Peak Charter Academy, 1601 Orchard Villas Ave.: grades K-8, 646 students in 2024-25, a B (80) state grade.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: the school’s website and its admission pages; 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.

Peak Charter Academy is a tuition-free public charter school in Apex. It is not part of the Wake County Public School System: it has no attendance zone, and students are admitted through the school’s own application and lottery. The school says it serves kindergarten through eighth grade and is part of the National Heritage Academies network, according to its website.

Who to call
Address 1601 Orchard Villas Ave., Apex, NC 27502
Phone 919-377-1552
Grades Kindergarten to 8
Operator Public charter school (not WCPSS)
State school code 93M000

Principal

Principal Kacey Gorman, according to the school’s website.

Enrollment and teachers

  • State count: an average daily membership of 646 students in the 2024-25 school year, down from 769 in 2023-24, according to the state’s report card data.
  • Federal count: 775 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 33 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 23 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 by the state’s end-of-grade reading, math and science tests.

School year Grade and score Growth
2024-25 B (80) Met
2023-24 B (83) 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: 83.8% (statewide, all tests: 59.2%)
  • College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 67%
  • Growth: exceeded expected growth
  • Reading: 82.7% at grade level or above; math: 82.5%

The full report card, with class sizes, teacher data and school safety figures, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.

Admission

Open enrollment for the 2027-28 school year runs through 5 p.m. Feb. 26, 2027, according to the school’s admissions page. If the school receives more applications than seats, a random lottery decides who is offered a seat and sets the order of the waiting list; if it receives fewer, all eligible students are accepted, the page says. Applications are online and free.

Peak says it is open to all children in the area. District attendance zones do not apply. To find the WCPSS school an address is zoned for instead, use the district’s base school lookup.

Calendar and bell times

Classes run 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. for kindergarten to fifth grade and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for sixth to eighth grade, and the office is open 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the school’s website. Peak sets its own calendar; it is on the school’s calendar page.

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Frequently asked questions

What grades does Peak Charter Academy serve?

Peak Charter Academy serves kindergarten through eighth grade. It is a tuition-free public charter school, not part of WCPSS.

What is Peak Charter Academy’s school grade?

Peak Charter Academy earned a B, with a score of 80, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 83.8% of its state tests were at grade level or above and it exceeded its growth target.

How do I apply to Peak Charter Academy?

Apply online during open enrollment, which for 2027-28 runs through 5 p.m. Feb. 26, 2027. If applications outnumber seats, a random lottery decides who is offered a place.

What time does Peak Charter Academy start?

Classes run 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. for kindergarten to fifth grade and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for sixth to eighth grade, according to the school’s website.