Education Time to Learn

A look at the many educational options available

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Looking for the best educational opportunities for your child? Look no further. Award-winning public and private schools provide considerable and diverse choices here, as families can select from schools that emphasize the arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), as well as Montessori and faith-based-curriculums. Area high schools offer International Baccalaureate programs, Advanced Placement courses and many other options, and the 2023-2024 school year marks the opening of Aspire Trade High School in Huntersville, the only model of its kind in North Carolina to offer an industry-specific trade school curriculum.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools offers many elementary and middle schools in addition to three high schools in the area — Hopewell and North Mecklenburg in Huntersville and William Amos Hough in Cornelius. North Mecklenburg is noted for its International Baccalaureate program, while Hopewell offers a comprehensive curriculum including the Cambridge International Program. The three schools offer extensive Advanced Placement courses.

J.M. Alexander Middle School in Huntersville is categorized as an IB World School, and it just moved into a brand new building in 2017. Bailey Middle School in Cornelius opened in 2006 and now has more than 1,200 students. The goal of Bailey Middle is to “Inspire Learners and Empower Leaders.” www.cms.k12.nc.us

The Mooresville Graded School District provides another public school option. The district is known nationally for its comprehensive digital plan, resulting in every child receiving a device for his/her use. In 2017-2018, MGSD ranked eighth out of 115 school districts as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Course, End-of-Grade achievement exams. It also has a notable Naval Junior ROTC program considered one of the best in the Southeast. http://www.mgsd.k12.nc.us

Also serving the Lake Norman area are some of the Iredell-Statesville Schools. Lake Norman High School in Mooresville is a newer high school in the system and was ranked the 59th best high school in the state according to U.S. News & World Report. Some area elementary and mid- dle schools also were named Honor Schools of Excellence or Schools of Excellence. http://iss.schoolwires.com/lnhigh

Public charter options

For other public options, families can consider charter schools – tuition-free options that use a lottery system for enrollment when all available slots have been filled, and for which tax dollars provide some of the funding. In some cases, parents must provide transportation and meals.

Aspire Trade High School opens its doors this school year in Huntersville, offering the only trade school model of its kind in the state to students in grades 9-12. Students will have the ability to earn a diploma in addition to a trade certificate during their four years. Students will begin trade instruction in their freshman year and will be able to enter an apprenticeship with a local company during their senior year to gain additional experience.

www.aspiretradehs.org

Community School of Davidson is a public charter school offering grades K-12. The school has less than 1,200 students, and its mission is to use the principles of The Basic School to provide an optimal learning environment. CSD has the highest demand of charter school admission in North Carolina and 99 percent graduation. www.csdnc.org

Corvian Community School in Huntersville is a public charter school serving grades K-12. Corvian is committed to small class size, and each elementary classroom is served by a teacher and a full-time assistant who remain with students for a two-year learning loop. www.corvian.org

Iredell Charter Academy is a tuition-free public charter school educating students in grades K-8. Each child receives a Personalized Learning Plan (PLP), designed to track an individual student’s strengths, weaknesses and cumulative progress in attaining a year’s worth of learning at a specific grade level. www.iredellcharter.org

Lake Norman Charter School is a public charter school in Huntersville serving grades K-12. Lake Norman Charter’s high school is currently ranked 22nd in North Carolina by U.S. News & World Report. The school’s mission is to prepare students to be community leaders demonstrating personal integrity with a life-long desire to learn, lead and serve. www.lncs.org

Lakeside CharterAcademy is a free public charter school in Cornelius offering grades K-8. The school provides all students with the opportunity to experience a focused and coherent curriculum through the Core Knowledge Sequence by E.D. Hirsch. Its mission is to cultivate a highly effective leadership environment that engages, embraces and enriches children’s strengths, one child at a time. www.Lakesidecharteracademy.com

