Gaston County Schools: Back-to-School Orientation and Open House List 

The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 16.  To ensure a smooth start to the new academic year, our schools have organized orientation/open house programs for students and parents.

The schedule below is listed alphabetically by elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.  If you have questions or need additional information about an orientation/open house, please contact your child’s school.

Please note that this list will be updated as needed to provide the latest information.  

We look forward to welcoming our students back to school and making this year a meaningful and successful one!

■ Elementary Schools 

H.H. Beam Elementary
Friday, August 11
Kindergarten Parent Orientation
3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 13
Open House
Drop-in (Grades 1-2), 3:00 - 4:15 p.m.
Drop-in (Grades 3-5), 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

W.B. Beam Intermediate
Thursday, August 10
Drop-in Open House (All Grade Levels)
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Belmont Central Elementary
Sunday, August 13
Second Grade Orientation
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Meet-the-Teacher Orientation
Last Name L-Z, 4:15 - 5:30 p.m.
Last Name A-K, 6:15 - 7:30 p.m.

W.A. Bess Elementary
Monday, August 14
Meet-the-Teacher Orientation
Kindergarten, 4:00 - 4:45 p.m.

First-Fifth Grades
Last Name A-L, 4:30 - 5:15 p.m.
Last Name M-Z, 5:00 - 5:45 p.m.

Bessemer City Central Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Last Name A-L, 4:30 p.m. 
Last Name M-Z, 6:30 p.m.

Bessemer City Primary
Tuesday, August 15
First Grade Orientation, 1:00 p.m.
Second Grade Orientation, 2:00 p.m.
Kindergarten Orientation, 3:00 p.m.

Brookside Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Carr Elementary
Friday, August 11
Drop-in Orientation
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Catawba Heights Elementary
Friday, August 11
Kindergarten Orientation, 3:30 p.m.
Open House (Grades 1-5), 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Chapel Grove Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels)
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Cherryville Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Drop-in Orientation
First, Second, and Third Grades, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Kindergarten Orientation, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Costner Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Open House
Last Name A-L, 5:00 p.m.
Last Name M-Z, 6:00 p.m.

Gardner Park Elementary
Sunday, August 13
Kindergarten Orientation (Parents Only)
2:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Open House (All Students), 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Gaston Virtual Academy (K-5) 
Tuesday, August 8
Kindergarten and First Grade, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Second and Third Grades, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Fourth and Fifth Grades, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Hawks Nest STEAM Academy
Thursday, August 10
Meet-the-Teacher Open House, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Kiser Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Third Grade Orientation, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 13
Drop-in Orientation
Fourth and Fifth Grades, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Lingerfeldt Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels), 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Lowell Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels), 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

McAdenville Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels), 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

New Hope Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Open House
Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
First and Second Grades, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, August 15
Kindergarten Parent Meeting, 4:00 p.m.

North Belmont Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels)
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Page Primary
Monday, August 14
Meet-the-Teacher Open House
Last Names A-K, 4:30 - 5:45 p.m. 
Last Names L-Z, 6:00 - 7:15 p.m.

Pinewood Elementary
Monday, August 14
Meet-the-Teacher Open House, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Pleasant Ridge Elementary
Friday, August 11
Drop-in Open House
Kindergarten-Fifth Grade, Morning Session, 8:30 - 10:30
Kindergarten-Fifth Grade, Afternoon Session, 3:00 - 6:00

Rankin Elementary
Sunday, August 13
Kindergarten Orientation
Last Name A-K, 2:00 p.m.
Last Name L-Z, 3:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels)
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Robinson Elementary
Monday, August 14
Kindergarten-Second Grade, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Third-Fifth Grade, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Sadler Elementary
Sunday, August 13
Kindergarten Parent Meeting, 2:00 - 2:45 p.m.
Drop-in Orientation (Grades 1-2), 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Drop-in Orientation (Grades 3-5), 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Sherwood Elementary
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (Grades 1-5), 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, August 15
Kindergarten Orientation, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Springfield Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Kindergarten Orientation, 5:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
First Grade and Second Grade Orientation, 5:00 p.m.

Tryon Elementary
Thursday, August 10
Drop-in Orientation (Grades 3-5)
6:00 - 7:15 p.m.

