EMPOWER
What's happening with EMPOWER?
What is EMPOWER?
Cabarrus County School received a second i3 grant from the US Department of Education spanning January 2017-December 2020. We are excited to get started within the grant and cannot wait to share the exciting happenings with you throughout the next few years.
EMPOWER is bringing dual language immersion, STEM, and IB programs new more schools within the county. Through this grant, we are able to expand our programs and offer additional supports.
From your EMPOWER Coordinator
Hi! My name is Ashley SaNogueira and I am the EMPOWER Coordinator. My background is in school counseling and I had the honor of working in CCS for 6 years as a middle school counselor prior to taking on my new role.
When the opportunity to become the EMPOWER Coordinator came knocking at my door, I knew I could not let it pass me by. I loved everything about my job as a school counselor. I loved the school, the staff, and the students. So why did I want to risk leaving I job that I loved and called home for something unfamiliar and uncertain? It’s simple. I had the ability to impact substantially more students in a positive way. I could NOT pass that up.
EMPOWER, which stands for Expanding Magnet Program Options, Widening Educational Reach, is the county’s second I3 Grant issued from the Department of Education. EMPOWER’s strong theory is that by establishing a continuum of high-quality k-12 program opportunities intentionally placed in high-need areas combined with the layering of innovative non-cognitive, socio-emotional, and academic supports and services will increase academic achievement and educational attainment outcomes while decreasing the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic isolation of students attending our lowest-performing schools. EMPOWER Schools must be starting a new program in a school with either 50% or more free and reduced lunch or implementing a dual language immersion program with a population of 25% or more ELL students. There are 4 goals to EMPOWER:
1) Continue students through a program choice pipeline
2) Deliver Professional Development to increase Cultural Responsiveness
3) Provide socio-emotional, non-cognitive, and academic supports to students
4) Engage families early and throughout their child’s academic career
With my school counseling background and a passion for teaching the “whole child,” an opportunity to increase growth in the areas of socioemotional supports and parent engagement for students spoke to me. I am excited to see the growth and progress that this grant can offer the schools in Cabarrus County and hope that I can make an impact on a larger scale within the county.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at Ashley.sanogueira@cabarrus.k12.nc.us
Meet our EMPOWER Counselors
Leslie Dianetti
Carlyn Joseph
Hello and welcome! I am excited to be joining Cabarrus County Schools as an EMPOWER Counselor through the Investing in Innovation (i3) federal grant program
I am serving:
W.M. Irvin Elementary
Winecoff Elementary &
Concord Middle
A little bit about me:
I graduated with my Masters in Counseling from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte in May 2017 and before that I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of South Carolina (go Gamecocks!). While I have learned a lot and experienced many enriching opportunities throughout graduate school, I so look forward to learning and growing more in my role as a counselor in Cabarrus County Schools! In my free time, I can be found walking outside in nature, staying active through Crossfit, spending time with my husband; family; and friends, and exploring the coffee and food scene around Charlotte.
A little bit about what I do:
As an EMPOWER Counselor, my goal is to provide students, in these IB programs, with various supports and services related to academics, behavior, emotions, and relationships to help their overall well-being and learning. I will be working closely with each school’s Student Support Services team, that I am serving, to best meet these students’ needs.
Crystal Brunson
My name is Crystal Brunson! I am so excited for the 2017-2018 Academic year and serving our students at CC Griffin and Winkler Middle School as an Empower Counselor.
I received my B.A. in Psychology and English from UNC Chapel Hill in 2011. Go Tar Heels! I received my MS Ed in School Counseling from UNC Greensboro in 2013. Upon graduation, I worked as an elementary school counselor in Davidson County during the 2013/2014 Academic Year. I am currently finishing up my final year at UNC Greensboro where I am pursuing a doctorate in Counseling and Counselor Education. I have about three years of professional experience providing counseling services for children and adolescents. I look forward to working with your student!
More About Me
I am from Winston-Salem, NC. I just got married June 4, 2017 to the best man on the planet. I love salsa and bachata dancing, watching tennis, shopping (when I have money, which has not been recently ), and eating good food. Since I love food so much, I also try to work out occasionally. And I am a Cleveland Cavaliers/Lebron James fan!