Thank you for your support of the Charlotte Community School for Girls and its mission to educate young female scholars from low-income families to dream, plan, and transform dreams into realities. Given your important commitment to CCSG, and as we approach the end of the school year, I want to update you on our efforts.  But first, a confession that hints at the news I have to share.  Recently, I have taken comfort in reflecting on the “unremarkable” aspects of the career of Abraham Lincoln. We all know the remarkable successes of this extraordinary president, but his path to greatness was paved with many challenges. Yes, he went on to alter significantly the course of American history after being elected president in 1860. However, his resume before then was hardly distinguished. Six times he was unsuccessful in runs for political office, and he lost jobs and failed in business. Call it stubbornness or perhaps determination, the story of Abraham Lincoln inspires all of us, no matter the scale of our ambitions, to persevere in the face of setbacks.I take this comfort in the breadth of Lincoln’s career because we have come to a crossroads with the Charlotte Community School for Girls. The path I imagined for our unique approach to education has not been as straight and narrow as we had hoped. Faced with challenges to maintain the necessary operational resources, we will close the doors at the end of this school year.

The decision has not been easy, but I am grateful for the wonderful support of our Board as we took a sobering look at our situation. At the heart of our efforts are many remarkable young girls whose lives we hope have been touched in a way that will have a lasting and transformative impact. Please take comfort in the realization that you have played an important part in the process. Every ending is a beginning, and I am determined to persevere in pursuit of the ambitions that have united us all to break the cycle of poverty that plagues our nation’s cities. While I cannot say what comes next, I do know that the lessons learned have been invaluable. I look forward not only to crossing paths again, but doing so as part of a shared journey to close the global achievement gap. Thank you for your commitment to these important and vital efforts, and to the Charlotte Community School for Girls.

Sincerely yours, Cathy Sheafor