CMS prepares to launch six Community Schools
October 29, 2026
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is preparing to launch six Community Schools in the 2027–28 school year, expanding the Community Schools strategy into North Carolina’s largest school district.
The NC Community Schools Coalition is a statewide network connecting Community Schools across North Carolina. The six CMS schools set to join the coalition are:
- Lake Wylie Elementary School
- Starmount Academy of Excellence
- River Oaks Academy
- Eastway Middle School
- Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
- Harding University High School
As CMS prepares for the launch, WFAE traveled to the town of Mount Gilead in Montgomery County to visit Mount Gilead Elementary School, an NC Community School, and see what the strategy looks like in action.
The story highlights Gator Bridge, the school’s Family Resource Center, and the relationships that connect families, educators and community partners. It also shows a central part of the Community Schools approach: schools share common structures, but how those structures come to life is shaped by the strengths, assets and needs of each local community.