East Meck PTSO Updates – March 24, 2026 |
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This Week at East Meck! 🦅
Here’s what’s happening around campus and with your PTSO:
- 🗣️ Important: East Meck IB Feeder Changes – CMS is proposing to change which middle schools feed into East Meck's IB program. We encourage all families to review the proposal and stay informed. Six in-person sessions will be held on March 30 at East Meck to share and gather feedback on these magnet program changes. Randolph Middle School would feed into the new E.E. Waddell IB program, Piedmont IB would feed into West Charlotte High School and only Marie G. Davis Middle School would feed into East Meck.
- 🧵 Sewing Machines & Supplies Needed – Have a sewing machine or supplies you’re not using? East Meck’s Arts Department needs sewing machines, irons, fabric, scissors, and accessories. Contact Ms. Armstrong if you can help.
- 🌍 Host an International Student – Host a student from Lille, France this summer (June 12–July 6) or consider hosting through CIEE for the 2026–27 school year. Interested families can contact Mme Dawn Young for details.
- 📸 PTSO Grants in Action – As we celebrate 75 years of East Meck, PTSO grants recently funded new cameras for the photojournalism program at East Mecklenburg High School. Help us meet all 2026 grant requests by donating at emptso.org/donate.
- 🦅 East Meck 75th Anniversary Celebration Apr. 17 – Join East Mecklenburg High School at 3:30 PM as students, alumni, families, and staff come together to celebrate 75 Years of Excellence and Eagle pride! 💙
- 💡 FAFSA Drop-in Session March 31 from 5–7 PM at Independence Regional Library. Students and families can receive one-on-one guidance from experts from CMS, CFNC and UNCC to make completing your FAFSA easier.
- 🎓 Adopt a Senior – Help support graduating Eagles with senior-year expenses like prom, graduation, and events. Every donation makes a difference—contribute today through the PTSO PayPal link.
- 🥋 Free Teen Self-Defense Class – On April 20, Independence Regional Library is hosting a free self-defense class for teens (ages 12–18), taught by Martial Arts University instructors. Register here.
- 🌟 Join the PTSO! – Stay connected, support our staff and students, and help make East Meck even better! Join today »
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Donate Sewing Machines & Supplies
Have a sewing machine that's not being used? East Meck's Arts department is in need of sewing machines for upcoming units. Other items needed include irons, fabric, scissors and sewing accessories. If you have something to donate, please reach out to Ms. Armstrong at jessem.armstrong@cms.k12.nc.us. |
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Host French Exchange Students
Several of our East Meck families participated in hosting students from Lille, France this past October, and our partner organization Terre des Langues is offering us another opportunity this coming June 12-July 6! We are looking for four more host families for high school student boys.
If this summer does not work for you to host, there are also opportunities to host an international student through the Council for International Educational Exchanges (CIEE) in the 2026-27 school year for either a semester or the full academic year. The students will arrive in August 2026 and stay into mid-June 2027 - what a wonderful way to enrich both your family's and a young person's life cross-culturally!
If either of these opportunities are something which your family might be interested in doing, please contact Mme Dawn Young @ dawnl.young@cms.k12.nc.us for more information. Let's welcome the world to East Meck! |
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East Meck IB Feeder Changes
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' Draft Plan in Response to the 2024 Comprehensive Review involves significant changes to magnet programs throughout the district, including East Mecklenburg High School. For instance, Randolph Middle School would be an IB feeder school for the new E.E. Waddell IB program instead of East Meck, Piedmont IB would feed into West Charlotte High School and only Marie G. Davis Middle School would feed into East Meck.
Throughout the month of March, CMS will engage in engagement sessions with staff, students, families, community partners and community members. Six in-person sessions will be held on Monday, March 30, at East Mecklenburg High School in the auditorium. Each 75-minute session will include a video overview of the Draft Plan in Response to the 2024 Comprehensive Review and facilitated feedback, with additional options for written and online feedback available through the CMS website.
We encourage East Mecklenburg families to attend to learn more about these changes to our magnet program and feeder schools. Here are the start times:
- 7:30 a.m.
- 9:30 a.m.
- 11:30 a.m.
- 1:30 p.m.
- 3:30 p.m.
- 5:30 p.m.
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Celebrating 75 Years of East Meck!
