon of opportunity that our children deserve. Share your story, sign up to volunteer, or simply spread the word that community-powered schools work. Build an implementation team of students, parents, educators, faith leaders, and neighborhood organizations. Measure what matters, publicly. Attendance, achievement, and family-satisfaction dashboards will be published on our Community Schools site so you can hold me accountable.
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 In 2017, I joined the Natioanal Association of Educators to support our local Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators (CMAE) not as a teacher, but as a community organizer committed to public education.
As an affiliate member, I’ve had the opportunity to stand with educators because I believed — and still believe — that public schools are the heartbeat of our communities. WE have a lot to do to improve public education and the status of academic outcomes for our babies. Becoming an affiliate member was the first step in understanding the issues in the teaching profession and how they are asking us to support them. Joining the NEA/CMAE is a declaration: I will support those who teach our children for equitable pay, fight for safe and well-resourced classrooms, and uplift the profession that shapes every other profession. Over the years, I’ve marched with educators, spoken at rallies, shown up at board meetings, and pushed for policy change. The benefits of being a NEA/CMAE affiliate member makes you part of a powerful coalition. It’s about collective action, shared struggle, and community voice. NEA/CMAE needs more community members because they understand that it takes all of us and not just educators. We must work together to create the schools our children deserve. As I campaign to serve as your next District 2 representative on the Charlotte Mecklenburg School Board, my long-standing relationship with NEA/CMAE reminds me: real change happens when we build bridges between educators and the communities they serve. I’ve been building that bridge since 2017, and I will continue doing so with humility, courage, and unwavering commitment. Reimagining Education. Reshaping Possibilities. Rising Together. The cost to join NEA/CMAE as an affiliate member is on $25 per year. Visit NEA HERE Grateful for the support of Thelma Byers-Bailey who understands what it means to lead with community.
From neighborhood meetings to garden beds, we’ve both rolled up our sleeves to make our communities stronger, greener, and more united. We don’t just talk about change—we grow it, together. 🌱🏘️ #vote4shamaiye 📸: Me & Thelma | Enderly Park Neighborhood Association 💪🏾 What a day on the Westside! We celebrated connection, community, and new possibilities at our Greenway Grand Opening at Martin Luther King Park in Enderly Park. Enderly Park and Seversville is linked in a way that brings us closer together. 🌳🚶🏽♀️ This project isn’t just concrete and trail signs — it’s an investment in us. A reminder that when we build together, we rise together. 💪🏽✨ Afterward, I stopped by the Westside Fish Fry at the West Complex on W. Trade Street — nothing better than good food and even better people. Thank you to the Greater Enderly Park Neighborhood Association for allowing me the honor to serve as your president. 🙏🏽 We are building community, living community, being in community block by block. Fun fact: In 2019, I got together with a few friends to bring financial literacy to my daughter's (then) middle school. We had to wait until after the pandemic but we finally got it launched and students have continued the program. I only participated in the full program in the first iteration and today I got the opportunity to speak to the kids and see all the tweaks and fun activities that have been crafted. Shawneke Wilson referred a very talented, smart kind brother named Al Riddick to us. If you are looking for materials I highly recommend Al! We use the book (Money $mart Teen$), workbook, and facilitator guide to teach the kids. Danae Diller helped bring financial resources to the project. Together we designed activities, recruited volunteers, and made magic happen. I don't like to post all the things I do but today was extra special and I needed to share this with you.   It feels so much deeper and stronger than before. Every message, positive thought, prayer, and word of encouragement you’ve sent reminds me why this work matters. Thank you for standing with me again, believing in the vision, and pushing me forward. Reimagining Education. Reshaping Possibilities. Rising Together. Let’s get it. 💪🏽  Our schools reflect our values, our vision, and our willingness to fight for every child!
I’m running for the District 2 School Board seat because I believe in public education that works for the people, shaped by the people. We need classrooms where educators are respected and supported, where students are seen and empowered, and families are invited to be partners in the work. Policies must be rooted in justice, care, and community. I want to end politics as usual. Join us. Volunteer. Donate. Share your voice. Walk this road with us. #vote4shamaiye #Red4Ed #EducationFirst #CharlotteStrong From community halls to school hallways, my journey is rooted in love for our children, families, our educators, and our future. It’s pointless to run for office just to run! I’m honored to be running for The District 2 School Board and I’ll make a difference and do the work that matters. This campaign is about us and our collective power, our shared hope, our belief that public education can and should serve every child with dignity and excellence. If you believe that too, I ask for your support. Volunteer. Donate. Pray. Send good energy. Let’s build the future our kids deserve. Together. #vote4shamaiye #Red4Ed #EducationFirst #CharlotteStrong  A Day in D2 is a GREAT Day!Yesterday was a beautiful reminder of the power of community and the leaders who make it move. 💪🏾 First, I stopped by a youth-led prayer and park picnic filled with joy, purpose, and play. The kids brought the spirit, and our youth leaders and Pastor Sharkeeta Stevenson showed what it means to lead with love. The Easter egg hunt, family games, and moments of prayer were a whole vibe — shoutout to the village raising the next generation with intention and care. Then I had the honor of joining Jackie Lewis, Juan Hall, Blanche Penn, and Evelyn Poe and the phenomenal teams from Angels of No Mercy, Break Every Chain, and Their Voices at University Park. Y’all. Easter baskets, brand-new outfits, pizza, games, giveaways. The works! These leaders showed up and showed OUT for the Southwest Blvd Apartments. No red tape, just real love. To every organizer, volunteer, and community caregiver: thank you. Y’all are the heartbeat of Charlotte. I’m not just running for school board, I’m running with you. #Receipts #EducationFirst #RunWithPurpose #D2Strong #vote4shamaiye #CommunityLed #ForThePeople My campaign team is a great force
These folks help me with the work, plan late into the night, and root every step in love for our community. They show up with heart, hustle, and purpose, and they believe in what’s possible when WE lead. This campaign NOT about me. It’s about building real power. Yeah, and we keep showing up. Let’s Go! |
Shamaiye HaynesShamaiye is a candidate for CMS School Board. Archives
June 2025
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