Weekly Family Update (10/19-10/24)
Small School, Big Opportunities, Endless Possibilities!!
Principal Turner's Corner
Dear CPEC Students and Families,
Welcome back from fall break! I hope you had time to rest, reconnect, and recharge. Monday marks the first day of the second quarter, giving every student an opportunity to reset, build on lessons learned, and get off to a positive start. Take a moment to set meaningful goals, organize your assignments, and identify the habits that will help you follow through.
Success at CPEC involves growing as a learner and as a young adult. Communicating with teachers, managing your time, asking for help, and taking responsibility for your choices are all part of that maturation process. Families, please make time this week to discuss your student’s goals and the support they may need to reach them.
This week, select students and their families will receive notification of academic probation and the requirements designed to support academic progress. I encourage students to approach this process as an opportunity to strengthen their habits and work closely with the adults who are invested in their success.
We also have much to look forward to this week!
Happy Homecoming and Spirit Week! Check the Spirit Week Flyer for daily themes, show your Tiger pride, and join us for the Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Worrell Gym.
School Improvement Team Meeting: Join us virtually on Monday, October 19, at 6:00 p.m. Your voice matters as we continue working together to strengthen CPEC.
Magnet Open Houses: Our fall Open House events begin this week for prospective families exploring CPEC and the CMS School Choice Magnet Lottery. Student leaders from all grade levels will be invited to serve as student ambassadors and panel members, sharing their experiences and helping future Tigers learn about our school.
Let’s begin this quarter with renewed purpose, celebrate our school community, and keep moving toward our goals. Go Tigers!
With CPEC Pride,
Principal Turner
CPEC Homecoming & School Spirit Week | October 19–24
Get ready to show your Tiger pride! Join us for CPEC’s Homecoming & School Spirit Week, October 19–24. Check out the Spirit Week Flyer for each day’s theme, and make plans to participate with your classmates!
We’ll wrap up the celebration with our 2026 Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 24, at 6:30 p.m. in the Worrell Gym.
Let’s make it a memorable week of school spirit, connection, and celebration. Go Tigers!
CPEC October School Improvement Team Meeting Monday, October 19, 2026 | 6:00 p.m.
Please join us for our October School Improvement Team (SIT) Meeting on Monday, October 19, at 6:00 p.m. We will meet virtually through Microsoft Teams.
Your voice and partnership are valuable as we work together to support student success and strengthen our school community. All members of the CPEC community are welcome to attend!
Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting
Meeting ID: 249 275 408 062 088
Passcode: dS6JC6Q5
Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to connecting with you!
First Quarter Grades & Academic Probation Updates
First quarter grades will be available in Infinite Campus on Monday, October 19. Formal first semester GPAs will not be available until the second quarter is completed in December.
Students who earned a D or F in a core class, college Physical Education, and/or college Health will be placed on academic probation this week. Academic probation provides an opportunity for students, families, and staff to work together to address academic concerns and establish a plan for improvement.
Ms. Sharpe will send parent conference invitations this week to families of students placed on academic probation. Please respond promptly so we can partner with you to support your student’s progress.
Thank you for reviewing grades with your student and encouraging consistent effort, timely assignment completion, and seeking help when needed.
Explore CPEC: Fall 2026 Magnet Open Houses
Do you know a prospective rising ninth grader who may be interested in Central Piedmont Early College? Please share our upcoming Magnet Open House dates with students and families in your personal networks and communities who would like to learn more about CPEC and entering the CMS School Choice Magnet Lottery.
Each Open House includes a presentation, campus tour, and opportunities to speak with CPEC staff and students. We strongly encourage interested families to attend to learn about the early college experience and determine whether CPEC is a good fit for their student.
Fall 2026 Open House Dates
Tuesday, October 20: 8:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 28: 4:00 p.m.
Monday, November 2: 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, November 19: 4:00 p.m.
Friday, December 4: 9:00 a.m.
Please allow 60–90 minutes for your visit and register using the Fall 2026 CPEC Open House RSVP form so we can plan for your attendance.
Thank you for helping us introduce future Tigers to the opportunities available at CPEC!
CPEC School Picture Day — October 27
Get ready to smile, CPEC! School Picture Day is Tuesday, October 27, and photographers will begin taking student pictures at 7:30 a.m.
We have partnered with CADY Pictures for this year’s school photos. Information about purchasing pictures will be shared with students during advisory/homeroom this week.
Please arrive on time and ready for your photo!
