NC Cyber September 2025 Newsletter

Hello Owls!

This is our first Newsletter of the 2025-26 school year at the North Carolina Cyber Academy. We have been spending the last few weeks engaging and learning more about each other, while growing each and every day in our virtual classrooms!

It's been a busy first couple of months, as our students and staff have taken part in various assessments and classroom projects, while also taking part in multiple Field Trips.

We hope everyone enjoys this month's Newsletter, and has a wonderful autumn!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy was proud to honor Felecia Hill as our Elementary School Teacher of the Year for 2025-26. She is beloved by her students for her implementation of chicken hatchlings in her classroom instruction.

She was honored at our beginning of the year in-person meetings in early August by NC Cyber Superintendent Mr. Martez Hill. Congratulations!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy's Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Felecia Hill, is passionate about chickens. She has turned that love into a fascinating journey with her students, educating them while also engaging them at the same time. Students are learning all about how eggs are hatched, and how chickens behave with and around each other.

Watch her teacher presentation from our NC Cyber Academy in-person event on August 5 and see why her students love her so much!

Congratulations and thanks to Jenni Hall, the North Carolina Cyber Academy's Support Staff of the Year recipient for 2025-26. Thanks for everything to you for our students, parents, and staff!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy is proud to welcome its new teachers and staff at the Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year! We are grateful each of you chose to join us at NC Cyber, and we’re excited to see how you help our children learn and grow in the months and years to come! Let’s give these amazing staff members a warm welcome!

“She (Mrs. Poole) brings fantastic experience in upper elementary and a proven track record of increasing student proficiency, high growth, and also engaging her students. So we know she's going to be very collaborative and adapting to her student’s needs,” NC Cyber Academy Elementary School principal Mr. Copeland said of Mrs. Poole.

“Mrs. Robinson is highly recommended coming to us,” Mr. Copeland said. “She has been a reading interventionist most recently and is transitioning full-time here with us, which we are very excited about. She has been very involved with her community through various organizations committed to children and those around her.”

“Mrs. Sanderson joins us from Lenoir County, where she was a cornerstone of her previous school for her entire career,” Mr. Copeland said. “She's known for her strong work ethic and eagerness to learn.”

“She joined us at the end of April and jumped right on in,” Mr. Copeland said of Mrs. Meadows. “She has been analyzing data, finding gaps in areas where we can increase engagement and achievement of our students, and doing some wonderful things there. Welcome Mrs. Meadows!”

Earlier this semester, some of our NC Cyber Academy Elementary School students participated in a unique project. They were asked to come up with a creative comic strip demonstrating their understanding of one of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion.

Below are examples of the comic strips completed by our Elementary students Lucas Diaz, Gwendolyn Dougherty, Yuja Fernando, Olivia Harris, and Aurora Michelli. Not only are these students learning a great deal about nature and science, but they are also showing off their tremendous creativity! Way to go Owls!

Ms. Monson is our multi-language (ML) coordinator and lead teacher for K-8 students at NC Cyber. The students in her Elementary ML class discussed for Leader in Me what would be their classroom mission statement.

The Elementary School students came up with "We come to school to learn about reading, writing, science and social studies." They also came up with a series of drawings to show they understood the mission!

Great work students! Excellent creativity!

Numerous NC Cyber Academy Elementary School students recently made their way to Lazy 5 Ranch, a unique animal park located in Mooresville in Rowan County. The Lazy 5 Ranch is a privately funded Animal Park that is open to the public for tours. Home to over 750 animals from 6 different continents, the Lazy 5 offers horse drawn wagon ride tours and drive-through tours. Our students had an amazing time learning about all these amazing creatures! Thanks to all our parents for submitting photos from this fun event!

A large collection of North Carolina Cyber Academy Elementary School students, staff members, and parents recently made their way to Grasshopper Farms in Knightdale for a fun day of autumn activities. Students were able to do everything from play in corn to picking out pumpkins to playing on various rides! There was a cornfield maze, a general store, and pumpkins and gourds galore! Our children and families had a wonderful time exploring this awesome seasonal adventure!

Thanks. to all our parents who submitted photos of their students. Some of the NC Cyber students pictured below (with parental permission) includes Muneerah and Nusaybah As-Salih, Matthew Lewis (Teacher Mrs. Minor), and fifth grader Caiden Greene (Teacher Mrs. Bunch).

