The journey to bring a new Dual Language, English/American Sign Language charter school to Wilmington, North Carolina, is moving forward with exciting momentum. The proposed Darden-Perry Academy has recently passed the completeness check by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NC DPI). This is a major step toward opening a school that will serve K-12 students with a unique dual language framework - English-American Sign Language (ASL) education model. The c

Education is evolving, and so are we. Darden-Perry Academy is reshaping what inclusive, bilingual, and future-ready learning looks like. As a K–12 bilingual/bimodal school serving Hearing, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, and Exceptional Children, we are proudly stepping into a role that we will be the first in North Carolina to implement this model. This is more than a milestone. It’s a movement. We are including all students which: Builds deep communication skills Strengthens cultural