School Counselor Updates From Ms. DeAntonio
College Application Week: Each year, CFNC hosts College Application Week - during which some in-state colleges waive their application fees. This year, College Application Week will start on Monday October 19 at 7:30am and continue through Sunday October 25 ending at 5pm. A list of participating colleges and details can be found here: CFNC Colleges Participating in CAW. To take advantage of waived fees during College Application Week, you must apply through CFNC. Remember to keep your Naviance applied-to list updated with any colleges you add so that school documents can also be sent!
CPCC Transfer Fair: On Tuesday, October 20, CPCC will host their Fall Transfer Fair from 10am - 1 pm in the Parr Center. This is a great opportunity to meet with admissions representatives from all over, ask questions about their programs, and narrow down your list of interested schools! More than 35 colleges and universities will be in attendance.
Data Manager, Technology & Attendance Updates with Ms. Aguero
Quarter 1 grades will be available in Infinite Campus starting Monday, October 19. Physical report cards are no longer printed and mailed home.
Need Parent Portal Account Help?
If you need help setting up your account or need an activation key, please email Nicole Aguero at nicolen.aguero@cms.k12.nc.us.
Parent portal instructions in English
10/19-10/24 Instructional Week at a Glance
ENGLISH Updates
Ms. Brown
English I: Students will begin exploring the relationship between work, identity, and personal responsibility through Toni Morrison’s essay The Work You Do, the Person You Are and Danial Adkinson’s essay Drowing in Dishes, but Finding a Home. Culminating their first-quarter exploration of identity and belonging, students will view a recorded Zoom conversation with Hiding in Plain Sight Holocaust survivor Allen Hall, connecting their previous readings to firsthand experiences. Through discussion and analytical writing, students will strengthen their ability to interpret perspectives and support conclusions with evidence.
English III: Students will explore the First Amendment and the relationship between freedom of expression and civic responsibility. Through informational texts, collaborative discussions, and analytical writing, students will examine competing perspectives, evaluate arguments, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to engage thoughtfully with complex issues. Starting Q2, any student with a grade below 70 will have their name populated on Lunch Lab messages.
Ms. Johnson
English I will begin our non-fiction unit. The textbook utilizes texts dealing with working and the benefits of college; we will introduce the unit with new vocabulary and begin working towards an argumentative essay where students have to pick a side of an argument and defend it.
English II will also be working on Non-Fiction by pairing our textbooks with Rena’s Promise. Students have reading quizzes (prepare grades) every Monday and Thursday to keep them accountable for the reading. The unit 3 assessment will include an annotated bibliography on an event students’ believe we should focus on more. Students will also be taking the benchmark test in the week returning from fall break.
NEWSPAPER CLUB! Check out all of the amazing articles and work The CPEC Times staff have been doing at bit.ly/thecpec_times!
Ms. Watson
English IV students are beginning Unit 2: The Collective Perspective this week. In this unit, students will expand their academic toolkits by analyzing literature through the lenses of Archetypal and Feminist Criticism. Looking forward to an engaging week of critical thinking and deep discussion!
Our focus for this week will be Archetypal Criticism. To build a foundation, students will collaborate with their peers to define and understand archetypes. Throughout the week, they will engage in the following core learning activities:
Visual Analysis: Students will analyze a series of photographs to draw conclusions about common archetypes and their universal meanings.
Comparative Reading: Students will analyze and compare two texts from different literary periods.
Literary Connections: They will read the classic myth of Pygmalion and connect it to the archetypal patterns in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.
MATH Updates
Mr. Freeman
Honors Math 3
Happy Fall Break to all of our CPEC families. When students return on October 19 we will be beginning Unit 5 which is our Exponentials/Logs Unit. This Unit will also include a personal finance mini lesson to teach students the basics on budgets, investing & credit! Mastery Check #5 as of today will take place Monday October 26 and the Unit 5 Exam is slated for Thursday October 29
Honors Math 2
Happy Fall Break to all of our CPEC families. When we return after Fall Break we will be continuing Unit 5 which is our Quadratics and this is a very important Unit for Math 2 and Math 3 in the Spring for students. As of today the Unit 5 Exam will take place Thursday October 29.
Mr. Mojica
Math 1 with Foundational Support
This week, we are diving deep into coordinate geometry and systems of equations to build a powerful set of algebraic and geometric tools. We’ll kick off by investigating lines on the coordinate plane, learning how to identify and write equations for perpendicular lines, using the Pythagorean Theorem to find distances, and calculating the side lengths, perimeter, and area of polygons, including classifying special quadrilaterals like parallelograms and squares. From there, we will bridge geometry with real-world problem-solving by graphing, constructing, and interpreting linear equations and solving multi-step equations involving the distributive property. Finally, we'll master systems of linear equations: understanding what a system represents both algebraically and graphically, manipulating equivalent equations, and applying various substitution strategies alongside graphing and tables to find accurate solutions.
