Rockingham County Schools Announces Jason Hyler as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

Jason Hyler has been named the new Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Rockingham County Schools, effective July 1, 2026. He will serve under a four-year contract.

A graduate of Rockingham County Schools, Hyler brings 25 years of experience as a teacher, coach, school leader, and district administrator. A native of Eden, North Carolina, he began his career as an exceptional children’s teacher and coach at Morehead High School. He later transitioned into school leadership, serving as an assistant principal at both the elementary and middle school levels before becoming principal at Stoneville Elementary School.

In 2015, Hyler moved to the district level as Director of Testing and Accountability, where he led assessment systems and supported schools in using data to improve instruction. In 2022, he expanded his leadership responsibilities by also serving as Director of Secondary Schools, working closely with middle and high school principals to strengthen leadership and instructional practices across the district.

“I’m honored to continue serving Rockingham County Schools in this role,” said Hyler. “This work is about supporting our schools, staying focused on instruction, and making sure every student has the opportunity to succeed. We have a strong foundation in place, and I’m looking forward to continuing to build on that with our schools and leadership teams.”

Please join us for the All-County ART show April 17, 2026 from 5pm-7pm at Reidsville High School's new gym. There will be food trucks, raffle, and a supply drive.

Congratulations to McMichael High School for winning the NC TSA Small Chapter of the Year for the fourth year in a row—an incredible accomplishment!

We also want to recognize and celebrate all of the students who placed in their respective events. Your hard work, creativity, and dedication continue to set a high standard of excellence.

We are proud of your achievements and the way you represent your school and Rockingham County Schools.

McMichael High School Awards:
First place pin design. Megan Smith
Second place pin Design. Sarai Torres-Zuniga
First place System Control Technology. Eitan Castends-Pineda, TreVon Stewart, Fisher St. Clair
Third place Robotics. Trevon Stewart, Eitan Castaneda-Pineda, Samuel Gunter, Fisher St. Clair
Third place CAD architecture. Megan Smith

Rockingham County Middle School Awards:
First Place Dragster Design. Blake Butler
First place Promotional Marketing. Blake Butler

Reidsville High School and Skill Struck. Skill Struck delivers adaptive K–12 computer science and AI solutions that promote equitable learning. Our comprehensive curriculum, including AI literacy courses, helps students build foundational coding skills, explore advanced programming, and understand how to engage thoughtfully with emerging technologies.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cCF7xgozZWdAe4BsVwUm8Bsc5zuEuRUI/view?usp=gmail

RCS Spring Break shutdown. Energy saving recommendations for families and our staff.

The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has announced that SUN Bucks will be back for Summer 2026! SUN Bucks (Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer, EBT, Program) provides grocery benefits to eligible families with school-aged children during the summer months. Eligible students receive a one-time payment during the summer, loaded to an EBT card that can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets and some online retailers. Many kids are automatically enrolled; some may need to apply.

Please update your contact info by March 31, 2026 if there have been any changes to ensure the timely delivery of SUN Bucks communications and benefits.

RCS Immunization and Health Assessment Requirements. We aim to promote student health requirements from spring through the start of the new school year in effort to avoid student exclusions at the deadlines. Nurses also support this effort through paper copies of information, dojo messages and messages. Please take a moment to view the attached and contact us if you have any questions.

Rockingham County Health Department upcoming family community events. Each event includes: Community resources, Health info for families, parents, guardians and little ones of all ages Spanish language support Lots of FREEBIES!

Western Rockingham Middle School hosted the 2025-26 Middle School All-County Band Concert on Thursday, March 19. Thank you to our guest conductor Ben Keith from Northern Guilford Middle School in Guilford County.

RCS Kindergarten Registration for the 2026–2027 school year begins March 30, 2026. Seats are available for students who will be 5 years old on or before August 31, 2026. To help ensure a smooth registration experience, families are encouraged to plan early and begin gathering the documents needed to complete the kindergarten boarding process.

https://youtu.be/jZg62A30-78

A National Conference features two Rockingham County Schools staff and one of our students. South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual gathering in Austin, Texas that combines leaders and fans of music, film, tech, and education each spring. From March 9-12, EdNC attended SXSW EDU to listen as North Carolina students, teachers, leaders, policy advisors, and more represented our state by presenting to an engaged education audience from around the nation.

Our Rockingham County Schools Moriah Dollarhite with human resources participated in a panel about hybrid teaching models that boost student outcomes. She spoke about structuring support around beginning teachers with the help of Public Impact.