Langtree Charter Academy is a tuition-free K-12 charter school in Mooresville. Its mission is to build a rigorous and productive learning environment where students can reach their academic potential and where teachers set clear educational goals. www.langtreecharter.org

Lincoln Charter School offers a K-12 program on its Lincolnton and Denver campuses. The mission of Lincoln Charter School is to facilitate the development of college-ready individuals through emphasis on rigorous academics and its community expectations: honesty, respect, empathy, responsibility, service and preparedness. www.lincolncharter.org

Pine Lake Preparatory is a K-12 school that places emphasis on fine arts, STEM and Spanish language programs to enhance core classes in the hopes that the attention placed on particular student outcomes will better prepare them for purposeful lives. The school is currently ranked the 16th best high school in North Carolina in U.S. News & World Report. www.pinelakeprep.org

Pioneer Springs Community School gained official charter status in 2014. The school blends the holistic Basic School approach to core curriculum with a healthy focus on the natural world to engage students’ senses on every level. It offers grades K-11, adding a grade each year through high school. www.pioneersprings.org

Picking private

Private schools offer faith-based and secular choices for families. Because of the continued growth in the Lake Norman area, school offerings change and grow each year as schools open, relocate and add additional grades and facilities.

Cannon School offers a lower, middle and upper school and is located in nearby Concord, making it an easy commute for Lake Norman-area residents. The school is more than 40 years old. www.cannonschool.org

Christ the King Catholic High School is located at N.C. 73 and Poplar Tent Road in Cabarrus County, near Huntersville. It is a co-ed, college preparatory, Catholic high school that is open to students of all faiths and backgrounds. www.christthekinghs.com

Davidson Day School is located in Davidson, off I-77 at exit 30. The school’s mission is to foster academic excellence through collaboration, creativity and character development, and these elements are woven into everything they do. They deliver an exceptional student experience for children from two years old through 12th grade, with attention to their core values: meaningful connections, a secure and supportive learning environment, enriching experiences and integrity. www.davidsonday.org

Davidson Green School prepares the next generation of leaders and citizens by developing 21st century skills in the context of environmental stewardship. The school is in Davidson and offers classes from 3 years old through eighth grade. www.davidsongreenschool.org

Grace Covenant Academy in Cornelius offers pre-K through eighth grade classes. The academy is a ministry of Grace Covenant Church and offers students biblical values, comprehensive academics and exceptional educators while a balanced educational philosophy is reflected in weekly enrichment programs. www.gracecovenantacademy.org

Lake Norman Christian School is an independent, non-denominational Christian school offering grades K-12. The ministry of the school is to provide a college-preparatory education in a safe and nurturing environment grounded in the Christian faith. www.lknc.com

Liberty Preparatory Christian Academy in Mooresville is a Christian school that serves grades K-12. The school is a

University-Model School in which students are on campus three days a week and complete professional instructor-pre pared lessons at home the remaining two days. www.libertyprepnc.com

Phoenix Montessori Academy is located in Huntersville and offers preschool classes and grades K-12. The school’s mission is to develop true scholars, life-long learners and productive citizens of the world in a diverse atmosphere that incorporates Montessori principles. www.phoenixmontessori.org

Southlake Christian Academy in Huntersville offers grades TK-12 and was founded as a mission of the SouthLake Pres byterian Church. Its 19-acre campus features state-of-the-art educational buildings, along with athletic facilities. www.southlakechristian.org

St. Mark Catholic School offers instruction in grades K-8 at its campus in Huntersville. The school is part of the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools. www.stmarkcatholicschool.net

Woodlawn School is located in Davidson and serves grades K-12. Its 61-acre campus features the historic Woodlawn plantation home, and its natural setting permits investigative opportunities. Woodlawn believes students are future leaders who resolve conflicts, have a strong ecological foundation, respect diversity and are committed to a sense of balance and wellness, all while maintaining a healthy dose of adolescent idealism. www.woodlawnschool.org