Ligon Middle School

My son is a 7th grader at Ligon. We have been pleased with this school since day one! His teachers have been very good. They are approachable, and work hard to meet the needs of each student. The elective choices are phenomenal, and their discipline policy is outstanding. Every school is going to have some tough kids, but they seem to handle it well. I give high compliments to the principal, Gretta Dula. She is very visible, out and about with the students, and holds "principal coffees" that allow parents to meet with her. The security meeting she and her staff held after the Newtown tragedy was one of the best school meetings I have ever attended. Not only was it well organized and clearly presented, they stayed until every last question was answered. If only the busing issue could be resolved. My child's bus stops at Enloe, another high school, Carnage, then Ligon. We were faced with a 90 minute bus ride and ended up carpooling.
—Submitted by a parent

I stumbled on the Great Schools.org webstie while looking for reviews of high schools. My son is an 8th grader at Ligon and has been in the magnet system since kindergarten. He is currently in the AG program and takes advantage of the many art opportunities at Ligon. Our experience at Ligon has been very positive. While no school is perfect, a middle school that encourages academics and arts and welcomes individuality without much peer drama, is a very rare finding in most communities. I would highly recommend Ligon if you have an academically gifted child, especially one who enjoys the arts. That said, Ligon's athletics are very competitive with the other ITB middle schools. To summarize, Ligon offers a challenging academic curriculum and many opportunities to seek out gifts & talents that may go undetected in a more traditional middle school environment. Best of Luck!
—Submitted by a parent

After reading the most current parent review of Ligon, I felt that I must reply. It is unfortunate to hear that another magnet family is having such a disappointing experience. We too would have a 2 hour bus ride if they rode in the morning - definitely not worth it if you aren't happy with the school. We are nothing but THRILLED with Ligon (I have a 7th grader and a graduate who has moved on to 9th), but all we've experienced is AG. If your child qualifies, there's not a better middle school in Wake County. That being said, I wouldn't send my children here if they were on the GT track. There can be some behavior issues in electives, especially if the teacher is not willing to be firm with the zoned kids (not trying to generalize but in our experience at Ligon those are the serious trouble makers). However, that can be found at any school; some teachers know how to discipline effectively and fairly and some don't. That hasn't changed a bit since I taught middle school in the late 90's - some teachers can beautifully handle a class of 40 rowdy kids and some can't handle a group of 10! Ligon has a lot to offer, but it's not the right choice for every family. GOOD LUCK!
—Submitted by a parent

Well it's almost the end of the first quarter and I have mixed feelings about this school. On the 1 hand it's nice to have all the electives, on the other it makes for ALOT of homework. We're a magnet family, so the almost 2 hour bus ride is a HUGE downside too. TRUST me...waking your kids up at 5am is not pretty. It makes for some seriously cranky preteens/teens. My child is in the GT population not the AG population. AG kids seem to get the better teachers. My child has a Language Arts teacher who consistently comes to class late, constantly asks the the kids how to spell words. Really??!! No lie! She also gives the children so much work because she is so slow in covering topics that the kids end up with a ton of work to do. Her vocabulary tests would have 20 words and 16 definitions. Her homework questions relating to a terrible book that was assigned, are vague and meaningless. My child's current math teacher...cannot teach! He doesn't go over homework so they don't even know, if what they did the night before, is correct. He just checks to see that they have writing on the paper. He's more interested in entertaining the kids than teaching them. Disappointing.
—Submitted by a parent

Ligon is a great school. Everything is great. From sports teams to science olympaids, Ligon masters it all. Last year I was involved in Concert Band, and the Student Council Executive Board. This was all exciting! I am going to the eighth grade now and I am an AG student. This is a great place for AG students. I am dual identified in both math and Language arts. Next year I will be taking Geometry (HS Credit). The worst thing about Ligon is bullying. That is the roughest spot. Everything else is good, but the bullying is extreme.

This is such a great school. The teachers are awesome. I love all the different science course the you can take. Band is awesome and hope for the best next year with a new teacher. Bus ride is long but I get to do homework and talk with my friends.

We have been extremely happy with Ligon. The teachers are amazing and challenge the kids and provide opportunities to participate in competitions outside the school. Principal Dula is friendly and approachable. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the option of sending our son to Ligon, and hope that his sister also gets into this school. This school is way better than private schools for AG students.
—Submitted by a parent

As an 8th grader of this school, I'm not looking forward to leaving this place. I met so many new friends and this school is extremely diverse, so I made friends of all kinds of races, and there has been no bullying at school, however there's an occassional fight every now and then, but you won't be harmed, as long as you don't start it or attack someone. The courses are very fun and they give you a variety of electives to choose from (200+). The teachers are friendly and Principal Dula is good with disciplining and befriending her students.Although the location is a bit intimidating, the school itself makes up for it. I'm loving every day at this school and I would say it's one of the best in the city.

