| Educating Our Children |  |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 In the past several years, public school systems along the Cape Fear Coast have been rising to meet the changing needs of a student body that’s growing in numbers as quickly as the area is as a whole.The systems in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties continue to build new schools and renovate older ones to provide more classroom space. At the same time, they’re emphasizing improved quality of education through innovative programs such as interdisciplinary studies, renewed emphasis on the basics and other efforts. Here’s an overview of each system: New Hanover County The New Hanover County School System has 34 schools accredited by the State of North Carolina and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. As the 10th-largest school system in North Carolina, New Hanover County Schools’ enrollment has grown to approximately 24,700. Since 2001, the student population has increased 11 percent, due to the influx of new families moving to the area. End-of-year tests are administered to all students in grades three through eight and in select courses in high school. In 2005, End of Grade tests show that 90.7 percent of students grades three through eight are at or above grade level in reading, and 88.7 are at or above grade level in reading. The district’s average SAT in 2005 was 1,025, higher than the state average of 1,010. The average student-teacher ratio in grades K-2 is 1:21. For grades 3-9, the student-teacher ratio is 1:26 and for grades 10-12, the student-teacher ratio is 1:29. Each K-3 teacher has a teacher assistant. New Hanover County Schools emphasizes quality throughout the system and that emphasis is integral to classroom activities and programs. Soaring Achievement, Great Expectations (SAGE) is a program that addresses the academic and intellectual gifts of all students. About 4,300 New Hanover County students are served in this program. Comprehensive high schools in the county offer Advanced Placement and honors classes in core subjects. The AVID program (Achievement Via Individual Determination) offers extra academic support for college-bound students who will be the first in their families to attend college. The program provides academic assistance, tutoring and enrichment activities to help prepare students for college. Technical classes in computer-aided drafting and computer programming are also offered. Every classroom in New Hanover County Schools has Internet access. The curriculum for Gregory School of Math, Science and Technology emphasizes technology and hands-on learning. Several schools in the county offer year-round education. The school district continually looks for new ways to improve its offerings and its operations. It receives substantial community support through an education foundation. Many area businesses have created partnerships with New Hanover County Schools through the chamber of commerce to further the education of students in certain business areas. A bond referendum passed in May 2005 will add a new elementary school, a new middle school, a replacement for Ogden Elementary School and additions and renovations to seven other schools in the district. The school year, which begins in mid-August and ends in June, lasts 180 days. Year-round schools begin in the middle of July and end in June. Summer school is offered for repeat subjects. Brunswick County The educational philosophy of Brunswick County Schools is, “Every child will learn.” The district has a student population of approximately 10,000 students and operates 16 schools within its system, including three high schools, three middle schools and nine elementary schools. It also offers an alternative high school, the Brunswick Learning Center, which serves students who have left the regular program or who have not had success in other programs. In addition to the basic K-12 instructional program, Brunswick County Schools has a comprehensive program of instructional services for the exceptional child, vocational education, remediation and courses for the North Carolina Scholar. The system also offers three year-round schools: Belville Elementary, Lincoln Elementary and Leland Middle School. In 2005, eight Brunswick County Schools met 100 percent of their target goals as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. South Brunswick Middle School in Southport was a finalist in the Schools to Watch program. The program is an alliance for improving schools for adolescents throughout the country, and South Brunswick Middle was recognized as one of the country’s model schools. Pender County Pender County has about 7,000 students in seven elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and one alternative school, Pender County Alternative School in Burgaw, which serves grades six through 12. In 2005, five Pender County Schools were named Honor Schools of Excellence, meaning that at least 90 percent of students performed at or above grade level and met 100 percent of target goals as part of the No Child Left Behind Act. Five schools were named Schools of Distinction, meaning that at least 80 percent of students performed at or above grade level. According to overall End of Grade test results in Pender County, 90.1 percent of students in grades three through eight are at or above average in math and 86.9 percent are at or above average in reading. The system’s participation in the A+ Arts Program provides for the integration of the arts into the academic experience. Pender High School is one of a handful of schools in North Carolina designated as a Cyber Campus by the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. As a result, it is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and receives advanced curricula, enrichment opportunities and additional teacher training. The Pender County Board of Education is in the middle of an ambitious campaign to construct and renovate school facilities. New elementary and middle schools have been opened in the past few years in Rocky Point. Plans to expand schools and build new ones are currently in the works. PHOTO COURTESY OF WILMINGTON CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
Public Schools New Hanover County Schools 6410 Carolina Beach Road Wilmington, NC 28412 910-763-5431 www.nhcs.k12.nc.us Brunswick County Schools Pender County Schools Private Schools Charter Day School The Children’s Schoolhouse – Montessori Friends School of Wilmington L&L Montessori School
New Horizons Elementary School Southport Christian School St. Mary Catholic School Wilmington Christian Academy Wilmington Academy of Arts & Sciences |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||