The First Recovery High School In North Carolina Is Here In Charlotte

We see stories on the news every day about teens dying from drug use. Unfortunately, many families, possibly one you know, are dealing with their children using drugs. Growing up in the 80's, I knew a few people that were addicts. I dated a guy off and on for many years who is still an addict. There's someone in my family that's an addict. All of us are affected by this disease. And in the last few years, with fentanyl and other opioids being obtained easily, drug abuse is at an all-time high.

The first recovery high school in North Carolina is here in Charlotte. The Emerald School of Excellence is a school for teens who are recovering from substance use, and for teens dealing with co-occurring disorders. When you're trying to stay away from drugs and alcohol, one of the first things you learn is that you need to change your friends and places you hang out. It's not easy to deal with recovery from substance abuse and/or mental health issues no matter what your age.

The Emerald School of Excellence is giving kids a place to continue their education and their recovery. It's important, especially when you're a teen, to fit in with others. If you're dealing with substance abuse or mental health issues, that's not always easy. The Emerald School of Excellence is giving kids a chance to relate to other kids dealing with the same problems and traumas.

I received an email from a mom of two young adults who are still in recovery from substance abuse. Her daughter graduated from the school and is doing great! She's now been free of drugs for over two years. With the unbelievable spread, and sadly deaths, from the use of fentanyl, drug abuse isn't just a family's problem. It's a community problem, and we have to come together to help.

On February 9th, Emerald School of Excellence is holding their annual fundraising gala, the Emerald Gala, at the Ballantyne Hotel. It will be a night of fun to raise funds for local teens. Proceeds from the event go towards building the school's endowment, which provides scholarships to Charlotte area youth in need.  Tickets are on sale now, and you can buy yours here. If you're unable to attend, you can still make a donation. All the info on the school can be found here. 

As a parent, part of moving to a new area is determining which area has a great school district. Niche.com helped out and delivered the top ranked schools for 2024 in the Charlotte area. The question now is do you agree?

I can't lie. I have always wondered where someone could go to get a non-biased opinion of schools beyond some general places. I recently found out about Niche and this really came in and answered many if not all questions someone could have about a school in a certain district, area, or state. Most of the analytics on each school break down if the school is a great school for teachers. This helps a teacher who that may be looking to switch states and not sure where to start. Not only does this show how the schools are ranked per state, but it also shows the best schools for athletes.

One of the big things that I enjoyed seeing in high schools was the breakdowns of SAT and ACT scores. They even gave the graduation percentage rate. That is a big deal because you learn just how well some schools are actually performing and how well some of them aren't.

Some of these schools are outside of the Charlotte area, but Niche.com has them categorized. Bessimer City Early College High is located in Dallas, NC. The school is rated 2nd out of 56 for best magnet schools in NC. It's also rated 6th out of 618 for best public high schools and ranked 26th out of 587 for best public high school for teachers in NC. On the academic level, they are off the charts with a 90% graduation rate.

Next, we will take it over to Waxhaw, NC. Marvin Ridge is a great school for athletes. It's ranked 5th out of 627 for best school for athletes in North Carolina. It also ranks 9th out of 618 for best public high schools in North Carolina. They have an average graduation rate of 98% with an average SAT score of 1320.

Ardrey Kell comes in ranked 10th out of 618 for best public high schools in North Carolina. They are also rolling in with a 97% graduation rate and an average SAT score of 1300. Let's go Ardrey Kell!

We are now into the middle school category. Metrolina is a Charter school and ranks #1 in the Charlotte area and #2 in the state of North Carolina. They also rank #1 for the best public middle school for teachers in the state of North Carolina. Congrats!

Fort Mill has always had highly rated schools. Even though this is in South Carolina, it is still considered the Charlotte area since it is right over the state line. Out of 322 schools, Pleasant Knoll is rated the #1 best public middle school in South Carolina. The school also ranks #1 for best public middle school for teachers in South Carolina.

https://pkms.fortmillschools.org/

Springfield Middle School also resides in the Fort Mill area in South Carolina. Springfield comes right behind the above Pleasant Knoll as the #2 Middle school in South Carolina. They are also ranked #10 for best public middle school for teachers. My home state is on the map!

https://sfms.fortmillschools.org/

We are now stepping into our elementary school area and it looks like we have some repeats. Metrolina is one of them. With this charter school, there is no application fee and no interview is required.

We are taking it back across the state line back into the Fort Mill area. Gold Hill Elementary is coming in at the number one elementary school in the Charlotte area. Again, since the school is directly across the state line, it's still considered the Charlotte area. Gold Hill Elementary is in the Tega Cay area. Coming in as the #2 public elementary school in South Carolina.

It's an awesome thing to have a top rated elementary and middle school in your district, but Fort Mill School District has several. While ranking #3 in the Charlotte area, Pleasant Knoll is ranked #2 in the state for best public middle school. Congrats!

Now, we are moving into our private school category. The number one school in the Charlotte area is Providence Day School. The yearly tuition is a little over $31k. There is a $100 application fee as well as an interview which is normal. While ranking #1 in private schools in the Charlotte area, they are ranked #2 in the state. The average graduation rate is 100% and an average SAT score of 1350!

Gaston Day School is in Gastonia, NC. They have a $75 application fee and an interview is required. Their average yearly tuition is around $20k. They are ranked #2 in the Charlotte area and #3 in the state for best private K-12 school.

Charlotte Country Day has an average yearly tuition of around $28k. They are ranked #3 in the Charlotte area and #4 in the state!