As Iparents of a 6th grader at Ligon my husband and I are very happy with all that Ligon has to offer. From the administrative staff to the teachers to the principal,Ms. Dula. Since day 1 they have welcomed us! We feel very fortunate that our daughter has so many opportunities at Ligon. With our help, the diversity and the great teaching staff our daughter, and one day son, will have a great head start on life and the global world we live in. To us with all that Ligon offers from 5 languages to fencing. Ligon provides every student many many ways to learn and caters to each child's individual needs. There's something for every child there. I don''t even know of any private schools in the area that offer all that Ligon does. The recognition and honors that the students and , teachers have won and received speaks for itself. Not only in the arts and music but in academics as well. We can't say enough good things about Ligon. I totally agree with the parent from April 18. 2011. We love it!
—Submitted by a parent

We have a 6th grade student at Ligon and we have had a terrific year! The electives as well as the core classes have been enriching and offer a new level of learning in the arts. We have found the administration and especially the teaching staff very supportive and encouraging. Communication has been good with weekly phone messagers and e-mails. The 6th grade teachers were wonderful! We believe Ligon is a great fit for our child and our family.
—Submitted by a parent

Ligon offers something for every student. I am amazed at how much my children actually enjoyed going to school even though they found the academics challenging and rigorous. The wide array of electives and excellent teaching staff really keep the kids engaged. I am really impressed with the leadership at Ligon.
—Submitted by a parent

I go to Ligon Middle and I agree with the ratings that this is a great school. It has a very wide variety of electives. It has a great GT/AG program for gifted students. I am in 7th grade and had Ag classes last year and this year. It has a lot of after-school programs available such as: NJHS, Gentlemen of Excellence, Ladies of Distinction, Quad A, sports team, drama, art, and anime club. I think it is a great selection for those in the downtown area.

The teachers and classes are great. The selection of classes is wonderful. The administration is awful, particularly under the leadership of the principal, who has been here a year and is terrible. Uninvolved, disorganized, and generally not concerned with students.
—Submitted by a parent

New principal is really great!!! the teachers are great, the education and the atmosphere is wonderful!!!! is cool to be smart at Ligon Middle School!!! my son loves the school, the teachers and peers. I feel very confident he is been well prepare to be successful at high school and college. My son doesn't have transportation but we don't mine driving him every morning and afternoon because the high quality of education at Ligon is superior to our neighboreohood school! Ligon Middle School rocks!!!
—Submitted by a parent

Our school is the best! We have a variety of classes to choose from (along with core classes), and the teachers are very experienced. Ligon Middle School has a great Arts and Athletics Program as well. I am so lucky to go to this clean, fantastic school!
—Submitted by a parent

A wonderful school. I went here for 1 year after going to West Millbrook for 2 years and I learned 10 times more and made 10 times more friends. The atmosphere is wonderful, teachers are great, sooo many excurricular activities, and just a positive atmosphere. The school is diverse and it's great being surrounded by people who care about learning. Waking up at 5 was totally worth it.
—Submitted by a student

Ligon Middle School is probably one of the best options in the Wake County School system. Many elementary school parents dont know that the neighborhood middle schools only offer one elective. At Ligon, they get three electives per quarter. The teachers are top notch and push the kids quite a bit. I am not sure the instructional level in the AG only classes is actually higher than that in the NonAG classes, but I think it is great for AG students not to be subjected to constant review. The cons include a massive, scary and disorganized bus service. Students have to get up early, really early and spend time being 'bussed' to school. They ride along with High School students going to Enloe. There are express buses, but these are crowded, and don't really seem to save much time overall. Great only for the strong AG student who needs variety.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is wonderful! I am a 6th grader here and it awesome! I know my teachers are really doing a good job! They challenge me while help is always there for us. Cons: Early wake up time, I get up at 5:15! Location, but we have a bus that takes us there.
—Submitted by a student

I'm so sorry we didn't know about Ligon sooner. My daughter entered Ligon in 8th grade, giving up the security and convenience of our neighborhood school, Wakefield Middle. Although, Ligon is a bit more challenging, and I hear more complaining about the amount of homework, we could not be happier. I feel this school is preparing her for the reality of the work that will come in high school. It is cool to be smart in this school. The electives are varied and top notch. She looks forward to her New York City trip next March. Her class will not only visit the theatre, museums, and famous sights and sounds of NY, but will also take part in a workshop with 5 time Tony Award winning costume designer, William Ivey Long. Rather than worrying about what she's wearing, I think her peers care more about how she's thinking. Thank you Ligon.
—Submitted by Janice Williams, a parent

I have two children at Ligon this year. Now in our third year, I have nothing but praise. The AG program is top-notch. The teachers are exceptional and know how to challenge the students. Most students in this program are motivated to do well, and are supportive of each other, not competitive. Social cliques seem rare. Kids come from many elementary schools, so finding friends is not a problem. The elective choices are amazing--and the arts programs unbelievable. We have had only two 'weak' teachers, and they both were not hired back for the following year. Cons: location and early start time make for an early morning--but I gladly wake my children at 6 a.m. for this school! The recent renovations are making the physical building as excellent as the programs within! This school is not for everyone, but for motivated AG students and those who love the arts, it's great!
—Submitted by a parent