Resources for Families
Who should I contact if I have a concern?
Throughout your child's education, there might be moments when you have questions or concerns. The Pamlico County School District is dedicated to helping parents with any necessary assistance regarding our schools or operations.
We encourage your first point of contact to be your child's teacher. Teachers are directly involved in your child's daily academic experience. They have firsthand knowledge of your child's performance, behavior, and interactions with peers. They may be able to provide immediate context and insights into a specific situation or issue. Addressing concerns with the teacher allows for timely intervention as they can implement strategies or adjustments in the classroom to address issues promptly, ensuring your child's ongoing progress.
If resolution proves elusive at the teacher level, we welcome you to reach out to your school's assistant principal or principal for further assistance. In cases requiring specialized attention, contacting the central office director with expertise related to your concern is the next step.
In rare cases where concerns persist, you can talk to the superintendent, who is also at the Pamlico County Schools Central Office.
Our goal is to ensure a positive experience for your child within Pamlico County Schools, and we are dedicated to providing parents with the necessary assistance regarding our schools or operations. By adhering to this process, we aim to expedite the response to your concerns or requests.
Parent’s Guide to Student Achievement (PGSA)
Based on Parents’ Bill of Rights - SB 49; Session Law 2023-106
Pamlico County Schools believes in the power of parent and family involvement and seeks to make it a priority. As such, the Board is committed to developing policies and processes to effectively involve parents in schools and in their child's education. On August 16, 2023, Senate Bill 49 (Session Law 2023-106), generally known as the Parents' Bill of Rights, became law. This policy addresses:
As state legislation continues to provide guidance on this bill, Pamlico County Schools will continue to work with our Board of Education, school leaders, staff and families regarding the implementation of this new legislation.
How can my child be promoted to the next grade level?
The following are the relevant State and local requirements for a child to be promoted to the next grade level:
- https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/PDF/ByArticle/Chapter_115C/Article_8.pdf
- Relevant part of this link is found in Part 1A (pp. 15-28) regarding retention, promotion, alternatives to show reading proficiency, etc.
What is my child learning at school? How can a parent review these materials?
In North Carolina, all schools use the same Standard Course of Study, determined by the State Board of Education. These standards are the knowledge and skills students should understand by the end of each grade/course.
The standards can be found on the NCDPI Office of Academic Standards website. There are standards for:
- Arts Education,
- Career Technical Education,
- Computer Science,
- English Language Arts,
- English Language Development,
- Student Success Standards,
- Healthful Living,
- Information and Technology,
- Mathematics,
- Science,
- Social Studies, and
- World Language.
Local districts, schools and teachers determine how to teach these standards, including curriculum, supplementary materials, books, etc.
(Insert Link to PCS Curriculum and Instruction page)
(Insert Link to PCS Process for Curriculum Review - flowchart?)
Reconsideration Request for Instructional and Supplementary Materials
Each district must also have a Literacy Intervention Plan (LIP). The plan must include Reading Camps as an extension of what occurs during the school year.
Parents and caregivers may view Pamlico County Schools 2023-24 Literacy Intervention Plan here.
Pamlico County Schools also offers courses in the area of Career and Technical Education (CTE). These courses allow students to explore careers and earn credentials. CTE Career Clusters, Pathways, Course Information, Credentials, and Course Standards may be found at this link: Course Management System
How will a parent learn about my child’s progress in school or with a class?
1c) Progress of the child toward achieving State and unit expectations for academic proficiency, including policies for student assessments, and the child’s assessment results, report cards, progress reports.
Pamlico County Schools shares progress of students through a variety of ways, including quarterly report cards, progress reports, and assignment/test feedback. Feedback on conduct is also included.
Parents may also access student grades using the Powerschool Parent Portal.
Pamlico County Schools District Wide Testing Calendar
State Assessments:
Individual Student Reports for end-of-grade/course tests and other state assessments (English language proficiency assessment) are accessible in the parent portal of the NC-SIS (PowerSchool).
In NC, all students take end-of-grade assessments for reading and math in grades 3-8. Students take end-of-grade science assessments in grades 5 and 8. In high school, students take end-of-course assessments in English II, Biology, NC Math 1, and NC Math 3.
