CGS Weekly Message for 25-26

Happy Sunday and Happy New Year!! 🥳

Welcome Back from the Winter Break!! We hope that everyone was able to stay healthy, warm, and safe during the break! We have missed all of our Grizzlies and can't wait until their return this week.

• CGS Teachers return tomorrow, 1/5/2026
• CGS Students return Tuesday, 1/6/2026

Inclement Weather Days:

In December, we had a few inclement weather missed days and delays. We have almost exhausted all of our built in weather time for this year. We didn't have many days built in as in years previous based on the way the calendar fell. We wanted to go ahead and share with our families that if we have any more full weather day absences, we will need to make them up. This means that we will look at our mental health day in January and then potentially our February break. We hope to not have to make up any inclement weather days this year but in case we need to, we wanted to prepare you the best we could. We will try our best to not take from our Spring Break as many families have vacations planned, etc. during that time. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we monitor our winter season!

26-27 CGS Lottery Information Update:

Many of you may have family or friends that are looking at Clover Garden School as an educational option for their student(s) for next school year. We wanted to make you aware of some lottery updates/changes to the 26-27 lottery that have been approved by our BOD for next school year.

• Our 26-27 Lottery Opens on January 6th and will run until February 6th
• The 26-27 Lottery is drawn on February 9th @ 2PM via Lotterease

(**NOTE- current CGS students do NOT need to reapply for the 26-27 lottery. Current CGS students will receive an "intent form" with their Q2 report cards in January. Please complete this form and return it asap. This helps us gauge where our openings will be for next school year)

If you have any questions regarding enrollment, please reach out to our registrar at marissawalther@cgsnc.org. Thanks!

Save the Dates:

• 1/5/2026: CGS Teachers return from Winter Break
• 1/6/2026: CGS Students return from Winter Break
• 1/6/2026: Lottery opens for NEW families wishing to enroll at CGS only
• 1/8/2026: Texas Roadhouse Night- CGS Spirit Night- proceeds benefit the Arts Dept.
• 1/9/2026: Q2 Report Cards go home with students
• 1/15/2026: CiCi's Pizza Night- CGS Spirit Night- proceeds benefit the History Club
• 1/19/2026: CGS CLOSED for MLK Jr. Holiday!
• 1/20/2026: January BOD Meeting at 6:30 P.M. at the High School or via YouTube
• 1/26/2026-1/29/2026: National School Choice Week
• 1/30/2026: CGS CLOSED for Mental Health and Wellness Day

Looking further ahead:

• 2/7/2026: Valentine's Dance for K-8 Students - hosted by the PVC. More details coming soon!
• 2/9/2026: '26-'27 Lottery runs at 2 PM
• 2/10/2026: February BOD Meeting at 6:30 P.M. at the High School or via YouTube
• 2/12/2026: Texas Roadhouse - CGS Spirit Night- proceeds benefit MS FCA
• 2/16/2026: CGS CLOSED for Presidents' Day Holiday!
• 2/17/2026-2/20/2026: CGS CLOSED- Academic Break
• 2/27/2026: 7th Grade Field Trip

Looking WAY WAY ahead... 🙂

• 3/4/2026: School CLOSED for Parent/Teacher Face to Face Spring Conferences Date for Semester 2
• 3/20/2026: SCHOOL CLOSED! Mental Health and Wellness Day
• 3/21/2026: Prom from 7 PM until 11 PM. More details coming soon!
• 4/3/2026-4/10/2026: SCHOOL CLOSED! Spring Break!
• 4/20/2026-4/24/2026: 25th Year of Operation for CGS Celebration Week!
• 4/25/2026: Spring Fling Event hosted by our PVC
• 4/29/2026: Half Day! Dismissal at 11:45 A.M. for our K-8 Campus and 12 PM for our HS Campus
• 4/27/2026-5/1/2026: Teacher Appreciation Week!
• 5/21/2026: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL! Half Day Dismissal: 11:45 A.M. for our K-8 Campus and 12 PM for our HS Campus
• 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 & Happy New Year!

