Lee County Schools -

Tonight at the Lee County Board of Education Meeting, we recognized all 10 of the Lee County Schools who were recently named Purple Star Award Schools by the NC Department of Public Instruction for outstanding support for military families and students. This is just one way we highlight our commitment to helping these families and students meet the various challenges that they face and still be prepared to thrive. #LCSthrive

On Friday, ten of our local public schools were named Purple Star Award Schools by the NC Department of Public Instruction for outstanding support and commitment to serve the unique needs of military-connected students and families. We are proud to partner with military families and help them navigate the challenges associated with the many transitions that are a common part of military life while ensuring each student gets the support and resources that they need to thrive. Read more about our commitment to military families and learn about the Purple Star Award designation here: https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2207132 #MonthoftheMilitaryChild #LCSthrive #PurpleStarAward

Tomorrow students across the district in our Elementary and Middle Schools will begin taking End of Grade exams. Please make sure your students get plenty of rest tonight and all this week. Take time to encourage them and remind them that they have learned so much this year! Tell them how proud you are of them! Remind them it is important to do their best, but also that test scores do not define who they are or their value. A gentle hug and positive encouragement will help them shine. Students, we believe in you! You've done the hard work, now just do your best and show what you know! #LCSthirve

It was truly fitting that during Teacher Appreciation Week, we gathered last night to celebrate the retirement of incredible teachers and staff from across Lee County. "Appreciation" hardly captures the depth of gratitude we feel for this remarkable group of veteran educators. You’ve poured your hearts into shaping future generations—serving selflessly, inspiring students to reach higher, dream bigger, and believe in themselves, all because they knew someone genuinely cared. To the 2025 retirees of Lee County Schools: thank you for your years of dedication, passion, and impact. You’ve made our schools stronger and our students better. We wish you all the joy, rest, and adventure you deserve in this exciting new chapter. You will be deeply missed—and always part of the #LCSfamily. 💛 #TeacherAppreciationWeek

Make your plans to join us for the 9th annual Broadway Night featuring the award winning LCHS Show Choir! Shows are Thursday May 8 thru Saturday May 10 at 7PM in the LCHS Auditorium featuring the best of Broadway! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

DECADES OF DEDICATION: Bart Harrison has been a staple of the faculty at Lee County High for the last two decades. Known for a warm smile and encouraging personality, he's always been known to "tell it like it is" with a little southern twang and a genuine, caring demeanor. Well-loved by students and co-workers alike, we hope you enjoy getting to know Mr. Harrison. Read More: https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2199815 #DecadesOfDedication #LCSthrive

Not just a provider of band-aids and ice packs, our School Nurses are a critical part of the Lee County Schools team that helps protect the health, safety and well-being of every child in our local public schools. From supplementing health and substance-use resistance education to responding to first aid and campus emergencies with skill and expertise, our school nurses bring care, compassion and a healing hand that helps students thrive on every campus across our system. Today we recognize you and all you do for students and staff each day. Thank you, LCS School Nurses! #SchoolNurseAppreciation #LCSthrive

Weather looks perfect for the Cavalier Cruise In Car Show this Saturday from 10-2 pm. It is a great show and wonderful opportunity to get out and enjoy some food trucks, games and cars! All proceeds from the show benefit the Southern Lee HS Skills USA and Academy of Engineering.

AWARD ALERT! West Lee Middle School Principal Aimee Petrarca was surprised yesterday as she was presented with the Kloud-12 Innovation Award for her leadership in education, professional development and excellence as a Principal. Known as a positive cultural force, Petrarca has a track record of producing results in student achievement and staff development. We are so glad to have Mrs. Petrarca on our team in Lee County Schools and are grateful that she is being recognized as the game-changing leader that we know her to be! Read more about her award and outstanding track record here: https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2196526

RISING KINDERGARTEN PARENTS! Run to our website today to register your student for Kindergarten! If your child turns 5-years-old by August 31, 2025, today is the day to enroll your student for the 2025-2026 School Year and watch their education take flight with Lee County Schools! Starting kindergarten is a big step—and we’re here to make it a smooth and exciting one. 🖍️📚 Our caring teachers, safe schools, and engaging programs are ready to inspire a love of learning from day one. ✅ Register today at: https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/o/lcs/page/enrollment Find your school zone using the school assignment locator here: https://5il.co/29r6l Let's get ready for a great first year together and prepare your student to THRIVE in 2025! 💛 #KindergartenReady #LCSthrive

This week, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week by honoring the heart and soul of our local public schools: teaching. For many educators, there is no greater professional joy than seeing their students grow, thrive, and achieve their dreams. Teachers serve so others can climb higher and reach farther than they ever thought possible. Last Friday, Southern Lee’s Class of 2025 took part in their “Senior Walks,” revisiting their elementary schools for a celebratory parade and reunions with former teachers. At Greenwood, Heather McBurnette gathered as many of her former third-grade students as she could for a cap-and-gown photo—capturing her pride in the young adults they’ve become. Teachers make a difference every single day. If a teacher impacted your life, give them a shoutout here and share how they helped shape who you are today. #TeacherAppreciation #LCSthrive

