Clemmons Middle (Lewisville, Jefferson: house, buying, middle school)

[JBMOM]

Can someone PLEASE tell me why we're being advised to stay away from Clemmons Middle? I've looked at the testing scores and while they aren't top notch, I don't like to rely on numbers alone. Does anyone have first hand information as to whether this school is really that dreadful or whether it's actually OK? Please.....

[the 7 oh 4]

Originally Posted by JBMOM

Can someone PLEASE tell me why we're being advised to stay away from Clemmons Middle? I've looked at the testing scores and while they aren't top notch, I don't like to rely on numbers alone. Does anyone have first hand information as to whether this school is really that dreadful or whether it's actually OK? Please.....

Can't imagine that...being in such an Upscale area. Clemmons is one of the most sought after areas in the W-S area.

Get more opinions. Did that person's child go to Clemmons Middle School?

[highandfast]

Since noone seems to be answering you...We are moving from Atlanta to Clemmons area in late June and just went up last month to house-hunt. We have 3 children all around middle school age. We asked everyone we met about schools and it seems Clemmons middle has always been very good like the rest but recently have seemed to have a large increase in hispanic children there. (dont know why) I hear it is still good but when they cant speak the language as well, it is going to reflect in the test scores.

That is really all I can offer you as I am just learning all these sorts of things too. We ended up buying in Advance, it simply felt very family friendly with a high level of parental involvement in the schools...

[Paper]

I would LOVE to buy a house in Clemmons, as the elementary and high schools seem awesome.

The Clemmons Middle School seems low class and parents on the Great Schools website mention fights and an almost 20% Hispanic population.

The problem with this is there is a language issue (students refusing to speak English) and it taxes the teachers' nerves, not to mention the community's pocket book. Someone has to lose and it always seems to be the students that are there to learn

Clemmons Middle School only received a 4 out of 10 on greatschools.com Jefferson Middle School (just a tiny bit away) gets a 10 out of 10

So, what is a caring parent to do? I am not from the area, but I want to relocate. I LOVE the look/feel of Clemmons, but can't see ever sending my child to the middle school there.

Would they bus my children to a different middle school in W-S?

[NCgirl]

Clemmons is a nice area. Low class?? Are you serious? Having some hispanic kids doesn't make it a bad school.

[ncsualum2004]

I don't have children but several people I work and attend church with live in Clemmons so I hear about the schools a lot.

I have no idea why the middle school is so bad but elementary and high schools are good but that seems to be a common thing pretty much everyone mentions. I've seen many attend public schools for elem. but go to private for middle school. Seems weird to me since you would think it would be the same kids and parents involved...

[Paper]

Originally Posted by NCgirl

Clemmons is a nice area. Low class?? Are you serious? Having some hispanic kids doesn't make it a bad school.

It does in the case of Clemmons Middle School Look at the facts.


There are severe issues that come along with a culture that refuses to adapt. And, Clemmons is NOT low class by any means. I NEVER said that. Please go back and read.

The middle school is on the much lower end. It (the middle school) is lower class. How can those FACTS be disputed?

We _want_ to live in Clemmons It is a lovely little town. We do _not_ want our children in the Clemmons Middle School. Why should we settle as far as education goes? Look 'em up in the NC Report Card. Very sad.

I want to know what public middle school alternatives I have if I live in Clemmons? Will they bus my children to a better school?

BTW--DH is from Puerto Rico. My children are 1/2 Latino

[arbyunc]

Originally Posted by ncsualum2004

I have no idea why the middle school is so bad but elementary and high schools are good but that seems to be a common thing pretty much everyone mentions. I've seen many attend public schools for elem. but go to private for middle school. Seems weird to me since you would think it would be the same kids and parents involved...

This isn't difficult to figure out if you look a little deeper. Take a look at the report cards for the elementary schools that feed Clemmons Middle: Clemmons Elementary scores are high, Ward Elem scores are average, but Griffith and Easton scores are very low. So the mix brings down the middle school scores significantly.

From Clemmons Middle School, the Clemmons students feed West Forsyth High (which also gets the mostly middle-to-upper class kids from Lewisville), while the Griffith and Easton kids feed Parkland High. Guess which high school's scores are better?

I believe Clemmons Middle does a good job with the mix of students it has. Both of my kids went there, so I have experienced the school first-hand. I found that higher-performing kids get what they need to be successful in high school, while lower-performing kids have excellent resources available to them to help them perform their best. Note that overall scores do improve between the 6th and 8th grades, indicating that they are successful in getting all of their kids to improve. It's not a perfect school, but it certainly isn't "low class" by any means. It is clean, safe, and it projects a positive learning environment. Most parents in Clemmons don't hesitate to send their kids there...there is no mass defection to private schools. I have no idea why someone would advise otherwise.

I agree with the original poster about test scores alone as an indicator of how "good" a school is. They too often don't tell the entire story.

[NewDad]

Originally Posted by JBMOM

Can someone PLEASE tell me why we're being advised to stay away from Clemmons Middle? I've looked at the testing scores and while they aren't top notch, I don't like to rely on numbers alone. Does anyone have first hand information as to whether this school is really that dreadful or whether it's actually OK? Please.....

there's nothing wrong with Clemmons Middle School.

there is however something wrong with a non-native trying to trump the advice of a native.

[Paper]

Originally Posted by NewDad

there's nothing wrong with Clemmons Middle School.

there is however something wrong with a non-native trying to trump the advice of a native.

Just using cold, hard facts my friend

Do you really think that there is nothing wrong with a school that scores a 4 out of 10 on a very reliable schoalstic website and doesn't meet MANY of its adequate yearly progress goals set forth by the state of North Carolina

Wow.

Frankly, my child deserves better than that.

Native or not, the facts are the facts.