We are excited to invite you to join us as East Mecklenburg High School celebrates 75 Years of Excellence on Friday, April 17, 2026, with events beginning at 3:30 PM. This milestone celebration will bring together current students, families, alumni, former staff, and community members for an evening filled with connection, pride, and Eagle spirit.
This celebration is about honoring our past, celebrating our present, and building our future. We want to reach as many alumni and former staff members as possible. Please:
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Share our flyer, Facebook event and website (bit.ly/eastmeck75) with alumni, former students, neighbors, and community members who have a connection to East Meck.
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Post on social media and alumni pages.
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Encourage decades to reconnect and attend together!
Thank you for being part of the East Meck family. We look forward to celebrating 75 years of excellence with you!
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Supporting East Meck: PTSO Direct Giving
We love our school, students, and faculty, and we want to support them as much as possible. We have a lot to celebrate this year including 75 Years of East Meck!
Recently, a grant from the PTSO helped purchase a camera set for the photojournalism class. According to the teacher, Mr. Johnson, this class covers news, journalism, and digital media. This special program is part of what makes East Meck stand out, and we are happy to support it with new equipment.
Just a reminder that anyone can donate to the PTSO Direct Give fund including parents, friends, family members, alumni, and other supporters. Donate today so we can meet all the grant requests for 2026: emptso.org/donate.
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The following individual donors have contributed $100 or more
to the PTSO Direct Giving Campaign for the 2025-2026 school year:
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Mary Beth Ausman
Maggie Baldwin
Karen and John Barnash
Ben Brookhart
Laura Caldwell
Rebecca Cheatham
George Christopoulos
Corey Coggins
Angela Daley
Dave Dougherty
Christie Driscoll
Christina Drogaris
Tere Druen
Stacy Feldstein
Heather Flohr
Kelly Gervais
Jim and Heidi Giffin
Candace Gilman
Jenny Greenspon
Hanks Family
Christine Haynes & Mark Wilson
Carol Hubbard
Shirley & Robert Ivey
Amanda Jaffe
Andy and Tracy Jenkins
Sally Jenkins
Victoria Johnson
Michelle Jones
Karen Kirk
Pam Kingsley
Lorie Lewis
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Jiwon Lilly
Erin Lind
Shannon Loeffler
Cecily Manejwala
Beth Mclaughlin
Laura Michaud
Roger and Erin Mills
Carol Mitchell
Maya Myers
Kathy Norman
Genie Ombach
Maria Papanikolaou
Chris & Jody Para
Alison Parrella
Sara Piner
Jenny Plyler
Ryan Rich
Deyna Rogers
Lauren Sawyers
Elizabeth Stearns
Cathy Schuver-Stitt
April Storey
Caryn Sutorus
Kam Tai
Jill Tan
William Taylor
Beth Thomspon
Julia Trimakas
Kim Tyson
Leah Zanville
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Adopt a Senior
The PTSO is boosting our “Adopt a Senior” event, aimed at helping our graduating students with senior expenses. The East Meck community is a pillar of support, so help us ensure that every student is able to celebrate this achievement without financial stress. Every contribution, big or small, will help cover costs for prom, graduation, senior events and other essential expenses. To donate, please visit our PayPal link. Thank you for your generosity and support! |
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East Meck LinkedIn
Did you know that East Meck has a LinkedIn page for students, staff and alumni to link to and follow? Connect to it here.
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Join the PTSO!
Make a difference at East Meck by becoming a PTSO member. If you haven’t joined yet this year, fill out this quick form to sign up. As a member, you’ll help support our staff and students, stay up to date on school news and volunteer opportunities, and be part of a community of parents, teachers, and students working together to make East Meck even better. Join today!
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Stay Connected
Get all the East Meck PTSO updates through our weekly email newsletter, which comes out every Tuesday, our Facebook and Instagram pages, and our website www.EMPTSO.org. |
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Upcoming Events:
- Monday, March 30 – CMS Community Engagement Sessions
- Tuesday, March 31, 5-7pm – FAFSA Workshop at Independence Regional Library
- April 3-12 – Spring Break
- Tuesday, April 14, 7pm – PTSO Meeting (virtual)
- Friday, April 17, 3:30pm – East Meck 75th Anniversary Celebration
- Tuesday, May 12, 7:30am – PTSO Meeting (in-person and virtual)
- Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day (No School)
- Wednesday, June 10 – Last Day of School
- Saturday, June 13, 7pm – Graduation
Other Resources:
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