Kestrel Heights School

Posted: September 19, 2024

I transferred my daughter over to Kestrel going into her 3rd grade year and my son started that same year in Kinder. That had been the first school that I was completely happy with and didn't feel like the whole experience was impersonal. The environment, the teachers, communications, EVERYTHING was exactly what we needed to feel comfortable. My daughter is now an 8th grader this year, my son is a 5th grader, I have a 2nd grader, and next year an incoming kindergartener. That is how happy I am with Kestrel. My kids love this school and their friends as well as all of the staff. It is almost like family.

Posted: September 19, 2024

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Posted: September 18, 2024

My son is in kindergarten. I have to say I love this school. I love the small setting of the classroom making it easier for children to learn. The staff keep you updated about different things that's happening in school.

Posted: September 18, 2024

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Posted: September 16, 2024

My godson started kindergarten at Kestrel this Fall. We were concerned on his transition and how he would adjust, but no issues. The staff, his teacher and TA are exceptional. He loves the school and so do we. It was a great choice and we are pleased.

Posted: September 16, 2024

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Posted: September 14, 2024

This is our second year at Kestrel Heights, and we have found that the school’s quality aligns with the level of engagement you bring as a parent. If you are proactive and advocate for your child's needs, you’ll likely have a positive experience. The teachers and administration are receptive and committed to enhancing the school's programs. The faculty is diverse, and the middle school offers a wide range of electives. Additionally, the band program is outstanding, and the use of uniforms adds a nice touch to the overall school environment. Regarding social-emotional support, my neutral view stems from comparing what was provided during the height of Cost. Post Covid, the extent of support declined some. I also think the kids in middle school are more excited about hanging out with each other and this is hard to compete with.

Posted: September 14, 2024

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Posted: December 4, 2022

We had a terrible experience. There is a culture of harshness and coldness in the elementary school that flows from the top. They seem to want it to be a military school not an elementary school. Teachers are cruel and very punishment motivated. My son's teacher was telling his six year old classmates they deserved to be suspended. My son had panic attacks at 6 years old because of how cruel the substitutes were. The school has no nurse or protocols to prevent the spread of illness and my children have been sick frequently. Instead of voicing concern abouthis physical health or the panic attacks he was suffering from, the administration sent me a threatening letter that said they would have CPS investigate me if he continued to miss school even due to illness. The counselor ignored repeated requests for disability accommodations. Also, the students hardly ever have outdoor recess. There is little to no teacher to parent communication - no elementary parent teacher conferences and they will not even allow parents in the building. Parent engagement seems to be discouraged, unless you are willing to pay to join the PTA. Please research your other options before sending your children here.

Posted: December 4, 2022

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Posted: February 18, 2021

Kestrel is a wonderful, smaller charter school. My daughter is in 2nd grade and my son will be entering Kindergarten in the fall. We have been very pleased with the school overall. The teachers are great - compassionate, kind yet firm. The administration is ALWAYS just a call or email away and regularly includes parents in decisions about the school. I have been very impressed with the level of communication during Covid times and am so very thankful my child is attending Kestrel and not one of the DPS or Wake Co. schools. Those folks always seem very confused about what's going on, and there is never any confusion on my end. I would absolutely recommend this school to anyone looking for a collaborative, effective and fun learning experience for their child.

Posted: February 18, 2021

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Posted: September 4, 2019

Poor experience. I would not send my dog here!

Posted: September 4, 2019

They don’t assign consistent homework and what they learn, is from worksheets, not much teaching

Posted: September 4, 2019

They do just enough to get by.

Posted: September 4, 2019

Not effective. They label kids and once they are labeled, they don’t help. They have favorites.

Posted: September 4, 2019

Administration is unprofessional and unfit to be administrators at a school dealing with children.

Posted: September 4, 2019

I have no experience with this. They seem to, but I don’t know. They seem to do a lot, but they don’t.

Posted: September 4, 2019

They deal with what they want to and who they want to. Boys have gotten away with a lot of stuff that they have done to the girls, and still get to come to school.

