McLEANSVILLE, N.C. — As the Triad continues to grow, more families say they want additional public school options for their children. That rising demand is driving Triad Math and Science Academy’s latest expansion, a new K–8 campus set to open in McLeansville next fall.
Triad Math and Science Academy, a public charter school network serving students across the Triad, says it has outgrown its current facilities as enrollment interest continues to surge. The new campus will be housed in a former office building off Millstream Road, which is set to undergo renovations beginning in February. School leaders say the expansion is a response to both population growth and increasing interest from families seeking STEM-focused education.
“We are getting a lot of people moving into North Carolina, in particular the Triad area, for the high-tech jobs that are becoming available,” said Principal Fatih Kandil. “Many of them naturally tend to find schools for their own kids with quality STEM education.”
Triad Math and Science Academy currently serves about 1,400 students across three campuses in Greensboro, including two elementary schools and a combined middle and high school. The charter school accepts students from anywhere in North Carolina, not just Guilford County. For the upcoming school year, the school network received close to 7,000 applications, far exceeding the number of available seats. When demand surpasses capacity, admissions are determined by a public lottery, as required under state charter school law.
According to the John Locke Foundation, charter school enrollment across North Carolina increased by about six percent during the 2024–2025 school year and has grown more than 30 percent since 2019, outpacing growth in many traditional public school systems. School leaders say that growth reflects changing needs among families.
“The pandemic times really caused a lot of damage in terms of students’ learning,” Kandil said. “There was a lot of learning loss, a lot of achievement gap growth, students staying at home and not doing what they were supposed to be doing.”
Triad Math and Science Academy emphasizes a STEAM-based curriculum, with a strong focus on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, alongside college preparation.
“Our main focus is STEAM areas, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, while on top of that, also preparing our students for colleges is very important for us,” Kandil said.
School leaders say the McLeansville campus will help expand those offerings. Plans include science labs, robotics shops, elective courses, and athletics.
“The labs, the shops for robotics, some elective courses, those are some ideas we have in mind that we would like to implement in our campus,” Kandil said. “Even including a football field.”
The new campus is expected to open with about 300 students in its first year and gradually scale up to serve more than 1,300 students once fully built out. Triad Math and Science Academy is a tuition-free public charter school funded through local, state, and federal tax dollars. School leaders say the total cost of purchasing and renovating the McLeansville building is projected to remain under $10 million, significantly less than the estimated cost of building a comparable traditional public school. Renovations are scheduled for completion by early July, with students expected to move in during the first week of August.
The school estimates it will need about 35 to 40 staff members to support the initial enrollment. Leaders say they plan to transfer experienced staff from existing campuses while continuing to hire new educators. The school does not currently offer bus transportation, a common challenge among charter schools due to funding limitations. Most families rely on car drop-off and pick-up.
Triad Math and Science Academy says the McLeansville expansion is about meeting demand, not replacing traditional public schools. School leaders emphasize that families are increasingly seeking smaller campus environments, structured learning, and STEM-focused instruction as the region continues to grow. Enrollment for the inaugural school year will be determined by lottery, with applications expected to open later this year.
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