Whitaker Elementary School, 2600 Buena Vista Road: grades pre-K to 5, 490 students in 2024-25 and a B (84) 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.
Whitaker Elementary School is a Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools elementary school for grades pre-K to 5 at 2600 Buena Vista Road in Winston-Salem.
Who to call
- Front office: 336-703-6740, 2600 Buena Vista Road, Winston-Salem
- School website: www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/o/wes
- Enrollment and assignment: WS/FCS Student Assignment Office, 336-748-3302; student assignment page
- Which school is my address zoned for? The district’s School Locator
- Buses and the district office: WS/FCS main line, 336-727-2816, 475 Corporate Square Drive
| Address | 2600 Buena Vista Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104 |
| Phone | 336-703-6740 |
| Grades | pre-K to 5 |
| Run by | Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| State school code | 340560 |
Principal
Principal Ian Olsen, according to the school’s staff directory on Oct. 12, 2026.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 490 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 529 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 35 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 15 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 | B (84) | 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 data:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 78.2% (state: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 66.1% (state: 37.5%)
- Growth: exceeded expected growth
The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Attendance zone and feeder schools
Every Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools address is assigned a residential elementary, middle and high school. Check an address with the district’s School Locator or the Student Assignment Office at 336-748-3302; the district also publishes boundary maps. Families can apply to magnet and choice schools outside their zone during the application periods on the assignment timeline.
We compared the district’s elementary, middle and high school zones, as published in the City of Winston-Salem’s school district map layers, with Forsyth County’s address points. Every residential address in its zone is inside Winston-Salem’s city limits. Its zone is split between the Wiley Middle (85%) and Paisley Magnet (15%) middle school zones, and between Reynolds High (91%) for high school. The locator is the final word for any single address.
Calendar and bell times
- School day: 7:55 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., with two-hour early dismissal at 12:25 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.
Whitaker Elementary 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.
More
- 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 Whitaker Elementary serve?
Whitaker Elementary serves grades pre-K to 5, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
What is Whitaker Elementary’s school grade?
Whitaker Elementary earned a B, with a score of 84, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 78.2% of its state tests were at grade level or above.
How do I know if my address is zoned for Whitaker Elementary?
Enter the address in the WS/FCS School Locator. The Student Assignment Office is 336-748-3302.
What time does Whitaker Elementary start?
The school day runs 7:55 a.m. to 2:25 p.m., according to the district’s bell schedule.
Have your say