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The results are in!

Chatham County Schools had the highest percentage of schools that exceeded growth in the state! We're one of only three school districts in North Carolina where 100% of schools met or exceeded growth. See where else our students exceled.

Turning Pages toward Brighter Futures

Our 2025 Impact report is now available. Thank you to our donors and volunteers, CEF impacted students in many ways across our entire district from Books on Break and grants for teachers to affordable housing and new community partnerships. Read the full report to see what you accomplished.

Support our schools at Jeremiah's Italian Ice!

Every second Saturday of the month, treat yourself to a sweet treat at Jeremiah's Italian Ice at the Lowe's Foods Plaza in Pittsboro. Mention CEF when you checkout and we receive 20% of the proceeds!

AVID students featured in Chatham Magazine!

CEF is a big supporter of Chatham County's AVID program - a nationally recognized college readiness program designed to equip students with skills in writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization, reading and critical thinking. AVID students achieve higher rates of college enrollment and graduation. Meet four of our AVID students in the latest issue of Chatham Magazine!

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September 15, 2025 by Brittany Sandefur in Uncategorized

Turning Pages Toward Brighter Futures – A Year of CEF Impact

We want to thank every donor and volunteer who supported our students this year. Our public schools in Chatham are resilient and thriving because of you. Please enjoy this look back at a year of empowering learners, uplifting teachers, and turning pages toward brighter futures. — Brittany Sandefur, Executive Director

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September 8, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Fighting for the Schools Our Students Deserve

When Jennifer Tuite, a 3rd grade teacher at Perry Harrison Elementary, graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2003 with a degree in elementary education, she looked far and wide for a teaching position. To get her foot in the door, she was willing to take an assistant teaching position, even

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August 22, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Behind the Scenes at CEF: Reflections from a Summer Intern

Caroline Murrell (in red), our amazing SECU Public Fellows intern, spent her summer supporting Chatham students and teachers through CEF projects like Books on Break, CEF Teaching Grants, and book donation boxes. As a Chatham County native, this work was especially meaningful to her—and to us! Following is her reflection

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July 28, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Scratching the Surface: Understanding the North Carolina Education Lottery

Even if you’ve never bought a lottery ticket in North Carolina, you’ve certainly seen the ads on television and at every single gas station for the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL). It’s impossible to miss!  But what may be easier to overlook is just how little the lottery actually contributes

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July 11, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Every Pencil Counts! CCS School Supply Drive 2025

The new school year will be here before you know it! In anticipation, the Chatham Education Foundation is collecting school supplies for Chatham County Schools students and teachers. Here’s how you can help make sure every student has the supplies they need for a great school year:  📦 Purchase supplies from

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July 2, 2025 by Brittany Sandefur in Uncategorized

Summer reading is in full swing in Chatham County!

Chatham County offers a variety of free learning opportunities to keep our students reading, exploring, and thriving all summer long. Try to reach 20 minutes of reading at day with Chatham County School’s Summer Reading Challenge: https://bit.ly/CCSReach20. Students who complete and return their reading log at the start of school

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June 30, 2025 by Brittany Sandefur in Uncategorized

Communities in Schools announces Book Mobile schedule for July and August!

Virginia Cross Elementary School will have a library on wheels making stops around Siler City neighborhoods this summer! Come checkout books and get free snacks donated by CORA!

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June 30, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Read All About It: Summer Reading Tips for Kids

When my daughter was younger, starting in first grade, she was a part of a summer book club here in the neighborhood. There were six girls in the club and each chose a book for the whole group to read. After reading a book, the girls would meet and the

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June 16, 2025 by Cate House in Uncategorized

Feeding the Future: Inside Chatham County Schools’ Nutrition Program

As most parents know, coming up with nutritious meals that your kids actually eat can be a difficult task. Imagine, then, planning breakfast and lunch for the roughly 9,000 students who get their meals from Chatham County Schools’ (CCS) cafeterias each school day. This herculean effort falls under the guidance

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June 16, 2025 by Cate House in Donations

Books on Break Returns to The Nature Trail

Thanks to a $4,375 grant from the Galloway Ridge Chatham County Charitable Fund, Chatham Reads was able to bring Books on Break to The Nature Trail community for a second year. A program of the Chatham Education Foundation (CEF) and Chatham County Schools (CCS), Chatham Reads hosts free book fairs

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Chatham Education Foundation
PO Box 1518
Pittsboro NC 27312
Email:contact@cefmail.org
Phone: 919-533-4609
Fax: 919-869-1859

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