A group of our Elementary School students had a wonderful time playing the wide variety of games and participating in the many activities at the Main Event Fun Center. Check out some photos below!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy is proud to shine a light on one of our Elementary School students - Yuja Fernando. Yuja is a highly-accomplished musician who is standing out in multiple disciplines at her young age!

On First Friday (August 1), Yuja was the featured musician at the Greenhill Art gallery in downtown Greensboro, and played classical piano and classical guitar. Yuja also won the Appalachian guitar competition in her age group (Division IV) this year, which was held in March.

Yuja is a student of Dr. Kami Rowan of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is also a member of the Piedmont Guitar Orchestra. Yuja and her sister Aika (grade 1 at ncca) volunteer twice a month at a senior home. They both play classical music for the residents. They have been doing this since February 2024.

Yuja's piano teacher's name is Ms. Allegra Gicla and she teaches at the cultural center in Greensboro. She has been a wonderful teacher.

Below is video of Yuja playing piano (Haydn Sonata in C major)

Below is video of Yuja playing guitar (Giuliani etude Opus 48 no. 24)

Thank you Brodie for doing your best and always smiling!

We are so proud of you!

Mom & Dad

Shout Out to all them amazing teachers this year! Yall rock!

Brodie Lince & Family

Shout Out to Brixton Whited, a fourth grader in our Elementary School in Ms. Anna Poole's homeroom. Brixton is a new student at NC Cyber as of September 2025, transitioning to us from Buncombe County Virtual Academy due to an upcoming move from Asheville, NC to Wendell Falls, NC.

Brixton is a great kid who loves online school! Shout out from Dad - we are very proud of him!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy, was proud to honor another of our extraordinary educators - NC Cyber Middle School instructor Carla Greco. On August 5, at our start-of-year in-person event, Mrs. Greco was named NC Cyber's Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2025-26 and received a plaque from Superintendent Mr. Martez HIll. Congratulations!

At the NC Cyber Academy's beginning of year in-person meeting in Greensboro on August 5, our Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2025-26, Carla Greco, gave an excellent presentation about the use of props and other creative visuals to increase and enhance engagement among her students.

Thanks for everything you're doing each and every day for our students!

Congratulations and thanks to Candi Rhinehart, the North Carolina Cyber Academy's Middle School Support Staff of the Year recipient for 2025-26. Thanks for everything to you for our students, parents, and staff!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy is thrilled to welcome its new Middle School teachers for the 2025-26 school year! Thanks for joining our family this school year, and we're excited to see the great things you'll be achieving in the coming months with our students!

Below is the list of our new NC Cyber Middle School students for 2025-26. Let's give them a warm welcome!

---Melissa Acevedo (Math)

---Kansas Akin (ELA)

---Melissa Cooper (ELA)

---Jill Griggs (Math Interventionist)

---Jessica Hammond (ELA Interventionist)

---Donna Jarrell (Exceptional Children)

---Antoinette Looney (Family and Engagement)

---George Moore (Exceptional Children)

---Brooke Musgrave (Career and Technical Education)

Our incredible team of educators at the NC Cyber Academy Middle School launched into the 2025–2026 school year!

At our in-person school year kickoff in Greensboro August 4-5, we kicked off with purpose, passion, and positivity—reconnecting with colleagues, diving into our goals, and grounding ourselves in our mission to empower every learner, every day.

From collaborative sessions to Leader in Me moments, our staff is committed to leading with heart and excellence. Here’s to a year of growth, impact, and virtual greatness!

Let’s make this our best year yet, #CyberFamily!

#BackToSchool #CyberStrong #LeaderInMe #NCCAMiddle #EmpowerEngageExcel

Join us in celebrating the enduring legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. HBCU's play a vital role in providing quality education and opportunity in our country.

Our Middle School students participated in HBCU week by learning more about our state’s historical black colleges and universities. They learned about famous graduates of HBCUs, honoring trailblazers who paved the way with HBCUs, as well as HBCU sororities and fraternities.

On Friday, September 26, the Middle School held a special HBCU program to commemorate the week!

The NC Cyber Academy Middle School joined in the global celebration of International Dot Day - inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot! - on Friday, September 12th.

This was a day to celebrate creativity, courage, and making your mark. Teachers and principals joined students in this celebration of creativity and courage, as we filled our virtual space with dots, creativity, and positivity!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy Middle School is excited to present our SECURE IT Cybersecurity workshops series for middle schoolers. These workshops are hosted in person for rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Each student will attend once a month during the school year. Students will learn a variety of topics from cryptology to social engineering to generative AI.

