West Lake Middle, 4600 West Lake Road, Apex: grades 6-8, 693 students in 2024-25, a C (66) 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; and the federal NCES school directory.
West Lake Middle is a Wake County Public School System middle school at 4600 West Lake Road, Apex. The school has an Apex mailing address, but the U.S. Census Bureau’s geocoder places the campus inside Cary town limits. In our Oct. 12 check of 986 home addresses spread across Cary in the district’s base school lookup, 23 were assigned to West Lake Middle. West Lake Middle opened for the 1992-93 school year on a shared campus with West Lake Elementary and became a single-track school in 2022-23, according to its about page.
Who to call
- Front office: 919-662-2900, 4600 West Lake Road
- School website: westlakems.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 | 4600 West Lake Road, Apex, NC 27539 |
| Phone | 919-662-2900 |
| Grades | 6 to 8 |
| District | Wake County Public School System |
| Calendar | Year-round, single-track (Track 4) |
| State school code | 920607 |
Principal
Principal William Shipp, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 693 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 763 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 766 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 48 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 16 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 this school, achievement is measured mainly by the state’s end-of-grade reading, math and science tests.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | C (66) | Exceeded |
| 2023-24 | C (64) | 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 state tests: 63.8% (statewide, all tests: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 43.2%
- Growth: exceeded expected growth
- Reading, grades 3 to 8: 61.4% at grade level or above; math: 61.7%
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.
The list of proposed base area changes in the district’s draft 2027-28 enrollment plan, which the Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Nov. 17, does not name West Lake Middle. Check an address with the proposal lookup.
Calendar and bell times
West Lake Middle follows the district’s single-track Track 4 year-round calendar. Coming dates on the 2026-27 Track 4 calendar (PDF):
- Through Friday, Oct. 23: tracked out (Oct. 22-23 are teacher workdays); students return Monday, Oct. 26
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher workday
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break
- Jan. 4-22, 2027: tracked out
Bell times: 7:40 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., according to the bell schedule posted on the school’s website.
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 West Lake Middle serve?
West Lake Middle serves sixth through eighth grade.
What is West Lake Middle’s school grade?
West Lake Middle earned a C, with a score of 66, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 63.8% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it exceeded its growth target.
What time does West Lake Middle start?
The school day runs 7:40 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., according to the school’s website.
How do I know if my address is zoned for West Lake Middle?
Enter the address in the Wake County Public School System’s base school lookup, or call Student Assignment at 919-431-7333. Zones do not follow town limits.
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