| Raleigh Charter High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| 1307 Glenwood Avenue Cary, North Carolina, North Carolina, 27615 United States |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary Charter |
| Established | 1999 |
| Locale | Urban |
| Principal | Dr. Thomas Humble |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Number of students | 550+ |
| Mascot | Phoenix |
| School colors | Lapis and Silver |
| Website | www.raleighcharterhs.org |
Raleigh Charter High School is a free, independent public school chartered by the North Carolina State Board of Education.
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In the summer of 1998, some parents of 8th graders at The Magellan Charter School decided to establish a new charter high school so that their students could continue to learn in a nurturing and academically rich environment.[1]
From its inception through the 2010-2011 school year, Raleigh Charter occupied the historic Pilot Mill behind Peace College in downtown Raleigh (pictured). Over the summer of 2011 the school moved to the former Methodist Building on Glenwood Avenue. This location offers proximity to the downtown Raleigh resources that enhance classroom studies, additional and better classroom space, and a good and reliable central location for wake county and the surrounding areas. But the move was motivated, not by dissatisfaction with Pilot Mill, but by financial issues: the school rented its first space, but owns the current one.
Raleigh Charter is attended by approximately 500 students per year, with an average class size of 20. The student to teacher ratio is 10:1. Raleigh Charter is located at 1307 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, North Carolina. The Raleigh Charter mascot is the Phoenix. The principal, from the beginning of the school through the present, is Dr. Tom Humble. The school newspaper is titled The Flame. School hours are 9:00 AM to 2:40 PM with a traditional six period school day, but students can choose an optional 7th period class at 8:10 AM. These 7th period classes include Healthful Living and AP Music Theory.
"To graduate citizens of the world by creating an interconnected learning environment that combines a demanding college-preparatory education with a curriculum that teaches and models citizenship skills. We will involve the students in the many resources of downtown Raleigh - the government, performing arts, social services and the international community. RCHS will be a place of opportunity for highly motivated students and actively involved parents."
On December 5, 2008, U.S. News & World Report ranked Raleigh Charter the 20th best high school in the country. In 2005 Raleigh Charter High School was named the ninth best public high school in the nation by Newsweek magazine based on the number of students taking Advanced Placement tests.[2] It was rated number 53 and 18 in 2006 and 2007, respectively.[3][4] In 2003, 99 percent of tenth grade students at Raleigh Charter High School met or exceeded the requirements of the North Carolina End-of-Course Tests. For five years Raleigh Charter's students have been well ahead the state's high schools in EOC scores. In addition, almost everyone in the senior class of 2004 was accepted into college.[5]
In the College Board's AP Report for 2005, Raleigh Charter High School had the highest percentage of students scoring a 3 or higher on the Environmental Science AP Test for medium-sized schools in the world.[6] [7]
Raleigh Charter High School was the home to the first high school rowing team in the state of North Carolina, which has since been discontinued. They practiced on Lake Wheeler in the fall and spring after school. Raleigh Charter also offers other sports including basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming, track and field, cross country, and an intramural inline hockey team. They notably do not offer a football team or cheerleading squad, but pickup football is common.[8]
In 2006, Raleigh Charter was entered in the Mid State 1A/0A conference with other high schools including, Cummings, Graham, Northwood, Durham School of the Arts, North Carolina School of Science and Math.
In 2005-06 the Raleigh Charter women's swimming team finished intermural runners-up for the 0A/-1A classification.
The men's tennis team at Raleigh Charter has found tremendous success in the past couple of years. After a rocky couple of years, the 2008 squad sent Senior Bobby Schultz and Junior Mac Schultz to the NCHSAA State and Regional Doubles Championships. The 2009 team made it to the 1A state finals and the 2010 team made it to 1A Semi-Finals where they lost to NCSSM.
The Raleigh Charter women's soccer team, the Lady Phoenix, has also done well in recent years. In 2005 and 2006, they were the only 1A team to reach the 1A/2A regional playoff quarterfinals, effectively finishing as the 1A state champions. In 2007, the NC Soccer Coaches Association ranked them third in the overall 1A/2A poll, after which the team won the inaugural 2007 North Carolina 1A women's soccer state championship. In the 2008 soccer 1A state tournament, the team lost in triple overtime to Dixon High School in the 3rd round game. Dixon then went on to win the 2008 1A title. Following the season, Raleigh Charter's original and long-time women's soccer coach retired, leaving behind a flourishing program for his successor. Dan Williams took over the program in 2009 and led the team to the 1A state championship game, where they lost 1-0 to Polk County on a late goal in the second half.