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Plus, changes to Alamance County’s largest Medicaid plan
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Good morning neighbors,


For the past few months, school redistricting has loomed large over ABSS families. In case you missed it, the biggest takeaway from the proposed plan is that high school boundaries would not change. The consultants in charge of the plans presented two scenarios for the elementary school shifts and one for middle schools.


As the district wrapped up its final community "Solutions Sessions" last week, the mood was quite calm (despite my young daughter’s excitement running up and down the auditorium, and whose bursts of energy you might hear in the following link.)


At the March 3rd session at Williams, a crowd of about three dozen community members offered feedback, with no major criticism expressed during the brief, under-an-hour meeting.


ABSS Chief Communications Officer Emily-Lynn Adkins attributed the reaction (or lack thereof) to the district’s engagement from the beginning.


"We asked families, 'What do you want in your schools?' Because these are public schools. We heard from them,” Adkins told The Alamance Fabric. “The SchoolCAMP folks did a great job taking that data and really making sure that when they were looking at these models they weren't just moving kids for the sake of moving kids. It was about shorter bus rides and getting students out of mobile classrooms."


During the final session at Southeast High School on March 4, SchoolCAMP consultants also laid out the math driving the solutions.


Superintendent Aaron Fleming noted at the end that he plans to recommend "Scenario 1" for elementary schools to the Board of Education. This solution uses available capacity at Pleasant Grove and Holt elementary schools to alleviate overcrowding at schools like Garrett, hopefully providing relief down the line. However, Fleming warned these adjustments are a temporary bridge.


"That doesn't answer the problems that we have, particularly on that western, northwest side, and to an extent southwest side," Fleming said. "We will have to look at an elementary school on that side and then, ultimately, to the east for a middle school."


What happens next?

Here are a few dates to know:

  • (Today) Tuesday, March 10: SchoolCAMP will present its findings at the Board of Education work session at 12:30 p.m. This meeting, held at the Auditorium/Administrative Offices at 1712 Vaughn Road in Burlington, is open to the public.

  • Monday, March 23: The ABSS board is set to officially vote on the final maps at their regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.

    • Note: The separate public hearing for the upcoming ABSS budget will happen right before this meeting at 6 p.m.

  • April & May 2026: Families will be officially notified of any changes taking effect for the August 2026 school year.

Below you’ll find information about an upcoming change for those receiving Medicaid through WellCare and a short guide to summer camp options for families in Alamance County (yes, it’s that time of year).


See you next week,

Laura Brache
Community Engagement Editor

The Alamance Fabric | NC Local

laura@alamancefabric.org

This week...

How to navigate the Carolina Complete Health Medicaid merger in Alamance County

Late last month, Kelsey Beatty, a Burlington mom and assistant teacher, got the notice: her health care coverage was changing. She’s one of nearly 56,000 Alamance residents – nearly a third of the county’s population – who could see changes to their Medicaid coverage soon.


“My first thought was confusion,” she said in a message to The Alamance Fabric.. “[I worried] it was going to affect my current doctor's visits with it already being very challenging to find anyone that will take Medicaid as is.”


Starting April 1st, WellCare of North Carolina and Carolina Complete Health (CCH), two Medicaid plans, are merging into a single, statewide health plan under the Carolina Complete Health name. This creates the state's largest Medicaid plan, covering over 775,000 members, according to CCH.


WellCare is the largest Medicaid coverage plan in the county, providing about 20% of the county’s Medicaid patients with coverage.


Under the change, current WellCare members do not need to take any action. Their plans will automatically transition to CCH. But if they want to elect different coverage, they have the right to opt out and switch to a different Medicaid health plan.


Read the full article here.

Coming soon: A landing page for The Fabric! In the meantime, you'll be redirected to nclocal.org. 

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A guide to 2026 summer camps and programs in Alamance County

"Dystopian art-making" at an ACC Summer Camp. (Credit: Alamance Community College)

With spots filling up across the county, families looking to snag a spot for their child this summer should be proactive. Registration for local summer camps either just opened or have already opened. Here is a guide to 2026 summer camps and other enrichment options across Alamance County this summer.


Note: This list is not exhaustive and can be updated. Did we miss a camp? Send an email to laura@alamancefabric.org.


Read the guide here.

What's shaping Alamance

A round up of key local headlines (from our partners and other news organizations) that are defining life in Alamance right now.

Latest from NC Local

Here is the latest statewide reporting from the NC Local team on the big-picture issues that impact us all.

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The state continues operating without a budget because of a law that allows for ongoing spending at last year’s levels. But that approach freezes key decisions and leaves state employees without raises. Read more...

How far should North Carolina go in forcing treatment for someone with severe mental illness?

After two recent high-profile murders, lawmakers are weighing changes to the state’s involuntary commitment policies. Here’s how you can have a say. Read more...

Community spotlight

In this segment, we spotlight one of the neighbors shaping our community's future —brought to you in partnership with The Power + Place Collaborative from Elon University's Center for Design Thinking. Below is an excerpt from the profile. Click the video for more.
Beyond the Tracks: the Power of Family, Education, and Faith through Lynetta Burton's story

Lynnetta Burton

“What truly matters is how we respond to difficulties - by viewing them as opportunities for growth and transformation in our lives and our communities.”

"Lynnetta Burton is a devoted mother, grandmother, and wife who grew up in Elon, surrounded by a strong, supportive, and faith-filled community. She recalls having close relationships with the families in her neighborhood and deeply admires her parents’ intelligence and resilience, despite their lack of formal college education.


In her early years, Burton felt fortunate to have teachers in Alamance County who were well-trained and deeply committed to their students. She remembers how they went above and beyond, providing resources that were not given to them by the district. Her educational journey took a historic turn when her high school class became the first to integrate Western Alamance High School following desegregation. After graduating from high school, Burton attended North Carolina Central University, where she earned a degree in elementary education with a minor in library science.


In 1976, Burton began her career in education, starting at E.M. Holt before transitioning to Pleasant Grove Elementary. Over her 42 years as a teacher, mentor, and academic coach, she was always striving to shape her students into responsible and prepared citizens. “I wanted the students to be the best citizens they could be and to be ready to face the world,” she reflects. Burton’s impact on the children and the community was made apparent when a Little Free Library was dedicated by one of the teachers and her father, “Burton’s Book Barn.” Even after retiring as an educator, she still works as a literacy tutor and substitute in Alamance County. Many former students continue to express their gratitude for the positive impact she had on their lives, a testament to her dedication to helping those in her community."

Things to do

Whether you’re searching for family-friendly fun, ways to support local creators or become more civically involved, here are a few ideas.


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