Forest View Elementary School

We absolutely LOVE Forest View!! We are new to the area and heard about Durham schools being inferior to nearby Chapel Hill, but we couldn't be more pleased with Forest View. The teachers and principal are caring and truly make it a wonderful place. Our child has learned so much, and I love how the curriculum includes an emphasis on science. We also LOVE the diversity of the student body. Go Falcons!!
—Submitted by a parent

My son's first American education ( our American dream?!) started right here at Forest View. We have LOVE , plenty, for this school. The ESL teacher had tought /led/guided/helped my son with great compassion and efforts. Only one year, my son could get on a normal track an Language Arts class should be. Thank you. The diversity and very friendly/warm atmosphere were what attracted us. We
—Submitted by a parent

What do I love most about Forest View? I love it that the teachers collaborate to enhance education for all students. A recent example to demonstrate: on a beautiful day in April, the students walked to a nearby creek (part of Duke Forest). The dance, music, gym, and art teachers were there to help make the most of the day. The students played musical instruments, danced, and learned how to identify plants and animals. The technology / science enrichment teacher led them in lessons about the natural world. My daughter came home brimming with excitement and full of stories about her day outside. This outdoor education isn t limited to one day a year at Forest View, however. Most of the classrooms have gardens outside the windows (that are large enough to serve as doors and do for gardening purposes) and teachers conduct lessons during science time and have the students help in the gardens during recess. The kindergartners have a beautiful large garden all to themselves and a bog garden is nearby. My daughter s second grade teacher has the students begin recess every day by running a lap or two around the playground. Each lap is one third of a mile, and students keep records of how many laps they ve run. When they have run five miles, they get a token to put on a bracelet. In this way physical education is combined with the math curriculum. Subject matters are not learned in isolation at Forest View; rather each supports and strengthens the others, leading to a rich and deep educational experience. I also love the fact that there are students from all over the world in my daughter s classroom. One evening she announced at dinner that she loved her school because she could learn about China, India, and Mexico just by talking to her friends. Most of all, however, I love Forest View because my daughter is making tremendous academic and social strides. From the wonderful principal Neil Clay to the amazing specials teachers (one of whom created a 2nd grade science club for girls that meets three times a week after discovering that my daughter felt lonely as a junior scientist) to the incredible classroom teachers, I feel fortunate to send my child there every day.
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers that care about the students.
—Submitted by a parent

We still love Forest View. FV has been a wonderful experience for our three children. We have had children there over the past eight years and the school has consistently met their needs. We love so many things about our school: the amazingly diverse population FV has students from more than 25 countries; the teachers and administrators are accessible and helpful; the PTA is a vibrant part of the school; AIG classes, science and art; field trips to natural areas, farms, museums, Duke, and UNC enrich learning; a beautiful campus with a huge playground, sports fields, and a working farm and New Hope Creek nearby, We love being a part of this community and highly recommend the school to others.
—Submitted by a parent

Great enthusiastic teachers and a great place to send your child. This schools has ratings dragged down by a number of non english speakers. However, there are no behavior problems, and in fact children have a great exposure to other cultures and our child loves it here.
—Submitted by a parent

I love the way the classes are being tought. The kids are really learning alot here.
—Submitted by a parent

I've been very happy with this school for my son. He loves the school, tests at least a grade above level in reading and math, and this year, in fourth grade, is working on a newspaper and has joined the chorus. I find the teachers and administration creative, talented, open and responsive, always finding ways to challenge my son sometimes in small groups, and sometimes with the class as a whole. I love the school's diversity along every metric, and my son has learned great lessons from that diversity and has a wide variety of friends.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at Forest View are first rate and care for the children in all aspects of their learning - social as well as academic skills. We have been very happy with our child's experience and feel confident that the school will continue to be a wonderful place for elementary education.
—Submitted by a parent

Strong, professionally-accountable staff and infrastructure for enrichment, gifted and special needs services. Diverse population benefits from child-centered approach!
—Submitted by a parent

I have overall been happy with Forest View. My only disappointed so far has been the inconsistency of foreign language instruction. My child received Spanish instruction for only a couple months, and then the program 'disappeared.' My kids' class sizes have been reasonable, and the teachers so far have been committed.
—Submitted by a parent

We have been very happy at Forest View Elementary School. We opted out of our local school in Southwest Durham to attend Forest View because of the school s international flavor and welcoming environment. Once we were there we found great teachers and accessible administrators. Our oldest child has blossomed in this nurturing place. He loves his teachers, is being challenged by his curriculum, and has a variety of friends. While we don t put a lot of stock in standardized testing, he is testing above grade level and is prepared for middle school. Our experience was so positive we didn t hesitate to have his two younger siblings join him at Forest View. Parent involvement, key to any school s success, is good and is open to all. We ve made a lot of friends while volunteering at Forest View.
—Submitted by Geoff Dunkak, a parent

My kid just finished his kindergarten level, and I am quite satisfied with this school. Teachers were great and activites were just right for kids' involvement. My son really enjoys being there and he has already learned so much
—Submitted by a parent

I am thrilled with the school's diversity. My children have learned about other people and their cultures. Parent involvement is good and a strong part of Forest View. The sports, art and music programs are steadily increasing, and I am pleased that we are in this school district.
—Submitted by a parent

This school has much promise but some serious problems as well. One of its greatest aspects is parent involvement, as well as the multicultural nature of the school. There are also some great teachers. However there are too many teachers frustrated and too many children whose academic future is compromised. Classes are too large and kids are often guided by teacher helpers that teach them wrong information and are hardly 'there', ignoring the kids, which causes discipline problems. We ended up taking our child out of this school in the second grade after he complained of frustration at having to wait doing nothing for long periods.
—Submitted by a parent