Sunday, August 13
Drop-in Orientation (Grades K-2), 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Webb Street School
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels), 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Woodhill Elementary
Friday, August 11
Drop-in Orientation (Grades K-2), 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Drop-in Orientation (Grades 3-5), 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

■ Middle Schools

Belmont Middle
Wednesday, August 9
Sixth Grade Camp, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Seventh and Eighth Grades Drop-in Open House
Last Name A-K, 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. 
Last Name L-Z, 6:15 - 7:30 p.m.

Bessemer City Middle
Tuesday, August 8
Sixth Grade Parent Meeting, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. 

Wednesday, August 9
Sixth Grade Transition Camp, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Students Only)
Seventh Grade and Eighth Grade Open House, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Chavis Middle
Monday, August 14
Sixth Grade Orientation, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Seventh Grade and Eighth Grade Drop-in Open House, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Cramerton Middle
Thursday, August 10
Sixth Grade Orientation, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Parent Meeting, 5:00 p.m.
Meet-the-Teacher, 5:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Seventh Grade and Eighth Grade Open House
Last Name A-K, 5:00 p.m.
Last Name L-Z, 6:00 p.m.

W.C. Friday Middle
Thursday, August 10
Sneak Peek for Sixth Graders, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Drop-in Open House, 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Gaston Virtual Academy (6-8)
Wednesday, August 9
Open House
Sixth Grade, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Seventh Grade, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Eighth Grade, 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Grier Middle
Wednesday, August 9
Sixth Grade Camp, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Drop-in Open House (Grades 7-8), 5:00 - 7:00 p.m..

Holbrook Middle
Friday, August 11
Sixth Grade Orientation, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Monday, August 14
Open House (Grades 7-8), 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Mount Holly Middle
Thursday, August 10
Sixth Grade Orientation, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Open House (Grades 7-8), 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Southwest Middle
Thursday, August 10
Sixth Grade Orientation, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.
Parent Meeting, 4:30 p.m.

Open House (Grades 7-8), 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Stanley Middle
Sunday, August 13
Blue Devil Dash for sixth grade and new students and parents, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Sixth Grade Orientation for students and parents, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Open House/Schedule Pick-up, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Warlick Academy
To Be Announced

Webb Street School
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels) 
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

York Chester Middle
Thursday, August 10
Sixth Grade Camp for Students and Parents, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Open House (Grades 7-8) and Title I Night, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

■ High Schools 

Ashbrook High
Wednesday, August 9
Freshman Transition Camp, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Open House, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Bessemer City High
Monday, August 14
Camp Jacket for Freshmen
Last Names A-K, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Last Name L-Z, 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Drop-in Open House, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Cherryville High
Monday, August 14
Freshman Transition Camp, 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Stuart W. Cramer High
Monday, August 14
Freshman Transition Camp, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Drop-in Open House, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

East Gaston High
Wednesday, August 9
Freshman Transition Camp, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, August 10
Drop-in Open House, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Forestview High
Wednesday, August 9
Freshman Transition Camp, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Monday, August 14
Freshman Parent Meeting, Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
Drop-in Open House, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Gaston Early College High School
Tuesday, August 1 and Wednesday, August 2
Spartan Island Freshman Camp, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 3
Freshmen and Parents Welcome Night, 6:00 p.m.

Gaston Early College of Medical Sciences
Monday, August 7
New Student Orientation, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Gaston Virtual Academy (9-12)
Friday, August 11
Open House
Ninth Grade, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Tenth Grade, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Eleventh Grade, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Twelfth Grade, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Highland School of Technology
Tuesday, August 8
Freshmen Orientation, 2:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Hunter Huss High
Wednesday, August 9
Ninth Grade Transition Camp, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Open House, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

North Gaston High
Wednesday, August 9
Freshman Transition Camp, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Parent Session, 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Monday, August 14
Drop-in Open House, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m..

South Point High
Thursday, August 10
Raider 101 Freshman Camp, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Drop-in Open House, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Warlick Academy
To Be Announced

Webb Street School
Monday, August 14
Drop-in Orientation (All Grade Levels) 
4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

This list was updated on August 1, 2023.