Math 1 Honors
Welcome to the start of our brand-new unit on Functions! Throughout this week, we will explore what a function is, learn how to identify independent and dependent variables, and discover how functions help us model real-world situations through words, tables, and graphs. You’ll master function notation, learning why it exists, how to write and interpret input-output statements, and how to use it to sketch, evaluate, and technology-graph functions. We will also learn how to identify and interpret key features of graphs, including domain, range, intercepts, maximums, minimums, intervals of increase/decrease, and the average rate of change. Keep in mind that we have a Checkpoint on Thursday, 10/23, so stay engaged, ask questions, and practice applying these powerful mathematical tools each day!
Ms. Rutledge
Honors Math 2 -
Here comes the algebra! We are continuing with unit 5 after break - quadratic functions with algebra. Skills include factoring, solving and completing the square. By the end of the unit, students will be able to solve for complex and irrational solutions by hand. Enjoy the break! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
SCIENCE Updates
Ms. Reddy
Honors Chemistry
This week, we will continue Unit 3: Chemical Bonding. Students will explore covalent bonding, different types of covalent bonds, molecular polarity, and intermolecular forces (IMFs). Through hands-on activities and laboratory investigations, students will deepen their understanding of how ionic and covalent compounds differ in their structure, properties, and behavior. These experiences will help students connect bonding concepts to the physical characteristics of substances.
Tutoring : Wednesday 2:15 - 3:15 pm
Dr. Sandoval
Honors Biology. Welcome back students. I hope you had a restful fall break. We start Unit 3 with our discussion of macromolecules, organic compounds that support our living functions. We will have a quiz on Wednesday about the macromolecules and then Wednesday through Friday, explore enzymes and how they help our metabolism. Thursday we will have lab, please wear appropriate foot attire or you will not be able to participate.
Unit 3 FA #1: October 21st (rehearse grade)
Tutoring for Biology: Mondays 2:15-3:15pm
Ms. Hansen
Earth and Environmental Science:
This week we will be continuing on Unit 4- Biosphere. Students will be using models to explain how abiotic/biotic interactions shape various ecosystems. Analyzing and interpreting data to explain how carbon cycling influences various ecosystems. Analyzing and interpreting data to explain past climate trends. Constructing an explanation to predict how potential future changes in abiotic factors could impact biodiversity and species distribution. Obtaining , evaluating , and communicating information to explain how biodiversity impacts ecosystem resilience.
On 10/9 students started their biome models that we will be adding to and revising throughout the unit. It is imperative that your student has their model with them each day during class. This model will be a rehearse grade. Please make sure your student is staying on track with it throughout the unit.
Tutoring for Earth and Environmental Science: Mondays 2:15-3:15pm
Unit 4 Exam: Friday 10/30
SOCIAL STUDIES Updates
Mr. Arnold
Ms. Davidson
Welcome to Quarter 2! Both courses will spend time reviewing the midterm before we proceed.
EPF:
We will begin our budgeting unit.
Students will have a combination of paper and online assignments this week. Our topics include budgeting, owning/renting, and loans.
We will plan to complete this unit on November 3.
Civics:
We will begin our political and economic systems unit.
Students will have a combination of paper and online assignments this week. Our concepts include the two-party system, voting and elections, campaign propaganda and factors that affect voting.
We will conclude this unit on Oct. 27.
Dr. Ozen
Hello CPEC Families,
This week, students are kicking off a new unit—Unit 5: Causes, Effects of, and Reactions to Imperialism.
Over the next few weeks, our lessons will focus on three key areas:
The early years and justifications for imperialism
Indigenous reactions to colonialism
Different forms of colonization
I look forward to exploring these important historical perspectives with your Scholars.
Dean of Students Updates from Ms. Jones
Testing & Accountability
Testing Website: [Testing & Accountability Website]
PSAT Score Updates:
9th Grade Practice PSAT: Scores will be available beginning Monday, October 19. Teachers will have access to student scores through an Excel document and will share results with students after the morning announcements on Monday.
10th- and 11th-Grade PSAT: Students can expect their official scores to be released through College Board beginning Thursday, October 22. Students can access their scores through their College Board accounts or the BigFuture School app, if eligible.
PreACT: Thursday, October 29 — All 10th-grade students.
Fall WorkKeys: Students required to take WorkKeys have been notified. Testing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4.
ASVAB: Thursday, November 12, at 9:00 a.m. at CPEC. Registration is required. [Sign Up Here] Deadline: Friday, October 23rd
Student Life & Culture
SGA Homecoming Spirit Week
SGA Homecoming Dance: Saturday, October 24, from 6:30–9:30 p.m. in Worrell Gym. [Purchase Tickets]
CPEC School Picture Day: Tuesday, October 27.
