New Hanover Co. school board discusses new high school

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — School leaders in New Hanover County met today to talk about the possibility of a new high school for the county.

The New Hanover County Board of Education attended the New Hanover County Schools Career and Technical Education (CTE) High School Work Group meeting this afternoon. Chaired by Superintendent Dr. Tim Markley and Board Member Lisa Estep, the group is developing plans for a new CTE high school in New Hanover County. Markley said the school would provide about 500 students with vocational training so they can be prepared to enter the workforce after graduation.

“A lot of our students aren’t going to go to a four-year college,” Markley said. “They have some aspirations that don’t require a four-year college, but might require a technical certification. Welder, nurses aid, somebody who wants to get into culinary, cosmetology and we want to make sure that our students have a pathway into those programs.”

If built, the building would be part of CFCC, so the school would be structured differently than Isaac Bear Early College High School. He said the next step is to take the proposal to the New Hanover County Commission. The next meeting to continue discussions on the project will be November 9.