Education

Public Schools

Dare County Schools
(252) 473-1151
www.dare.k12.nc.us

More than 4,700 elementary and secondary students from Corolla to Hatteras Island attend one of the 10 Dare County schools-four elementary schools, two middle schools, one combination middle and high school, two high schools, and one alternative high school.

As the population of year-round residents grows, the Dare County Board of Education is constantly besieged with finding new ways to meet the demands of more students. With almost every one of the current schools at, near, or over capacity, the biggest goal is more space. A high school opened in fall 2004 in Kill Devil Hills, and two new schools (elementary and middle) opened in January 2006 in Nags Head and Manteo.

But for all the concerns over raising enough funds and providing better classrooms, Dare County offers children a quality education. It is one of the top-scoring districts statewide. Despite the area's remoteness and distance from cultural and educational hubs, schools here have measured up exceedingly well. Dare County schools have consistently ranked in the top five on student achievement among school systems statewide. The district, one of the first to connect to the state's Information Highway in 1994, provides computers in every classroom, Internet access for students, and a commitment to technological advancement. Each school has an interactive room with audio and visual equipment.

Dare County schools open before Labor Day and close early in June. All elementary schools have after-school day care available until 6:00 P.M. (See the Child Care section of this chapter for information.)

For more information about the Dare County schools, contact the Dare County Board of Education at (252) 473-1151.

Kitty Hawk Elementary (K-5)
US 158, MP 1/2, Kitty Hawk
(252) 261-2313

First Flight Elementary School (K-5)
Run Hill Road, off Colington Road Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-1111

First Flight Middle School (6-8)
Run Hill Road, off Colington Road Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-8888

First Flight High School (9-12)
Veteran Drive, off Colington Road Kill Devil Hills
(252) 449-7000

Nags Head Elementary School
3100 Wrightsville Avenue, Nags Head
(252) 480-8880

Manteo Elementary School (K-5)
NC 64/264, Manteo
(252) 473-2742

Manteo Middle School (6-8)
NC 64/264, Manteo
(252) 473-5549

Manteo High School (9-12)
Wingina Avenue, Manteo
(252) 473-5841

Dare County Alternative School (9-12)
NC 64/264, Manteo
(252) 473-3141

Cape Hatteras Elementary School (K-5)
NC 12, Buxton
(252) 995-5730

Cape Hatteras Secondary School (6-12)
NC 12, Buxton
(252) 995-5730

The Ocracoke School
1 Schoolhouse Road, Ocracoke Island
(252) 928-3251

Part of the Hyde County school system, The Ocracoke School is one of the smallest public schools in the United States, serving an island where the entire year-round population is only 750. It is a K-12 school and in 2005 had about 100 students, with only seven graduating seniors. The Ocracoke School was built in 1931. For the last several years it has been designated a School of Excellence, a state honor awarded to schools where more than 90 percent of students are performing at or above their grade level. The Ocracoke School is also repeatedly honored as an Exemplary School, which means that academic growth has exceeded expectations by more than 10 percent. Though small, The Ocracoke School is sophisticated. Every classroom is equipped with computers that are linked to the rest of the state via the Information Highway. Student clubs, a student newspaper, and a basketball team provide extracurricular activities. The basketball team is not in a league but plays numerous independent games throughout the season.

Childcare

North Carolina law mandates child/staff ratios at licensed day-care centers and home providers that are different for each age group and type of facility. The state also requires that all teachers meet certain criteria for health and continuing education. Anyone who watches more than two children (who are not relations) for more than four hours a day must be licensed. Home-care providers can care for a maximum of eight children with no more than five preschoolers in the group, including the provider's own kids (if the provider has school-age children, they are not counted toward the eight children). Regulators inspect facilities and teacher records on an annual basis. For information on ratios and license requirements, call the state Division of Child Development at (800) 859-0829.

Recently some centers have stretched their hours to accommodate parents who work nights in one of the restaurants across the barrier islands. Others have put out the welcome mat for tourists who need child-free time during vacations. A list of registered and licensed providers is available from the Dare County Department of Social Services. Contact the office at (252) 473-5857.

Dare County schools offer the After School Enrichment Program to serve working parents of K-5 students. Children are cared for in the same building where they attend school, but their after-hours time is spent in free play inside or on the playground. Crafts and games are available for kids to play with one another and the staff. Help with homework is also available, and an optional homework period is set aside every day. Call the Dare County Board of Education, (252) 473-1151, for scheduling and information.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension 4-H provides summer camp programs for elementary and middle school youth, rolling child care and supervised fun activities into one service. And 4-H also offers day care at the schools during spring and winter breaks. Contact the Cooperative Extension office in Manteo at (252) 473-1101, ext. 243. Also see our Kidstuff chapter for a list of summer camps. Additional day-care options are also available through a Head Start program run by the Economic Improvement Council, (252) 473-5246.

