DRIVER'S ED. UPDATES (as of  August 18, 2025)

Information concerning Drivers Ed Part 1: Classroom Instruction at Wakefield High School is below.

● Fall 2025 Drivers Ed classes will begin in October. Three classes will be held at Wakefield this semester:

#1: October 6-10, 14-17, and 21; 2:30-5:30 daily in the Media Center

#2: November 3, 5, 7, 10, 12-14, and 17-19; 2:30-5:30 daily in the Media Center

#3: December 1-5 and 8-12; 2:30-5:30 daily in the Media Center

● Registration for all Fall 2025 Drivers Ed classes will be held September 9-11. On August 20, a precise registration schedule for each high school will be published on the Jordan Driving School website (jordandriving.com).

● Sign-up is done entirely online; there are no physical forms to submit. All DE registration is done on a first come, first serve basis through the Jordan website.

● Per WCPSS policy, students may only register for school-year Drivers Ed courses at the high school which they attend. NWCCA students register and attend DE classes at Wakefield.

● The fee for Drivers Ed is $65.00, payable online, and covers both the classroom teaching and the driving instruction. When registration is made successfully, a payment link will be emailed, which should be done immediately. There is a fee-waiver provision for families who are unable to afford the fee; forms can be found on the JDS site. No cash or check payments will be accepted.

● Looking ahead, registration for Spring 2026 classes will be held in early January. There will be four monthly classes held February through May. Each school-year DE class lasts for ten days and is held in the WHS Media Center. All DE classes at Wakefield are held in person.

Drivers Ed Part 2: Behind-the-Wheel Instruction:

Students are driven according to the month they took the classroom portion. There is an approximate 12-week gap between Parts 1 and 2 of Drivers Ed.

● Driving instructors will contact the family initially by phone, using the phone numbers that were provided on the initial registration paperwork.

● Each driving instructor has been trained in health and safety protocols and has specific directions to follow. When you are called for BTW, the instructor will go over these with you.

General Drivers Ed Information: ● For a teen to enter the Graduated Licensing process, the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) requires 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction – both of these must be met in order for Drivers Ed to be completed. Teens must be at least 14 ½ years old by the first day of the class that they are registered for.

● To be eligible for a North Carolina Level 1 Limited Learner’s Permit, students must have finished both parts (Classroom Instruction and Driving Instruction) of Drivers Ed and be between the ages of 14.5 and 18. When a student finishes the Classroom Instruction portion, the first half of DE is finished.

● The Classroom portion of Drivers Ed occurs first. Upon completion of Part 1, the student will be automatically placed in line for Part 2: Behind-The-Wheel training, which will be conducted at the school which the student attends. When both Instruction Parts are completed, the student will be given a Driver's Education Completion Certificate, and the licensing process can begin at the DMV.

● There are no academic requirements to take the Driver Education class. There are specific academic requirements to apply for a permit or license at the NC DMV after finishing the class.

● Drivers Ed is an extracurricular activity; it is not part of the regular school day, nor is any academic credit given. Jordan Driving School has a contract with WCPSS to provide Drivers Education using school facilities. Classroom instruction takes place after 2:30 on weekdays during the school year; driving instruction may also be provided on weekends, holidays, summer breaks, and other non-school days. School-year classes generally last 10 afternoons, and summer classes take one week of longer days.

● Under North Carolina law, only teens under the age of 18 are required to take Drivers Education. If the prospective student is over or nearly 18 years old, please contact Mr. Tharrington directly.

● For additional information about Drivers Education at Wakefield, contact Mr. Tharrington (wakefield@jordandriving.com). You may also visit the JDS website to find general information, email addresses for Lead Teachers, specific classroom dates, and a list of additional classes that might be available.

Edward Tharrington

Jordan Driving School

Lead Teacher for WHS, MHS, SHS, NWCCA, NRCA, EWA, FA, and Thales

wakefield@jordandriving.com