Students in Grade 10 take the Pre-ACT. Students in grade 11 take the ACT. Students who are CTE Concentrators in Grade 12 take ACT WorkKeys. Those results are shared by ACT.
An Individual Reading Plan (IRP) shall be developed for any student in kindergarten through third grade demonstrating difficulty with reading. An IRP will have specific strategies/ideas that can be done at home.
Parents and caregivers may view Pamlico County Schools aligned literacy resources by contacting Crystal Dixon, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at the Pamlico County Schools Central Office.
What are the qualifications of my child’s teachers?
Parents may look up your child’s teacher licensure status at this website Link to the licensure website.
The licensure look up webpage does not include current employment information. Parents may need additional information (i.e., middle name or license number) to identify the teacher accurately. Substitute teachers (either short or long term) may not hold a NC teaching license.
Please contact Dr. Ervin Patrick or Mrs. Shakia Robinson in Pamlico County Schools Human Resources office to verify an educator’s licensure status.
What are the requirements for school enrollment? What are the immunizations needed or recommended for children?
New Student Enrollment Packets for:
Fred A. Anderson Elementary School
The following are statutory school entry requirements, this includes required immunizations:
Admission requirements: GS_115C-364.pdf (ncleg.gov)
- Immunization records: GS_130A-155.pdf (ncleg.gov)
- Immunization requirements: GS_130A-152.pdf (ncleg.gov) (*this law was amended but is not reflected on the current GA page; see SL2023-134.pdf (ncleg.gov), Section 5.8(e) on page 64”)
Information on required health assessments and immunizations for students are available through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
NCDHHS Immunizations Resources
- Recommended Immunization Schedules
How can a parent help their child learn and make progress?
2a) Parental actions that can…
strengthen the child’s academic progress, especially in the area of reading as provided in Part 1A of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the NCGS.
Engaging with your child about school and what they are learning is pivotal to their learning process.
- Ask questions daily about your child’s school day.
- Inquire about topics and assignments they are learning.
- Connect with teachers to understand your child’s progress.
- Ask the teachers how you can help your child learn.
- Attend different events at your child’s school to stay connected and learn how to support them.
Local Resources:
Parent Guides for Academic Standards:
The following grade level guides contain information to support
parents and caregivers with understanding the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The purpose of these guides is to inform parents about the standards, as well as provide useful strategies to
incorporate at home.
ELA Parent Guides
ELD Parent Guide
Social Studies Parent Guides (coming soon)
Science Parent Guide (coming soon)
Reading and Literacy Support:
This following site provides resources for families to practice and reinforce important literacy skills with their children who are being assessed with mCLASS reading assessments: Amplify Parent Resources
Home activities, printables, and games to support reading and literacy are also available at North Carolina’s Digital Children’s Reading Initiative (DCRI). These activities include the following topics, Pre-K-Grade 5:
(1) Phonemic awareness
(2) Phonics
(3) Vocabulary
(4) Fluency
(5) Comprehension
(6) Oral language
Printable activities will be made available for students who do not have digital access at home and may be provided to all students as a supplement to digital resources. For paper copies, please contact (Insert contact name and contact information). DCRI Printables for Families
How can a parent help their child develop citizenship, social skills and respect for others?
2b) Parental actions that can…
strengthen the child’s citizenship, especially social skills and respect for others.
Pamlico County Schools embeds Portrait of a Graduate skills in the classroom and school setting. These durable skills were developed by NCDPI and will support a child’s understanding of citizenship, social skills and respect for others.
Grade level specific resources, including developmentally appropriate milestones can be found in the following resource repository
How can a parent help their child develop citizenship, social skills and respect for others?
2c) Parental actions that can…
Strengthen the child’s realization of high expectations and setting lifelong learning goals.
Pamlico County Schools embeds Portrait of a Graduate skills in the classroom and school setting. These durable skills were developed by NCDPI and will support a child’s understanding of citizenship, social skills and respect for others.
Grade level specific resources, including developmentally appropriate milestones can be found in the following resource repository
How can a parent strengthen communication with the school/teacher?
2d) Parental actions that can…
place strong emphasis on the communication between the school and the home.
