Where Belonging Ignites Brilliance
Belonging doesn't begin on the first day of school. It begins the moment you join the journey.
Hawkins Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school opening in Greensboro, North Carolina.
We're building more than a school.
We're building a village where every child belongs, every family matters, and every dream has room to grow.
Opening Fall 2028 | Kindergarten, 1st Grade, and 6th Grade | Greensboro, North Carolina
Why Hawkins
Too many schools were not designed to meet the full range of students’ academic, developmental, and leadership needs. Learning can feel fragmented, rigid, or disconnected from real life.
Hawkins Charter School was created to interrupt that pattern. We are building a joyful, rigorous, and belonging-centered learning environment where academic excellence, identity, and leadership are intentionally developed together.
Museum-Based Learning: Students engage with artifacts, primary sources, real-world problems, and creative exhibits that connect reading, math, science, social studies, and the arts.
Leadership from Day One: Leadership is taught, practiced, and expected through goal-setting, collaboration, reflection, student-led conferences, and exhibitions of learning.
Legacy-Rooted, Future-Facing: Inspired by the legacy of Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown, our model honors history while preparing students to shape what comes next.
Families as Partners: Families help co-create the Hawkins experience through Dream Builder Nights, exhibitions of learning, and ongoing collaboration.
Our Core Pillars
-
We start with the heart. Every space, routine, and relationship at Hawkins is intentionally designed to ensure students feel seen, valued, and affirmed. Belonging is not a byproduct of our work. It is the foundation.
-
We believe brilliance lives in every child. Through rigorous, interdisciplinary learning and public exhibitions, we surface, stretch, and celebrate student thinking, creativity, and curiosity.
-
Leadership development begins in Kindergarten. Students grow confidence, voice, and responsibility over time, learning how to lead themselves and contribute meaningfully to their communities.
Join the Journey
Hawkins Charter School will open in fall 2028 with Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 6th grade, growing into a full Kindergarten through 8th grade school grounded in joy, legacy, and community impact.
Our Mission
Hawkins Charter School prepares Kindergarten through 8th-grade students to become confident, capable, and compassionate learners. Through a museum-based, inquiry-driven model rooted in legacy and designed for the future, we integrate academic excellence, leadership development, and cultural affirmation so students belong, lead with purpose, and thrive in a changing world.
Our Vision
We envision a future where schools are living, evolving environments that honor belonging, make brilliance visible, and prepare students to confidently and compassionately shape the world beyond the classroom.
Leadership
Dr. Karen Anderson
Founder, Hawkins Charter School
Dr. Karen Anderson is a veteran North Carolina educator and transformational school leader with more than 20 years of experience serving students and families. Her career spans teaching, school leadership, turnaround work, and statewide leadership development through North Carolina State University’s Educational Leadership Academy.
As the founder of Hawkins Charter School, Dr. Anderson is designing a K–8 public charter school in Guilford County rooted in academic rigor, belonging, and real-world learning, ensuring every child is seen, challenged, and empowered to thrive.
Ways to Get Involved
Families: Join the interest list to receive enrollment updates and invitations to upcoming events.
Educators: Help us build a student-centered, future-facing school from the ground up.
Community Partners: Collaborate with us through mentorship, learning experiences, or support.
Join us at a Dream Builder Night to share your voice and shape what comes next.
Stay Connected with Hawkins Charter School
Submit the interest form below to receive updates, enrollment information, and invitations to Dream Builder Nights and community events.
Join us as we build something bold, joyful, and deeply needed together.