Penn-Griffin School for the Arts, 825 Washington St.: grades 6 to 12, 522 students in 2024-25 and a D (49) in 2024-25 state grades.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, Guilford County Schools’ assignment locator, 2026-27 feeder list (PDF) and calendars, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and report card data and the federal NCES school directory.
Penn-Griffin School for the Arts is a Guilford County Schools arts magnet for grades 6 to 12 at 825 Washington St., in the Washington Street neighborhood. The state lists it as William Penn - Alfred J. Griffin School for the Arts. Penn High School and Griffin Middle School merged in 2003, and the school offers electives in orchestra, band, vocal music, guitar, piano (middle school only), dance, theater, modern music production and visual arts, according to its website.
How to get in: middle grade students apply in the fall and are placed through a district lottery; high school students must audition, with a written application, a short interview and teacher recommendations, the school says. The 2027-28 choice application closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2026.
Who to call
- Front office: 336-819-2870, 825 Washington St., High Point
- School website: penngriffin.gcsnc.com
- Enrollment and assignment: GCS Student Assignment Office, 336-370-8303, 2703 E. Florida St., Greensboro; registration information
- Choice application: Choose and Enroll; the 2027-28 window closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2026
- Which school is my address zoned for? The district’s 2026-27 School Assignment Locator
- Buses: GCS Transportation call center, 888-511-4427, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays; transportation page
| Address | 825 Washington St., High Point, NC 27260 |
| Phone | 336-819-2870 |
| Grades | 6 to 12 |
| Run by | Guilford County Schools |
| Calendar | Traditional |
| State school code | 410391 |
Principal
Principal Abu Zaeem, according to the school’s website.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 522 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 543 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 41 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 13 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina gives every public school an A to F School Performance Grade, based 80% on achievement on state tests and other measures and 20% on academic growth, according to the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report.
| School year | Grade (score) | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | D (49) | Not met |
| 2023-24 | D (50) | Not met |
The 2024-25 grade is the latest in the state’s downloadable report card data.
From the state’s 2025-26 school assessment data:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 54.3% (state: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 31.8% (state: 37.5%)
- ACT composite of 17 or higher, 11th graders: 88.5% (state: 54.5%)
- Four-year graduation rate: above 95% (state: 89%)
- Growth: met expected growth
The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site.
Attendance zone and feeder schools
Every Guilford County Schools address is assigned to a neighborhood elementary, middle and high school. Check an address with the district’s 2026-27 School Assignment Locator; the district also publishes attendance zone maps (PDF) and a 2026-27 feeder list (PDF).
Penn-Griffin is a choice school, but the district’s 2026-27 feeder list also shows its middle grades taking students from Kirkman Park Elementary and part of Montlieu Academy of Technology, with those students going on to Andrews or, for part of Kirkman Park, High Point Central. Check a specific address with the locator.
Calendar and bell times
- School day: Student hours are 9:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.; the office is open 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. That is from the school’s website.
Penn-Griffin School for the Arts follows the district’s 2026-27 traditional calendar (PDF). Coming up:
- Thursday, Oct. 29: end of the first quarter
- Friday, Oct. 30: optional teacher workday; no school for students
- Tuesday, Nov. 3: optional teacher workday (Election Day); no school for students
- Wednesday, Nov. 11: Veterans Day holiday
- Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving break for students
- Dec. 21 to Jan. 1: winter break for students
- March 22-26, 2027: spring break
- Thursday, June 10, 2027: last day of school
Every district calendar is on the GCS calendars page.
Sports and activities
Penn-Griffin is not listed in the NCHSAA’s 2025-29 alignment. Its athletics page names an athletic director and links to the school’s team page.
More
- The school’s own website
- Guilford County Schools’ school assignment page and choice programs
- Every public school in High Point, with zones and report cards
- Our High Point schools guide for the school board and district calendar
Frequently asked questions
What grades does Penn-Griffin School for the Arts serve?
Penn-Griffin School for the Arts serves grades 6 to 12, according to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.
What is Penn-Griffin School for the Arts’s school grade?
Penn-Griffin School for the Arts earned a D, with a score of 49, in North Carolina’s 2024-25 School Performance Grades. In 2025-26, 54.3% of its state tests were at grade level or above.
How do I apply to Penn-Griffin School for the Arts?
Through the Guilford County Schools choice application. The 2027-28 window closes at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2026.
What time does Penn-Griffin School for the Arts start?
Student hours are 9:20 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.; the office is open 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. That is from the school’s website.
Have your say