Hello OCS Family! It was an eventful week here at Onslow County Schools. You can find the latest news and updates below!

STUDENTS EXPLORE CTE AT SHOWCASE 

Tuesday was an exciting day for more than 1900 Onslow County 8th graders as they got an up-close look at the many options available to them as they enter high school. 
 
For 15 years, the Onslow County Schools Career and Technical Education department has held the CTE Showcase, where 8th graders can explore the CTE programs offered in Onslow County high schools. This year, the booths students could visit included carpentry, automotive, masonry, agriculture, AP Computer Science, Microsoft Office, law enforcement, firefighting, HOSA, and more.  

Each booth was run by current OCS high school students enrolled in the respective programs. The high school students gave 8th graders a closer look at what they could learn in CTE courses through interactive activities and experiences. Students interested in medical fields could learn to insert an airway on a patient, while students interested in masonry could lay bricks and those interested in carpentry could drive nails and build bird houses. 
 
Ethan Starzynski, a senior enrolled in the carpentry program at Southwest High School, said that he attended the CTE Showcase as an 8th grader, and it really played a role in his decision to take the class. That, he said, is why he was excited to share his experience with current 8th graders who may be interested in CTE courses.  

MIDDLE SCHOOL SPELLING BEE 

Thursday night, the county’s best middle school spellers came together at Southwest Middle School to put their spelling skills to the test. Sixteen students representing the district’s middle schools competed in a total of 7 rounds to see who would come out on top.  

In the end, Swansboro Middle’s Hannah Marie Tokiwa took home first place after correctly spelling the word “inaudible.” Southwest Middle’s Emily Rice came in second place.  

Congratulations to the winners and a job well done to all who competed! 

NEWS FROM THE BOARD 

A summary of the Onslow County Board of Education Funding Committee meeting on March 21, 2019 can be found here: News from the Board.  

HIGH SCHOOL REGISTRATION 

We would like to remind our high school students and their families that class registration for the 2019-2020 school year is still happening. The district deadline to register for next year’s classes is April 26, 2019. Please check with your school for more specific and individualized deadlines. You can find more about registration and class offerings in the Secondary Course of Study.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
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Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 
 

Hello, OCS Family! Read below for the latest district news and happenings.

AIG SPECIALIST RECOGNIZED

On March 8, Phyllis Venters, an AIG specialist at Swansboro Middle School and long-time Onslow County educator, was named the 2019 NC Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted by the North Carolina Association for the Gifted & Talented. The NCAGT Outstanding Teacher of the Gifted Award is presented annually to a North Carolina teacher of gifted children who exhibits a strong commitment to gifted education through professional experience, professional organizations, and/or services in the area of education for the gifted. 

In the nomination he submitted for Mrs. Venters, Michael Elder, OCS director of college and career readiness, said she “is the kind of educator that I wish I could share with every child and teacher. She has the perfect blend of Socrates, Clara Barton and Ms. Frizzle that every one of us needs to experience at one point or another. Phyllis has spent her career making others feel valued, important, and as if they are her best friend.”  

Mrs. Venters said she was "so surprised, humbled and honored to be recognized with such an incredible honor." 

Congratulations on this great accomplishment, Mrs. Venters! 
 
You can read the full story on Mrs. Venters’ award here.  

UPDATE ON SNOW DAY
 
After a careful review of calendars revised following Hurricane Florence, it has been determined we have enough instructional hours that we will be able to absorb the missed day without having to create yet another student makeup day.  

TRADES DAY AT CCCC 

The 13th annual Trades Day event is coming up! On Saturday, March 23, CTE students from Onslow and Jones counties will gather to compete and showcase their skills. Read below for more information.  

HIGH SCHOOL REGISTRATION
 
We would like to remind our high school students and their families that class registration for the 2019-2020 school year is still happening. The deadline to register for next year’s classes is April 26, 2019. You can find more about registration and class offerings in the Secondary Course of Study.   

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 

Hello, OCS family! Read below for the latest news and updates after another great week at Onslow County Schools! 

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME
 
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10 at 2 a.m. So, remember to “Spring Forward” this weekend and turn your clocks forward 1 hour!  

SCHOOLS RECEIVE FAST NC GRANTS

Left to Right: State Superintendent Mark Johnson; FAST NC Steering Committee members Henry Johnson and Mike Ward; OCS Superintendent Dr. Barry Collins; State Board Chairman Eric Davis; Southeast Education Region-State Board Member Reginald Kenan; State Board Vice Chairman Alan Duncan. 

