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poet Phillip Shabazz
Poet holds workshop, poetry slam at East Burke High School

Phillip Shabazz, a poet, author and teaching artist, was a special guest at East Burke High School recently for a poetry workshop in four English classes. In the workshops, he taught students different forms of poetry and challenged the students to get out of their comfort zones when writing.

  • EBHS
logos for Burke County commissioners and school board
Joint statement regarding school funding and teacher supplements

With the passing of Senate Bill 68 into law (SL 2023-143), Burke County Public Schools plans to increase supplemental pay for teachers. The Burke County Board of Education and the Burke County Board of Commissioners came together in early September for a joint resolution to repeal 40-year-old legislation that restricted funding streams for Burke County Public Schools.

spelling bee winner posing with trophy and school administrators
7th grader named Spelling Bee champ

Sam E. from East Burke Middle School is the winner of the 2023 Burke County Public Schools Spelling Bee. After 11 rounds followed by another 21 words, the seventh grader correctly spelled the winning word, “skirmish.” Runner up was Madelyn H., last year’s Spelling Bee winner. The evening started with 20 spellers from elementary and middle schools who were the winners of their school-level spelling bees.

  • EBMS
from left to right: Dr. Mike Swan, Debbie Jennings, Dillon Sain, Dr. Karen Auton
Patton’s Sain named BCPS Principal of the Year

Burke County Public Schools has named Patton High School Principal Dr. Dillon Sain the 2023-2024 Principal of the Year for the district. Sain’s fellow Burke County Public Schools principals nominated him for the honor, and he is now chosen to represent the district at the regional Principal of the Year level.

  • PHS
a teacher and students giving a thumbs up toward the camera
NC Students Make Gains in 2023-23, Continuing Recovery from COVID Losses

State test results from the 2022-23 school year presented to the State Board of Education today show that North Carolina students continued to recover ground lost to the COVID pandemic, with gains across virtually all grades, subjects and student subgroups.
In Burke County Public Schools, district leaders are celebrating how far students have come since COVID-19.

elevated view of the front entrance of Patton High School
Law Enforcement Responds To Suspicious Items

The Burke County Sheriff’s Office, the Morganton Department of Public Safety, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Bomb Squad, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Burke Emergency Management responded to two suspicious items found at Patton High School on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023.  A Patton staff member noticed one item in the front of the school around 7 a.m. and notified the school resource officer.

  • PHS
three students with their school lunch
Free school meals for all BCPS students

Starting the first day of school, Aug. 28, 2023, all BCPS students will receive breakfast and lunch for free from their school cafeteria. BCPS has adopted the Community Eligibility Provision, a school meal option for schools and districts in high-poverty areas. This eliminates the need for BCPS families to complete the free and reduced meal application and allows all students access to free meals at school.

  • All Schools
no vaping at school graphic
No Vaping at School

Burke County Public Schools students will be required to follow a new no vaping policy when school starts on Aug. 28. Vaping and vaping paraphernalia are not permitted in Burke County Public Schools buildings or on grounds, on buses, or during school-sponsored activities off campus.

  • High Schools
  • Middle Schools
Office of Governor seal
Governor Cooper Hosts Education Roundtable in Guilford County, Speaks with Education Leaders About NC General Assembly’s Plans to Dismantle Public Education

Today, Governor Roy Cooper hosted a roundtable discussion about the extreme NC General Assembly legislation that would undermine and underfund public education. At Western Guilford Middle School, the Governor was joined by school board leaders, superintendents, educators and local elected officials to discuss how these bills would have devastating impacts for North Carolina students, families and businesses.