South Academy of International Languages, 8300 Nations Ford Road: CMS, grades K-8, 1,252 students in 2024-25 and a B (76) in the 2025-26 state grades.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Sources: the school’s website, its principal page, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ 2026-27 bell schedule, 2026-27 calendar (PDF), Student Placement and School Choice pages, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s 2025-26 accountability data and 2024-25 report card data, and the federal NCES school directory.
South Academy of International Languages is a K-8 school in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), the countywide district, at 8300 Nations Ford Road. It serves kindergarten to eighth grade. It has no attendance zone: it is a CMS choice school under the World Languages and Language Immersion theme, and students apply through the district’s School Choice lottery.
Who to call
- Front office: 980-343-5815, 8300 Nations Ford Road
- School website: sailk8.cmsk12.org
- Enrolling, transfers and school assignment: CMS Student Placement, 980-343-5335; Student Placement page
- Magnet and choice applications: CMS School Choice, 980-343-6246; School Choice page
- Buses: CMS Transportation call center, 980-343-6715, weekdays 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
| Address | 8300 Nations Ford Road, Charlotte, NC 28217 |
| Phone | 980-343-5815 |
| Grades | K to 8 |
| District | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools |
| CMS magnet theme | World Languages and Language Immersion |
| State school code | 600532 |
Principal
Principal Jamie Lynn, according to the school’s principal page.
Enrollment and teachers
- State count: an average daily membership of 1,252 students in the 2024-25 school year, according to the state’s report card data.
- Federal count: 1,227 students in the 2023-24 school year, with 82 full-time-equivalent teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 15 students per teacher.
State report card
North Carolina grades every public school A to F. The score is based 80% on student achievement and 20% on academic growth, the state’s 2025-26 annual testing report says.
| School year | Grade and score | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | B (76) | Met |
| 2024-25 | B (76) | Exceeded |
The 2025-26 grades come from the state’s accountability data, released in September. From the same data:
- At grade level or above, all state tests: 77.4% (CMS: 60.9%; state: 59.2%)
- College and career ready (Level 4 and above): 56.5%
- Growth: met expected growth
The full report card, with attendance, teacher and course data, is on the state’s NC School Report Cards site. On Oct. 11 it still showed the 2024-25 edition.
How students get in
South Academy of International Languages has no attendance zone of its own in CMS’s zone maps. Students apply through the CMS School Choice lottery; students have priority for magnet programs in their own transportation zone, the district’s Themes & Schools page says.
For 2027-28, the School Choice lottery application period runs Nov. 2 to Dec. 11, and results come out Jan. 5, 2027, according to the district’s key dates. Future registration opens Oct. 19.
Calendar and bell times
- School day: 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in 2026-27, according to the CMS bell schedule.
- Wednesday, Oct. 14: early release day.
- Nov. 2-3: teacher workdays, no school for students; Wednesday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day, no school.
- Thanksgiving: teacher workday Wednesday, Nov. 25, and break Nov. 26-27.
- Winter break: Dec. 21 to Jan. 1. The last day of school is Wednesday, June 9, 2027.
The dates come from the CMS 2026-27 traditional calendar (PDF).
More
- The school’s own website and the CMS school directory
- Every public school in Charlotte, with zones and report cards
- Our Charlotte schools guide for the school board, enrollment and the district calendar
Frequently asked questions
What grades does South Academy of International Languages serve?
Kindergarten to eighth grade, according to the state’s school data. It is a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools K-8 school.
What is South Academy of International Languages’s school grade?
South Academy of International Languages earned a B, with a score of 76, in North Carolina’s 2025-26 School Performance Grades, after a B (76) in 2024-25. In 2025-26, 77.4% of its state tests were at grade level or above.
What time does South Academy of International Languages start?
The school day runs 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. in 2026-27, according to the CMS bell schedule.
How do you get into South Academy of International Languages?
Through the CMS School Choice lottery. For 2027-28, applications are open Nov. 2 to Dec. 11, 2026, and results come out Jan. 5, 2027.
Who is the principal of South Academy of International Languages?
Principal Jamie Lynn, according to the school’s website.
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