Thank you for your continued support as we begin this new semester together. Your partnership makes all the difference in our students' success as we transition back to our regular school routine. Please help your Grizzly reacquaint themselves with their daily schedule and arrival/dismissal times and school routines. Your support during this adjustment period is greatly appreciated. Now for a few reminders…

• Please encourage your child and be proactive about their health by reminding them to wash their hands regularly. With winter weather upon us, please ensure that your Grizzly is dressed warmly with appropriate coats, hats and gloves for outdoor activities and recess. Parents, be mindful to keep your Grizzlies at home if they are sick..

• Second quarter report cards are scheduled to go out this Friday, January 9th. Please take time to review them with your Grizzly and set goals for quarter 3.

• Middle School Parents: If your child had a semester-long class for first period (homeroom) please note that their homeroom/1st period assignment may be different this semester. Please ensure they know which teacher to report to. Thank you!.

Thank you for your time and attention. Have a restful evening and wonderful work week!

All the BEST,

Leah Spencer

Welcome to the 2nd Semester Grizzly Families!

I hope you all had a wonderful and restful break. This week, we will meet with grade levels to review expectations. Remembering that every course counts and demonstrating good character is essential to a successful high school experience. Please help us remind students to complete assignments by due dates, be on time every day, be kind, be respectful, and if they need help, ask a teacher or admin. Be sure to utilize the Infinite Campus Parent Portal for progress and grades. We look forward to another successful, fast-paced semester.

All the best,

Dr. Morris

NCVPS Classes begin 1/5/2026

Students taking an NCVPS semester-long course should check their email for their login. Classes for the second semester begin Monday, January 5th, 2026. Please remember that NCVPS does not follow the CGS school calendar. If you have questions or concerns with the course once it begins, contact your NCVPS instructor. If you have trouble accessing your NCVPS course, please contact Mrs. Gladden (elizabethgladden@cgsnc.org).

ACC Classes begin Thursday, January 8th, 2026

Students enrolled in ACC courses should log in to their Moodle and complete the enrollment verification on the first day of class. Please check that your student can access their ACC email, self-service, and Moodle. If they are having issues with their ACC accounts, they need to complete a Help Desk Ticket.

2nd Semester Biology and Oceanography

Our Biology and Oceanography classes in the second semester will be online through NCVPS. NCVPS instructors are responsible for all content, grading, and accommodations. Dr. Morris, Mrs. Gladden, and substitutes will be providing supervision during the courses. Students must stay current on their assignments and complete modules as they are assigned.

The advising team anticipates meeting at the end of January with students eligible and interested in the Career and College Promise Program at Alamance Community College. We will communicate dates and times for fall advising sessions soon.

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

SENIORS--Order your cap and gown!

If you haven't ordered your cap and gown, please do as soon as possible. We hope to schedule the cap and gown picture earlier in the second semester and need all seniors to have theirs. Go to jostens.com, click find my school/group store, type in Clover Garden Charter School, and it will take you to the location to select your purchase.

It's time to create Senior Yearbook Ads! Please see the information below. If you have questions please reach out to Mrs. Bellamy (alyssabellamy@cgsnc.org) and Mrs. Barlekamp (sarahbarlekamp@cgsnc.org)

Senior Advertisement Information:

What:

Senior Ads

Where:

yearbookforever.com - Type in Clover Garden and choose our school. Scroll down to create an ad.

When:

Now - January 31, 2026

Pricing:

Full Page - $110 includes up to 12 photos and a message

Half Page - $55.00 includes up to 6 photos and a message

Important Guidelines:

1. Photos need to be the original file, not screenshots. It is recommended by Walsworth that photos are 300 dpi. You can find an image's DPI by checking its file properties on a Windows PC or Mac. To do this, right-click the file and look for "Properties" (Windows) or "Get Info" (Mac), then navigate to the "Details" or "More Info" tab to find the "Resolution" or "DPI" information. If photos are not 300 dpi they are too small and become hard to adjust without them becoming blurry or pixelated.

2. . Messages should not succeed 200 words. This allows for each element to have the proper space and prevents the ad from becoming cluttered.

