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Well, that's really hard NCGirl because most people have experience with only one or two elementary & middle schools. ?
I agree - how can this be quantified. I guess your question is really "what's your experience with your elementary and middle school like?"
I have been very happy with Davis Drive Elementary. I like everything about it. It's academically competitive but not over the top; we have had wonderful, caring teachers there; I love certain traditions they have there like each grade level has a special field trip each year, talent show, international night etc.
The middle school I am less enamored with - it's all academics all the time, not a lot of electives compared to other similar schools. Not a lot of leeway if you're not AG or close to it. But, I am hopeful that the very high expectations pay off someday.
I agree - how can this be quantified. I guess your question is really "what's your experience with your elementary and middle school like?"
I have been very happy with Davis Drive Elementary. I like everything about it. It's academically competitive but not over the top; we have had wonderful, caring teachers there; I love certain traditions they have there like each grade level has a special field trip each year, talent show, international night etc.
The middle school I am less enamored with - it's all academics all the time, not a lot of electives compared to other similar schools. Not a lot of leeway if you're not AG or close to it. But, I am hopeful that the very high expectations pay off someday.
My experience with the schools my kids have attended in Wake:
Stough Elementary: I liked it. My eldest went there in Kindergarten and did very well, but moved in the middle of the year to...
Knightdale Elementary: Didn't like it. He had a teacher who insisted that he should want to color with more than one shade of crayon. The kid just wasn't into coloring. Whatever.
Zebulon Elementary: Eldest was there for a year in 1st. I liked it, but that's mainly because his teacher was a Meredith Alumna, and I knew and liked her.
Cary Elementary: Eldest was there for 2-4th. Liked it. He really enjoyed it. Some good teachers, some blah teachers. Note: Eldest was always advanced, gifted kid. Also has ADHD, so we put him in...
Sterling Montessori: Eldest attended for 5th grade. It really helped him with the ADHD and his focus. Had a phenomenal teacher.
Daniels Middle: Eldest was there for half a year, while we were building a house. Daniels was a magnet back then. He enjoyed the school, but 9/11/2001 was his 6th grade year and his teacher was obsessed with watching TV footage of it. I finally had to write a letter to get him excused from it all.
Wakefield Elementary (and Wakefield Middle): My middle kid attended Wakefield Elementary for K-2. My eldest attended for the rest of 6th through 8th. I liked both schools very much. They were traditional calendar back then.
Weatherstone Elementary: Youngest was there for K and half of 1st (we bought a house in the middle of that year) and middle kid was there for 3rd and half of 4th. I liked that school, even though my middle kid had to retake the EOG because their sub left number lines on their desk during the test and the whole class was forced to do a retake (this was 3rd grade, everyone was pissed). Also, his 3rd grade teacher was pregnant that year and obsessed with him passing the reading EOG. I told her over and over that he'd do fine and he did. She was hormonal? I dunno.
Reedy Creek Elementary: Youngest was there from middle of 1st through 5th. Middle kid was there from middle of 4th through 5th. Good school. I like the principal. Teachers were always responsive and we had no issues. They get lower ratings on Great Schools, but I don't know why.
Reedy Creek Middle: Middle kid was there 6th-8th. Youngest was there for 6th. I liked Reedy Creek Elementary more than Middle, though my middle kid (son) did fine there. My daughter hated it and the girls she had to deal with were too mature and obsessed with boys for my liking. I'm glad we moved again, so she could switch.
West Cary Middle: Youngest (daughter) has been there since end of 6th grade (she is now in 8th). She likes it well enough, but we occasionally have an oddball teacher. It's a solid school.
You didn't ask about high schools, but I have experience with Wakefield High (eldest was there for 9th and 10th) and Green Hope High (eldest was there for 11th and 12th, middle has been there since 9th and is in 11th now).
The schools were similar for my eldest. Wakefield might be different now. Green Hope is a good high school. Both sons have done as well there as they could've done anywhere, really.
Not sure if any of that would help, but there you go.
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My experience with the schools my kids have attended in Wake:
Stough Elementary: I liked it. My eldest went there in Kindergarten and did very well, but moved in the middle of the year to...
Knightdale Elementary: Didn't like it. He had a teacher who insisted that he should want to color with more than one shade of crayon. The kid just wasn't into coloring. Whatever.
Zebulon Elementary: Eldest was there for a year in 1st. I liked it, but that's mainly because his teacher was a Meredith Alumna, and I knew and liked her.
Cary Elementary: Eldest was there for 2-4th. Liked it. He really enjoyed it. Some good teachers, some blah teachers. Note: Eldest was always advanced, gifted kid. Also has ADHD, so we put him in...
