Burke CountyPublic Schools

Ann Morris, reading specialist at Oak Hill Elementary School, has been named the Burke County Public Schools 2021 Teacher of the Year. Morris is in her 28th year of teaching and her eighth year at Oak Hill. Morris serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Burke County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan and Elementary Education Director Karen Auton surprised Morris with the announcement, balloons and flowers on Wednesday at the school.

Fire trucks pulled into Hildebran Elementary School on Monday not to put out a fire, but to light up support for fourth grade teacher Sno Lewis who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The Pink Heals fire truck, a part of the Pink Heals NC Foothills Inc., is a non-profit organization that raises awareness and funds for families and nonprofit entities that assist women and their families who are fighting not only breast cancer, but all diseases.

The Burke County Board of Education is currently accepting applications for a position on the Western Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees. Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, May 4, 2021 until 5:00 PM.

Burke County Public Schools is pleased to announce that the district’s high schools plan to hold traditional, in-person graduations in May. Graduation ceremonies will take place indoors for Burke Middle College, Hallyburton and Draughn and outdoors for Patton, Freedom and East Burke and will follow COVID-19 protocols. Patton, Freedom and East Burke have contingency plans to move the ceremonies indoors in the event of bad weather.

Several Burke County Public Schools Career and College Promise students participating in the Emergency Medical Technician program were recently able to be a part of history and help to administer COVID-19 vaccines to the community at Freedom High School. The vaccine clinic is organized by Carolinas Healthcare System Blue Ridge in Morganton.

Project: Interior Office Space Renovations at East Burke High School for Burke County Public Schools, North Carolina Bid Opening Time: 1:30 PM on April 20, 2021

Dr. Mike Swan has been named interim superintendent of Burke County Public Schools. The announcement came Thursday at the Burke County Board of Education meeting. Burke County Public Schools Board of Education Chair Buddy Armour said, “Congratulations to Dr. Swan on this opportunity.

The Burke County Public Schools Food Truck has been helping to feed healthcare workers at our local COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Freedom High School over the last several weeks. The food truck is a convenient alternative to help feed the nurses and staff from Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge in Morganton as well as our own school nurses while they are working at the clinic. The food truck is also open to those receiving their vaccinations and to the general public.

Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Larry Putnam announced Monday at the Burke County Board of Education meeting that after nearly 10 years as superintendent he is taking a position as executive vice president of Catawba Valley Community College. Putnam’s first day on his new job is May 1.

The dates for registration of all students who will be enrolled in the 2021-2022 Burke County Public Schools’ kindergarten classes will be March 15 – May 2, 2021. Parents are urged to register children during this enrollment period. All registration should be completed at the elementary school in the district where parents/guardians reside. A child eligible to enroll must be five years of age on or before August 31, 2021.

The Burke Virtual Academy is holding open enrollment for students interested in a virtual education experience for the 2021-2022 academic year. The Burke Virtual Academy is for any student kindergarten through 12th grade wishing to take a full slate of online classes, or for middle and high school students who would like to enroll in at least one online class while attending face-to-face classes at their base school and/or Western Piedmont Community College. The deadline to enroll in Burke Virtual Academy is Friday, April 16, 2021. To enroll,

Burke County Public Schools and our high schools and middle schools are excited about N.C. Governor Roy Cooper’s new executive order that increases crowd attendance in outdoor stadiums to 30 percent capacity starting Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. As the soccer season continues and football, softball, baseball and other outdoor sports prepare for first games and matches, the capacity increase means many more family members and fans will be allowed to watch our student athletes compete.

If you have a child or know of a child who is entering kindergarten in August, Burke County Schools is hosting an information session via Zoom for those interested in enrolling students in the dual language immersion program at Mountain View Elementary School. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. The Global Immersion Academy teaches students English and Spanish starting in kindergarten and continuing through the fifth grade.

Mountain View Elementary School will soon be accepting applications for the Global Immersion Academy for the 2021-2022 school year. The academy is available for students entering kindergarten. Students will be selected on a first come, first served basis.

The North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) has honored Burke County Public Schools for excellence in communications. Burke County Public Schools earned a total of 14 Blue Ribbon Awards for outstanding and effective communication. NCSPRA presented the awards during a virtual ceremony on Feb. 5, 2021.

A mandatory pre-bid meeting will be held in the Olive Hill Resource Center, 509 West Concord street, Morganton, NC 28655 on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at 10 a.m. for anyone interested in bidding on this contract.

Chairman Buddy Armour and Vice Chairman Dr. R.L. Icard of the Burke County Board of Education have called for an Emergency Meeting of the Board on Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021 at noon in the Olive Hill Room of the Olive Hill Resource Center located at 509 W. Concord St., Morganton. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and take action regarding changes made on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021, to the Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit (K-12).

Burke County Public Schools and our high schools are excited for the opportunity that our outdoor sports programs have to compete this season. Though games will look very different this year as we strictly follow rules, regulations and guidelines set forth by the NC Governor’s Office and the NCHSAA related to COVID-19, we are grateful that our teams will be able to participate.

Design and build an original lamp for a chance to win a cash prize and public showcase at CoMMA

You may see big, yellow Burke County Public Schools buses out on the road during remote learning, not carrying students, but meals to help feed them. When Burke County Public Schools transitioned to remote learning in January, the child nutrition team quickly organized three different ways to help feed students: through the daycare program, by pick-up at specific schools and now by home delivery.

Burke County Public Schools nurses continue to work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March they have been instrumental in educating schools on how to prevent COVID-19 and how to recognize symptoms; in communicating with parents and staff when cases impact schools; and in working with the health department to contact trace and track data. Now that the pandemic is in the vaccination phase, Burke County Public Schools nurses will help the Burke County Health Department give out vaccines.

Burke County Public Schools and our high schools are excited for the opportunity that our basketball programs have to play this season. Though games will look very different this year as we strictly follow rules, regulations and guidelines set forth by the NC Governor’s Office and the NCHSAA related to COVID-19, we are grateful that our teams will be able to take to the court.