The top reported proficiency rate is 33% in Science. The lowest is 26% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Academy
Thomas Academy is a charter school serving grades six through twelve in Lake Waccamaw, a small resort and residential town built around a lake that is a major regional draw for tourism and second-home ownership. The school is the only entity in a single-school charter district operated by Boys & Girls Homes of North Carolina, and it enrolls a small number of students with diverse backgrounds: roughly equal shares of Black, white, and Hispanic students, along with students of mixed race and one American Indian student.
This is an alternative school, meaning it serves students who have struggled in traditional school settings. The enrollment is small, around seventy students total across the grade band. The school recently secured a seven-year charter renewal from the N.C. Charter Schools Review Board, a significant extension that gives families long-term confidence the school will remain open.
The pedagogy is the defining feature here. Thomas Academy has adopted what it calls the Waccamaw Way, a trauma-informed, therapeutic instructional model designed explicitly for at-risk learners. Class sizes are capped at fifteen. The school day is structured so students can complete homework on campus, addressing a real barrier for students without reliable internet, quiet home environments, or time to study independently. Cell phones are locked in cabinets during the day. The school uses a points-based positive-behavior system each week, with students starting at twenty-five points. For a parent whose child has been disengaged, disruptive, or unsuccessful in a conventional school, or who needs a smaller, more individualized environment with explicit behavioral structure and therapeutic support, this model is the core offering.
State testing results show students struggling academically overall. In English language arts, proficiency was low. In math, proficiency was extremely low, with essentially no students meeting the standard. In science, roughly a third of tested students reached proficiency, though the smaller tested group and a recent change to the science assessment make that number less comparable to prior years. When compared to other districts in Columbus County, Thomas Academy's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the districts in that county. These numbers reflect the population the school enrolls: students arriving with significant gaps, often after years of disengagement or failure elsewhere.
A graduation rate for this school was not available in the data, which is common for small alternative schools and reflects the complexity of tracking completions in a population that may take non-traditional pathways. State testing data for high school grades was similarly sparse. A parent may want to look into the school's graduation outcomes, completion pathways, and post-secondary destinations directly with the school, as these matter more for high school age students than grade-band testing results do.
Lake Waccamaw itself is a low-density, car-dependent small town with limited commercial services and no public transit. Employment centers for adults are in nearby Whiteville and farther east in Wilmington. Housing values in the area are modest. The region is currently facing a potentially transformational growth proposal involving a large planned residential development north of the town, which is generating significant community debate about infrastructure and school capacity.
For families seeking a therapeutic, small-group alternative to conventional high schools, with explicit structure and a focus on students who have struggled elsewhere, Thomas Academy offers a distinct pathway. The school's recent charter renewal and the deliberate pedagogical changes reflect institutional commitment to serving this population. The academic baseline is low, reflecting the needs of the students who arrive; whether that baseline will improve is a question for families to explore with the school directly.
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