Workshops run monthly on the following dates from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on North Carolina State's Centennial Campus in Raleigh. For more information, read below!

NC Cyber Academy 7th grade student Patrick Taylor had an epic summer between participating in tennis camps with the USTA and his local training group at the Greensboro Tennis Program (GTP) Foundation in Greensboro!

Patrick competed in national tennis tournaments including the 12U Clay Court Championships and 12U Hard Court Championships in Florida and Alabama. He’s grown so much in the last year!

Congrats to Patrick for all his hard work!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy Middle School will once again be participating in a canned food drive as part of Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day on Thursday, October 23.

Hunger Relief Day began at the N.C. State Fair in 1993, and since then fairgoers have donated more than six million pounds of food to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina and its partners. It has become one of the largest one-day canned-food drives in the state.

Smithfield Foods Hunger Relief Day is Thursday, Oct. 23. Each fairgoer can bring six cans of food to the fair gates to exchange for one free admission ticket. (e.g., 18 cans of food equals three admission tickets.) Deals & Discounts | NC Agriculture

Let our staff know you're coming by clicking the link below and signing up! More details about this year's North Carolina State Fair in Raleigh, including times, dates, parking information, and much more, can all be found below!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy has been recognized this fall by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for having the largest Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program in the State of North Carolina for Charter schools.

NC Cyber currently enrolls approximately 1,250 enrollments in CTE. The next biggest program - the Triangle Math and Science Academy, which has been established for many more years than NC Cyber - has approximately 1,100 students enrolled in its CTE offerings.

NCDPI officials agreed that the North Carolina Cyber Academy High School is now competing with regular local education agency (LEA) CTE programs in regards to size, credentials earned, pathways offered, etc. This is a tremendous achievement for our High School. Congratulations to Principal Dr. Vecchione and the entire staff for their hard work creating pathways for our students!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy, was proud to honor another of our outstanding educators - NC Cyber High School instructor Colt Weaver. On August 5, at our start-of-year in-person event, Mr. Weaver was named NC Cyber's High School Teacher of the Year for 2025-26 and received a plaque from Superintendent Mr. Martez HIll. Congratulations!

At the NC Cyber Academy's beginning of year in-person meeting in Greensboro on August 5, our Teacher of the Year for 2025-26 - Mr. Colt Weaver, High School English teacher - gave a passionate presentation about the power of a growth mindset and growth-oriented feedback to students.

Mr. Weaver explained the difference between a fixed and a growth mindset, and how teachers can use positive reinforcing language to promote growth.

Congratulations and thanks to Ryan Hinkleman, the North Carolina Cyber Academy's High School Support Staff of the Year recipient for 2025-26. Thanks for everything to you for our students, parents, and staff!

We extend a special welcome to each of our new North Carolina Cyber Academy High School staff members!

Each of them had a chance to get to know each other better in August when our staff came together in Greensboro's Koury Convention Center for our annual beginning of year event.

---Mace Boston (CTE, Computer Science)

---Erin Frye (Math)

---Tracy Moebius (English)

---Molly Newburger (Art)

---Erica Schwartz (Math)

---Melissa Sparks (CTE, Health Sciences)

---Cedric Williams (CTE, Computer Science)

We welcome each of these new staff members to NC Cyber! We're honored to have you, and look forward to seeing all the amazing things you do with our students in the months and years to come!

One of our new CTE teachers at the North Carolina Cyber Academy High School - Mr. Cedric Williams - gave an excellent presentation to his colleagues about the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education, and how we can use it to benefit our students and families.

It was a highly-informative conversation that raised awareness about how AI is changing the way students and teachers interact and work together to achieve results in the classroom! Thanks Mr. Williams and welcome to NC Cyber!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy’s chapter of the National Honor Society recently elected its officers for this school year. Congrats to these high-achieving High School students for being elected to the following positions:

Story King: President

Sanvika Ashanti: Vice President

Omar Khalil: Secretary

Takirra Koonce-Parrish: Treasurer

Laurel Shell: SGA Liaison

Quin Roberts: Service Hours Coordinator

We look forward to a year of leadership, service, and excellence. Your dedication inspires us all - let’s make this one a year to remember!

On September 17, our High School held a series of Attendance and Engagement forums. These were intended to help students, parents, and staff better understand NC Cyber's attendance and student engagement policies, and to provide a chance to ask questions.

