Hallsboro / Artesia

Attendance Policy Update

School attendance and class participation are an integral part of academic achievement and the teaching-learning process. Regular attendance develops patterns of behavior essential to professional and personal success in life. Regular attendance by every student is mandatory: the State of North Carolina requires that every child in the State between the ages of seven (or younger if enrolled) and 16 years of age attend school.

No more than five school days per semester will be excused based on parent notes. Future absences due to personal illness, injury, or medical/dental appointments, will require a healthcare practitioner's statement to be excused.
Students may lose athletic eligibility for not following the attendance policy.

Grades K-8
Students who are chronically absent (excused, unexcused or suspended for more than 10% of the days enrolled) are at risk of not mastering the content standards. Students may be referred for academic and/or attendance interventions within a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS). Grade retention will be considered due to a lack of mastery as a result of chronic absenteeism.

Grades 9-12
High school students who are chronically absent (excused unexcused or suspended for more than l0% of the days enrolled) are at risk of not mastering the content standards. Students may be referred for academic and/or attendance interventions within a Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS). Students who miss more than ten days (unexcused) per course will be subject to an attendance-based failure (FF).

Cell Phone Policy Update

All classes in grades K-12 in the district will be a phone-free space to help optimize teaching and learning. Phones will not be allowed at any time during the school day, including lunch periods. This update reflects requirements as signed into law by HB 959.

High School students must store their devices and device accessories in Yondr Pouches as directed by the district. Students in grades K-8 must power off and keep devices and accessories in their bookbags during the instructional day. Provisions will be made for students that use cellphones for medical purposes.
Columbus County Schools may forbid student possession of devices and device accessories on school property.

Please note that Columbus County Schools will not be responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged devices.

The Hallsboro-Artesia Panthers stepped up to the plate at Opportunity Culture training yesterday and today! ⚾️ We joined teams from across the state for two days of learning and collaboration as we grow together. #StepUpToThePlate #OpportunityCulture #PantherPride

FREE Summer Meals for Kids Ages 1–18! No registration required – just show up and eat! Students do not need to attend the school to be eligible. Meals must be eaten in the cafeteria. Chadbourn Elementary June 17 – July 30 (Monday–Thursday) Closed: July 2–3 Breakfast: 7:30–8:30 AM Lunch: 11:00 AM–12:30 PM Tabor City School June 17 – July 30 (Monday–Thursday) Closed: June 30 – July 7 Breakfast: 7:30–8:30 AM Lunch: 11:00 AM–12:30 PM Acme Delco Elementary June 17 – July 23 (Monday–Thursday) Closed: June 30 – July 7 Breakfast: 7:45–8:30 AM Lunch: 11:30 AM–12:15 PM Open to all children and teens ages 1–18. #SummerMeals #HealthyKids #ColumbusCountySchools

During a recent Board meeting, the Teachers of the Year and Principals of the Year were honored for their outstanding leadership, dedication, and impact on student success. The Board recognized these exceptional educators for their commitment to excellence and their vital role in shaping the future of Columbus County Schools. TOY Nominees Susan Carr Adrienne Carroll Connie Faulk Karen Haley Heather Tilly Tonya Nobles Michele Bolton Darryl Spivey Khadijah Tart Lisa Hamilton Kim Watson Janet Hewett POY Nominees Kelly Beck Shelly Cullipher Leslie Faulk

