Kennedy High, Winston-Salem: admission, report card and calendar

John F. Kennedy High School, 890 E. 11th St.: grades 6 to 12, 305 students in 2024-25 and a C (60) in 2024-25 state grades.

Last checked Oct. 12, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ school locator, boundary maps, bell schedules and 2026-27 calendar, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and report card data and the federal NCES school directory.

John F. Kennedy High School is a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools middle and high school for grades 6 to 12 at 890 E. 11th St. in Winston-Salem. The district lists it with a magnet school with academies in construction and design, health sciences (pharmacy technician), and culinary arts and hospitality on its high schools page.

Who to call

Front office: 336-703-4143, 890 E. 11th St., Winston-Salem

School website: www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/o/jfkhs

Enrollment and assignment: WS/FCS Student Assignment Office, 336-748-3302; student assignment page

Applying: the district’s magnet and choice timeline

Buses and the district office: WS/FCS main line, 336-727-2816, 475 Corporate Square Drive


Address	890 E. 11th St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101
Phone	336-703-4143
Grades	6 to 12
Run by	Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Calendar	Traditional
State school code	340488

Principal

Principal Alfreda Smith, according to the school’s staff directory on Oct. 12, 2026.

Enrollment and teachers

State count: an average daily membership of 305 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card data.
Federal count: 309 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 13 students per teacher.

State report card

North Carolina gives every public school an A to F School Performance Grade, based 80% on achievement on state tests and other measures and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report.

School year	Grade (score)	Growth
2024-25	C (60)	Exceeded
2023-24	D (51)	Met

The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data.

From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment data:

At grade level or above, all state tests: 46.8% (state: 59.2%)
College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 21.5% (state: 37.5%)
ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 23.9% (state: 54.5%)
Four-year graduation rate: 90% (state: 89%)
Growth: exceeded expected growth

The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.

How admission works

Kennedy High has no residential attendance zone; it does not appear on the district’s boundary maps. Students enroll through the WS/FCS magnet and choice process. For the 2027-28 school year the district’s assignment timeline lists the Magnet School Showcase from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Education Building at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, and the magnet and choice application period from Oct. 31, 2026, to Jan. 29, 2027. Group tours are by appointment with the school.

Calendar and bell times

School day: 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m., with two-hour early dismissal at 1:05 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.

Kennedy High follows the district’s 2026-27 calendar. Coming up:

Tuesday, Nov. 3: teacher professional day (Election Day); no school for students
Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break
Friday, Dec. 18: end of the second quarter and first semester
Dec. 21 to Jan. 4: winter break
Monday, Jan. 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, Feb. 15, 2027: teacher professional day
March 26 to April 2, 2027: spring break
Friday, May 21, 2027: last day of school

The district has set Dec. 21-22, Jan. 4, Feb. 15 and May 24-28 as make-up days for bad weather.

Sports and activities

Kennedy is not listed in the NCHSAA’s 2025-29 realignment, and the district’s athletics network does not include a Kennedy site.

Friday night games and results are on our Friday night football page and the scoreboard.

The school’s own website
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ student assignment page and list of schools and programs
Every public school in Winston-Salem, with zones and report cards
Our Winston-Salem schools guide for the district and school board

Frequently asked questions

What grades does Kennedy High serve?

Kennedy High serves grades 6 to 12, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

What is Kennedy High’s school grade?

Kennedy High earned a C, with a score of 60, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 46.8% of its state tests were at grade level or above.

How do students get into Kennedy High?

Kennedy High has no residential zone. Families apply through the WS/FCS magnet and choice process; the 2027-28 application period runs Oct. 31, 2026, to Jan. 29, 2027.

What time does Kennedy High start?

The school day runs 8:10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.