Principal Chad Jewett gave Central
Johnston Rotarians a guided tour of the new
Wilson's Mills school a few days before
Sunday's "grand opening."
A LOOK INSIDE
OUR NEWEST HIGH SCHOOL
It's a "reliever" for
five other attendance districts
The new high school at
Wilson's Mills creates an attendance district
that affects "maxed out" schools in the
northwestern part of the county closest to
Raleigh, one of the nation's fastest growing
metropolitan areas.
Wilson's Mills High will provide relief for
overcrowded Clayton, Cleveland, and Corinth
Holders high schools and growing room for
Smithfield-Selma and North Johnston high
schools.
The new school was built to accommodate 2,300
students, but only about half of its expected
population will start classes there later this
month. Wilson's Mills High will admit only
freshmen and sophomores this year, gradually
growing in following years.
The original Wilson's Mills High School – closed
by consolidation and racial integration when
Smithfield-Selma High opened in 1969 – had just
16 students in its final graduating class.
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This is the media center
(library) inside the new school. It's named in
memory of Herberta & Jim Uzzle who were
fixtures at the old high school from 1948
until its closing in 1969 – she as librarian,
English teacher, yearbook advisor, and drama
director; he as principal, math teacher, and
coach of basketball and baseball teams.
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An alcove
beside the huge cafeteria is one of several places
throughout the new building that tell stories
with pictures of the school's history.
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Here's a typical classroom with
a nice view outside the front of the main
building.
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Here's the main
gymnasium where interscholastic basketball games
will be played. The new school also has an
auxiliary gym for in-school activities.
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Here's a portion of the
spacious cafeteria seen from the main building's
second floor.
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The landscaped football stadium
is ready for the school's first season, which
will be limited to junior-varsity competition
until upper grades are added.
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The new school's main building
has three stories – a throwback to Johnston
County's standard for brick schools built a
century ago (JCPS photo)
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