Neuse River Middle

Lockhart is a wonderful school! The teachers are experienced, and can handle all kinds of students. Principal Zoller is very supportive of the teachers, and communicates well with parents. My child has some social/behavior issues, and has thrived there. Her teachers have taken our input seriously in the classroom, and given us great suggestions things we can do at home. She has lots of friends now, and is doing well academically and socially. Because of how the classes are structured, kids can do advanced work in the subjects they excel in, and get help in subjects they struggle with every day in their classroom, so they aren't singled out by going to special classes. They take bullying seriously, and work with the parents to resolve problems as they arise, rather than ignoring them until they get out of hand. Like most schools in this area it's diverse, which we love!

My son has been a student at FRES since Kindergarten, and I have never seen a more dedicated and caring staff. As a former teacher, I've worked with a lot of people who are "just there for the paycheck", but every person I've interacted with at FRES goes above and beyond - they all deserve a raise! The staff are excellent with communication, and are just genuinely kind and personable people.

My son was a student here for 3 years and fell behind with many of the other students. The teachers barely meet the minimum curriculum needed for the age requirements of the state. Physical fights in classrooms and bullying are very common here. I removed my child from this school and he has been excelling academically, socially, and emotionally. This school will only hold your child’s potential back. I highly recommend not going here.

Thales Academy Knightdale consistently prioritizes administrative policies and internal goals over the actual success and development of its students. Rather than working with families and students to address challenges, the school enforces rigid rules that can completely derail a child’s education. Students can be removed from the program for exceeding 12 tardies in a single academic year, regardless of circumstances or academic performance. The most alarming part is how casually this is handled — the school will literally terminate a student’s enrollment and “wish you the best” in the same sentence, offering no meaningful support or transition plan. This approach feels less like an educational partnership and more like a system designed to protect policies instead of students.