Week 9: March 2-6, 2026
The purpose of this newsletter is to keep all of our Eagle families connected to what’s going on around campus, to deliver important information, and to have a place where everyone can come to get the information they need.
Want to see something different in the newsletter? Email Katie Rogers.
Important Dates
| Date | Event | Impacted Groups |
| March 3 | No School – Primary Elections (Teacher Workday) | All Students |
| March 6 | East High’s Got Talent Show ($5 Entry, 6:00pm) | Open to the Public |
| March 7 | Saturday School (9am-3pm, $20) | All Students Needing Attendance Recovery |
| March 9 | Eagle Flight Night | Open to All Students & Rising 9th Graders |
| Dairio Spirit Night (5-8pm) | Open to the Public | |
| March 11 | Registration Day | All 9th, 10th & 11th Graders |
| March 13 | Pep Rally | All Students & Staff |
| March 16-20 | Spring Break | All Students & Staff |
| March 22 | End of Q3 Grading Period | All Students |
| March 23-April 2 | Pathfinders Mentoring | All 9th & 10th Graders |
Thank You, Bus Drivers!
In case you missed it…
Last week, we honored our bus drivers as a finale to Love the Bus Month. We are so thankful for these drivers and their willingness to serve East High students in this way.
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| Mr. Saltz drives Bus 193 in both the morning and afternoon, and he has been a great addition to our transportation team this year! Mr. Saltz is extremely reliable and always wants to do the best job at everything he handles during the school day, and we are so thankful for that attitude. He says he absolutely loves seeing the beautiful sunrises during his morning route each day! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Mr. Saltz! | Ms. Veronica has been driving the bus for many years and has loved every second of it! She currently drives Bus 198, and she loves the kids she has had–watching them grow is very special to her! There are few drivers that love driving as much as Veronica, and we are so lucky to have her as a part of the Eagle family! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Ms. Veronica! | Mr. Cannon drives Bus 217 for us, as well as a midday route, and he is incredibly dedicated to his role on our transportation team. He says “I love the staff and students–especially the friendships I’ve made and developed over the years as a driver.” There’s not a day that goes by that Mr. Cannon doesn’t make us smile and laugh, as he brings joy wherever he goes. Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Mr. Cannon! | Mr. McClure has been driving for many years. In fact, he started driving a bus during his junior year of high school, and he never looked back! Now, he drives Bus 230 during both mornings and afternoons, and he spends his evenings cheering for our Eagles in the athletic arena! We appreciate Mr. McClure’s dedication to doing a great job for us and for his Eagle pride, which is always on display! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Mr. McClure! |
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| Mrs. Wall is in her fourth year behind the wheel, and she currently drives Bus 227 in the afternoons for East. She loves all the conversations and laughs with her students. Mrs. Wall takes pride in being a former East student herself and being someone everyone can count on! She is the perfect person for students to end their day with, and she takes great pride in doing a great job as part of our transportation team. Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Mrs. Wall! | Ms. Sonya graduated from East High and has been a proud Eagle ever since, especially now as she drives Bus 229 for us in the mornings and afternoons! She says, “I have a great group of kids!” It really matters to her that she does a great job for us, and we are so thankful that she chooses to drive for us reliably and happily! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Ms. Sonya! | Coach Brackett drives Bus 227 in the mornings, and he also drives for our athletic department. He starts our students’ day with a smile and a great attitude. Coach’s favorite memory is having hydraulic fluid exploding on his feet! There’s never a dull moment while driving a bus! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Coach Brackett! | Mr. Reed drives Bus 235 for East during the morning and afternoon, and the only time he has ever missed a route was the year he was invited to attend the Teacher of the Year Banquet. He is as reliable as they come! Mr. Reed loves his bus riders and has been able to really see them grow over the years. He says, “My favorite memory was sliding down a dark mountain on ice” and we sure are glad he got out of that situation safely! That is a testament to his skill and “cool under pressure” mentality behind the wheel! Thank you for serving as a bus driver, Mr. Reed! |
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Sub drivers are a crucial part of any transportation team, as they are always at the ready to jump in and cover a route as needed. These drivers are quick on their feet, are flexible, and take time to get to know many different routes so be as helpful as possible. East High is lucky to be able to call on these sub drivers to help us out when we’re in a pinch!:
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Activity bus drivers are often unsung heroes in the bus world. These drivers went the extra mile to obtain a CDL so they could support their athletic teams or other student groups to make competitions and field trips much easier for everyone. These drivers also occasionally step in as sub drivers for yellow buses and things like moving activity buses from school to school. East High is thankful for this awesome group of activity bus drivers:
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Settle Your Lunch Accounts
Several students have accumulated lunch charges in the cafeteria. These charges must be paid off for students to remain in good standing with Child Nutrition. For seniors especially, unpaid charges will prevent them from receiving their diploma until charges are paid. To add money to your student’s account, please visit www.k12paymentcenter.com and log in. You can manage all of your children from one account.
