April Board of Education Recognitions

Apr 13 2026

The Kannapolis Board of Education was proud to honor outstanding representatives from around the district at its April meeting.

A.L. Brown High School

Matias exemplifies what it means to be a Wonder. He ranks at the top of the junior class academically while also excelling as a student athlete. In addition, he holds leadership roles in multiple clubs, maintains a part-time job, and consistently contributes to the school community by delivering morning announcements each day.

This year, Matias demonstrated exceptional service and commitment by dedicating his entire spring break to a citywide cleanup initiative in Kannapolis. Beyond participating daily, he collaborated with the City of Kannapolis and the Kannapolis Police Department to help plan and organize the event.

Matias has a very bright future ahead, and I am confident he will continue to positively impact A.L. Brown High School and the City of Kannapolis, regardless of where his career path leads.

Camora’s passion for being a student at A.L. Brown is evident in all that she does. She serves as Senior Class President and actively volunteers and leads in multiple student organizations. Additionally, she was a standout performer in the theatre department’s production of Footloose.

She approaches her leadership roles with a strong sense of responsibility and is continually seeking ways to enhance the student experience at A.L. Brown. Camora also demonstrates the confidence to advocate for her peers by holding all stakeholders, including school leadership, accountable for ensuring students have the support and resources they need to succeed.

A.L. Brown is fortunate to have Camora as a Wonder.

Ms. Davis has done an outstanding job this year in her role as a first-year high school data manager. In addition to being new to the position, she has successfully navigated the challenges associated with the transition to Infinite Campus.

While the role of a data manager is often not fully visible outside of a high school setting, it carries a wide range of complex and essential responsibilities. Ms. Davis serves as a key resource for faculty and staff, frequently assisting with a variety of urgent and detailed needs, including grading issues, attendance corrections, system syncing concerns, and the accurate generation of progress reports, among many other daily tasks.

She has worked tirelessly throughout the year to master these responsibilities and continues to approach every challenge with professionalism, patience, and a positive attitude. Ms. Davis is consistently approachable, solution-oriented, and willing to support anyone in need.

A.L. Brown is truly fortunate to have Ms. Davis as a Wonder.

Ms. Carrasquillo is a true teacher leader at A.L. Brown High School. She serves as both a member and leader of the School Leadership Team and the Instructional Leadership Team. She demonstrates a strong understanding of A.L. Brown’s MTSS goals and consistently ensures that she is doing everything possible to support their successful implementation.

She uses data and progress monitoring to guide her instruction, including pulling small groups during support block to provide targeted academic support. In addition, she mentors and models effective instructional practices for multiple beginning teachers and played a key role in recruiting a Biology teacher to A.L. Brown mid-year.

Ms. Carrasquillo challenges her colleagues to continually improve their practice and encourages school administrators to remain focused on the broader vision and goals of the school. She is a firm believer that all students can learn and deserve a high quality education, and she works diligently to ensure students receive the support they need to succeed.

She is a strong advocate for A.L. Brown High School and Kannapolis City Schools within the community, and we are truly grateful to have Ms. Carrasquillo as part of our team.

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony are outstanding advocates for A.L. Brown High School. They have spent multiple years leading the PTO, actively participating in the Parent Advisory Council, and consistently volunteering their time wherever needed.

They are strong champions for A.L. Brown within the community and are continually seeking opportunities to support staff morale and enhance the overall student experience. Their commitment to service and school improvement is evident in everything they do.

We are extremely grateful for the time, energy, and leadership Mr. and Mrs. Anthony have dedicated to A.L. Brown High School.

The Board was also pleased to recognize the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month, Amber Monroe, teacher, Forest Park Elementary School.

Hilbish Ford is proud to recognize Amber Monroe as our Teacher of the Month for April 2026. Mrs. Monroe has made an extraordinary impact in a short amount of time, and we are thrilled to recognize her as Teacher of the Month. The family of a student had this to say about Mrs. Monroe: “As a family new to Kannapolis, the transition could have been overwhelming—but thanks to Mrs. Monroe, it has been nothing short of wonderful. Her dedication to her students is immediately evident, especially in the thoughtful care and attention she provides to those with unique learning needs.”

Working with a student who has an IEP requires patience, skill, and a genuine heart for teaching, and Mrs. Monroe exemplifies all of these qualities and more. She goes above and beyond to ensure not only academic success, but also emotional support and inclusion for every child in her classroom. It’s clear that she creates a nurturing and positive environment where students feel seen, valued, and encouraged to grow.

We all remember that one special teacher who made a lasting difference in our lives—and for this family, Mrs. Monroe is already at the top of that list. Her passion, compassion, and unwavering commitment to her students make her truly deserving of this recognition.

For her unwavering dedication, exceptional results, and profound impact on students and families, we proudly honor Amber Monroe as the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month for April.

NC SMT Outstanding K-8 Outstanding Educator Award

Jennifer Brazee is being recognized with the NC SMT Outstanding K–8 Educator Award for her outstanding leadership and dedication to STEM education. At North Kannapolis Elementary, she works tirelessly to ensure students experience a wide variety of academically rigorous opportunities across all areas of STEM through high-quality Project-Based Learning, Innovation Labs, and engaging classroom instruction.

It is no exaggeration to say that Mrs. Brazee is the cornerstone of our STEM program. Her capacity for innovation and leadership is truly like none we have ever seen, providing the essential foundation for our students' success and our curriculum’s growth.
She has moved beyond simply elevating the program to becoming its primary architect—mentoring her peers, engaging our community, and ensuring that equitable access to STEM is a reality for every single student. Her passion and tireless work ethic are the heartbeat of our classrooms, and we are incredibly proud to see her recognized on a state level.

She shows her dedication and loyalty to students by collaborating with teachers to design hands-on experiences that integrate core instruction, sparks curiosity and supports critical thinking. She has made a lasting impact on both students and staff. Her passion, creativity, and commitment to supporting her students and colleagues make her an irreplaceable part of the school community.

Congratulations Jennifer, on behalf of Kannapolis City Schools and the Kannapolis City School Board, with the honor of being named the recipient of the NC SMT Outstanding K-8 Educator Award.

Excellence in Arts

Mr. Matthew Minchew, or 'DJ Chew' as he may also be referred to, is simply amazing in every aspect of his position here at GW Carver. Matt is always thinking and looking ahead of the 'what and how' to make things better; this would be making things better for students, staff, teams, programs, events, the community, systems and structures, and the list goes on and on and on...

Over the years, Matt has been able to leverage this positive drive to establish and maintain so many add-ons and extras for others. At the school level Matt has built award winning clubs and choirs, one that has performed at the state level on two separate occasions in Raleigh before the North Carolina Department of Instruction. Matt and his A+ Arts Team have also been able to work diligently throughout the year with our GWC cast of 4th and 5th graders who will be performing 101 Dalmatians with two separate showings.

At the district level Matt's leadership and skillset supports his colleagues across all KCS schools with him designing and leading professional development specific to the integration of the new NC arts standards Whether it be his daily music education class for all K-5 students, grade level performances or the extras like district support or our GWC Talent Show, Matt always gives it his very best. There is such appreciation for the many talents and gifts Matt brings and for that we're grateful. Thanks for being awesome Mr. Minchew, KEEP SOARING Mr. DJ!