Students and teachers at Nations Ford Elementary School will now have easier access to school and personal hygiene supplies thanks to a new program offered by local nonprofit Classroom Central and Charlotte FC.
Charlotte-based Classroom Central runs a free store on Wilkinson Boulevard, where schools can make appointments to pick up free school supplies. But teachers can’t always make it to those appointments because of their workload, transportation issues or other factors.
That’s where the new Learning Lockers come in.
Funded in partnership with Charlotte FC, the first Learning Locker has been set up at Nations Ford Elementary School. It’s a room filled with school supplies and personal hygiene items for teachers to provide to students as needed. CMS officials say they hope the program can be replicated.
Principal Michael May said the locker will be invaluable, not just because of the quick access to pens and pencils, but to everyday products like toothbrushes and toothpaste.
“We really provide students all things that they need," May said. "And we really look to serve our students whatever their need is. So, to have the hygiene products is just amazing. We don’t have to go out for another resource, it’s right here for our students.
"So again, we just discreetly give out what they need, and we just help out all students here.”
Teachers like Nations Ford Exceptional Children teacher Valda Oliver says access to these resources is invaluable for students.
“When you have the necessary resources that you need, as simple as a pencil or a piece of paper, they are able to learn quicker, they are able to have all they needed," Oliver said. "They’re not shamed as to, ‘OK, I don’t have this so I’m not going to do anything.' It’s very important to the students — more than people know — to have these supplies readily available.”
May said the Learning Locker will be open once or twice a week. Classroom Central has provided a system that allows teachers to track what is taken, so it can be regularly restocked.
CMS officials say Nations Ford was selected as a pilot location because of its distance from the Classroom Central store and late dismissal time, which often makes it difficult for teachers to take advantage of the free store.