		Private Schools The Wanchese Christian Academy 39 The Lane, Wanchese (252) 473-5797 www.wcacademy.org The oldest private school on the Outer Banks, this K-12 facility was founded in 1978 by members of the Wanchese Assembly of God Church, who wanted to teach their children moral values and Bible studies. This Christian school is open to members of any religion. About 110 students from Currituck to Avon attend. (Transportation is not provided.) The Wanchese Christian Academy meets North Carolina private-school requirements.
		Higher Education College of the Albemarle Dare Campus 132 Russell Twiford Road, Manteo (252) 473-2264 www.albermarle.cc.nc.us The Manteo campus of the College of the Albemarle (COA) was established in 1984 as a second branch of the main campus in Elizabeth City. A third branch is in Edenton. The College of the Albemarle is part of the state's 59-member North Carolina System of Community Colleges. This is the only institution of higher learning on the Outer Banks and is a great asset to the citizens of these remote islands. The campus overlooks the marsh on the east end of Roanoke Island near the junction of U.S. Highway 64/264 and North Carolina Highway 345. The campus includes classrooms, laboratories, offices, a library, a student lounge, a new technology building, and a new auditorium and conference facility. Certificate, diploma, and associate degrees are offered in numerous areas. For example, associate degrees are offered in arts, fine arts, and general education; associate of applied science degrees are offered in business administration, office systems technology, information systems, early childhood education, criminal justice, electronics, and computer engineering; diplomas are offered in heating and air-conditioning; and certificates are offered in nursing assistance, real estate, and medical transcription. This, of course, does not cover all areas of study. A Cisco Systems Academy prepares students to work with Cisco Systems network. The campus is connected to the North Carolina Information Highway so that students may take classes or seminars from remote locations. The school has an active Student Government Association. Students at the Dare branch can apply credits earned at COA toward degrees at other state colleges and universities. Day, evening, and weekend classes are scheduled during the school year and summer. Federal financial aid and other student assistance is available. Continuing-education programs are wide-ranging at COA. Certifications, trainings, and just-for-fun classes are offered in nursing assistance, notary, effective teacher training, computers, Spanish, science, English as a second language, yoga, cooking, photography, art, and more. The college's Small Business Center, based in Elizabeth City, loans videos, books, audio tapes, and CD-ROMs. A list of publications is available by calling (252) 335-0821, ext. 223.
		Childcare North Carolina law mandates child/staff ratios at licensed day-care centers and home providers that are different for each age group and type of facility. The state also requires that all teachers meet certain criteria for health and continuing education. Anyone who watches more than two children (who are not relations) for more than four hours a day must be licensed. Home-care providers can care for a maximum of eight children with no more than five preschoolers in the group, including the provider's own kids (if the provider has school-age children, they are not counted toward the eight children). Regulators inspect facilities and teacher records on an annual basis. For information on ratios and license requirements, call the state Division of Child Development at (800) 859-0829. Recently some centers have stretched their hours to accommodate parents who work nights in one of the restaurants across the barrier islands. Others have put out the welcome mat for tourists who need child-free time during vacations. A list of registered and licensed providers is available from the Dare County Department of Social Services. Contact the office at (252) 473-5857. Dare County schools offer the After School Enrichment Program to serve working parents of K-5 students. Children are cared for in the same building where they attend school, but their after-hours time is spent in free play inside or on the playground. Crafts and games are available for kids to play with one another and the staff. Help with homework is also available, and an optional homework period is set aside every day. Call the Dare County Board of Education, (252) 473-1151, for scheduling and information. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension 4-H provides summer camp programs for elementary and middle school youth, rolling child care and supervised fun activities into one service. And 4-H also offers day care at the schools during spring and winter breaks. Contact the Cooperative Extension office in Manteo at (252) 473-1101, ext. 243. Also see our Kidstuff chapter for a list of summer camps. Additional day-care options are also available through a Head Start program run by the Economic Improvement Council, (252) 473-5246.
