North Oak Academy, a new public charter school launching in Durham, North Carolina, broke ground on a facility last Friday. Part of the successful National Heritage Academies network, the K-5 charter school is slated to open to students next fall. Lindalyn Kakadelis, the Coalition’s executive director, and Lee Teague, a Coalition lobbyist, joined school leaders for Friday’s groundbreaking.
Left to right: North Oak Academy Board members Wendy Ji, Gerald McNair, and Kelsey Armstrong attend the school facility’s groundbreaking with Lindalyn Kakadelis and Lee Teague on September 13.
Cory Olsen, senior communications specialist at National Heritage Academies, provided the event write-up below:
A bit of rain and mud couldn’t keep excited school leaders away from the groundbreaking of North Oak Academy in Durham, North Carolina. It’s National Heritage Academies’ 16th school in the state and is slated to be open for the start of the 2025-26 school year.
The site, located on the northeast side of Durham, was previously a drive-in movie theater. NHA Director of School Quality, Steve Pond, said he can’t wait to see students in the building, creating new memories and starring in their own educational journeys.
“This school is going to be a wonderful addition to the surrounding community,” Pond said. “I’m especially encouraged by the passion, commitment, and engagement shown by North Oak’s Board of Directors. The board has demonstrated a high level of resilience and perseverance over the past few years, and they have confidently stood with NHA to successfully overcome challenges and obstacles in their path.”
Pond was joined at the groundbreaking by school board president Gerald McNair, director Wendy Ji, and director Kelsey Armstrong. North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools Executive Director Lindalyn Kakadelis was also in attendance.
