A Word From Our Director of Student Services, Mr.Rattley

I am Antonio Rattley, a soon to be third year director of student services at Carter G. Woodson School (CGWS) in Winston-Salem, NC. Working in a public charter school in the city of innovation is absolutely rewarding. Serving Kindergarten - 12th Grade students in the Piedmont area comes with many challenges. Today’s global and local social climate is at an all time high, mainly due to the use of technology that largely affects our community. The students we encounter at CGWS are a product of their environment, communities that are usually underfunded, lacking in resources and support. At our institution, we work to continue carving the minds of our young scholars, allowing them to understand their community, while learning professionalism in a school setting. The many departments in our school work collectively to support every scholar in need; our parent coordinator efficiently communicates to parents where growth is most significant, retention services ensure students are satisfied by their school experience, while student services maintain the academic premise of our students as they matriculate throughout grade levels. While there are many levels to my role, I mainly encourage students to understand their power as young professionals, as they prepare themselves for adulthood. The many programs offered through student services provide guidance that, if followed correctly, can assist students in becoming successful in their future endeavors. 

Throughout my time at Carter G. Woodson School, I have gained a better understanding of my department, including experience as a major learning tool. Working with the future of tomorrow intentionally places me in a position to enact change into the minds that  will soon be in charge of the generation that follows. For many of our students, exposure is a very important variable that has been missing. Placing them in spaces where they can see themselves, intrinsically motivates them to not be influenced by the detriments they face both internally and externally. Allowing them the room to make mistakes, but also making sure that a lesson is learned from every trial and error is important to being successful.

Beginning my role I realized that knowing how to maintain an appropriate academic identity was a major learning curve for our students; that even when you are no longer an active student at CGWS, you are still an eagle nonetheless. I have always been under the impression that in order to receive anything, you must first be willing to give. Meeting our students in the middle by finding and using what motivates them, helps bridge them to the culture that our school is instilling; a school has to understand that there is a standing equilibrium between social and academic values. An institution that has an understanding of both, not only attracts and maintains recruitment, but can also have a strong influence on how a young child views education. 

While my department is strengthening in its approach to student success, as we are producing the number of students enrolling in several programs such as dual enrollment at Forsyth Technical College, we are still finding successful pathways for all students to dream of a better future. However, Carter G. Woodson’s mission extends beyond our walls. We aim to be by the community, for the community, even for students who are not yet a part of our family. In order for student success to be prioritized, more parents must be involved in the growth. My challenge I am sending to any parent reading this, is to become more involved in their child’s progress. If you feel you are doing a lot, do more! Our youth needs us to guard them, even in times where they make it feel unwarranted. The youth needs us to do better. By failing the youth, we as adults are failing ourselves. And where is the success in that?