Public Schools – District Schools
So you’ve settled down in Winston-Salem and are looking for the best fit for each of your children as they begin the school year. So, how do you go about choosing the best school for your child in Winston-Salem, NC? Winston-Salem and the surrounding area have a lot of options for education, but choosing the best one for each child is definitely NOT automatic. Of course the default option is to go with the public school in your district. Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WSFCS) has 42 Elementary schools, 15 Middle Schools, 16 High Schools, and 8 specialty schools to choose from. Most of these schools are district schools (even if they have a magnet specialty area), however, some of them are dedicated magnet schools (meaning they have no district, and every student who attends must apply).
Going Outside Your District
If you are looking for a school besides your district public school, then it is important to pay attention to the various deadlines to apply to these different types of schools. If you are looking at this post during the summer, then most of those deadlines have passed; however, if you have just moved to the area, you maybe able to get an exception to the deadlines. Either way, you can continue to plan for the following school year if next school year is already set.
Magnet Public Schools
Within the WSFCS system there are choice schools (students can apply to go to from out of district, but these schools still have a home district), magnet schools, both dedicated and district + magnet (these schools have a specific focus, like the Arts, STEM, Languages, etc.), and there are also some nontraditional schools. Each type of school has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and you need to evaluate which one offers the best opportunities for your child based on their academic interests, athletic interests, social tendencies, and other factors specific to your child. The WSFCS website does a good job giving descriptions of each of these schools, but you should definitely do more research.
Photo of Atkins High School, a dedicated STEM Magnet School in the District.
You need to have a process to evaluate each of the schools that you are considering for your child (whether they are public or private). My advice would be that at a minimum you talk to parents whose students attend the school you’re considering, talk to students who currently attend the school (and for high school have your student talk to other students who attend the school), and take an in-person tour of the school while students are in class and classes are in session.
The Decision-Making Process
It would be great if you could observe a class change (or school dismissal) while you’re on the tour as well. Administrators can control what you see (and what you don’t see) to a certain degree on a tour, but class changes and dismissal can tell you a lot more about the students and teachers at that school. Each school will understandably try to put their best foot forward, but you should always look beyond what you are automatically shown on a tour, and ask lots of questions. If your student has a specific interest at a magnet school, make sure that you get to see those rooms with students in them while you are on the tour. This process will help you make sure you are choosing the best school for your child in Winston-Salem, NC
Now let’s take a break for just a second. Suppose you find the school that you want your child to go to in the fall, but the deadlines have already passed for application. What should you do? Well, there are some exceptions to deadlines (there always are), but you might not qualify for those exceptions, so you should choose the best second option for the upcoming school year and set yourself up for success the following school year. The dates can change every year and they are different for magnet schools, choice schools, and nontraditional schools. When looking for a second-best option, consider all of them including traditional public, magnet, charter, private, and if you are so inclined, consider the option of homeschooling as well.
Charter Schools
The good news is there are a lot of good schools to choose from in the WSFCS system, but there are also several charter school that are not part of the WSFCS system, but are still public schools. Since these schools are not linked to on the WSFCS website, I will provide links here, but I won’t give each of these schools as detailed of a description as I do the private schools. In alphabetical order the charter schools in Forsyth County are Carter G. Woodson School (K-12), Forsyth Academy (K-8), Quality Education Academy (K-12), The Arts Based School (K-8), and The North Carolina Leadership Academy (K-12). Remember these schools are public, so they are free of charge, and they have specific charters that guide the educators within the school.
What if My First Choice is Unavailable this School Year?
But let’s say your first choice in a public school is not available for the upcoming school year and you don’t like the second choice or any of the other options. There are a lot of private options available as well. Before you say my family can’t afford tuition at private school, let me make you aware of a couple of options that you might not be aware of. There is an NCSEAA Opportunity Scholarship available to students whose family meet certain income limits and other eligibility factors. Students can qualify for up to approximately $6500 per year if they show the greatest need, but even if they don’t meet that family income requirement, many still qualify for up to approximately $5850 per year. Many private schools have their own scholarships available (but you often have to ask about them). In addition there are other organizations that will help individuals pay for education for students.