Sterling Montessori: Eldest attended for 5th grade. It really helped him with the ADHD and his focus. Had a phenomenal teacher.
Daniels Middle: Eldest was there for half a year, while we were building a house. Daniels was a magnet back then. He enjoyed the school, but 9/11/2001 was his 6th grade year and his teacher was obsessed with watching TV footage of it. I finally had to write a letter to get him excused from it all.
Wakefield Elementary (and Wakefield Middle): My middle kid attended Wakefield Elementary for K-2. My eldest attended for the rest of 6th through 8th. I liked both schools very much. They were traditional calendar back then.
Weatherstone Elementary: Youngest was there for K and half of 1st (we bought a house in the middle of that year) and middle kid was there for 3rd and half of 4th. I liked that school, even though my middle kid had to retake the EOG because their sub left number lines on their desk during the test and the whole class was forced to do a retake (this was 3rd grade, everyone was pissed). Also, his 3rd grade teacher was pregnant that year and obsessed with him passing the reading EOG. I told her over and over that he'd do fine and he did. She was hormonal? I dunno.
Reedy Creek Elementary: Youngest was there from middle of 1st through 5th. Middle kid was there from middle of 4th through 5th. Good school. I like the principal. Teachers were always responsive and we had no issues. They get lower ratings on Great Schools, but I don't know why.
Reedy Creek Middle: Middle kid was there 6th-8th. Youngest was there for 6th. I liked Reedy Creek Elementary more than Middle, though my middle kid (son) did fine there. My daughter hated it and the girls she had to deal with were too mature and obsessed with boys for my liking. I'm glad we moved again, so she could switch.
West Cary Middle: Youngest (daughter) has been there since end of 6th grade (she is now in 8th). She likes it well enough, but we occasionally have an oddball teacher. It's a solid school.
You didn't ask about high schools, but I have experience with Wakefield High (eldest was there for 9th and 10th) and Green Hope High (eldest was there for 11th and 12th, middle has been there since 9th and is in 11th now).
The schools were similar for my eldest. Wakefield might be different now. Green Hope is a good high school. Both sons have done as well there as they could've done anywhere, really.
Not sure if any of that would help, but there you go.
Pretty sure our two eldest kids paths must have crossed multiple times! We were also at Stough, Cary Elementary and Reedy Creek Middle. What year did he graduate?
Wow, RedZin, I found myself wanting to plot it out on a chart! Your family gets a WCPSS Gold Star in my book!
My children have mostly been in Mills Park Elementary and Middle. Rock solid schools! We have no complaints. There have been a couple of teachers through the years who we found underwhelming from a parent's perspective, but in both cases our children absolutely adored them, so what do we know?
Pretty sure our two eldest kids paths must have crossed multiple times! We were also at Stough, Cary Elementary and Reedy Creek Middle. What year did he graduate?
Eldest graduated in 2008.
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Wow, RedZin, I found myself wanting to plot it out on a chart! Your family gets a WCPSS Gold Star in my book!
My children have mostly been in Mills Park Elementary and Middle. Rock solid schools! We have no complaints. There have been a couple of teachers through the years who we found underwhelming from a parent's perspective, but in both cases our children absolutely adored them, so what do we know?
We moved around some. Plus, mine have quite an age gap. They're 24, 17, and 13 (a couple of months from 14).
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Yes I am. I was not aware that they are considered "zones." Where I presently live they are called districts. Semantics aside, do you have any information on this topic?
It's not just semantics....districts are much different than the zone assigned to a particular schol.
That being said we love our experiencesite at Wake Forest elementary, Ligon middle and Enloe High. I have many friends that speak very highly of the other schools are around Wake Forest and Wakefield. The only ones I ever heard consistent complaining about has been Knightdale are ones...and that was a couple of years back.
Schools change, too.
Bringing a new Principal into my daughter's elementary school (West Lake) has transformed it. It's reflected in test scores, greatschools ratings, and the mood in the school community.
Schools change, too.
Bringing a new Principal into my daughter's elementary school (West Lake) has transformed it. It's reflected in test scores, greatschools ratings, and the mood in the school community.
That is very true. Wake Forest Middle used to not be the best...it wasn't bad per se...but it wasn't anything parents bragged about. They got in a new principal and things perked up.
Even in good schools a regime change can effect moral Enloe has always been a great school..but after Doc Coch left and they moved up Mr. Lyons from Ligon...the school got a refreshed and positive vibe again. Teachers and students are energized. (I hope Ligon gets just a great new leader as well.)
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