Saluda Elementary School was recognized Oct. 22 as a North Carolina ESEA Distinguished School during a statewide ceremony in Greensboro.Read More

Polk County Early College senior Bonnie Bailey has been named a 2026 QuestBridge National College Match Finalist, earning an opportunity to compete for admission and scholarship support through some of the nation’s leading colleges and universities.Read More

Third graders in Rebekah Morse’s class at Polk Central Elementary recently welcomed Champions for Wildlife for a hands-on lesson about freshwater mussels and their role in healthy rivers and streams.Read More

Polk County Schools has received three third-quarter grants from the Polk County Community Foundation to support new and expanded opportunities in local history, student mentoring and outdoor learning.Read More

Second graders in Rachel Culbreth’s class at Polk Central Elementary recently began a new Arts & Letters module on westward expansion with a hands-on art activity.Read More

Bowling, Battleship, Bingo and even painted rocks turned math into a family affair at Polk Central Elementary on Tuesday, Oct. 13.Read More

The Polk County High School Marching Band closed its 2026 competition season Saturday with a first-place finish in Class 2A at the Trojan Tournament of Bands at Chase High School.Read More

Third graders at Tryon Elementary School recently wrapped up an English language arts unit on the ocean with hands-on experiences connecting literature, art and science.Read More

Fourth graders from Polk Central Elementary recently stepped into local history at Alexander’s Ford, part of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.Read More

The Polk County High School Marching Band earned second place in Class 2A on Saturday at the Cedar Cliffs Classic at A.C. Reynolds High School.Read More

Polk County Schools has welcomed Laura Sprinkle as the new director of PEAK After School. Sprinkle brings more than 20 years of professional experience in leadership, operations, employee development and community-focused service to the role. Her previous work has included leading teams, managing operations and developing employees, experience she will now bring to PEAK as...Read More

Fourth graders at Sunny View Elementary School got a firsthand introduction to the legislative process Friday, Oct. 2, during a visit from Rep. Jake Johnson.Read More

Kindergarten students in Amber Styles’ class at Polk Central Elementary spent a recent school day exploring apples from just about every angle.Read More

Fifth graders in Stephanie Uhrich’s class at Saluda Elementary School recently took their classroom learning on the road with a visit to the Schiele Museum in Gastonia.Read More

Polk County High School’s marching band earned a second-place overall finish in Class 1AA on Saturday at the Land of the Sky competition at Enka High School.Read More

Polk County Early College senior Bonnie Bailey is getting an early look at what it means to work in education - not from a textbook, but inside a Polk County school.Read More

What began as help for families following Hurricane Helene has become a weekly source of support for students at two Polk County elementary schools.Read More

Fourth graders in Angie Upton’s class at Tryon Elementary School recently added a hands-on art experience to their study of Native Americans in North Carolina.Read More

On a recent school day, third graders in Chip Cash’s class at Sunny View Elementary headed out to play, just as generations of students have done at recess.Read More

Second graders in Ginger Turner’s class at Sunny View Elementary School created a little rain of their own while learning about the water cycle.Read More

Polk County Early College senior Pixie Lilburn represented Polk County this summer at the North Carolina Governor’s School, a selective residential program for gifted and talented high school students.Read More

Polk County Schools will hold its Polk Cares 4 Kids fundraising celebration on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2027, from 5-10 p.m. at Tryon International.Read More

Tryon Elementary School fifth graders will take their study of caves beyond the classroom this fall with a field trip to Linville Falls and Linville Caverns.Read More

Fourth graders at Polk Central Elementary School recently welcomed Champions for Wildlife for a lesson focused on vultures and the role they play in the environment.Read More

Second graders in Rachel Culbreth’s class at Polk Central Elementary School had a front-row seat to one of nature’s most visible life cycles.Read More

Tryon Fine Arts Center is expanding its partnership with Polk County Schools for the 2026-27 school year, creating more opportunities for students and teachers to experience the arts in classrooms, performances and hands-on programs. The partnership reaches students across multiple grade levels and includes teacher grants, arts immersion experiences, professional performances, poetry and theater programs....Read More

Polk County elementary students are beginning the 2026-27 school year with a shared approach to character development through the expansion of Character Strong to all four elementary schools.Read More

Angela Wilson’s official title at Sunny View Elementary School is secretary/data manager.Read More

Second graders in Ginger Turner’s class at Sunny View Elementary School are using their own shadows to explore how the sun appears to move across the sky.Read More

For six weeks this summer, hundreds of brown paper bags lined tables and hallways at Polk County High School, each one part of a week’s worth of food headed home with a Polk County child.Read More

Sunny View Elementary fourth and fifth graders welcomed storyteller and musician John Thomas Fowler to the school this week for an arts experience combining stories and traditional mountain music.Read More

Polk County High School students Porter Langley and Mason Littlefield spent part of their summer gaining hands-on agricultural experience while helping care for and maintain the Polk County High School Farm.Read More

Fifth graders in Stephanie Blanton’s class at Sunny View Elementary School explored the effects of gravity through a series of hands-on activities, reading and technology-based lessons.Read More

Polk County Schools is looking for community members willing to spend about an hour each month building meaningful relationships with students through the BOLT mentoring program.Read More

Fourth graders at Polk Central Elementary School put teamwork and problem-solving skills to work during a recent maze challenge.Read More

Polk County Early College is using a new house system this year to create smaller communities within the school and give students more opportunities to build relationships with peers and trusted adults.Read More

Polk County Middle School welcomed several new educators to its faculty for the 2026-27 school year as well as the return of one familiar face.Read More

Tryon Elementary School students have created a piece of art that will remain at the school long after they move on to new classrooms and new schools.Read More

Mariah McKinney, a former Polk Central Elementary School student now at Polk County Middle School, earned first place in the local 2025-26 VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest.Read More

Four Polk County students gave part of their summer to help Sunny View Elementary prepare for the 2026-27 school year.Read More

For Polk Central Elementary School, building relationships with families extends beyond the classroom - and the school’s PTO plays an important role in making those connections stronger.Read More

Ronette Dill has been part of a first day of school every year since she entered first grade at T.C. Henderson Elementary School at age 6.Read More

Polk County High School agricultural education teachers Ashley Gilbert and Chauncey Barber were recognized for their service to agricultural education during the North Carolina Career and Technical Education Conference, held July 13-17 in Winston-Salem.Read More

Polk County High School’s band program has been recognized as a 2025-26 North Carolina Bandmasters Association Program of Distinction.Read More

Academically gifted students became 3D designers and makers this summer during a weeklong camp that introduced them to the technology and engineering behind 3D printing.Read More

In June, Polk County Middle School science teachers Elisa Flynn and Leslie Rhinehart joined educators from across North Carolina for a two-week journey through Southern Africa organized by Global NC.Read More

Elementary students explored the science and engineering behind space travel during Stefanie Tyler's AIG Summer Seminar, moving from investigations of the solar system to building and launching rockets of their own.Read More

A group of Polk County Schools AIG students spent a week turning paper and scissors into works of art while learning how paper-cutting traditions developed across cultures around the world.Read More

With the start of the new school year is just around the corner, Polk County Schools is rolling out the welcome mat for students and families across the district.Read More

A group of Polk County Schools educators spent three days this summer immersed in cutting-edge reading research, returning home equipped with powerful new tools to support early literacy across the district.Read More

The former STEM lab at Tryon Elementary School was transformed into a global kitchen in mid-June as rising fourth through sixth graders spent a week cooking their way across four continents during the Culture and Cuisine Camp, one of several free Summer Seminars offered this summer through a generous grant from the Polk County Community...Read More

Polk County High School is looking for welcoming families in the community to open their homes to international exchange students for the 2026-2027 school year - and the experience, say those who have lived it, is one that changes lives on both sides.Read More

Students in grades 4-6 spent an exciting week exploring the world of robotics and computer science during the AIG Computer Science with Sphero Robotics Camp, held June 15-18 at the Polk County Middle School Computer Science Lab.Read More