Private Schools
Now if you are seriously considering a private school, the good news is there are quite a few to choose from. But remember, just because you are paying a lot of money to send your student to a private school does not mean that they will necessarily get a better education at the private institution. Do your research! There are a lot of ways I could organize the private options if you live in Forsyth County, North Carolina. I have organized the following list by highlighting the private schools that are in Forsyth County, and going from most expensive (on average) to least expensive.
Some of these schools offer Pre-K all the way through the 12th grade, while others only go through the 8th grade, and some only go through the 5th grade, and others offer high school only. So be attentive in reading the descriptions so you don’t waste time researching a school that doesn’t apply to your child. Research them completely and you can be confident that you are choosing the best school for your child in the Winston-Salem area. One other note of interest – I only included schools that have a website in this summary list. Cedar Forest Christian School is a small school that at one time was listed as Kindergarten through 12th grade, but I cannot find a website so you can research that one on your own.
Salem Academy (all girls school, not to be confused with Salem Baptist Christian School, discussed later below): Salem Academy opened its doors in 1772 and is right next to Old Salem in downtown Winston-Salem. It is an all girls school that offers day school as well as 5-day and 7-day a week boarding options. Salem is private, but does not have any religious affiliations. It offers educational opportunities for girls in grades 9-12. Tuition is $27,500 per year for day students, $43,500 per year for 5-day a week boarding students and $52,000 per year for 7-day a week boarding students. There are opportunities for financial aid and scholarships that are detailed on the Salem Academy website. The school offers a full range of sports for high school girls.
Summit School: Summit school opened its doors in 1933 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 9th grade. The school is private and does not have any religious affiliation. It is located in Winston-Salem on Reynolda Road, very close to the campus of Wake Forest University. Tuition for Kindergarten is $19,215 per year, while tuition for grades 1-5 is $24,950 per year, and tuition for grades 6-9 is $28,190 per year. Approximately 20% of Summit students receive need-based aid, and there are other opportunities for financial aid that can be found on the Summit School website. Summit does offer a wide variety sports for their older students.
Forsyth Country Day School: Forsyth Country Day School opened its doors in 1970 and offers educational options from preschool through the 12th grade. The school is private, but does not have any religious affiliations. It is located on the western side of Forsyth County in Lewisville, just outside of the Winston-Salem city limits. The preschool (ages 2-5) is a full-day program with tuition running $16,760 per year. Each grade division gets progressively more expensive with grades 7-12 running $26,460 per year. I will go ahead and say up front that 24% of students at Forsyth Country Day receive some sort of financial assistance. This school has some impressive statistics that you can check out in detail at the Forsyth Country Day School website. This school offers a full spate of athletics starting in the 6th grade. They have almost every standard high school sport (but not currently tackle football). In addition there are before school and afterschool programs for grades 1-4 for additional charges.
Bishop McGuinness High School: Bishop McGuinness High School opened in 1959 and offers educational opportunities for 9th through 12th graders. This school is the only Catholic High School in Forsyth County. It is located in Kernersville just east of Winston-Salem off of exit 203 on I-40. While it only offers education for high school grades, there are a couple of K-8 Catholic schools to choose from in the county which I will give more details on later (Our Lady of Mercy and Saint Leo’s). If you are not a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition is $15,573 per year with some additional fees, while if you are a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition, is $11,421 plus fees. There are financial aid opportunities, and you can check out all the other details about the school on the Bishop McGuinness High School website. They have almost every standard high school sport (including tackle football).
Calvary Day School: Calvary Day School opened its doors in 1972 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 12th grade. Calvary Day School is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church and thus adheres to the statement of faith of that church. The Day School meets on the same campus as the church at the intersection of Peace Haven and Country Club Roads in Winston-Salem. There are 2, 3, and 5 days a week options for preschool with variable tuition rates. Tuition for Kindergarten is $9,492 per year while tuition for grades 9-12 is $13,116 per year with tuition increasing each grade division in between. You can check out all the other details about the school as well as the various opportunities for financial assistance on the Calvary Day School website. Calvary has almost every standard high school sport (besides tackle football).
