EDENTON — With a burst of school pride, a friendly game of Rock-Paper-Scissors and a lineup of speakers spanning generations of the district, Edenton-Chowan Public Schools welcomed staff back to the classroom Friday morning at the system’s 2026-2027 convocation.

The event, held ahead of the new school year, blended tradition with celebration as administrators, teachers, parents and community partners gathered to mark the start of another year — and to recognize the people who make it happen.

“On behalf of the Edenton-Chowan Board of Education, it is my honor to welcome you to our 2026–2027 Convocation,” said Ricky Browder, a member of the ECPS Board of Education, in his opening remarks. “Today we gather not only to begin a new school year, but to celebrate the dedication, resilience, and heart that each of you brings to Edenton-Chowan Public Schools. Together, we are building a brighter future—one student, one classroom, and one day at a time.”

And yes, while I could’ve used a different photo with the story, this one of two Aces’ football players defying gravity while celebrating a win — well, for me, that’s symbolic for the year ahead for teachers, students, staff, parents and the community, where with faith, we’ll all be winners.

Following an invocation from Sherrone Battle of the Edenton-Chowan Board of Education, John A. Holmes High School’s JROTC Color Guard presented the colors, and students led the Pledge of Allegiance to open the morning’s program.

Students in Edenton-Chowan Public Schools are set to return to classrooms Monday.

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Schools Show Their Spirit

Before the formal remarks began, CTE Director Tracy White got the crowd on its feet with an idea born over the summer: each school’s administrative team picked a “walk-out song” meant to capture its personality.

“Each of our schools has its own personality, its own energy, and its own unique team,” White told the audience, before introducing the Cubbies of White Oak Elementary, the Hornets of D.F. Walker Elementary, the Bulldawgs of Chowan Middle School and, drawing some of the loudest cheers of the morning, “the ACES of John A Holmes High School” — a nod to the high school’s new building and what White called “a brand new attitude.”

Central Office and district employees closed out the introductions, each school standing and cheering as its song played.

White also led the room through a lighthearted Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament, instructing employees to pair off for quick matches with a twist: losers didn’t sit down, they joined the winner’s growing cheering section. “If you lose, you’re not out! You become the official cheering section for the person who beat you,” White explained, as the game built toward two final contestants backed by the rest of the room split into rival camps.

The district also recognized guests from the ECPS Board of Education, the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce, the Chowan County Board of Commissioners, the Edenton Town Council, local law enforcement, Smart-Start Partnership, the Edenton-Chowan Partnership and the Edenton-Chowan Education Foundation, each group standing to applause as their names were called.

A Graduate Returns to Say Thank You

One of the morning’s more personal moments came from Jonathan Spears, a 2024 graduate of John A. Holmes High School now studying accounting at Appalachian State University. Introduced by Casey Spear, Spears returned to reflect on how Edenton-Chowan teachers shaped his path.

“Edenton is home to me, and throughout my journey to graduation, school has been my home away from home,” Spears said. “Being able to go to school is a privilege each student should appreciate.”

Spears credited teachers including Micah Lynch, Heather Terrel and Brandon Young with helping him work through difficult moments as a student. “With the support of my teachers, counselors, and principals, I was able to understand myself and grow as a person,” he said.

He recalled being sent to Young’s classroom during rough patches in school — not as punishment, he said, but because Young made it his mission to understand what was behind his behavior. Spears said that kind of support turned him from self-described “class clown” into someone who could balance humor with focus.

He also thanked a string of math teachers — Rhonda Tynch, Gwen Hughson, Micah Lynch, and teachers he knew as Whitehurst and Turner — for sparking his interest in numbers, recalling how he’d stubbornly insisted on solving problems by hand instead of reaching for a calculator.

“Edenton Chowan Schools has had an impact on me as a person and my career,” Spears told the crowd, sharing plans to finish his degree at Appalachian State and pursue a graduate accounting program with an eye toward the CPA exam. “I hope you all have an amazing year getting to know your students and mentoring them. You may never know the impact you can leave on a student.”

Principals from each school took turns introducing new hires joining their buildings this year, part of a segment titled “New Faces & New Spaces” led by Michelle Newsome.

“We know that starting somewhere new takes courage,” Newsome told the new employees. “It takes a willingness to learn, to build relationships, and to become part of something bigger than yourself. And we are so glad you chose to do that here.”

New staff members were introduced school by school, standing as their names were called before the room.

School, Home, Community

The morning’s central theme — school, home and community — carried through several speakers representing each piece of that partnership.

Sara Del Carmen Gonzalez Preciado, a parent representative on the White Oak Elementary School Improvement Team and mother of three, spoke on behalf of families districtwide. Introduced by ML tutor Lucy McKellar as someone who “brings the home perspective,” Preciado’s appearance underscored a point McKellar made in her introduction: “Strong schools are built when parents feel welcomed, valued, informed, and empowered to be active partners in their children’s education.”

Bill Blake represented United Way, discussing the organization’s role connecting community resources to the families who need them. Susan Creed spoke on behalf of the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce, and Brooke Rich represented the Edenton-Chowan Education Foundation — rounding out a lineup meant to show, as Newsome put it earlier in the program, that schools “cannot do this work alone.”

Honoring the District’s Best

A significant portion of Friday’s program was dedicated to the district’s “Of the Year” awards, recognizing staff across every role in the school system.

Deanna Blount was named Bus Driver of the Year, with Amanda Goodwin telling the crowd that bus drivers are “the first smile students see in the morning and the last goodbye in the afternoon.” Phyllis Ricks was honored as Child Nutrition Manager of the Year, and Brandi Richardson received the EC Teacher of Excellence award. Shawnie Jordan was named CTE Teacher of the Year.

Support Staff of the Year honors went to Carolyn Leary of White Oak Elementary, who is retiring; Kristy Knight of D.F. Walker Elementary; Doris Wills of Chowan Middle School; and Erika Alexander of John A. Holmes High School.

Jeremiah Brown of Chowan Middle School, previously honored at a separate Beginning Teacher of the Year celebration, received recognition again Friday as the winner of the Brenda B. Winborne Beginning Teacher of the Year award.

School-level Teacher of the Year honors went to Allison Layton of White Oak, Logan Kelly of D.F. Walker, Elizabeth Barnes of Chowan Middle School and Dawn Ligas of John A. Holmes High School. Kelly went on to be named the district’s overall Teacher of the Year and will advance to compete at the regional level.

Viridiana Arzate was named Assistant Principal of the Year, and Micah Lynch — thanked earlier in the morning by Spears for her role in his own path through school — was named Principal of the Year.

Let’s end on this note from Superintendent Ward — “Our core belief is simple yet powerful: Students should never have to choose between the community that shaped them and their dreams. We believe they can do both. Putting our beliefs into action cannot be done in isolation. Our Schools, Homes, and Community serve as the lighthouse on the shore, providing both the steady foundation our children need and the bright light that guides them toward their biggest goals. We must be committed to building strong foundations and active partnerships that empower our teachers and every student.”