Chatham Middle

My child has been written up for some of the most ridiculous reasons, this school has a serious violence issue with kids bring drugs and other very dangerous things to school. Do not recommend.

This is a horrible school, do not send your kids there. They are more worried about getting kids taught to pass the EOG’s. They have a bad bullying problem and have large amounts of drugs running through the school and has a SRO at the school who does NOTHING to stop it.

Chatham Middle has a diverse population of students with diverse issues, but the teachers genuinely care about the kids, and they genuinely respect the kids as people overall. No place is perfect, but students here are treated fairly, and there are resources available to help, including a great counseling department, a principal you can talk to, a great band instructor (and chorus), an above-average library stocked with challenging books, super soccer teams and basketball teams, fantastic science teachers (and science olympiad), and some really amazing kids.

The emphasis on bringing up test scores ( math, fluency, several different "global" assessments), means the kids are either taking tests, online preparing for tests (and being tested), reviewing tests (carrying around scores at all times), being rewarded for growth on tests (or not, if they've already ACED the test), or being reprimanded for not working. Who wants to work hard for a meaningless score? Where is DAILY art, music, PE, languages, clubs? These are the true social equalizers. The teachers are overwhelmed with huge classes and challenging kids who often return home to equally unpleasant conditions. Instead of creating a diverse, supported, enriching place that had a strong, unique Spanish immersion program, the school has become a disciplinary nightmare. I hope it can be turned around- for everyone.

This school has failed my kids in more ways than I can count. They can't keep teachers or bus drivers. At least 3 times last year, the bust just never came to pick up my kids. (Who have to walk to the end of the street by the way, because they don't want to spend the gas to drive by my home)