NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOLS TO WATCH
VISITOR’S GUIDE
William Lenoir Middle School
School Statistics
Community: Rural
Enrollment: 479
Grade Levels: 6-8
School Schedule: Traditional
Student Demographics
Designated in 2010
Re-Designated in 2013
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70%
18%
6%
3%
2%
1%
64%
White
African American
Multi Racial
Hispanic
Asian
Native American
Free/Reduced Lunch
William Lenoir Middle School ● Caldwell County Schools
● North Carolina ● Lisa Vaughn, Principal ● 332 Greenhaven
Drive, Lenoir, NC 28645 ● Phone (828) 758-2500
2010
North Carolina School of Distinction
High Growth School
E-mail: lvaughn@caldwellschools.com
2011
North Carolina School of Distinction
High Growth School
Made Adequate Yearly Progress
Met 25 of 25 performance targets
2012
North Carolina School of Distinction
High Growth School
Made Adequate Yearly Progress
Met 25 of 25 performance targets
School Website:
http://sc.caldwellschools.com/education/school/school.php?
sectionid=3
(Visit http://www.ncreportcards.org to view this
school’s data for prior years.)
School Characteristics and Replicable Practices
William Lenoir Middle School is committed to providing the best possible education for our
students. At WLMS our students and faculty have embraced our motto, “We Learn, Mature, and
Succeed.” Our faculty and staff work to create instructional opportunities that allow our students to
learn and grow. We strive to continually work as a team to create a developmentally responsive
school environment that fosters growth and learning for all students.
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Schools to Watch – NORTH CAROLINA
William Lenoir Middle School
Page 2
Academic Excellence
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School wide focus on high academic achievement and continuous student growth.
Teachers and administrative staff work to use student data to implement effective instruction.
Teachers routinely participate and facilitate professional development in order to impact classroom
instruction.
Teachers meet as professional learning communities to evaluate student data in order to respond to
student successes and to intervene as students struggle.
Developmental Responsiveness
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William Lenoir has a daily advisory period, Wildcat DEN (Developing, Enriching, Nurturing), that allows
our teachers and students foster meaningful relationships.
Students are provided opportunities to participate in team building, clubs, intramural sports, and social
awareness activities.
William Lenoir offers a variety of extra-curricular activities that cater to student interest and abilities
including: Battle of the Books, Jazz Band, athletic teams, student recitation contest, school wide talent
show, and a soapbox derby team.
Teachers and staff work to include our community stakeholders in order to educate our students about
citizenship and civic responsibility.
William Lenoir is in the process of implementing a summer bridge program for our incoming sixth
graders to assist them as they make the transition to middle school.
Social Equity
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School structure and master schedule allows for students to be heterogeneously grouped into teams for
instruction.
Students who need extra support are served through an inclusion model.
William Lenoir uses the Second Step: Student Success through Prevention program to increase social
awareness.
Students participate in many learning opportunities regarding social equity including Mix it Up at Lunch,
National No Name Calling Week, Help the Rooster Beat Hunger (a canned food drive), and a Penny
War to provide Christmas assistance for needy families.
Organizational Support
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Faculty and staff utilize the School Improvement Team in order to set school goals and make important
decisions for our school.
Teachers teach a common group of students to collaborate to meet student needs.
Teachers and administration participate in ongoing staff development to allow us to create structures
and processes regarding scheduling and use of data to continuously impact student success.
William Lenoir works with a nearby university, Appalachian State, as a part of their public school
partnership which allows us to access university resources and host interns and student teachers.
State Department of Education
Middle Grades Office
Rev. 2011