Welcome to
Second Bryan!
Updates
These are updated each month with important campus information!
Family Day Preview:
Each September, NCSSM invites families to campus for a fun and informative Family Day! On Saturday, September 14th, 2024, experience a ‘day in the life’ of your student as you walk through a condensed version of their schedule. You’ll envision the excitement of learning as you have the opportunity to meet your student’s instructors, counselors, and other key campus members, all while exploring NCSSM’s interactive classrooms and innovative learning spaces.
A detailed agenda for Family Day can be found here:
In addition to meeting their student’s stellar teachers, families will have a chance to connect with other NCSSM families at the Parent Association hospitality table and visit the school store, where families can snag some awesome merchandise and show their school spirit!
Families should RSVP by completing this registration form as soon as possible and no later than Wednesday, September 11th:
College Fair Preview:
The NCSSM Durham community is excited to host our annual College Fair on Friday, September 13th, at the end of the academic day from 3:15 to 5:15pm. This is an amazing opportunity for juniors and seniors to learn more about colleges across the country and explore what school might be right for them.
In the past representatives from more than 70 schools from around the country have been available to talk with students and families about their schools, the college admissions process, financial aid, and scholarships. More information about the schools represented at the college fair this year and student requirements for attendance will be shared in the coming weeks.
Progress Reports
As September draws to a close, faculty across campus will be completing grading assignments to release progress reports for students on September 20. To view student progress reports, families will need to log into Blackbaud and select the “progress” tab. Families will then click “report cards” to open all the progress reports for the year and select either “Semester 1 - Durham” or “Semester 1 - Durham (no comments),” depending on whether they want to view grades and teacher feedback, or just grades.
If families have concerns about their student’s performance, then please reach out to me. I will meet with students who have multiple Cs or a D to help develop a plan for improvement, but will be happy to meet with anyone if there are concerns. It is also important that students reach out to their individual teachers, counselor, and the Center for Advising and Academic Success for advice on how to improve. This is also a good time for students to evaluate whether they should be attending tutorials more often.
On Call Community Coordinators
CCs are available 24 hours a day to assist your students. The Bryan CC desk is staffed each day from 7:30am to 1:00am. All other CC building offices are staffed beginning at 6:30pm each day. Outside of these hours, there will always be 2 CCs on call while students are on campus. The contact numbers for the on-call CCs are posted at each CC desk and on the TWAN website. If your student has an emergency they are encouraged to reach out to the on-duty CCs.
NCSSM also has Campus Safety Officers available 24 hours. They can be contacted at 919-416-2911.
First Extended Weekend & Fall Break
As students prepare for the first extended weekend it is important to understand that we use a special sign out for these weekends away from NCSSM:
Halls close at 5pm on Friday, August 30th and reopen at noon on Monday, September 2nd.
Closed Friday, September 27th at 5:00pm. Opens Sunday, October 6th at noon.
Students will sign a virtual Extended Sheet during hall meeting. On this form they indicate where they are going for the break, who they are traveling with, and how they are getting to their location.
If a student is not departing early, is not returning to campus late, is not taking a train or Greyhound bus home, and their final destination is home or they are being picked-up by a parent/guardian, they do not need to submit a pass on Orah (our signout system).
If a student is departing before the day the Extended Weekend begins or returning to campus late they will need to have a parent/guardian sign them out at Bryan desk or submit an overnight pass on Orah and sign out at Bryan desk with whomever is picking them up.
If a student's final destination is not home and they are not being picked up by a parent/guardian, or if they are taking the train or Greyhound bus, they will need to submit an overnight pass on Orah and sign out at the Bryan desk.
Increasing Workload:
Now that we have made it to the first extended weekend, students should be getting into the swing of things with classes and life at NCSSM. Around this time students will also notice their workload increasing. It is imperative for them to develop strong time management skills and learn to seek out help as they begin to face these new challenges. If needed, students can reach out to their me and/or any of the following resources:
Center for Advising and Academic Success (CAAS): CAAS serves all residential and online students during their time here at NCSSM. The purpose and function of the Center is to provide individual, ongoing, and real-time academic support and guidance for all students. Some of the CAAS services include:
providing guidance and advice for students on course choices and placement
providing academic consultation for students
developing and managing academic support plans
communicating directly with student support teams
communicating/collaborating with Counseling on academic support
providing administrative support for Enrollment Services/Registrar
Tutorials: Most classes and departments offer formal tutorials for students. These tutorial sessions are led by both faculty and student TAs. Tutorial session schedules and resources can be found on each department’s website:
Residential Education Courses:
All juniors take RE102 Cornerstone; in this course they learn about academic success strategies. The skills they develop and the resources provided by their instructor will be helpful to revisit as their workload increases.
Clinic
Student Health, often referred to as the Clinic, is located on the first floor of the Hunt Residence Hall. The Clinic is staffed by a nurse, medical assistant, and a family nurse practitioner. Our medical director oversees the Clinic’s daily operation and is present in the Clinic one day a week. The Clinic is staffed and equipped to manage most acute and chronic illnesses that occur while students reside at NCSSM. Common over-the-counter medications, bandages, splints, and crutches are dispensed at no additional charge to students. Prescriptions, if required, can be picked up from a local pharmacy. Some problems may require additional care, in which case students are referred to area professionals. Families will be notified if this referral is necessary.
Students are prohibited from keeping certain types of prescription medications in their rooms (e.g., narcotics, psychotropics, stimulants). These medications must be retained and distributed by the Clinic. Students may keep over-the-counter medications in their rooms for their personal use (e.g., pain relievers, cold medications, stomach remedies, herbal remedies, vitamins, etc.).
The clinic is open Monday - Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. After hours and on the weekends students can reach out to CCs on duty for help; the CCs will contact a 24-hour telephone nursing service called Healthlink to seek advice on how to aid your student.
Students may schedule telehealth appointments and in-person appointments, as well as medication drop-off/pick-up appointments. The Clinic is not open to drop-in appointments as it has been in the past.
2B-Roll
This year's hall theme is Hollywood Cinema!