About Lucas
Principal: Dr. Sarah Sanchez
Assistant Principal: Dr. George Ward
Assistant Principal: Vernia Cotton
Address: 923 Snow Hill Road, Durham, NC 27712
Phone: 919-560-3843
School Day: 8:30 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
Enrollment: 376
Lucas's History
Lucas Middle School, located at 923 Snow Hill Road in Durham, North Carolina, is a modern campus within Durham Public Schools that showcases both innovation and tradition. Opened in August 2012, it was the first new traditional middle school built in Durham in over 20 years. The 150,000-square-foot facility was designed with environmental sustainability in mind and earned LEED Gold certification, featuring solar panels, abundant natural light, and energy-efficient systems. From its inception, the school prioritized project-based learning, encouraging collaboration, critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving.
The school is named in honor of two distinguished leaders in Durham and North Carolina history: Dr. John H. Lucas Sr. and Jeanne Hopkins Lucas. Dr. Lucas was a respected Durham educator and civil rights advocate who served as principal of Hillside High School for over twenty years. Jeanne Hopkins Lucas was a pioneering public servant and the first Black woman to serve in the North Carolina State Senate. Their shared legacy of leadership, advocacy, and dedication to public education inspired the school’s name.
In 2025, the school started a new chapter by shifting to a Montessori-focused model, changing its name to Lucas Montessori as part of Durham Public Schools’ Growing Together initiative. Starting with the 2025–2026 school year, the school now provides specialized Montessori instruction at the middle school level, continuing its tradition of innovative and student-centered learning.