3105 Horsebarn Dr
Durham, NC 27705

Here are my thoughts as an alumni of this school. My first year was all online and no one really participated so there isn’t much I can say, but 7th grade was when I went back in person. It was pretty average, with just a lot of drama and a few not great teachers (one I believe got fired m) but eighth grade really did a number on me. I will say though, that not too much homework is given but that does depend on your teachers. The school needs to do some serious work with the way they handle sexual harassment/bullying because as an afab person I am EXTREMELY catcalled and harassed anytime I walk into an unsupervised classroom, or even just through the hallways. There was a person who had been sexually harassing, bullying and even tried to sexually assault my friends and I multiple times for over a school year but the school pretended to care, but did nothing. The only teacher who actually took action was the band teacher who is one of the most amazing teacher I have ever had. The pe coach screamed at me until I started crying because I left the classroom one time bc I had to use the bathroom like a normal human being, and then yelled at my family bc of this. There were 2 shootings on campus in the span of a week and teachers told us not to talk about it because they said they thought it could be a rumor, as we were watching helicopter footage of the building we were in. Two high schoolers lost their lives that day, and our school did almost nothing to acknowledge them. The bodies of these students were found 39 minutes b4 school started meaning they could just cancel, but made us take tests and act like nothing happened. I get that their intentions were to not scare us, but they only instilled more fear. I will say that we have amazing guidance counselors and a phenomenal band program but we really need more resources for student mental health. I was pleasantly surprised by how well the school handled testing and learning accommodations on my 504 plan because I have adhd, which have definitely helped me a lot and most teachers have respected these. I have experienced some mild transphobia and homophobia from students but this is surprisingly not as common at the school. I really do think we need and lgbtqia+ club or a gsa though. There are lots of fights but that is to be expected in a middle school, and now and then we would have “gas leaks” which were just the smell of the ancient heating systems turning on.

Really great school with so many interests and clubs for your kid. I'm blown away I hadn't heard more about this school before we attended. Music recording, coding, theatre arts, all the clubs you can imagine, foreign languages! All teachers can reach EV or AIG. Small class sizes which allows the staff to really get to know your kid. It's a phenomenal school!

Hillandale is a richly diverse community school with a long tradition of excellence. The school and broader parent communities feel like a family. Teachers are dedicated, creative, and care deeply for our children. The school represents the community and is rooted in equity and respect.

We were only able to be at RN Harris for one year and then moved out of the area.I would say this is a very child centered school. My child responded very well to this environment.The staff were very responsive to parent communication at all levels. The school worked closely with local organizations to make sure kids went home with food during school breaks. This demonstrated to me that the school staff were aware of the needs of their students outside of school hours as well.We miss you guys!

Its an OK school, some great teachers, some not so great. My girls love it, though. They made good friends. Good Latin program, engaged teacher, they are starting to read The Gallic War. The engineering program is good, and the leader is great - but mostly showed my girls that they don't want to be engineers, which is valuable. Good string music program, band not so good. All sorts of students, very various - very educational that way.

This past year has been difficult for everyone, but especially for high school seniors. The support that we have received from the school's leadership, faculty, and staff have made it much better. The weekly updates from Principal Woods-Weeks keep everyone motivated. They really give us a sense of normalcy in this virtual environment. We joke about the reminder to wear school colors on Fridays, especially since we're at home! :)Now for the two pillars of strength that have consistently guided our child all along the way:1) Ms. Harris (9th Grade English Teacher, National Honor Society) made an impression with our family on Day One. Our child often talks about never getting a break because the same things that we say at home get reinforced by Ms. Harris. She is exactly what our child needs to stay on the course of excellence in high school AND college! Ms. Harris has written many letters of recommendation for college admission and scholarship applications. We are confident that her words will be the deciding factor for pending awards.2) Ms. Rankins (Counselor) is the ultimate energizer bunny! She never wavers from keeping students informed and on track for success. I follow the Remind app group that she created for the class. I can't imagine that anyone would miss out on the amazing opportunities that she shares. My friends who have students at other schools envy our process. The key to this school's success is the high bar that is set for the students and the commitment of those who are tasked to help them achieve excellence. The loving support with high expectations is greatly appreciated. Even though we are not in the building, we still see how their hard work is paying off for everyone who follows their process. Congratulations to the Class of 2021!

We have been pleased with our overall experience academically as well as with our extra curricular experience.

My daughter has had a fantastic experience at Middle College HS. While she loved the flexibility and independence that Middle College provided, she also became deeply engaged in the clubs and social activities offered by the school- even during COVID. We so appreciate the support she received from these club advisors and the counselors who guided her through her final years of high school and the college application process. My daughter will graduate high school with an associates degree in arts and will attend a four year college in the fall. We are thrilled with the knowledge, confidence, and life skills that she gained at Middle College and enthusiastically recommend the school.

We are extremely happy with our overall experience at City of Medicine Academy.