CGS Weekly Message for 25-26

Happy Friday!

❗ 🚽 Parents, we need your help. At both of our campuses recently, we have had property damage and vandalism taking place in our bathrooms and locker rooms from CGS students K-12. This destruction is absolutely pointless and incredibly disrespectful to our school. Please remind your student to have pride in our Grizzly Home. Damage to our septic system and/or plumbing from flushing items that should not be flushed (pencils, paper towels, trash bags, trash cans, etc.) could result in permanent damage and potential temporary closure of the school. Any students found guilty of participating in the damaging of school property or vandalism will face disciplinary consequences which could result in charges with law enforcement and potential removal from Clover Garden School. Damaging our property does not reflect our Clover Garden School values. Whether it is to "complete" a TikTok trend/challenge or just out of plain malice, this behavior will not be tolerated. ❗ 🚽

Thank you for your help at home with ensuring that your student knows how to appropriately behave in the restrooms and that if they "see something, say something". This behavior is unacceptable and unfair to the students and staff that use these facilities daily.

To our CGS students who DO care and DO appreciate our campuses, we thank YOU! We see you picking up trash in the hallway, or restrooms, or simply reporting misbehavior. 💙💚

Everyone deserves to have a clean and safe restroom to use while in school.

Thank you to our CGS parents for your help with this at home.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Vereyken

Executive Director

Save the Dates:

• 3/10/2026: March BOD meeting at the HS Campus or online via YouTube
• 3/12/2026: Texas Roadhouse Night to benefit Dance Ensemble
• 3/16/2026: Spring Picture Day!
• 3/19/2026: CiCi's Pizza Spirit Night to benefit the Mentor Club
• 3/20/2026: SCHOOL is IN SESSION (Make up snow day)
• 3/20/2026: Q3 Report Cards go home
• 3/21/2026: Prom from 7 PM until 10 PM
• 3/27/2026: Senior Cap and Gown Photos @ 9 AM at the HS Campus

Looking Ahead...

• 4/3/2026: School is IN SESSION (Make up snow day)
• 4/6/2026-4/10/2026: SCHOOL CLOSED! Spring Break!
• 4/13/26-4/17/2026: Spring Scholastic Book Fair!
• 4/14/2026: April BOD Meeting at 6:30 P.M. at the HS Campus or online via YouTube
• 4/17/2026: Band Trip to Carowinds
• 4/20/2026-4/24/2026: 25th Year of Operation for CGS Celebration Week!
• 4/25/2026: Celebration of 25 Years in Operation Presentation Event at 11:00 A.M. in our Big Gym at the K-8 Campus.
• 4/25/2026: Spring Fling Fundraiser Event hosted by our PVC from 1:00 P.M. until 4:00 P.M. at the K-8 Campus. More details coming soon!
• 4/27/2026-5/1/2026: Teacher Appreciation Week!
  
• 4/29/2026: FULL School Day (Make up Snow Day)
• 4/29/2026: New Kindergarten Student Assessments
• 4/30/2026: New Kindergarten Student Assessments

Looking further ahead...

• 5/1/2026: New Kindergarten Student Assessments
  
• 5/5/2026: Spring Guitar Concert at 7 PM in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/12/2026: May BOD meeting at 6:30 P.M. at the HS Campus or online via YouTube
• 5/14/2026: Texas Roadhouse Spirit Night - benefits Robotics Club
• 5/18/2026: K-2 End of Year Awards Ceremony at 8:30 A.M. in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/19/2026: 6th/7th Grade End of Year Awards Ceremony at 8:30 A.M. in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/19/2026: 3rd-5th Grade End of Year Awards Ceremony at 12:30 P.M. in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/20/2026: 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony at 8:30 A.M. in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/20/2026: HS End of Year Awards at 1 PM at the HS Campus
• 5/20/2026: Spring Band Concert at 7 PM in the Gym at the K-8 Campus
• 5/20/2026: CiCi's Pizza Spirit Night- benefits High School Student Council
• 5/21/2026: Senior PEP Rally at 9 AM at the K-8 Campus in the Gym
• 5/21/2026: Graduation Practice @ 12:30 P.M. at the K-8 Campus in the Gym
• 5/21/2026: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! Full Day of School (Make Up Snow Day)
• 5/22/2026: Graduation for the Class of 2026!!

