As summer winds down, our Roanoke Rapids Graded School District is buzzing with excitement and energy.
This past week has been a time of preparation, connection, and meaningful steps forward as we readied ourselves for the first day of school on Monday, August 25.
From professional learning and open houses to new traffic safety plans, important Board decisions, and community partnerships, we are grateful for the momentum building across our district.
Professional Learning and the Transition to Infinite Campus
We began last week on Monday, August 18 with a districtwide day of professional learning for our staff.
This time together is always important, but it was especially impactful this year as faculty and staff reconnected with colleagues across schools, shared ideas, and renewed our collective commitment to continuous learning.
One of the key focus areas was Infinite Campus, which will become the new statewide Student Information System beginning with the 2025–26 school year.
Infinite Campus will replace PowerSchool and serve as the primary hub for managing student grades, attendance, schedules, and other data.
We owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to Mandy Clark, our Public and Student Information Officer, who has spent countless hours preparing our district for this transition. Her leadership has positioned us well to ensure a smooth shift, and we are excited about the possibilities Infinite Campus brings for better communication and efficiency.
Family Open Houses Build Excitement
Another highlight of the week was welcoming families back into our schools through Open Houses at Roanoke Rapids High School, Chaloner Middle School, Belmont Elementary School, and Manning Elementary School.
The turnout was fantastic, and the energy in the buildings was contagious.
We are so thankful to our parents, guardians, and caregivers for taking the time to meet teachers, tour classrooms, and help their children feel ready for the year ahead.
Belmont Elementary Traffic Queue Redesign
We are also pleased to share an important update for Belmont Elementary School families.
The NCDOT Municipal School Traffic Assistance (MSTA) Division designed a new, more efficient plan for the student drop-off and pick up traffic queue.
Last week, NCDOT finished the expansion of the parking lot and implemented MSTA’s other changes for the traffic queue.
Their plan is expected to eliminate backups onto Bolling Road and keep traffic flowing more smoothly, with the new queue designed to hold all school-related traffic without spilling onto Robinson Drive.
You can view a detailed explanation in a video posted on our district Facebook page at this link
We appreciate NCDOT’s partnership in making safety and efficiency a top priority for our families.
Board Approves Elimination of Bus Monitors
At the August Board of Trustees meeting, the Board approved a significant change to our transportation model.
Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, most bus routes will no longer have bus monitors.
This decision was made after conversations with teacher assistants, bus drivers, and monitors, with more than 90 percent of those staff expressing support for the plan.
The reasoning is two-fold:
Strengthening academic support by allowing more teacher assistants to be present in classrooms.
Reducing costs for the district while maintaining flexibility to reintroduce bus monitors on specific routes if necessary.
Bus monitors will continue to serve on routes for exceptional children/handicapped students in grades K–12, as well as pre-kindergarten and ACES routes.
We believe this change balances fiscal responsibility with our mission to put student learning first.
Preparing for the First Days of School
With the traditional calendar resuming on Monday, August 25, we want to remind families and community members to use extra caution near school zones and bus stops.
The first days always come with heavier traffic as families adjust to routines, so patience and attentiveness are especially important.
We are also implementing a new safety measure this year: Weapons detection systems at school entrances.
These systems represent another step in ensuring a safe and secure learning environment. While entrance times may be a bit slower at first as everyone adjusts, we ask for your understanding and cooperation. Safety will always be worth a few extra minutes.
Clara Hearne Pre-Kindergarten Home Visits and Reading Circles
At Clara Hearne Pre-Kindergarten Center, we are building stronger ties between our youngest learners and the community. Last week, our staff made home visits to see their rising pre-kindergarten students and their families.
Beginning this fall, community members and leaders are invited to participate in monthly Reading Circles to share the joy of books and storytelling with our preschool students.
Reading Circle dates are:
September 25, 2025
October 30, 2025
November 20, 2025
January 29, 2026
February 26, 2026
March 26, 2026
April 30, 2026
May 28, 2026
If you would like to participate, please call Clara Hearne and ask for Director Tina Hantz. Your involvement will help spark a love of reading that lasts a lifetime.
Honoring Excellence with Representative Rodney Pierce
At the Board of Trustees meeting, we were honored to welcome North Carolina Representative Rodney Pierce, who joined us to recognize outstanding accomplishments by our students and staff.
His visit was a powerful reminder of the importance of celebrating success and the bright future our young people are building.
Representative Pierce presented official resolutions honoring two remarkable groups in our Roanoke Rapids Graded School District: Lady Jackets Varsity Soccer and KidWind Solar Superstars.
Our 2025 Varsity Lady Jackets Soccer Team was recognized for an extraordinary season that captured the hearts of our community.
The Lady Jackets won the Big East Conference Tournament, surged through the NCHSAA 2A State Playoffs, and finished with an outstanding 21–2 record. Along the way, individual excellence was also celebrated:
Casey Neal earned Offensive Player of the Year.
Shaniah Daniels was named Defensive Player of the Year.
Coach Jean was honored as Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year.
Representative Pierce’s recognition underscored how much dedication, teamwork, and perseverance it takes to achieve at this level.
The second group honored was our KidWind Solar Superstars—an innovative team of students who have distinguished themselves on both the state and national stage for the past four years. Josiah Ausby, Linley Godsey, Sara Fender, Abigail Argumedo, and Na’ja Mason, coached by Shannon Dickinson and Jenny Shives, have inspired us all with their creativity and passion for renewable energy solutions.
In April, the Solar Superstars captured First Place in the Solar Division at the State KidWind Challenge at James Madison University. Then in May, they traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, where they earned the prestigious Innovation Award at the World KidWind Competition, thanks to their advanced design that featured cutting-edge wiring and microcircuit controllers.
Before Representative Pierce presented their resolution, the Board and guests enjoyed a video highlighting their season and journey to the world competition.
These recognitions remind us all of the remarkable talents, achievements, and leadership within our district. We are grateful to Representative Pierce for taking the time to celebrate the success of our students and coaches, and we could not be prouder of these Yellow Jackets.
Roanoke Rapids Early College Scholars Share Kindness
Our Roanoke Rapids Early College students, who began classes on August 12, are already demonstrating the Yellow Jacket spirit of service. This week, they wrote heartfelt notes to residents of Pine Forest Rest Home in Woodland, NC, each of whom has their own personal mailbox. This small but powerful act of kindness is a reminder that education is not just about academics, but also about nurturing compassion and connection.
A Special Thank You to Valley Community Church
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Valley Community Church for their incredible generosity and support of our educators. This week, Pastor Ron and Elsa McBride, along with members of our Central Office team, delivered Back to School Bags for teachers across our district.
These thoughtful bags were filled with items to encourage and equip our teachers as they begin a new school year.
Even more meaningful than the gifts was the time spent visiting classrooms — thanking teachers personally for their service to our students and community, and offering words of encouragement for the year ahead.
Our district is deeply grateful for community partners like Valley Community Church who invest in our schools, honor the work of our staff, and remind us all that we are stronger together. Their kindness sets a positive tone for the year and reinforces the strong bonds between our schools and the community we proudly serve.
Closing Thoughts
As we step into a new school year, I could not be prouder of the progress we are making together — students, families, staff, and community. From embracing new technology to improving safety and traffic flow, from strengthening classrooms to strengthening hearts, we are truly living out our commitment to excellence.
Here’s to a year filled with learning, growth, and countless reasons to celebrate.
Together we succeed!