Academically speaking, I felt HJ to be middle of the road. Leadership was truly lacking. I had administration that spoke in a derogatory manner of one of my children by name to other parents. One of the guidance counselors also told my other child that he was the 'good one'. Of note, my children
... Read more have not been major discipline issues for anyone. They have never been in fights, been suspended, etc. If you call the school to discuss your children, do not expect help. They are slow to return calls, and when they do they spend as little time as possible with you. Read less
Posted by a parent on 11/26/08
h j m is an OKAY school. Yeah there are problems that need more attenntion but all schools have their weak area. the progams I think are great, tey have many clubs such as: history, odesey of the mind, math and science clubs. So this gives anyone that is not a 'great athlete' the chance to be involed
... Read more in other after school activties. Now the discipline area is one of the areas that they have to work on. Now the students that attend the school are not bad they just have problems. They just dont ack out for no reason because theres always a reason. S i would reconmend this school not as a person with secondary 'veiws of the school but a student that veiw the school 'first hand'. Read less
Posted by a student on 09/25/08
My son is starting 8th grade. I am not thrilled with this school. They need to 'step it up' with the discipline plan. I have to really stay on top of things with the teachers and administration to get what I want done for my son. They really need to CLEAN the school. The bathrooms are HORRIBLE! If
... Read more I had to do it over again, HJ would not be my choice of schools, I would NOT have moved to New Bern, NC. High School is in two years, I am looking into other schooling now. NB, HS NO WAY! TOO MUCH Violence not enough discipline. I feel these teachers & administration are AFRAID of the these kids. Dont reccomend at all. Read less
Posted by a parent on 06/26/08
I feel as though this school in adequate. The extracurricualr programs are excellent along with the avanced placement programs also. My child has been able to suceed since coming to this school. I've felt as though I've made a good decision. This school is fitting for any young child. The H.U.G. program
... Read more is an excellent way to keep the parents involved with the school along with the many parent and open house nights. Overall I'm very confident in the capability of the education in this school. Read less
Posted by a parent on 02/02/05
We are a military family who moved to New Bern two years ago and chose a living area specifically for the highly rated Brinson Elementary and HJ Middle MacDonald Schools. Brinson has lived up to its reputation and more, however HJ MacDonald is almost a total disappointment. Discipline, core subject
... Read more proficiency and faculty turnover are the problem areas. There seems to be no set standard for behavior or disciplining the children. Our child has experienced repeated problems riding the bus (overcrowded, bullying, etc.)- not to mention a pick up time of 6:05 am. While the school s aesthetics are great, academically it is substandard; especially with regards to mathematics. Unfortunately this year is shaping up to be a challenge as 17 of the faculty members left for unexplained reasons. On the plus side- great band program and the Academically Gifted program is good. Bottom line-wish we would have chosen Tucker Creek in Havelock. Read less
* In 2007-2008 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math. The EOG tests are standards-based, which means they measure how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.
Student enrollment:
764
Students per teacher:
18
Full-time teachers:
42
Number of classrooms:
60
Arts
Art
Music
Band, Choral
Fine Arts
Dance
Special Education
Gifted Students, Mentally Challenged
Vocational Education
Health, Phys Ed
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
New Bern schools — H J Macdonald Middle School is located at 3127 Elizabeth Ave, New Bern NC 28562. 3127 Elizabeth Ave is in the 28562 ZIP code in New Bern, NC The school district for H J Macdonald Middle School is the Craven County School District. H J Macdonald Middle School is a Public school that serves grade levels 6 - 8.
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Test Score Ratings
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experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
