South Mecklenburg High School
South Mecklenburg High School, better known as South Meck, is a public high school within the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System that services the central southern area of Mecklenburg County. Located at 8900 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210, the school is fed by the surrounding neighborhoods of Pineville, Quail Hollow, Cameron Wood, Carmel, and Park Crossing. Established in 1959, it is home to 3,259 students and 171 faculty. The school’s mascot is the Sabres.
Location
South Mecklenburg directly services the neighborhoods of Pineville, Quail Hollow, Cameron Wood, Carmel, and Park Crossing. These submarkets are in the central southern area of Mecklenburg County and border school district lines with Myers Park, Olympic, Palisades, Ardrey Kell, and Providence High Schools. These neighborhoods are populated by well-established residential subdivisions that house some of Charlotte’s wealthiest citizens. As of 2023, the median household income for the area’s ZIP of 28210 was $84,294.The median sales price for the area was $486,917 in September 2023. Shopping centers such as Carolina Place Mall, Tower Place, and Carmel Village among others provide residents with high-end shopping opportunities. This area is accessed via I-485, Pineville-Matthews Rd, Carmel Rd, and Park / Johnston Rd.
Academics
South Meck services grades 9-12 and is generally considered an average school for academics in the Charlotte area. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI), 86.4% of all 2023 graduates finished school within 4 years. This is just behind the NC State average of 86%. Greatschools found that 89% of graduates also went on to attend public university for at least 2 years. This puts South Meck in a good spot for college readiness in the Charlotte area, as most students who graduated on time continued to excel in higher education programs. The school also offers 29 AP courses, 2 STEM programs, 1 art course, and 1 world language course. Test scores lagged behind state averages in Math and Biology. English was the only subject where South Meck met the state average. As of 2023, there are 171 teachers at South Meck, resulting in a Student / Teacher Ratio of 19-1.
Test Scores
Average SAT Test Scores: 2022-2023
South Meck High School students were relatively prepared for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 2023. According to the NC DPI, students performed in-line with their CMS counterparts and above both the State and National averages. The achievement was accomplished in both the Reading and Math sections of the exam. This information points to the school being above average for North Carolina when preparing students for higher education. The SAT participation rate for the school was 30.30%.
Average ACT Test Scores: 2022-2023
South Meck prepared its students inadequately for the Aptitude and Critical Thinking test (ACT). Average 2023 scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science were all below those of their CMS, State, and National counterparts. The only exception is Math, where South Meck students outperformed State students by .05%.
4-Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate: 2018-2023
The 4-Year Graduation Rate at South Mecklenburg High School has hovered in the mid-80s since 2018. There have been minimal fluctuations even as the school trudged through the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend is an outlier in the CMS system, as most schools saw a dip in their 4-year graduation rates. It is clear that South Meck handled COVID and its aftermath with relative success.
Food Assistance Programs
South Mecklenburg High School and all CMS schools provide meals for underprivileged students via the CMS School Nutrition Services system. This service provides both breakfast and lunch options to students across Mecklenburg County. According to Mecklenburg County Public Health, approximately 15% of households are food insecure, so this program is a welcome addition to South Meck’s cafeteria.
How to Enroll
If you are interested in enrolling at South Mecklenburg High School, there are a few things you need:
Use the CMS Geoportal to confirm your place of residence is within the appropriate school district here.
Compile documents necessary for enrollment. These requirements can be found here.
Download and complete the enrollment packet. Can be found on the far right side of the page here.
Submit your application to the school. This is required to be done in person and typically by appointment.
