School Improvement Plans

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian,

In 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) that introduced School Performance Grades to provide families with additional insights into school performance. Since the 2013–14 school year, North Carolina School Report Cards have assigned letter grades (A, B, C, D, or F) to every school in the state.

Unfortunately, the state of North Carolina has determined that 80% of a school’s performance grade is based on how students perform on a single test (End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests), while only 20% of the grade reflects the academic growth made by students throughout the year.  Along with other school districts in North Carolina, we believe this formula is skewed and does not accurately reflect the work and progress of our schools. Our staff and students work hard daily, and our growth measures for each school are indicative of this.

According to G.S. 115C-105.37, a low-performing school is defined as one that earns a grade of D or F and either meets or does not meet academic growth expectations. We are writing to inform you that the following schools have been identified as low-performing:

 

Bladen County Schools has been designated as a low-performing district by the North Carolina State Board of Education due to the number of low-performing schools. While we are committed to addressing these challenges, it is important to remember that a single score does not fully represent the rich learning opportunities, leadership development, and growth taking place in our schools.

For the 2025–2026 school year, we are focused on improving student achievement and school performance across the district, guided by our theme Learners to Leaders and our Wildly Important Goals (WIGs). To support this effort, we are implementing the following strategies:

• Instructional Coaches/Interventionists: Each school now has a coach who supports teachers with high-impact instruction and ensures Tier II and Tier III interventions are provided for students in need.
• School & District WIGs: Every school has developed its own WIGs, aligned with districtwide WIGs in academics and culture, to drive measurable improvement.
• Support and Monitoring: The District Improvement Team will provide ongoing monitoring and support, particularly at schools identified as low-performing.
• District Administrator Support Coaches: Each low-performing school will be assigned a district coach who provides on-site support and attends monthly school meetings.
• Research-Based Interventions: Schools will continue implementing interventions and academic support during and beyond the school day.
• Leader in Me Integration: Daily Leader in Me practices will be implemented across all schools to build leadership capacity in students and improve school culture.
• Focused Professional Development: Teachers will engage in targeted training on small group instruction, evidence-based interventions, and leadership practices that support student success.
• Quarterly Data Meetings: Schools will conduct data meetings every quarter to track progress toward WIGs, using student leadership notebooks and digital dashboards.
• Resource Alignment: District and school resources will be strategically aligned to meet the needs of students and support continuous improvement.

Through these efforts, we are committed not only to raising scores but also to building a culture where every student develops the skills, habits, and confidence to move from learner to leader.

As a low-performing district, we are required to develop an improvement plan to address how we will improve the school performance grade at these schools. Central office administrators and I will work closely with the schools to monitor progress. The preliminary plan was presented at the Board of Education meeting held on September 15, and the final version will be posted on our district website at http://www.bladen.k12.nc.us.

We encourage you to stay engaged with your student’s academic progress and work closely with their teacher(s) to ensure they remain on track. By working together, we can improve both student performance and the overall success of our schools. The success of our students is our highest priority.

If you have any questions about School Performance Grades or our improvement plans, please contact Director of Accountability and Federal Programs, Brendan McCarthy, at (910) 862-4136 or via email at btmccarthy@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

School Performance Grades (SPGs) are based on two measures:

• Eighty percent (80%) comes from our school’s achievement score (student proficiency). At Bladen Lakes Primary, this includes how well our students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading, Math, and Science Assessments.
• Twenty percent (20%) comes from the amount of progress or growth students made on standardized tests in a given year.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Bladen Lakes Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of “D/F”and "met expected growth" or "did not meet expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Based on the 2024-25 scores, our school  received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “MET expected growth.”  While this designation is an important measure, it does not tell the full story of our students, our teachers, or the many opportunities Bladen Lakes Primary provides for children.

