We hope you've had a great start to an extended weekend!
As a reminder, all traditional school students will be out of school on Monday, April 6th for a staff development day. Early Colleges will operate as normal.
Here's this week's edition of The Friday Five 🖐️
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Mandatory transportation request forms for the 2026-27 school year have been sent to you through ParentSquare. Thanks to the more than 18,000 parents who have already completed this.
If you have not, there's still time. The deadline is April 30th. If you cannot access the electronic form, you may request a paper copy from your school's transportation point-of-contact.
If you are a K-11 parent, you can access the post containing the form by clicking the button below.
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Over the course of the next several weeks, some important end-of-year survey information will be sent through ParentSquare.
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COMING APRIL 6th: This year's annual parent engagement survey link 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 the upcoming school year.
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COMING APRIL 15th: NC Admin. Code 16 06D .0311, the Testing Code of Ethics, requires all eligible students to participate in the required end-of-semester and end-of-year state testing. Students in grades 3–8 participate in end-of-grade (EOG) tests (reading, mathematics, and science at grades 5 and 8). Students who take NC Math 1, NC Math 3, biology, and English II take an end-of-course (EOC) test which is required to count at least 20% of their final grade for the course. Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, students who scored not proficient on their end of year state test may participate in a second test administration. This retest will give students another opportunity to show what they know. However, parental/legal guardian permission is required for a student to participate in a retest. We will utilize ParentSquare to request parent/guardian permission with a one-question survey. Please be on the lookout for this on April 15th.
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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 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
✅ SPRING PANORAMA SURVEY: The spring Panorama Survey window is open from March 23 - April 10. Please check with your school for specific dates. To learn more about the survey, please visit our Panorama Survey webpage.
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April 2026
- 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
- Wed 4/29, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm • Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting
Complete 2025-26 CCS Calendars:
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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. |
Cabarrus County Schools, in partnership with Present Age Ministries and the Cabarrus County Human Trafficking Task Force, invites families and community members to attend an important awareness event.
Join us as we support students from local high schools and showcase their work in the 10th Annual PSA Competition, focused on raising awareness about human trafficking.
During the event, we will reveal the top three student entries and select the winning school through a panel of judges.
📅 Date: Thursday, April 30
⏰ Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Swanee Theater
200 West Ave, Kannapolis, NC 28081
🎟️ Raffle drawings and concessions will be available.
This awareness event is designed for all community members in and around Cabarrus County. Students are encouraged to bring their families as we come together to learn, support, and recognize student voices on this important issue.
We hope you will join us for an evening of community, awareness, and student leadership.
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Poetry Writing Contest
The Friends of the Midland Library is hosting a Poetry Writing Contest during the month of April to celebrate National Poetry Month! We will award one winner from the following groups: ages 5-7, 8-12, 13-15, 16-18 and 19+.
The winners will receive an honorary certificate and a $30 gift card to Goldberry Books in Concord and be recognized during the Midland Town Council meeting on Tuesday, May 12. Original entries should be turned in at the Midland Library (4297 NC Highway 24/27) or emailed to generalfoml@gmail.com by 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. A completed form must be included with each entry. Forms are attached to this post and also available on the Midland Friends of the Library website: https://friendsofthemidlandlibrary.org/.
Friends Spring Fling
The Friends of the Midland Library is hosting the fourth annual Friends Spring Fling, a book, craft, vendor and garage sale to benefit the Midland Library from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2! The book sale will be inside the library, and the vendors will be set up outside of the library and Town Hall.
Vendor spots are still available! For more information, call Margaret: (704) 968-3602.
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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.
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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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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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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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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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