On Thursday, Superintendent Dr. Barry Collins traveled to Raleigh to accept FAST NC grants on behalf of two OCS high schools. FAST NC, Florence Aid to Students and Teachers of North Carolina, is an effort led by current and former NC education leaders to help the state’s public schools return to normal following Hurricane Florence and its impact.  

FAST NC asked for donations through the existing NC Education Fund to support students and teachers across the state. The organization is working with local superintendents, charter school directors, and statewide associations to identify needs and direct funding. The steering committee makes decisions about funding requests submitted from educators and administrators across the state that have the approval of the superintendent. 

Richlands and Northside high schools are the latest OCS schools to receive funding from this effort. RHS received a grant of $4150.28 to replace its dance floor and sub-flooring, while NHS received $1797.38 to purchase large screen TVs, a protection plan and mounting devices to use in the media center for tutoring sessions to recover lost instructional time. 

Thank you, FAST NC, for continuing to support our staff and students in this recovery period!  

SCHOOL EXPRESS DISCOUNTS 

School Express is a program that allows area businesses and community partners to offer specials and discounts to all permanent Onslow County Schools employees. We are grateful for the partnerships we have with our community and sincerely thank all merchants who participate in School Express. 
 
OCS staff, an updated School Express discount list for the 2018-2019 school year has been posted on the OCS website under the Community tab. This list will continue to be updated, so please continue to check back for more discounts.  

Due to setbacks caused by Hurricane Florence, School Express cards will not be issued this year. Instead, to claim your discount, please be prepared to show businesses your Onslow County Schools badge.  

Business owners and community members, if you or someone you know would like to offer a discount to the employees of OCS through the School Express program, please contact Public Information Assistant Jessica Coston at jessica.coston@onslow.k12.nc.us or 910-455-2211 Ext. 20302.  

KINDERGARTEN AND PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION 

Preschool registration is happening now and kindergarten pre-registration is coming up. Read below for more details on each. 

NEWS FROM THE BOARD
 
A summary of the Onslow County Board of Education meeting on March 5, 2019 can be found here: News from the Board.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 

Hello, OCS Family! It was an eventful and exciting week at Onslow County Schools. Read below for the latest news and announcements from the district. 

 
NEW SUPERINTENDENT NAMED
 

The Onslow County Board of Education is pleased to announce the selection and election of Dr. Barry Collins as the next superintendent of Onslow County Schools. His first official day in office was today, March 1, 2019. 
 
Although many qualified candidates applied, the board felt that Dr. Collins’ experience, leadership, and dedication to students would best serve OCS students, staff, and the community for years to come. The board is confident that Dr. Collins will lead the school system to even higher achievement.
 
Dr. Collins is a graduate of White Oak High School and has been associated with OCS as a student, parent or employee for the past 42 years. Dr. Collins started his career in Onslow County as a teacher at Northwoods Park Middle School and most recently held the position of Associate Superintendent, responsible for Human Resources.  
 
“I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as Superintendent of Schools here in my home county,” Dr. Collins said. “There is no other place I would rather be than right here, right now … We live and work in the best district filled with great students, parents and staff. With a belief and reliance on servant leadership, I look forward to working with our school board, our commissioners, our community members and the administrative staff to continue and build upon the Onslow County Schools tradition of ‘Excellence in Education’ for all students.” 

Congratulations, Dr. Barry Collins! 

PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION 
 
Onslow County Preschools will begin accepting applications from the 2019-2020 school year starting March 6. If your child will be 3 or 4 on or before August 31, 2019, they may be eligible for one of the Pre-K programs. See below for more information on how to apply.  

DR. KAY B. GRESHAM ACADEMIC CHALLENGE 

On Saturday, February 23, high school students from across the county gathered at Southwest High School to compete in the Dr. Kay B. Gresham Academic Challenge.  

This event was started in 1997 by longtime Onslow County educator Dr. Kay B. Gresham, then president of the Jacksonville Rotary Club. Dr. Gresham’s vision was to promote the ideals of Rotary while providing students in Onslow County, the State of North Carolina, and surrounding states with an opportunity to compete academically. Since Dr. Gresham’s passing in 2013, the Rotary clubs of Onslow County have kept the tournament going in her honor.  