Reminder- Check out our CGS Directory for questions regarding anything CGS! You can also reach out to us at info@cgsnc.org for questions.

Don't forget to check out our website at www.cgsnc.org and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cgsgrizzlies for updates!

School Day:

K-8: School starts at 7:45 A.M. and ends at 2:45 P.M.

(students may arrive as early as 7:15 A.M.)

9-12: School starts at 8:00 A.M. and ends at 3:00 P.M.

(students may arrive as early as 7:30 A.M.)

Greetings Grizzly Families,

Many of your Grizzlies have had a fun-filled, exciting week with the recognition for Read Across America week this week. We also participated in the state-wide tornado drill.

Click HERE for some pictures of our Grizzlies celebrating Read Across America week in the 3rd Grade with a Reading Camp Out!!

Thank you to our parent volunteers who came in to be guest readers to our students in our library this week! 💜📖

Thank you for your continued support and partnership…Have a restful weekend!

All the BEST,

Leah Spencer

#GrizzlyPride

Greetings Grizzly Families,

Thank you for your continuous support in ensuring students are here daily and ready to learn.

All the best,

Dr. Morris

Advising for 2026-2027

Please check your email for an advising link. If you would like to be a part of the advising session, select a time with your student to schedule an advising appointment. Each Friday, the calendar closes for the upcoming week, so be sure to sign up now. The advisors will meet with all students and schedule sessions for those who do not sign up using the link after it closes on Fridays. Parent participation will be via Google Meet or phone while the student meets in person. If you would like to be in-person with your student for the session, please reach out to the advising team.

Take a look at the awesome courses CGS offers in our 2026-2027 CGS Course Catalog.

The schedule for advising is as follows:

**Rising 9th Students: 3/3-4/3

**Current CCP Students : 3/2-3/6

**Rising 12th Students: 3/9-3/13

**Rising 11th Students: 3/16-3/20

**Rising 10th: 3/23-3/27

**Make-up appointments: 3/30-4/3 (link will be sent in the Friday message on 3/13).

UNC's C-STEP
https://www.alamancecc.edu/university-transfer/transfer-agreements/c-step.php
Advisor: Zachary Mathews
Zachary.Mathews@alamancecc.edu
336-506-4016

NC State's C3

https://c3.ncsu.edu/
Advisor: Sarah Bergmann

Sarah.Bergmann@alamancecc.edu

336-506-4107

Wake Forest University Pre-College Courses

Wake Forest University offers an online program of pre-college courses designed for high school students to help explore their interests. This summer, discover if a subject you students is passionate about could lead to a college major or even a future career.

Explore the WFU Online Immersion Program

Juniors--Explore UNC-Chapel Hill

Project Uplift and Uplift PLUS are summer enrichment and college access programs designed to promote and increase access to higher education for rising high school seniors. For more information please click here or view the Project Uplift at UNC-Chapel Hill flyer.

Rising 9th graders Driver Education Class Information

For all upcoming ninth grade families (current eight graders), please fill out the following form to receive emails in regards to second semester, summer, and 2026-2027 drivers ed courses.

**Interest Form Link- https://forms.gle/ACg1YBzDXp7aPQyD7

Seniors--Alamance County Human Resources Association Scholarship Opportunity

Organization: Alamance County Human Resources Association (ACHRA) Web site: ACHRA | Human Resource Professionals
Scholarship Name: ACHRA Scholarship
Application Deadline: March 31, 2026

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current high school seniors graduating in May 2026 from an Alamance County high school
• Students who have been accepted into a business‑related program at an accredited two‑ or four‑year college or university
• Previous scholarship recipients who are currently enrolled in a business program at an accredited institution are also eligible to reapply

Application Requirements:
Applicants must submit the following materials by the deadline:

• Completed application form (attached)
• A 1–2 page paper (see Page 1 of the attachment for details)
• Current high school transcript
• Two recommendation references (see Pages 5–6 of the attachment for details)
• College acceptance letter, if received

Why Apply?

This scholarship aims to provide financial support as you pursue your undergraduate education, helping to ease financial pressures and allowing you to focus more fully on your academic goals. ACHRA is proud to support students in our community and encourages all eligible applicants to take advantage of this opportunity.

Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge

The Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge (FELC) is a summer program for students entering the 9th through 12th grades. You will learn what it means to run a business, earn real money, and how to be successful in high school and beyond. FELC is five fast-paced days for students to work in teams to run their own business using real money. This is an interactive, challenging, and fun opportunity for students to get a real taste of leadership in action. More details and registration can be found at www.felcexperience.org.

2026 Couch Oil Cares Scholarship

The Couch Oil Cares Scholarship Program helps local students with the cost of higher education. Six $2000 scholarships will be awarded to first-year students who have been accepted into a two- or four-year accredited college and reside in a 16-county area surrounding the Triangle. The application deadline is Friday, May 1, 2026. To learn more, visit https:

//couchoilcares.org/scholarship or https://tinyurl.com/communitybulls

Elite Cruzers Scholarship Opportunity

The Elite Cruzers Motorcycle Club of Burlington is thrilled to announce the continuation of our scholarship program for Alamance County high school seniors. We are proud to mention that last year's scholarship recipients hailed from Clover Garden, Walter Williams, and Southern Alamance.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Accepted to attend a regionally or nationally accredited college (two or four-year college/university in the fall 2026 semester or term as an entering first-year, full or part-time student.
• Be a legal resident of Alamance County
• Have a 3.0 GPA or above
• Must provide a written essay by the deadline of April 24, 2026

Awards: One-time award of $1000 will be awarded to one (1) recipient, and two awards of $500 will be presented to two (2) recipients during the 2026-awards day ceremony.

• Recipient one $1000
• Recipient two $500
• Recipient three $500

Students may access the scholarship application on the Google Form link: 2026 Elite Cruzers Scholarship Application. Questions can be sent to: elitecruzersmcnc@gmail.com

Elon Health Professionals Exploration Day

Greetings from Elon Health Professions Advising and the Student Professional Development Center,

The Student Professional Development Center at Elon University invites you and your students to join us for Health Professions Exploration Day — a unique opportunity for high school students to learn more about careers in healthcare and the many educational pathways that lead to them.

Event Highlights:

• Guided tours of our science facilities and cadaver lab
• Interactive sessions with admissions officers from professional programs
• Workshops exploring healthcare career pathways and student preparation tips
• Afternoon Health Professions Expo, where students can connect with admissions representatives and organizations offering experiential learning opportunities across North Carolina

This event is designed to help students envision their future in healthcare while connecting with professionals and university faculty who can guide their next steps.

Date: April 2nd, 2026
Time: Check-In begins at 8 am. Formal Program begins at 9 am.
Location: Elon University, Elon, NC

See flyer for information and register HERE.

🎓 SENIORS-- 🎓

• Cap and Gown Pictures- 3/27/26 @ 9 AM at the HS Campus

SENIORS--FREE College Planning and Paying Resources

Sallie Mae shares resources to assist in planning for college. Please see the links below.

• Applying to college checklist
• 1-2-3 approach to paying for college
• Scholly® Scholarships by Sallie
• Filing the FAFSA®
• Decoding financial aid offers
• Comparing financial aid offers
• Help your student pay for school (comparing Parent PLUS Loans and private student loans)
• It’s never too early to start thinking about scholarships! A scholarship that’s quick and easy to apply for is Sallie’s $2,000 No Essay Scholarship. It takes less than two minutes to enter, and no essay is required. Better yet, they give out a scholarship monthly, so students can enter every month!

Senior Parent Checklist for College Applications

Senior Student Checklist for College Applications

NC Teaching Fellows Program at ECU
The application portal for the NC Teaching Fellows Program is now open! This prestigious program offers forgivable loans for service to highly qualified students committed to teaching in North Carolina public schools in the fields of elementary education, special education, math, or science. ECU is proud to be one of the participating institutions, offering robust support and professional development for future educators as part of our Education Community of Scholars. https://myapps.northcarolina.edu/ncteachingfellows/

Student Health and Wellness

Please review this friendly reminder outlining when it is best to keep your student home from school.

● Chickenpox (Varicella): Student is excluded until all blisters have formed scabs.

● Fever: The parent/guardian of any student with an oral temperature >100.4 degrees will be notified and asked to pick up their child. The student should remain at home until fever-free for 24 hours without medication.

● Head Lice (Pediculosis): The parents/guardians/guardians of any student found with lice will be notified and asked to pick up their student. If the student cannot be picked up and must remain at school, they will remain in the nurse’s office until a parent can pick them up. The parent/guardian may consult their medical provider or treat with an over-the-counter product. The student may return to school after receiving treatment for lice and removing nits.

