Barton Pond Elementary

My wife and I are retired and our grandchildren have been attending Lynn Road (LRES) for a total of 11 years so far. We volunteer several days a week because we enjoy being a part of the positive and supportive atmosphere at LRES. We tutor math and reading, monitor programs for advanced students, assist students in the library, help with the annual Student Talent Show and the annual Musical Play, and enjoy beautifying the campus with flowers and bushes. The teachers and staff are top notch and truly care about each child and it definitely shows! But the biggest asset is the active PTA and parent involvement. We know most of the parents as well as the kids because of their participation. LRES is truly like one big family. I know there are a lot of other public and private schools in Raleigh, but I guarantee you won’t find a better one than LRES!

We have enjoyed our time at Baileywick! Our kids are thriving academically, socially and emotionally! The small school feels like a family and we are grateful for the personalized student instruction. The specials teachers are awesome and some of our kids' favorite teachers! Go Bulldogs!

This is a tight knit community school. I love that children can attend from kindergarten through 8th grade. The small class sizes and STEAM focus allows for more hands-on learning and critical thinking than I've seen in other WCPSS options.

My daughter has thrived at this school. I love that they offer 4th and 5th graders the opportunity to be part of a musical production. I'm not sure she would have had that exposure if at a different public school. I love the front office staff (always so welcoming!). All staff in morning car pool are so sweet and energetic (rain or shine) which starts each kids day off with positivity. The PTA brings lots of great events and takes care of the teachers and staff! The principal weekly message and teacher's weekly email keeps us well informed, as well as talking point texts for last minute reminders about crazy hair day, pajama day, etc. As a busy parent, I appreciate the multiple communication methods! 5th grade graduation is coming up and I'm excited to see so many fun events to make it a memorable experience. As resources are being stripped from our public schools :( I am so thankful for the SCES community and the teachers that continue to show up for our children!

Our child has attended The Montessori School of Raleigh from 1st through 3rd grade, and in those years MSR has become more than a campus to our family. It has been a kind of harbor: purposeful, humane, and quietly alive with the work of becoming or perhaps rebounding - if the stories and speculation from the internet are to be believed. What MSR has given our child is not only academic growth, though we have seen that, but a steadier sense of self. Our child has learned to choose work with intention, to meet difficulty without immediate retreat, to speak with greater care, and to understand that learning is not simply something delivered, but something a student must learn to claim.MSR offers structure of a different and valuable kind. It is less a narrow road than a compass. Across 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, we have watched freedom and responsibility do their quiet work, shaping independence without abandoning guidance.The teachers we have known have been attentive, thoughtful, and deeply invested in our child as a whole person. They see more than assignments and progress. They see effort, temperament, friendship, frustration, confidence, and character. We have also valued the school’s emphasis on grace and courtesy, community, and conflict resolution. These are not ornamental lessons; they are foundation stones.MSR is a meaningful investment, and families should weigh that honestly. For us, the value has been clear: academics joined with independence, emotional growth, character, and the rare comfort of knowing our child is truly known.If I had one wish, it would be for the summer programs to become more robust and more learning-focused. For families who want continuity with MSR’s educational philosophy beyond the regular year, that would be a welcome addition.No school is perfect. But for our family, MSR has been a thoughtful and inspiring place, one where our child has been invited not merely to succeed, but to become. We are grateful for our years here and would gladly recommend MSR to families who value curiosity, independence, kindness, and an education that treats childhood as the first chapter of a life deliberately lived.