Posted: July 17, 2017

This school has undergone some bad press because of leadership mistakes and responded by keeping those responsible on staff and letting go loyal teachers....those that deeply cared for the students and were there from the school's inception. This school was originally designed to support the kids in this area and be a school that offered students a more personal learning environment. Teachers that are truly there for the kids. The board of this school has changed over the years and has pushed out the people that started this school and have now made this school like a business. You will notice they are attempting to "re-brand" this school. But what they have done is fire the left over dedicated teachers. You will see a dramatic difference this year in every aspect and when parents wonder what has changed and why it is so different......ask their principal. I am sure she will have a very rehearsed response. I think it's great that some parents still feel support from the teachers there, but these are the teachers that aren't getting support from their administration.

Posted: July 17, 2017

Posted: January 23, 2017

We only had one small experience and the teacher immediatly dealt with it and let us know in detail. My son didn't really think it was a big deal but I was glad to know that they were very proactive about it.

Posted: January 23, 2017

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Posted: January 23, 2017

The homework gives me a chance to work with my child one-on-one and to gauge his strengths and weaknesses. I was a little surprised at the amount of homework initially but I also see the value in his education.

Posted: January 23, 2017

We really love this school. We have had fabulous teachers and feel the academic standards are preparing our child to be competitive in his future. The elementary principal, music and dance program, and PE education is excellent.

Posted: October 13, 2016

Posted: October 13, 2016

Posted: October 13, 2016

The principal is pretty good but the do not receive criticism of their staff. They do not listen to the parents when there is a problem with one of their teachers.

Posted: October 13, 2016

If you are going to show good character one of the best ways is to treat the children with respect and not yell at them when they make a mistake.

Posted: October 13, 2016

Most teachers at this school are very helpful but one was too strict and was not very supportive

Posted: October 13, 2016

Too much homework, too many projects at one time. You need to let kids be kids and not treat them like adults.

Posted: October 13, 2016

This school puts too much press on kids. This especially starts in the 5th grade. I saw my A, B student go down to a C. Most of the teachers are not but we did have a run in with one teacher that was very mean. I found my child starting to lose their self confidence and begin to feel they were stupid. The pressure is unbelivable. Too much homework, plus on top of that they add 3-4 projects at the same time. Kids should be kids for as long as they can. On the other hand the younger grades were very good. My other child really enjoyed her classes. But again the pressure and stress I saw in my older child was not worth keeping them there longer than 2 months. If you only option is Durham Public School I would this school is definitely a better choice but if you have better options I would choose them.

Posted: September 2, 2016

This school is awesome. My son has been there two years and has special needs due to dyslexia and ADD. The teachers are extremely attentive amd compassionate amd always go the extra mile to communicate with me

Posted: August 2, 2016

Posted: August 2, 2016

Posted: June 27, 2016

2015-2016 My son attended for 6th grade. Compared to the public school my son attended prior year; I can honestly say Kestrel is better. His teachers always communicated with me on any issue good or bad. The teachers challenged him where he needed it instead of letting him skate on thru.
There are downsides like no cafeteria & pick up and drop off is a pain however, I rather have my son to be successful and challenged!

Posted: April 22, 2016

Posted: April 22, 2016

this school sucks the teachers are mean and there is to much homework also the teachers don't communicate with each other and give like four projects at once?

Posted: April 21, 2015

As an elementary parent, I am extremely disappointed. The teachers are not certified and are not prepared to teach common core. There is no support for the student and all the expectations are on the parent.

Posted: October 8, 2014

My daughter has been going to Kestrel Heights Elementary for 2 years now. I really love the school. The teachers and principal are really great. It really feels like a family at Kestrel. I feel that my child is challenged and her teacher offers additional work so that she is not bored in the classroom. I highly recommend Kestrel Heights.

Posted: January 28, 2014

This is our first year at Kestrel Elementary. We could not be happier with the education that our daughter has received so far. She has blossomed so much in the last 6 months or so, and we contribute most of that to her teachers. What I love about the school are the "4 R's that they live by: Respect your environment, Respect Yourself, Responsibility, and Respect others! If our children live by these they will grow into caring individuals who care for their enviroments and others. We also adore their teachers. They are so loving and caring, and not just my child's teachers, all of the teachers in the elementary school treat her like their own student. When she is upset they comfort her. They are truly all like family! We could not be happier! Not to mention...she is learning so much! : )

Posted: January 3, 2014

I am a student at Kestrel Heights School. I have been going there since the sixth grade and I am now in tenth grade . Although the middle school has had some staff changes, I think it is excellent. The high school is another story. There are only a few good teachers and even the good teachers don't teach advance material. The high school lacks AP and Honors courses because of the lack of staff. The principal doesn't do much to improve the school. The school lacks a cafeteria and an auditorium because of budget problems. The school lacks advanced technology and most of the computers are old or broken. The outdoor environment looks bad. The landscape isn't good and needs work. They also have a bug problem that they never fix. I plan to leave the school after this school year if I can find a better school. Personally I would put my child at the middle school and take them out after eighth grade otherwise your child might be bored and they won't receive the help they need to get into a good college.