Thanks in large part to our amazing Attendance Coaches at the High School level, approximately 61 percent of our NC Cyber seniors (158 out of 258) had perfect attendance in their classes to start the school year, and none of our seniors had over 10 absences. Amazing job Owls!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy High School held their first field trips of the school year on Friday, September 19th. The high school staff hosted 10 field trips across the state in various regions for students and families:

Regions 1 & 3: Broadway Zoological Park (Broadway), Hiking the Scenic Cliffs of the Neuse (Seven Springs), and North Carolina Museum of Art (Raleigh)

Region 2: NC Aquarium (Pine Knoll Shores)

Region 4: Cape Fear Botanical Garden (Fayetteville)

Region 5: Fun on the Farm (Winston Salem), Hike at Bicentennial Greenway (High Point) and Skyzone (Greensboro)

Region 6: Carolina Raptor Center (Huntersville)

Regions 7 & 8: Hickory Nut Gap Farm (Fairview)

Approximately 350 students, staff, and families attended the high school's first field trip of the school year in September.

Our High School Principal (Dr. Vecchione) even hosted one of the September field trips at his farm in Winston Salem. This field trip, in Region 5 (Fun on the Farm), provided 45 students, staff and families with the opportunities to meet and feed many of his animals, enjoy a hayride through the pastures, cook s'mores over a campfire, hike through some wooded trails, kayak and fish on the farm's 3 acre pond, play horseshoes, and enjoy a cookout together.

A brief video of that field trip can be found below.

Our high school will be hosting its second field trip of the school year on Friday, October 17th - stay tuned for the locations of those field trips...you don't want to miss them!

Check out some photos below from our students' visit to the Broadway Zoological Park field trip near Sanford. They had a really great experience!

In Ms. Pacheco’s Digital Literacy class, students are discovering just how exciting and meaningful the virtual world can be. The class is designed to help students navigate digital tools, understand online environments, and grow into responsible, confident digital citizens.

Research shows that when students feel invested in their learning and believe in the value of what they are doing, their chances of success increase significantly. This has certainly proven true in Digital Literacy, where students are actively engaged in conversations, projects, and thought-provoking questions.

One of the class’s recent discussion prompts asked: “What do you think is better—virtual learning or brick-and-mortar learning, and why?” The students’ responses were not only insightful but also inspiring. They shared their perspectives with openness and respect, and the conversations revealed how thoughtfully they are considering the benefits and challenges of both styles of learning.

What made the activity even more powerful was how students supported one another’s ideas. The discussions became more than just answers to a question—they turned into a learning experience that gave everyone new ways of seeing and understanding.

Ms. Pacheco’s class is showing that digital learning is not only about technology, but also about connection, communication, and building skills that will benefit students far beyond the classroom. With each new discussion and activity, students are proving that when learning feels meaningful, success naturally follows.

The North Carolina Cyber Academy has nearly 20 different clubs for its students to participate in. Our students engage together in everything from chess to books to art to music, and a whole lot else!

Our High School students encourage each other to join clubs and learn more about the world and each other! These clubs allow students the chance not only to make new friends, but to pick up valuable skills and hobbies that will serve them long after they walk the stage as NC Cyber High School graduates!

Learn more about some of our High School's various clubs below!

One of our seniors at the North Carolina Cyber Academy, Sanvika Achanti, did outstanding in her end-of-grade testing this past spring at the conclusion of her junior year.

Sanvika was happy to share that she got 5's in AP Physics I, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, and AP Computer Science A!

Sanvika also got 2 awards from the College Board: the AP Scholar with Distinction and the College Board's National Recognition Program's School Recognition Award.

Congratulations Sanvika! Great job! Best wishes for an amazing senior year!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy High School is proud to recognize Anisah Lee, a member of our Class of 2024.

Recently, Anisah was proudly inducted into Delta Tal Alpha (DTA), an Honor Society at North Carolina State University.

The Delta Tal Alpha honor society at NC State is dedicated to the recognition of scholarship, leadership, and character.

Anisah's sister (Asiah - NCCA Class of 2026) shared: "Without NCCA, Anisah would not be joining her group of friends united together in one goal to improve the agricultural industry. Another big thank you to you all, and I hope to do the same after I (graduate) from here!”

Congratulations to Anisah for this achievement, and best of luck to Asiah and her Class of 2026 classmates!

Dear 11th & 12th grade students and families -

The North Carolina Cyber Academy is excited to share, once again, our class ring tradition and opportunity for Juniors and Seniors (only).

