"What's Happening Wednesday!"
Posted Date: 09/16/26 (05:00 PM)
NEW Parent Tool: Monitor & Manage Your Child’s School Device
Want a better look at how your child is using their CCS-issued device? The Lightspeed Parent Portal gives families an easy way to view online activity and screen time—and even manage certain internet access during after-school hours. With so many new technologies and learning methods introduced every day, your involvement in your child’s learning is more important than ever.
With the Lightspeed Parent Portal, you have access to:
• the Weekly Student Online Activity Report, sent to your email. This report
summarizes your child’s web browsing activity for the week
• the full, web-based portal that delivers in-depth visibility and control over your child’s
online activity. Know exactly when and what sites are accessed in real time, then pause
screens or control app usage as needed.
**You should receive an email from Lightspeed within 24 hours to get started!
Important: Before You Get Started
To make sure you can take advantage of all the Lightspeed Parent Portal features, here are a few things to know:- Use the email address connected to your child’s enrollment. You’ll need to sign up using the same parent/guardian email address you provided to CCS during enrollment.
- Not receiving an email or having trouble signing up? Your email address in our system may be missing or incorrect. Please contact your child’s school to have it updated.
- Haven’t completed your child’s enrollment in Infinite Campus yet? Now is a great time! Your enrollment information helps ensure you have access to tools like the Lightspeed Parent Portal.
- Watch for your weekly report. Each week, you’ll receive an email with a snapshot of your child’s online activity, including websites visited and browsing activity.
- More tools are available in the full portal. Parents can view more detailed activity and set schedules or limits for internet access on their child’s school-issued device during after-school hours.
Check out the LIGHTSPEED PARENT PORTAL GUIDE to learn more and get started!
Help Support CCS Transportation—Ride the Bus Next Week!
September 21-25 is Bus Ridership Week! If your child is assigned to a school bus, please encourage them to ride whenever possible.
During this annual count, schools record the number of students who ride each bus. These numbers help determine state transportation funding and guide decisions about bus routes, staffing, and other resources for our district.
Every rider counts—thank you for supporting Catawba County Schools Transportation!
Own a business—or know someone who does? Help us build stronger connections between our schools and the local business community!
The Education Foundation for Catawba County Schools is launching a new business support campaign, and we’d love to keep you informed about opportunities to support our students and schools. Adding your business to our contact list does not obligate you to participate or contribute—it simply keeps you connected.
Add your business to this FORM or share this opportunity with a local business partner today!
🏓 SAVE THE DATE!
The Education Foundation for Catawba County Schools’ 3rd Annual Picklin’ for Profit Charity Pickleball Tournament returns on Saturday, January 23, 2027, at Carolina Pickleball Club in Hickory!
Mark your calendar and get ready to play for a great cause. Registration details are coming soon!
Youth Basketball and Indoor Soccer Registration
HICKORY – Registration is now underway for the City of Hickory's Youth Basketball and Indoor Soccer programs. Participation is free to all City of Hickory residents, and nonresidents can also participate by paying a $40 nonresident fee. Each participant will also purchase their team jersey to complete registration.
Online registration for both youth sports programs is available at hickory.recdesk.com.
If it is your child’s first time participating with the Hickory Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism Department, a copy of his or her birth certificate must be turned in at the Administrative Offices, located at 1451 8th Street Drive NE, prior to participation.
Youth Basketball - Registration ends Oct. 21
The Youth Basketball program is offered to boys and girls ages 5-15, with different divisions by age group:
• Co-ed: 6U for ages 5-6
• Boys divisions: 8U for ages 7-8, 10U for ages 9-10, and 12U for ages 11-12
• Girls divisions: 8U for ages 7-8, 10U for ages 9-10, and 13U for ages 11-13
• Co-ed: 15U for ages 13-15
The division your child will participate in is determined by their age on Aug. 31, 2026. Participants must be 5 by Aug. 31, 2026, and players who turned 16 before Aug. 31, 2026, are no longer eligible to participate.
Basketball skills assessments, sponsored by Academy Sports & Outdoors, will be held the week of Oct. 27.
Indoor Soccer - Registration ends Oct. 28
The Indoor Soccer program is co-ed and offered to youth ages 6-15, with different divisions by age group:
• 8U for ages 6-8
• 10U for ages 9-10
• 12U for ages 11-12
• 15U for ages 13-15
The division your child will participate in is determined by their age on Aug. 31, 2026. Participants must be 6 by Aug. 31, 2026, and players who turned 16 before Aug. 31, 2026, are no longer eligible to participate.
Skills assessments will be held on Nov. 7. Practices and games will be held on Fridays or Saturdays.
For more information about these youth winter sports programs, or for assistance with registration, please call 828-322-7046, Ext. 2, or contact sports programmers Chris Johnson at cjohnson@hickorync.gov, Robbie Link at rlink@hickorync.gov, or Richard McKercher at rmckercher@hickorync.gov
The Hickory Foundation YMCA is accepting nominations for its 25th Annual Teen Character Awards. Students in grades 6–12 who demonstrate caring, honesty, respect, responsibility and faith at home, school, church or in the community are eligible.
Honorees will receive an award and medallion, and three high school seniors will receive scholarships of $1,500, $1,000 and $500.
Nominations may be submitted by teachers, coaches, advisors, youth leaders, pastors, past winners or other non-related individuals. Completed nomination forms are due by 5 p.m. Monday, October 19, 2026.
Submit nominations by:
- Email: alexg@ymcacv.org
- In person: Hickory Foundation YMCA
- Mail: Teen Character Awards, Attn: Alex Griggs, 701 1st Street NW, Hickory, NC 28601