If you would like to apply for free or reduced lunch, you may visit www.lunchapplication.com to fill out the application if you have not already done so this year. If you need help finding out what your child owes, please email our Child Nutrition Manager, Melanie Quann-Metcalf for assistance.
East High’s Got Talent 2026 – Friday March 6th at 6:00pm!
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Don’t Miss the East High’s Got Talent Show! Join us on Friday, March 6th at 6:00 PM in the auditorium for a night full of culture, comedy, and music. Admission is $5, and all proceeds go toward the AXEL Scholarship, helping seniors pursue their college dreams. An unforgettable experience for a great cause! ¡Ven al Concurso de Talentos de East High! Este viernes 6 de marzo a las 6:00 PM en el auditorio, disfruta de una noche llena de talento, comedia, música y cultura. La entrada cuesta $5 y todos los fondos recaudados se destinarán a la Beca AXEL, apoyando a los estudiantes para que puedan alcanzar sus sueños universitarios. ¡Una noche inolvidable por una causa que realmente importa! |
Mark Your Calendar – Dairio Spirit Night, March 9th!
EHHS Registration Day is Coming March 11th!
Registration Day is coming for all current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders! On March 11th, students will make selections for the 2026-2027 school year for both their core classes and electives under the guidance of both the admin team and the counseling staff. Students will be called down to the Media Center in groups to accomplish this. Please look over the slides we shared with students in Homeroom to help your student make their class selections ahead of time.
Community Prom Dress & Formal Wear Event
Eagle of the Week
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| Give it up for our student section squad–especially Taylor, Caitlin, Alyssa & Shelby!!! They’ve come out to every basketball game we’ve had this year, always showing us how to show our EAGLE PRIDE. They were even at the Smoky Mountain tournament, showing support, helping our players power through each game. THANK YOU ALL for showing up and showing other schools what East is all about!!! GO EAGLES! |
Semester 2 Attendance Recovery
Attendance matters. Please make every effort to be at school every day. Missing school means missing valuable instruction. Should a student go over 5 absences for one or more classes, they will have the following opportunities for attendance recovery throughout the semester.
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Saturday School will be offered this semester on the following dates:
Saturday School requires advanced sign-up and costs $20 per Saturday. Students may earn up to 6 hours of attendance recovery per Saturday. |
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Morning Attendance Recovery will be offered twice per week this year on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6:45-7:45am in Mr. Rotton’s room (B-2). Morning recovery begins March 9th. No advanced sign-up is necessary, and no students will be let in after 6:45am. Please make sure you have things to work on during this time. Each morning recovery session recovers one absence. |
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After School Tutoring will be offered three days per week starting March 9th – Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – from 3:15-4:15pm in Mrs. Wodzicki’s room (F-10). Transportation will not be provided, so please make arrangements to be picked up at 4:15pm if attending. Each after school tutoring session recovers one absence. IMPORTANT: While attendance recovery is awarded for this time, students must be present for tutoring and academic work. |
Eagle Flight Night is Coming – Monday, March 9th!
This Week in Eagle Country
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| On Thursday, our Gator Wars Team brought their A-game to the competition at James River John Deere in Salisbury, NC! The team showed off their skills, determination, and FFA spirit as the took on the challenge and represented us proudly. From problem-solving to teamwork, they demonstrated what it truly means to be leaders in action. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication! Thank you to James River John Deere for hosting such an awesome event. | |
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| On Friday, our awesome FFA cooked and delivered a delicious breakfast to the entire staff as a finale to FFA Week. The FFA Officers swapped their blue jackets for aprons and cooked up a perfect spread of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage. Thank you for recognizing our deserving teachers in this way, FFA! | |
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| DECA team members Cadance Seelig, Sydney Stepp, Kaily Chavez, and Emily Pena Alejos attended the state competition this past weekend to put their skills up against DECA members from across the state. Kaily received a medal for earning the top test score in the Sport & Event Marketing event. Congratulations to these young ladies and to their teacher leaders, Mrs. Lowry and Mrs. Ashe. | |
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| On Saturday, several students volunteered to give our bus drivers one final surprise for Love the Bus Month – a clean bus! Shamila, Blake, Colton, Jackie, Autumn, Phae, and Hailey did a great job cleaning our entire fleet – 11 buses in total! Great work, Eagles! | |
Go Eagles!
#WeAreEast #OnTheRise #GoEagles2K26