We are wrapping things up for the 2025 school year! Our report cards have been finalized and will be sent to our families in the mail. Final transcripts for our graduates have also been sent to their next university via Parchment.

Graduates can swing by the main office and pick up their diplomas and printed copies of their high school transcripts. If students provided a copy for our Class of 2025 college acceptance wall, their laminated letters of acceptance are available for pick-up as well.

If a CCCC transcript is needed, students can request electronic official transcripts to be sent to their prospective universities by:

1. Going to: https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/

2. Hover over "Order-Track-Verify" > Select "Order a Transcript"

3. Under "Select School", type/search for Coastal Carolina Community College

1. Coastal's logo will appear in the upper right side of the next screen if selected correctly.

4. From there, students will be prompted to enter their information and their future school's information to send transcripts to.

5. There is a fee of less than $3 that students will be prompted to pay to send the transcript electronically.

If a student would like to request a hard copy of their official transcript, please reach out to our registrar. Students can visit Coastal's Transcripts Page for more information.

CCCC degrees have been delayed from the printing company and are not expected for several weeks. Coastal will notify you when you can pick up your degree or have it mailed.

Class of 2025 graduates are reminded to text/email Mr. Strope with their financial aid/scholarship information!

We also still have a few yearbooks remaining for purchase for $55. If you would like to buy one, please visit Ms. Peterson in the main office.

Our office is open for business Monday-Thursday, from 8:00-4:00 this summer. We can also be reached at 910-938-6702.

Have a great summer!

If you were unable to attend our athletic meeting, you can still come by our office in Room 102A of the Ragsdale Building and pick up required paperwork if you are interested in athletics this year. Students will need to get all paperwork signed and a completed sports physical. We look forward to starting this new chapter in our school's history with you!

Email any athletic questions to our Athletic Director at brandon.stallard@onslow.k12.nc.us.

Goshen Medical will be doing free physicals for student athletes at Southwest High School on Friday June 13 from 8:00 am-12:00 pm and we would like to thank them for allowing us to attend. You will need to bring a completed Goshen Physical Form. They have some extra pages (that need to be completed prior to arrival) that go along with the physical forms that were passed out at the Athletic Meeting. I am attaching it to this, so please print a copy and fill out the information before going on June 13.

Enter through the breezeway by the cafeteria (toward the back left side of Southwest High School) and proceed to the gym.

-Mr. Stallard

If you are interested in music classes through CCCC (Chorus or Jazz Ensemble), please contact Mrs. Cayla Farris at farrisc@coastalcarolina.edu or 910-938-6703 so we can get you registered! Both classes are year-long and are scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:00-2:15 pm in the Fine Arts Building at CCCC.

Our friends at White Oak High School also allow our students to cross-enroll as visiting students in their Orchestra class. The class is held from 7:05-8:27 am, and our students can then ride the hub bus to OECHS. Parents will need to provide transportation to WOHS, and students will need to arrive prior to 7:00 am to go through security screening each morning. We have had students in the WOHS orchestra for the past several years, and this is another great opportunity! If you are interested in orchestra, email Ms. Peterson at nancy.peterson@onslow.k12.nc.us or call our main number at 910-938-6702.

It is the expectation that every OECHS student will complete at least 75 hours of volunteering by the end of January during their senior year. Not only is volunteerism important to our community (and the right thing to do), but it is also important for college applications and scholarships. The citizens, community groups, and businesses of Onslow County support a local scholarship program, SAT Inc (Sponsors of Academic Talent). Last year, OECHS led Onslow County Schools in total SAT Scholars!

The SAT Inc scholarship is the most straightforward scholarship available to students. If our students have a 3.5 weighted GPA, are on track to be a North Carolina Academic Scholar, score at least a 23 on the ACT, and complete at least 75 hours of community volunteer hours from approved SAT Inc agencies, they will earn a scholarship! If they complete 100 hours, they qualify for a $1,500 scholarship!

Students are now able to start earning SAT Inc volunteer hours at the beginning of the summer break, leading into their freshman year. That is right, even our rising 9th graders can volunteer! This change in the SAT guidelines makes volunteering much more accessible for our students. This is a great opportunity!

