Sandy Springs Charter Middle School

The rules seem excessively strict. Kids can't go outside by themselves.They can't go to the bathroom without permission. They have to walk along a painted line on the side of the halls, and there are teachers actually standing in the halls to enforce it. Basically they treat the kids like they're six years old. I don't know if it's like that at all schools now. We didn't have all that nonsense when we were in school, and we managed just fine. From an academic standpoint, the teachers are pretty good and they seem interested in helping the students. My other gripe is with the TAG program. There are simply too many kids in TAG who don't belong there. In grade school, TAG was limited to a select group, maybe the top 10%. At SSCMS, I think at least 30% of the students are in TAG, so the program is watered down.
—Submitted by a parent

While there are some dedicated teachers here, the overall atmosphere is very rough. Most of the students are not there to learn. This school is not about achievement, but caters to the lowest common denominator.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is wrapping up her first year at SSMS, and our experience has been very positive. The academic load is challenging without being totally overwhelming and the teachers are excited about what they are doing and take the time to get to know the kids. They use a team teaching approach, which is very effective. Teachers and administration are very open and approachable and respond quickly to any question or issue. My daughter has been very happy this year at SSCMS.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my son's second year at SSCMS and I have been very pleased with the quality of education he is receiving. The teachers are amazing, supportive yet demanding, and totally relate to kids this age. I love how the diversity reflects real life and I know my son will be so much more comfortable with all kinds of people because of this exposure. The administration is very proactive if they see that something isn't working well and they are quick to tweak a procedure if they think it is necessary. The school uses a team teaching approach, which is a proven success in teaching middle school students, and there are a variety of opportunities for kids to get involved and connected to the school community. I invite everyone to visit and see for themselves if our neighborhood school is a good fit for their child.
—Submitted by a parent

this is the worst school. there are many fights, food fights, and lots of bulling. the principal is also very defensive. first time i came to apply my child to come to this school, students around us were cursing and other bad things. this is the worst school in United states
—Submitted by a parent

I myself ejoyed the time i spent at sscms.I received honor roll and made great friends, the teachers were very helpful and adviced you about anything.There were some problems like fights and dissobidient students but i think its due to the way they are instructed at home.I would have liked to see more events that involved the students.
—Submitted by a student

Sandy Springs Charter Middle School is a fantastic school. The teachers are very committed to providing an excellent education to students of all levels, and the class sizes are much smaller than most public schools. Both of my children have attended SSCMS and have made great friends, and had the opportunity to take advantage of the many diverse extracurricular activities related to academics, sports, community service and leadership. My son was much more prepared for high school than the students from private schools who entered the same high school. Parents can set up their HomeAccess account to get notifications of any work not completed or failed.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is diverse, and while there can be problems as at every school, we have had a good experience there. The students that want to learn are getting a lot of the school. The students in the gifted program are very sharp and the teachers we met do care about the students. Also, the athletics are on the upswing. The inaugural football team won its league championship and the inaugural softball team only lost one game.
—Submitted by a parent

Its Ghetto , to many fights, kids come in there with mask's and start fights . No Security. Principal is never there . Sports team are not good, parents just drop there kids of and dont even go to the Games for support!! Just sad!!! All together is just not a good school.
—Submitted by a parent

they have many things going on at this school bad and good things the bads fights are a daliy bases here the secound week of school the windows were spray painted 3 days later at the 8th grade lunch 3 boys dressed in hollweon costumes came in the lunch room and threw eggs the good stuff teachers make u sucsed there is a great sport oprtarntiy for every grade exsoccer,cheerleading,volleyball,and football

Very disappointed with this school, the faculties (most of them) are so out of touch with the students. The parents have no say so in the school; the lack of communication is unacceptable. Many fights between the students happened in the 2009-2010 yr, NONE were communicated to the parents. I am glad my child is done there.
—Submitted by a parent

The students: Diverse: They are diverse and bring cultures from around the world to each and every child. The teachers: Care. Every child has a desire to learn, and this school, it's staff and teachers do what they can to bring out that desire. Communication: Unprecidented. With the technology and online access through "Parent Connect" parents are aware of EVERYTHING there is to know about their child to include upcoming tests, grades, tardies, etc. If you do not know what is going on with regard to your child's academic progress, honestly, it's because you failed to do your job as a parent. The Principal: Approachable. Even though her personality may indicate otherwise, just go up to her, speak to her, and you will see that she has an open door policy and is willing to sit and talk to you about any and everything.
—Submitted by a parent

This excellent, hard-working, caring neighborhood school is a testament to what every community middle school can be. With its excellent teachers, its open-door policy to parents, and its friendly, active student body, Sandy Springs Charter Middle School is a model for all schools supporting strong education with great diversity. The principal Kay Walker welcomes everyone and works with everyone, the SSCMS teachers are teachers who enjoy and have a talent and energy for teaching the middle school grades, and the parent volunteer base is strong and determined to take the school to new heights. The newly formed SSCMS Foundation is the braintrust of over 100 parents who are fully engaged in fundraising and goal setting for the school's needs and wants. This is an excellent middle school right in the strong N.Springs Charter High School cluster.
—Submitted by a parent

This school made the transition to 6st grade for my daughter seamless and enjoyable
—Submitted by a parent

Very disaapointed with the lack of communication between teacher and parent. My child received a 65 in Math and I was told she missed six homework assignments and I was never notified by any means. I come from NY; Long Island to be exact and this kind of behavior is not acceptable there. I would of been notified if my child was on going to fail a class. Her teacher was very nonchalant when I spoke with her about my child. Overall poor school. Don't send your child there.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a student at the new Sandy Springs Charter Middle School and this is my first year here starting in 7th grade. The students especially TAG students are very welcoming on the first day I had so many friends. I also love the fine arts department, the TAG teachers, and the language department. This school is really good in academics and socially. It is the best!
—Submitted by a student

My child has excelled academically and socially at SSMS. The charter will help to improve the school. The mandatory uniform requirement has helped with discipline. I feel that my child is ready for an academically challenging high school.
—Submitted by a parent

my child moved to that school because of the disrict and his grade average went from a C to an A.
—Submitted by a parent

My child went to sandy spring middle, but had t leave because of bulling issues. what's amazing is that the school never notify the parents. This school isn't bad for academic but the behavior of some students & teachers do give the school a bad rep. Alot of parents don't go to conferences , or hold their child accountable for their action. I don't think becoming a charter is going to change the behavior of some of these students but holding these parents accountable might do the trick. I just felt as a parent this school wasn't safe for my child due to bullying. I have met great teachers who care about the kids , but they too feel putting a charter name on the building isn't going to change anything
—Submitted by a parent

I feel that this school isn't challenging for my daughter. i don't see any critical thinking when it comes to the homeworks i don't feel that this school is preparring these kids for a challenging high school. the teachers are very young , an i feel that they not upholding the amount of discipline that is required to push these kids to the next level
—Submitted by a parent