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New
Bern residents have excellent
educational opportunities. Adults have access to a state-supported
university, college-level classes and a first-rate community college.
Parents have the option of sending their children to the Craven County
public schools or one of the private schools in New Bern or in nearby
towns. Several trustworthy child-care options are available for children
who are too young for school.
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Colleges and UniversitiesThose interested in furthering their
education may choose from two-year associate's degrees, bachelor's
degrees in partnership with East Carolina University, accelerated
four-year degree programs, plus vocational and continuing education
classes. Craven Community College Craven Community College offers
two-year degrees and adult continuing education at its New Bern and
Havelock campuses. Two-year associate's degree programs in the arts
and sciences and more than 30 technical and vocational programs are
available. Two feature programs cover aviation systems technology,
information systems security and medical assisting. The college
offers basic adult education programs, two-year technical and
transfer programs, one-year vocational programs and extension
programs in occupational, practical and vocational courses of study.
Craven Community College is part of North Carolina's 58-campus
community college system. East Carolina University A little more than an hour's drive
from New Bern, East Carolina University in Greenville is a
state-supported university that offers 104 bachelor’s degree
programs, 74 master’s degree programs, four specialist degree
programs, one first-professional MD program and 17 doctoral programs
in professional colleges and schools. Two popular curriculum areas
at this university are education and health sciences. Many working
adults pursue degrees by commuting to the Greenville campus. Craven
Regional Medical Center in New Bern is a clinical site for students
enrolled in the ECU School of Nursing. |
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Mount Olive College
at New Bern 2131 S. Glenburnie Rd., Ste. 6, New Bern (252) 633-4464, (800) 868-8479 www.moc.edu |
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Mount Olive offers
accelerated degree-completion programs in criminal justice and
criminology, management and organizational development, healthcare
management, religion and early childhood education. Adults who
already have about two years of college credits can take advantage
of a special time-condensed format that allows them to complete
their degree while continuing to work full-time. For working adults
who have little or no college credit, Mount Olive College in New
Bern also offers a four-semester program, called the Heritage Plus
Program, which leads to an associate’s degree and also provides the
core courses for admission to the bachelor’s degree programs cited
above. Also see our
Higher Education and Child Care chapter. |
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Public SchoolsCraven County Schools The Craven County School System, which serves more than 14,616 city and county students, provides a free and appropriate public education to all students within its jurisdiction. The schools are fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The system employs about 1,096 teaching professionals, 136 of whom are National Board Certified (and the number grows each year) and about 962 support personnel to staff the county's 15 elementary schools (kindergarten through fifth), five middle schools (sixth through eighth) and three high schools. Three of these schools operate on a year-round schedule, while the others follow the traditional August-to-May calendar. The vision of the school system is that Craven County Schools will be the highest performing system of public education in North Carolina, and its mission statement reflects this — "Craven County Schools, united with families and communities, will continuously improve student learning and educational services through a focus on expectations and values which support performance excellence." The school system has adopted the Baldrige Approach for continuous improvement, not just on the students' parts but also the system and schools themselves, leading to performance excellence. The system's average teacher-student ratio is 1-to-26. The school system offers a comprehensive curriculum based on the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. In addition to the traditional academic courses, the educational program includes music, foreign language, art, dance, theater, athletics, computer classes and advanced placement courses. Optimum Student Achievement is the major strategic direction for the school system. Craven County students perform in the top 10 percent of school districts across the state. According to the most recent accountability report, nine schools in the system are Schools of Excellence, the highest awards given to schools in the state, and 10 schools are Schools of Distinction. Twenty of the 23 schools met or exceeded their school growth goals. Craven County Schools is also a leader in the state in efforts to close the achievement