Moving Forward:  Our Improvement Plan

To improve both achievement and growth in the 2025–26 school year, we are setting clear goals and refining our School Improvement Plan. The plan will target strategies where improvement is most needed and will be presented to the Board of Education at the October 13, 2025 meeting at 6:00 p.m. It will also be posted on our school website for families to review.

Our staff will also engage in strong professional development, supported by our central office team, and progress will be monitored throughout the year. As your principal, I am committed to working diligently so that every student in every classroom experiences success.

Our Priorities

Bladen Lakes Primary School has defined several priorities for the 2025-26 school year to help improve our School Performance Grade.  One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 to improve our School Performance Grade is to increase reading achievement schoolwide.  Our school will also focus on several other key strategies and programs to strengthen and improve our school program. Below are a few initiatives that we are excited to share! 

• Every student is a reader!  Reading is the foundation for all other learning. We have adopted and will implement a high-quality, research-based reading curriculum aligned to state standards to improve literacy for all students.  We will focus explicitly on expanding vocabulary and small group instruction to support students that experience reading challenges.  
• Every student is a leader!  We are excited to strengthen our school culture and establish student leadership roles through the Leader in Me Program. We will educate and engage our parent and community partnerships to  reinforce these leadership goals and build literacy at home.  
• Every student can succeed!  Our teachers will monitor student progress during teaching, at the end of each lesson, and provide student support to close learning gaps as they are identified.  We will be examining our students’ data frequently.  As parents/family, you can help by ensuring that homework is completed, reading for 15 minutes each day at home and staying in constant communication with your child’s teacher. Please be a part of your student’s academic journey and let’s work together to keep our students focused and on track for success.  

Working Together

Improving student performance is a team effort. Together, we can ensure that every child at Bladen Lakes Primary is prepared for the next step in their academic journey. Your support and partnership are essential to this work, and we thank you for all you do for our school community..

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Joyce Spencer, Principal at Bladen Lakes Primary School.  You may also visit or call the school at 910-247-4608, or contact us by email, jspencer@bladen.k12.nc.us. 

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Bladenboro Primary School, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Bladenboro Primary School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Bladenboro Primary School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Bladenboro Primary School.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

Bladenboro Primary School has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

• Strengthen Core Instruction
  • Align daily instruction to NC Standards with high-probability instructional strategies.
  • Use hands-on learning and manipulatives in math to deepen student understanding.
  • Provide small-group instruction in reading and math to close achievement gaps.
     
• Daily Interventions (“Boost”)
  • Implement Boost intervention block daily with fidelity for all students.
  • Use ongoing assessment data to flexibly group students and provide targeted support in reading and math.
  • Monitor intervention effectiveness through PLC data discussions and progress monitoring checks.
  • Ensure tutors focus on all achievement level students to promote growth for all.
     
• Professional Learning & Teacher Support
  • Hold scheduled PLCs to focus on data analysis and instructional strategies.
  • The Curriculum Specialist will provide individualized PD for teachers in effective literacy (phonics) and math (problem-solving strategies).
     
• Student Engagement & School Culture
  • Implement Leader in Me across all grade levels to promote leadership, accountability, and positive school culture.
  • Host weekly grade-level celebrations and competitions to increase student motivation and make learning fun.
  • Implement two student led conference nights to build on student accountability.
     
• Family & Community Engagement
  • Send home monthly letters with learning strategies for parents to support student achievement.
  • Use the Bladen County Schools district app for consistent communication with families to increase engagement and transparency.
  • Host two parent curriculum nights during the year to engage families and build partnerships.

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact John Ammons, principal at Bladenboro Primary School, by calling (910) 863-3387, or by email, jeammons@bladen.k12.nc.us.

 

Sincerely, 

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

 

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Bladenboro Primary School, I am writing to inform you that Bladenboro Primary School has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-AT schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-AT, Bladenboro Primary School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management
• Standards-aligned Instruction
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Instructional Leadership
• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Student Support Services
• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15607
Password: GuestS15607

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Bladenboro Primary School will be implementing:

• Strengthen Core Instruction
  • Align daily instruction to NC Standards with high-probability instructional strategies.
  • Use hands-on learning and manipulatives in math to deepen student understanding.
  • Provide small-group instruction in reading and math to close achievement gaps.
     
