Southeast Area Technical High (SEA-Tech), 5301 Sidbury Road, Castle Hayne: by application, 227 students, an A (93) in 2025-26 state grades.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: Southeast Area Technical High School, New Hanover County Schools, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and the federal NCES school directory.
Southeast Area Technical High School, known as SEA-Tech, is a New Hanover County Schools technical high school on Sidbury Road in Castle Hayne, north of Wilmington and outside the city limits. It has no attendance zone; Wilmington students apply. According to its About Us page, it opened Aug. 14, 2017, with 44 freshmen, serves students from New Hanover and Pender counties, and requires students to earn industry credentials through job shadows, internships and apprenticeships.
Who to call
- Front office: 910-530-6300, 5301 Sidbury Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
- School website: seatech.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 | 5301 Sidbury Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429 |
| Phone | 910-530-6300 |
| Grades | 9 to 12, with a fifth year in the federal listing |
| Admission | By application |
| District | New Hanover County Schools |
Principal
Principal Dr. Edith Skipper, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- Federal count: 227 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 16 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory, which lists grades 9 to 13. The 2023-24 count was 265.
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 | 93 | Exceeded |
| 2024-25 | A | 86 | Exceeded |
| 2023-24 | A | 87 | Exceeded |
Other 2025-26 figures from the state’s school assessment and indicator data:
- 93.9% of state tests taken at SEA-Tech were at grade level or above, against 59.2% statewide.
- Four-year graduation rate: above 95%. The state does not publish exact figures above 95%.
- ACT: 75.4% of 11th graders scored 17 or higher on the composite.
Because students apply to get in, SEA-Tech’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 SEA-Tech covers 2024-25.
How admission works
SEA-Tech has no zone. The district says its innovative high schools use a district-wide rubric and acceptance process with a second-level review by a district team, according to its school assignment page. The school’s application page set this timeline for 2026-27 entry:
- Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026: application opened
- Sunday, Feb. 8: application closed at 11:59 p.m.
- Friday, March 13: first round of notifications by email
- Friday, March 20: second round of notifications
Students can enter as freshmen or transfer in from other high schools, according to the school.
Sports and activities
SEA-Tech does not field NCHSAA teams. According to its athletics page, students can play sports at their designated home high school, and must provide their own transportation to practices and games outside the normal bus schedule. SEA-Tech and Wilmington Early College students run a shared esports team. For local scores, see our Friday night football page and the high school scoreboard.
Calendar
SEA-Tech shares a calendar with Wilmington Early College. From the 2026-27 SEA-Tech and WEC calendar (PDF), students are off on:
- Monday, Oct. 12: teacher workday
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day
- Nov. 25-27: teacher workday, then Thanksgiving
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 4, 2027: winter break and a teacher workday; Friday, Dec. 18, is a half day
- 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 Isaac Bear Early College High
- Every public school in Wilmington
- Our Wilmington schools guide for enrollment documents and board meetings
Frequently asked questions
How do students get into SEA-Tech?
By application. For 2026-27, applications opened Jan. 18, 2026, and closed Feb. 8, with notifications in March. SEA-Tech has no attendance zone and takes students from New Hanover and Pender counties.
What is SEA-Tech’s school performance grade?
SEA-Tech earned an A, with a score of 93, in North Carolina’s 2025-26 school performance grades, and exceeded its growth target for the third year running.
Can SEA-Tech students play high school sports?
Yes, at their designated home high school, according to SEA-Tech’s athletics page. Students provide their own transportation to practices and games outside the normal bus schedule.
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