gap among all students. Elementary education in Craven County encourages children to meet academic objectives through developmentally appropriate activities. Hands-on experiences and problem-solving strategies are designed to harmonize with the natural characteristics of children's developmental stages. Besides the core curriculum of communication skills, science, math and social studies, students and teachers are involved in enrichment programs such as art, physical education, computers, music and drama. Middle schools emphasize educational experiences that bridge learning between elementary school and high school. All five middle schools operate on a team concept. Two to five teachers collaborate to develop plans and strategies to deal with the instructional, social and emotional needs and interests of students. Along with the core curriculum, students are exposed to critical thinking and problem solving, health and fitness, cooperative learning, and exploratory courses such as foreign languages, vocational education and visual arts. The high schools focus on the creation of a positive school climate and the identification and prevention of problems that may lead to an unsuccessful high school career. All high schools are on block scheduling, which allows students to take four courses each semester in 90-minute class periods versus the traditional 55-minute classes. Instead of the maximum six courses per year, students are able to take as many as eight courses — four per semester. Among several advantages, block scheduling gives students the flexibility of enrolling in more electives without giving up required academic classes. To prepare students for the workplace, the Craven County School System has implemented a developmental program that helps students entering high school to choose and focus on a career path. Students may select from four career pathways: engineering, industrial and manufacturing technology; business and marketing; health and human services; and liberal and fine arts. A student's choice of career path is aided by the development of a four-year educational plan and supplemented by career guidance that helps the student make a smooth transition into the work force, or into an associate or bachelor's degree program. ROTC programs also are offered in all three high schools. The Craven County School System offers many support services: comprehensive testing, programs for exceptional and academically gifted students, dropout prevention and drug education programs, library/media skills programs and the services of school psychologists, social workers and nurses. In addition, numerous services are available for students with visual, hearing, speech, orthopedic and other health impairments as well as for the mentally handicapped, learning disabled and homebound. Contact Exceptional Children's Programs, (252) 514-6355, for more information. School safety is a major consideration to the school community, as is facility improvement. Each school system operation has a threat condition process, a safe schools plan and a critical incident response plan. The Craven County Board of Education has a long-range facility plan. The construction of three elementary schools and two performing arts centers, major renovations to an existing middle school, plus new roofs for several schools have been completed within the past three years. The Craven County School System has a
free information portfolio that includes a county-wide activities
calendar, descriptions of and directions to all 23 schools, a
discussion of the system's educational curricula, and a central
services directory with the names and phone numbers of all support
staff. The school system encourages requests for information; write
or call the Craven County Board of Education, Director of Public
Relations, 3600 Trent Road, New Bern, NC 28562; (252) 514-6333. |
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Some children fall behind in school and
need a little help to catch up, while others need an accelerated program
to offer them challenges. Private learning centers can provide such
assistance. Other educational facilities in New Bern include a driving
school to assist teens with earning their driving privileges. Sylvan Learning Center
of New Bern Sylvan Learning Center offers a
variety of educational programs and services for students of all
ages and specializes in helping students master basic learning
skills, achieve potential and gain confidence. The New Bern center
offers programs in reading, math, writing, study skills and
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation. The
Driving School Teens who don't want to wait for
their high school driver's education class can sign up for classes
at The Driving School, located in Town Park Plaza on Neuse
Boulevard. The driver's education class incorporates 30 classroom
hours with six hours of driving time, where students learn defensive
driving techniques, safe passing skills and how to avoid traffic
hazards. The Driving School also offers adult refresher courses and
driver improvement classes. |
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Private SchoolsNew Bern offers several private
schools and another school is about 40 miles west in Kinston.
