J T Barber Elementary

The staff at this school treated me like family. My childrens teachers did also. The communication between school and teacher and parents was outstanding. I saw my children exceed my expectations as far as their learning. We transferred mid school year. The teachers welcomed them with open arms. I highly recommend this school.

I have no issue with any teachers we have encountered throughout the 2 years my daughter spent at ORA. However, there is an extreme lack of support from administrators. My daughter was physically harmed twice by the same student and there was no action whatsoever taken to separate the child and my daughter so that the instances would not continue to occur. Each time this child injured my daughter it was completely unprovoked. We made the decision to completely remove my daughter from ORA after my daughter was STRANGLED by the same student. She is only 7 years old. I escalated this incident to the Craven County Board of Education after I got no where with the principal. This school completely failed my daughter and failed to give her a safe learning environment. She wants and deserves to be at school, however, it is clearly not safe. She no longer gets to go to school for her safety, while the student who is attacking other children gets to stay. The lack of concern for safety is disturbing. -0/10.

I worked here for two years. Found the job online. The interview was very informal. I worked in aftercare. 2:30-6:30 Loved it Loved the children and some of the support staff. In the beginning the relationship with the Deacon was nice. He was accomodating when I asked for additional hours to become full time . I wanted to make after-care something hat the children looked forward to. Rather then the regular after school activites. I introduced Cookies and Coco and cold rainy days with a movie. We did caramel apples and had a huge party for the last day off school complete with egg toss and water balloons pizza and cupcakes . I asked all the children to bring a blanket so we could do it cook out style. It was a HIT!!!!Then my husband came on board. Deacon was again accomodating my family situation. My husband worked there for 1 month and passed away. The school raised money for the burial and expenses - Deacon spoke at my husband memorial. Coming back was hard. Deacon said he needed me back and I needed to be needed....FOUR MONTHS after the passing of my husband Deacon fires me!!! Said I wasn't keepingthe children safe. I never had ONE incident report oin the two years I was there. He humilated me in the hall way in front of staff. Then after he fired me- he lied to the entire school community that quit. He pitted staff members against one another creatinga toxic and undriendlyy work enviorment. With that amount of toxicity it bound to affectt the children. He showed favorites depending on the parents contribution. Honestly I felt he had an undlying issues with women and people of color. He was dismissive and just plain mean spirited. He should have never had that position. After being fired, I had a few opportunities to go back to the school to pick up a student. When ever I saw him I got sick to my stomach- he had a way of making mefeel unwanted on campus and shared that sentiment with other staff members , they in turn were rude and dismissive. Leadership starts at the top. If you have excellent leadership it does nothing but run down on to staff from the staff it runs on the the children...None of that is happening at St Pauls gossiping , belittlng, undermining staff members and creating a toxic and fleshy school enviorment. There was nothing Christian like goin on at that school. Lying about history - very little diversity. Half the teachers don;t even likechildren- sending notes home for the smallest infractions. I would not send anyone there.