		Preschool/Day-care Facilities First Assembly of God Preschool and Daycare 812 Wingina Avenue, Manteo (252) 473-2664 At this "Christ-centered" facility, children are given Bible lessons daily. Attendees do not have to be Christian. Children age three through kindergarten age are taught preschool three times a week, including phonics and numbers. The kids are also taken on regular field trips to educational attractions, such as the aquarium or the Norfolk Zoo. The school invites members of the community, such as firefighters or police officers, to give on-site presentations. The school is conducted Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 A.M. to noon. Full-time day care, which includes preschool, is available. Sessions include lunch and two snacks daily. A transitional class for children not quite ready for kindergarten is also offered. The day care is state certified. Hours are 7:30 A.M.to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. Drop-off service is not available. Heron Pond Montessori School 3910 Poor Ridge Road, Kitty Hawk (252) 261-6077 831 Herbert Perry Road, Kitty Hawk (252) 261-5358 Based on the philosophies of Italian physician/educator Maria Montessori, Heron Pond offers half-day and full-day licensed day-care programs, kindergarten programs, and junior elementary programs through the sixth grade. Both locations of the school are in historic Kitty Hawk Village, one of them in the Unitarian Universalist Church building. The staff of nine well-trained teachers has extensive child- care and educational experience and is trained in the Montessori method. The Montessori spirit of education is rooted in the belief that children are naturally eager to learn, and all the teaching tools at Heron Pond are centered on encouragement of the child's ability to teach him- or herself. The school has a summer program. Munchkin Academy NC 12, across from Cape Hatteras School, Buxton (252) 995-6118 This state-certified facility offers preschool, prekindergarten, after-school care, and full- time, and drop-in child-care service. The only A-licensed child-care facility on Hatteras Island, Munchkin Academy also offers 4-H summer camp programs for school- age youth. A homey center with an unusually large playground, the academy provides care for children ages birth through 12 years. All teachers are certified in first aid and CPR and have state child- care credentials. According to director Kyle Williams, the facility far exceeds state standards for teacher/child ratio. A registered nurse is also on-site. Preschool and pre-K are held Monday through Friday from 7:45 A.M.to 5:15 P.M.Two-, three-, and four-day schedules are also available. Call ahead to reserve a drop-in space. Munchkin Academy is open Monday through Friday year- round from 7:45 A.M.to 5:15 P.M.
		Childcare Centers and Services > At Your Service (252) 261-5286 www.atyourserviceobx.com The oldest babysitting service on the Outer Banks, At Your Service offers bonded adult babysitters who drive themselves to your home. Sitters are screened thoroughly, and all references are checked. Owner Barbara Hall attracts most of her business from referrals and repeat business from happy clients. At Your Service is the only business of its kind recommended by the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. Rates are based on the number of children and number of hours (there is a four-hour minimum). Parents must also pay the travel expenses of the sitter. The service also provides linen, maid, housekeeping, delivery, personal chef, and grocery services. At Your Service is available year-round. Call for rates and off-season information. (See also the listing in the Weekly and Long- Term Cottage Rentals chapter.) Better Beginnings, Inc. 108 West Sibbern Drive, off US 158 Kitty Hawk (252) 261-2833 State-licensed, Better Beginnings provides full-time or after-school care in a safe, educational environment for children ages six weeks to 12 years. The daily schedule is geared to provide structure but allows for flexibility, establishing a rhythm of active play between quiet periods. In addition to the regular curriculum, the center also has a music program, an after-school program, a preschool class, and a full-time summer program for school-age children. Nutritional snacks and meals are provided. Call for a complete rate schedule. Better Beginnings is open 8:00 A.M.to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday year-round. Ferris Wheel Day Care and Preschool 109 East First Street, off US 158 Kill Devil Hills (252) 441-3808 Ferris Wheel takes pride in providing a warm, stable environment that encourages learning. Licensed by North Carolina, the center offers full-day child care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. An early- education program is held for toddlers and preschoolers. Field trips are also part of the curriculum here. Healthy snacks and lunches are provided, and drop-in rates are available. Ferris Wheel is open from 7:30 A.M.to 6:00 P.M.year-round. Ocracoke Child Care, Inc. 45 Old Beach Road, Ocracoke (252) 928-4131 What's unique about Ocracoke Child Care, the only licensed center on Ocracoke Island, is that it is owned by its members. For an annual fee, participants are entitled to attend membership meetings and receive the quarterly newsletter. The center, which has a capacity of 40 children, is overseen by a six-member Board of Directors, which sets rules and policies. Fully trained staff who prefer to think of themselves as teachers rather than babysitters care for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. The facility has a special infant-toddler room and an age-three-and-older preschool room. Based on the motto "Peace begins in the playground," Ocracoke Child Care has structured playtime as well as indoor and outdoor play areas and revolves activities around a different theme each week. Visitors to the area are asked to come in a day in advance to fill out forms. Immunization records are not necessary for out-of-towners. Ocracoke Child Care is open 7:45 A.M.to 5:15 P.M. Monday through Friday all year.

Education

Public Schools

Private Schools

Higher Education

Childcare

Preschool/Day-care Facilities

Childcare Centers and Services