Langston

I would rate my experience with school's admins, child teacher, bullying, and bus transportation very sub par.

So we moved here from San Antonio, Tx. We tried coming to Goldsboro just like anywhere else with a positive outlook. The most disappointing thing was the schools that both our children attended for the time we were stationed here. Being a military family or one that moves around a lot due to a parents job makes it even harder to find the right fit for your children. I will say we got spoiled in San Antonio but in a good way. At Tommy's road they don't seem to have anything that makes children want to be at school. We are strict on our children, they are raised like we were to respect your elders etc. However if you want to join the military then please do when you are of age but not in Kinder-5th grade. The office staff was what I avoided at all cost except for one lady who always spoke and seemed to love her job even if she didn't want to be there. I wish I could say the same for others. They don't check id's to make sure the right student is going with the right parent. It would be nice to have room moms and more parent involvement, special events for pta members, field day was horrible in my opinion. I love laying out and sitting out in the sun, but at the beach or pool not in 80 something degrees for two hours while each grade for that day does what they signed up for. What happened to everyone doing something all at the same time and rotating it out. With all that said I could say so much more that I was unpleased about. Very disappointing all around with both schools that our two attended the few years we were here. Beyond excited to be moving. Good luck to whomever checks out this school and your children attend.

My students feel challenged and supported. All students are taught to be personally accountable and encourage the best character/choices from their peers. Regular communication with parents and transparency in leadership. Safety is a major priority, as well. I do wish they had a separate cafeteria. I hope that is in the works for future investment.

To support our daughters learning, it was important to find the safest environment, allowing individual pace, learning through experiences and play, outdoor time, and respectful discipline. Some changes I would appreciate seeing would include: more organization with calendar events, smaller classrooms for the younger age group, more funds to go towards teacher supplies in the classroom including basic appliances and individual teacher items to give them more opportunity to teach without limit, children's bathrooms to allow more privacy as the are in the classroom, better portioned whole food snacks and less sugar. For children with disabilities or learning differences I am not sure the school is equipped to help prepare them and offer support if needed. Allows regular parental and family involvement. Within the area it is one of the better schools to consider. My daughter loves going to school.

Honest Review of St. Mary School, GoldsboroAs a Catholic family, we were drawn to St. Mary School for its religious education and small, close-knit environment. We had two children enrolled: one attended from Pre-K to 2nd grade, and the other from 4th to 7th grade. However, we made the difficult decision to withdraw them in December of 2024 due to a significant loss of trust and confidence in the school’s leadership and concerns about the overall culture.The Good•Strong Reading Program: The reading program was well-structured and effective, and I appreciated the focus it provided for my children.•Religious Education: As Catholics, we valued the integration of faith into the curriculum and the expectation that all students participate in religious activities.The Challenges1.Leadership Concerns:•A long-time principal, who was actively involved in the classrooms, retired at the end of 2023. The transition to new leadership has been disappointing.•The new principal appears disconnected from daily classroom activities. When I raised concerns about teachers consistently yelling at students, and how upset my kid was he dismissed my concerns, stating he saw no evidence and suggested that “these problems usually start at home.” My children confirmed that he rarely visits the classrooms, unlike the previous principal.2.Teaching Quality and Staffing:•Some teachers lacked bachelor’s degrees, raising concerns about the overall qualifications of the staff.•A math teacher was allegedly fired mid-year last year due to not effectively teaching the students, which disrupted their education.3.Classroom Culture:•My youngest child was deeply upset by the constant yelling from teachers. After transferring to a new school, both my children said it was refreshing to be in an environment where teachers didn’t yell at students. This reflects a fundamental issue with classroom culture that was not addressed despite attempts to discuss it with the administration.Final ThoughtsWhile the school has strengths in areas like reading and religious education, the decline in leadership quality and a culture of negativity among some staff have made it impossible for us to continue at St. Mary School. It’s disheartening to see the school shift away from the nurturing and supportive environment it once had. I hope changes are made for the sake of future families, but based on our experience, I cannot recommend the school in its current state.

WCDS is a top-notch school. I am proud to be an alum and to watch my own child graduate from WCDS in the future.