Meet the A+ Schools of North Carolina staff

Header image: From left, Michelle Burrows, Tom Nevels, Laura Walters, and Jennifer Huggins. Photo courtesy of A+ Schools of North Carolina / N.C. Arts Council

The A+ Schools of North Carolina staff are at the heart of what makes this network thrive. As part of a whole-school transformation model that places the arts at the center of teaching and learning, the team provides professional development, guidance, and ongoing support to schools across the state. To celebrate 30 years of A+ Schools, we are highlighting each staff member to learn more about their roles and the impact they make.

Meet Michelle Burrows, senior director for arts learning

What does a typical day on your job look like? 
Every day is a little different, but most of my work involves supporting the individual schools across our A+ network. That means planning engaging agendas for A+ Fellows and school leadership meetings, supporting the development of and providing feedback for our A+ professional development, and being a resource for arts in education in North Carolina. I’m out in the field a lot, supporting the teams of A+ Fellows who facilitate our professional development. I also really enjoy remaining engaged with our principals, educators, and students.

You have been with A+ Schools of North Carolina for most of your career. Can you tell me how you first learned of the program and what drew you to the A+ Schools model? 
I started my teaching career in Oakland, CA, where my education included interdisciplinary instruction. When my family and I moved to the Raleigh area in late 1994, I looked for a teaching job. I saw a posting from a school that was seeking educators with an interdisciplinary background. I applied for and was offered that job, as a fourth-grade teacher at Charles R. Bugg Elementary, which was becoming one of the first twenty-five A+ schools. That was the summer of 1995, and I met the staff for the first time at the A+ Five-Day Institute, at UNC-Greensboro. The following year, I was invited to become one of the A+ trainers—what we now call the A+ Fellows. And I’ve been with A+ ever since.

What excites you about working at A+ Schools of North Carolina?
Seeing both students and teachers enjoying school is the most rewarding part of working with A+ schools. Hearing a longtime educator say, “This is the best professional development of my career,” brings me lots of joy! I have a child of my own who did not like school. So, seeing the schools we work with build wonderfully creative learning environments and knowing that we are having a positive impact on so many students and educators—well, that is exciting and satisfying.

What excites you about the future of A+ Schools of North Carolina? 
There is a lot to be excited about as A+ Schools continues to flourish. Our research on teacher retention indicates that A+ schools demonstrate stronger teacher retention than non-A+ schools do. Teacher retention is one of the biggest challenges in education right now. A+ practice helps teachers feel more supported, empowered, and able to teach in ways that use their creativity, which leads to stronger teacher retention. And finally, with the success and sustainability that we have already shown, it is inspiring to watch the A+ model continue to transform schools, especially in our most underserved areas. A+ has shown for 30 years that the arts are an important and meaningful part of teaching and learning, and it’s exciting to think that even more teachers and students might benefit from this transformational and impactful model.

Meet Jennifer Huggins, A+ Schools program coordinator

Would you tell me what you do in your position at A+ Schools of North Carolina?
I work directly with A+ schools and partner organizations to coordinate logistics for conferences, on-site professional development, and arts-integration training sessions. I also manage the A+ Apprentice Fellows process, including recruiting and training new facilitators. In addition, I handle communications with our network and partners—sharing updates on news, events, and trainings and producing two newsletters each year.

What did you do prior to this position and how did it prepare you to work for A+ Schools of North Carolina?
I was working at the N.C. Arts Council as a program administrator for the marketing team when A+ Schools became a program of the agency, in 2010. As the work of A+ Schools expanded and new positions were created, my background as a teaching artist drew me to the work of supporting arts-based learning in schools.

What excites you about working at A+ Schools?
Watching transformations of individual educators and entire schools as they discover the powerful magic of incorporating the arts in their classrooms and school community to create an engaging learning environment.

Why do you feel A+ Schools is unique and what excites you about how it impacts students and educators?
I think the above answer sums it up. I love that A+ Schools doesn’t tell educators or schools what to teach; instead, we show them how to make their content engaging, relevant, and fun. We treat educators as experts and professionals by giving them tools and resources to make their work stronger, which directly impacts students’ learning experiences.