Posted: December 22, 2013

I have two children at Kestrel Elementary, and we love it there. The teachers are excellent, the special education teachers are outstanding, and my children are thriving. We considered many other schools (private, traditional public, magnet, and charter) before choosing Kestrel, and we definitely made the right choice. The school is small, and the staff all know my children and family.

Posted: December 16, 2013

The middle and high school are excellent! I highly recommend them, but the elementary school still needs some work. We transferred our child after a year and a half at the school. Not happy with the teachers there. We had a child there for middle school and is currently in her 2nd year at the high school.

Posted: December 11, 2013

Great School! We have two girls here, elementary and high school. We've been part of the Kestrel family for 4 years. We love the warm, nurturing, peaceful environment, caring teachers and staff, ease of communication,regular updates, diversity among student population and staff. We wouldn't want my girls anywhere else!

Posted: November 15, 2013

We have been in the new elementary school for over a year now. Last year our son was in the 2nd grade. We were not impressed with the second grade teacher at all; however, the principal was very responsive and worked with us as parents and the teacher so we could find some common ground. This year, in 3rd grade, we are much happier. The primary teacher is excellent and the special teachers are very good. Kestrel is a small school. Everyone knows our names. The elementary school is brand new and is still figuring some things out. I think the school will be excellent with a few more years under its belt.

Posted: October 28, 2013

Our son started at Kestrel Elementary last year in the 5th grade and has now moved in to Kestrel Middle school. Last year, being the first year of the Elementary school was a bit shaky at times as the teachers worked the kinks out, but it was clear the teachers were doing their best and truly cared about the kids. This year in the Middle School we have absolutely fallen in love with Kestrel. The teachers are some of the best I've ever seen and the way they have divided up the core classes, alternating two each day for two hours, verses all 4 each day for one hour, has made a HUGE difference in how my ADHD child is performing. So impressed with all of the teachers, their methods and the absolute dedication to helping each student succeed. I can't say enough good things at the Middle School.

Posted: October 27, 2013

So far, we have had an entirely positive experience at Kestrel Elementary School. We have found the teacher superb, the quality of instruction and curriculum very high and both of our kids are thriving. We are into our second year and could not be more pleased!

Posted: October 27, 2013

It is a school where students can excell at their own pace and in their own individual way!!

Posted: October 27, 2013

Small class size, great teachers/staff, great diversity and parent involvement all make this school top notch!! The teachers are very responsive and work with each student to help them reach their highest potential. The emphasis is on developing critical thinking skills and good citizenship. Kestrel really does feel like a private school education minus the tuition bill. We feel very fortunate to be part of this school.

Posted: October 27, 2013

I like the small, intimate nature of this school. The teachers truly care about the students' success, and the academic standards are high. The elementary school is new last year, and there have been a few kinks with working out the logistics, but so far this year is much smoother than last year. Overall, very few complaints, and a very dedicated staff and teaching faculty.

Posted: October 27, 2013

I have a first grader and my child loves this school. This school has great diversity. The teachers are great and really care about the kids. The Elementary school is in the 2nd year now, it has had its ups and downs, but thanks to the hard work and dedication of the fabulous teachers and great parent involvement my child has thrived. I expect that Kestrel will continue to get better and better and am so glad that my child has this opportunity to grow up in such a great learning environment.

Posted: October 27, 2013

Kestrel is a great school. We love the small class sizes, and the smaller school feel. Teachers and staff are awesome. My daughter is doing very well so far, and is always happy to go to school.

Posted: September 23, 2013

We have enjoyed Kestrel thus far. The school is quite diverse and offers many options for our 5th grader to grow academically!

Posted: September 1, 2013

kestrel heights middle school really good school. Very nice teachers and classes Also the parent to teacher communication is amazing. Keep it up kestrel

Posted: March 10, 2013

Three of three children have attended middle school here and we could not be more pleased. Highly recommend. If the elementary school had been around when they were younger they would have attended there as well. When they completed Kestrel Middle School they were more than ready for high school.