New Bern NC Schools and Colleges

Need information on pre-K through 12 public and private schools? Looking for colleges or adult education? This site covers it all.  If you are looking for adult enrichment courses or cultural, art, music or dance classes for kids through adults, click here.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:  Scroll down the page, or click on one of the links below to jump to the New Bern Education topic you desire.

I. OVERVIEW OF NEW BERN AREA SCHOOLS

SCHOOLS ARE THE GOLDEN RULE IN NEW BERN

New Bern public schools are good, and several are rated among the top echelon in NC. Our senior SAT scores are second in North Carolina only to Wake County in the Raleigh area. Education is a big factor to younger families relocating here and seniors entering a second career; most are delighted with what we have to offer. 

Our new population is demanding ever higher scholastic results. We are in an area where the worst of big city problems are not present, teachers can concentrate on learning rather than surviving.  We are lucky to have a varied populace with many teachers moving to the area who have had experience in other states. The variety has made a rich mix in learning procedures.  Resource people are another plus along with a very active volunteer system. Our senior SAT scores are second in North Carolina only to Wake County (Raleigh).

The newest elementary school, Creekside, out US 70E in Taberna is open for the fall winter year. See the Craven County education link below.

We have two middle schools and one high school in New Bern.  Plus several others in Craven County which encompasses Havelock. 

One middle school recently won an international geography award.  Many of the local schools are opting for uniforms this year, finding that children who dress for business usually achieve at higher levels.  A new private faith-based private school with grades up to the 10th level opened recently in New Bern. Sponsored by world famous author and New Bern resident, Nicholas Sparks, The Epiphany School is determined to raise the levels of physical activity along with intellectual levels. 

St. Paul's Education Center has over 300 elementary students, features a computer learning room (and high math and science scores).  curriculum. 

Parrott Academy in nearby Kinston has almost 600 students. Kindergarten through 12th grade. They are an independent non-sectarian, college prep program and have always been acclaimed for excellence.

Charter schools are also on the menu for educational choices.  Many, many pre-school programs are offered by churches and private groups. All in all, schooling is of utmost importance here.

College courses are available at the well-known Craven Community College, the largest in Eastern Carolina. Also at Mt. Olive New Bern Center and NC Wesleyan College. Eastern Carolina University is in Greensville, 40 minutes north from New Bern. (The Pirates ball games are a favorite New Bern outing.)

Limited special education programs are available; a pre-school for the hearing impaired is one bonus.

Any of our schools have a curriculum roster and vital statistics on request. Call the Craven County New Bern Board of Education at (252) 514-6300 for more information.

II. NEW BERN AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade

To use many of these sites, you need to know the county in which New Bern is located. It is in “Craven County,” North Carolina.  

A. CONTACT INFORMATION

1. CRAVEN COUNTY SCHOOLS

• Location: Craven County Schools offices are located at 3600 Trent Road (corner of Glenburnie Rd) in New Bern.  
   
• Phone: Call (252) 514-6300 for information.
   
• Web site: www.craven.k12.nc.us
   
• Public School Bus Stops: To determine what transportation options are available for your child’s particular school and for bus stops in your neighborhood nearest your home, contact Craven County Schools Central Services at (252) 514-6300
  Web Site: www.craven.k12.nc.us

2. CRAVEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION

The Craven County Board of Education meets on the third Thursday of the month at 3600 Trent Road in New Bern at 7 PM. All meetings are open to the public. There is a half hour public participation segment at every board meeting that welcomes the public to express issues or concerns.

Board of Education Committee meetings are held the Monday before the third Thursday beginning at 8:30 a.m. The meetings are open to the public.

For more information concerning Board of Education policies, contact Mary Alice Swindell, (252) 514-6346.

3. VOLUNTEERING and TEACHER CERTIFICATION

• For information on Teacher Certification, volunteering and becoming a Teacher’s Aide, please contact Craven County Schools at (252) 514-6300.

4. CURRENT TEACHER JOB OPENINGS

The current list of job openings for Craven County Schools can be found at their web site:
http://www.craven.k12.nc.us/DEPARTMENTS/Personnel/index.html

5. CHILD DAY CARE in the New Bern Area

One of the best resources in Craven County is Craven Smart Start, a non-profit that administers Smart Start funds and provides learning and literary services for birth through 5 years old. Their free Child Care Resource & Referral service at (252) 672-5921 will help working parents find quality child care, as well as info for child care subsidies for low income parents.

