The Owl

We will have representatives from Jostens at OECHS on Wednesday, August 26th to take senior portraits, senior cap and gown photos, and yearbook photos for grades 9-11.

Seniors have been texted the link to sign up for a portrait time. They can also find the link in the Class of 2027 Team. Have your hair ready for this memorable event!

If seniors choose the sport coat for their photo, the coat, dress shirt, and bowtie is provided. Students are suggested to bring a plain white undershirt.

If seniors choose the drape, they need to wear an outfit so they can pull the straps down over their shoulders (to be covered by the drape). Jostens has pearl (costume jewelry) necklaces to wear for the photo, but if you have a special necklace you would rather wear, see Ms. York.

For cap and gown photos, OECHS has caps, gowns, and tassels to wear. Students should keep in mind that their neckline will be visible above the gown, so wear something appropriate. Either a collared shirt (typical for guys) or exposed neckline (typical for girls) is preferred for good, quality cap and gown photos.

For 9th-11th graders, wear a nice outfit, but avoid green. Photographers often use green screens and we do not want a school picture of a mysterious ghost head.

In September 2023, the North Carolina Legislature passed the Protecting Our Students Act (S.L. 2023-128/House Bill 142) to address and modify the penalties and reporting obligations related to certain acts committed against students. Under the legislation, the Center for Safer Schools was directed to develop age-appropriate videos on the topic of sexual abuse. The videos are required to be shown to students in grades six (6) through twelve (12).

High school students will watch a short film featuring actors portraying students who have experienced inappropriate behavior by an adult. Three scenarios are shown, featuring stylized scenes and additional footage that recreates moments from the stories told by the main characters. After students watch the film, discussion questions will be facilitated with the class so that students can discuss and reflect upon what they have just watched.

9th and 10th graders will go though this program on Wednesday, August 26th. 11th and 12th graders will participate during seminar this week.

An opt-out form has been sent home with all students regarding the upcoming film viewing and can be found at the following link:

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:8c9be39b-bbc1-476f-8b57-ebc59f85996d

If you do not wish for your student to watch the referenced video(s), please complete and return the form to the school no later than Tuesday, August 25th (9th-10th graders). Opting out indicates that a parent or guardian does not permit the video to be shown to their student.

As Onslow County Schools begin their academic year this week, we anticipate delays with hub bus routes. These buses operate as the second—or sometimes third—run for their assigned drivers, which may result in later arrival times.

We appreciate your patience and understanding over the next couple of weeks as schedules adjust. Thank you for supporting our transportation team!

We’re forming a Prom Committee and need Junior and Senior parents and guardians to help us plan, organize, and fundraise for this year’s prom. Your creativity and support will help ensure our students enjoy a magical and memorable evening. Whether you can assist with decorations, logistics, fundraising, or chaperoning, we’d love to have you on board!

📅 First Planning Meeting: August 26th
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
📍 Location: Room 105 (The Big Room), Ragsdale Building
📧 Contact: james.strope@onslow.k12.nc.us

We’re excited to welcome our Owl families to the OECHS Open House on Wednesday, September 2nd, from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Ragsdale Building at Coastal Carolina Community College.

This will be a floating reception, allowing parents and guardians to visit their child’s classrooms and meet the dedicated high school teachers who are guiding their academic journey. It’s a great opportunity to see where your student learns each day and connect with the educators who support them.

🧃 Light snacks and refreshments will be available as you explore the building and chat with staff.

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing the incredible work happening at OECHS!

Want to help our faculty get crafty with Cricut? ✂️ We're looking for an expert to teach teachers how to make the most of the machine — from classroom projects to time-saving tips. If you're willing to lead a workshop, please contact Taylor Leyble (taylor.leyble@onslow.k12.nc.us ) or Erin Walsh (erin.walsh@onslow.k12.nc.us).

Driver's Education will begin on September 1st and end on September 24th. The class will run from 7:15 AM until 9:15 AM in R109, so parents will need to drop Driver's Ed students off at school on those days. Students must be 14.5 years of age by the start of the class, and attendance is mandatory. Students can stop by the office to sign up, or parents can call our front office, beginning on Thursday(at 8:00 am). There is space for 25 students!

All seniors should:

1. Be able to log into their Common App accounts

2. Have their profile section complete

3. Add in the colleges they plan to apply to.

4. Add their recommenders.

We will look at Common App and CFNC this week, so students should have their laptops and be able to log into both programs.

Students have their first three online assignments in Clever.

Due to Senior Portraits, we will only have EPF/Senior Seminar on Thursday and Friday!

This past week, we kicked off our PSAT/NMSQT prep in junior seminar. We will continue prepping this week. Students have a NoRedInk assignment.

Due to Picture Day on Wednesday, we will only have Monday and Tuesday junior seminar this week!

English I Honors (Ms. Hendrix)-Next week, we continue Unit 1: Epic Verse & The Odyssey!

All class due dates and upcoming events can be viewed at the following link:

Honors I English:

Parents can click any events/due dates within the Calendar to view any additional information and details.

English III Honors (Ms. Meyer)- This week we concluded our study of Unit 1 with an examination of exploration narratives and Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca’s Relaciones. Students then practiced reading texts with a lens utilizing historical correspondence examples. We concluded the week with a test on Unit 1. Next week, we will begin our study of Unit 2: Puritanism.🌞

Math II Honors (Ms. Seaman)-We will continue the Triangle Unit (includes congruent triangles, similar triangles and PROOFS!). Major grades: Quiz Triangles on Friday, August 28th. Students should continue to work on their Skills Assignment in DeltaMath (due every Thursday).