Additionally, many day-care and camp facilities offer private
kindergartens for young children and summer programs for school
children. Calvary Baptist Church School A ministry of Calvary Baptist Church,
this private school serves approximately 95 students in kindergarten
through grade 12. The school's uniforms consist of green shirts with
the school logo, combined with khaki pants for boys and khaki skirts
and jumpers for girls. There is an instrumental music program for
the students as well as basketball, volleyball and cheerleading for
middle and high school students. Ruth's Chapel Christian School This school serves about 155 students
in kindergarten through grade 12 and an additional 40 students in
day-care and before- and after-school programs. Students are
required to wear uniforms. A structured program is offered for 3-
and 4-year-olds, while older children study the Abeka and Bob Jones
University curricula. Volleyball, soccer, cheerleading and
basketball programs are available for older students. St. Paul's Education Center Serving about 200 students from
pre-kindergarten (age 4) through 8th grade, this private school is
affiliated with St. Paul's Catholic Church. Arendell Parrott Academy Arendell Parrott Academy is a
nonsectarian, college preparatory school offering co-educational
instruction for students in transitional-kindergarten through 12th
grade. Academy students in grades 7 through 12 participate in 31
team sports, including field hockey and lacrosse. The fine arts
program incorporates drama, chorus, orchestra, dance and visual art
instruction for all grades. Arendell Parrott Academy offers
transportation for out-of-town students, including those from the
New Bern area.
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Child CareAs is the case across the nation, the
need for quality day care continues to grow in New Bern. We have
listed here, in alphabetical order, a few of the day-care facilities
in and around New Bern. Craven County and the State of North
Carolina regulate day-care homes and centers through the issuance of
registrations and licenses. Regulations call for all such facilities
to meet health and safety standards. In the case of nonsectarian
child-care institutions, standards for children's learning and play
programs must be met. For a complete list of regulated day-care
homes and licensed day-care centers, call the Craven County Child
Care Resource and Referral at (252) 672-5921. All About Children Day Care and Pre-school This day-care center offers a variety
of programs for infants, toddlers and school children. The day care
accepts children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and offers preschool
classes for ages 2 and older in separated age groups. The
After-School program offers before- and after-school care for
children up to age 12. Transportation to all city schools is
provided. Summer programs and swimming lessons are also available.
The More at Four program with certified teachers is also available. Childcare Network Open Monday through Friday, Childcare
Network offers day-care services and before- and after-school
programs for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years (except for the
Childcare Network facility at 301 Ninth Street in New Bern, which
accepts children 12 months through 12 years). Star-licensed by the
state of North Carolina, Childcare Network features such amenities
as transportation to and from public schools, nutritious meals and
snacks, summer camp activities for older children, and computers for
children. The Childcare Network staff prepares younger children for
school by utilizing the Active Learning Series for infants and
toddlers and the HighReach Curriculum for ages 2 to 5. Hours vary
per location. Call ahead to confirm hours and availability. First Steps Infant and Toddler Center This full-service child-care facility — the
only one in New Bern designed exclusively for infants and toddlers —
accepts children ages 6 weeks through 36 months. With a staff trained in
CPR, first aid and early childhood education, the center believes
children learn best through play, so children not only gain valuable
skills but have a delightful time doing so. First Steps is open Monday
through Friday. Kiddie Kollege Learning Center Open 6 AM until 6 PM Monday through
Friday, this Christian faith–based school has an enrollment of
approximately 150 children. It accepts 2- to 4-year olds for the
pre-kindergarten program and offers after-school care for its
students and for children enrolled in public schools. Little Hands Day Nursery Preschool classes are available for
toddlers age 2 and older, who also enjoy playing in Little Hands'
large and shady playground. For students through age 12, Little
Hands offers before- and after-school care, including transportation
to and from local schools during the school year. They also offer
summer camp from May to August. |
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Private In-Home CareMany parents prefer to find qualified
personnel to care for their children in their own homes, while others face
the need of finding occasional care for their children due to travel
demands and family emergencies. Nancy's Nannies Reliable, experienced sitters are available
on the Crystal Coast through this service. Nancy's Nannies is used
widely and offers responsible adult babysitters for in-home child care.
This is a trusted service for visitors staying in rentals and hotels.
This services provides sitters for a day, night, weekend or longer.
Nancy's Nannies has been in business since 1991 and provides services to
the coastal area, New Bern, Topsail Island and Raleigh.
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