A terrific Toy & Book Lending Library is available at their location at 1917 Trent Blvd in New Bern to parents and grandparents for $5 per year, providing a free indoor play area and ability to obtain loaner toys and books.

B. CRAVEN COUNTY SCHOOLS REPORT CARDS and STANDARDS

North Carolina Educational Standards and Curriculum

• To understand more about educational standards in the state of North Carolina, view the school curriculum and standards info at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/

Official Report Cards for Public Schools in the New Bern Area

• To view last year's official "report cards" from the State of North Carolina for each public school in a particular county, click on the following link www.ncreportcards.com/src/ then:
  • For New Bern and Havelock residents, choose Craven County Schools from the  drop-down list of school districts.
  • For Pollocksville, Maysville and Trenton residents, choose Jones County Schools
  • For Oriental and Bayboro residents, choose Pamlico County Schools.  

NC Public Schools Review - (Government statistics): www.publicschoolreview.com/county_schools/stateid/NC/county/37049

NC Private Schools Review- (scroll down to see statistics):

• www.privateschoolreview.com/county_private_schools/stateid/NC/county/37049
• For Arendell Parrott Academy review. see Kinston area

C. NEW BERN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

List of New Bern Public Elementary, Middle and High Schools

Public primary/middle schools in New Bern:

• ALBERT H BANGERT ELEMENTARY (Location: 3712 CANTERBURY RD; Grades: KG - 05) (252) 514-6415.
• BEN D QUINN ELEMENTARY (Location: 4275 M L KING JR BLVD; Grades: PK - 05) (252) 514-6420. School uniforms required.
• BRIDGETON ELEMENTARY: (Location: 230 Branch Canal Road, New Bern, NC 28560. Grades: PK-5) (252) 514-6425.
• BRINSON MEMORIAL ELEMENTARY (Location: 319 NEUSE FOREST AVE; Grades: KG - 05) (252) 514-6431
• J T BARBER ELEMENTARY (Location: 1700 COBB ST; Grades: PK - 05) (252) 514-6460. School uniforms required.
• OAKS ROAD ELEMENTARY (Location: 2811 OAKS RD; Grades: KG - 05) (252) 514-6475. School uniforms required.
• TRENT PARK ELEMENTARY (Location: 2500 EDUCATIONAL DR; Grades: KG - 05) (252) 514-6481.

Public primary/middle schools in New Bern:

• GROVER C FIELDS MIDDLE (Location: 2000 M L KING JR BLVD; Grades: 06 - 08) (252) 514-6438. School uniforms required.
• H J MACDONALD MIDDLE (Location: 3127 ELIZABETH AVE; Grades: 06 - 08) (252) 514-6450.
• WEST CRAVEN MIDDLE (Location: 515 NW CRAVEN MID SCH RD; Grades: 06 - 08) (252) 514-6488.

Public high schools in New Bern:

• NEW BERN HIGH SCHOOL (Location: 4200 ACADEMIC DR; Grades: 09 - 12) (252) 514-6400.

III. NEW BERN PRIVATE SCHOOLS PRE-K THROUGH 12TH GRADE

A. SECULAR PRIVATE SCHOOLS K-12

Arendell Parrott Academy in Kinston, NC

For secular (non-religious) private education, Arendell Parrott Academy (www.parrottacademy.org) is a prestigious private school located in nearby Kinston in Lenoir County. Offering Kindergarten through 12th grade, Parrott Academy is an independent, non-sectarian school offering a rigorous college prep program for almost 600 students. The school provides buses to take children to and from New Bern to the school.

Limited special education programs are available in New Bern; a pre-school for the hearing impaired is one bonus. 

B. CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS in NEW BERN

For Christian education, New Bern has formal academic programs at St. Paul’s Catholic Education Center, Calvary Baptist School, and Ruth’s Chapel Free Will Baptist School.

St. Paul's Education Center

St. Paul's Education Center is a Catholic K-8 school with over 300 students and features a computer learning room (and high math and science scores). They provide a kindergarten through 8th grade curriculum.

Calvary Baptist Church School

Calvary Baptist Church School, a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church, is a private school serving approximately 90 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Students are required to wear school uniforms consisting of green shirts with the school logo, combined with khaki pants for boys and khaki skirts or jumpers for girls. Extra-curricular offerings including basketball and cheerleading are available for high school students.

