New students should register at the appropriate school before school opens in the fall, if possible. Students entering kindergarten and 1st grade must have immunization and physical examination records. Each school has an advisory council that meets monthly to discuss issues. These councils also meet with the Board of Education. Most schools have a Parent-Teacher Organization as well as booster organizations.
Children attend schools depending on where they live.
There are three schools in the Down East area of Carteret County. Each is named for its community, and each serves students through the 8th grade. When Down East students complete 8th grade, they attend East Carteret High School in Beaufort. An elementary and a middle school are within the Town of Beaufort, and one of the high schools, East Carteret High School, is on the outskirts. Students who complete 8th grade at the Down East or Beaufort Middle schools attend East Carteret High School.