NORTH CAROLINA CHARTER SCHOOLS On March 13, 1997, the State Board of Education authorized North Carolina's first charter schools to begin operating as early as summer 1997 in 25 of the state's 100 counties. The Board approved 37 schools from the 65 applications received, giving North Carolina the most charter schools of any state in the nation. The following are the approved schools' names and contacts: Alamance County: Lakeside School Jonathan Miller (336)584-0091 Avery County: Grandfather Academy Roy Krege (828)898-4544 Buncombe County/Asheville City: Asheville School for Children Donna Vaughn Smith (828)253-6655 Rainbow Mountain Children's School John Johnson (828)258-9264 Caldwell County: Nguzo Saba Charter School Stephanie Banner (828)758-9757 Catawba County: Englemann School of the Arts and Sciences Dr. Donna Dwiggins (828)439-2302 Chatham County: Chatham Charter School Otho Tucker (919)742-4550 Cherokee County: The Learning Center/Ogden School Anne Appleton (828)837-8505 Durham County: Durham Community Charter School Bonnie Wright (919)688-0063 Healthy Start Academy Charter School Christine Chamberlain (919)596-2669 Winston-Salem/Forsyth County: Carter G. Woodson School Hazel Mack (336)722-1119 Lift Academy Earline Parmon (336)722-0918 Quality Education Academy The Downtown Middle School Dr. Robert Morrell (336)659-1277 Gaston County: Highland Kindergarten Joseph Dixon (704)866-8721 Jackson County: Summit Charter School Thomas Bates (704)743-9753 Lenoir County: The Children's Village Academy Dr. Peggy Carr (252)523-5588 Charlotte/Mecklenburg County: The Community Charter School Betty Weinmiller (704)376-5004 Moore County: MAST School Martha Heinz (910)695-8664 Nash County/Rocky Mount: Advantage School Doug Haynes (252)977-8429 Orange County and Chapel Hill/Carrboro: Orange County Charter School Roger Gerber (919)967-1029 The Odyssey Jean Bolduc (919)933-8883 School in the Community Fred Good (919)942-8491 Village Charter School Roger Gerber (919)967-1029 Pamlico County: Arapahoe Charter School Merritt Watson (252)249-0266 Pitt County: Right Step Academy William Pierce (252)551-2002 Robeson County: CIS Academy Maxine Elliot (910)738-1734 Surry County/Elkin City: Bridges Mary Ann Finger (336)835-1261 Wake County: Bonner Academy Linda Bonner (919)571-4617 Exploris Middle School Anne Bryan (919)834-4040 John H. Baker Jr. High School Marti Wilson (919)856-5920 Magellan Charter School Mary Beth Childress (919)851-6167 Sterling Montessori School Andrea Uzzell (919)469-9406 Watauga County: Mountain Pathways Charter School Anne Stangar (828)262-5787 Wayne County: Bright Horizons Rose McNeill (919)266-6302 Wilkes County: United Children's Ability Nook School Elizabeth Grinton (336)838-2805 Wilson County: Sallie B. Howard School Dr. JoAnne Woodard (252)237-1690 ------------------------------------------------- SOURCE: Department of Public Instruction, Charter School Office, 715-1635, or see the Charter School Website link on the Ready Reference Page. LAST UPDATED: June 12, 1998 ljames@nando.com