Carroll Middle

It breaks my heart to write this review. Our time at Joyner has stretched over many years. Joyner used to be a great school, very community oriented, warm, welcoming, and fun. My older child had a fantastic time there. But this isn’t the case anymore. A few years ago some redistricting occurred which brought in a large group of new kids. These kids have needs which clearly cannot/are not being met at Joyner. There are almost daily fights, angry and violent outbursts directed at staff and students, scary behavioral meltdowns - sometimes leading to EMS being called, horrible curse words are screamed during these events, fire alarms being pulled by students, etc. Most of the staff’s time and energy is spent dealing with this. At this point my child is mostly bored, working at a much lower level than her ability. She is doing a large amount of busy work which she believes is meant to keep kids occupied while the teachers deal with other situations. She is irritated, anxious, and sometimes afraid of the outbursts. The teachers are trying their best to deal with it. The resources are limited and the entire situation is sad. We are glad we got to be a part of Joyner at its best, but if we had to start now we would look for something different.

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!

This school needs to “clean house” starting with ALL front office staff! Next “special” education teachers.