Please click on the button below for more information about the SAT Inc Scholarship Program and for resources, including verification forms (timesheets), the approved agency list, and SAT Inc guidelines.

We have exciting news for rising high school seniors: NC College Connect is now a direct admission program that offers college admission to eligible NC high school students at participating North Carolina institutions, allowing students to bypass the traditional application process – including essays, test scores, and recommendation letters! If you have a 2.8 GPA, you are admitted!

See the attached flyer for more details!

We’re thrilled to announce that the Trailblazers Outdoor Club will be offered at OECHS next school year! Huge thanks to Mrs. Erin Walsh for securing a $10,000 grant to make this amazing opportunity possible for our students.

Owls, are you ready to explore the great outdoors? Check out the program details here: https://gooutside.nc.gov/.../Trailblazers-Program-Guide.pdf and let us know what exciting adventures you’re looking forward to!

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

Rising Seniors,

Since 2020, all North Carolina 12th graders have been required to have the Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (two doses) by the first day of school (12th grade). Please see the attached flyer and get the vaccine prior to the start of the school year!. You can find more information at https://immunization.dph.ncdhhs.gov/schools/k-12.htm.

Rising Seniors and Families:

Please take note of the immunization requirement for rising seniors (scroll up for more information). Also, mark your calendars for senior portraits on August 27th!

Students should have asked for recommendations for college applications, emailed resumes to their recommenders, and sent thank-you cards to their recommenders. If not, they need to complete those three steps over the summer break.

Many of our rising seniors also received an email and/or postcard from The College Board, notifying them of recognition through the Big Futures/College Board National Recognition Program. If you received a notification, then be sure to register for the recognition by June 27th!

Next year, we will apply to colleges and universities, as well as scholarships and other financial aid. We will primarily focus on college applications and FAFSA through November. It will be a busy time, but students have access to their CommonApp accounts for college applications and can be working this summer to get their applications ready to submit!

Students have also been working on SAT Inc (Sponsors for Academic Talent) community service hours. If students have a 3.5 weighted GPA, and score a 23 or higher on the ACT, then they only need to complete SAT service hours for a $750 (75 hours) or $1500 (100 hours) scholarship! Details on the SAT Scholarship can be found at https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/Page/1336. The goal for every student should be to qualify for an SAT scholarship!

All rising seniors will be enrolled in Economics and Personal Finance Honors. This is their last official high school class, and it is year-long. We are combining it with Senior Seminar, so students will be meeting in person once or twice weekly. There will also be assignments outside seated class time to make sure we are all on track! The EPF/Senior Seminar schedule is posted in the Class of 2026 Team.

Students will continue to have a daily sign-in sheet by the main office in the Ragsdale Building. This is the official attendance in PowerSchool, so do not forget to sign in!

**Prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year, we will have a back-to-school session with our rising seniors and their parents on August 13th at 5:30 in the Bodenhamer Auditorium (Fine Arts Building) at CCCC.

CCCC classes begin Monday, August 18th.

Rising Juniors and Families:

You are almost finished with high school classes (just one more Personal Financial Literacy course during senior year), but all of those upcoming college classes count towards high school graduation and your high school GPA. This is where you can get a serious boost to your GPA!

This year, you will have a mandatory seminar (once or twice per week) where we will spend over half the year preparing for the ACT and PSAT. Both are important exams that are used for college admissions and scholarships. We will also spend time researching different colleges and universities, as well as beginning the college application process. The Junior Seminar schedule is posted in the Class of 2027 Team!

Students are encouraged to be active in OECHS Clubs/Teams, CCCC organizations, and outside activities for a well-rounded college admission application. We will also have a daily sign-in sheet for all juniors and seniors next year to make sure students are on track (and to take daily attendance). The sign in sheet is located on the desk by the OECHS office.

Rising juniors are reminded that they should be working on SAT, Inc. Scholarship community service hours. If students have a 3.5 weighted GPA, and score a 23 or higher on the ACT, then they only need to complete SAT service hours for a $750 (75 hours) or $1500 (100 hours) scholarship! Details on the SAT Scholarship can be found at https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/Page/1336. The goal for every student should be to qualify for an SAT scholarship!

