'Need to Know' Updates
-
'Need to Know' Weekly Update: August 22, 2021
Cumberland County Schools 2022 Teacher and Principal of the Year Finalists
Join Cumberland County Schools in congratulating its recently announced 2022 Teacher of the Year (TOY) and Principal of the Year (POY) Finalists! These educators are being applauded for their hard work and dedication every day in our schools. The 2022 Teacher of the Year winner will be announced during a special celebration on September 13. On October 18, the Principal of the Year winner will be named. Click here to see the list of CCS 2022 TOY and POY Finalists,WANTED: School Supplies for Local Students in Need
Cumberland County Schools and the Cumberland County Register of Deeds Office have partnered to sponsor a school supply drive for students in need. School supplies, gift cards, and checks will be accepted from Monday, August 23 - Monday, September 13 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays in the front lobby of the CCS Operations Building, located at 810 Gillespie Street. The supplies will be distributed to homeless students, those in foster care, and others in need. For more information, call CCS Student Services Office at 910-678-2402 or the district's Operations building at 910-678-2609.Visit CCS Website for 'All Things Back To School
For back-to-school information from staggered kindergarten entry and completing the free- and reduced meal application to face mask requirements and other COVID-19 safety protocols, check out the CCS Online Back-to-School Guide -
'Need to Know' Updates: August 15, 2021
Free- and Reduced-Meal Applications Have you completed a Free- and Reduced-Price Meal Application? Even though meals are free for the school year, parents of students in non-CEP schools are encouraged to submit Meal Applications. Completing the meal application qualifies students for additional benefits and the district for funding that supports educational initiatives. The Free- and Reduced-Price Meal Application can be completed online https://bit.ly/2KJ2rEx or picked up, filled out and returned to your child's school.
CCS Online Back-to-School Guide
As students head back to school, parents can get the answers to all their questions by checking out Cumberland County Schools Online Back-To-School Guide. It is 'a one-stop shop' for information including online enrollment, immunization requirements, calendars, before- and after-school care, school meals and much more!
REMINDER: COVID-19 UPDATE --Universal Masking, Revised COVID-19 Dashboard and Free COVID-19 Testing
As Cumberland County Schools (CCS) prepares to kick off a new school year and welcome students at traditional schools back to the classroom, the safety of students and staff remains the top priority. District officials recently announced the following COVID-19 safety protocols.
Universal Masking Requirement for Students, Employees and Visitors
In keeping with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, Cumberland County Schools (CCS) will require all students, staff and visitors to wear face masks at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. The masking requirement is for everyone, regardless of vaccination status and applies to all schools and district facilities. Masks are also required on all public school transportation. Students will be able to take masks off while eating and drinking and outdoors as long as they are not in a crowded setting or participating in activities that involve close contact with others.The Cumberland County Board of Education unanimously approved Dr. Connelly’s recommendation for universal masking after receiving an update on the increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases in the school system and Cumberland County. A representative from the ABC Collaborative also shared information about the latest science and data in North Carolina. In North Carolina, the Delta variant has been the most commonly circulating variant since the week ending June 26, 2021. According to health officials, Delta spreads more than twice as easily from one person to another, compared with earlier strains. The Board will periodically review COVID-19 metrics to determine the length of time universal masking will be needed.
CCS Launches Revised COVID-19 Dashboard
The district has launched a revised COVID-19 dashboard to provide up-to-date information on positive COVID-19 cases in the school system. District staff will update the dashboard on Friday of each week. To access the dashboard, visit https://bit.ly/ccscoviddashboard. To learn more about the revised dashboard, watch the overview video.
Free COVID-19 Testing and Other Safety Protocols
Thanks to federal funding, school-based COVID-19 testing is available and will provide another layer of support to help keep students and staff safe. While not required, parents will have the opportunity to opt-in to free COVID-19 testing for their students. CCS schools and offices will refer individuals to diagnostic testing who have symptoms of COVID-19. Through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ partnership with MAKO, a COVID-19 testing company, CCS will offer free rapid (antigen) testing on-site to facilitate quick COVID-19 diagnoses. Rapid antigen testing works to prevent in-school transmission while minimizing face-to-face learning time lost.
The district will also aim to maintain a minimum of three feet of distance between students and a minimum of six feet of distance between adults, to the greatest extent possible.
