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Our Beliefs

  • Student learning is the chief priority for the school.

  • Students need to apply their learning in meaningful contexts.

  • Students learn in different ways and should be provided with a variety of instructional approaches to support their leaning.

  • A student's self-esteem is enhanced by positive relationships and mutual respect among and between students and staff.

  • a safe and physically comfortable environment promotes student learning.

  • Teachers, administrators, parents, and community share the responsibility for advancing the school's mission.

  • The commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is going to enable students to become confident, self-directed, life-long learners.

 

School History and Characteristics

 

South Point High School is a public suburban high school of grades 9-12. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools has accredited the school since 1974. The birth of South Point High School required a transitional period of 6 years. The 27 acres of land was purchased in 1962. In 1963, the first plans were designed for a 2-wing facility. In September of 1964, 748 students and 30 teachers returned to “Belmont High School” in its new location: the cafeteria was completed in November. The new school brought new opportunities for the students such as mechanical drawing, art, chorus, school yearbook/ newspaper, and distributive education. In 1969, Cramerton High School consolidated with Belmont High School to form its present name of South Point High School. Enrollment increased to 900 students. In 1997, Gaston County made the transition from Junior High to Middle School; the 9th graders increased enrollment to 1100 students.  New additions were made to the school in 1995 and 1999. The latest improvements have been new stadium ticket booths, additional fencing, and a distance learning lab. Today our campus records indicate 33.7 acres and 156,485 square footage.

 

The school day begins at 8:00am and ends at 3:00 pm. We operate on a block schedule of 4 periods. Third period is extended for four lunch sessions. A cafeteria staff of 13 provides hot and cold breakfast and lunch each day. Two semesters make up the school year, with 18 weeks in each semester with a total of 180 days. Gaston County Schools provides bus transportation to and from our school totaling 7 buses. Nearly 600 students are transported from our school hub; 250 of which are South Point students.  The majority of our students drive alone or carpool.

 

South Point is continually striving to ensure a safe learning environment for its students and faculty. A Safe School Plan is in place and includes the following procedures: bomb threats, tornado and fire evacuations, lockdowns, sweep team, and first responders. Staff and faculty training is held several times each year for safety and violence prevention.

 

South Point’s faculty consist of 76 instructional teachers, 4  administrators (one principal and 3 assistants), and support personnel who includes bus drivers, cafeteria workers, a career development coordinator, custodians, guidance counselors, a media specialist,  a school nurse, office assistants/secretary, security personnel, a social worker, and teacher assistants. 75% of administration and 53% of instructional staff have 10 or more years of experience in education.  A strong characteristic is that 37% of our instructional personnel have advanced degrees. Faculty and Staff are very involved with the operation of South Point. Each department is represented by a department chair. Faculty and staff serve on 15 committees and provide supervision for after-school events on and off campus.

 

South Point offers many extra curricular activities to its students, many of which support the curriculum.  These include Model UN, Moot Court, DECA, Environmental Club, Spanish Club, FBLA, ROTC Drill, National Honor Society, Beta Club, Student Council, HOSA, Junior Heart Board, FCCLA, French club, National French Honor Society, Bible Club, FTA, Drama Club, FCA, Interact Club, International Club and the National Vocational Honor Society. In addition, SPHS offers 28 sports on both the junior varsity or varsity levels.  We also have an award winning band, chorus and drama program as well as a yearbook class that consistently wins top state and national honors.

Students and Community

The total enrollment of South Point High School in 2011-2012 was approximately 1,300. The feeder schools from which we enroll our students are Belmont Middle, Cramerton Middle, Holbrook Middle, and Mt. Holly Middle. The community’s steady population growth is reflected in the increase of students each year.

 

According to the 2000 Census Data, Belmont’s population is 8,500 residents. The average income is $46,765. The percentage of residents with school age children is 34.7%. The racial composition of Belmont is predominately Caucasian (84%), African American (10.1%), Hispanic (2.5%), and Asian (3%). The largest ethnic group increase since the last census is Hispanic (175%). Approximately 50% of the population has either some college training or a degree. 6.9% of the families in Belmont have incomes below poverty level.

