CHARLOTTE — Our 9 School Tools Drive continues with Classroom Central, with a week to go before Charlotte students return to class.
Channel 9’s Elsa Gillis got a look at how the free school supply store is helping not just teachers, but students who face difficult challenges.
Principal Monica Palmer says it’s a full team effort to get James Martin Middle School ready to welcome students.
“I’m feeling super excited. I’m feeling energized,” Palmer said. “I’m ready for the children to be back.”
Channel 9 visited the school as teachers were filing back into the building, preparing to turn their classrooms into spaces where students will learn, and with the tools they need.
Teacher Katherine Warner says she keeps a table set up all year long with extra supplies for her students.
“It’s one of those things that you can instantly fix the issue,” she said.
Warner and many of her colleagues often rely on Classroom Central to ensure that table stays full.
“As long as they’ve brought themselves here, we figure out how to help get everything else,” said Warner.
“We serve a very large population of students who are currently unhoused and need support in different types of ways,” said Palmer. “But them being unhoused doesn’t have anything to do with their academics. So we have an awesome team that does wraparound supports.”
Classroom Central is a part of that support system that helps to level the playing ground for students.
“Beginning teachers and some of our veteran teachers simply don’t make enough to pay for the things that some of our kids need. But we want our classrooms to look wonderful, and we want the students to have what they need,” Palmer said.
Channel 9 is holding a special School Tools collection on Wednesday.
It’s from noon until 6 p.m. at Classroom Central on Wilkinson Boulevard.
We’ll be accepting donations of new school supplies for kids in our community.