At a recent board meeting, AR Ammons Poetry Winners were honored: Division I First Place Isabella Holmes Old Dock Elementary School Division I Honorable Mention Ainsley Ward Old Dock Elementary School Division I Honorable Mention Kera Starnes Old Dock Elementary School Division I Honorable Mention Coleman Smart West Columbus School Division I Honorable Mention Lane Tompkins Tabor City School Division I Honorable Mention Adelina Beck Old Dock Elementary Division I Honorable Mention Lisbeth Lemus Old Dock Elementary Division I Honorable Mention Mia Strickland Old Dock Elementary Division I Honorable Mention Kinleigh Butler Old Dock Elementary Division I Honorable Mention Ellorie Ward Old Dock Elementary Division I Second Place Camille Canady Old Dock Elementary School Division I Third Place Colton McKeithan Old Dock Elementary School Division II First Place Anna Marie Bell Hallsboro / Artesia Elementary Division II Honorable Mention Julie Ward Nakina Middle School Division II Honorable Mention Henlee Ward Tabor City School Division II Honorable Mention Brystal Ward Old Dock Elementary Division II Honorable Mention Liam Dyson West Columbus School Division III Honorable Mention Morgan Smith Nakina Middle School Division III Honorable Mention Deacon Whaley Nakina Middle School Division III Honorable Mention Annabelle Wright Nakina Middle School Division III Honorable Mention Elizabeth Valdez Nakina Middle School Division III Honorable Mention Laney McPherson Nakina Middle School Division III Honorable Mention Khadijah Currie East Columbus JR/SR High Division III Third Place Isabella Rivero Nakina Middle School Division IV First Place Landyn Norris South Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention LilyAnne Long Columbus Career and College Academy Division IV Honorable Mention Tanijia Gerald Columbus Career and College Academy Division IV Honorable Mention Mckenna Ware-Rudnik East Columbus JR/SR High Division IV Honorable Mention Hailey Long South Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention Melody Gilbert Columbus Career and College Academy Division IV Honorable Mention Cynthia Ward West Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention Stephen Tatman, Jr. South Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention Landon Hoopes Columbus Career and College Academy Division IV Honorable Mention Mika Williams South Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention Morgan Cartrette South Columbus High Division IV Honorable Mention Mckenna Ware-Rudnik East Columbus JR/SR High Division IV Honorable Mention Jennifer Perez South Columbus High Division IV Second Place Aisha Skye Reyes South Columbus High Division IV Third Place Landyn Norris South Columbus High

At a recent Board meeting, the Celebrate the Arts Gold Key winners were recognized for having the best artwork in the show. These students demonstrated remarkable creativity and artistic excellence, rising to the top among hundreds of entries. The Board commended them for their talent, hard work, and outstanding representation of the arts in Columbus County Schools. ECJSHS Mckenna Ware-Rudnik ECJSHS Brittany Mitchell ECJSHS Milana Graham ECJSHS Sophia Robertson SCHS Greidys Avelino SCHS Madison McMillian SCHS India Sammons SCHS Samuel Cunningham SCHS Alan Rodriguez SCHS Drake Cribb SCHS Lily Greene SCHS Lena Taylor WCHS Samantha Strickland WCHS Zayda Eddie WCHS Brianna Thomas WCHS Lia Specht WCHS Karmen McDuffie WCHS Ricky Johnson WCHS Lindsey Hayes WCHS Ivan Osorio-Abonza ADES Dulce Gonzalez Gonzalez ADES Dulce Gonzalez Gonzalez ADES Vanessa Jauregui-Del Angel ADES Morgan Pridgen ECJSHS Sophia Alvarado Rivera ECJSHS Yamileth Gonzalez-Baza ECJSHS Luziana Cruz Perez HAES Cara Britt HAES Anthony Gurganious HAES Dondria Sadler HAES Mya Jacobs HAES Cole Lynch NMS Javier Diaz NMS Sara Rivenbark NMS Ellie Wright NMS Sandy Nunez NMS Bridgette Perdomo TCS Devora Redondo TCS Andrea Powell TCS Kimberly Manning TCS Loren Hinson TCS Mileigh Stevenson WCS Arabella Tchorz WCS Ella Fletcher WCS Kaylee Bethea-Davis WCS Kenzie Martin WCS Chantal Judd WTS Kalie Blanton WTS Julia Bailey WTS Joanna Cox WTS Aria Bowen WTS Johnny Dominguez WTS Johnny Domingues WTS Legend McCray

Schools will release students at approximately 1 PM on Friday, June 6th. Have a great summer!

Hello Panther families! This is your final week of school update! ✅ Monday and Tuesday – We will have remediation sessions and our Cultural Fair! Students are welcome to dress in attire that reflects their culture. ✅ Wednesday – ELA retakes for grades 4–6 and the 3rd grade RTA test. ✅ Thursday – Math testing for grades 3–6 and Pre-K Awards in the afternoon at 5:30 PM. ✅ Friday – Awards Day! • K–2 Awards at 8:30 AM • 3–6 Awards at 10:30 AM 🎉 Friday is also the last day of school and an early release day. Thank you, families, for a great year! Let’s finish strong, Panthers!

Today, a system error temporarily disrupted the NCTest platform statewide, affecting all students in North Carolina who were scheduled to test this morning. The outage lasted approximately 40 minutes. Prompt corrective action restored the system, allowing students to resume testing shortly thereafter. All tests were completed successfully. We sincerely thank our teachers and students for their patience, focus, and resilience during the disruption. At this time, we anticipate no further issues.

Reminder: All schools will be closed on Monday, May 26th, in honor of Memorial Day.