● Impetigo: Students are excluded from school if they have more than three to four sores until they are seen by a medical provider and treated with a prescription antibiotic for a minimum of 24 hours.

● Measles (Rubeola/Rubella): Student is excluded until the physician’s approval is given and the student is no longer contagious.

● MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus): All suspected cases should be referred to their healthcare provider, and if possible, lesions should be kept covered while at school. Exclusion from school and sports activities should be reserved for those with wound drainage that cannot be covered and contained with a clean, dry bandage and those who cannot maintain good personal hygiene.

● Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea: The parent/guardian of any student experiencing nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea will be notified and asked to pick up their child. The student may return to school 24 hours after the symptoms have abated.

● Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis): A student exhibiting symptoms of pink eye should be evaluated by their medical provider. The student may return when treatment has begun, the eye has minimal drainage & the student is able to keep their hands away from their eyes. The student is allowed to return to school with a physician's approval.

● Scabies: Student is excluded until one (1) treatment with prescription medication has been completed for at least 24 hours.

● Strep Throat (Streptococcal and Staphylococcal Infections): Student is excluded from school until treated with a prescription antibiotic for 24 hours and has been fever-free for 36 hours.

Please note that the conditions listed above represent common reasons a student may need to remain at home; however, they do not include every situation that may require exclusion from school. The school nurse will use professional judgment, current health guidelines, and clinical assessment to determine if a student is well enough to remain at school. Our priority is to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of all students and staff, and additional exclusions may be necessary based on individual circumstances.

Reach out to our PVC committee if you're interested in volunteering at volunteercgs@cgsnc.org.

Congratulations to the students who made the 26-27 High School Dance Ensemble!! We are so proud of you!!

CGS Families, our 25th Year of Celebration event is coming soon and our amazing art departments are kicking our celebration off by having an Art Show for our families on Friday, April 17th from 6 PM to 8 PM. Come out and see our AMAZINGLY talented Grizzlies! 🎨

See Mrs. Miner or Mrs. Bellamy for details!

Spring Picture Day is coming on Monday, March 16!

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTWDR4XR. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!

Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Monday, March 16. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com.

**Note: A few parents have reached out to me regarding concerns with things being said about the Lifetouch Company in the news. Please see the attached letter below from the Lifetouch CEO. If you would prefer your child "opt out" of Spring Picture Day, please let your child's teacher know. Thanks!

Tickets are sold by Mr. Graham in the office - cash or check only.

Ready to rock your school pride? Head over to grizzlyden.org NOW and grab the hottest school apparel! Hoodies, tees, crewnecks- you name it in both elementary and MS/HS style! Don't wait, gear up, stand out, and show everyone what it means to be a part of Grizzly Nation!

Purchase your yearbook online at www.yearbookforever.com then enter Clover Garden as your school. Then follow the promptings of the online purchase platform. We are months away from closing out our 25-26 school year.... Remember it with a yearbook!

Please email questions to alyssabellamy@cgsnc.org

Athletic Booster Officer Opening 2026-2027:

The athletic boosters will have the following officer position(s) coming open starting the 2026-2027 school year.

- Treasurer

-Vice President

If you are interested in learning more about the position or would like to be considered, please contact us by email at athleticboosters@cgsnc.org. We would be happy to provide additional details regarding responsibilities and time commitment.

-Athletic Booster Meeting- 3/12 at 7 pm in the cafeteria

A huge thank you to Mr. Andy Hensley and our softball families for completing a fundraiser that provided a much-needed facelift to the softball field dugouts. The new graphics were designed and installed by CGS parent Clint Summers. We appreciate the continued support of our families in helping improve our athletic facilities!

