Elementary Education Department

The Rowan Salisbury School System Elementary Program, kindergarten through fifth grade is designed to help students acquire basic skills, grow in self-understanding,develop self-discipline and explore the exciting world around them. Our goal is to help students become healthy, happy and responsible citizens and to build a foundation for their future success. We hope this web site will provide a helpful introduction to our elementary schools. Elementary Schools

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do you enroll your child in public school? North Carolina public schools serve every child who comes to their doors, as long as that child is 5 years old on or before August 31st. Programs are available statewide for children with special needs--including academically gifted children. Typically, any child who is 5 years old on or before August 31st will be enrolled in kindergarten. To enroll, a child needs proof of immunization against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, mumps, and red and German measles. Certain exemptions are possible for extenuating health or religious reasons. All students need proof of a current physical examination when enrolling in North Carolina schools for the first time. Children are enrolled in the school district in which they live, and school assignments are made by the local school system. Schools provide a wide-range of academic opportunities, as well as support services. School lunch and breakfast are usually offered for a nominal fee. Free school bus transportation, to students who live more than 1.5 miles from school, and free use of textbooks also are provided.

My child is gifted, how do I enroll him/her early for Kindergarten? If you are interested in pursuing early admission to Kindergarten, please be advised it is the parent's responsibility to obtain evaluations and provide them to the school. More information can be found by clicking here.

How long is the school year? The General Assembly requires a minimum of 180 instructional days for students and a minimum of 1,000 hours of instruction covering at least nine calendar months. It is a local decision, not the state's, to determine the length of the school day and the school year. Instructional days may be scheduled for any day except Sunday. To see the Rowan-Salisbury School System Calendar Click Here.

We're moving to North Carolina and would like information on the schools. The best way to find information about any elementary school in Rowan-Salisbury School System is to visit the school so that you can find out first-hand. You can find links to each school's site at the top of this page. There is information on the North Carolina Public School web site about the performance of schools on the state's school-based accountability program (called the ABCs of Public Education). To view the results, click here and follow the links to the information about the school you are interested in. The state's school-based accountability is based on test results in reading, mathematics, and writing in grades 3-5. Schools receive rewards and recognition based on a) academic growth/gain and b) absolute performance. If you choose to review these results you should first read the Executive Summary for the ABCs Results to better understand the school-based accountability and the classification of schools.

What do students study in public schools? North Carolina students in kindergarten through 5th grade study English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, guidance, healthful living, information skills, and computer/technology skills subjects. The Common Core Standards outline the competencies and objectives students should master in English Language Arts and Math. The Essential Standards cover the other curriculum areas.

In what subjects are students tested? To measure how well children are learning the curriculum, local school districts test children in grades 3-5 in reading, writing (grade 4) and mathematics. See the Accountability Page for more information.

Are schools ranked in North Carolina based on test scores? As part of the ABCs of Public Education, schools are held accountable for student performance to assure that a school's student achievement is progressing at a healthy pace. Students in grades 3-5 are tested and held accountable by the state for basic subjects. These testing results, compiled from End-of-Grade and End-of-Course tests, are used to identify schools that qualify for recognition and assistance.

How does North Carolina rank compare to other states? The best comparison of states on standardized achievement tests is the National Assessment of Educational Progress. These assessments generally show that North Carolina is around the national average. You can read a general overview on how North Carolina is doing or you can read the most recent State of the State Report, which provides a more detailed analysis of North Carolina's educational progress. The Elementary Education Department produces many documents that are used throughout the system. These include Curriculum Guides, Parent Brochures and other documents. They have been provided here for your information and use. All of these documents are in PDF format. You may access them by clicking on the links to the left.