**Prior to the start of the 2025-2026 school year, we will have a back-to-school session with our rising Juniors and their parents on August 12th at 5:30 in the Bodenhamer Auditorium (Fine Arts Building) at CCCC.

CCCC classes begin Monday, August 18th.

Rising Sophomores and Parents:

Our rising sophomores are encouraged to step up and be leaders next year! OECHS and the early college experience is what you make of it! Future universities and employers are looking for leaders. Hone your skills now!

As stated earlier in this newsletter, rising sophomores can accrue SAT Inc. Scholarship community service hours this summer! If students have a 3.5 weighted GPA, and score a 23 or higher on the ACT, then they only need to complete SAT service hours for a $750 (75 hours) or $1500 (100 hours) scholarship! Details on the SAT Scholarship can be found at https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/Page/1336. The goal for every student should be to qualify for an SAT scholarship! Be sure to turn in your SAT Inc. volunteer hours to Mr. Strope.

**Your first day back at school will be Wednesday, August 6th.

Welcome to OECHS!

Almost all of our new Owls have been added to the Class of 2029 Teams page. We originally were going to do our traditional "first assignment" (Getting to know you) using Flip, but unfortunately, it was purchased by Microsoft and is no longer an option. Instead, we encourage our new Owls to use the Class of 2029 Team to get to know each other. There is even a channel in the Class of 2029 Team, labelled "Getting to Know You"!

As stated earlier in this newsletter, rising freshmen can accrue SAT Inc. Scholarship community service hours this summer! If students have a 3.5 weighted GPA, and score a 23 or higher on the ACT, then they only need to complete SAT service hours for a $750 (75 hours) or $1500 (100 hours) scholarship! Details on the SAT Scholarship can be found at https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/Page/1336. The goal for every student should be to qualify for an SAT scholarship! Be sure to turn in your SAT Inc. volunteer hours to Mr. Strope.

**Your first day of class will be Tuesday, August 5th, for a freshman-only day.

School Cash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees from your own home. All you have to do is register an account, attach your children and in no time you will be able to make payments online. We accept many different payment forms so come on and check us out! https://onslow.schoolcashonline.com/

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 2026: https://www.remind.com/join/fkf7d67

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

During the Governor's emergency declaration during the pandemic, many rules, and regulations were waived. Now many of those same regulations have returned. One of those deals with high school GPAs, driving permits, and drivers licenses.

"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!

June 13th- FREE Sports Physicals at SWHS (see details in the newsletter)

July 30th- Tryouts for Cross Country and Women's Tennis

August 5th- First day of school (Freshmen Only)

August 6th- High school classes for 9th and 10th grade

August 12th- Junior Parent Information Session (5:30 PM in the CCCC Auditorium)

August 13th- Senior Parent Information Session (5:30 PM in the CCCC Auditorium)

August 18th- CCCC Fall Semester Begins (college classes start for all students)

August 27th- Senior Portrait and Cap & Gown Photos

August 27th- 9th-11th Grade Yearbook Photos

August 29th- OECHS Workday (no high school classes)

September 1st- Labor Day (no school)

September 2nd--23rd- Driver's Education (7:15 am- 9:15 am in R109)

September 24th- Makeup Photos and Ring Orders

October 10th- OECHS Workday (no high school classes)

October 13th & 14th- OECHS/CCCC Fall Break

October 29th-Tryouts for Wrestling

November 11th- Veteran's Day (no school)

November 26--30th- Thanksgiving Break

December 15th--17th- OECHS Final Exams and EOCs (1st semester classes)

December 18th-January 5th- OECHS/CCCC Christmas Break

January 19th- D. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (no school)

February 16th-Tryouts for Track and Men's Tennis

February 20th- OECHS Workday (no high school classes)

March 13th- OECHS Workday (no high school classes)

March 30th--April 6th- Spring Break (OECHS and CCCC)

May 1st- OECHS Workday (no high school classes)

May 15th- OECHS Graduation

May 16th- CCCC Graduation

May 18th--21st- OECHS Final Exams and EOCs (2nd semester and year-long classes)

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

Email: james.strope@onslow.k12.nc.us
Website: https://oec.onslow.k12.nc.us/
Location: CE109, 444 Western Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28546
Phone: 910-938-6702
Twitter: @OnslowECHS