Ruth’s Chapel Christian School

A larger Christian school in New Bern is Ruth’s Chapel Christian School (www.ruthschapel.com/school.htm), run by the Ruth’s Chapel Free Will Baptist Church. This private school serves about 200 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. It also offers day-care and before- and after-school programs. Uniforms are required for all students. Pre-schoolers 3 to 4-year old are offered a special structured learning program, while older children are taught the Abeka and Bob Jones University curricula. Extracurricular activities in basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading are available for older students.

The Epiphany School

Sponsored by famous local author Nicholas Sparks and other prominent citizens, The Epiphany School (www.epiphany-nb.org) is a "vigorous college preparatory middle and high school" stressing Christian ethics and the arts as well as standard college preparatory courses.  It is multi-denominational and focuses on providing a broad, global perspective, stating that their "students will develop an appreciation for global interdependence and an aptitude for engaging diverse cultures and perspectives. They also focus on providing a range of related activities. As their mission states:  "Because learning extends outside of the classroom, our students participate in a wide array of co-curricular activities in our safe and enriching environment."

C. CONTACT INFO FOR ALL NEW BERN AREA PRIVATE SCHOOLS

• Arendell Parrott Academy K-12: 1901 Dobbs Farm Rd., Kinston, NC. (252) 522-4222

• Calvary Baptist Church School K-12: 1821 Rhem Ave., New Bern NC 28563. (252) 633-5410

• Craven Multi-Purpose Juvenile School: 621 Lagoon Road, New Bern, NC 28562. (252) 514-2625

• Ruth’s Chapel Christian School K-12: 2709 Oaks Road, New Bern, NC 28560. (252) 638-1297

• St. Paul’s Education Center Pre-K-8: 3007 Country Club Road, New Bern, NC 28562. (252) 633-0100

• The Epiphany School Grades 6-12:  2201 Henderson Avenue, New Bern, NC 28560. (252) 638-012

IV. NEW BERN AREA COLLEGES and UNIVERSITIES

A. NEW BERN AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Both formal college courses as well as adult development and vocational courses are available at the New Bern area’s community colleges.

Craven County Community College:

• Main Campus Info Line: (252) 638-4131
• Official college web site: www.cravencc.edu
• Community Activities and Events: www.cravencc.edu/community/index.cfm
• Locations:
  • New Bern Campus: 800 College Court, New Bern NC 28562, (252) 638-4131. Located off of Glenburnie Road at the Hwy 70 exit.
  • Havelock Campus: 305 Cunningham Blvd., Havelock, NC 28532, (252) 444-6005.

The well-known Craven Community College (www.cravencc.edu) in New Bern and Havelock is the largest community college in Eastern Carolina. Located next to Greenbrier on Glenburnie Road and on Cunningham Blvd in Havelock, it offers college credit courses, including 2-year Associate Degrees and now some four-year degrees such as nursing. Many courses are offered in the evening and weekends for the convenience of working students.

Continuing Development programs from Adult GED to technical skills are offered at New Bern, Havelock and Cherry Point campuses of Craven Community College (Read more about Continuing Education offerings at www.cravencc.edu/about/departments/coned.cfm.)

It also provides an extensive selection of Adult Enrichment courses for professional and personal development. Subjects range from practical and business-oriented courses in computers, marketing, and investing to home or auto repair. Many fun and hobby-oriented courses are offered such as Golf, Bird Watching, Dancing, Art, Music, Cake Decorating and Photography.  Course length run one night to multi-week courses and are available to all members of the local community.  Some Adult Enrichment courses are offered for free to seniors over 65 years of age. View the Craven Community College Adult Enrichment course catalog at www.cravencc.edu/educational/continuing/AdultEnrichment.cfm.

The Craven Community College campus in New Bern also serves as host for Public Radio East (www.PublicRadioEast.org), part of the National Public Radio (NPR) network, which has won the AP awards for news reporting excellence. Both a classical music station at 89.3 FM and an all-news and talk station at 88.5 FM are favorites in Eastern Carolina.

Many community and cultural events from concerts to lectures, and films are held at the college’s auditorium (see the Calendar at www.CravenCC.edu/community/lectures.cfm). Many of these events are free or cost only a nominal fee. Other community colleges within driving distance of New Bern expand the selection of courses available.

