Public Schools

There are fifteen schools in our school system, including two elementary schools with grades kindergarten through fourth, two middle schools with grades fifth through eighth, seven kindergarten through eighth grade schools, three high schools, and one alternative high school. Approximately 7,400 students are enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grades. Several schools, including North Chatham, have pre-kindergarten programs. Six schools have after-school programs, one of which is North Chatham. All of the schools in the Chatham County district are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Each year, public schools in North Carolina are assessed using end-of-grade tests in grades 3-8 and end-of-course tests in certain high school subjects. This statewide testing program, which was implemented in the mid-1990s and is commonly known as the ABCs, measures mastery of the objectives outlined in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

With its 2004-2005 testing data, Chatham County Schools had five schools qualify as Honor Schools of Excellence, five qualify as Schools of Distinction, and two schools qualify as Schools of Progress. SAGE Academy, the alternative high school, falls under a unique set of guidelines. Among the schools receiving recognition was Chatham Central High School. It is the first high school in the county to become a School of Distinction. North Chatham students scored above 90% proficient making it a School of Excellence for two years in a row and Northwood had scores that made it a School of Progress for the fifth consecutive year.

School officials recognize that each school’s progress is enhanced by community and parental involvement. Chatham County schools have embraced this philosophy, and community involvement is at an all-time high. North Chatham and Northwood benefit from many avenues of volunteerism including participation in classroom and school-wide projects, events that highlight community service and multicultural awareness, and, at North Chatham, an extensive plan for additional recreational facilities for the campus area. Booster organizations at North Chatham and Northwood support academic and athletic programs. In addition, the PTA at North Chatham and PTSA at Northwood actively work to support the activities of students and teachers.

North Chatham provides many resourceful programs for students. One such program is the Wellness Initiative, an innovative wellness program that began with staff members last year and has expanded into elementary grades this year. This program includes twelve student-friendly lectures and a challenging exercise program donated by Carolina Wellness Center to students at North Chatham. The program aims to address the issue of childhood obesity, a critical problem in North Carolina and nationwide. North Chatham and Perry Harrison also introduced the Peer Educators Group in 2004 to help middle school students with concerns and topics of interest. Guidance counselors at each school plan activities to provide pertinent information to students. Students are active in many community projects like making crafts with elderly residents of nearby Carolina Meadows and school projects like The National Red Ribbon Campaign.

Northwood High School provides a wide variety of academic opportunities for students in grades nine through twelve. Advanced Placement (AP) courses are part of the academic curriculum. Students are able to take college credit courses through a partnership with Central Carolina Community College and Chatham County Schools. By taking advantage of these, students have greater flexibility in preparing for their futures.

A Northwood Arts Education teacher was awarded the prestigious Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation Award in 2005 for his ability to instill a love of music in his students through instrumental music instruction. Eugene Cottrell, Director of Bands, was one of five nationwide instrumental music educators to receive the award.

Northwood has many extracurricular organizations available for students. Members of the FBLA organization at Northwood attended the Triad Regional Competition in 2005 and won in several categories. The Northwood High School Quiz Bowl team won the annual county event in 2005 and advanced to the regional competition. Members of Northwood High School Skills USA student organization attended a regional competition in 2005 and won in several categories. Students who qualified at the regional level will compete at the state competition held in April.

In fall 2004, Northwood’s cross-country team placed second and one member was awarded individual state winner. The Athletic Department offers ten men’s and nine women’s varsity teams along with four men’s and five women’s junior varsity teams with many consistently going on to post-season play.

Chatham County Schools continually strives to progressively work to meet the needs of its students and staff through a well-rounded, student-centered approach. To find out more or to schedule a visit call (919) 542-3626 or visit the Chatham County Schools' website at www.chatham.k12.nc.us.

Distances from Governors Club:
North Chatham Elementary – 3.7 miles
Northwood High School – 13.6 miles

You may wish to read a very interesting and informative article from Chapel Hill Magazine- November/December 2007 issue ~ reprinted with permission from Dan Shannon, Publisher/Editorial Director. The article is titled ‘Is Private School Right for Your Child?’  Click Here to view this article.

Private and Parochial Schools