A sophomore from Rockingham Early College High School, Helena Ortiz, is working with PBS News Student Reporting Labs and sat on a panel with fellow student reporters. She is cohosting the upcoming sixth season of the On Our Minds podcast which talks about teen life in all corners of the nation.

Dr. Emma Humphries is the chief education officer at iCivics, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to advancing civic learning. She began a panel conversation at SXSW by delivering the results of a survey and selected Valencia Abbott, a veteran social studies educator at Rockingham Early College High School, to be on the panel.

Abbott was recently named the 2025 National History Teacher of the Year. Abbott said, “I’ve always taught these principles, these strategies, these topics in my classroom. I’ve never shied away from anything in the classroom. What is different is my preparation for my lessons.” She is checking her own biases and researching her sources more. She is coming to class extra prepared for whatever questions her students may have.

Abbott’s philosophy around teaching hard things is to enable and encourage her students to find themselves in history. If she is presented with a historical event she hasn’t taught, but it is part of her student’s community, she adds to the curriculum.

“If the kids trust that you’re giving them the best information that you have, then you can go forward with your work,” said Abbott.

Great work representing Rockingham County Schools.

2026-2027 Reassignment Applications are now available.

The 2026-2027 reassignment school applications are now available in each school's front office, RCS Central Office, or on the RCS website under the Parents and Students section.

https://www.rock.k12.nc.us/page/request-of-reassignment

Only those who are requesting a new school reassignment need to apply. The deadline for submission is set for May 1, 2026. For any further questions, you may call the Student Assignment Office at 336-627-2689.

Rockingham County Schools will be holding a public hearing on March 23, 2026 starting at 6pm. This meeting will be held at the Central Administrative Offices located at 511 Harrington Highway Eden, NC 27288. The meeting will be in regards to the 26-27 Budget and the merger of Moss Street/South End elementary schools.

Rockingham County Schools’ Nutrition staff are serving Lucky Charms Yogurt Parfaits to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!!

Rockingham County Schools to merge South End and Moss Street Elementary schools meeting has been moved to Tomorrow night March 17th.

Rockingham County Schools Staff and Families: The safety of our staff and families remains our top priority, and we are committed to keeping you informed. Due to the threat of severe weather tomorrow which could affect bus travel in the afternoon, Rockingham County Schools will be closed with an optional teacher workday for Monday March 16th. RCS Kids Companion Child Care Program will open at normal times. All scheduled meetings are canceled and will be rescheduled. The mandatory teacher workday scheduled for Monday March 23rd will be a regular attendance day to make up for this Monday.

Congratulations! The membership of the North Carolina Association for the Gifted and Talented
(NCAGT) has selected Tri-City Automotive Group as the recipient of the 2026 NCAGT Business
Supporting Gifted Education Award. Tri City Automotive was awarded the 2026 NCAGT Business Supporting Gifted Education Award at the annual NC Association of Gifted and Talented annual conference on March 12, 2026. Tri City sponsors our high school Academic Challenge Competition and provides scholarships for our high school ACC team members. Mr. Sam Coates has been a tremendous supporter of RCS for many years.

Rockingham County Schools Board of Education has approved the 2026-2027 Traditional and Early College/CTE Calendars. Visit our website or see the attached calendars for more information.

Ms. Elizabeth Covell announces her retirement as Director of Federal Programs, effective July 1, after 30 years of credited service to Rockingham County Schools. Over the course of her career, she had the opportunity to serve in a variety of roles including classroom teacher, instructional leader, assistant principal, principal, and district leader, most recently serving as Director of Federal Programs. These experiences allowed her to work with schools across the district and in each of its zones, giving her the chance to collaborate with many dedicated educators, students, and families. Along the way, she was grateful to be part of initiatives such as helping launch the SPLASH program and supporting a school that was recognized as a North Carolina State Title I Distinguished School.
Ms. Covell shares that the greatest joy of her career has always been the opportunity to work with students and families and to serve the school community. She credits much of her love for education and service to the example set by her parents—her mother, a teacher who cared deeply for her students, and her father, who encouraged her curiosity and love of learning. As she begins this next chapter, Ms. Covell looks forward to spending more time with family and friends and continuing her creative journey through art. She also plans to stay connected to education by continuing to teach and coach in ways that allow her to support others and share what she has learned. She leaves Rockingham County Schools with gratitude for the colleagues, students, and families. Covell states: “As I retire from RCS I want to thank those who gave me the opportunity to serve this district. It has truly been an honor to work alongside such dedicated colleagues and to support the students and families in our community. I am grateful for the experiences and the many moments that have made this work so meaningful and special.”