Meet Tom Nevels, A+ Schools professional development manager

Would you tell me what you do in your position at A+ Schools of North Carolina? What might a typical day at work look like for you?
I think of my work as air traffic control for A+ Schools' professional development. On any given day, we might consult with a school about its needs, coordinate staff for a training session, set agendas for upcoming events, review workshop materials, proofread content, check participant feedback, or organize follow-up documents for the next team. In the 2024–2025 school year alone, we provided more than 50 unique learning opportunities for educators. My day involves a lot of emails, phone calls, document wrangling, and keeping a very organized calendar.

A+ professional development is like Taco Bell—we use the same ingredients (such as team building, curriculum planning, and arts integration), but we mix them in creative ways to meet the unique needs of each school or group of educators. From our summer conferences and statewide network leadership meetings to internal trainings with our incredible A+ Fellows, no two sessions are ever the same.

What did you do prior to this position and how did it prepare you to work for A+ Schools of North Carolina?
Before joining A+ Schools full-time, I spent 12 years as a theater arts teacher in K–12 schools across North Carolina. For seven of those years, I was also an A+ Fellow—one of the practitioners who design and facilitate our professional development experiences. That gave me a deep understanding of A+ values and practices. Now, I get to be what I call the “Fellow’s Fellow,” taking what I’ve learned in the role to support the team in doing their best, most creative work.

Beyond the classroom, I’ve worn many other hats—administrative assistant, event producer, theatrical hair and makeup designer, even pub trivia host! That broad background in what I call “people-ing” — working with and supporting people in all kinds of spaces—helps me connect with a wide range of stakeholders and welcome them into the A+ network.

What excites you about working at A+ Schools of North Carolina?
As a second-generation teacher whose closest friends are also educators, I genuinely love teachers. My favorite part of this role is being a cheerleader for educators—helping them see themselves as creative professionals. Teaching is one of the most complex and exhausting jobs out there, and it’s easy for teachers to feel like just another cog in the machine.

A+ helps them reimagine what teaching and learning can be. It supports their growth as vital, skilled contributors to our communities. Our recent research shows that A+ schools have happier, more engaged teachers, thus retaining them at higher rates than non-A+ schools do. That speaks volumes about the kind of impact we’re making.

Why do you feel A+ Schools of North Carolina is unique and what excites you about how it impacts students and educators?
A+ Schools is unique because it's both home-grown and forward-thinking. We’re a North Carolina-based network dedicated to whole-school transformation through arts-integrated, creative teaching. Our foundation within the North Carolina Arts Council along with strong partnerships—with the Department of Public Instruction and institutions like the North Carolina Museum of Art—keep us grounded both in artistic practice and educational innovation. 

We’ve stayed relevant for more than 30 years by consistently listening and reflecting. Today, we’re seeing students from early A+ schools continuing the legacy by returning as teachers and principals. The bonds that form among our participants, staff, and Fellows are deep and lasting. We’ve celebrated one another’s weddings, retirements, and even memorials. That kind of community is rare. You won’t find a better network to be part of.

Meet Laura Walters, A+ Schools program administrator

Would you tell me about your position at A+ Schools of North Carolina? What might a typical day at work look like for you?
I would categorize most of my work as being “behind the scenes.” I handle all sorts of paperwork and processes, including fellows’ payments, contracts, and department approvals. I also spend a lot of time coordinating events big and small. Depending on the time of year, my days often look different. A+ Schools doesn’t have one busy season. . . the whole year is busy.

What did you do prior to this position and how did it prepare you to work for A+ Schools of North Carolina?
Prior to this position, I was the executive operations director for Raleigh Oak Charter School, which is part of the A+ Network. However, prior to that, I was in the exact position I am now (A+ program administrator). 

My time at Raleigh Oak Charter helped me to better understand the challenges our schools face and how we can help mitigate those challenges.

What excites you about working at A+ Schools of North Carolina?
This work excites me because I believe in the power of the arts. A+ Schools makes art accessible to everyone. I also really enjoy my North Carolina Arts Council colleagues. 

Why do you feel A+ Schools of North Carolina is unique and what excites you about how it impacts students and educators?
A+ Schools is unique because it’s a model that can work for everyone. There is no “one way of doing A+.”

A+ Schools is a signature program of the North Carolina Arts Council. It is the longest-running arts-based whole-school reform model in the nation.