Pamlico County Schools uses the following platforms for communication between home/school
- Google Classroom, Class Dojo, Remind, Blackboard Connect Calls, weekly folders, school newsletters
- Parents can view students’ grades in the PowerSchool parent portal.
The following are NCDPI developed parent guides that provide suggestions for building strong relationships with your child’s teacher and supporting communication between home and school.
Building Strong Relationships with Your Child’s Teacher (NC Rethink Education Program)
How You Can Use Questions to Support Your Child’s Learning (NC Rethink Education Program)
Additional general parent guides and parent resource webinar recordings can be found at the following website.
What services are available for parents and their children?
Tutoring:
NCVPS EdVantage Tutoring offers virtual statewide wraparound support to middle and high school students in NC public schools. Tutoring is available in Math, Science and ELA, and is offered via a personalized partnership with district/school leadership to best meet the needs of selected students each semester.What are opportunities for parents to participate with school?
What are the rigorous academic programs available to my child? How can I learn more about them?
Pamlico County Schools offers a variety of options for students to pursue their interests, skills at their academic level.
Career and Technical Education (CTE):
NC has made a significant investment in developing students and programs to meet the needs of the future workforce. Through Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, Public Schools offer opportunities for students to develop career awareness in 5th grade, explore careers in grades 6-8, and experience leadership, career development, and career-aligned content in grades 9-12.
In Pamlico County Schools, students are able to explore these career pathways from grades 6-8:
In Pamlico County Schools, students are able to experience leadership, career development, and career-aligned content from grades 9-12:
Pamlico County Schools Virtual Career Center
For more information on CTE in NC, and to learn about Career Clusters, Pathways, and Course Information, Standards, and applicable Credentials please visit: Course Management System.
In our district, there are the following programs available that are more rigorous and challenging than the standard content for students:
Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted (AIG):
In NC, school districts must identify and serve academically or intellectually gifted (AIG) K-12 students. These are students who are performing, or have the potential of performing, at high levels of accomplishment in intellectual and/or specific academic areas, such as reading and/or math when compared with other students of their age, or in their grade level, experience, or environment.
The Pamlico County Schools Local AIG Plan outlines specific opportunities for differentiated, rigorous instruction and accelerated programs. This plan describes how students will be identified and served across grades K-12. You can find the plan at Pamlico County Schools AIG Plan 2022-2025.
In Pamlico County Schools, students are often provided the following services:
- Differentiated curriculum and instruction with flexible student groups;
- Accelerated opportunities (subject and/or grade acceleration, credit by demonstrated mastery (CDM), AP/IB/CIE courses, dual enrollment courses;
- Enrichment experiences, which may be during the school day or beyond, and may be within the regular calendar year or may include summer opportunities; and
- Other opportunities for extension of content standard.
Services for AIG students may be provided by AIG personnel or within the regular classroom by teachers trained to meet the needs of gifted students.
Contact Ms. Bettie Davis, district AIG Coordinator, or your school’s administration unit with questions.
Honors Level Courses:
In Pamlico County Schools, students have access to a variety of honors level courses in high school. These courses are available in the Pamlico County High School Course Registration Guide.
Honors level courses typically have a faster pace than standard level courses. They offer additional rigor, complexity and creativity than standard level courses.
Career and College Promise (CCP):
Pamlico County Schools partners with Pamlico Community College to offer dual enrollment opportunities through the CCP program. If your high school student qualifies, students may earn high school credit by completing community college coursework.
CCP courses may be taken in the College Transfer or Career and Technical Education pathway. These courses count for both high school and college credit. Tuition is free for families.
To learn more about this program, contact Crystal Dixon, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction or Rebecca Lansche, Principal at Pamlico County High School.
Additional information is available on the NCDPI CCP website.
Advanced Placement (AP) Courses:
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program developed by the College Board to offer college-level curricula and examinations to high school students.
In NC, 40 Advanced Placement courses are offered in public high schools.
Several AP courses satisfy graduation requirements for NC students as outlined in State Board policy.
AP exams are free for NC public high school students enrolled in these courses.