St. Leo Catholic School: St. Leo Catholic School opened its doors in 1953 and offers educational programs from kindergarten through the 8th grade. It is located in the Buena Vista neighborhood not far from Reynolds High School and downtown Winston-Salem. If you are not a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition is $12,500 per year for grades 1-8 and $10,450 per year for kindergarten. If you are a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition is $8,150 per year for grades 1-8 and $7000 per year for kindergarten. Discounts are given if you have more than one child attending the school and there are half day options for preschool age students. You can check out all the other details about the school as well as the various opportunities for financial assistance on the St. Leo Catholic School website. Athletics are available for students in the 5th through the 8th grade.
Our Lady of Mercy School: Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School opened its doors in 1957 and offers educational programs from kindergarten through the 8th grade. It meets in the old campus of Bishop McGuinness on Link Road near Peters Creek Parkway, and not far from downtown Winston-Salem. If you are not a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition is $11,344 per year for grades K-8. If you are a member of a local Catholic Parish, the tuition is $7,200 per year for grades K-8. Discounts are given if you have more than one child attending the school and there are half day and full day options for preschool age students. You can check out all the other details about the school as well as the various opportunities for financial assistance on the Our Lady of Mercy School website. Athletics are available for students in the 5th through 8th grades.
Redeemer Christian School: Redeemer opened its doors in 1995 and offers educational opportunities for students from kindergarten through the 8th grade. Redeemer School is associated with Redeemer Presbyterian Church and adheres to their statement of faith. It is located in the Ardmore neighborhood not far from downtown Winston-Salem. Tuition for Kindergarten through 2nd grade is $8,148 per year for non-church members and $7,741 for members. For 3rd-5th graders tuition is $8972 for nonmembers and $8524 for members. And for 6th-8th graders tuition is $9,413 for nonmembers and $8,943 for members. There are sibling discounts if you send multiple children and there are scholarship and financial aid opportunities as well that you can find on the Redeemer School website. Athletics are offered for 6th through 8th graders.
Winston-Salem Christian School: Winston-Salem Christian School opened in the 1990s under the name First Assembly Christian School and currently offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 12th grade. It is located on the north side of Winston-Salem on Patterson Avenue. There are 58 foundational principles that the Winston-Salem Christian School adheres to. Tuition for Kindergarten through 5th grade is $7,500 per year while tuition for grades 6-12 is $7,900 per year. You can check out all the other details about the school as well as the various opportunities for financial assistance on the Winston-Salem Christian School website. Winston-Salem Christian has a variety of sports, but not as extensive as Forsyth Country Day, Calvary Day School or Bishop McGuinness. Winston-Salem Christian does offer a boarding school option for 9th through 12th grade student only for a hefty $40,000 per year.
Salem Baptist Christian School (not to be confused with Salem Academy discussed above): Salem Baptist Christian School opened its doors in 1952 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 12th grade. Salem Baptist Christian School is a ministry of Salem Baptist Church and adheres to their statement of faith. It is located in downtown Winston-Salem. Tuition for Kindergarten through 5th grade is $6080 per year for 6th-8th its $6180 per year and for 9th-12 tuition is $6,430 per year. Salem offers a discount to Salem Baptist Church members and you can read about financial aid opportunities and the other details of the school on the Salem Baptist Christian School website. Salem Baptist Christian has a wide variety of sports for students to choose from.
St. John’s Lutheran School: St John’s Lutheran School opened its doors in 1951 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 5th grade. St. John’s Lutheran School is a ministry of St. John’s Lutheran Church and adheres to the church’s statement of faith. It is located in Winston-Salem on Silas Creek Parkway, not far from Forsyth Tech. Tuition for full-day pre-K and Kindergarten is $5600 per year. Tuition for 1st & 2nd grade is $5,700 per year, and tuition for grades 3-5 is $6300 per year. St. John’s Lutheran School offers a discount to those families that are members of a local Lutheran Church and you can read about financial aid opportunities and other details of the school on the St. John’s Lutheran School website. Since it is for elementary grades only, there are no athletics at this school.
Triad Baptist Christian Academy: Triad Baptist Christian Academy opened its doors in 2003 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 12th grade. Triad Baptist Christian Academy is a ministry of Triad Baptist Church in Kernersville and adheres to their statement of faith. It is located in Kernersville, NC on the eastern side of Forsyth County. Tuition for Kindergarten through 5th grade is $4,950 per year for 6th-8th its $5,270 per year and for 9th-12 tuition is $5,480 per year. You can read about financial aid opportunities and other details of the school on the Triad Baptist Christian Academy website. Triad Baptist has a wide variety of sports for students to choose from.
