Florence Middle School

This is an amazing school with an amazing faculty. They are a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and an Alabama Bicentennial School of Excellence. Our kids love to go to school, and they are always prepared for their next grade levels.

This is a beautiful modern up to date school. I have only one concern. I have seen children sitting n the side of the parking lot in the back of the school by the back playground as cars pass by next to them, during this past school year. This seems dangerous.

Harlan is GREAT!!!! Mrs. Taylor is very loving, kind-hearted , and she enjoys teaching. I wish ALL teachers were like her!

My children started at Weeden in the last 9 weeks of school in their first grade year and I was very disappointed in that their academics were so far behind the school they came from in south Alabama. Also, during their second grade year I had a lot of trouble with the teachers taking the bulling of my son seriously. I went up to the school repeatedly to complain that my son was coming home crying with cuts and bruises. I had to take him to the doctor for a fractured finger from the bulling.The bully was 2 years older than my son and my A-B son got an D in physical ed on his last report card (which was an A) and a note typed in by the teacher that he was egging the bulling on. I was never informed of this until I read it on the LAST day of school. My other son, which is also in the second grade at the time, His teacher would tell him he needed to read the bible, made him pray in class and needed to attend church. I reported this to the principal and nothing was done. It continued. Also, I did not appreciate his teacher leaving distinct finger print bruising on his arm.

As a former student I can Mars Hill is too far behind academically in math and science to prepare students for the ACT or college. Also, the staff and students expect you to conform to their church of christ religious standards. They have radical conservative views on women. The girls were shown a video in high school were college aged boys talked about how they would never marry a women who wasn't a virgin. They then passed around a purity contract and all the girls that signed it were put on a board outside the office. The boys harassed the girls that did not sign. As an adult, I know this was an emotionally abusive tactic and would be outraged if my daughter was treated this way.

My daughter was being bullied relentlessly at a public school. After many meetings with her teachers and the vice-principal, I decided to pull her out and try Riverhill School. I was immediately impressed by the size of the school and how kind the entire staff is. But, once she settled in to second grade, I was seeing the confidence my child once had start to come back. She is now excited about going to school for learning and seeing her friends. Bullying is not tolerated in the least. But, it’s so much more than that. Riverhill School has the feeling of Family. I know my child is loved and that means everything to me.