Columbus County School District -

Private School/Homeschool Administrators:

Federal law provides services for Exceptional Children who are parentally placed in private schools or homeschools. The Columbus County School District is in the process of contacting administrators of private schools to determine what services might be appropriately provided. If your private school/homeschool is no longer operational, please notify our office.

If you feel that a child might be disabled, and an evaluation is necessary, or if a child has already been classified as disabled and you would like services for that child, please plan to attend a meeting at the Columbus County Schools Board of Education, 2586 James B. White Hwy North, Building A, Whiteville, NC 28472 on May 18th, 2026 at 5:00pm to discuss services for 2026-2027 school year. If you are unable to attend, please contact me at 910-642-5168 ext. 24016 to discuss services.

Melanie McCready
Director of Exceptional Children’s Programs

Thanks to a collaboration between Columbus County Schools and Duke Children’s Project Adam, Nakina Middle School is a Heart Safe School! Project ADAM North Carolina is a specialized program dedicated to preventing sudden cardiac death in schools

TCS would like to express appreciation to our School Nurse, Mrs. Shonna Gurkin, on National Nurses' Day. We appreciate everything you do for our school! ❤️

Congratulations and Best Wishes to the former Nakina Middle School Mustangs who are graduating from SCHS this year! We are proud of your accomplishments and look forward to the great things you will do in this world! #schsclassof2026 #nmsmustangs 🎓

Congratulations to the School Lunch Heroes at Nakina Middle School for achieving a Sanitation Rating of 100! We appreciate all that you do to prepare food and provide a clean and welcoming place for students and staff to share a meal.

TCS would like to thank Allen and Jenny Strickland for treating our teachers to breakfast this morning. We appreciate you! #TeacherAppreciationWeek

Mrs. Tylers' 5th graders at Tabor City School are making a real impact beyond the classroom! 🐟 As part of Project RESTORE, a statewide conservation effort, students and teachers raise fish in classroom tanks before releasing them into local waterways. Recently, students released rockfish into the Tar River to help replenish the population. Supported by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, this program plays an important role in restoring fish populations across North Carolina. Through this hands-on experience, students learn about life cycles, ecosystems, and environmental stewardship while actively contributing to conservation efforts right here in our state. By participating in this initiative, Tabor City students are not only learning science—they’re helping strengthen the health of our waterways for future generations. 🌎💧 #TaborCitySchool #CCS #STEMinAction #NCWildlife #StudentSuccess #NCNaturalScienceMuseum

Some of our wonderful students at TCS and our Child Nutrition Director, Kim Clontz took time today to celebrate our amazing Child Nutrition staff in honor of National School Lunch Day! 💜🍎 Your hard work, dedication, and care do not go unnoticed. You show up every day to make sure our students are nourished, supported, and ready to learn and that means everything. Thank you for all that you do. You truly make a difference! 🦸‍♀️🍽️

Today we celebrate our incredible lunch ladies for School Lunch Hero Day! 🥪💛

Thank you for the early mornings, the warm smiles, and the care you put into every meal you serve. You do so much more than feed our students—you create a welcoming space, brighten days, and make sure every child feels cared for.

We are so grateful for your hard work, kindness, and dedication to our school community. Please join us in showing them some love today! 👏🍎

#SchoolLunchHeroDay #ThankYou #SchoolFamily

Happy National Principals' Day, Dr. Norris!

Friday, May 1, is a regular school day for Columbus County Schools.

Some media outlets have shared incorrect information indicating otherwise. Please note that all schools will operate on their normal schedules.

We look forward to a great day of learning across the district!

Columbus County Schools is hosting a Job Fair on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the CCS Board of Education (2586 James B. White Hwy, Whiteville, NC). This event offers job seekers the opportunity to meet with recruiters, explore available positions, and learn more about careers within the district. For more information, call 910-642-5168 ext. 24013 or 24014, or visit the CCS careers page at https://columbus.schoolspring.com/
to view openings and apply online.

Please help us congratulate Ms. Dawn Holt for the honor of being Nakina Middle School's Teacher of the Year! Your enthusiasm and passion for teaching music is an asset to the Nakina Middle School Mustangs and Columbus County Schools.

TCS is proud to share that our school is now a Certified Heart Healthy School through Project Adam! This recognition means our staff is trained and prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies, helping keep our students, staff, and community safe. From awareness to action, we are committed to creating a healthier, safer environment for everyone. 💙 #HeartSafeSchool #StudentSafety #AdamProject #WeCare

TCS is proud to share that our school is now a Certified Heart Healthy School through Project Adam! This recognition means our staff is trained and prepared to respond to cardiac emergencies, helping keep our students, staff, and community safe. From awareness to action, we are committed to creating a healthier, safer environment for everyone. 💙 #HeartSafeSchool #StudentSafety #AdamProject #WeCare

At TCS, our School Counselor, Mrs. Jones, read a story and talked to our Kindergarteners about autism. #aprilisautismawarenessmonth

Congratulations to Terra Coats, out TCS Teacher of the Year! 🎉💜

Tabor City School represented Columbus County Schools in the 2026 Region IV North Carolina Battle of the Books Competition on Thursday, March 26.  Pictured left to right: Coach Debra Rogers, Team Members: Callie L, Carlie L, Alayna S, and Coach Darla Fowler.

Mr. Eddie Beck held the final meeting of the 2025–2026 school year with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council this past week. The council has been instrumental in developing the new strategic plan, offering valuable feedback and insight on initiatives aimed at improving learning for all students. Their impact will resonate for years to come.