Good afternoon: Happy Friday, happy National Custodians Day, and welcome to October!

As a reminder, Friday, Oct. 9 is the last day of the first nine weeks, and it will be an early dismissal for all traditional schools. Early Colleges will not have an early dismissal. You can view the early dismissal schedule at www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/bellschedules.

Also, on Monday, Oct. 12 & Tuesday, Oct. 13, there will be no school for students at both traditional schools and Early Colleges due to teacher workdays. The full academic calendar may be viewed here: https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/districtcalendars

Here's this week’s Friday Five.🖐️

Believe it or not, next Friday, Oct. 9th, is the last day of the first nine weeks.  We're almost 25% through the school year!

As the nine week grading period wraps up, take a few minutes with your child to review progress and prepare for a strong start to the next nine weeks.

☐ Review grades. Check available grades, teacher updates and recent assignments together in Infinite Campus or Canvas.

☐ Check for missing work. Help your child identify unfinished assignments and confirm submission deadlines with teachers.

☐ Celebrate progress. Recognize effort, improvement and accomplishments, both in and out of the classroom.

☐ Talk about challenges. Ask: “What went well?” and “Where could you use more help?”

☐ Connect with teachers. Reach out through ParentSquare with questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

☐ Refresh supplies. Check backpacks, folders and school supplies. Return any overdue library books.

☐ Set one goal. Choose a manageable goal for the next nine weeks, such as reading daily, staying organized or asking for help.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s success!

Join us Saturday, October 3, at Concord High School for the Cabarrus County Girls Flag Football Jamboree! 

Spectator gates open at 8:30 a.m.

9 a.m.

10:30 a.m.

Noon

We look forward to seeing you there!

Ready to find a program that’s right for you? 

The Program Choice Application open enrollment period is October 1–November 30, 2026. Students can apply for up to three programs in Cabarrus County Schools, with opportunities designed to support academic excellence, real-world skills and future success.

Have questions or ready to apply? Visit www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/programchoice for more information.  

✅GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR 10th and 11th GRADERS: Attention 10th & 11th Grade Families! Is your student looking for a meaningful summer experience? Learn more about North Carolina Governor’s School—a 4-week summer residential program on a college campus where high-achieving students dive into academics or the arts without the pressure of grades or GPAs!

Next Steps: Have your student contact their School Counselor right away to learn about local application deadlines. For full program details, visit www.ncgovschool.gov.

✅THE POSITIVITY PROJECT: Next week’s Positivity Project (P2) character strength is a review of the first nine weeks. We encourage you to talk with your child about what this nine weeks has meant and how they can practice what they've learned each day at home, at school, and in your community. Visit the P2 for Families webpage for helpful resources and conversation starters to support this week’s strength. You can also view the Character Strength Calendar linked below to stay up to date with what your child is learning through our P2 curriculum.

✅CAREER & COLLEGE READINESS RESOURCES: Cabarrus County Public Library is connecting Cabarrus County High School students to College and Career Readiness resources through NCLive.org. Students can access these resources with a Cabarrus County Public Library Card number or a bypass password.  Please speak with your school library media coordinator to obtain a bypass password and consent form.  

✅NEW FOR 26-27: CCS SCHOLARSHIP HUB WEBPAGE: CCS students and families now have a one-stop resource to make the scholarship search a little easier. The CCS Scholarship Hub features a searchable database of current scholarship opportunities, a planning tool to help students track applications and deadlines, scholarship search tips and safety reminders, financial aid resources, and an easy way for seniors to report scholarship offers. New opportunities are added throughout the year, so students are encouraged to check back often and make scholarship searching part of their college planning routine.

🔗 Explore the CCS Scholarship Information page

October 4–10 is Fire Prevention Week, and families are encouraged to take a few minutes to review their home fire safety plan.

Operation EDITH, which stands for Exit Drill In The Home, reminds families to:

Families across North Carolina are also encouraged to practice their home exit drill on Wednesday, October 7, at 6 p.m.

More fire safety activities, games and family resources are available at operationedith.com.

A few minutes of preparation can make an important difference when every second counts.

Dear DECA Friends,

Last year, you stepped up to judge our NC DECA District 7 Regional Event, and we would LOVE to have you back!

Our students get one chance to walk into that room, shake off the nerves, and put their skills to the test in front of real professionals, and volunteers like you are what make that experience possible.

This year’s competition is Tuesday, November 10th at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM, and we are officially recruiting our 2026 judging team!

No DECA experience? No problem. We provide training on site, along with everything you need to be a great judge. You just bring your professional experience, a little encouragement, and a willingness to invest a few hours in some pretty amazing students.

👉 Ready to come back and judge with us?

We truly appreciated your support last year and hope you’ll join us again. Great student experiences don’t just happen; they happen because people like you show up and you also bring friends! So, clear a few hours in your schedule, grab a co-worker, a neighbor, or a family member, and join us on November 10th! To make it easier to help us recruit, I have also included a social media ready post for you to use as well as our "official" judge's letter.

Thank you for continuing to invest in our future leaders!

Join us Tuesday, October 13, at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center for two fairs in one evening:

🎓 Program Choice Fair | 5–7 p.m. Explore CCS Program Choice options for the 2027–28 school year. Applications are open October 1 through November 30. New this year, students can rank up to three programs on one application rather than filling out multiple applications.

🏫 College, Career & Military Fair | 6–8 p.m. Meet college representatives, military recruiters, local employers and community partners. Whether your student plans to enroll, enlist or enter the workforce, they can ask questions and explore their next steps. Students visiting college representatives should register for a barcode before the fair.

Cabarrus County Schools is excited to launch Future Makers, a new districtwide recognition program celebrating the people who make a difference every day across CCS.

Inspired by Destination 27 and this year's district theme, “Your Future. Our Focus.”, Future Makers will shine a spotlight on employees whose service, dedication and commitment help shape the futures of our students. From classrooms and school offices to buses, cafeterias, technology, maintenance and beyond, great work happens everywhere in CCS.

And we want to hear from you. Parents, students, employees and community members are invited to nominate a CCS employee who deserves to be recognized as a Future Maker.

Know someone making a difference? 

Nominate a Future Maker today: https://forms.gle/GYPHSXpGiBCPZsXZ6

Program Choice Open Houses are a great opportunity for families to learn more about the unique programs available across Cabarrus County Schools. Meet staff, explore schools, ask questions and discover which option may be the right fit for your student. Check out the upcoming Program Choice Open House dates below and start planning your visit!

 

The district also has a dedicated Program Choice Open House Calendar page with this schedule.

Cabarrus County Schools will host two additional community forums this fall to provide information and answer questions about the 2026 school bond referendum.

All forums will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Community members are invited to attend any of the three forums to learn more about the proposed school bond, the projects included, and the bond process.

We hope you’ll join us and learn more before Election Day on Nov. 3.

Even though we're only three days into the start of school, many of you have already been impacted by our amazing teachers. Please visit our link and nominate a Teacher of the Month for October. Our next winner will be recognized at the Board of Education's Oct. 12th meeting.

This year's winners: