Contact for Media Inquiries:
Julio Morales
Hyde County Schools 252-926-0240 x3206
Glenn Gillen, APR WGU North Carolina 919-450-8113
Hyde County Schools Signs Partnership Agreement with WGU North Carolina - Staff will be eligible to apply for scholarships to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees
SWAN QUARTER, N.C. (Jan. 30, 2023) — Officials with H yde County Schools (HCS) have
announced that the school system has signed a partnership agreement with W GU North Carolina, an affiliate of accredited nonprofit Western Governors University. As part of the agreement, WGU North Carolina will provide flexible, personalized learning pathways for HCS staff who wish to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
HCS staff will also be able to apply for WGU’s K-12 Partner Scholarships, valued at $2,500. WGU will provide webinar training, print, and digital materials to HCS employees to ensure an understanding of the educational opportunities at WGU.
“As a district that values lifelong learning, we are excited to partner with WGU North Carolina to support our teachers and staff as they continue their own learning journey,” says Dr. Melanie Shaver, Superintendent, “ Hyde County Schools’ most important work is ensuring that students and staff have access and opportunities to learn and grow, and we are grateful for the partnership with WGU North Carolina that expands our capacity to offer and encourage these opportunities.”
“Hyde County Schools is a perfect example of a school system that is committed to continual growth and improvement, and this partnership embodies that mindset,” said Ben Coulter, Ed.D., Chancellor of WGU North Carolina. “Our online, competency-based model is a good fit for teachers and staff who want to continue their education affordably and at a time that works best for them. They can log in anytime – before school, in the evening, or on the weekend – and complete coursework at their own pace.”
Founded in 1997, WGU is a fully accredited, nonprofit online university offering more than 80 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in K-12 education, IT, healthcare, and business. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). WGU’s Teachers College is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
Tuition is around $4,000 per six-month term for most degree programs. As a competency-based university, WGU offers students the option to take as many courses as they want per term with the consent of their assigned program mentor. The university has more than 150,000 students enrolled nationwide, including more than 4,400 in North Carolina. Nearly 7,000 WGU graduates reside across all 100 counties in the state.
To learn more about Hyde County Schools, visit www.hyde.k12.nc.us/. For more information about WGU North Carolina, visit nc.wgu.edu.
About Hyde County Schools
In the midst of all the beauty and enchanting history that is Hyde County, the Hyde County Public School System is a small, progressive school system committed to educating students and providing support for teachers.
Hyde County is perched on the eastern edge of North Carolina with an aquatic boundary that includes the Atlantic Ocean, the Pamlico Sound, and the Pungo, Alligator, and Long Shoal Rivers. The tranquil, rural landscape of the Mainland is accessible by road and ferry. Here you'll find lush farms bordered by tall forests, water birds congregated on Lake Mattamuskeet, and brackish creeks meandering to Pamlico Sound.
The Outer Banks are rugged barrier islands that stretch south from the Virginia border along the North Carolina coast. Tucked away between Hatteras Island to the north and the now deserted Portsmouth Island to the south, lies Ocracoke Island. It awes visitors with its many miles of windswept sands, picturesque harbor, and unique shops.
On June 8, 2007, the lifeguarded beach on Ocracoke was named as the Number One Beach in America by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, known as "Dr. Beach".
Both Mainland and Ocracoke have friendly folk, enchanting villages, and unmatched outdoor opportunities. Hyde County is an area rich in history and close connections between its people, land, and water.
About WGU North Carolina
WGU North Carolina is a fully accredited, nonprofit online university established to expand access to higher education for North Carolina residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU is recognized as a highly effective, competency-based postsecondary education model. Learn more at nc.wgu.edu.