Good afternoon,
This is Principal Suzanne Simpson with your weekly updates. I hope everyone had a great long weekend!
2025-2026 State Board of Education Accountability Results
We have so much to celebrate! Here are just a few highlights to celebrate:
Highest Graduation Rate: At 90.5%, we once again earned the highest graduation rate among traditional high schools in the district.
Growth Index Score: We officially Exceeded Growth with a growth index score of 4.45. This is the highest growth score among all high schools in the district and places Eastern in the top 10% of all schools statewide. We met or exceeded growth across every single subgroup, exceeding growth in 6 out of 9 subgroups.
Overall School Performance Grade: Our overall school performance grade is a 73 or B. This is an 8 point growth from last year!
Together we achieved the highest achievement, growth, and overall school performance grade in at least 7 years! Let’s keep this incredible momentum going as we continue to SOAR!
Senior Parent Night
We will hold Senior Parent night on September 16th at 6:00 pm in the media center. This is a time for parents to learn about college, scholarships, FAFSA, and more!
CACRAO College Fair @ ACC
ACC is hosting the CACRAO (Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers) College Fair on Tuesday, September 29. If you’re a senior planning your next step, this event is your change to connect with over 70+ colleges and universities. Eastern will take interested seniors by bus. Stop by student services to pick up a permission slip!
PSAT
The PSAT is open to any Sophomore or Junior who registers and pays for the test. This is an optional test and you must pay the test fee of $18. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is good practice for the SAT. Juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT and meet other program entry requirements specified in the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide will enter the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The test will take place on October 13, 2026 The deadline for registration and payment is September 18, 2026. To register, fill out this google form. We will use this to stay in contact with you regarding the location of the test and other details.
Fall Underclassmen Picture Day
Fall underclassmen picture day is set for September 28th. Please be on the lookout for a picture day schedule soon.
Morning Arrival & Afternoon Dismissal
Thank you for helping to keep all EA students, families, and drivers safe during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. As a reminder, all car riders should be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school near the football field/gym. Do not use the front circle or pull over on the side of the road as it causes unsafe conditions for both students and drivers. In addition all traffic must turn left onto Mebane Rogers Road between 3:45-4:00. This is to keep traffic flowing.
Wireless Communication Device Policy & Procedures
Please take time to review the entire wireless communication procedures that will be in place at all ABSS High Schools this year. It is important that students and parents are aware of the procedures and consequences.
A few things to note regarding our procedures.
All students will be asked to turn their cell phone off and put it into a collection area in the classroom until the end of class.
Students are not allowed to use wireless headphones in class. All headphones need to be wired.
Students will be allowed to have their wireless devices at lunch and during transitions between classes.
We know this will be an adjustment for all as we return to school, but we appreciate your help and support as we work to follow this law and to reduce the amount of distractions in our classrooms.
Infinite Campus - Back to School Forms
Infinite Campus is where students and parents can access grades, attendance, and other important school information. The Back to School forms must be filled out in their entirety and accurately as they provide important information to the state and ABSS regarding your student, including medical needs and who can pick them up from school. The call system, which includes emails, calls, and text messages is synched daily with Infinite Campus. If your contact information is not updated, you may miss out on important information. For more information or to set up your account, check out this website.
Chromebooks
This year, we are offering families the opportunity to purchase optional insurance for their student(s) chromebook. The cost of the optional insurance is $25. This premium is good for one instance of unintentional breakage (lost or intentional damage is not covered) and will help protect you from higher cost. You may elect when to apply your premium. Once used, the family would have the option to replace the optional insurance premium for an additional $25. For more details, including a list of part replacement costs, click here for the Mobile Learning Handbook. You may use this link to purchase the optional insurance.
Student Early Sign-out
No checkout will be done over the phone. Parents/guardians may email the school eahcheckout@abss.k12.nc.us to request a student sign-out. This email will go to all staff in our main office. Please include the time and date that your student needs to be dismissed. The email must come from an email address that we have on file.
Student/Parent Handbook
Please take time to review the student/parent handbook. It can be found here.
Food Deliveries/Leaving Campus to get food = NOT ALLOWED
Please be aware that third-party food deliveries are strictly prohibited on campus at all times. This policy protects our students and staff by maintaining a secure environment, while also minimizing daytime disruptions to maximize valuable instructional time. We encourage all students to utilize cafeteria services or bring a packed lunch from home. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school safe and focused on learning.
Parking Pass
At this time any student parking on campus should have a valid 26-27 parking pass. The passes can be purchased using this form. The following information will be needed to complete the form:
Student contact info (name, cell and email)
Parent/Guardian contact info (name, cell and email)
Car info (make, model, color)
Vehicle License Plate Number
Picture of your driver’s license (will need to upload)
Picture of your current registration (will need to upload)
Athletic Passes
Yearly Athletic Passes are on sale now! This pass gets you into all home athletic contests for the upcoming school year. Fill out this form to get started.
Prices:
Student: $50
Individual Adult: $150
Family (2-4): $350
Family (5+): $450
Family passes are limited to individuals living in the same household.
Upcoming Events
A Look Ahead
September 7 - Labor Day Holiday
September 16 - Senior Parent Meeting @ 6:00 in Media Center
September 28 - Senior Meeting w/Herff Jones
September 28 - Underclassmen Picture Day
September 29 - CACRAO College Fair
October 2 - Teacher Workday
October 13 - PSAT Administration
October 19-23 - CFNC College Application Week
October 20 - PreACT Administration for ALL Juniors
October 23 - End of 1st 9 weeks
October 26 - Teacher Workday
As always, thank you for your continued support and please reach out if you have any questions.