By FULLER ROYAL
Staff Writer

Despite stories circulating to the contrary, Columbus Charter School will use fully North Carolina certified teachers, according to CCS Headmaster Steve Smith.

“We at the Columbus Charter School follow all State of North Carolina regulations concerning the hiring of teachers and will provide certified, high quality teachers for our children,” Smith said Friday.

Smith said the Columbus Charter School’s March 20 ground breaking had caused a huge response from Columbus and Bladen counties concerning enrollment.

“We have had an overwhelming response of parents and prospective teachers who visited the Charter Day School in Leland,” he said.

Smith said that he and his staff are excited about the opening of the new charter school on July 19 and the opportunity to educate the county’s children.

“We are going to start the first school year with kindergarten, first and second grades,” Smith said. “We have had over 110 children apply and will be limited to 150 students the first year.”

A waiting list has been started for the second grade.

Interested parents may call Smith at 655-1214, extension 106 to schedule an appointment to visit the Charter Day School in Leland.

Employment applications can be obtained at CharterDaySchool.org and student enrollment applications can be downloaded at ColumbusCharterSchool.org web site.

Children from Whiteville, Lake Waccamaw, Cerro Gordo, Clarkton, Chadbourn, Elizabethtown, Fair Bluff, Tabor City and Evergreen have already applied to the Columbus Charter School.

Acceptance letters have been mailed and enrollment packages have been sent out. Those need to be returned by April 30 to secure seats in the year-round school.

CCS will offer before-school drop off beginning at 6:45 a.m. and after school pickup until 6 p.m. for a minimal cost.