THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square file graphic | the Shelby Independent Education – Fifty-four percent of North Carolina public school high school graduates passed at least one-college level course while still in high school, education officials said Thursday. “For those who have been around a moment and have gray hair or less hair, understand the magnitude of that number, that percentage,” first-term Democratic Superintendent Mo Green told members of the state school bo

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) – Five county school districts of low wealth in North Carolina have lost the plan for potentially billions of dollars in improvements following Thursday’s vacating of the historic Leandro case by the state Supreme Court. A 2022 decision by the bench, consisting of different justices, authorized funding. The General Assembly, by state statute, has appropriation authority and legislative leaders and t

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Crest fb page public courtesy photo CREST HIGH SCHOOL – A potential gunman at a school or a tornado; either one would frighten students, teachers and parents alike, but for both to happen at the same time, is both scary and yet a sigh of relief, once it was discovered the incident at Crest was a false alarm.   As the skies swirled above southwest Cleveland County, an active shooter alert sounded in the classrooms at Crest High Scho

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent The CCS Board of Education during their public meeting, March 9, 2026. The discussion over Marion took the main focus last night , as school board members made their thoughts known, keeping in line with where they had been before, months ago, with a few exceptions. Board of Education members Aaron Bridges and Gloria Sherman seemed to have shifted slightly, not in their sincerity to sell the building, but in shifting to supporting an open

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College – On Saturday, March 7, Cleveland Community College’s women’s basketball team captured the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Region 10 Championship with a victory over the Fayetteville Technical Community College Trojans. “This championship is a reflection of the work these players put in when nobody was watching,” said Head Coach Ford “Scooter” Lawrence. “They earned this

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College (CCC) has received a $10,000 community investment from AT&T to expand its Digital Navigator Program, further strengthening digital access and literacy efforts for adult learners and community members throughout Cleveland County. CCC is one of only eight colleges selected to receive this funding. On Tuesday, February 24, Kathleen Evans, Regional Director of External Affairs for AT&T, accompanied by Chrisy

Staff Reports | Cleveland County Schools Board of Education Dr. Stephen Fisher's will retire as Superintendent effective July 1, 2026. Courtesy photo SHELBY, NC — In a press release late Friday afternoon, the Cleveland County Board of Education announced the upcoming retirement of Superintendent Dr. Stephen R. Fisher, effective July 1, 2026. The statement said: Dr. Fisher is a beloved leader whose unwavering commitment to students, educators, and families has cultivated e

By David Beasley | The Center Square The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) – In-state undergraduates in the UNC System for the first time in nine years will face tuition hikes next year, the Board of Governors said Thursday. The increase, raising average tuition from $4,684 to $4,809, takes effect next year for new students and won’t affect students currently enrolled in the system. The governing board also raised fees by an average of 1%. The board last year said it wo

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College CCC Cleveland Community College is proud to announce its participation in Careers Electric, a workforce initiative launched by the Siemens Foundation to expand access to high-quality electrical training and build the next generation of skilled electrical workers. According to a February 17 press release from the Siemens Foundation, Careers Electric aims to train 25,000 individuals over the next 10 years to address the growing demand

Staff reports Cleveland Community College recently announced a new partnership with The Forward Fund (TFF) to help students in the Electrical Lineworker Academy and the Heavy Equipment Operator Academy cover program costs and cost-of-living expenses during training. “Traditional financial aid does not usually cover short-term job training programs,” said Tony Fogleman, CCC’s vice president of workforce development. “Being able to offer this option to our students removes a b

Staff reports | press release Cleveland Community College is expanding access to nursing education with the launch of a new nights and weekends LPN-to-ADN program. It is designed specifically for working Licensed Practical Nurses who want to advance their careers and earn their Associate Degree Nursing. The first cohort will begin classes in January and graduate in December, completing the program in just one year. The enhanced format responds to the needs of today’s healthca

Staff Reports | The Shelby Independent   Monica Dellinger with Madison Gettys. Courtesy photo | PCA The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced that Madison Gettys, a senior at Pinnacle Classical Academy, has been named a Commended Student in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Monica Dellinger, the school's Dean of Secondary Education, presented a letter of commendation from the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts t

Staff reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College has joined other community colleges across the state in partnering with North Carolina State University on the Wolfpack Connect Guaranteed Admission Agreement. The agreement creates a seamless and supportive pathway for CCC students enrolled in eligible academic programs to transfer to NC State and complete their bachelor’s degrees. These students will be able to transition to NC State with guaranteed adm

Crest High School FFA Veterinary Science CDE Team earned recognition as first place team in the southwest region at the NC FFA State Competition this past Saturday at Lee County High School.

The four-year graduation rate was the highest in a decade, increasing to 87.7%, from 87% in 2023-24.

The new parent portal is ready for the school year.