HS Schedule:

Monday, March 9th:

3:00 Varsity Golf at The Valley

4:00 Varsity Baseball vs Revolution Academy (Joe Davidson)

4:30 Varsity Softball vs BY

4:30 Varsity Men's Tennis at Cornerstone

5:00 Varsity Women's Soccer at Ascend Leadership

Tuesday, March 10th:

4:30 Varsity Softball vs Central Carolina Academy

Wednesday, March 11th:

3:00 Varsity Women's Soccer at Southern Wake (Trinity Soccer Complex)

3:00 Varsity Men's Tennis vs Chatham Charter (Bill Cooke)

Thursday, March 12th:

4:00 Varsity Women's Soccer vs Cornerstone (Springwood)

Friday, March 13th:

3:00 Varsity Baseball vs Eno River, Double Header (Joe Davidson)

4:30 Varsity Softball at Chatham Charter

MS Schedule:

Monday, March 9th:

4:00 MS Golf at NCLA (Winding Creek)

Tuesday, March 10th:

4:00 MS Tennis vs Chatham Charter (Bill Cooke)

4:30 MS Baseball at Cornerstone (Lewis Rec)

4:30 MS Softball at Cornerstone (Gibson Park)

4:30 MS Soccer at Cornerstone

Wednesday, March 11th:

4:30 MS Tennis at Cornerstone

Thursday, March 12th:

4:00 MS Baseball vs Bethany (Fairchild)

4:00 MS Softball vs Bethany

4:00 MS Girls Soccer vs Bethany (Springwood)

Friday, March 13th:

4:00 MS Baseball at Chatham Charter

4:00 MS Girls at Chatham Charter

Game Site Information:

• Soccer games are played at Springwood Park- 1450 Springwood Church Road Burlington, NC

• Varsity baseball is played at Joe Davidson Park- 3715 Rural Retreat Road Burlington, NC

• MS baseball is played at Fairchild Park- 827 S Graham Hopedale Rd, Burlington, NC

• Softball is played on campus- 2454 Altamahaw Union Ridge Road Burlington, NC. We do take admission. It is $8 cash or card.

Volleyball Opportunities

Skills Camp for 4th- 12 grade

Click Link for more information
and to sign up.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0rICswJPmqcRRfosxFDrTQcoRCDWAl55Rz7r81h018sV-jQ/viewform?usp=sharing&
ouid=100439701850233430206

High School Team Camp-
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhst-pWgn_wq1kPlSOAaeHmvbqWkHQB2JH4XjTze7UGVcefw/viewform?usp=dialog

High School Strength and Conditioning
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3- 4pm

Our CGS High School Concert Band along with selected members of the CGS Middle School band are working with Mr. Harper and will have the opportunity to perform at the Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) Festival at Asheboro High School during the week of March 24th- March 26th during the school day. The day and specific time will be announced once Mr. Harper has received information from the venue site. This is an opportunity for the band students to perform and receive constructive feedback from Collegiate and prestigious band directors to help our students grow as young musicians.

Band will travel to perform in the band performance opportunity at Carowinds in April.

Band Spring Concert will be on May 20th at 7 PM in the Gym at the K-8 Campus.

See flyer below for more details! Email or see Mrs. Bellamy for questions at alyssabellamy@cgsnc.org.

Please see the testing calendar below.

If you have any questions, please contact our school's district testing coordinator, Ms. Ginter at tonyaginter@cgsnc.org.

Parents,

Attached please find a copy of March's menu. Please review it carefully as you place your order at https://clovergarden.familyportal.cloud/. You have until Thursday the week before the serving week to place your order. Please be sure you have enough money on your account to cover lunches for the month, the money doesn't come out of their accounts until they pick up their lunch. Please make sure your account is no more than $25 in the negative. If your student's account is more than $25 in the negative he/she will not be allowed to purchase a la carte items and charge them to their account.

Also the only confirmation you will receive is a green check mark. This company doesn't send out email confirmations.

Thank you,

Dana Walker

Clover Garden School

Cafeteria Coordinator

B & A Coordinator

336-586-9440 ext. 228

Please click on this LINK if you are interested in Mental Health Services for your student(s).

Current Vacancies:

• K-8 Assistant Principal

**We have hired a MS Math Teacher for next school year. More details to be shared over the summer.

As always, thanks for all that you do,

Mrs. Vereyken

Executive Director

Clover Garden School

*If you need this weekly newsletter translated into a different language, please let our Title 1 Coordinator, Mrs. Simmons know at brandisimmons@cgsnc.org.

*If you have any thoughts, feedback or suggestions for our Title 1 team on ways to improve our practices, please contact Mrs. Simmons at brandisimmons@cgsnc.org.

Email: info@cgsnc.org
Website: cgsnc.org
Locations:

2454 Altamahaw Union Ridge Road, Burlington, NC, USA

5806 Pagetown Road, Burlington, NC 27217
Phone: 3365869440
Facebook: facebook.com/cgsgrizzlies