Happy Friday and Happy Spring Break, Cabarrus County Schools families. Don't forget to spring your clocks one hour ahead tomorrow! As a reminder, all CCS schools are closed for students next week. We look forward to seeing you back on March 16th.
In this week's Wednesday Weigh-In, we're asking about school meals. If you didn't get a chance to weigh-in, please click the button below and give us your feedback!
Here's this week's edition of The Friday Five 🖐️
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Dear Cabarrus County Schools Students, Staff, and Families,
As we've reached Spring Break, I want to take a moment to thank each of you for the dedication, hard work, and spirit you bring to our schools every day. The weeks leading up to this break have been filled with learning, growth, and many accomplishments across our district on a regional, state, and national level including:
- Eighth grader Phaneendra Buluso, our four-time district spelling bee champion from Harris Road Middle, won last week's Carolina Panthers regional bee and will be participating in the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in May.
- Two students have been announced as 2026 Presidential Scholars candidates: Ritvik Dandi of Cox Mill High School and Chris Ikana of Central Cabarrus High School
- Our CCS Beginning Teacher of the Year, Kennedy Elmore from Cox Mill High, has been named a finalist for statewide Beginning Teacher of the Year.
- CCS had 14 high school students who auditioned and were selected for the All-Carolina Select Choir.
- CCS had two student-athletes win wrestling state championships, and the J.M. Robinson Men's Indoor Track team won the 5A state champion. Five members of the JMR track team also won individual and relay state championships this winter. In addition, J.M. Robinson's men's basketball team will play in tomorrow's 5A regional final for a chance to advance to next week's state championship game.
- Many of our VEX teams across the district have qualified for the world championships including three teams from Winecoff Elementary, three teams from Winkler Middle, and one team at Cabarrus Early College of Technology.
Spring Break provides a valuable opportunity to rest, recharge, and spend time with family and friends. Whether you are traveling, enjoying time at home, or simply taking a well-deserved pause, I hope this week brings you renewal and joy.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for a strong finish to the school year.
Have a safe and relaxing Spring Break.
Stay well,
Dr. John Kopicki
Superintendent
Cabarrus County Schools
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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! 🌟🎶🎨
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For March, our students are diving into Tech Laws and Age-Appropriate Use. As technology evolves, we want to ensure that our students aren't only tech-savvy, but also tech-legal and tech-safe.
To help bridge the gap between the classroom and the living room, here are a few resources and conversation starters for your family:
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Understand the "13+ Rule": Discuss why the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) exists and why most social platforms require users to be at least 13.
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The "Digital Footprint" Check: Use this month to review privacy settings together on gaming consoles and apps.
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Conversation Starter: "If an app is free, how do you think the company makes money?" (A great way to discuss data privacy laws).
Quick Tips for Parents
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Check the Settings: Most apps now have a "Parental Supervision" mode. If your teen is on Instagram or TikTok, link your accounts to see who they follow and set daily time limits.
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Talk About the "Why": Explain that these laws exist because tech companies often prioritize "engagement" over well-being.
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Verify Together: If an app asks for age verification, do it together so you can see what data they are collecting from your child.
Digital Safety Rule of Thumb: If an app is "free," the product being sold is often your child's data and attention. Use the privacy settings to opt out of data sharing whenever possible!
Attached to this post is useful information on this topic.
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✅ 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
✅ GRADUATION: The end of the third quarter is the unofficial beginning of graduation season as excitement for our seniors and families begins to build towards May. For all your graduation needs, please visit our graduation hub at www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/cabcograds26
✅ ELECTRONIC BUS FORMS COMING MARCH 30th: Again this year, Cabarrus County Schools will be utilizing ParentSquare forms to collect transportation information for families who will attend CCS during the 2026-27 school year. These forms will be available from March 30th through April 30th in ParentSquare. After April 30th, the electronic request will close, and parents will have to request transportation in-person at their school. You will need a registered ParentSquare account to complete your child's form. For information on registering your ParentSquare account, please see our ParentSquare Information webpage.
✅ 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 Panorama Student Wellness Survey webpage.
