Our school
Creative people. Globally aware. Forward thinking.
Woodlawn is an independent, nonprofit school founded in 2002. Currently accepting students in grades Kindergarten through 12, and accredited by both the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Woodlawn offers a challenging, project-based academic experience. Woodlawn is located on a scenic 61-acre campus one mile north of Davidson, North Carolina, easily accessible from Interstate 77 and the surrounding Lake Norman communities.
Our mission
To produce independent, lifelong learners who are responsible, contributing members of a diverse global society.
Our philosophy
Our educational philosophy provides the guiding principles that we use to carry out our mission. We provide a superior learning environment by encouraging critical thinking, curiosity, and diligence. We promote the personal growth of our students by encouraging creativity, leadership, and individuality. We are socially responsible by valuing multiple perspectives, compassion, tolerance, and respect. We incorporate environmental sustainability in our curriculum, school culture, and stewardship of our land and resources.
Our campus
Woodlawn's 61-acre wooded campus provides a unique, almost pastoral atmosphere that enhances students’ learning experiences. The southeastern quarter of the campus contains the historic 1836 Woodlawn home, as well as two of the home’s outbuildings that were renovated in 2002 to form the first classroom buildings. Two additional classroom buildings were built over the next three years. In 2007, our first capital campaign led to the construction of an Upper School building and a gymnasium. In 2010, a second campaign allowed us to build a classroom building and a Lodge, used for classes and events. A barn built in 1910 still stands on the eastern edge of the campus, while the remainder of the property is forested, with a small stream flowing east toward the Rocky River.
Our students
Students at Woodlawn School are expected to meet the demands of a rigorous academic program, as well as demonstrate initiative, responsibility and social awareness. Admission is based on several factors, including previous academic performance, teacher recommendation and an entrance assessment of academic aptitude and achievement. Woodlawn strives to maintain a diverse student population and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin.
Our story
Woodlawn was founded in 2002 by the Bowmans, a family that had just relocated to the Lake Norman area from the West Coast. Their desire was to build a school where students could experience hands-on, project-based learning, and where teachers could create a rigorous but engaging curriculum. With just seven students and two small buildings, the school opened in the fall of 2002. Just two years later, 70 students were enrolled and Woodlawn had established a reputation as a place where high academic standards led to independent, lifelong learning. In 2010, the school graduated its first senior class, and since then has sent 141 graduates to a wide variety of colleges, including Yale, Pomona, Princeton, Bowdoin, Dartmouth, Rice, and Penn.