• Daily Interventions (“Boost”)
  • Implement Boost intervention block daily with fidelity for all students.
  • Use ongoing assessment data to flexibly group students and provide targeted support in reading and math.
  • Monitor intervention effectiveness through PLC data discussions and progress monitoring checks.
  • Ensure tutors focus on all achievement level students to promote growth for all.
     
• Professional Learning & Teacher Support
  • Hold scheduled PLCs to focus on data analysis and instructional strategies.
  • The Curriculum Specialist will provide individualized PD for teachers in effective literacy (phonics) and math (problem-solving strategies).
     
• Student Engagement & School Culture
  • Implement Leader in Me across all grade levels to promote leadership, accountability, and positive school culture.
  • Host weekly grade-level celebrations and competitions to increase student motivation and make learning fun.
  • Implement two student led conference nights to build on student accountability.
     
• Family & Community Engagement
  • Send home monthly letters with learning strategies for parents to support student achievement.
  • Use BCS District App for consistent communication with families to increase engagement and transparency.
  • Host two parent curriculum nights during the year to engage families and build partnerships.

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations 
• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day
• Monitor your student’s homework
• Monitor the progress your student is making and communicate regularly with your student’s teacher(s)
• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/
• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact John Ammons, principal of Bladenboro Primary School at (910) 863-3232 or by email at jeammons@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely, 

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

 

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Bladenboro Middle School, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading, Math, and Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Bladenboro Middle School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Bladenboro Middle School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met growth” for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Bladenboro Middle School.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

Bladenboro Middle School has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

• Provide weekly tutors to work with targeted subgroups in ELA and Math
• Students will work within the Leader in Me leadership program to self-report thus taking more responsibility for monitoring their successes.

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer Marlowe, principal at Bladenboro Middle School, by calling (910) 910.863.3232, or by email, jlmarlowe@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Bladenboro Middle School, I am writing to inform you that Bladenboro Middle School, has been designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement Low Performing (CSI-LP) school and a Targeted Support and Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for comprehensive support and school improvement support. CSI-LP schools in North Carolina are those whose school performance grade is in the bottom five percent of all Title One served schools in North Carolina. TSI-AT and TSI-CU schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a CSI-LP and TSI-AT and TSI-CU school, Bladenboro Middle School, required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management
• Standards-aligned Instruction
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Instructional Leadership
• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Student Support Services
• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15606
Password: GuestS15606

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Bladenboro Middle School will be implementing:

• Provide weekly tutors to work with targeted subgroups in ELA and Math
• Students will work within the Leader in Me leadership program to self-report thus taking more responsibility for monitoring their successes.

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations set for your student this school year.
• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day.
• Monitor your student’s homework.
• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s).
• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites.
• Always reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/ 
• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Jennifer Marlowe, principal of Bladenboro Middle School at 910.863.3232 or by email at jlmarlowe@bladen.k12.nc.us

 

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Dublin Primary School, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading, Math, and Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Dublin Primary School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Dublin Primary School received a School Performance Grade of “D” but did meet growth for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Dublin Primary School.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

Dublin Primary School has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

Our first priority is to improve upon our Reading, Math, and Science scores. Our goal is to improve Reading, Math, and Science EOG scores by seven percent in each subject area. Through the use of our curriculum resources and the continued implementation of quality instructional strategies, we feel that our students will meet those goals. Our second priority is to increase our family engagement participation as well as provide more family engagement opportunities. We want to see an increase of fifteen percent in family engagement participation and a fifteen percent increase in family engagement opportunities. We will be hosting some additional family engagement activities throughout the school year.