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March 2026
- Mon 3/9 • No school - Spring Break
- Tue 3/10 • No school - Spring Break
- Wed 3/11 • No school - Spring Break
- Thu 3/12 • No school - Spring Break
- Fri 3/13 • No school - Spring Break
- Mon 3/16, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Business Meeting
- Thu 3/26, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm • Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting
- Mon 3/30, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Budget Work Session
April 2026
- Fri 4/3 • No school - Good Friday
- Mon 4/6 • No school for traditional calendar students- Uncapped Workday
- Mon 4/06, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Work Session & Public Hearing for the 2026-27 Budget
- Sat 4/11, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm • CCS Career Fair hosted at Winkler Middle School
- Mon 4/13, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Board of Education Business Meeting and Adoption of Proposed 2026-27 Budget
- Fri 4/17, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm • Youth Arts Month Festival at Gibson Mill Market
- Thu 4/30, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm • Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting
- May 2026
Complete 2025-26 CCS Calendars:
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The Junior Charity League of Concord will once again host its annual Safety Town event this summer for rising kindergarten families.
Safety Town will be held on July 21st at Rocky River Elementary School from 8:30 AM – 12:15 PM. This free program, hosted by the Junior Charity League of Concord, prepares rising kindergarten students with important safety skills before the start of the school year.
There will only be one day of Safety Town this year, so space is limited and registration is expected to fill quickly. Register at the link below:
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5th Grade Students and Families,
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Middle School Family Nights, designed to support our rising 6th graders as they prepare for the transition to middle school. Moving from elementary school to middle school is an important milestone, and these events will provide valuable information about academic courses, encore classes, extracurricular opportunities, and ways families can stay connected and be involved with their new middle school. Students and parents will have the opportunity to hear from school staff, ask questions, and learn what to expect in their student’s first year of middle school. We hope you will join us!
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CC Griffin Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 5:30 - 7:30
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Concord Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 5:00 - 6:30
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Harold E Winkler Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 5:30 - 7:00
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Harris Road Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 5:00 - 6:30
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Hickory Ridge Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 6:00 - 7:15
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JN Fries Middle School: Monday, March 23rd, 5:30 - 7:00
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Mount Pleasant Middle School: Thursday, March 19th, 6:00 - 7:30
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Northwest Cabarrus Middle School: Tuesday, March 24th, 5:30 - 7:00
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Roberta Road Middle School: Tuesday, March 17th, 5:30 - 6:30
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Royal Oaks School of the Arts K-8: Thursday, April 30th, 5:00 - 7:00
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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
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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! 🍎
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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:
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Hickory Ridge High- The Little Mermaid, March 19-21 at 7PM
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Mt. Pleasant High - Into the Woods, March 26-27 at 7PM, & March 28 @ 2PM
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Cox Mill High- Seussical, March 26-28 at 7PM, & March 29 at 2:30 PM
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West Cabarrus High - The Little Mermaid, March 27-28 at 7PM
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Northwest Cabarrus High - Matilda, April 9-10 at 7PM, & April 11 at 2PM
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J.M. Robinson High - Cinderella, April 9-11 at 7PM, & April 12 at 2PM
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Central Cabarrus High - Bring it On, April 17-18 at 7PM, & April 19 at 2PM
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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.
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The 15th Annual Ellis Jewelers Future Designer Contest starts NOW!
Cabarrus County Schools’ students in grades 3-12 are invited to submit an original design to be crafted into a piece of jewelry. All designs must be submitted, in person or by mail to Ellis Jewelers no later than March 20th, 2026 by 5:30 pm EST. Good luck!
For questions, please contact Dan Levinson at dan@ellisfinejewelers.com or 704-782-9314.
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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.
Workshop Dates
📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026
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Grades 1–4: Mad Scientist – hands-on experiments exploring chemistry, physics, and engineering
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Grades 5–8: Aerial Soccer Academy (Drones) – combine drone technology, teamwork, and friendly competition
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Grades 9–12: Academic Essays – strengthen writing skills with a focus on structure, thesis statements, and clarity
📍 Location: Main Campus (UNC Charlotte)
These interactive workshops are a great way for students to learn, explore, and have fun—especially on teacher workdays.
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