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The Friday Five

Posted Date: 4/11/25 (9:00 PM)

The Cabarrus County Schools logo features a globe with a leaf, a diagonal line, and the text 'Engaging minds. Shaping futures.'

The Friday Five

April 11, 2025
A young boy smiles and waves to the camera, standing with a group of people wearing red shirts. The text 'The FRIDAY FIVE' is visible at the bottom of the image.

Happy Friday, Cabarrus County Schools families!

We hope you've had a great week! As a reminder, there will be no school for students or staff next Friday, April 18th, in observance of the Good Friday holiday. Traditional schools will also be closed to students on Monday, April 21st for a staff development day. Welcome to this week's edition of The Friday Five.
 
A graphic with the text 'Parent Information' and a deadline for electronic transportation request forms: Sunday, April 13th. The website address is www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us.

#1 Electronic transportation request forms for 2025-26 deadline is April 13th

Thank you to the more than 23,000 parents who have completed the online bus request form in ParentSquare so far. Those forms were shared in a post with families on Monday, March 31st through ParentSquare.

As a reminder, this form must be completed by all families - regardless of whether or not you wish to request 2025-26 bus transportation.

The deadline for completing this electronic form in ParentSquare is April 13th. Failure to complete this form by the deadline date may result in transportation assignments not being available on the first day of school in August.

In order to complete the electronic form, parents must have a registered ParentSquare account. You may find registration instructions here: https://cabarrus.k12.nc.us/parentsquare
 
 'Spring 2025 Parent Engagement Survey'.

#2 Spring 2025 Parent Engagement Survey

This year's Parent Engagement Survey is available on the Engage with CCS webpage and will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Cabarrus County Schools is administering the survey and analyzing results. Reports will not identify individuals, and only overall data will be shown. No one in Cabarrus County Schools will know if you participated unless you identify yourself in the open-ended comments. If you have questions about this survey or your confidentiality, please contact Cabarrus County Schools at cabcoschools@cabarrus.k12.nc.us . This survey will close at 11:59 P.M. on May 9, 2025.

Thank you for taking the time to provide your honest feedback.

 
A flyer announcing a Student & Family Wellness Forum featuring keynote speaker Chris Herren, a former professional basketball player and advocate for substance use prevention.

#3 CCS Student & Family Wellness Forum on April 23rd

Cabarrus County Schools will be hosting a Student & Family Wellness Forum to support Mental Health Awareness Month on Wednesday, April 23rd from 5-7 P.M. at West Cabarrus High School.

We are excited to have Chris Herren as this year’s keynote speaker! There will be a provider fair including multiple community mental health & wellness partners for students and their families to learn about resources that are available. Plus, there will be child watch during the event, food trucks, a raffle, and giveaways!

 
Three children smile and pose on a playground structure, with a bright blue sky in the background.
Children and adults work together to plant seeds in a garden.
 
A reminder that Cabarrus County Schools will be closed on Friday, April 18th in observance of Good Friday.

#4 Notes & Reminders

1.NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY, APRIL 18: There will be no school for students or staff of all Cabarrus County Schools and Early Colleges on Friday, April 18th in observance of the Good Friday Holiday. In addition, students of traditional schools will also be out of school on Monday, April 21st for a staff development day.

