Thursday, October 1, 2026
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Gaston County, NC (WNN) - Gaston County Schools (GCS) announced that schools will be closed on Friday, May 1, 2026, ahead of a highly anticipated rally in Raleigh.
Organized by the North Carolina Association of Educators, the rally will be held at the Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh on Friday, May 1, 2026, from 10 AM to 3 PM. Several districts across the state have also canceled classes due to anticipated staff shortages.
Districts closing on May 1 include:
The rally aims to demand increased school funding and better pay for educators. Meanwhile, Governor Josh Stein proposed a budget that includes nearly $2.3 billion in education funding, with a focus on increasing starting teacher salaries. The North Carolina state legislature has not yet approved the proposed budget, despite the ongoing budget stalemate since 2023.
Gaston County School Board Meeting - April 20, 2026
GCS initially intended to remain open on Friday; however, after further review, Superintendent Houchard announced that the district will shift to an optional teacher workday, meaning students will not attend school. The announcement is provided below:
For Friday, May 1, Gaston County Schools will operate on an optional teacher workday, which means there will be no school for students.
As you may know, there is a rally scheduled this Friday in Raleigh where educators will advocate for better compensation and well-resourced public schools across North Carolina. We have been closely monitoring the effect of this on our schools and have determined that we will not have enough substitutes and central office personnel to cover adequately.
The Board of Education and I respect and support teachers and the teaching profession, and we are always committed to what is best for our students and schools. We are grateful for the work our teachers do each day and recognize that they are the most important factor in providing high-quality teaching and learning.
We appreciate the understanding of our families as we make this adjustment to ensure the smooth operation of our schools. Thank you for your continued support.
Once again, for Friday, May 1, there will be no school for students as Gaston County Schools will operate as an optional teacher workday.
- Superintendent Houchard
The rally comes at a time when the GCS District remains among the lowest-performing districts in NC, and the state is expected to rank 46th in the nation for teacher pay according to the NEA Educator Pay report.
In light of recent circumstances at W.B. Beam Intermediate, a petition organized by the Cherryville Education Alliance is circulating, urging the GCS Board of Education to remove the school from consideration.
We respectfully ask the Gaston County Board of Education to keep W.B. Beam Intermediate School open. Beam provides an age-appropriate learning environment for Cherryville students and plays an important role in student success, school capacity, and future growth planning. We request that Beam be removed from consideration for closure.
- Cherryville Education Alliance
If you are interested in signing the petition, click here. The Cherryville Education Alliance plans to present the petition to the Board at the Board of Education meeting on May 18.
There is little doubt that North Carolina's education system is facing significant challenges. Still, teachers, parents, and community members continue to speak out in hopes of making a difference at both the state and local levels.
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