The district will be following certain guidelines and safety protocols for students playing sports and participating in extracurricular activities.- COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Athletics
- COVID-19 Safety Protocols for Arts/Extracurricular Activities
Learn more about the district’s COVID-19 safety protocols here. -
'Need to Know' Updates: August 1, 2021
Kindergarten Staggered Entry
Excitement is in the air as elementary schools across Cumberland County Schools (CCS) make preparations to welcome Kindergarten students to the classroom. To allow time for the Kindergarteners to become familiar with the Kindergarten staff and classrooms as well as give teachers an opportunity to conduct individual assessments to understand each child's strengths and needs, each elementary school will assign incoming Kindergarten students one day to attend school during the first week of school (August 23-26, 2021). Schools will notify families of the assigned Kindergarten Staggered Day by August 9.
On Friday, August 27, elementary schools will invite Kindergarten students and their families to attend a Kindergarten Open House to meet their assigned teacher for the school year. School staff will notify parents/families of teacher assignments via phone call and email prior to Open House.
Beginning on Monday, August 30, all Kindergarten students will follow the normal school schedule with their teacher of record. School staff will direct Kindergarten students to their assigned classes.
Families with questions about the Kindergarten Staggered Entry Day may contact their child's elementary school or call the Elementary Curriculum & Instruction Services Department at (910) 678-2422.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is in place to assist local residents who need help with rent or utility payments. Eligible residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County can apply for rent and utility aid through the RAP. It will help cover past, current or upcoming rent or utility payments for households experiencing economic hardships because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, eligible households are only a few steps away from receiving rent and/or utility relief. To learn more, call 888-495-7710 or visit www.FayettevilleCumberlandRAP.com. -
'Need to Know' Update: July 11, 2021
Cumberland County Schools and Cape Fear Valley Health are hosting walk-in COVID Vaccination Clinics for students age 12 and up and their family members on July 14 and 15 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at high schools across the district. Visit the CCS Website for additional details and clinic locations.
The district is hosting a Get-Back-In-School Launch Party to show students that with the right support in place, they can get back on track and graduate from high school. The virtual event will take place on Thursday, July 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Students can receive incentives for attending. Registration is required. Interested students and families can learn more by calling the hotline at 910-475-1145 or by visiting the CCS Website. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. until July 24. -
'Need to Know' Update: June 27, 2021
The second of two virtual information sessions for Cumberland Academy K-5 and Cumberland Academy 6-12 is scheduled on Wednesday, July 7 at 6:00 p.m. Parents are asked to attend the information sessions if they are interested in learning more about the virtual learning option for the 2021-2022 school year. A link to join the information session can be found here.
Cumberland County Schools and Cape Fear Valley Health are hosting walk-in COVID Vaccination Clinics for students age 12 and up and their family members on July 14 and 15 from 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at high schools across the district. Visit the CCS Website for additional details and clinic locations.
The district is hosting a Get-Back-In-School Launch Party to show students that with the right support in place, they can get back on track and graduate from high school. The virtual event will take place on Thursday, July 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Students can receive incentives for attending. Registration is required. Interested students and families can learn more by calling the hotline at 910-475-1145 or by visiting the CCS Website. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. until July 24.
Registration for the Prime Time before and aftercare program for the 2021-2022 school year has begun. For additional information and how to register, click here .
REMINDER: CCS' Child Nutrition Services is providing free meals to children this summer. The meals will be served at various locations throughout the county Monday through Friday until July 30. There are no income requirements or registration and anyone age 18 or younger can receive a free curbside meal. For more information, visit the CCS Website. -
'Need to Know' Updates: June 13, 2021
Virtual information sessions for Cumberland Academy K-5 and Cumberland Academy 6-12 are scheduled for Wednesday, June 16 and Wednesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. Parents, please plan to attend one of the information sessions if you are interested in learning more about the virtual learning option for the 2021-2022 school year. A link to join the information sessions can be found here.
The district has begun the process of surveying stakeholder groups at each of the schools that require a uniform code of dress about the continuation of uniform dress requirements. For the 2021-2022 school year, the district has extended the waiver on school uniform requirements at the uniform dress code schools. This will provide sufficient time for the district to hear from each stakeholder group and determine the appropriate path forward at each school. Families will still have the option to allow students to wear uniforms when they return to school in the fall. There will be no consequences imposed upon a student for a uniform violation during the 2021-2022 school year; however, general student dress code requirements will remain in place.
