All About McAlpine Elementary School

  • Every student matters. Every moment counts.

    Welcome to the McAlpine Elementary School family! McAlpine Elementary opened its doors in 1986, serving the South Charlotte area of Mecklenburg County. At McAlpine we strive to make sure that students are engaged in a rigorous program, and that all students meet their potential. 

    mcalpine school front

    A day in the life of a McAlpine Eagle 

    K-2  classes are self-contained…meaning that the students remain with their homeroom teacher for the entire school day. Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes are departmentalized…meaning that students change teachers throughout the school day. After elementary school, our students attend either Jay M. Robinson Middle School or South Charlotte Middle School.

    All students attend “specials” throughout the week. Our specials classes include art, music, media, Spanish and PE. Our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade music program includes teaching students the basics of performance through the incorporation of recorders.  Chorus is offered in the Fall for 3rd through 5th grade students. Drama is offered in the Spring for 4th and 5th grade students interested in acting and singing. Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade classes perform annually for the school family. Each Spring McAlpine hosts Pizza and Picasso, featuring students’ art work in a “gallery crawl.” Twice during the year McAlpine hosts a school-wide book fair, keeping our focus on the importance of reading. All students have 30 minutes of physical activity daily…a healthy body supports a healthy mind. K-1 students have two recess times daily. 3rd - 5th grade students have a 30-minute recess break each day.

    Students access technology in a variety of ways. McAlpine is equipped with i-Pads, desktop computers, and Chromebooks. All 3rd - 5th graders utilize Chromebooks throughout the school day to access technology. 

    McAlpine Elementary offers services for Exceptional Children (EC), English Language Learners (ELL), and Talent Development (TD) students. The program for Exceptional Children at McAlpine Elementary is designed to offer a range of services for students, including K-5 resource and inclusion classes. McAlpine Elementary features three self-contained extensions classes for students with Autism and other developmental delays. Our ELL teacher is on campus part-time, providing instruction for our students who require English-language support. Our TD teacher is full-time at McAlpine, utilizing the Catalyst model to provide 2-5 differentiated instruction for both identified TD students and those performing above grade-level expectations.

    McAlpine offers three preschool classes. Two of the classes are part of the NC Bright Beginnings Program. We also have an Exceptional Children Preschool Program for identified students who require extra support. McAlpine provides a drive-in program for preschool students identified in need of speech services.

    What Makes McAlpine Elementary Special

    You can feel the excitement when you walk into McAlpine Elementary. We are truly a family of students, teachers, support staff, and parents working together to bring out the best in every child. All of our staff and students are a member of a “House” at McAlpine. Our houses were named for the Swahili words virtue (Fadhila), passion (Hashiki), honor (Heshima), and dream (Ruya).  Our goal is to make sure every student has an adult advocate and feels like they are a part of the McAlpine family.

    Every Friday is Family Friday, continuing our focus on building quality relationships with adults and students throughout the building. We have House Meetings the first week of the month. This is an opportunity for students to get to know other students in their “house” and show their house pride. The second and fourth Friday of the month Club days. Every student participates in a club of their choice, allowing students to explore their interests. The third Friday of the month is for Buddies. Students are paired with a buddy from another grade level (K and 3rd-grade groups, 1st and 4th-grade groups, 2nd and 5th-grade groups). The students collaborate on a variety of activities and learn about teamwork, cultural diversity, and develop critical social skills.

    Enrollment

    • Current student enrollment is 555

    Demographics

    • White- 51.9%
    • Hispanic- 21.4%
    • African American- 15.1%
    • Asian 6.8%
    • Two or More- 4.3%
    • American Indian- .4%

    Grading System (3rd-5th grade)

    • A = 90-100
    • B = 80-89
    • C = 70-79
    • D = 60-69
    • F = Below 60

    School Colors

    Green and Yellow     

    Mascot

    Eagles