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Jason Folsom, principal at Dublin Primary School, by calling (910) 862-2202, or by email, jlfolsom@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At East Arcadia Primary, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading, Math, and Science Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that East Arcadia Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

East Arcadia Primary received a School Performance Grade of “F” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of East Arcadia Primary.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

East Arcadia Primary has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

• District assigned curriculum specialist - will help teachers convert the knowledge from training to practice for an increase in reading and math growth
• Approved retired teacher volunteers to help tutor students during the school day to address learning gaps with interventions based on the needs of the student
• Teacher/Instructional Assistant small group focus and one to one instruction based on student needs
• Staff professional development on researched-based interventions and high probability instructional strategies
• Consistent communication with parents/guardians through the new Bladen County Schools APP, weekly all call messages, the school’s website and social media sites, and weekly class reports
• Enrichment activities to help promote critical thinking skills
• Implementation of “The Leader in Me” program to help instill essential life skills and a leadership mindset by fostering self-confidence and goal-setting abilities to prepare students to thrive by developing their character, improving communication, promoting responsibility, and creating a culture of trust and belonging within the school community.

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact David Wimert, principal at East Arcadia Primary, by calling (910) 247-4609, or by email, dawimert@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At East Bladen High School, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End of Course Assessments in Math 1, Math 3, Biology, and English 2. 

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that East Bladen High School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

East Bladen High School  received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “did not meet” for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of East Bladen High School.  The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

East Bladen High School has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

• Creation of additional Life Science courses for identified sophomores to assist with the transition into Biology courses to help their foundational skills. 
• Creation of S.O.A.R. (Seek Opportunities, Achieve Results) Interventions which will take place every Thursday during Homeroom. This will be opportunities for students in English 2, Math 1, Math 3, and Biology to receive additional support. Students will be in small groups and work on specific targeted areas of instruction based on data collected. These peer study groups will encourage collaboration, accountability, and shared growth. 
• Prioritizing instruction by minimizing interruptions, allowing teachers to teach bell to bell.  
• Implementing Positive Based Intervention Strategies (PBIS) to recognize students who are achieving success in the classroom. 
• Establishing Teacher Learning Communities. Grade level teachers will collaborate to strengthen connections and deepen understanding of content. 
• Promoting inclusion based resources for identified students within the classroom instead of students being pulled out of classrooms and missing quality instruction. 
• Establishing student and parent advisory teams to facilitate discussion on best instructional practices. 
• Peer Group Connection–evidence-based program that supports and eases students’ transition from middle to high school. It fosters a mentoring relationship that creates a nurturing environment for 9th graders. .

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Chris Carroll, principal at East Bladen High School, by calling (910) 247-4610 or by email, cscarroll@bladen.k12.nc.us. 

 

Sincerely, 

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Elizabethtown Middle School, I am writing to inform you that Elizabethtown Middle School has been designated as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement Low Performing (CSI-LP) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for comprehensive support and school improvement support. CSI-LP schools in North Carolina are those whose school performance grade is in the bottom five percent of all Title One served schools in North Carolina. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a CSI-LP school, Elizabethtown Middle School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management

• Standards-aligned Instruction

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)

• Instructional Leadership

• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers

• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions

• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System

• Data-Driven Decision Making

• Student Support Services

• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15319
Password: GuestS15319

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Elizabethtown Middle School will be implementing:

• Professional development will be provided based on teachers’ needs evident in both frequent administrative walk-throughs and data review

• Professional development on and implementation of Leader in Me, a character education curriculum

• Staff will analyze student performance data during grade level and vertical PLCs to identify student challenges and strengths, and drive instructional planning and design

• Tiered instruction will allow teachers to deliver individualized instruction that meets the needs of each student and an intervention block is included in the master schedule to ensure time and resources are available

• District and local behavioral expectations are posted, taught, reviewed, and enforced to provide an effective learning environment for all students

• Provide opportunities for teachers to collaborate, demonstrate, and share best practices and instructional strategies in small and large group settings

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations set for your student this school year.

• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day.

