Thomas Academy

Thomas Academy is a four-year high school of very small scale in Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, part of Thomas Academy, caters to 62 students in grades 6 through 12. By comparison, North Carolina's public schools average about 761 students each, so Thomas Academy sits 92% leaner than that benchmark.

Operationally, Thomas Academy answers to Thomas Academy, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

Looking at the student body, Thomas Academy records that 27% of students identify as Black, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest breaks down as 26% White, 23% Hispanic, 21% multiracial, 3% Native American. Compared to Columbus County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at the economic backdrop, On paper, Thomas Academy has 7 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 8.8:1. The state averages around 19.6:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical.

In the broader community, census data for Columbus County shows median household earnings sit near $49,442, 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. Thomas Academy is one of 21 public schools in Columbus County (combined enrollment of about 8,386 students).

East Columbus Junior-Senior High is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.7 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Thomas Academy.

Geographically, the school is in a low-density area. Thomas Academy is a charter school, which puts it inside the public-school system but outside the standard district-managed model.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Thomas Academy has contracted 37%, going from 98 students in 2018 to 62 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 57% to 26% across the same window.

Within the allk12 community for this school, posts here usually surface around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.