Catamount School makes its move
The Catamount School moved into his new home on the campus of WCU in the Cordelia Camp Building Wednesday, Aug. 14. The school began in 2017 at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva. Donated photo
“History repeats itself” and “Everything comes full circle,” are just two examples of a myriad of sayings that could describe the Catamount School starting the 2024-2025 school year on Western Carolina University’s campus.
The Catamount School is now located in the Cordelia Camp Building, which was built in 1964 and housed the Camp Laboratory School until its closing in 1994. Several WCU divisions and departments have used the building in the 30 years since.
“We are thrilled to be on Western’s campus for the beginning of our 8th year of the Catamount School,” said Kim Winter, dean of WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions and superintendent of the Catamount School. “We truly have had arms wrapped around us as we have moved to WCU’s campus, from Facilities Maintenance, to IT, to our colleagues who have moved offices to accommodate us. I cannot underscore just how helpful and amazing all of these different groups on campus have been in welcoming us.”
In 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law that required the University of North Carolina Board of Governors to establish eight lab schools aimed at improving student performance in low-performing schools. The UNC System selected universities to utilize their colleges of education to establish and operate these lab schools.
The Catamount School, operated as a lab school by WCU in partnership with Jackson County Public Schools for grades six, seven and eight, opened its doors in 2017 on the campus of Smoky Mountain High School.
The Catamount School moved to WCU’s campus following a decision by the Jackson County Board of Education earlier this year that the high school would no longer house the school.
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The school had to be in a new location by Aug. 1 which gave little time to secure a new location. JCPS offered a space at Jackson Community School, but the Catamount School chose to return to WCU.
WCU faculty and staff stepped in to quickly welcome the school to its new home on WCU’s campus and get it ready for the student’s first day on Aug. 14. JCPS is still responsible for student transportation and food nutrition services.
Catamount School principal Angela Lunsford (left) and Kim Winter, Catamount School superintendent and dean of WCU’s College of Education and Allied Professions, welcome students to the school’s new home on the campus of WCU. Donated photo
The Catamount School has capacity for 75 students, 25 for each grade. This year, there are 64 students between the three grades with all spots filled in seventh grade.
Designed to explore teaching approaches and applied learning opportunities, the Catamount School’s purpose is to help every student discover their full academic potential. This is done through a specially designed environment geared toward meeting the unique needs of young adolescents.
The teaching staff includes four content teachers and two exceptional children teachers.
In addition to the administration and teaching staff, the Catamount School has a full-time school resource officer, a curriculum and instruction liaison and an enrichment coordinator who works with departments across campus to plan activities for the students.
WCU students also work with the Catamount School, serving as teaching interns, counseling graduate assistants as well as nursing students who assist the two school nurses who are also WCU faculty.
“We have two full-time, fully certified EC teachers who work with any students who need that extra push, intervention or help in class,” Winter said. “One of our EC teachers, Lindsay Button, also serves as assistant principal and Sarah Tatham serves as our multi-tiered system of support coordinator in addition to her EC duties. We have what we call ‘Cat Time’ which is our intervention time and every single day during school our students either receive help individually, in pairs or in small groups or time to do advanced work. Part of the reason why school has not been a thriving experience is because the student has not been pushed to the next level.”
To help meet that need, students are given opportunities to work on advanced content or other projects. Students can also attend after-school intervention programs.
Kaleigh Kassel, a double alumna from WCU, has taught language arts for the past nine years, four of those at the Catamount School. She also served as an adjunct professor in the School of Teaching and Learning.
“We have felt extra-supported moving to WCU’s campus and typically when you move somewhere new or start something new, you have to get used to your new environment, but from day one, it has felt like home here,” she said. “Having been a WCU student myself, it is very special being here on campus.”
Angela Lunsford, alumnus of WCU and principal of the Catamount School echoed Kassel’s sentiment.
“Every time I drive through Catamount Gap, I feel like I am coming home,” she said.