• Monitor your student’s homework.

• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s).

• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites.

• Always reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/ 

• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/

• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mr. Bobby Godwin, principal of Elizabethtown Middle School, at (910) 862-4071 or by email at bdgodwin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Elizabethtown Primary, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the 3rd and 4th Grade Reading and Math End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Elizabethtown Primary has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Elizabethtown Primary received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “met expected growth” for the 2024-2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. Elizabethtown Primary School has made significant growth over the last three years with the 2024-2025 growth percentage of 75.3. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Elizabethtown Primary. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025-2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade. There are a number of key programs and initiatives the school has in place to help improve student performance:

• Provide professional development for all staff on:
  • Research-based intervention strategies
  • Documentation within the MTSS process
  • High probability instructional strategies
• Teachers completing training and implementing the “Science of Reading”
• Focus on small groups and targeted one-to-one instruction based on student needs
• Data meetings with teachers and students
• Grade-level support and planning for teachers
• Additionally, tutors will work with students across grade levels as needed

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success.Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Kristy Smith, principal at Elizabethtown Primary, by calling (910) 862-3380, or by email, kbsmith@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2024

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Elizabethtown Primary School, I am writing this letter to let you know that Elizabethtown Primary School has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Additional Targeted Support (TSI-AT) school by the North Carolina State Board of Education.  As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-AT schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-AT school, Elizabethtown Primary School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school.  The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:

• Classroom Management
• Standards-aligned Instruction
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Instructional Leadership
• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Student Support Services
• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan.  To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID:  GuestS15613
Password:  GuestS15613

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Here are some strategies that Elizabethtown Primary School will be implementing:

• Use student performance data to identify strengths and weaknesses
• Regular analysis of assessment results to track progress and adjust strategies
• Offer enrichment programs for high achieving students and additional support for striving students
• Provide individualized instruction to students based on needs and data results
• Enhance collaboration among teachers to share best practices and instructional strategies

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. Here are some ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations set for your student this school year.
• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day.
• Monitor your student’s homework.
• Monitor the progress your student is making and attend meetings with your student’s teacher(s).
• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites.
• Always reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it a success for your student.  Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/
• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Mrs. Kristy Smith, principal of Elizabethtown Primary School, at (910) 862-3380 or by email at kbsmith@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

]

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent/Guardian, 

Legislation (G.S. §115C-83.15) passed during the 2013 long session of the North Carolina General Assembly provides parents with an additional measure of school performance in the form of School Performance Grades. Beginning with the 2013–14 school year, the annual North Carolina School Report Cards display a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F for each school in the state.

The School Performance Grades are based 80 percent on the school’s achievement score (student proficiency) and 20 percent on students’ academic growth. At Tar Heel School, the achievement score for the 2024-2025 school year is based on how well the students performed on the End-of-Grade Reading, Math, and Science End-of-Grade Assessments.

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that Tar Heel School has been designated as a low performing school by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As defined in G.S. 115C-105.37: “The State Board of Education shall identify low-performing schools on an annual basis. Low-performing schools are those that earn an overall school performance grade of D or F and a school growth score of "met expected growth" or "not met expected growth" as defined by G.S. 115C-83.15.”

Tar Heel School received a School Performance Grade of “D” and a growth designation of “did not meet ” for the 2024–2025 school year. Although we are committed to improving this score, it is important to remember that just as no one single score or grade tells the whole story of a student, neither does it tell you everything about the performance of a school or the opportunities that the school provides. 

A low performing school is required to develop an improvement plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve both the school performance grade and school growth score. The plan will also include how central office administrators and I will work with, and monitor the progress of Tar Heel School. The school is already engaged in the work of refining its plan to present to the Board of Education at the October meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday, October 13, 2025. The final plan will be available for review on the school’s website.

One of our top priorities for 2025–2026 is to improve our School Performance Grade.  

