Cary High, 638 Walnut St.: grades 9-12, 1,984 students in 2024-25, a B (76) state grade.
Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website; the Wake County Public School System’s enrollment and calendar pages, base school lookup and draft 2027-28 enrollment plan; the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2024-25 report card data and 2025-26 school assessment workbook; the federal NCES school directory; and the NCHSAA’s 2025-29 realignment.
Cary High is a Wake County Public School System high school at 638 Walnut St., Cary. In our Oct. 12 check of 986 home addresses spread across Cary in the district’s base school lookup, 305 were assigned to Cary High. The school says it is listed as the first public high school in North Carolina, on its about page.
Who to call
- Front office: 919-460-3549, 638 Walnut St.
- School website: caryhs.wcpss.net
- Enrolling a new student: WCPSS enrollment page; Student Assignment 919-431-7333
- Which school is my address zoned for? the district’s base school lookup
- Buses: WCPSS Transportation 919-805-3030
| Address | 638 Walnut St., Cary, NC 27511 |
| Phone | 919-460-3549 |
| Grades | 9 to 12 |
| District | Wake County Public School System |
| Mascot | Imps |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| State school code | 920368 |
Principal
Principal Nolan Bryant, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 1,984 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 2,087 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 2,136 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 122 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 18 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school A to F. The grade is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report. For a high school, achievement includes end-of-course tests, the ACT or WorkKeys, NC Math 3 and the four-year graduation rate.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | B (76) | Exceeded |
| 2023-24 | B (73) | Exceeded |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data. From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment workbook:
- At grade level or above, all end-of-course tests: 64.1% (statewide, all tests: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 46.3%
- Growth: exceeded expected growth
- ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 67.3% (statewide: 54.5%)
- ACT or WorkKeys benchmark, 12th graders: 69.5%
- Four-year graduation rate: 88.8% (statewide: 89%)
The full report card, with class sizes, teacher data and school safety figures, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Attendance zone
WCPSS assigns every address a base elementary, middle and high school. Enter an address in the district’s base school lookup to see all three, or browse the base attendance area map. Zones do not follow town limits or mailing addresses. We did not find a published feeder list on the district’s enrollment pages, so we do not name feeder schools here; Student Assignment, 919-431-7333, can confirm an address.
Proposed changes for 2027-28: The district’s draft 2027-28 enrollment plan would assign some students now zoned for Athens Drive Magnet High to Cary High, to rebalance enrollment. It would also move some students now assigned to Cary High to the new Morrisville High, which is due to open in August 2027. The plan is a draft: the Board of Education holds a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 20, and is scheduled to vote Nov. 17, according to the district’s enrollment proposal page. Check an address with the proposal lookup.
Calendar and bell times
Cary High follows the district’s traditional calendar. Coming dates on the 2026-27 traditional calendar (PDF):
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher workday, no school for students
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
Bell times: 7:25 a.m. to 2:18 p.m., according to the bell schedule posted on the school’s website.
Sports and activities
Cary is a 7A school in the NCHSAA’s 6A/7A Conference D for the 2025-29 alignment, with Cardinal Gibbons, Felton Grove, Holly Springs, Middle Creek and Sanderson, according to the approved realignment.
The Imps’ athletics website lists these teams:
- Boys: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and wrestling
- Girls: basketball, competitive cheerleading, cross country, flag football, golf, gymnastics, indoor track, lacrosse, soccer, softball, stunt, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling
Fall schedules and results are in our Friday night football guide and on our scoreboard.
The about page lists AP Capstone, which it calls the school’s most rigorous academic program, an Academy of Technology and Advanced Manufacturing and Career and College Promise dual enrollment courses at local community colleges.
More
- The school’s own website and the district’s enrollment page
- Every public school in Cary, with zones and report cards
- Our Cary schools guide for district calendars, enrollment dates and the school board
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Cary High serve?
Cary High serves ninth through 12th grade.
What is Cary High’s school grade?
Cary High earned a B, with a score of 76, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 64.1% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it exceeded its growth target.
What time does Cary High start?
The school day runs 7:25 a.m. to 2:18 p.m., according to the school’s website.
What conference is Cary High in?
Cary is a 7A school in the NCHSAA’s 6A/7A Conference D for the 2025-29 alignment, with Cardinal Gibbons, Felton Grove, Holly Springs, Middle Creek and Sanderson.
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