3517 Brecknock St
Durham, NC 27705

Susan Stewart Taylor is the best principals that Jordan has had in years. She took the time and consideration in ensuring the best plan for my child’s success. I am highly appreciative of all she does for our students.

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!

Forest view is a phenomenal neighborhood school. We are new this year and couldn't be happier with our child's experience. The teachers, leadership and the entire community are very engaged and it's just a very happy place. You can feel it at drop off, school events, walking in the hallways. Kids are happy to be there and the staff is so welcoming. In elementary, so much depends on your kid's individual teacher and our experience has been fantastic so far. Not only is the material challenging, and we came from a highly rated elementary in a different county (the teaching at Forest View far surpasses what we experienced before), it's also creative, purposeful and relevant. Teachers use the latest research in reading instruction (unlike a very popular and highly rated neighboring city school system...) and they share what they do during school wide events such as literacy night. It's also surprising that for a school this large, everyone seems to know your kid's name. They make it feel small and the fact it's a neighborhood school helps as there are lots of friends to play with in the community. You can also see some kids biking or walking to school. The school is located next to a small farm in a relatively rural setting so the playground space is huge and open. They have also opened a couple of outdoor classrooms. There are a few clubs for older grades such as science olympiad, chorus and some that are open to younger grades like chess and girls on the run and probably a few others we're not familiar with. The leadership seems open to suggestions of clubs and special events and in that sense is very responsive. Even though the start time is early, our kid loves going to school each day and we couldn't ask for more at this age. Our child could have gone to other schools, including private options in the area or a charter school we turned down. We chose Forest View and are so glad we did.

This is an A school for academics only. This is their only focus. They do not do enough to provide a safe environment for children to learn. Leadership and teachers allow bullying of students. I do not recommend this school for that reason.

Do not bring your bright, neurodivergent child to this school. The principal Dr. Lanier will swear that he will take care of her, and then fail her at every turn. We moved from California and I think we expected too much. We wanted diversity and hence chose to send our child here. But the entire year has been one giant 504 fiasco. Moreover, I am a disabled mom. The principal actually mocked me in a 504 meeting, in front of other administrators and my husband. I reported him to the district. Not long after, I was sent a letter informing me that I could no longer communicate with my child’s teachers or anyone else at the school, and I am also banned from picking her up, with the threat of being arrested. (I can barely walk due to polymyalgia rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis. I am hardly a threat to anyone.). Now my gifted ADHD child is terrified of her teachers, no longer wants to attend school and no longer has a parent advocate at a school, which is not complying with her 504. She is also bullied by teachers for her disability.

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!

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.