Colleges and universities may likely offer college credit for these courses if your child scores a 3 or above on the exam. All of the colleges in the UNC System offer credit.
More information is available on the NCDPI AP website.
Accelerated Access
NCVPS:
North Carolina Virtual Public School (NCVPS) is NC’s state supplemental program and leader in online education, providing inclusive learning opportunities for students across the state. Founded in 2007, with a strong commitment to ensuring quality education for all students, regardless of location, NCVPS has over 16 years of experience serving diverse learners.
Students may enroll in NCVPS courses for a variety of reasons. Work with your school counselor if you are interested in taking an NCVPS courses.
Governor’s School: Each summer, NC Governor’s School offers a unique opportunity for high-achieving rising juniors and seniors to learn with their peers from across the state in an 4-week residential program at two college campus sites.
For more information on eligibility and the application process, contact Betsy McCandless, PCHS counselor, or visit the Governor's School website, www.ncgovschool.org.
What school choices are available for my child?
Charter Schools
Charter schools are public schools of choice that are authorized by the State Board of Education and operated by independent non-profit boards of directors. State and local tax dollars are the primary funding sources for charter schools, which have open enrollment and cannot discriminate in admissions, associate with any religion or religious group, or charge-tuition. Charter schools operate with freedom from many of the regulations that govern district schools, but charter schools are held accountable through the State assessment and accountability system.
Nonpublic education is overseen by the NC Department of Administration.
Homeschool Information
What rights do students with disabilities have based on the law?
For students suspected of or identified with a disability by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the following links provide important information regarding the procedural safeguards available to ensure a free, appropriate, public education.
Parent Rights Handbook (Spanish)
Special Education Surrogate Parents
Pamlico County Schools Exceptional Children’s Department Webpage
What is the contact information for the schools and district office?
Pamlico County Schools Organizational Chart
Pamlico County Schools Central Office Directory
Pamlico County Primary School, Savannah Alexander, principal
Fred A. Anderson Elementary School, Sharon Carter-Moore, principal
Pamlico County Middle School, Wade Reifsnyder, principal
Pamlico County High School, Rebecca Lansche, principalWhat are some resources to support my child’s health and wellbeing? What immunizations are required and when should they be scheduled?
9) Resources for information on the importance of student health and other available resources for parents, including the following information on available immunization and vaccinations:
- A recommended immunization schedule in accordance with the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations.
- Information about meningococcal meningitis and influenza, as required by G.S. 115C-375.4.
Information on required health assessments and immunizations for students are available through the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)
Annual Health Assessment and Immunization Compliance Reporting
Policy Code: 1320/3560 Title I Parent and Family Engagement
believes that the education of children is an ongoing cooperative partnership between the home and
the school. Parents and other family members are their children's first teachers; therefore, the
continued involvement of parents and family members in the educational process is most important in
fostering and improving educational achievement. School system officials shall strive to support
parents and provide parents and family members with meaningful opportunities to become involved in
the programs offered by the Title I schools. The board encourages parents and family members to
participate in the design and implementation of the programs and activities in order to increase the
effectiveness of the school system's Title I program in helping students meet state and local
achievement standards.
A. Definition of Parent and Family Engagement
For the purposes of this policy, the term "parent and family engagement" means the
participation of parents, guardians, and other family members in regular, two-way, and
meaningful communication involving student learning and other school activities, including
ensuring the following:
1. that parents and family members play an integral role in assisting their child's learning;
2. that parents and family members are encouraged to be actively involved in their child's
education at school;
3. that parents are full partners in their child's education and parents and family members
are included, as appropriate, in decision making and on advisory committees to assist in
the education of their child; and
4. that the school system utilizes activities to support parent and family engagement in the
Title I programs.
B. Purpose and Operation of Title I Program
The Title I program is a federally supported program that offers assistance to educationally and
economically disadvantaged children to help ensure they receive an equitable, high-quality, well-rounded education and meet the school system's challenging academic standards. The Title I
program provides instructional activities and supportive services to eligible students over and
above those provided by the regular school program.