After a morning full of challenging competitions, four teams were recognized and received trophies for placing in the tournament. Richlands High School came in 1st place, Onslow Early College High School came in 2nd, Southwest High School came in 3rd, and Northside High School came in 4th. The winning teams were also surprised with a check from the Jacksonville Rotary Club. First place received $150, second place received $100, third place received $75, and fourth place received $50.
 
Congratulations to the winners and a job well done to all competitors!  

NEWS FROM THE BOARD 

A summary of the special Onslow County Board of Education meeting on February 26, 2019 can be found here: News From the Board. 

BOE MEETING MARCH 5 

On Tuesday, March 5, the Onslow County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of Blue Creek Elementary School.
  
A hurricane repair update and the 2019-2020 Head Start Project approval are on the meeting’s agenda. The full agenda and more information can be found on the BoardDocs portal.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 
 

Another week of learning and excellence is in the books for Onslow County Schools! Read below for the latest district happenings. 

KINDERGARTEN PRE-REGISTRATION 

Kindergarten pre-registration is coming up on April 2-3, 2019. To be eligible, your child must turn 5 on or before August 31, 2019. You can register your child at the school he or she will be attending.

CTE HAPPENINGS 

After a months-long application and interview process, OCS CTE Director Chris Bailey was named the North Carolina CTE Administrator of the Year. He was presented with his award at the Spring CTE Administrators Conference Tuesday in Pinehurst, NC.  

Leading up to this honor, Mr. Bailey was named the Southeastern NC Regional CTE Administrator of the Year. He will now be eligible to be considered for the CTE Administrator of the Year honor for the entire Southeastern region of the United States.  

Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Mr. Bailey! 

DID YOU KNOW? CTE Programs provide the skills training that addresses the needs of high-growth industries, such as healthcare, renewable energy and STEM fields.  

TEACHER SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTION

After Hurricane Florence, Onslow County Schools received a tremendous amount of support from our community and people across the country. On Monday, during the teacher workday, OCS teachers were invited to take what they needed from the supplies and book donations the district received. 
 
More than 100 teachers came to the Christmas Cheer building on Hargett Street to “shop” and take what they needed from about 10 tables piled with school supplies and dozens of boxes of books. Teachers were able to get children’s books, novels, reference books and more for their classrooms, as well as notebooks, paper, pencils, folders and art supplies for their students.
  
Thank you to all who made generous donations to our staff and students and to Onslow Community Outreach for helping make this event possible! 

NWES WAX MUSEUM 

Second graders at Northwoods Elementary School took visitors back in time at their wax museum event this week.
  
Students chose historical figures to research and write about leading up to the event, and then on Thursday, they brought them to life. The students dressed as their figure and set up a station where parents and other visitors could stop by and watch videos they made of themselves explaining who they were dressed as and why their figures were important.
  
Some of the historical figures that made an appearance included George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, Amelia Earhart and Neil Armstrong.

  
BOE MEETING FEBRUARY 26 

On Tuesday, February 26, the Onslow County Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 9 a.m. in the Family Education Center at the OCS Central Services Office, located at 200 Broadhurst Road in Jacksonville. 

The selection and election of the new superintendent, an elementary construction update and future budget planning are on the meeting’s agenda. 

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 

Hello OCS family! Read below for the latest updates from another great week at Onslow County Schools.  

HIGH SCHOOL REGISTRATION 

As of today, Friday, Feb. 15, the 2019-2020 Secondary Course of Study is officially live on the OCS website.  

This guide outlines the opportunities and coursework options available to high school students going into the 2019-2020 school year, including college-level courses provided in conjunction with Coastal Carolina Community College and advanced Career & Technical Education courses at the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center.  

Click here to see the guide. 

BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION 

This week is School Bus Driver Appreciation Week and we would like to thank our dedicated bus drivers and transportation staff for all of their hard work! Day in and day out, they work to get our students to and from school as safely and efficiently as possible.  

On Monday morning, HMS Transporation Solutions sponsored a “Love the Bus Brunch” to thank OCS drivers who have won awards for Perfect Attendance, Outstanding Driver, and Clean Bus. They were treated to a spread of biscuits, juice, cake and more as a small token of appreciation.  

To all of our drivers, bus monitors and transportation staff, we appreciate all you do for the children of Onslow County! 

CTE HAPPENINGS 

DID YOU KNOW? CTE prepares students to be college- and career-ready by providing core academic skills, employability skills and technical, job-specific skills.  

As CTE Month continues, we are excited to keep you updated on career and technical education news across the county.  

