SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: Alston Ridge Elementary School

Located along Green Level Church Road in northwest Cary, Alston Ridge Elementary School is a neighborhood school focused on academic rigor, inquiry, and empathy. Opening in July 2010 with just over 450 students on a multi‐track, year‐round calendar, Alston Ridge was built to serve a rapidly growing community in one of the nation's fastest‐growing ZIP codes.

Construction on the Alston Ridge campus began in 2008 and marked a turning point for Wake County Public School System: it was the first WCPSS school designed and constructed to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for Schools standards‐setting a new precedent for high‐performance, environmentally responsible school buildings across the district. Since then, district facilities have followed the same sustainable design principles pioneered at Alston Ridge.

Within a few years of opening, the school's enrollment grew to more than 1,460 students‐making it one of the largest elementary schools in North Carolina. Since then, Horton's Creek Elementary and Parkside Elementary have been built to accommodate the school's growth, and Pleasant Grove Elementary has recently welcomed former Alston Ridge families. The school continues to serve nearly 1,000 students and their families in pre‐kindergarten through fifth grade.

Alston Ridge families hail from 25 states and dozens of countries, speaking more than 35 languages. The school borders Durham and Chatham counties, and its base includes a large section of Research Triangle Park. Situated between major research universities‐Duke University, UNC‐Chapel Hill, North Carolina Central University, and North Carolina State University‐contributes to its global perspective. Assistant Principal Melissa Oliver, a third‐generation resident of the Green Level area, affectionately calls the school "a jewel of diversity." To be sure that every child is seen, heard, and matters, leadership stays focused on making the large school feel small through intentional community and relationship building that begins in each classroom. Families from across the globe find a welcoming and intentional school culture‐one that honors both individuality and collective purpose.

Alston Ridge's dedication to student achievement is evident in its consistently strong academic performance and the breadth of its educational programs. The school offers a wide range of instructional supports and enrichment opportunities, including language development, special education services, and acceleration options. Interventionists and special educators have been recognized as finalists for Wake County Teacher and Instructional Assistant of the Year awards, and the school boasts one of the district's highest numbers of National Board Certified Teachers.

Students benefit from a rich curriculum that includes science, technology, and arts specialists. Through the United Arts Council and the Alston Ridge PTA, students work with visiting artists in residence‐broadening their cultural and creative horizons. Committed to students' social and emotional well‐being, the school has earned the Purple Star Award for military family support for three consecutive years and has been recently recognized with RAMP certification for excellence in school counseling.

Partnerships play an important role in expanding opportunities for all students at the school. Alston Ridge hosts interns from UNC‐Chapel Hill's graduate school administration program and NC State's College of Education. Community organizations, including the Sigma Tau Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., NW Cary YMCA, UNC Dental School, the Duke School's Project Institute, and the Cary Chamber of Commerce, collaborate with the school to extend learning and leadership opportunities for students. And, Wake County Public School System's Community Use program makes it possible for Alston Ridge to serve as a polling site for the Wake County Board of Elections, host a large‐scale Telugu language school, i9 Sports programs for basketball, volleyball, and soccer, NCFC youth soccer programs, and music and arts enrichment programs.

Families are essential partners in the school's success. They lead programs such as the annual science fair and the PTA's Reflections Arts initiative, serve on the School Improvement Team, and volunteer through Wake Ed Partnership's reading buddy program. Their investments in campus enhancements‐like the school garden and upgrades to stage lighting and sound systems‐and funding teacher development programs reflect a shared commitment to creating an enriching environment for every child.

Today, Alston Ridge Elementary continues to lead among Wake County's schools. Its mission is to cultivate a school culture that is welcoming and inclusive, rooted in high expectations and equity, and focused on growing curious, kind, and responsible student leaders. Learn more about Alston Ridge at www.wcpss.net/alstonridgees.