Tar Heel School has defined several priorities for the 2025–2026 school year to help improve their School Performance Grade. Below are several key initiatives, programs, and strategies that the school will implement or continue to strengthen.  

• Strengthen Core Instruction- Ensure high-quality, standards-aligned instruction in every classroom

• Accelerate Student Growth in Literacy & Math- Move more students from Level 2 to Level 3+ (proficient) while ensuring growth for all

• Targeted Supports for Subgroups & Equity Gap- In school and after school tutoring opportunities

• Build a Culture of High Expectations & Leadership-Empower staff, students, and families to take ownership of academic success, continue with Leader in Me school-wide

We encourage you to actively engage in your student’s academic journey and invite you to collaborate with their teacher(s) to help ensure they stay on track for success. Working together as a team, we can improve not only how well our students are performing individually, but how the school is performing as a whole. There is nothing more important to us than ensuring students are ready for the next step in their academic careers. We appreciate your partnership and support to make it a successful school year.

If you have any questions regarding the School Performance Grade or the school’s plans for improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Vanessa Ruffin, principal at Tar Heel School, by calling (910) 862-2475 or by email, vlruffin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.
Superintendent

September 16, 2025

Dear Parent or Guardian,

As a parent/guardian of a student at Tar Heel School, I am writing to inform you that Tar Heel School has been designated as a Targeted Support and Improvement Consistently Underperforming (TSI-CU) by the North Carolina State Board of Education. As stated in ESSA Section 1111(d)(2), North Carolina had to identify schools for targeted support and improvement. TSI-CU schools in North Carolina are those that have a subgroup that is under-performing. The intent of this opportunity is to improve educational outcomes for all students, close achievement gaps, increase equity, and improve the quality of instruction. 

As a TSI-CU school, Tar Heel School is required to develop a comprehensive plan that specifically addresses how the school will improve student achievement. The plan will also include how our district will support us and monitor the progress of our school. The comprehensive plan will address the following areas:
 

• Classroom Management
• Standards-aligned Instruction
• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
• Instructional Leadership
• Recruitment & Retention of Effective Teachers
• Support for Grade-to-Grade Transitions
• Implementation of a Tiered Instructional System
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Student Support Services
• Family and Community Engagement

Specific goals and strategies have been developed by the school and are a part of the School Improvement Plan. To review the school improvement plan, please visit the link, http://www.indistar.org and enter the following information:

ID: GuestS15615
Password: GuestS15615

Our students need to experience higher achievement levels, but it will require hard work on the part of staff, students and families. Below are some strategies that Tar Heel School will be implementing:

• Tutoring/Intervention: Prioritize identified students for extended learning opportunities, including small-group tutoring.

• Family Engagement: Strengthen school-home connections through workshops, family nights, and regular communication celebrating progress. Provide translated materials and interpreters at key school events to foster inclusion.

• Data Reviews: Conduct quarterly subgroup data reviews in PLCs. Share subgroup progress with the School Improvement Team/MTSS team

• Language Development Integration: Embed vocabulary and language objectives into all content areas

• Progress Monitoring: Track language acquisition growth alongside academic performance using ACCESS data and classroom assessments.

Parent engagement is at the heart of our school improvement efforts. A few ways we can work together:

• Make sure that both you and your student are aware of academic expectations 
• Make sure that your student is prepared and attends school each day
• Monitor your student’s homework
• Monitor the progress your student is making and communicate regularly with your student’s teacher(s)
• Keep track of the school website and school social media sites

Collaboratively, we can work together to ensure that our students are successful in meeting their academic goals. We are excited about this school year and are working to make it successful for your student. Here are some resources available to help you learn more about academic standards and achievement results:

• K-12 standards in academic subjects: www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/
• State student achievement test results: www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/
• NC School Report Cards: https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/

If you have questions about the content of this letter, please contact Vanessa Ruffin, principal of Tar Heel School at (910) 862-2475 or by email at vlruffin@bladen.k12.nc.us.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Atkinson, Ed.D.