Davie County Schools reports smooth start; early-college enrollment up and state test results due

Davie County Schools Superintendent Dr. Belcher told the board that the district opened the school year with what he called a "great opening last week," reporting roughly 6,100 students and 815 full-time employees and an estimated 96% of positions filled.

The superintendent said the Early College High School enrolled "over a 140 students" with a freshman class of about 43, and that district staff expect the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to release last school year’s end-of-year test results this week; the board will receive a fuller report in October. "You may not have known this, but, leading up to the opening of school, we had some professional development. Over 35 professional development opportunities were presented to our staff," Belcher said.

Why it matters: staffing levels, test results and early-college enrollment affect class sizes, course offerings and counseling workloads. The early-college enrollment increase signals changes in postsecondary planning for the district's high-school students and may affect dual-enrollment logistics with partner colleges.

Key operational items Belcher reported: - Staffing: He estimated the district is around 96% staffed, with vacancies concentrated in instructional assistants (particularly in exceptional children programs), some classified positions and a handful of bus drivers. He noted recruitment and the online job board as ongoing tools. - Testing and accountability: NCDPI is scheduled to release statewide end-of-year results; the district will brief the board in October when data are available. - Early College and NC College Connect: The early college has increased enrollment to over 140 students. Belcher described the NC College Connect program—an expanded state program that sends automatic-admission letters to eligible juniors and seniors at participating UNC-system institutions—and urged families to contact high-school counselors if students receive notices. He cautioned that not all universities participate. - Technology: The district prepared more than 6,000 Chromebooks for the school year, repurposed older computer labs for instructional space, and is piloting AI tools at the high school (noted examples: Gemini and Copilot). Middle- and high-school students have individual password ownership. - Transportation and safety: Parents can track buses using the Where's the Bus parent app; the district continues to work on bus routes and assignments while hiring drivers. - Student health and nursing services: School nurses recorded 18,275 individual health encounters last school year; Belcher said 93% of those encounters resulted in the child receiving care and returning to class rather than being sent home. Nurses also completed hundreds of counseling sessions and staff visits, and coordinated services such as vision screening, diabetes support, medication administration and a Novant Health mobile mammogram unit for staff. - Summer feeding and operations: The child nutrition department served 59,700 meals over the summer. Belcher also noted internships and practicum placements for aspiring administrators and teachers.

Board members thanked staff for the summer work and noted the volume of behind-the-scenes preparation. Belcher also reminded the board that the State Board of Education approved a new five-year strategic plan; the district intends to update its own strategic plan this school year.

No formal board action was required on these items during the report.

Ending: The board is scheduled to receive a detailed accountability report in October after NCDPI posts the statewide results.