Wilmington Early College High, at CFCC's North Campus in Castle Hayne: by application, 270 students, an A (90) in 2025-26 state grades.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: Wilmington 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.

Wilmington Early College High School is a New Hanover County Schools high school on Cape Fear Community College’s North Campus off Blue Clay Road in Castle Hayne, outside Wilmington’s city limits. According to its About Us page, it was set up through a partnership between the district and CFCC so students can earn an associate degree, certifications or transferable college credits along with their diploma, in a four- to five-year program. There is no attendance zone: students from across the county apply.

Who to call

  • Front office: 910-362-7789, 4500 Blue Clay Road, ND Building, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
  • School website: wechs.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 4500 Blue Clay Road, ND Building, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
Phone 910-362-7789
Grades 9 to 12, plus a fifth year
School day 9:10 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 9:10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Friday
Admission By application, countywide
District New Hanover County Schools

Principal

Principal Regina Wooten, according to the school’s website.

Enrollment and teachers

  • Federal count: 270 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 13 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory, which lists grades 9 to 13. The 2023-24 count was 254.

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 90 Exceeded
2024-25 B 83 Met
2023-24 A 88 Met

Other 2025-26 figures from the state’s school assessment and indicator data:

  • 84.9% of state tests taken at the school 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: 92% of 11th graders scored 17 or higher on the composite.

Because students apply to get in, the school’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 covers 2024-25.

How admission works

The school has no zone. The district says its innovative high schools, Wilmington Early College, Isaac Bear and SEA-Tech, use a district-wide rubric and acceptance process with a second-level review by a district team, according to its school assignment page. Application dates are posted on the district’s high school page and the school’s website.

Sports and activities

Wilmington Early College does not field NCHSAA teams of its own. Its students run a shared esports team with SEA-Tech, according to SEA-Tech’s athletics page. For local scores, see our Friday night football page and the high school scoreboard.

Calendar and bell times

The school day runs 9:10 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9:10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Friday, according to the school’s website. The school shares a calendar with SEA-Tech. 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

CFCC classes end Dec. 11 and begin again Jan. 5, according to the same calendar.

More on Wilmington schools

Frequently asked questions

What is Wilmington Early College High School?

A New Hanover County Schools high school run with Cape Fear Community College, where students can earn an associate degree, certifications or transferable college credits along with a high school diploma in four to five years.

What is Wilmington Early College’s school performance grade?

Wilmington Early College earned an A, with a score of 90, in North Carolina’s 2025-26 school performance grades, up from a B (83) in 2024-25.

What time does Wilmington Early College start?

The school’s website lists its hours as 9:10 a.m. to 4:25 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9:10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. on Friday.