• This week marked an important occasion for our Future Farmers of America organizations at White Oak and Richlands high schools. FFA students and advisers from WOHS and RHS gathered at the OCS central office on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the signing of an FFA proclamation by Interim Superintendent Ron Singletary. Dr. Singletary’s signature officially made February 16-23, 2019 FFA Week.  

• Eighth graders at Dixon Middle got valuable career-readiness training Tuesday, as more than 15 business owners and professionals from the community came in and conducted mock job interviews. Students interviewed with professionals from many fields, such as law enforcement, military, medicine and retail, who asked them standard questions about their goals, strengths and weaknesses, as well as questions specific to their field. Interviewers were asked to grade students honestly to give the students accurate feedback on their confidence, preparedness, appearance and presentation. Leading up to the interviews, students learned about potential career paths, portfolio-building and budgeting. Instructor Alicia Dipzinski said the lessons learned from this experience will equip students for success as they go into high school, college and the workforce. 

COMMUNITY LEADERS VISIT SCHOOLS 

Each year, the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce hosts a group of leaders and professionals in the community for a leadership class, where they learn about the businesses and government agencies in the community. Thursday, this year’s class spent the day learning all about the opportunities Onslow County Schools provides for students.  

The day started with a welcome from Interim Superintendent Dr. Ron Singletary and an overview of the school system from Deputy Superintendent Dr. Beth Folger.  

From there, the class toured Thompson Early Childhood Center with Director James Lanier and even took a few minutes to read to the preschoolers. Later, the visitors stopped by Clyde Erwin Elementary to observe Spanish Language Immersion classrooms. For lunch, the class met with students from Onslow Early College High School and had a chance to network and talk about the OEC experience. They finished their day with CTE students learning about the variety of career and technical programs the district offers.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 
  
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Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 

DR. FOLGER RECOGNIZED BY NCASCD 

Onslow County Schools is proud to announce that Deputy Superintendent Dr. Beth Folger was recently awarded the NCASCD Distinguished Educator Award.  

NCASCD, the North Carolina Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, awards this honor annually to a member of the association who has made significant contributions in the areas of curriculum and instruction as a teacher or administrator.  

Dr. Folger came to Onslow County in 2015 and has worked in public education for more than 28 years. She has taught elementary and middle school and served as an administrator at the school and district levels. Since 2016, Dr. Folger has served as the OCS Deputy Superintendent and she oversees PreK-12 Instruction, Research and Accountability, Human Resources, and Leadership Development.  

Dr. Folger was officially recognized at the NCASCD Conference this month.  

FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL CTE MONTH 

DID YOU KNOW? The average high school graduation rate for CTE concentrators was 93 percent, compared to the national adjusted cohort graduation rate of 80 percent. Onslow County Schools is proud to have a 97 percent CTE Concentrator Graduation Rate! 

This month, OCS will give you a look into the amazing work career and technical education students do across Onslow County. You can keep up with CTE happenings on the official OCS social media channels and the OCS website. 
 
Beginning February 11, career development coordinators across the district will be taking over the Onslow County Schools Instagram account to give you an inside look at CTE classes and projects. To join in on the takeover fun, follow OCS on Instagram! 

STEM COMPETITIONS MAKE LEARNING FUN 

Students from New Bridge Middle compete in MATHCOUNTS.

This week, STEM was the focus for OCS students, as they competed in math and science competitions. 
 
Elementary students from across the county gathered on Saturday, Feb. 2 to exercise their brains and compete against other schools at the Elementary Science Olympiad. Science Olympiad features several science and engineering-based events that require students to think critically and work as a team to solve problems or accomplish a goal. Click here to read more about the Onslow County Elementary Science Olympiad event.
  
On Thursday, middle school students participated in the Onslow County Middle School MATHCOUNTS competition. All eight OCS middle schools were represented, as well as a private school here in the county. Teams participated in several events throughout the day, all designed to test students’ math skills and make learning fun.   

Congratulations on a job well done to all who competed! 

STUDENTS CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR 

Children at Dixon Elementary wear the dragon they made for their Chinese New Year parade.

Tuesday, Feb. 5 marked the celebration of the Chinese New Year, and OCS students rung in the Year of the Pig in a variety of ways.  

Dixon and Hunters Creek elementary schools both held parades to recognize the day. The parades were full of dragons and bright colors, and Dixon Elementary even had live pigs! Beth Howard, the teacher who organized the parade at Dixon, said the event included over half of the student body and is rite of passage for the school’s 4th graders, who look forward to it all year before heading to the middle school.  

