Students have been busy all day preparing and are ready to showcase their incredible talents in band, chorus, dance, theatre, visual arts, poetry, and piano through performances and exhibits you won’t want to miss.








Monday, March 16, will be an optional teacher workday for all schools except Columbus Career & College Academy (CCCA). There will be no school for students.
Due to expected inclement weather tomorrow, CCCA will operate on a remote instruction schedule.
There will be no afternoon or evening activities at any school tomorrow due to the weather.

As part of our March Madness Challenge, this week, students turned learning time into MOVEMENT time—combining rigorous thinking with relay races, partner games, math manipulatives and lots of smiles as they showed what they know. Thank you to our teachers for designing engaging, standards-based activities that get bodies AND brains moving, and to our students for giving their best effort on every play. Columbus County Schools is all in on making learning active, joyful, and challenging—on and off the court! Check out the video: https://youtu.be/3WZen5ASBW0

Week 3 tip-off is HERE, Columbus County! 🏀 This week in our Rigor Rebound: March Madness Challenge, our Elite 8 will go head to head as we zero in on the 8 Qualities of Authentic Engagement in our classrooms. Check out our Elite 8 Match-ups here: https://youtu.be/nWMpLOUPtms


Columbus County Health Department will be visiting Columbus County Schools to offer Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) and Meningococcal vaccines to rising 7th and 12th graders. This is an excellent opportunity for students to receive their state-required vaccines. If you are interested in your child receiving these vaccines while at school, please contact your child’s school or a school nurse to obtain the required forms. Completed consent forms must be returned to your child’s school by March 31, 2026.
See dates and locations here -https://aptg.co/__v-xD
Vaccine Information Sheets will be provided. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s school or speak with a school nurse.


Wondering how schools move through the challenge... from Rankings → Sweet 12 → Elite 8 → Final 4 → Champion? 🏀
Here’s the game plan:
Week 1: Rankings based on lesson plans, student learning tasks and classroom walkthrough data.
Week 2: Sweet “12” – schools compete in pools with a focus on RIGOR.
Week 3: Elite 8 – competition focus shifts to ENGAGEMENT.
Week 4: Final 4 – schools must show BOTH rigor and engagement across classrooms.
Week 5: Championship game and celebrations before Spring Break.
Every task submitted and every walkthrough completed is a “possession” that can earn points.
Play hard, learn hard, have fun!

What are we really “rebounding” toward?
Rigor = tasks that push students to analyze, justify, create, and problem‑solve – not just recall.
Engagement = students talking, collaborating, making choices, and caring about the work.
During Rigor Rebound we’re asking:
1. Does the learning task cross the Rigor Divide?
2. Do we see multiple qualities of engagement in each lesson?
Every redesign, every walkthrough, every conversation is about giving students a more powerful learning experience — and having fun while we do it.
Comment below: Which do you want to grow more this month – rigor or engagement?


Rising Stars Student Art Exhibition
Cameron Art Museum, Wilmington, NC
Columbus County Schools
Zayda Eddie
Wild Starter
10th, West Columbus High School
Lia Specht
In Awe
11th, West Columbus High School
Ivan Osorio-Abonza
Corn from Home
10th, West Columbus High School
Samantha Strickland
Maggie Valley Mountains
10th, West Columbus High School
Kaitlynn Garden
I Flollop for You
11th, South Columbus High School
Isabella Applewhite
Breeze
10th, East Columbus High School
Alan Rodriguez Arce
Opposites Attract
11th, South Columbus High School
Greidys Avelino
Sunset Mountain
11th, South Columbus High School

There will be no school for students on this day so that we can focus on these important meetings.
Conferences will be held from 11:30 AM to 7:00 PM. You may choose a time that works best for you and meet in person, by phone, or online—whichever is most convenient.
During the conference, you will learn about your child’s strengths, areas for growth, and ways we can work together to support their success. To schedule your conference, please contact your child’s teacher directly.
Thank you for your continued support of your child’s learning!



If you experience technical issues during remote instruction, please contact the Tech Support Hotline at 910-499-0080 or email ccssupport@columbus.k12.nc.us. All questions regarding assignments should be directed to the teacher.
Families are encouraged to continue monitoring the Columbus County Schools mobile app, district website, social media, and Remind messages for updates.

Columbus County Schools will be in remote instruction on Monday, February 2, 2026, due to the approaching winter storm. Students should check Google Classroom for assignments and contact their teachers if they have any questions. We will continue to monitor conditions and make a decision regarding Tuesday as conditions develop.
Please monitor social media, school websites, Remind, and—most importantly—download the Columbus County Schools mobile app to receive the latest information and updates.



CCCA will resume classes on Monday, January 5th.
CCCA will resume classes on Monday, January 5th.