Precalculus Honors (Mrs. Walsh)-Tutoring is offered several mornings before school and every afternoon. Extra videos and notes are also available on Teams.

Next week students will continue studying polynomial and rational functions. There will be a quiz on lessons 2.1 - 2.3 on Tuesday. There will also be a group assignment on Friday.

Biology Honors (Mr. Springfield)-This week in Biology we started the Cell unit. To me, this is the most important unit in the book. The cell is what distinguishes life from nonliving. It is the basic unit and structure of all living things. Everything we cover from here on out will be based of the importance of cells. We concluded the week with a microscope lab. Next week we will continue with the cell unit. We will look at cellular energy, cell life cycle, and cell reproduction. Have a great weekend.

Chemistry Honors (Mr. Stallard)-We are working on Unit 2 and will finish it with a test and lab this coming week. Please see the due dates below:

-Monday Aug 24 Density Lab Due

-Thursday Aug 27 Unit 2 Worksheet Due

-Thursday Aug 27 Unit 2 Test

-Friday Aug 28 Physical/Chemical Property Lab (due on Monday Aug 31)

AP Environmental Science (Mr. Stallard)-We are working on completing Unit 1. Please due dates for assignments below:

-Tuesday Aug 25 Unit 1 Quiz and Unit 1 Practice FRQ (A-day)

-Wednesday Aug 26 Unit 1 Quiz and Unit Practice FRQ (B-day)

-Thursday Aug 27 10% Rule Activity due (A-day)

-Friday Aug 28 10% Rule Activity due (B-day)

Civics Honors (Mr. Marsh)- Students are completing World ,USA, North Carolina, and Onslow County maps. They were given specific criteria for completing the maps including locating major cities and geographic features of each. Next week, they will complete the maps, have a USA states/capitals TEST ON TUESDAY, and begin Chapter 1: The American People.

AP World History (Ms. York)-TThis week, we worked on our Foundations unit, discussing classical civilizations, and were introduced to SAQs. Next week, they will work on comparing Rome and China while developing their Comparison Thinking skill. We will continue working on Themes and how to apply it to questions and SPICE-t, they will also and be assigned their first SAQ. They will have a Notebook check on August 31, 2026 and their Foundations Unit Vocabulary test will be on August 24, 2026.

American History Honors (Ms. York)-It has been a great week; students have completed all of the material on Ancient Native American civilizations, they will continue presenting their SPICE-T assignment in the coming week. Towards the end of the week, we will begin working on the Europeans who arrived in the United States and the creation of the Thirteen original colonies. The assignments this week will be the Spanish Empire in the Americas and the English Settlement in Jamestown.

Looking for some OECHS merch? If so, you have come to the right place as our online school store is now open! Click on the following link or use the QR code in the flyer below to shop today!

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/stores/onslow-early-college-high-school

Along with Blackboard, emails, the OECHS website, and social media, our school uses Remind to inform parents of weather bulletins, weekly newsletters, and more. If you are the parent or guardian of an OECHS Owl, please join the appropriate Remind group!

Class of 2027: https://www.remind.com/join/7ag9b99

Class of 2028: https://www.remind.com/join/3944fh

Class of 2029: https://www.remind.com/join/oechscl

Class of 2030: https://www.remind.com/join/fd373c

"North Carolina House Bill 769 became effective December 1, 1997 and reflects a coordinated statewide effort to motivate and encourage students to complete high school. This legislation requires that a student's driving permit or license be revoked if a student is unable to maintain adequate progress or drops out of school. Adequate progress is defined as passing 70% of all courses and is determined by first semester grades and second semester grades for schools on block scheduling. For schools on a traditional six-period day schedule, grades are determined by first semester grades and end-of-year grades."

Students need to maintain "adequate progress" to remain eligible for permits and licenses while in high school. Each semester, we are to notify students (and the district) when any students are not making adequate progress at the end of a semester/year. Students will then have to earn back the ability to have a permit or license after the next semester's grades are complete (and pay $50 to the DMV to have their permit or license reinstated). Bottom line: Keep your grades up in your high school and college classes or you will lose your driver's permit or license!

August 26th- Senior Portrait and Cap & Gown Photos

August 26th- 9th-11th Grade Yearbook Photos

August 26th- Prom Committee (5:30PM in R109 "The Big Room")

September 1st-24th- Driver's Ed

September 2nd- OECHS Open House (5:00PM-6:00PM in Ragsdale)

September 4th- OECHS Workday (No high school classes)

September 7th- Labor Day (No OECHS/CCCC classes)

October 9th- OECHS Workday (No high school classes)

October 12th-13th- OECHS/CCCC Fall Break (No HW Weekend for high school classes)

November 11th- Veterans Day (No OECHS/CCCC classes)

November 25th-29th- Thanksgiving Break

December 15th-17th- OECHS Final Exams and Biology EOC

December 18th-January 6th- Winter Break

January 18th- Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

February 19th- OECHS Workday (No high school classes and No HW Weekend for high school classes)

March 22nd-29th- Spring Break/Easter Holiday

April 23rd- OECHS Workday (No high school classes)

May 6th- AP World History Exam (8:00AM)

May 11th- CCCC classes end

May 13th- AP Environmental Science Exam (12:00PM)

May 14th- OECHS Graduation (7:00PM @ WOHS Earl Taylor Performing Arts Center)

May 15th- CCCC Graduation (10:00AM @ CCCC)

May 18th-21st- OECHS Final Exams and EOCs

Email: james.strope@onslow.k12.nc.us
Website: https://oec.onslow.k12.nc.us/
Location: R109A, 444 Western Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28546
Phone: 910-938-6702
Twitter: @OnslowECHS