2.SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF AND SENIORS: The Dr. Chris Lowder Scholarships Fund was established in 2021 by friends and colleagues to honor the retired Superintendent of Cabarrus County Schools, having served as Superintendent from 2015-2021. Two scholarships are awarded each year, one to a graduating CCS senior, and one to a CCS staff member pursuing a degree or certificate program to enhance their role in CCS. The application with additional details and instructions is located at https://tinyurl.com/LowderScholarship.
 Note that the staff scholarship is open to any CCS full-time employee, who has been with CCS since the first day of the 2024-25 academic year, who is pursuing a certificate or degree to further their career in CCS. The scholarship is not limited to classroom roles only.
·  Student Applications for the 2025 $1000 award are due on or before April 21, 2025, at 9:00 PM.
·  Staff Applications for the 2025 $1000 award are due on or before April 23, 2025 at 9:00 PM.
·  The award recipients will be notified by May 5, 2025.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025, from 7:00 to 8:30 PM ET/ 4:00 to 5:30 PM PT. 
Families for Depression Awareness is presenting a free webinar. In this webinar, you’ll learn concrete tools and techniques to help your teen manage depression effectively. The presenter, Amy Mezuliz, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and author of, “Reversing the Spiral of Depression for Teens: Simple Actions to Improve Mood, Boost Motivation, and Build the Life You Want.” Dr. Mezulis will focus on powerful approaches grounded in evidence-based practices. These aren’t just theoretical concepts, they’re hands-on skills you can implement immediately to support your teen’s mental health.  Register to join for a live webinar discussion or watch on demand after it airs.
You can also download the Teen Depression Fact Sheet in EnglishSpanish, or Portuguese.
If new to the topic of teen depression or in need of a refresher, please watch Understanding Teen Depression Webinar as a foundation to this upcoming program.
 

#5 Important Upcoming Dates


April 2025
  • Fri 4/11, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm • Youth Arts Month Festival at Gibson Mill
  • Sat 4/12, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm • CCS Career Fair at H.E. Winkler Middle School
  • Mon 4/14, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Business Meeting & Adoption of Proposed 2025-26 Budget
  • Thu 4/17 • 4th Quarter Progress Reports
  • Fri 4/18 • Good Friday Holiday - No School
  • Sat 4/19 • CCS Night at the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
  • Mon 4/21 • Planning/Staff Development - All except Early Colleges
  • Wed 4/23, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm • CCS Student & Family Wellness Forum on April 23rd at West Cabarrus HS
  • Tue 4/29, 4:00 pm • Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting
May 2025
  • Mon 5/05, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Work Session
  • Mon 5/12, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Business Meeting
  • Thu 5/15 • End of Quarter and Last Day of School for Early Colleges
  • Sat 5/17, 10:00 am - 11:00 am • Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College Graduation
  • Sat 5/17, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm • Cabarrus Early College of Technology Graduation
  • Wed 5/21 • 4th Quarter Report Cards - Elementary School
  • Wed 5/21 • Early Dismissal ALL
  • Wed 5/21 • End of Quarter and Last Day of School for Traditional Calendar Students
  • Wed 5/21, 5:00 pm - 5:45 pm • Performance Learning Center Graduation
  • Wed 5/21, 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm • Cabarrus Virtual Academy Graduation
  • Thu 5/22, 9:00 am - 11:00 am • Hickory Ridge HS Graduation
  • Thu 5/22, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm • Jay M. Robinson HS Graduation
  • Thu 5/22, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm • Mount Pleasant HS Graduation
  • Thu 5/22, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm • Northwest Cabarrus HS Graduation
  • Fri 5/23, 9:00 am - 11:00 am • West Cabarrus HS Graduation
  • Fri 5/23, 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm • Concord HS Graduation
  • Fri 5/23, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm • Cox Mill HS Graduation
  • Fri 5/23, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm • Central Cabarrus HS Graduation
Example calendar with dates pinned
 

Community Engagement

 
A graphic promoting a 'Family Engagement' event at the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers baseball team on Saturday, April 19th.

CCS Night at the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers is Sat, April 19th

CCS is excited to welcome our families to Atrium Health Ballpark on Saturday, April 19th for CCS Family Night hosted by PowerEd Cabarrus. all seats are on the 3rd base side of the ballpark with full view of all the action, close to the splash pad and playground. We look forward to seeing you at the game! For ticket information, visit this link: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Poweredcabarrus2
 
A poster announcing the Cabarrus County Schools Youth Arts Festival, taking place on April 11th at Gibson Mill Market from 5-8 PM.

Youth Art Month Festival at Gibson Mill Market is today!

Cabarrus County Schools Youth Arts Month Festival will be held at Gibson Mill Market on Friday, April 11th from 5-8 P.M. This is an amazing evening for the CCS community which showcases visual and performing arts education across the district.
  • Art displays and live performances 5-7:30pm.
  • Awards ceremony at 7:30pm.
We can't wait to see you there!
 
