4737 Sharpstone Ln, Raleigh, NC 27615

Brassfield is exactly what a neighborhood school should be. What sets it apart is the sense of belonging and genuine community, set in a beautiful, wooded campus. The administrators know the parents and the kids. My child rides the bus with seven of our neighbors, and I have the bus driver's cell number and direct access to her teacher, the principal, and the AP. I feel like my child is safe and getting a phenomenal education -- the progress she's made in reading, writing, and math in the year she's been here has been wonderful. Her teachers support her as an individual, not a number.I also love that the diversity at Brassfield is real and meaningful. Our kids are growing up around families from different backgrounds, languages, and experiences, which is preparing them for the actual world far better than a homogeneous magnet or private school would. The PTA runs a great range of clubs my child loves -- Spanish, Lego, board games, morning movement, and now soccer this year -- and they're working to bring on Odyssey of the Mind next year. Older grades get Math Olympiad and Drama Club.Recent test scores aren't an adequate reflection of this school. Our teachers are well-trained and experienced, the library and librarian are top-notch, and art, music, PE, and the AIG (gifted) program are all fantastic. The school is also investing heavily this year in literacy and classroom support, backed by an active, engaged and well-funded PTA. Report card metrics aren't a reliable measure of quality here, in part because so many of our students take these tests in a language that isn't their native one. Talk to any teacher or involved parent and you'll hear a different story about how wonderful this school is, and where it's headed under our new principal.