Southern Wake Academy

5108 Old Powell Rd
Holly Springs, NC 27540

Charter School 534 Students

High School 6th - 12th

School Overview

Southern Wake Academy (SWA) is a public charter school located in Holly Springs, North Carolina, serving students in grades 6 through 12. As a tuition-free institution, it operates with a focus on providing a rigorous, college-preparatory education within a smaller, personalized learning environment. The school emphasizes a community-centered atmosphere, prioritizing strong relationships between faculty, students, and families to support both academic achievement and personal character development.

The academy utilizes a traditional curriculum supplemented by specialized programs designed to prepare students for post-secondary success. Beyond core academics, Southern Wake Academy places significant importance on extracurricular engagement, athletics, and social-emotional growth to ensure a well-rounded educational experience. By maintaining smaller class sizes and a structured, supportive culture, the school aims to challenge students to reach their full potential while fostering a sense of civic responsibility and lifelong learning.

534

Total Students

36.3

Full-Time Teachers

14.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Southern Wake Academy
Demographic	Student Count
White	351
Hispanic	59
Black	55
Asian	15
Two or More	52
American Indian	2

White
351 (65.7%)
Hispanic
59 (11.0%)
Black
55 (10.3%)
Two or More
52 (9.7%)
Asian
15 (2.8%)
American Indian
2 (0.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Southern Wake Academy
Phone:	(919)567-9955
Website:	http://swake.org
Grade Range:	6th - 12th
Total Students:	534
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	36.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.7
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 65

Grade 7 78

Grade 8 98

Grade 9 73

Grade 10 70

Grade 11 85

Grade 12 65