#GivingTuesday MSPS Spotlight: Signs of Change — What’s Happening at Moss Street?

Posted on November 20, 2018

REIDSVILLE — Driving north along the business route of U.S. Route 29 near downtown Reidsville, cars pass a relatively new billboard emblazoned with “Moss Street Partnership School.” Drivers see the letters UNCG for the University of North Carolina Greensboro and #BetterTogether. A short drive further north brings you to an elementary school that’s served its community since 1964, but never like this.

Student reading MSPS GivingTuesday 1In August, about 400 students helped open a new era for UNCG, Rockingham County Schools (RCS), and collaborative education in general. Through a comprehensive collaboration between UNCG and RCS, the university officially “adopted” what is now the Moss Street Partnership School (MSPS). After a yearlong planning process, UNCG gained approval for jurisdiction and supervision over the school from Aug. 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023, unless UNCG or RCS elects to terminate the agreement early or extend it. This transformative venture is profiled in full in the fall 2018 edition of the UNCG School of Education’s magazine, Transform. See an online version here.

We are featuring MSPS during this year’s #GivingTuesday campaign to raise money to buy modern books from diverse authors for classroom libraries. #GivingTuesday on November 27 is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. You can donate online anytime, though the Tuesday after Thanksgiving will be the day when the world celebrates the beginning of the charitable season together online. Your donation to the Moss Street Partnership School Fund will go directly toward a book purchase that will allow students of color and diverse ethnicities to see characters and authors with whom they can identify.

Among the many innovative practices happening at the K-5 elementary school is the responsive approach to reading and writing instruction. Leadership and teachers are moving away from a scripted reading instruction program, and more toward a responsive model that meets the students where they are. Students are encouraged to choose books for themselves, even abandon a book if the first chapter doesn’t grab their attention. Only after a child is engaged and connected to a text does the teacher begin leading them toward character analysis, story structure and narrative devices. Students read and chat with one another, teaching each other to read and respond without forcing the practice. Be sure to check the MSPS social media pages on Twitter and Facebook to donate to the #GivingTuesday drive and to learn about our plans.

How to make a gift to the Moss Street Partnership School Fund this #GivingTuesday:
1. Visit alumni.uncg.edu/givingtuesday
2. Click “Give the Gift of Education”
3. Select “Choose a different designation”
4. Choose “Moss Street Partnership School” under the Featured section