For the third year at NC Cyber Academy High School, we are offering class rings to students in the Junior and Senior Classes. The two previous years we offered class rings, the students that ordered them were very pleased with their purchases. Deadline for ordering Class Rings (Juniors & Seniors) is Friday, November 21st!

Currently there are three (3) ways to place your order for a Class Ring:

1.) You can visit the Herff Jones office at: 1031 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215,

2.) You can call the Herff Jones office directly to ask questions or place your order over the phone at: 336-228-7770, or you can

3.) Click below to review the ring designs, options, and place your order on the website directly.

There is currently also a ring SPECIAL – to view the ring special please click below:

In order to participate in the special you must order through the website or call our local representative directly at: 336-228-7770

We are asking Juniors and Seniors to make their selections and place their orders by Friday, November 21, 2025.

PLEASE NOTE: you do NOT have to pay the entire cost of the ring when placing your initial order, you are just required to place a deposit. If you have any questions about ordering a class ring, please contact our Herff Jones representative directly at 336-228-7770. T

The school is not part of the ordering process.

Congrats Juniors and Seniors for reaching this exciting milestone!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy High School will be voting for its class officers for the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes on Thursday, October 2. Registration concluded for class officer candidates on September 9. Best of luck to all candidates, and congratulations in advance to each of our NC Cyber High School 2025-26 class officers!

The North Carolina Cyber Academy High School has announced the dates for its two marquee in-person events each spring - our annual Prom, and our annual Graduation ceremony.

This year's NC Cyber Academy High School Prom will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026. More details about location will be made available to students as the date approaches. Save the date!

In addition, the North Carolina Cyber Academy is proud to announce that it will be returning to the McKimmon Center on the campus of North Carolina State University for our Class of 2026 Graduation ceremony. This year's Graduation ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2026. More details for seniors will be forthcoming as the date approaches.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Enjoy your senior year!

On August 5, the North Carolina Cyber Academy honored its Teachers of the Year for the 2025-26 school year. We recognized three outstanding teachers at each of our grade bands for the amazing jobs they do with our students each and every day!

---Felecia Hill (Elementary School)

---Carlo Greco (Middle School)

---Colt Weaver (High School)

All three of our Teachers of the Year gave impactful presentations on Tuesday about how they seek to engage their students!

We extend special congratulations to Mr. Colt Weaver of the NC Cyber Academy High School, who was selected by his peers as the North Carolina Cyber Academy Teacher of the Year for 2025-26!

Watch the Teacher of the Year presentations below!

On August 5, the North Carolina Cyber Academy honored its Support Staff of the Year winners at the Elementary, Middle, and High Schools for the 2025-26 school year. Congratulations once again and thanks to Jenni Hall (Elementary School), Candi Rhinehart (Middle School), and Ryan Hinkleman (High School) for everything you do for our students, families, and colleagues!

Special congratulations to Mr. Ryan Hinkleman, who was named the North Carolina Cyber Academy's districtwide Support Staff of the Year winner for 2025-2026!

Watch the video of the Support Staff of the Year presentation below!

With the start of the 2025-26 school year, the North Carolina Cyber Academy wanted to take one more look back at the 2024-25 school year, which was an amazing school year for the Owls!

We achieved so much together and had a lot of fun along the way! Take a look back with this slideshow highlighting some of our favorite moments of the 2024-25 school year!

NC Cyber Academy Superintendent Mr. Martez HIll provided the following message to families at the start of the 2025-2026 school year. We thank Mr. Hill for his leadership!

Tuesday, August 12 marked the first day of the 2025–2026 school year at North Carolina Cyber Academy, and we couldn’t have been more excited to welcome each of our amazing students back to our virtual campus!

Whether you’re a returning student, parent, or staff member, or joining us for the very first time, we’re so glad you’re a part of the NC Cyber family!

To our families, thanks for entrusting the North Carolina Cyber Academy along your student’s educational journey. This year is full of opportunities to learn, grow, and connect - no matter where you are in our great state. Our dedicated teachers, staff, and leadership team are ready to support you every step of the way.

We are so grateful to our dedicated employees, who go out of their way each and every day to enrich the lives of our students and families. We wish each of you a school year filled with successes and new adventures!

Let’s make this school year one to remember—filled with achievement, curiosity, and Owl Pride! Here’s to a fantastic year ahead. Go Owls!