Haywood County -- July 1, 2026: Haywood County's newest public school remains on schedule to welcome its first students in August as renovations continue at Haywood Community College.
Construction crews are renovating the Poplar Building, which will become the new home of Haywood Early College. The relocation will allow the high school to move from the Dogwood Building, where it has operated for more than two decades, into a larger, modernized facility designed to accommodate future growth.
Once Haywood Early College relocates, the Dogwood Building will become home to Haywood Innovative, a new accelerated public middle school serving students in grades six through eight. School officials expect approximately 80 students to enroll during the inaugural school year, with enrollment growing in future years.
Applications Now Being Accepted
Haywood County Schools is currently accepting applications for the school's first academic year.
According to Haywood Early College, Haywood Innovative is open to rising sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students who reside in Haywood County. The school is scheduled to open in August 2026 for the 2026-27 school year.
The school is built around the L.I.O.N.S. model, representing:
Leadership
Innovation
Opportunity
Nurturing
Skills
School leaders say the program is designed to combine accelerated academics, technology-rich learning, and career exploration while providing students with a supportive environment that prepares them for future success.
A Different Middle School Experience
Unlike a traditional middle school, Haywood Innovative will be located on the campus of Haywood Community College, allowing students to experience a college environment years before graduating from high school.
Students will have opportunities to:
Earn high school credits while still in middle school.
Explore college and career pathways earlier.
Participate in hands-on learning experiences.
Visit university campuses and industry partners.
Learn in a technology-focused environment modeled after the nationally recognized Haywood Early College.
Principal Lori Fox, who also leads Haywood Early College, has said the goal is to prepare students to become "thinkers, designers and communicators on the world stage." The middle school will replicate many of the successful academic and cultural elements that have made Haywood Early College one of North Carolina's top-performing innovative schools.
Part of the Haywood Initiative
The project is part of the Haywood Initiative, a partnership between Haywood County Schools and Haywood Community College designed to expand accelerated educational opportunities for local students.
Renovations to the Poplar Building continue as planned, and officials say the transition will allow Haywood Early College to expand while creating space for the county's newest innovative middle school.
Families interested in applying or learning more about Haywood Innovative can visit the Haywood Early College website for additional information and application details.
Learn more and apply for Haywood Innovative:
Haywood Innovative – An Accelerated Middle School Opening in August 2026