At this time, Gray Stone Day School serves 300 students
from Stanly, Rowan, Cabarrus, Montgomery, Mecklenburg, Davidson, Randolph and
Iredell counties.
Although located in a rural area, the partnership
with Pfeiffer allows students to receive educational opportunities similar to
those of students in urban areas.
Students have use of select university facilities
such as the G.A. Pfeiffer Library, athletic fields and the auxiliary gym. The
chapel and the fine arts buildings, including Goode Hall, have been utilized for
special events, such as honor society inductions and commencement.
Moreover, dual enrollment between the two schools
for qualifying students offers the possibility of earning high school credit and
college credit simultaneously.
Gray Stone strives for the most highly qualified teachers
and has assembled a variety of instructors who offer rigor as well as support in
the classroom.
Pfeiffer students provide tutoring as part of their service
commitment and students may request individual assistance or attend regularly
scheduled extra help or review sessions.
The charter school offers a large variety of classes for a
small school.
The traditional core high school courses are offered in
mostly honors classes as well as Advanced Placement classes.
Along with dual enrollment, students have a greater
variety of quality class options.
Many students take seated or on-line courses at area
community colleges under the Quick Start Program.
They also take on-line classes from the North
Carolina Virtual Public School or the UNC-Greensboro iSchool program. Students
have been able to participate in college performances in drama and music, as
well.
It is a curriculum that challenges the advanced student and
the highly motivated average student who chooses the academic setting.
Because the high school students are on an actual
college campus, they see firsthand what it entails and begin to understand the
necessity of developing good study habits necessary to master the skills needed
to succeed in a college setting.
Gray Stone Day School’s technology department offers two
wireless laptop carts with 24 computers each for use in most of the classrooms.
There is also a small computer lab.
Students may bring their laptops and work in most of
the areas on campus or they have access to many other computers to use while in
the facility.
The school has a unique daily schedule for a high school.
Similar to a college schedule, it allows students to
blend their high school schedule with a college schedule more easily.
Times are available in the schedule for students to
receive enrichment seminars and teacher led science labs as well as meet with
clubs and other extra-curricular activities.
Ninety-eight percent of the
students who have graduated from Gray Stone Day School are pursuing college
degrees. They are enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, Wake Forest University, Appalachian State University, University of North
Carolina at Charlotte, Virginia Tech, and Pfeiffer University - to name a few.
The 132 seniors, who have graduated thus far, have received over $2,000,000 in
actually used scholarship funds. It is important to Gray Stone Day to not only
help the students to learn and prepare and be accepted to the college of their
choice, but to help them find the funds to attend.
This past year one senior won the Thomas Wolfe
Scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and another was a
teaching fellows scholar. Each
member of
the class of 2008 completed a service project as part of their graduation
requirements. Together, they provided over 1,000 hours of service and raised
over $ 3,500 for their communities, churches and school.
Gray Stone has placed in the top 5% of all public high
schools (both traditional and charter schools) in North Carolina for
end-of-course test scores every year. In 2006-2007, with 98% of the students
participating and an average total score of 1584, the school placed in the top
10% of the state for average SAT scores of all public high schools and 6th among
all school systems in NC.
Furthermore, it had one of the highest average
scores on the 10th grade writing tests.
The school is a member of the Rocky River Conference in
North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
They participate in all sports except football and
wrestling.
They also have swimming.
Many students are able to participate in sports to
help create a well-rounded individual.
Now, in its seventh year, Gray Stone Day School is an established school with a record of excellence.