HOSA Haunted Carnival: Friday, October 30. [Purchase Here]
Senior Class Pumpkin Patch Field Trip: Friday, October 30. [Purchase Tickets] Permission slips required.
National Honor Society Induction Ceremony: Wednesday, November 4. (Members and Member Families ONLY) More details and RSVP Link will go out soon from NHS.
College, Career & Life Readiness
NC Department of Public Safety High School Internship: Career-exploration opportunity for eligible seniors. Spring 2027 application window: October 5–19, 2026.
Urban Alliance High School Internship: Career-readiness and internship opportunity for eligible seniors with early-release schedules.
CIEE High School Summer Abroad: Three-week international summer programs focused on cultural immersion, leadership, service, and career exploration. Scholarships and financial assistance are available. APPLY HERE
Atrium Health Internship Applications Now Available
Please see the information about an exciting internship opportunity with Atrium Health. Atrium Health regarding the internship program.
Application Link: APPLY HERE
This is a great opportunity to explore careers in healthcare, gain valuable experience, and learn more about the many career pathways available through Atrium Health.
Please review the application requirements and submit your application by the designated deadline.
Good luck to everyone applying! I look forward to seeing our CPEC students take advantage of this opportunity!
CPEC PTSO Weekly Update
PTSO General Membership Meeting:
Save the date! Our first general membership meeting of the 26-27 school year will take place on Tuesday, November 10, from 6:00-7:00PM, virtually via Microsoft Teams. Join us to hear what’s ahead for the PTSO, share your ideas, and learn how we’re supporting the CPEC community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Peer Mentorship Program Weekly Update
The Peer Mentorship Program: Quarter 1, Issue 8.
Hello All,
As the new quarter starts, the Peer Mentorship Program assesses itself via feedback surveys sent out to its members. This is the perfect opportunity for students to express any changes they want to see, any comments they have about their pairing or any suggestions they have for Peer Mentorship Program Administration.
Surveys will be sent out by October 23rd, 2026.
Thank you for everything thus far :)
Austin H. Bowens
President, Peer Mentorship Program
Executive President, Student Government Association
2026–2027 CPEC Magnet Compact
All CPEC students and families are asked to carefully review the 2026–2027 CPEC Magnet Compact.
This document outlines important expectations for students and families as part of Central Piedmont Early College’s magnet program, including academic expectations, program continuation requirements, student responsibilities, family partnership, and supports connected to success in the early college environment.
After reviewing the document, both the student and parent/guardian must sign the compact and return it to Ms. Sharpe by Friday, August 14, 2026.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal Access
CPEC families are encouraged to create and set up their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account to stay connected to their student’s academic progress throughout the school year. Through Infinite Campus, parents/guardians can access important student information, including grades, attendance, schedules, assignments, report cards, and other academic updates. CMS uses Infinite Campus as the district’s student information system. Parent Portal Login: Parent Portal Setup Instructions and Support: Support Video — Infinite Campus Parent Portal Setup & Navigation: Families are encouraged to complete this process before the start of the school year so they are prepared to monitor student progress and receive important updates.
https://600.ncsis.gov/campus/portal/parents/psu600cms.jsp
https://www.infinitecampus.com/support/parents-and-students
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUNb0_6Orlk
CPEC Student & Family Communication Archives: 2026-27
Please find previous editions of the CPEC Student & Family Updates in the link located here.
Updated CPEC Student & Family Handbook 2026-2027
The 26-27 CPEC Student Handbook has been updated. All families and students should review it for information on calendars, scheduling, attendance, academic support, transportation, codes of conduct, and more!
Parent Access to Teacher Canvas Sites
Have you signed up to access and observe our teacher's Canvas sites? If not, please access the link here to sign up as a Parent Observer on Canvas. This will allow you to see assignments and classroom updates provided by our teachers.
About Us
Central Piedmont Early College is a high school located on Central Piedmont Community College's Central Campus. Students have access to state of the art facilities to complete an Associates in Arts (AA), Engineering (AE), Science (AS). Students can also explore a variety of applied sciences including information technology, STEM programs, health care, culinary & hospitality as well as many other programs. Because of the school's close proximity to uptown, students will have many opportunities to learn about the current employment trends and begin building a network with employers that will transcend beyond graduation.
Email: erikm.turner@cms.k12.nc.us
Location: 1228 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, NC, USA
Phone: 980-343-0098
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091503924920&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Twitter: @CPECHS23