Congratulations to HAES Artists! We’re proud to celebrate the talented students from Hallsboro-Artesia Elementary School who were honored in the Smokey Bear & Woodsy Owl Poster Contest, sponsored by the North Carolina Garden Club: Award Winners: • Angel Ramon-Islas – 1st Place (1st Grade) 🥇 • Lyam Johnson – 1st Place (2nd Grade) 🥇 • Angelique Ramon-Islas – 2nd Place (3rd Grade) 🥈 • Aaleiyah Clark-Chong – Honorable Mention (5th Grade) 🎖️ Honored Participants: • Wyatt Layton (1st Grade) • Sebastian Rodriquez (1st Grade) • Amado Lopez-Cardenas (1st Grade) • Cherish Gowans (2nd Grade) • Chloe Pedro (3rd Grade) • Zayda Bellamy (3rd Grade) • Lucy White (5th Grade) • Nevyonna Haskins (5th Grade) A huge thank you to our amazing art teacher, Ms. Amy Baker, for inspiring our students to create such meaningful artwork, and to Mrs. Myrtle Corbitt from the Columbus County Garden Club for supporting and recognizing our young artists. We’re so proud of all our Panthers for using their creativity to promote environmental awareness! Way to go, HAES! 🌲✏️✨

HAES showed up and showed out for the Guardian Gala! So much joy, pride, and Panther spirit in one unforgettable evening. Stay tuned for even more photos!

We’re Racing to the Top at HAES this week! 🏁 Here are a few pit stop reminders for our Panther families: 📝 Early testing continues—make sure your students are well-rested, on time, and ready to shine! 🔬 5th Grade Science EOG is coming up this Friday—encourage your Panther to stay focused and give it their best lap! 🎉 PK–2 Field Day is TOMORROW! Don’t forget sneakers, comfy clothes, and a water bottle to keep your little racer hydrated! 📵 Cell phones must be stored outside of the testing classroom. If a phone rings during the test, the session is invalid and must be retaken. Help us keep testing smooth and secure! Let’s keep those engines running and finish the week strong! #PantherPride #RacingToTheTop #HAESStrong

Happening Today! 10am-1pm.

A message from the Columbus County Health Department: School is almost out and our summer schedule is filling up quickly!!! Our dental team is excited to assist you with scheduling your child's summer break dental exams and cleanings. Please contact our office at (910) 640- 6615, ext. 7041 to schedule your child's appointment. We wish all students a happy and healthy summer break. Hope to see your smile soon!

📢 Important Announcements for Parents Dear Hallsboro-Artesia Families, We have two important updates to share regarding Field Day and End-of-Grade (EOG) Testing: 1. 🌧️ Field Day Changes Due to the saturated conditions of the fields around our campus, we’ve made some adjustments to our Field Day plans: Friday (Tomorrow): Field Day for Grades 3–6 will be held indoors in the gym. We will have a variety of fun, active stations for the students to enjoy. Monday: Field Day for PreK–2nd Grade will also take place indoors. ➡️ Please make sure your child wears closed-toe shoes on their scheduled Field Day. This is essential for safety during activities. 2. 📝 EOG Testing Reminder Testing begins Tuesday of next week. To ensure a smooth and secure testing environment, we are asking for your cooperation with the following: Please leave bookbags and cell phones at home beginning Tuesday. Cell phones and smartwatches (e.g., Apple Watches) are strictly prohibited in testing sessions. If a student is found with a device during testing, it may result in the entire testing session being invalidated, requiring all students in that group to retake the test. ➡️ If your child must bring a phone, it must be turned in at the start of each day. We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to leave these devices at home during testing days. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to ensure a successful end to the school year!

CCS Education Job Fair - Saturday, May 17, 2025 Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Location: CCS Central Services, 2586 James B. White Hwy N, Whiteville Join us for the CCS Education Job Fair, a dedicated hiring event focused on filling a variety of roles within Columbus County Schools. Call 910-642-5168 for info.

School’s almost out — don’t forget those summer dental appointments! The Columbus County Health Department’s Dental Team is here to help your child start summer with a healthy smile! Appointments for summer dental exams and cleanings are filling up fast. Call (910) 640-7040, ext. 7041 to schedule your child’s visit today. Congrats to all students and parents for finishing the school year strong! Wishing everyone a happy, healthy summer break. We can’t wait to see your smile soon! #ColumbusCountyHealth #HealthySmiles #SummerCheckup #SchoolBreakReady