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Malik Bazzell, Principal

Main Office: 919-562-3600

Bell Schedule: 7:25 a.m. - 2:18 p.m.

About Us

About Us

 

Wakefield High School is situated on a 110-acre tract in Northern Wake County. Just north of Raleigh, the main campus is centrally located in the Wakefield Community. The high school is adjacent to Wakefield Elementary and Middle Schools and a YMCA close to campus enhances its reputation as a community-based school. Wakefield is a comprehensive public secondary school that offers a traditional curriculum based on the North Carolina Essential Standards. Wakefield offers an extensive program of vocational, technical, and career development courses. An award-winning arts program provides instruction in instrumental and vocal music, theater, visual art, and dance. Wakefield is a 4-AA school governed by the NC Athletic Association.

Meet the Administration Team

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School Facts

  • Enrollment: 1904
  • Senior Class: 451
  • Calendar: 4x4
  • CEEB Code: 343244
  • Accreditation: AdvancED

WHS School Profile 2025-26 (PDF)  

Graduation Requirements     Student Policies and Honor Code    Student Parent Handbook

AP Courses Offered

Art 2-D, Art 3-D, Art Drawing, Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Computer Science A, Computer Science Principles, English Language, English Literature, Environmental Science, European History, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Physics I, Pre-Calculus, Psychology, Spanish Language, Statistics, US Government, US History, World History Modern

  • AP Courses Offered: 22
  • Honors Courses Offered: 90
  • Career & College Promise offered through Wake Tech Community College

Mission Statement

Wakefield High School will provide a relevant and engaging education and will graduate students who are collaborative, creative, effective communicators, and critical thinkers.

Vision Statement

The Wakefield High School learning community strives to provide a relevant and engaging learning environment that prepares all students to graduate with college and career-ready skills, enabling them to be lifelong learners and productive citizens.

Core Value and Beliefs

  1. Every student is uniquely capable and deserves to be challenged and engaged in relevant, rigorous, and meaningful learning each day.

  2. Every student is expected to learn, grow, and succeed, while we will eliminate the ability to predict achievement based on socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity.

  3. Well-supported, highly effective, and dedicated principals, teachers, and staff are essential to success for all students.

  4. The Board of Education, superintendent, and all staff, while sustaining best practices, will promote and support a culture of continuous improvement, risk-taking, and innovation that results in a high-performing organization focused on student achievement, well-being, and student agency.

  5. The Board of Education, superintendent, and all staff value a diverse school community that is inviting, respectful, inclusive, flexible, and supportive.

  6. The Wake County residents value a strong public school system and will partner to provide the support and resources to fully realize our shared vision, accomplish the mission, and sustain our core beliefs.

  7. All students and staff deserve to work in optimal learning environments supported by sufficient resources, well-maintained facilities, and sustainable operational systems.

Meet the Administration Team

Meet the Administration

Principal Malik Bazzell

Malik Bazzell has been a professional educator for over 20 years and a product of Wake County Public Schools. He graduated from East Wake High School and attended Fayetteville State University where he attained a BS degree in Social Studies Education. Mr. Bazzell taught Social Studies at Pine Forest High School in Fayetteville, NC and Fuquay Varina High School in Fuquay Varina, NC from 1998-2003. In 2003, Mr. Bazzell graduated from NC State University with a Master’s degree in School Administration and started his career as a school administrator at Sanderson High School where he was an assistant principal for six years. In 2009, he moved to Washington, DC to become principal of Anacostia High School and returned to Wake County in 2010 to be principal of his alma mater East Wake School of Integrated Technology. While principal at East Wake School of Integrated Technology, Mr. Bazzell increased student college and career readiness and worked closely with staff members to raise East Wake School of Integrated Technology’s graduation rate from 69% to 86%. In 2015 Mr. Bazzell was named principal of Wakefield High School.

Assistant Principal Heather Acrey

Heather Acrey has been at Wakefield High School since 2017, when she joined our Special Education teaching team. She has served in her current role since the summer of 2021, continuing to work with at-risk student groups. Ms. Acrey earned her bachelor's in special education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2010. In 2017, she completed her Master's in Education Supervision and Administration at the University of South Carolina before returning to N.C. and beginning her career as a Wakefield Wolverine.

 

 

Assistant Principal Catina Cain

Catina Cain began her career in education in 2013 through North Carolina Teacher Corp.  She served in various roles at Hillside High School Business and Finance Academy including CTE Department Chair, International Baccalaureate instructor, and MTSS facilitator.  Prior to a career in education, Ms. Cain worked as a leader in corporate and nonprofit organizations such as IBM and Project HomeStart.  Ms. Cain's inspiration for education comes from her grandparents' sacrifices for their family in rural S.C.  One of the standing mantras for her life is Dr. Maya Angelou's famous quote, "Once you get, give and once you learn, teach."  She is honored and excited to work with a community of passionate and driven students, teachers, and families at Wakefield High School who is committed to achieving success for everyone in the building. 

 

Colon

Assistant Principal Denise Colón

Denise Colón joined Wakefield High School as Assistant Principal in Fall 2024, bringing over 13 years of experience in education. Originally from Boston, MA, she holds a Master’s in School Administration from East Carolina University and a Bachelor’s in English and Education from Northeastern University. Before Wakefield, Ms. Colón served as Assistant Principal at Longview School (WCPSS) and taught in various K-6 settings, including charter and dual-language schools. She has also written dual-language curriculum and held leadership roles in both education and humanitarian efforts, including teaching in underserved areas of Peru and the Dominican Republic and providing crisis relief in Haiti and New Orleans. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, swimming, and watching scary movies. She is also pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership.

 

Assistant Principal Ryan Cummings

Assistant principal, Ryan Cummings is a Syracuse, NY native, who earned a BA   degree in Psychology from Syracuse University.  He also earned a Masters of School Counseling and Masters of School Administration degree from   the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  Mr. Cummings began his career in the Wake County Public School System as a school counselor at   Middle Creek, Panther Creek, and Wakefield High Schools.   

 

 

 

Assistant Principal Jameil Floyd

Jameil Floyd received a bachelor's degree in Exercise & Sport Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and two master's degrees: the first from the University of Florida in Sport Management and the second from Florida International University in Educational Leadership. He is best known for his teaching of advanced mathematics. He has taught a wide range of subjects from Algebra 1 to AP Calculus AB/BC and has served on district level committees to create & select instructional support resources for Franklin County Schools (NC) & Miami-Dade County Public Schools (FL). He recently served as an instructional coach for mathematics in Miami, Florida. Mr. Floyd is extremely excited about joining and supporting Wakefield High School as Assistant Principal.