Welcome to the final weekend of March!

As a reminder, all staff and students will be out of school next Friday, April 3rd (Good Friday holiday), and traditional school students will also be out on Monday, April 6th for a staff development day.

Also, be on the lookout Sunday evening for next year's transportation request form to arrive in a ParentSquare post. This form is mandatory in order to request bus transportation for the 2026-27 school year and is required even if your child currently rides a bus. Failure to complete this form will result in your child not having transportation when school starts in August, 2026.

Have a great weekend! Here's this week's edition of The Friday Five 🖐️

Good afternoon, Cabarrus County Schools families:

On March 26, the Cabarrus County Board of Education received an early look at the Superintendent’s proposed operating budget for the 2026–27 school year.

Schools are not immune to the rising cost of goods and services, and District leaders have worked hard to build a balanced budget during a time of financial uncertainty. State funding decisions have not been finalized, and rising costs of goods and services are impacting school operations across the district.

The proposed budget focuses on maintaining services for students and schools while covering several required costs. These include higher employee health and retirement costs, higher fuel costs, possible staff salary increases that have not yet been set by the state, increased cost for School Resource Officers, rising utility and insurance expenses, continued support for student devices and software, and other increasing operational and materials costs.

The district plans to request a 3.52% increase in our county-funded operating budget for 2026-27, to $105.2 million, and a capital budget request of $206.7 million to fund new school construction, maintenance projects, equipment, and vehicles.

Families and community members are invited to participate in the budget process.

Public education is a shared investment in our community. We appreciate the continued partnership of our families as we work to support every student in Cabarrus County.

Stay well,

Dr. John Kopicki, Superintendent

Robotics is an engaging way to integrate all facets of STEM Education into the classroom and competition is a natural way to capture student attention. During the excitement that comes with building and competing with a robot, CCS VEX campers will be having too much fun to realize they are learning important STEM concepts and life skills! Campers will first experience the thrill of building their robots and then take on the challenge of competing in a variety of tournament-style games. Campers will also learn to code their robots and operate them in skills-based challenges. 

If your child is curious about robotics or coding – this is the place to be! No prior robotics or coding experience necessary.

VEX GO: Campers will explore the exciting world of robotics in this hands-on camp using the VEX GO Robotics Kit! Campers will work in small teams to build simple robots, experiment with movement and simple machines, and complete fun engineering challenges. Cost: $150

NEW​ Lego Robotics: Get ready to build, code, and create! In LEGO Robotics Summer Camp, students will work in teams to design and build robots using LEGO pieces and learn how to program them to move, sense, and complete fun challenges. Campers will explore basic engineering and coding concepts while solving problems, testing their ideas, and improving their designs. Cost: $150

VEX IQ: Join us for an action-packed robotics experience where students become engineers! At VEX IQ Robotics Summer Camp, campers will design, build, and program robots using the VEX IQ Robotics System. Working in teams, students will tackle exciting challenges, test their creations, and compete in friendly robot competitions. Cost: $300

VEX V5: Build, program, and compete in this exciting robotics camp using the VEX V5 Robotics System. Students will work in teams to design and build robots, learn programming basics, and tackle engineering challenges inspired by the VEX Robotics Competition. The week ends with a fun mini-competition where teams put their robots to the test! Cost: $300

Once you select the week in the first question, camp options by grade level will appear. Note that camp location spots will be be based on a first come, first serve basis and are not confirmed until payment is received. Payments can be made through K-12 Payment Center OR by mailing a check.

Join us for the Cabarrus County Schools Youth Arts Month Festival as we showcase the incredible creativity and talent of our students!

📍 Gibson Mill Market

📅 Friday, April 17

⏰ 5–8 p.m.

This special evening celebrates the power of the arts in CCS — featuring stunning student artwork and live performances by talented CCS students from across the district. From visual arts to music and more, you’ll see firsthand how creativity is thriving in our schools.

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come support our student artists as we celebrate the imagination, passion, and talent that make Cabarrus County Schools shine! 🌟🎶🎨

✅COMING APRIL 6th: This year's annual parent engagement survey will be sent via ParentSquare to all parents on Monday, April 6th. Due to your support of the Wednesday Weigh-Ins throughout the year, we have been able to greatly reduce the number of questions in this year's annual survey. Please be on the lookout for this survey on April 6th, and we appreciate your feedback. The annual survey is used to facilitate school improvement planning discussions for next school year.