 

In 2003 there were 243 businesses located in Belmont comprised of manufacturing, financial, services/professional, construction and retail. Over 50 churches of every denomination service the community. Belmont is the home of Belmont Abbey College, a private 4-year co-educational liberal arts institution. Also in Belmont is the North Carolina Center for Applied Textile Technology which is the only technology- oriented 2-year college in North Carolina. Belmont’s economic future is bright. The city is located in the heart of one of the fastest growing areas in the nation (the I-85 corridor between Durham, N.C. and Greenville, S.C.). Completion of the Charlotte Outer belt (Interstate 485), which will join I-85 near Belmont on the west side of Charlotte, will only enhance the city’s growth potential. 

 

Belmont traces its heritage to the early 1870’s when the Southern Railway built its first track through the area. A watering stop along the line was named “Garibaldi” after John Garibaldi who built a water pump tower at the location in 1871. The train stop came to be known as Garibaldi Station or “Baldy” until 1886 when the name was changed to Belmont upon the recommendation of Bishop Leo Haid of the nearby Benedictine Monastery. In 1895, Belmont became an incorporated town. (The Belmont Chamber of Commerce provided this information)
 

School Awards and Honors

 

  • 91% of SP's graduates go on to schools of higher education.
  • Over $8,168, 470.00 in scholarship money has been awarded to the class of 2011.  The best in School History

  • The 2012 Moot Court Team for South Point High School whose members are Darrell Black and Amber Pritchard, argued against Grimsley High School of Greensboro on Friday May 4, 2012 to win State Championship honors. They argued in front of Associate NC Supreme Court Justices, Barbara Jackson and Robert Edmunds, Chief Justice Sarah Parker, Associate NC Supreme Court Justice Robin Hudson, and NC Court of Appeals Judge Linda Stephens. Their coach and mentor is South Point social studies teacher Mrs. Melinda Pierce who was aided in their preparation by South Point Alumni Ron Lovelace, Steven Jackson, and Bryan Denton.

  • In 2012 musicals from twenty-one high schools from the sixteen-county greater Charlotte region were judged for the first annual Blumey Awards. South Point's Playmakers were nominated in eight of eleven categories for their production of Jekyll and Hyde. Of those eight, South Point brought home awards in three categories: Best Set, Best Lighting and the Wells Fargo Best Musical of the Year Award. Mr. Chuck Stowe is their teacher and director.

 

  • 2012 Chorus competed in the Orlandofest Music Competition. There were sixteen choirs from across the country competing including schools from Florida, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina and Louisiana.   South Point Competed with four choirs:  Men's Choir, Women's Choir, Chamber Choir and Concert Choir.   All four groups received a Superior rating.  The Mens Choir received a third place finish in the Chamber Choir category.  The Women's Choir, Chamber Choir, and Concert Choir all received first place in their divisions.   South Point High School was awarded the GRAND CHAMPION trophy which recognizes the school with the highest combined scores in the competition.

  • The SP Women's Golf team won the 2011 Conference Championship title.  Madi Cauble was Player of the Year and Katie Barnette and Keslynn Pihl were All Conference players. They also had the highest grade point average (GPA) of all North Carolina High School Athletic Association women’s golf teams in the state and were named a State Scholar-Athlete Team.

  • Fall 2011 - Ben Scruggs had a perfect score on reading section of ACT and Jordan Howard had a perfect score on Writing section of SAT.

  • 55 students earned the Microsoft Office Specialist Certification in 2011.
  •  In 2011 one South Point student achieved a perfect score of 800 on the writing section of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT). Another also earned a perfect score of 36 on the reading section of the American College Test (ACT) and another was named a National Merit Scholar.
  • The 2011 Red Raider Baseball Team Captured 3-A State Championship Title.
  • Justus Watkins won State Championship in Track for Long Jump in 2011.
  • The Men’s Tennis was named the Men’s Tennis State Scholar Athlete Team for  2010.  They had the highest GPA of any men’s tennis team in the state. 
  • The South Point women's golf team has been named the State Scholar Athlete team for women's golf by having the highest GPA -3.95 - of any women's golf team in the state!

  • South Point had 12 out of 13 fall and winter sports teams named as scholar athlete teams by maintaining at least a 3.1 GPA. They are women's cross country, men's cross crountry, varsity football, men's swimming, women's swimming, men's varsity soccer, women's tennis, women's golf, women's varsity basketball, wrestling, varsity cheerleading, and varsity volleyball.

  • The Red Raider Swim Team won the Big South Conference Championship in 2010-2011.  They placed 3rd in 20 out of 22 events.
  • The Varsity Football Team won it's 19th Conference Championship in school history 2011. The Red Raiders have had four State Championships in Football and two in Baseball.