🍎 Happy School Lunch Hero Day! 🥄 Today, we celebrate the incredible cafeteria workers who nourish our students with love, dedication, and a smile—every single day. Not only serving up hot meals and accommodating dietary needs, our child nutrition team serves up smiles and encouragement for students every single day. The child nutrition team truly provides the fuel that helps our schools thrive! 💛 Thank you for your hard work, compassion, and the care you pour into every plate. You are true heroes! 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳🍽️ Drop a 💚 in the comments to show your appreciation for these School Lunch Heroes! #SchoolLunchHeroDay #LCSthrive

🎉 Happy National Principals Day! 🎉 Today, we proudly celebrate the incredible group of principals across Lee County Schools who go above and beyond every day to lead with heart, vision, and purpose. 💙 Our principals are more than administrators—they are champions of student success and dedicated mentors to our staff. From fostering innovative learning environments, encouraging every student to thrive, to driving professional growth, this group's leadership lights the path for excellence in every classroom of our local public schools. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to student learning, staff development, and building strong, supportive school communities. We are better because of you! 👏📚 #NationalPrincipalsDay #LCSthrive #TogetherWeThrive

POWERFUL SKILLS. BRIGHT FUTURES. Our local public schools are opening doors to real-world opportunities with hands-on training that prepares students to step confidently into the workforce. Our Career & Technical Education (CTE) programs empower students with practical skills in fields like electrical trades, automotive, carpentry, masonry, engineering, and accounting—building not just knowledge, but confidence and connections that last. From the classroom to the job site, we’re helping students thrive and make an impact right here in our community. Now that’s how you power up. ⚡ #LCSthrive

DECADES OF DEDICATION: Spotlighting veteran staff members from across Lee County Schools. Guadalupe Trabold started with Lee County Schools 20 years ago as an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor. With a little encouragement from her teaching partner, she blossomed into a math teacher & has been serving students at East Lee, helping them reach higher and achieve more. Hear from Mrs. Trabold on why she sticks with teaching and what drives her to serve students every day: https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2175918 #DecadesofDedication #LCSthrive

🎉 Special Olympics Day 2025 was a HUGE success! 🏅💙 Today, our schools came together with Special Olympics of Lee County and community partners to celebrate inclusion, determination, and the incredible spirit of our student-athletes. From the opening ceremony to every cheer, game, dance, and medal, the joy was unforgettable. 🙌 Events like this highlight the powerful role our local public schools play in helping students of all ability levels connect, grow, and thrive—both in the classroom and in the community. 💡🏫 By fostering inclusive environments, we build stronger, more compassionate schools where every student has the opportunity to shine. We are SO proud of every participant, volunteer, and staff member who made this day special. Together, we created memories that will last a lifetime. 💫 📸 Check out some of the amazing moments from the event below! ⬇️ #SpecialOlympics #InclusionMatters #StrongerTogether #LCSthrive

Southern Lee High School Music Department is holding a fundraiser Mattress Sale this Saturday from 10-4p at the SLHS Gymnasium. If you need a new mattress for your home, it's a great time to get out and buy a new one while supporting the arts at Southern Lee!

🌟 Bright Futures Alert! 🌟 Lee County is beaming with pride as two incredible students have earned their place at the prestigious North Carolina Governor’s School this summer! 🎓✨ 👏 Join us in cheering on Addison Tunnard (LEC) and Larkin McBryde (Southern Lee) as they dive into immersive academic programs—Addison exploring Social Science at Governor's School East and Larkin diving deep into Natural Science at Governor's School West. These future leaders are already making waves—on campus, in their communities, and soon, across the state. 🚀 Read more about their journeys and the impact they’re set to make ➡️ https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2168077 #LCSthrive #NCGovernorsSchool #StudentSuccess

🌟 Happy Administrative Professionals Day! 🌟 DETAILS. There are millions of them within our schools each day. There is no single person more in tune to the details of the school day than the Administrative Professionals at each of our schools. Tireless effort is required to keep up with all the changes, with the schedule, with the bus changes, the substitutes, the parent communications, and our professionals give tireless effort every day supporting our schools in a hugely important way. Today, we celebrate the heart of our schools — our incredible administrative professionals! Your hard work makes our local public schools stronger every day. 💼🍎✏️ Thank you for all you do to help our schools run smoothly. Whether it is at the front desk or behind the scenes making sure every detail is covered, we are grateful for your dedication, kindness, and unwavering support. 💙👏 #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay #SchoolHeroes

DECADES OF DEDICATION: Spotlighting veteran staff members from across Lee County Schools. Call her friend, teacher, mentor, encourager, Southern Lee's #1 fan, or you can just call her what most people at Southern Lee know her as, Ms. Beautiful, one thing is for certain, Vickie Wilkins loves what she does and who she does it for. Take a few minutes to hear from Ms. Wilkins on the greatest part of her 50 year career in education, the connections she has made with those around her. https://www.lee.k12.nc.us/article/2162751