Gaston County Schools

09/03/2026

WOO-HOO! Gaston County Schools has achieved its highest graduation rate ever – 90 percent.

▪ When the state first calculated the graduation rate in 2005-2006, Gaston County’s rate was 68.1 percent.

▪ Our graduation rate of 90 percent is higher (+1.2) than the state rate of 88.8 for the Class of 2026.

▪ Superintendent Houchard stated, “We appreciate the hard work of our high schools to ensure that more seniors are crossing the graduation stage to receive a diploma.”

09/03/2026

Well… THAT escalated quickly.

When one of your high school marching bands makes SportsCenter!

Way to go, Redmond Slaughter, an East Gaston High School Marching Band drummer who went viral for playing the drums blindfolded!

East Gaston Band

09/03/2026

Great job, Bessemer City Central Elementary, for recognizing the hard work of your staff! Their dedication to student growth helped raise proficiency scores by nearly 8 points and the school’s performance score by more than 10 points. What an amazing accomplishment!

09/03/2026

Take a look at our Week 1 photos from East Gaston High School at North Gaston High School. Check out the action!

Photos by: Brian Mayhew, Carolina Topshots

09/02/2026

Just a quick reminder: Monday (September 7) is Labor Day, so there will be no school for students or staff. Enjoy the long weekend, and we'll see everyone back on Tuesday!

09/02/2026

TEST RESULTS ARE IN: Today, the State Board of Education released testing and accountability data for the 2025-2026, and there is good news for Gaston County Schools.

SUMMARY: Read in-depth on our website (link below)
▪ 92 percent of schools meeting or exceeding academic growth expectations
▪ Highest year-to-year increase in student proficiency on state tests
▪ Graduation rate reaches an all-time high of 90 percent
▪ No schools with an F school performance grade
▪ Innovation Schools model a game changer for overall higher academic performance

Click on the link below to read the news release.
https://www.gaston.k12.nc.us/departments/communications/test-scores-2025-2026

09/02/2026

Congratulations to the Pinewood Elementary cafeteria staff for earning a 100% on their recent health inspection!

We are so proud of our amazing cafeteria staff for earning a 100 on their sanitation rating! 💯 We are thankful for the hard work, positivity, and smiling faces they bring to Pinewood every single day. 😄 Way to go, Cafeteria Team! 🦔

09/01/2026

Missed last week’s live football pep rally at East Gaston High School? Relive the excitement by visiting the link in the comments to watch the pep rally.

08/31/2026

Check out the amazing talent of this East Gaston High School Marching Band drummer playing in the stands Friday night!

08/31/2026

Watch Channel 21 – School TV at (gaston.k12.nc.us/channel21) for a look at what is airing this week, August 31-September 6 in Gaston County Schools. Programs can be viewed on Spectrum Channel 21 or on the district website.

Board of Education Good News Recognition for August
10:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m.

Friday Night Football Pep Rally @ East Gaston High School
9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m.

Gaston County Schools Bulletin Board
11:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

Gaston College Spotlight (an interview featuring Garin Hyde, a former student in the Broadcasting and Production Technology program, who shares about photography, voice acting, and video games)
8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Vlada’s Seeds of Life: Cooking and Kids
Episode: It’s Pizza Time
12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Meet the Author
Episode: Sharon Draper
3:00 p.m.

SMITHSONIAN HOUR on Channel 21
4:00 - 5:00 p.m. (back-to-back programs)
STEM in 30
Episode: Birds, Bats, Bugs, and Brothers
Smithsonian Science How?
Episode: How Fossils Explain the Rise of Dinosaurs