Charlotte TeachStrong panel rescheduled for Wednesday

A new national coalition hoping to bolster the teaching profession will take a second chance on Charlotte winters next week.

A panel featuring Charlotte-area lawmakers and educators, postponed because of the January ice storm, has been rescheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ranson Middle School, 5850 Statesville Road.

TeachStrong was launched in November by national teacher unions, education reform groups, and research and policy organizations, led by the left-leaning Center for American Progress. The group’s goals include raising pay, improving preparation and licensure, recruiting more diverse teachers and building a better support network for educators.

The Charlotte event, which is open to the public, will begin with discussions on statewide issues featuring state Reps. Tricia Cotham, D-Mecklenburg County, and Craig Horn, R-Union County. Horn chairs the House committees on K-12 education and education appropriations. Cotham, a former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher and administrator, is vice chair of the House education committee.

Others who will be part of a follow-up panel include Erin Burns and Erlene Lyde, teachers at West Charlotte High; James Ford, a former N.C. Teacher of the Year who now works for the Public School Forum of North Carolina; and biology teacher Joanna Schimizzi.

To register or get more information about TeachStrong, go to http://teachstrong.org

Anyone planning to attend should pay attention to the weather forecast as there is a chance for snow Monday. If those predictions pan out, organizers hope roads will be clear by Wednesday.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Charlotte TeachStrong panel rescheduled for Wednesday."