Qualified Title I schools will operate as school-wide programs or targeted assistance programs
based upon federal eligibility criteria. School-wide programs will provide comprehensive
support to offer improved opportunities for all students in the school to meet the school system's
academic standards. Targeted assistance programs will provide services to eligible students
most in need of assistance in the school, as determined by objective criteria established by the
superintendent or designee. Eligibility criteria may include, for example, standardized test
scores, teacher judgment, and results of preschool screening and home-school surveys.
Both school-wide and targeted assistance programs shall be based on effective means of
improving student achievement and shall include evidence-based strategies to support parent
and family engagement.
Each year, school officials must invite parents of students participating in Title I programs to a
meeting to explain parental rights, discuss the programs and activities to be provided with Title I
funds, and solicit input on the Title I program and this policy. In addition, school officials must
provide parents and family members a meaningful opportunity annually to evaluate the content
and effectiveness of the Title I programs and the parent and family engagement policies and
plans. Information collected from these proceedings will be used to revise Title I programs and
parent and family engagement plans.
D. Parent and Family Engagement Efforts
The board believes that the involvement of Title I parents and family members in the design and
implementation of the Title I program will increase the effectiveness of the program and
contribute significantly to the success of the children. The Title I staff and all school system
personnel shall strive to conduct outreach to parents and family members and involve them in
activities throughout the school year.
The superintendent shall ensure that this system-level parent and family engagement policy and
plan is developed with, agreed upon with, and annually distributed to parents and family
members of participating students. In addition to the system-level parent and family engagement
plan, each school participating in the Title I program shall jointly develop and annually distribute
to parents and family members a school-level written parent and family engagement plan that
describes the means for carrying out school-level policy, sharing responsibility for student
academic achievement, building the capacity of school staff and parents for involvement, and
increasing accessibility for participation of all parents and family members of children
participating in Title I programs, including parents and family members who have limited English
proficiency, who have disabilities, or who are migratory. School-level plans must involve parents
in the planning and improvement of Title I activities and must provide for the distribution to
parents of information on expected student achievement levels and the school's academic
performance.
School officials shall invite appropriate school personnel from private schools to consult on the
design and development of its programs in order to provide equitable services to students
enrolled in private schools. The superintendent or designee shall establish any additional
procedures necessary to achieve timely and meaningful consultation with private school officials
in accordance with federal law.
In addition, school system officials and Title I school personnel shall do the following:
1. involve parents and family members in the joint development of the Title I program and
school support and improvement plan and the process of school review and improvement
by including parents on the school advisory committee and any committees that review the
Title I program;
2. provide coordination, technical assistance, and other support from various central office
departments necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools in
planning and implementing effective parent and family engagement activities that are
designed to improve student academic achievement and school performance;
3. coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies in the Title I program
to the extent feasible and appropriate with parental engagement strategies established in
other federal, state, and local laws and programs;
4. with the meaningful involvement of parents, conduct an annual evaluation of the content
and effectiveness of the school system parent and family engagement policies and
program in improving the academic quality of the school and assisting students to meet
the school system's academic standards;
5. strive to eliminate barriers to parental participation by assisting parents who have
disabilities and parents who are economically disadvantaged, have limited English
proficiency, are migratory, or have other backgrounds or characteristics that may affect
participation;
6. provide outreach and assistance to parents and family members of children who are
participating in Title I programs in understanding the state's testing standards, the
assessments used, Title Irequirements, and all national, state, and local standards and
expectations through such efforts as community-based meetings, posting information on
school websites, sending information home, newsletters, workshops, and newspaper
articles;
7. design a parent-student-school staff compact that sets out respective responsibilities in
striving to raise student achievement and explains how an effective home/school
partnership will be developed and maintained;
8. with the assistance of parents, ensure that teachers, specialized instructional support
personnel, principals, and other staff are educated in the value of parents as partners in
the educational process and understand how to work with, communicate with, and reach
out to parents as equal partners in education;
9. distribute to parents information on expected student proficiency levels for their child
and the school's academic performance, and provide materials and training to help
parents monitor their child's progress and work with educators to improve achievement
through such methods as literacy training or using technology, which may include
education about the harms of copyright piracy;
10. coordinate and integrate, to the extent feasible and appropriate, parental involvement
programs and activities with federal, state, and local programs, including public preschool
programs, and conduct other activities in the community that encourage and support
parents to more fully participate in the education of their child;
11. strengthen the partnership with agencies, businesses, and programs that operate in
the community, especially those with expertise in effectively engaging parents and family
members in education;
12. ensure that parents are involved in the school's Title I activities; and
13. provide such other reasonable support for Title I parental involvement activities as
requested by parents.