Other schools, like Carolina Forest Elementary, celebrated by studying China’s culture and preparing performances and presentations to share with their school and families.  

NEWS FROM THE BOARD 

A summary of the Onslow County Board of Education meeting on February 5, 2019 can be found here: News from the Board.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 
  
Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 

We hope everyone in the OCS family had a great week! Read below for important notices and the latest district happenings.  

STORM-BASED MEAL WAIVERS ENDING 

As of today, February 1, 2019, all students in Onslow County Schools returned to pre-storm status for meal benefits.  

This means students who paid for or were provided meals at a reduced cost will be charged from this time forward.  Students who were receiving meals at no cost before Hurricane Florence will continue to receive them for free. 

If you would like to start receiving free or reduced meal benefits, please click on the link to complete an application: Meal Benefits Application.  

STOUT HONORED AT RETIREMENT CELEBRATION 

Educators, elected officials and community members all gathered at Northside High School Monday night to celebrate the retirement of Mr. Stout and thank him for his 30 years of service to the students of North Carolina and, more specifically, his 5 years of service to the students of Onslow County.  

The celebration included remarks from OCS Executive Director of Community Affairs Brent Anderson and Board Chair Pam Thomas, who shared some of Mr. Stout’s greatest accomplishments and wished him luck as he begins the next chapter of his life and career.  

Mr. Stout and his guests enjoyed hor d’oeuvres prepared by the NHS Culinary Academy, as well as a presentation of the colors by the NHS JROTC color guard. Guests were also treated to a performance of the National Anthem by the NHS chorus and a night of music provided by the Jacksonville High School Orchestra’s string ensemble.  

We would like to congratulate Mr. Stout on his retirement and a successful career in education!  

GROUNDHOG DAY AT TECC 

Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips and
Puck the Groundhog

It was an exciting morning at Thompson Early Childhood Center Friday as the school held its annual Groundhog Day event. 

The staff and students at TECC were joined by Jacksonville Mayor Sammy Phillips and staff from Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary when they gathered to see how long the winter season would last. 

Puck the Groundhog, from Possumwood Acres, saw his shadow when he emerged and you know what that means... Six more weeks of winter!

MAGNET SCHOOL OPEN HOUSES 

If you are interested in seeing the OCS magnet schools before the application period, New Bridge Middle School will hold an open house on Monday, February 4 at 5:30 p.m., and Northwoods Elementary and Clyde Erwin Elementary will hold their open houses on Thursday, February 7 at 5:30 p.m. 

Magnet School applications will be available February 11, 2019 and will remain available until March 1, 2019.  The lottery selection process will be held at 10 a.m. on March 4, 2019.   

Click here to watch a video on how to submit a magnet school application.

BOE MEETING FEBRUARY 5 

On Tuesday, February 5, the Onslow County Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of Blue Creek Elementary School. Immediately preceding the regular meeting, the Board will meet in closed session at 5 p.m.  

Testing policy and an update on the new elementary schools are on the meeting’s agenda.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA   
Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
YouTube -  Onslow Schools Television 
 
 

Another week of learning and excellence is in the books for Onslow County Schools! Read below for the latest district happenings. 

SKILLS CENTER OPENING DELAYED 

Earlier this week, OCS announced that the opening of the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center (ENCRSC) has been delayed until August 2019.  

While the storm itself is long gone, Hurricane Florence continues to have an impact on our community. Materials necessary for completion of the ENCRSC have been in short supply or diverted to other needs across the area. Additionally, the repair and reconstruction of existing homes and businesses has increased the demand for all types of laborers, and workers from the immediate area have been in short supply. These factors have combined with prior delays and shortages to put construction even further behind schedule making this decision necessary.
 
In Tuesday’s special Board of Education meeting, Interim Superintendent Ron Singletary said that the facility could be partially open by mid-March, and that the project is expected to be completed by April. An April completion date, he said, would allow enough time for the building to be equipped and prepared for student occupancy by the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year in August.  
 
During the Board’s discussion of the ENCRSC’s progress, Board members decided that, while the project is delayed, now would be a good time to look into how to outfit the upstairs space for future use, whether it be used for classrooms, offices, etc. The Board unanimously agreed to ask staff to move forward with researching the potential uses of the upstairs space and the logistics and requirements for preparing the space for future use.   