Polk County Early College made its mark on the national stage last month when three educators traveled to Winston-Salem for the National Early College Summit, joining hundreds of colleagues from across the country for days of professional learning, collaboration and shared best practices.Read More

Polk County Schools has selected Scott Hopper as the next principal of Polk County High School, choosing a veteran educator who says relationship-building and student-centered decision-making will guide his leadership as he succeeds Michelle Bean, who is retiring at the end of June.Read More

Polk County High School recognized members of its Class of 2026 during the school's annual Senior Awards Night, held May 21 in the school auditorium.Read More

The Polk County FFA Chapter had an outstanding showing at the North Carolina FFA West Region Rally on April 29, bringing home three first-place finishes and five total awards from the event held at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock.Read More

Champions for Wildlife and Polk Central Elementary recently teamed up for a project that combined science, creativity and conservation in a way students will not soon forget.Read More

When most people think about school transportation, they picture a bus driver behind the wheel and a mechanic in the garage.Read More

Students at Tryon Elementary School are taking learning beyond the classroom walls through an exciting hands-on project focused on the development of the school's Tiger Trail, including the construction of a new information kiosk and an outdoor classroom area.Read More

A group of dedicated Polk Central Elementary students spent three afternoons in April and May doing something that doesn't show up on any test - getting their hands dirty for the good of their school and the environment.Read More

For the 18th consecutive year, Polk County High School welcomed all of Polk County's fifth graders to campus for Ag Awareness Day - a beloved tradition that brings agriculture to life for young students through hands-on experiences and student-led presentations.Read More

Thanks to a generous grant from the Polk County Community Foundation, Polk County Schools is proud to offer Advanced Learning and AIG students the opportunity to attend a free one-week Summer Seminar this summer - and registration is open now.Read More

At Polk County High School's 2026 Underclassmen Awards Ceremony, one of the school's most meaningful honors was presented to a student who has earned the respect and admiration of his peers and teachers alike.Read More

Lucas Johnson didn't set out to make history. He just wanted to make the most of his time.Read More

The Polk County High School FFA Junior Dairy Judging Team brought home major hardware from the NC FFA State Dairy Judging Career Development Event, finishing as state runner-up and Western Region Champions in the junior division.Read More

Polk Central Elementary's kindergarten classes recently swapped their classroom for wide open fields and fresh country air, spending a memorable day at Johnson Farm that brought learning to life in the most hands-on way possible.Read More

Polk County Schools second-grade students recently traded their classrooms for a day of creativity, exploration, and inspiration at the Tryon Fine Arts Center, taking part in a vibrant Arts Immersion Day that brought them face-to-face with some of the region's most talented artists and educators.Read More

Rachel Culbreth, a second grade teacher at Polk Central Elementary, has been selected as a member of the 2026–27 Kenan Fellows cohort - the second consecutive year that a Polk County Schools educator has earned the prestigious designation.Read More

Polk County Schools and Tryon Elementary School have once again been recognized among North Carolina's most military-friendly educational institutions, earning the prestigious Purple Star Award for the 2025-26 school year.Read More

Second-grade students from Sunny View and Polk Central elementary schools discovered how their bodies work through hands-on exploration at the Catawba Science Center in Hickory on Thursday, April 24.Read More

Twenty-one Polk County Schools teachers have achieved certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, earning one of the highest professional distinctions available in education.Read More

Polk County Middle School's model bridge building team came tantalizingly close to capturing the school's seventh state championship Friday, finishing second at the NCDOT State Model Bridge Building Competition in Raleigh.Read More

Nine Polk County Schools teachers have been selected to receive 2026 Priscilla and Ellis D. Slater Excellence in Teaching Awards which will fund professional development experiences ranging from international travel to specialized literacy training.Read More

Polk County Middle School's model bridge building team is headed to Friday's state championship after winning the Waynesville Regional competition in March, keeping alive hopes of capturing the school's seventh state title in the event.Read More

Carpenter bees, synchronous fireflies and hoverflies don't often get the appreciation they deserve. But Polk County elementary students recently learned why these tiny creatures matter – and created art that will literally help them survive.Read More