3. We know it is hard to narrow down photos and we will be happy to include 12 (full page) or 6 (half page) photos on your Grizzly's ad. However, sometimes less is more. The more photos you include, the smaller each photo will be in order to fit everything on the page. Sometimes fewer, but larger photos make a greater impact.

Seniors, are you interested in becoming a teacher and attending East Carolina University? Check out the ECU Educational Scholarship Information below.

ECU College of Education Scholarships
The scholarship portal for the 2026–2027 academic year closes on January 15, 2026. We encourage students to apply for one of our many four-year and annual scholarships. In the 2025–2026 academic year alone, we awarded over $1.2 million in funding to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Our four-year scholarships range in value from $26,000 to $40,000 over four years of study. Applications for four-year scholarships are currently open through January 15, 2026 and are listed as “The College of Education Community of Scholars Scholarship” in ECU Award. Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in an on-campus interview day on January 31, 2026. For more information visit: https://education.ecu.edu/llc/asc-cos/

To apply for all ECU College of Education Scholarships, visit: https://ecu.academicworks.com/

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/

Upcoming Information Sessions:

The Academic Success Center in the College of Education will host information sessions for students, parents, and staff to learn about the application process, eligibility and program requirements, and best practices for completing applications.

Information Session Dates: https://go.ecu.edu/InfoSessions

• Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 6:30 pm (virtual)

• Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 1:00 pm (on-campus at ECU)

Please continue to sanitize, wash hands frequently and notify the school nurse of any student illnesses or injuries. Thank you!

Please reach out to Nurse Corbett with questions at angelacorbett@cgsnc.org.

Shout out to our AMAZING PVC Committee from our CGS Staff on what was a FANTASTIC Holiday dinner held for all of us on 12/19. It was such a fun and festive event and a great way to kick off the winter break! We are so thankful for our supportive parent organization and for the love they continue to pour into our school community, staff and students!! Thank you CGS PVC and to all of our parents who helped support this event! 💙💚

There are more fun things coming soon from our PVC in the Spring- be on the lookout for "Save the Dates" and more information coming soon!!

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!

One of our electives starting up in Middle School in the Spring Semester is in need of some donations! Please consider helping out our middle school science department with the requests below! See Mrs. Johnson for more details.

Yearbooks are for sale! These will be distributed at the end of the school year but you're welcome to order them now by going to this website: http://yearbookforever.com/. Search for Clover Garden School and take advantage of early purchase savings! Order now through January 31, 2026 and payment due is- $65.00. Beginning February 1, 2026 the price will increase to $70.00.

CGS STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PLAYING A SPRING SPORT:

Intent forms ARE DUE BY END OF DAY- TOMORROW- JANUARY 5th!!

Spring Sport Intent Form

Home game tickets can be purchased on GoFan, or at the gate with cash or card.

Athletics Schedule:

Tuesday, January 6th:

4:30- MS Girls at Bethany Community

5:45- MS Boys at Bethany Community

Wednesday, January 7th:

4:30 JV Boys vs Central Carolina

6:00 Varsity Girls vs Central Carolina

7:30 Varsity Boys vs Central Carolina

Thursday, January 8th:

4:30 MS Girls vs Chatham Charter

5:45 MS Boys vs Chatham Charter

Friday, January 9th:

4:30 JV Boys at Chatham Charter

6:00 Varsity Girls at Chatham Charter

7:30 Varsity Boys at Chatham Charter

Coaching Positions-

MS CoEd Golf

Varsity Men's Golf

MS Softball

MS Co Ed Tennis

Anyone interested can send an email to Coach Paschal and Coach Somers.

Our Performing Grizzlies will have their Band Banquet at 7:00 P.M. this Friday, 1/9/2026 @ Thrive Church to celebrate a fantastic Marching Band Season!

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 January'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:

• Middle School Math Teacher (6th Grade)
  
• High School Science Teacher

Please help us welcome some new staff to CGS! They all have been active substitutes for CGS for some time and we are very excited to welcome them to our CGS staff in a new way!! : ) Welcome to our CGS Team!!

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