Our programs
School Tours
PPS-PC’s school tour program is one of our most impactful and long-standing initiatives. In collaboration with Pitt County Schools, school tours connect families, community leaders, and potential new Pitt County residents with the schools that shape our community. Throughout the year, school tours offer families authentic, inside-the-school experiences that allow them to see inside a school building, meet school staff, and understand each school’s unique strengths.
Tours are always led by knowledgeable school staff members, ensuring accurate and welcoming experiences for all participants. School tours typically last 45 minutes to an hour.
Three types of tours
Annual Community Leader School Tour Series (Fall)
5 tours each fall including tours of a traditional elementary, middle, and high school, as well as a K–8 school and an early college high school or the Sadie Salter Pre-K Program. Community leader tours are designed to introduce community leaders including elected officials, candidates running for office, business leaders, faith leaders, bankers, non profit leaders and medical professionals to schools in Pitt County helping those leaders learn about the important things happening in schools every day but also to gain insight into the needs of the schools in our community and how those leaders can advocate on behalf of and support public schools in Pitt County.
Annual Spring School Tour Series
At least one tour offered at every Pitt County School, giving families broad access to explore options countywide. The Spring School Tour Series is open to anyone in the community interested in touring one or more schools.
Family Tours
These tours are provided on an as needed basis throughout the year for families considering a move to Pitt County.
Benefits of attending a school tour
- Supports families whose children are entering a new school level—kindergarten, middle school, or high school—by giving them a close look at their future school community.
- Helps families navigate PCS School Choice either through Reassignment including Open Enrollment or School Lottery. In 2026–2027, 24 schools were approved open enrollment schools, making tours essential for families exploring multiple options.
- Provides a pathway for families exploring a move from private to public schools, with many families each spring choosing to enroll in public schools after attending tours.
- Offers community leaders firsthand insight into the strengths, challenges, and innovations within Pitt County Schools.
- Assists families moving into Pitt County as they explore school options and make informed decisions for their children.
School Tour Impact Stories
“The tours gave me an in-depth look at the curriculum and culture…”
Our family was trying to figure out where to build or buy a home. Our oldest daughter was supposed to start Kindergarten in the fall and we needed to find a school that felt right to us. Luckily I heard about the school tours that Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County hosted. I promptly signed up for 4 school tours in the area that we wanted to live.
They were, of course, all wonderful in their own ways but there was one school that stood out and felt like home. The tours gave me an in-depth look at the curriculum and culture of the school and gave me a chance to meet the principals and staff at each one. I’m so grateful they were offered to our community. We joined the Ridgewood Shark family and have enjoyed every second of it!
“Future leaders in the making!”
R.I.S.E. – Raising Integrity, Strength and Excellence. I had the wonderful opportunity to tour South Central High School as a part of the PPS-PC Community Leader School Tour Series. It was a great opportunity to see inside one of our wonderful public schools and see the amazing work the leadership and administration put in every day.
I was so encouraged to hear the progressive approach Pitt County Schools is taking to ensure we have students who can be competitive upon leaving high school! We heard from students who led us on the tour and saw homegrown leadership in action. These AVID students were not only being prepared for college and careers—they were demonstrating life skills, public speaking, and community engagement. Future leaders in the making! I look forward to attending additional Community Leader Tours.
“Thankfully, our realtor had already put us in contact with Joshua at Parents for Public Schools”
In June 2022, my family and I traveled from Cleveland Heights Ohio to Greenville for my interview to be faculty at East Carolina University. We enjoyed getting to know the city and the university on our trip, and then returned home. Fast forward to February 2023, when we visited again, this time with the intention of house and school hunting. Thankfully, our realtor had already put us in contact with Joshua at Parents for Public Schools, who set up tours at three of the local elementary schools for us and our 8-year old daughter, Remy.
We told Joshua all about our sweet girl – her love of art, her extroverted tendencies, and the fact that there were about two dozen kids in the 2nd grade at her school, with only 11 kids in her class (and only one other girl). He chose three wonderful schools for us to tour on our visit, worked with our house-viewing schedule and map to give us plenty of time between sites, and made sure we had the information we needed in a nice little folder. We were pretty scattered coming into the appointments, with so many factors to consider in our upcoming move, so having that personal touch was incredibly heartening. It felt like we were able to give really intentional effort to the choice of Remy’s school because Joshua made that possible.
It was really unexpected and lovely to have the opportunity to meet the staff at each of the three schools and to get a feel for which would be a good fit for Remy. At two of the schools, we were even able to meet the Principal and Security Officers. One Principal (Mrs. Stancil) got down on eye level with Remy and had a conversation – that was truly impressive. After touring the three schools, having several conversations with various school staff, and meeting two of Joshua’s children at Elmhurst Elementary, we had made our choice.
Once we moved to Greenville, yet another personal touch, Joshua even invited Remy to his daughter Jaycie’s 8th birthday party so that she could meet a few more girls going into third grade! Mrs. Stancil also held multiple “Popsicles with the Principal” events on the playground at Elmhurst to get to know new students and give them a chance to interact with current ones. Fast-forward again to this week when we’ve been able to see our daughter sing and play ukulele in the chorus and band at Elmhurst’s winter concerts, and we continue to be validated in our school choice. The friendly staff who greet us each day at drop-off and pick-up, the kind messages on Class Dojo, and the sweet friends Remy has made also affirm our choice and we cannot thank Joshua and PPS enough for this wonderful opportunity!