A job fair poster for Cabarrus County Schools, advertising open positions for teachers, counselors, and more.

CCS Job Fair on April 12th at Winkler Middle School

Mark your calendars! The CCS Job Fair will be held on Saturday, April 12 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm at Winkler Middle School. Doors will open at 10:00 A.M. for prospective employees. All 44 schools and CCS departments will be on site to provide information, recruit, and hire on that day!  

 
A schedule for Cabarrus County Schools graduation ceremonies, with dates, times, and locations for each high school.

Graduation 2025 is approaching!

Graduation for the Class of 2025 will soon be upon us! Please visit our graduation webpage at www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/cabcograds25 for the latest graduation information. This page will be updated often as your big day approaches.

CCS 2025 Graduation Dates, Times, and Locations

  • Cabarrus Kannapolis Early College: Sat, May 17, 2025, 10 AM at West Cabarrus High School
  • Cabarrus Early College of Technology: Sat, May 17, 2025, 1 PM at West Cabarrus High School
  • Performance Learning Center: Wed, May 21, 2025, 5 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Cabarrus Virtual Academy: Wed, May 21, 2025, 6:30 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Hickory Ridge High School: Thurs, May 22, 2025 at 9 AM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Jay M. Robinson High School: Thurs, May 22, 2025, 12:30 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Mt. Pleasant High School: Thurs, May 22, 2025, 4 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Northwest Cabarrus High School, Thurs, May 22, 2025, 7:30 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • West Cabarrus High School: Fri, May 23, 2025, 9 AM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Concord High School: Fri, May 23, 2025, 12:30 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Cox Mill High School: Fri, May 23, 2025, 4 PM at Cabarrus Arena
  • Central Cabarrus High School, Fri, May 23, 2025, 7:30 PM at Cabarrus Arena.
 
A flyer for a free safety event for rising kindergarten students, hosted by the Junior Charity League of Concord. The event will cover topics like nutrition, dental hygiene, gun safety, fire safety, and stranger danger.

Safety Town for rising kindergarten is July 22, 23 at Rocky River Elementary

Safety Town is a cherished Concord tradition that provides rising kindergarteners with age-appropriate safety rule experiences in a fun and unique format. Police officers, firefighters, and volunteers from the Red Cross teach bus, gun, and fire safety, just to name a few. During this free half-day camp, League volunteers supervise the students as they rotate through each class.

Rising kindergarteners can register here: https://www.jclofconcord.com/events
 
A colorful graphic promoting kindergarten enrollment at Cabarrus County Schools, featuring photos of children engaged in learning activities.

Kindergarten Enrollment is open

🌟 Calling All Future Kindergarteners! 🌟

Cabarrus County Schools is excited to welcome the Class of 2038! 🎉 Kindergarten enrollment for the 2025-26 school year opens February 1, 2025.

📌 Visit www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/kindergarten for enrollment details, school assignment locator, and a list of upcoming in-person enrollment events scheduled at our schools.

Please share this information with your rising Kindergarten family and friends. We can't wait to meet our newest students! 💙🍎
 
Engage Vol 1, Issue 1 Cover

Engage CCS, The Magazine

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Engage CCS, our inaugural digital quarterly! Inside Volume 1, Issue 1, you'll find inspiring stories of kindness, leadership, and community impact from across Cabarrus County Schools. 

🔗 Check out the full magazine here: https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/engageccs

We hope you enjoy reading about the amazing people and stories that make CCS a special place to learn and grow! 💙 #EngageCCS 
 

Are you a CCS graduate?

We’re excited to reconnect with you! As a valued member of our school community, we want to ensure you stay engaged with Cabarrus County Schools. To help us strengthen our connection, we kindly ask you to take a few moments to share your contact information by completing the short survey available by clicking the button below. Your participation will help us celebrate your achievements, share important updates, and create meaningful engagement opportunities for our alumni network. Thank you for being an integral part of our CCS legacy!
Alumni re-connect graphic.
CCS Alumni Re-Connect Survey
 
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