E. Notice Requirements
School system officials and Title I school personnel shall provide effective notice of the following
information as required by law. The notice must be in an understandable and uniform format and,
to the extent practicable, in a language the parents can understand.
1. Program for English Learners
Each year the principal or designee shall provide notice of the following to parents of
English learners identified for participation in a Title I, Part A or Title III funded language
instruction educational program:
a. the reasons for the child's identification;
b. the child's level of English proficiency and how such level was assessed;
c. methods of instruction;
d. how the program will help the child;
e. the exit requirements for the program;
f. if the child has a disability, how the language instruction educational program
meets the objectives of the child's individualized educational program (IEP);
g. any other information necessary to effectively inform the parent of the program and
the parental rights regarding enrollment, removal, and selection of a program for
English learners; and
h. notice of regular meetings for the purpose of formulating and responding to
recommendations from parents.
2. System Report Card
Each year, school system officials shall disseminate to all parents, schools, and the public
a school system report card containing information about the school system and each
school, including, but not limited to:
a. the following information both in the aggregate and disaggregated by category:
student achievement, graduation rates, performance on other school quality and/or
student success indicators, the progress of students toward meeting long-term goals
established by the state, student performance on measures of school climate and
safety, and, as available, the rate of enrollment in post-secondary education;
b. the performance of the school system on academic assessments as compared to
the state as a whole and the performance of each school on academic assessments
as compared to the state and school system as a whole;
c. the percentage and number of students who are:
i. assessed,
ii. assessed using alternate assessments,
iii. involved in preschool and accelerated coursework programs, and
iv. English learners achieving proficiency;
d. the per pupil expenditures of federal, state, and local funds; and
e. teacher qualifications.
3. Teacher Qualifications
a. At the beginning of each year, school system officials shall notify parents of
students who are participating in Title I programs (1) of the right to request certain
information on the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers
and paraprofessionals providing services to the child and (2) that such information
will be provided in a timely manner (see policy 7820, Personnel Files).
b. The principal or designee of a Title I school shall provide timely notice informing
parents that their student has been assigned to or has been taught for at least four
consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet applicable state certification or
licensure requirements at the grade level or subject area in which the teacher has
been assigned.
4. Student's Academic Growth and Achievement
School officials shall provide to each parent of a student who is participating in a Title I
program information on the level of achievement and academic growth, if applicable and
available, of the student on each of the state's academic assessments.
5. Parental Rights and Opportunities for Involvement
a. Each year, the principal or designee of a Title I school shall provide notice to
parents of the school's written parent and family engagement policy, parents' right to
be involved in their child's school, and opportunities for parents and family members
to be involved in the school.
b. At the beginning of each school year, the principal or designee of a Title I school
shall provide notice to parents of (1) their right to request information regarding
student participation in state-required assessments and (2) that such information will
be provided in a timely manner.
F. Website Distribution of Information
Each year, school system officials shall publicize on the school system website and, where
practicable, on the website of each school:
1. the report card described in subsection E.2, above; and
2. information on each assessment required by the state and, where feasible, by the
school system, organized by grade level. The information must include:
a. the subject matter assessed;
b. the purpose for which the assessment is designed and used;
c. the source of the requirement for the assessment;
d. if available, the amount of time students will spend taking the assessments and
the schedule of the assessments; and
e. if available, the time and format for distributing results.
The superintendent shall develop any administrative procedures necessary to implement the
requirements of this policy.
Legal References: Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.,
34 C.F.R. pt. 200
Cross References: Parental Involvement (policy 1310/4002), Goals and Objectives of the Educational
Program (policy 3000), Curriculum Development (policy 3100), Personnel Files (policy 7820)
Adopted: August 1, 2022
Replaces: Board policy 5424, Parent/Family Involvement (in part)