Cathedral Oak Academy: Cathedral Oak Academy opened its doors in 2021 and offers educational opportunities from kindergarten through the 12th grade. Cathedral Oak Academy currently meets at Friends Baptist Church in Clemmons, NC, but it is not affiliated with the church. Clemmons is on the southwest side of Winston-Salem. It is a Christian nondenominational school with University School Model meaning that classes only meet three days per week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) with extensive homework assignments on Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuition for Kindergarten is $4,500 per year, tuition for 6th-8th grades is $5,100 per year while tuition for grades 9-12 is $6,000 per year. You can check out all the other details about the school as well as the various opportunities for financial assistance on the Cathedral Oak Academy website. Cathedral Oak is a new school and is in the process of developing their athletic programs. So far the sports offered are cross country and basketball for grades 6-12. Cathedral Oak is a great school to consider for those families that have been homeschooling and are seeking a different option. See my section on homeschooling at the end of this post.
Gospel Light Christian School: Gospel Light Christian School opened its doors in 1973 and offers educational opportunities from preschool through the 12th grade. Gospel Light Christian School is a ministry of Gospel Light Baptist Church in Walkertown and adheres to their statement of faith. It is located in Walkertown, NC on the northeast side of Forsyth County. Tuition for Kindergarten through 8th grade is $4,300 per year and for 9th-12 tuition is $4,350 per year. They offer a discount for church members as well as for multiple children from one household. You can read about financial aid opportunities and other details of the school on the Gospel Light Christian School website. Gospel Light has a wide variety of sports for students to choose from.
Woodland Baptist Christian School: Woodland Baptist Christian School opened its doors in 1963 and is on the northern side of Forsyth County. Woodland Baptist Christian School is a ministry of Woodland Baptist Church and adheres to their statement of faith. Tuition and fees for Kindergarten through 5th grade is approximately $4,250 per year for 6th-10th its $4,465 per year and for 11th-12 tuition is $4,765 per year. Woodland offers tuition discounts for church members and their are other opportunities for financial aid. You can read about financial aid opportunities and other details of the school on the Woodland Baptist Christian School website. Woodland Baptist has several sports for students to choose from.
Homeschooling
Another option to consider for your child’s education is homeschooling. Let me encourage you to consider homeschooling as an option for your child’s education. Forsyth County has a wealth of homeschool co-ops to choose from. If your view of homeschooling conjures up thoughts of everyone dressing up like the Amish, then realize that the diversity of homeschooling families and curricula that can be used has exploded in the last 25 years. From Classical Conversations to unschooling, from explicitly Christian curricula to secular options, from video courses to eclectic in-person instruction and everything in between the possibilities really are endless. Don’t count out homeschooling before you’ve done your research. That way you can be sure you are choosing the best school for your child in Winston-Salem, NC.
Many families who have already had kids in public school immediately look to a co-op to help fill a perceived lack in social opportunities. I would caution against considering co-ops as your only home-schooling option. They can be a very good option for many families, but research them thoroughly (just as you would a public or private school) before committing to one. Because choosing the wrong co-op can cause more problems than it solves. More important than choosing a co-op is defining your family’s personal educational philosophy. Know who you are and why you have chosen to homeschool before figuring out how you are going to do it (at home exclusively, within a co-op, or a combination of both, etc.) and what curricula you are going to use.
I could write a whole post on homeschooling, but I think the following Homeschooling in the Triad blog post by Triad Moms on Main does a great job summarizing many (certainly not all) of the homeschooling options in and around Forsyth County, North Carolina. Realize that there are always more homeschooling co-op groups out there. Not all of them have a website. Some are more formal than others, but always ask questions of people in the homeschooling community. Most are more than willing to help you. A great place to start is on the Forsyth Home Educators Facebook page. Forsyth Home Educators (FHE) has been around for a long time and within FHE, there are lots of opportunities for athletics and other activities. They also have a dedicated FHE website, that gives more details about the organization. I will link a few more homeschooling co-ops and other organizations below so you get an idea of the variety available.