Community Colleges with over 2000 students in or near New Bern:

• Craven Community College (in New Bern and Havelock NC)
  www.cravencc.edu
  • New Bern: 800 College Court (off Glenburnie Rd), New Bern, NC 28562
    (252) 638-4131
  • Havelock: 305 Cunningham Blvd., Havelock, NC 28532, (252) 444-6005.
     

• Pamlico Community College (about 19 miles from New Bern)
  www.pamlico.cc.nc.us
  Post Office Box 185, 5049 Hwy 306 S., Grantsboro, NC 28529
  (252) 249-1851
• Coastal Carolina Community College (about 31 miles from New Bern)
  www.coastalcarolina.edu
  444 Western Boulevard, Jacksonville, NC 28546-6899
  (910) 455-1221
• Lenoir Community College (about 34 miles from New Bern)
  www.lenoircc.edu
  231 Highway 58 South, Kinston, NC 28502-0188
  (252) 527-6223
• Carteret Community College (about 38 miles from New Bern)
  www.carteret.edu
  3505 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557
  (252) 222-6000
• Pitt Community College (about 47 miles from New Bern)
  www.pitt.cc.nc.us
  Mailing Address: P O Drawer 7007, Greenville, NC 27835-7007
  Physical Address: 1986 Pitt Tech Road, Winterville, NC  28590
  (252) 321-4200

B. NEW BERN AREA 4-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

In addition to two-year associates degrees, some four-year college bachelor’s degrees and other college courses can also be found at Mt. Olive College and Craven Community College.  Full four-year universities can be found in Greenville, NC, and Wilmington, NC.

• Craven Community College (in New Bern and Havelock NC)
  www.cravencc.edu
  • New Bern: 800 College Court (off Glenburnie Rd), New Bern, NC 28562
    (252) 638-4131
  • Havelock: 305 Cunningham Blvd., Havelock, NC 28532, (252) 444-6005.

• Mt. Olive College at New Bern

Mount Olive at New Bern is one of the campuses of this private Christian college which offers courses in education, law enforcement, management and other programs oriented toward the working adult who needs to fit study into a busy lifestyle. 

Mount Olive College at New Bern
2131 S. Glenburnie Rd., Ste. 6, New Bern
(252) 633-4464, (800) 868-8479
Web Site: www.MountOliveCollege.edu

• East Carolina University (ECU) in Greenville, NC

The nearest full four-year university to New Bern is East Carolina University in Greenville. Four-year undergraduate degrees as well as masters and doctorate-level courses can be taken at Eastern Carolina University (www.ecu.edu), part of the prestigious University of North Carolina system. ECU is in Greensville, 40 minutes north from New Bern. ECU is particularly renowned for its excellent programs in family medicine, teaching and music.

The ECU Pirates football, basketball and baseball games are a favorite outing, and cultural events abound in Greenville as a college town.

• Official university web site: www.ecu.edu
• Athletic events for the ECU Pirates: www.ecupirates.com
• ECU Cultural Events: www.ecu.edu/ecuarts/

• University of North Carolina- Wilmington (UNCW) in Wilmington, NC

Located about 90 miles (just under 2 hours) from New Bern, the University of North Carolina- Wilmington is also part of the UNC system. Known fondly as "UNC by the Sea", UNCW offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

• Official university web site: www.uncwil.edu
• Athletic events for the UNC Seahawks: www.uncwsports.com
• UNCW Arts and Cultural Events: Click here for their Arts Calendar

• All Universities in North Carolina:

  The state of North Carolina is renowned for all of its fine colleges and universities. For a listing of all the NC universities, click on: www.ga.unc.edu/Directories/nchighered.html
   

  • For 4-year universities in NC only, click on www.ibiblio.org/nc/nccollege.html
     
  • For Official NC government information on various campuses of the University of North Carolina system, independent colleges and universities, community colleges, financial aid, college resources, and more, click on: www.ncgov.com/asp/subpages/intention.asp?P=2&I=72

C. NEW BERN TECHNICAL and VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

Other private and technical schools in New Bern:

• SOUND VIEWS SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY (Location: 323 FLEET ST; Private, not-for-profit). Offers Master's degree in theology.
   
• CAROLINA AIR FLIGHT TRAINING (Location: 950 AVIATION DR; Private, for-profit) Offers pilot training.