NEWS FROM THE BOARD 

In its special workshop meeting on January 23, 2019, the Onslow County Board of Education discussed three topics: the Eastern North Carolina Regional Skills Center, hurricane recovery updates and future budget planning. Click here for a summary of the meeting.

MAGNET SCHOOL INFORMATION SESSIONS 

Parents who are interested in their students attending one of Onslow County Schools' three magnet schools are invited to attend an information session with Dr. Brendan Gartner, Director of Student Services. Sessions will cover the new online application and lottery process used to select students for magnet schools, as well as the Dual-Language Immersion program.
    
Sessions will be held the following upcoming dates: 

• January 29, 6 p.m. -- Southwest Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 30, 6 p.m. -- Hunters Creek Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 31, 6 p.m. -- Swansboro Middle School Cafeteria 
• February 1, 6 p.m. -- New Bridge Middle School Cafeteria 

Click here for more information on OCS magnet schools.  

FOLLOW OCS ON SOCIAL MEDIA   

Keep up with even more OCS happenings on the following platforms:
   
Facebook - @OCSNC   
Twitter - @OnslowSchools   
Instagram - onslowcountyschools   
 
 

This week at OCS was full of celebration! Read below for the district's latest news.

Have a great weekend and remember: no school on Monday!

NMSI PROGRAM KICKS OFF IN ONSLOW 

In a large kickoff celebration on Thursday, Onslow County Schools announced that the district was awarded a $906,121 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to implement the National Math and Science Initiative program at Richlands and Northside high schools.  

NMSI, a program that often partners with the Department of Defense to improve educational opportunities for military children, works to improve STEM education by partnering with schools to provide training and support for teachers and give students the resources and technology they need to develop lifelong skills. NMSI offers teachers course-specific training, online curricular resources and support from AP experts, while students can benefit from focused study sessions, equipment upgrades and exam fee subsidies.  

Col. Scott Baldwin of Camp Lejeune said that a program like NMSI will help support students that live a transient lifestyle like military children.  
“There’s a significant number of [military] kids in the community,” Col. Baldwin said. “And the communities do give a lot to the installation. They support what we do, so it’s nice that the Department of Defense can turn around and be able to give back to the community.” 

Ed Veiga, senior director of the Military Families Mission for NMSI, said it was important to note that NMSI resources are not only available to military children, but to all students in schools who have adopted the program. 

TECC HOSTS APPRECIATION BREAKFAST 

OCS maintenance workers Mike Tyndall, Joe Davis and Antonio Hooker enjoy breakfast at TECC.

Thompson Early Childhood Center hosted its annual appreciation breakfast for OCS maintenance staff Wednesday morning.  

Dozens of workers from the district’s maintenance department gathered in TECC’s multipurpose room for food and fellowship, courtesy of the preschool’s staff. The guests of honor were treated to a large buffet of pancakes, sausage, biscuits, gravy, casseroles and more.  
Board members Earl Taylor, Paul Wiggins and Ken Reddic, as well as Interim Superintendent Ron Singletary joined the TECC staff in thanking the maintenance team for all they do for the students and employees of the Onslow County School System.  

TECC Director James Lanier presented the maintenance department with a gift of appreciation: a framed print of the school’s tiger cub mascot signed by all of the school’s employees.  

To our maintenance staff, thank you for all the hard work you do every day!

See a video from the breakfast event here. 

MAGNET SCHOOL INFORMATION SESSIONS 

Parents who are interested in their students attending one of Onslow County Schools' three magnet schools are invited to attend an information session with Dr. Brendan Gartner, Director of Student Services. Sessions will cover the new online application and lottery process used to select students for magnet schools, as well as the Dual-Language Immersion program.   

Community Information Sessions will be held on the following dates: 

• January 22, 6 p.m. -- Trexler Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 23, 6 p.m. -- Dixon Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 24, 6 p.m. -- Jacksonville Commons Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 25, 6 p.m. -- Northwoods Park Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 29, 6 p.m. -- Southwest Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 30, 6 p.m. -- Hunters Creek Middle School Cafeteria 
• January 31, 6 p.m. -- Swansboro Middle School Cafeteria
• February 1, 6 p.m. -- New Bridge Middle School Cafeteria 

Check here for more information on OCS magnet schools.  

HOLIDAY REMINDER  
 
As the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday approaches, we would like to remind our families that schools will be closed for staff and students on Monday, January 21, 2019.   

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