West Chatham Middle School

West Chatham Middle School promotes student engagement and higer order thinking. We have a very diverse population. parental Involvement is on the rise here at WCMS. We just completed our 1st annual CRCT Camp and had wonderful turn out of students and parents. Our principal has an OPEN Door policy to parents, students and faculty. This is something you very rarely experience in other schools. She is very supportive of her staff and assist them in building student achievement. We have made great gains this year at WCMS. Our Middle Grades Writing Assessment and ITBS score have risen. We have implemented different support programs to ensure our students get the very best to promote their success. WEST CHATHAM MIDDLE IS THE PLACE TO BE!!!!! Keep up the GREAT work and CONTINUE striving for EXCELLENCE!!!
--Submitted by a teacher

West Chatham Middle has many top-notch teachers who care about the students and are passionate about their subject area. The atmosphere of the school is generally upbeat and positive. The hallways showcase a myriad of exemplar student work. The principal genuinely cares about the students, teachers, and staff. I enjoy teaching at WCMS.
--Submitted by a teacher

West Chatham Middle school is a good school with excellent programs. It is not perfect, but I know that the teachers and administrators work very hard to make the children successful. It is important for parents to get involved with the school to help make a difference. Teachers and administrators can not do it alone. It takes a village to raise a child. Children are definitely our future. Parents that have a concern need to speak with the teacher or an administrator. The problem can and will be solved.
--Submitted by a teacher

I am actually a student here and thoroughly disappointed with the horrible conduct and profanity used in all of my classes. When i was in seventh grade, i requested to switch teams because of the dispicable behavior and my teacher yelled at me for no reason. They teacher who yells at me lied and said that she doesnt recall that happening and i was not allowed to move. This year, not only did they cut out the gifted program, I supposedly have a teachers that are gifted certified but everything is too easy for me and students in my class are still stuck on the subject. Slow-paced lessons cause me to get used to going slow paced lessons which is the last thing i want. I am a gifted student and i am very disspointed at the new schedule changes. Not only did i request a team change during the second week of school, i also asked right before christmas break. The second meeting was with all of my teachers and my mom. They said that they do not have the power to change my team and they wouldnt if they could (because they "enjoy" me). This was the SAME reason given to me last year. I AM THOROUGHLY DISSAPOINTED.

not happy with the fact that this school has cut down to only one connections class now, so a student who is in band can't take art or p.e.? And they cut the gifted program all together? What are my tax dollars going to? Having a gifted certified teacher teach a class mixed with all kinds of students is a huge disadvantage to those gifted students. They could at least put them all in the same class and teach on a different pace. My biggest fear is that my child is going to "dumb down" to less than average because of the school's inability and lack of funds to teach him on the level he needs and deserves to be taught on. And I hear that parent participation and volunteering is not something that this administration welcomes. It is only day 3, but so far I am seeing teachers that act like they are glorified babysitters and "it aint their problem". Not all of the ones I have met, but more than I would like to know! I hope I am wrong but NOT impressed right now :(
--Submitted by a parent

People are missing the whole point of West Chatham Middle School. Besides what they make us do in the cafeteria or how the bathrooms may look. At the end of the day what matters is that we all come to school to learn not make friends or fit in with the crowd or talk back and or distrupt our public learning enviorment. But to do or work, learn something new each day,and be proud of the decisions we make no matter if it means taking a risk or makeing a mistake knowing along the well learn from it. If it wasnt for the teachers and the students around me in West Chatham i wouldnt be able to stand on my on two feet and learn to do things for my self and be and independent person. So i thank West Chatham for giving me the best two going on three years of my life in middle school. Thank You West Chatham
--Submitted by a student

Not a great school! In the recent three years incidents of student and teacher misbehavior have continued to skyrocket. The school is not well kept inside and often my child complains of the filthy bathrooms and she is made to pass a dirty clorox wipe down her lunch table every day. She is not happy with the huge numbers of students in her connections classes. She complains that they never do anything because the teacher is fussing at the bad kids. This happens througout the day and she was nervous about passing her CRCT. She feels like the school principal shows favoritism because she has seen her teacher crying after being verbally reprimanded about her dress when she watches other teachers wear 6 inch heels and corset tops in their classrooms. If we could afford private school my family and many others in the community would go in a hurry.
--Submitted by a parent

We have had good experiences here. The teachers are willing to help. I get phone calls,if my daughter seems to be struggleing with something. Dr. caughman was my now highschoolers math teacher when she was in middle school. Nothing gets past him. Tough teacher,but,challenges the students,and wants them to learn. Great school sports,especially soccer. As far as the children staying with the same group of children all day, is untrue. they have other classes that they have chose .electives. So, anyway we are happy. Although i think that the princ. could be more involved and intune with the students,and parents. But, the teachers a great. Also, my elementry daughter has the same OT as westchatham. She is wonderful!!
--Submitted by a parent

a very clean and friendly school
--Submitted by a parent

First of all, many of the students who attend with my daughter are horribly behaved. The teachers do all they can to maintain classroom discipline, but there are many kids who simply do not want to be there. In addition, these few kids make learning hard for the kids who genuinely want to be there. Many parents have not raised their child with values and manners, and these kids will not conform to the school rules, which aren't unreasonable. Secondly, to the parent below who said students need time to socialize, I don't believe there's anywhere in the curriculum that states students need to socialize during the instructional day. Socialization should happen on weekends and after school, but NOT in the classroom where some students are trying to learn.
--Submitted by Dawn Smith, a parent