By Kathryn Allen
We are fortunate to have strong public schools in West Cary, so we can all celebrate when those schools get special acknowledgement from outside our community. Mills Park Middle School recently received such an acknowledgement as one of four schools across the state to be named an inaugural North Carolina Blue Ribbon School for 2025.
The North Carolina Blue Ribbon School award honors schools that perform at the highest levels in two academic categories: Exemplary High Performing and Achievement Gap Closing. Two Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) middle schools were honored with the Blue Ribbon School award — Mills Park Middle and Apex Friendship Middle. Mills Park achieved success in both categories based on their 2023 – 2024 student performance.
“This recognition is a proud moment for our district,” says WCPSS Superintendent Robert P. Taylor. “These schools have set a high bar, not just for academic performance, but for how we support every student’s growth. Their success reflects strong leadership, engaged families, and a deep commitment to excellence. I commend the staff, students, and school communities for their extraordinary work.”
Opened in 2010, Mills Park Middle School serves approximately 1,700 students in grades six, seven, and eight. Dr. Stephanie Raiford, principal of Mills Park Middle School, describes the Mills Parks Middle culture saying, “We maintain high standards for student academic, behavioral and social emotional learning. It is collective effort that has led to overall success and growth.”
Dr. Raiford continues, “To support our culture of academic success, our staff [of 88 faculty] work collectively within their professional learning communities to support core instruction. They care deeply for their students and want each student to achieve their goals.”
Dr. Raiford credits Mills Park Middle’s success to their strong community. She tells us, “[Our families] are incredibly supportive and partner with the school. A part of our success has been creating a culture of belonging. Our students participate in clubs during the day to foster a culture of inclusion and support.”
The Mills Park Middle School community celebrated their award with a whole-school pep rally, an ice cream party provided by the PTSA, and a staff reception at the December staff meeting. The community also attended a Duke women’s basketball game on February 1.
Dr. Raiford concludes, “The next goal for our school is to build on what has worked and continue making Mills Park Middle School a great place to learn and work.”
