Isaac Bear Early College High, 630 MacMillan Ave.: grades 9-12 by application, 260 students, an A (91) in North Carolina's 2025-26 school grades.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: Isaac Bear Early College High School, New Hanover County Schools, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and the federal NCES school directory.
Isaac Bear Early College High School is a small New Hanover County Schools high school for grades 9 to 12 on MacMillan Avenue in Wilmington, inside the city limits. According to its About Us page, it was established through a partnership between the district and UNCW, to serve a diverse student body including first-generation college students who continue their education at UNCW. There is no attendance zone: students from anywhere in the county apply.
Who to call
- Front office: 910-350-1387, 630 MacMillan Ave., Wilmington, NC 28403
- School website: isaacbear.nhcs.net
- Applying or enrolling: the district’s enrollment office, 910-251-2929. District main line: 910-254-4200.
- Buses: the district’s Transportation Department
| Address | 630 MacMillan Ave., Wilmington, NC 28403 |
| Phone | 910-350-1387 |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| School day | 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Admission | By application, countywide |
| District | New Hanover County Schools |
Principal
Principal Ronald Villines, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- Federal count: 260 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 10 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. The 2023-24 count was 251.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school from A to F. According to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s technical guide, 80% of the grade comes from an achievement score built on state tests and other indicators, and 20% from students’ academic growth, on a 15-point scale.
| School year | Grade | Score | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | A | 91 | Not met |
| 2024-25 | A | 90 | Not met |
| 2023-24 | A | 86 | Not met |
Other 2025-26 figures from the state’s school assessment and indicator data:
- More than 95% of state tests taken at Isaac Bear were at grade level or above, against 59.2% statewide. The state does not publish exact figures above 95%.
- Four-year graduation rate: above 95%.
- ACT: 92.8% of 11th graders scored 17 or higher on the composite.
Because students apply to get in, Isaac Bear’s results are not directly comparable with those of the large neighborhood high schools. The grades come from the state’s School Performance Grades dashboard data. The state’s interactive school report card for Isaac Bear covers 2024-25.
How admission works
Isaac Bear has no zone. The district’s school assignment page says its innovative high schools, Isaac Bear, SEA-Tech and Wilmington Early College, use a district-wide rubric and acceptance process with a second-level review by a district team. For 2026-27 entry, the school held an information session for applicants in December 2025 and posted video prompts for the application in January 2026, according to its news page. Watch the school’s website for the 2027-28 dates.
Sports and activities
Isaac Bear’s website does not list athletic teams of its own. For high school sports around Wilmington, see our Friday night football page and the high school scoreboard.
Calendar and bell times
The school day runs 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the school’s website. Isaac Bear has its own calendar. From the 2026-27 Isaac Bear calendar (PDF), approved Aug. 4, 2026, students are off on:
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day
- Nov. 25-27: teacher workday, then Thanksgiving
- Dec. 18 to Jan. 4, 2027: teacher workdays, then winter break
- Monday, Jan. 18: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
More on Wilmington schools
- The school’s website and its page in the district’s school directory
- Wilmington Early College High and SEA-Tech, the district’s other application high schools
- Every public school in Wilmington
- Our Wilmington schools guide for enrollment documents and board meetings
Frequently asked questions
How do students get into Isaac Bear Early College?
By application. Isaac Bear is one of the district’s innovative high schools, which use a district-wide rubric and acceptance process with a second review by a district team. It has no attendance zone.
What is Isaac Bear Early College’s school performance grade?
Isaac Bear earned an A, with a score of 91, in North Carolina’s 2025-26 school performance grades. More than 95% of its state tests were at grade level and more than 95% of students graduated in four years.
What time does Isaac Bear Early College start?
The school’s website lists its hours as 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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