Dear CCS families:

I would like to provide an update to keep our community informed about where things stand regarding the 2026-27 operating budget.

Our proposed budget was developed in alignment with Destination 27, our roadmap for the continued growth and success of our schools. On April 13, the Board of Education adopted the proposed budget. The next step is review and approval of requested funding by the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners.

The district’s request reflects an 8.43% increase in county funding compared to the previous year. Any increase would be focused on maintaining current services amid rising costs—not expanding programming and services. 

The Board of Commissioners canceled the district’s scheduled budget presentation on Tuesday, April 14. We understand that the commissioners are considering a budget funded at a 4.5% increase over 2025-26. If implemented, this would create an estimated $4.0 million gap between projected revenue and expenditures.

A gap of that size would require difficult decisions, including potential reductions to staffing, programs, and school operations. 

We value our ongoing partnership with the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners and recognize the shared responsibility we have in supporting our schools and community. Through continued collaboration, we believe we can find a path forward that supports students, staff, and families.

To stay informed and engage with us about the budget planning process, visit www.engagewithccs.com/budget. 

Stay well,

Dr. John Kopicki

Superintendent, Cabarrus County Schools

As we begin to wrap up another great school year, here are a few important reminders from the School Nutrition Department to help us prepare for a smooth close—and an even better start next fall!

✔️ Please remember to check your child's school meals account balance and ensure there are no outstanding charges.

✔️ It's not too late to apply for Free & Reduced Meals for this school year. The application is open until the last day of school. Also, remember to be on the lookout in July for the 2026-27 Free & Reduced meal application.

💳 Both payments to your child's meal account and applications for Free & Reduced meals can be found at www.linqconnect.com.

In today’s digital world, helping children stay safe online is more important than ever. Join us at Bethel Elementary School on April 27th at 6 p.m. for an informative session designed to give families practical tools and insights to support safe, responsible technology use at home. Children are welcome to attend this event with their parents.

Presented by Cabarrus County Assistant District Attorneys Lane Bryson and Meredith Barbee, this session will include a presentation and Q&A covering:

📱 Red flags to watch for on your child’s device

🎮 Apps and games students are currently using

📲 Social media safety tips and strategies

📅 Monday, April 27

⏰ 6:00 PM

📍 Bethel Elementary School

This is a great opportunity to learn, ask questions, and stay informed so we can work together to keep our students safe online. 

✅MANDATORY TRANSPORTATION FORM: The deadline to submit electronic transportation request forms for the 2026-27 school year is April 30th. After April 30th, all requests will need to be made in person at your child's school. You may find the form in this ParentSquare post: https://www.parentsquare.com/feeds/75867345

✅SPRING 2026 PARENT ENGAGEMENT SURVEY: Cabarrus County Schools invites you to complete our School Quality Survey. This survey gives parents, students, and staff the opportunity to share feedback about their school experiences and learning environment. Your input helps us strengthen our schools and continue a two-way conversation focused on providing the best experience for every student. The survey takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. All responses are confidential, and results will be shared in summary form only. The deadline is May 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM. If you have multiple children, please complete one survey per school. If you have questions, contact us at cabcoschools@cabarrus.k12.nc.us

Our district invites all stakeholders—educators, families, students, and community members—to review the NCDPI Draft 2 of the K-12 Revised Math Standards and share your feedback through a brief survey. Your input is essential in ensuring the standards are clear, rigorous, and reflective of the needs of all learners.

Please take a few minutes to review the draft and submit your feedback by the posted deadline. Your voice plays a critical role in shaping high-quality instruction for our students.

Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to excellence in education. The deadline to submit this feedback is Monday, May 18th. Please use the link below to submit your feedback:

Even though we're still focused on finishing this school year strong and celebrating our seniors at graduation, it's never too early to start thinking about Open House for the Fall 2026 school year.

Some schools' times will vary slightly due to available parking. We'll have more specific information on exact open house times for all 44 schools in the near future.

📅Thursday, August 6th - Middle (4:30-6:30pm) and High School (6-8pm) Open House

📅Monday, August 10th - Elementary School Open House (5-7pm)

📅Wednesday, August 12th - First Day of School

For a complete look at next year's academic calendars, please visit https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/districtcalendars

Teacher appreciation week is coming up and we've got a few easy ways for you to recognize a teacher who has had an impact on your family.

ParentSquare Teacher Appreciation: If you know a teacher who goes above and beyond for students and families, ParentSquare would love to help recognize them. Selected nominees nationwide will be featured during Teacher Appreciation Week on the ParentSquare blog and ParentSquare's social media channels. 👉 Submit your nomination to ParentSquare by April 20: Nominate a teacher

Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month: Each month, Hilbish Ford and CCS recognize an outstanding teacher as the Hilbish Ford Teacher of the Month. This year's winners:

Cabarrus County Schools is hiring for our KIDS:PLUS program! We are looking for caring, dependable individuals to support students before and after school.

• 2 Hour Group Leaders (before school, 6–8 a.m.)

• 4 Hour Group Leaders (after school, 2–6 p.m.)

• 5 Hour Group Leaders (split shift, before & after school)

• Substitute Group Leaders (on-call/as needed)

Group Leaders and substitutes are hourly employees, with assignments based on enrollment and staffing needs. Locations may vary across Cabarrus County.

• Group Leaders working 4+ hours are eligible for partial benefits

• 10-month positions with potential summer opportunities

• Substitute positions are temporary and not eligible for benefits

Starting at $16.07/hour (NC-01), with possible adjustments based on experience and education

• At least 18 years old

• High School Diploma or GED

• Child Care Criminal Background Qualification Letter (or ability to obtain)

• Health Certificate & TB Screening

• Experience supervising children

• School Age Care certification

• Current CPR/First Aid certification

• Meet Program Coordinator qualifications

• 6 hours of orientation (first 2 weeks) + 3 additional hours (first 6 weeks)

• CPR/First Aid within 90 days

• Basic School Age Care training within 90 days

• Health & Safety training within 1 year

• Annual in-service training hours

• NC Early Education Credentials within 18 months

👉 Learn more and apply by visiting the Cabarrus County Schools Employment Page and searching KIDS:PLUS.

Join us in making a difference for students every day!

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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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 entry form must be included with each entry. Entry forms are available on the Midland Friends of the Library website: https://friendsofthemidlandlibrary.org/.

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.

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.

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.

📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026

📍 Location: Main Campus (UNC Charlotte)

These interactive workshops are a great way for students to learn, explore, and have fun—especially on teacher workdays.

🔗 Learn more & register

📞 Questions? Call 704-687-8900 or email youthprograms@charlotte.edu