✅FOR SENIORS AND STAFF: DR. CHRIS LOWDER SCHOLARSHIP: The Dr. Chris Lowder Scholarships were established in 2021 by friends and colleagues of Dr. Lowder to honor the retired Superintendent of Cabarrus County Schools, having served as Superintendent from 2015-2021. This is the sixth year of awarding the Lowder Scholarships. The application for the two 2026 Dr. Chris Lowder Scholarships is now available! There is one $1000 scholarship for a Cabarrus County Schools graduating senior who has been enrolled in CCS for the entire academic year. And one $1000 scholarship for a CCS staff member who has been employed by CCS since at least 8/1/2025 and is furthering their education. The staff member can be in any CCS role as long as they are pursuing education to further their CCS employment. The key feature of these scholarships is to write an essay honoring a prior teacher who made an impression on the applicant. You might call it a "My Favorite Teacher" essay. Please ensure the applicant reads all information in its entirety to ensure all requirements are met. Unofficial transcripts and submitting partial application packets will not be considered. Student applications are due by 4/1/26 at 9:00 PM. Staff applications are due by 4/6/26 at 9:00 PM. Additional information can be found on the Dr. Chris Lowder Scholarships Facebook page. Specific questions should be sent to drchrislowderscholarship@gmail.com. Apply here: https://tinyurl.com/2026Lowder

✅NEXT NC SCHOLARSHIP FOR SENIORS: If your household income is $80,000 or less, tuition and fees may be fully covered at any of the state’s 58 community colleges! The Next NC Scholarship is helping more North Carolina students attend community college with little to no tuition cost. To qualify, complete the FAFSA, enroll in an eligible curriculum program and take at least 6 credit hours per semester. Learn more at www.nextncscholarship.org.

✅KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION and K PROGRAM CHOICE: Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year is currently open and applications for Kindergarten Program Choice are open through March 31st. For all things kindergarten, please click here: CCS Kindergarten Hub

✅SPRING PANORAMA SURVEY: The spring Panorama Survey window will be open from March 23 - April 10. Please check with your school for specific dates. To learn more about the survey, please visit our Panor

The Gem Theatre in Kannapolis will host a Spanish screening of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on Saturday, April 4th at 10 a.m. For more information, please visit the Gem's website.

It's time to lace up your sneakers, put on your jersey, and hit the court for a chance to earn a scholarship to attend the Cooperative All-Stars Sports Camp this summer!

 

This unique scholarship will provide one girl and one boy the opportunity to attend a university basketball camp in North Carolina at no cost!

 

 

These camps provide an unforgettable experience both on and off the court. Players will:

 

With parents'/legal guardians' permission, students can apply before the March 31 deadline by visiting union-power.com/sportscampscholarships or by scanning the QR code in the attached graphic.

 

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Emily Aldridge at 704-220-0703 or emily.aldridge@union-power.com.

The Adolescent Health Learning Collaborative at the Cabarrus Health Alliance is seeking survey participation in their Adolescent Pulse Assessment survey. If you would like to participate, please see below for a message from the Collaborative on this opportunity: 

With support from Healthy Cabarrus, the Adolescent Health Learning Collaborative at Cabarrus Health Alliance is committed to strengthening our community by listening. We want to hear from you—your voice is essential in shaping how we support youth in Cabarrus and Rowan Counties.

We are distributing the Adolescent Pulse Assessment (APA), an annual survey that helps us better understand the challenges, strengths, and emerging needs of adolescents and the broader community. The APA is open to adolescents, adults, and anyone working in the education system. If you feel comfortable, there is also a separate adolescent section that your child may complete at your discretion. All responses are anonymous and confidential.

For questions, contact Jordan Karas, Program Manager at Jordan.Karas@Cabarrushealth.org

Cabarrus County Schools is hosting a districtwide Career Fair and we invite you to help us spread the word!

🗓 Saturday, April 11

⏰ 10:00 a.m. – Noon

📍 H.E. Winkler Middle School, 4501 Weddington Rd, Concord, NC 28027

School administrators and department representatives will be on site and actively hiring for all open positions across the district — including teachers, teacher assistants, transportation, school nutrition, facilities, Kids:Plus, and more.

If you — or someone you know — are interested in making a difference in the lives of our 35,000 students, this is a great opportunity to learn more and apply.

🔗 Pre-register in advance:

We look forward to welcoming future members of the CCS family! 🍎

Spring performance season is upon us for high school theatre students, and it's a great time to plan to enjoy a show and see our talented students in action:

 

The Special Olympics of Cabarrus County is currently looking for volunteers to assist with their Spring Games, which will be held on April 15th and 16th at the Cabarrus Arena. This is always a fun event and is a great day to join in celebrating our students and community.

👉Volunteer Registration Link

Looking for hands-on, engaging learning opportunities for your child this spring? UNC Charlotte Youth Programs is offering a series of Spring Workshops designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking for students in grades 1–12.

📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026

📍 Location: Main Campus (UNC Charlotte)

These interactive workshops are a great way for students to learn, explore, and have fun—especially on teacher workdays.

🔗 Learn more & register

📞 Questions? Call 704-687-8900 or email youthprograms@charlotte.edu