First Colonial High School is a Virginia Beach City Public Schools high school at 1272 Mill Dam Road (23454) serving grades 9 through 12. The Virginia Department of Education lists it as Fully Accredited for 2025–26, with 1,714 students in fall 2025, and its attendance zone includes Little Neck, Shadow Lawn and Baycliff/Alanton.
| Address | 1272 Mill Dam Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 757-648-5300 |
| Grades | 9 through 12 |
| Enrollment (fall) | 1,714 in 2025–26 · 1,727 in 2024–25 · 1,735 in 2023–24 |
| State accreditation | Fully Accredited, 2025–26 (VDOE) |
| Attendance zone size | about 17.6 sq mi |
| Residential parcels in zone | about 11,796 |
| ZIP codes in zone | 23452, 23454, 23451, 23455 |
| Official website | firstcolonialhs.vbschools.com |
| Zone map (PDF) | VBCPS attendance zone map |
Which neighborhoods are zoned for First Colonial High?
City property records group homes into named subdivisions. The largest residential groupings inside the First Colonial High zone are Little Neck, Shadow Lawn, Baycliff/Alanton, Linkhorn Estates, Croatan, Eastern Park and Hilltop Manor.
On this site, the zone overlaps these neighborhood guides: Hilltop (about 82% of the homes in that guide area), Oceanfront (about 80% of the homes in that guide area), Kings Grant (about 79% of the homes in that guide area), Lynnhaven (about 56% of the homes in that guide area) and Great Neck (about 24% of the homes in that guide area).
Zone lines follow streets and creeks, not subdivision names, so two homes in the same neighborhood can go to different schools. Before you make an offer, enter the exact address in the VBCPS School Locator. VBCPS sets attendance zones and can change them.
Which elementary and middle schools feed First Colonial High?
The First Colonial High zone overlaps the Lynnhaven Middle (about 70%) and Virginia Beach Middle (about 30%) middle school zones and, at the elementary level, mainly the W.T. Cooke Elementary (about 24%), Kingston Elementary (about 23%), Kings Grant Elementary (about 16%), Alanton Elementary (about 15%), Birdneck Elementary (about 8%), Linkhorn Park Elementary (about 7%), Trantwood Elementary (about 5%) and Seatack Elementary (about 3%) zones. The percentages are the share of the zone's residential parcels in each lower-level zone in VBCPS's 2026–27 maps.
What kinds of homes are in the First Colonial High zone?
Of the roughly 11,796 residential parcels in the zone, about 90% are in the city's Single Family or Duplex land-use category and 8% are townhouses, plus 2% multifamily parcels. Detached houses dominate, with townhome communities mixed in for buyers who want a smaller footprint. Apartment and condo counts are understated in parcel data, because a whole apartment complex is often a single parcel.
I don't quote prices here because they change every week. To see what is selling now, use the live home search around First Colonial High, which shows active listings within a few miles of the school, sorted by distance.
Is the First Colonial High zone in a flood zone or jet noise zone?
Flood zones: about 1% of residential parcels in the zone have a building the city maps in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (zones A, AE or VE). Some other buildings are listed under more than one flood designation, so check each address. If a building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, lenders on federally backed mortgages require flood insurance.
Jet noise: about 65% of residential parcels fall within an NAS Oceana Air Installation Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) noise contour of 65 dB DNL or higher, including about 24% in the highest band above 75 dB DNL.
Virginia law (Va. Code § 55.1-704) requires sellers in Virginia Beach to disclose a property's noise zone or accident potential zone. You can look up any address on the city's AICUZ page, floodplain management page and property search.
What parks and public facilities are in the First Colonial High zone?
City park records list these as the largest park properties inside the zone:
- Croatan Beach Park (about 18 acres), special use resort area
- Pickleball VB (about 10 acres), special use athletic complex
- Owl Creek Boat Ramp (about 8 acres), special use water access
- 24th Street Park, town green
- Grommet Island Park, special use resort area
- 17th Street Park, town green
City libraries and recreation centers inside the zone: Oceanfront Area Library.
How far is First Colonial High from Town Center, the beach and the bases?
These are straight-line distances from the school. Driving distances are longer and depend on traffic, especially on I-264.
| Destination | Distance |
|---|---|
| Town Center | 6.2 mi |
| the Oceanfront (Atlantic Ave at 17th St) | 3.4 mi |
| NAS Oceana | 4.3 mi |
| JEB Little Creek | 8.2 mi |
| JEB Fort Story | 3.6 mi |
| NAS Dam Neck Annex | 7.7 mi |
| Downtown Norfolk | 14.3 mi |
How do I check First Colonial High's test scores and performance?
Use the Virginia Department of Education's School Quality Profile for First Colonial High. It has the state's official Standards of Learning results, enrollment and staffing data. VBCPS reports that all 81 of its schools earned Full Accreditation for 2026–27 (VBCPS) and that the division's on-time graduation rate was 96.9% for the 2026 cohort (VBCPS). I removed the older third-party ratings this page used to show, so you can go straight to current official data.
VBCPS also runs division-wide academies and advanced programs that students apply to, in addition to their zoned high school. See VBCPS Academies & Advanced Programs for current programs and application dates.
How do I find homes for sale near First Colonial High?
Start with the homes-for-sale search around First Colonial High, then confirm each address with the School Locator. If you are relocating or on PCS orders, I can pull the zone, flood and noise details for any listing you send me. Call or text (757) 919-8874 or use the form below.
Related neighborhood guides: Hilltop, Oceanfront, Kings Grant, Lynnhaven and Great Neck. Other schools: Virginia Beach schools guide.
Frequently asked questions
What grades does First Colonial High School serve?
First Colonial High School serves grades 9 through 12, according to the Virginia Department of Education's School Quality Profile.
How many students attend First Colonial High?
VDOE reports fall enrollment of 1,714 for 2025–26, 1,727 for 2024–25 and 1,735 for 2023–24.
Is First Colonial High accredited?
Yes. VDOE lists First Colonial High as Fully Accredited for 2025–26, and VBCPS reports that all 81 of its schools earned Full Accreditation for 2026–27.
Which schools feed into First Colonial High?
Mainly Lynnhaven Middle and Virginia Beach Middle at the middle level, fed by elementary zones such as W.T. Cooke Elementary, Kingston Elementary and Kings Grant Elementary.
How do I know if a house is zoned for First Colonial High?
Enter the exact street address in the VBCPS School Locator at schoollocator.vbschools.com. Zones follow streets and can change, so don't rely on a listing description or subdivision name alone.
Are homes in the First Colonial High zone in a flood zone or noise zone?
About 1% of residential parcels in the zone have buildings in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area, and about 65% are in an NAS Oceana noise zone. Check each address on the city's maps.
Sources
- VBCPS 2026–27 High School Attendance Zones (ArcGIS)
- Virginia DOE School Quality Profile: First Colonial High
- VBCPS School Locator
- VBCPS: 100% of schools accredited for 2026–27
- VBCPS: on-time graduation rate, 2026 cohort
- City of Virginia Beach parcel and land-use data (Property Information map service)
- City of Virginia Beach AICUZ
- City of Virginia Beach Floodplain Management
- City of Virginia Beach park properties
- VBCPS Academies & Advanced Programs
How I built this page: I took school facts from VBCPS and VDOE. Then I counted City of Virginia Beach parcel records (October 2026 extract) inside the VBCPS 2026–27 attendance zone polygon. Percentages describe parcels, not people, and are approximate. Always verify a specific property.