Students in Ginger Rackley's fifth-grade class at Saluda Elementary School transformed their science studies into three-dimensional art, creating dioramas that brought different ecosystems to life.Read More

When math teachers started chopping onions and doubling recipes on March 19, they discovered what their students already know: real-world problem-solving is harder than it looks, especially when your eyes are watering.Read More

For 21 days, fourth-grade students in JJ Waddell's class at Tryon Elementary School watched and waited. Then the eggs they had been monitoring began to crack, and new life emerged in their classroom.Read More

Polk County Schools' four elementary Pre-K programs have all achieved 5-Star license ratings through North Carolina's Quality Rating and Improvement System, earning the highest level of quality recognition available from the state.Read More

Saluda Elementary School's fifth-grade students stepped into leadership roles recently, guiding families through interactive science stations during the school's Science Night.Read More

From air traffic controllers to chiropractors, from Navy pilots to mobile welders, Polk Central Elementary students explored a diverse range of career possibilities during the school's annual Career Day on Friday, March 20.Read More

For the first time in seven years, a Polk County High School band has earned the highest possible rating at the Western District Music Performance Assessment, sweeping Superior ratings from all judges at Mars Hill University on Thursday.Read More

Kim Cochran sees the connection clearlyRead More

The discovery that math can be fun spread to more Polk County elementary students on Friday, Mar. 6, as students from Saluda Elementary and Tryon Elementary took part in the district's second Math Festival of the year.Read More

Polk County High School horticulture students received a professional perspective on landscape architecture careers when they hosted Darren Meyer, an architect with MKSK, an employee-owned planning, design and landscape architecture firm.Read More

Five Polk County schools have been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and State Board of Education for demonstrating exceptional student academic growth during the 2024-25 school year.Read More

From bagel recipes to artificial intelligence ethics to nature-based healing, Polk County students have spent months pursuing independent projects driven by their personal interests and curiosity.Read More

Second- through fifth-grade students at Polk Central Elementary School spent their fall and winter learning the ancient game of kings, developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through weekly chess club sessions.Read More

Fifth-grade students in Ginger Rackley's class at Saluda Elementary School transformed their science studies into art, creating self-portrait masks that reflect their own inherited genetic traits.Read More

Polk County High School's FFA chapter will celebrate National FFA Week Feb. 23-27 with dress-up days, competitions and appreciation events for staff and members.Read More

Sparks literally flew at Tryon Elementary School as students picked up plasma cutters and transformed their own hand-traced designs into steel, contributing to a permanent sculpture that will stand as a testament to the school's collective spirit for generations to come.Read More

A Polk Central Elementary School teacher who embodies the spirit of lifelong learning has been chosen to carry forward a legacy of educational excellence established by one of Polk County's most dedicated educators.Read More

The Polk County Board of Education approved a revised calendar for the rest of the 2025-26 academic year at its monthly meeting on Monday at Stearns Education Center.Read More

Polk County Schools counselors and social workers are better equipped to support students and families thanks to a grant from the Polk County Community Foundation that provides professional development resources and training.Read More

Last Updated: [2/3/26 at 4:55pm] Polk County Schools will resume classes on a two hour delay beginning Wednesday, February 4th. While many main roads have improved, some secondary and rural roads remain icy and unsafe for school bus travel. To ensure student safety, school buses will not travel on certain roads until conditions improve. Roads...Read More

Winter Storm Fern wasn't the only ice event for Polk County last weekend. Elementary school students also took to the ice at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, performing during a professional hockey game just ahead of the winter storm's arrival.Read More

Saluda Elementary School students marked a milestone on Jan. 20, celebrating the 100th day of school with creativity, fun and plenty of learning.Read More

First-grade students from across Polk County Schools brought their Arts and Letters curriculum to life with a field trip to the Greenville Zoo, where animals became living examples of the concepts they've been studying in class.Read More

Polk County Early College is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 school year, offering students the opportunity to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree in four years or less.Read More