SMITHFIELD – On February 13, at the regular monthly meeting, the Johnston County Board of Education voted unanimously to name the new high school, Wilson’s Mills High.
The name pays homage to the community that quickly developed around John Marshall Wilson’s milling company. Formerly, a K-12 school was located in the area and an active alumni association exists to this day. The community’s rich history was heavily considered while determining the name of the new school, as well as the mascot, which was The Green Wave.
“We are excited about the new school overall, and also to bring an opportunity like this back to the Wilson’s Mills community, reuniting the past with the new high school, ” said JCPS Chief of Facility Design and Construction Brooks Moore. “The Green Waves will soon have a new home!”
As the most recent OREd report shows, the population growth throughout the county continues to cause capacity challenges at many schools. Adding additional school facilities to relieve overcrowding and the discontinued use of mobile classroom units is a primary focus of the school system, government bodies, and stakeholders.
With the tremendous growth in the area, the central location of Wilson’s Mills High in Johnston County once again presents an ideal location for a new high school and a future middle school site is also planned on the property.
Wilson’s Mills High will be funded by the 2022 bond referendum. Bond referendums are a common voting process that gives voters the power to decide if a municipality should be authorized to raise funds through the issuance of general obligation bonds. It is one of the most responsible means for funding the building of schools.
The soon coming and also recently named, Swift Creek Elementary, will be funded through the bond referendum process, as well. The new Swift Creek Elementary school will provide nearly 115,877 square feet of building space and will serve up to 939 pre-K through fifth grade students, providing safer and innovative learning spaces for students.
Wow, so creative. Took a whole meeting to come up with that one.
This was likely one of many agenda items at the regular board meeting.
It did not take an entire meeting.
Naming of schools is business meant for the public and – shocker – people take quite a bit of pride in their local schools (you wouldn’t know it from 2 of the board members and countless JoCo residents but many upstanding folks do care) including what they’re named.
Kindly find another issue to feign outrage and be dyspeptic about.
What the hell is a “green wave”… imagine trying to design that mascot’s costume for a football game. I seriously can’t believe that’s what they came up with. Ridiculous
@Jacquelyn: You’ve never heard of Tulane University? Or even closer to home, Ashbrook HS in Gastonia? Green Wave, while unusual, certainly isnt “ridiculous.” Maybe you need to get out more?
@Tell the truth: Don’t go easy on them knuggle dragging Trump voters, tell them the truth about how our liberal progressive teacher union school board will vote thier kids right back in masks!!! The Green Wave sounds like the right name to me, you voters and tax payers will think it the right name when our school board demands hundreds of millions more of your free taxpayers money too!!! Laughing all the way to the secluded drop boxes with boxes of just found ballots!!!! VOTE BLUE UNTIL WE ARE THROUGH!!!
Tulane University is also the Green Wave. Not sure where the name came from though. My guess is it’s meaning is similar to that of the Alabama Crimson Tide — based on the school’s colors. Sounds like in this case it was decided to keep the same team name as the former high school had, which pays respect to history.
This link is to a fairly well-known and greatly renowned high school in SC. https://www.maxpreps.com/sc/summerville/summerville-green-wave/football/
Wilson mills needed a high school. Wow That’s a joke How about their elementary school
… it might be in your best interest to scoot on down to a school for some learnin’
Your name is highly appropriate.
Who came up with spelling “Jacquelyn”? Looks like somebody bought too many vowels on the Wheel of Fortune.
Pronounced JayQuellin LOL! Where JayQuellin at? LOL
lol Mr Garvey in the house!
Splendid question.
The French did. The origin is French and the meaning/translation is “they who supplants.”
Jacquelyn is a variation of the Latin name Iacobus, from which we also get the Hebrew name Jacob.
Note, too, the similarity to “Jaques,” another name of French origin.
Did any of you “responders” live there or attend school there? I DID! Did any of you proudly wear a Green Wave uniform? I DID! Did any of you walk across the auditorium stage and receive your diploma after 12 years of not just learning book knowledge but learning respect for your teachers/principal and what your school stood for. I DID.
“Our Dear Ol’ School is Wilson Mills…”
Go Green Waves
We’re gonna’ fight, fight, fight with all our might. We’re gonna’ put Wilson’s Mills in the Hall of Fame. We’re gonna’ fight until we’ve won the game, won the game for Wilson’s Mills!
I am proud to have had three generations at our beloved little school, beginning during the war. Nobody better talk bad about our school or its mascot, or the sense of community our rural K-12 schools fostered. I mourn for those lost times, and even though I’ve lived far away for years, I will still be proud to say I’m a Green Wave!
Nobody better? Or what?
Have they said which high schools specifically it will draw from. Seems close to SSS but they aren’t over crowded. The Clayton people won’t put up with it. Corinth is way overcrowded so I’m sure some of them. Where can we find the attendance map?
All the Glen Laurel kids who go to Clayton will go to Wilson’s Mills HIgh.
Yea let’s see how that works out
It is my understanding that Smithfield-Selma is also at capacity given it is the only IB school in the district.