6201 Bayswater Trl
Raleigh, NC 27612

Our experience with this school is that there is very little warmth or joy here. Kids are expected to immediately start functioning as adults on day one in 6th grade. There is no “transition”. Lockers are not allowed, bathroom breaks not allowed between classes (kids must raise their hand and go during class), assigned seats at lunch, 15 minutes for lunch. Because of this rigid system our kids have found very little time to be able make new friends or even speak with their old friends from elementary. Some teachers give inordinate amounts of busy work for homework. When bringing these issues to the principal we are met with an attitude that it’s our problem. She is ex military. There are a few great teachers, so it’s not every single staff member, but the overall feeling is one of rigidity and lack of trust in the kids or space to relax into enjoying school. Our well-behaved kids are very unhappy there.

We have 3 children a JGES and have enjoyed our experience here over the last 4 years. The teachers (and staff) are fantastic - really caring about the kids and making the classroom fun. They also teach positive character traits and reward good behavior in fun ways that encourage the kids to be their best selves. There are a few curricular opportunities that are neat. There is a great teacher-run after care program as well. Involved PTA that support the teachers and kids. Our children love it there.

My daughter is in her 9th grade and doing well at Sanderson HS. Sanderson HS provides many opportunities to get involved with sports and clubs. Her teachers have been positive and helpful. Her coaches have also been encouraging and supportive and provided a lot of guidance as she is just beginning high school. She is being challenged academically and growing socially and athletically!

This school is a terrible choice for parents and students looking for a supportive teachers. Teachers will rarely listen to or try to understand a student's point of view. The administration will ignore many student concerns without any investigation unless parents interfere. Many of the work handed is just busy work and rarely has an impact on student learning. There are some helpful teachers but there are even more cruel teachers. It's incredibly hard to fix grades that a student didn't deserve without parental interference. The courses offered are very restrictive as well.

I have had an amazing experience as a student at this school. This has made me not only ready for college but also the professional world. Throughout my four years here I was able to grow and learn through the help of the incredible students and staff. I can't wait to see what Wake STEM becomes.

While we have had a few bumps getting our boy engaged, the leadership have been great partners with looking at options. This school is a college prep school so there is not an emphasis in the Arts, but more a focus on core curriculum. We love that there are male teachers teaching our boy as they provide examples of strong role models. We love the uniforms!

All teachers are very attentive and helpful especially Principal Baker during this pandemic. We are very lucky to belong to a school who treats the children as their own.