Olive Chapel Elementary in Apex | Military Town Advisor

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	10/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Course Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	9/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student growth data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Posted: July 31, 2026

This school is an absolutely incredible school to attend! The teachers and administrative staff have always been lovely. The kids love being there and are excited to learn!

The IEP team is also fantastic and very helpful. They offer great support for my daughters needs and have help her grown tremendously.

I love the focus on reading, and growth mindset in the early grades.

This really is a 10/10 school and we are so lucky to attend!

Posted: July 31, 2026

Posted: September 15, 2025

We have had two children attend Olive Chapel so far and they are both thriving! The teachers are professional, caring, and dedicated to their craft! We have always received excellent communication from our children's teachers about what they are learning as well as how they are being supported in the classroom. Additionally, the administration does an amazing job being transparent and open to parent ideas and any concerns! It is evident the school community cares for students and are invested in their success! We are incredibly pleased with the education are children are receiving at Olive Chapel and recommend it without hesitation to anyone looking for a high-quality, warm, and fun atmosphere for their family!

Posted: September 15, 2025

Posted: September 11, 2025

Olive Chapel Elementary is an outstanding school. From top to bottom the administration, teachers, cafeteria staff, instructional assistants, special needs staff, counselors, custodians are top notch. They are all helpful, intentional, caring, and passionate about their work. Our family has been with the school for 6 years. I have enjoyed the community and the culture at this school. Everyone is very welcoming and warm. The PTA is amazing and extremely involved. Highly recommend this school and am very grateful my children have the opportunity to go to this school.

Posted: September 11, 2025

Posted: September 9, 2025

Our family has been at OCE for the past four years with two students there currently. I cannot say enough how wonderful the teachers and staff are at this school. They care so much about each and every student and truly go above and beyond to help students learn. When my son was struggling with anxiety, I received daily updates from his teacher and counseling staff, making what was a scary time for me as a parent so much easier knowing he was in good hands. One of my students is in the AIG program for gifted students and the teachers there have been wonderful as well, making sure he is getting the challenge he needs to remain engaged. When my other student was struggling with reading, they immediately provided the resources and support to help get him caught up to grade level. The front office staff is wonderful to interact with, and they make every student feel so special. The administrative staff works so hard to make sure the school and teachers have all the resources they need and you can see how much they care about the school and the students. The PTA is very involved and provides a lot of great events and funding for school projects. I highly recommend this school and am so glad to be a part of the school community.

Posted: September 9, 2025

Posted: September 7, 2025

We have been at OCE for 5 years now and have loved every minute of it! My kids have loved every single one of their teachers. I have seen them learn so much and gain so much confidence dude me in themselves. The teachers here establish a community with their students, and that gives them such a sense of respect that I see them grow!

Ive volunteered for years here as well. I have worked with students individually and have seen their personal growth over the school year. I volunteer in the cafeteria at lunch and love interacting with the students. You get a sense that they are happy to be at school and are enjoying their day!

The specials at this school are wonderful! The teachers really own their craft and create a love for it in the students. There are also TONS of clubs for the students to join (LEGO, Table Games, Art, Little Readers, Journalism, and Girls Who Code just to name a few).

I have also spent years working with the counselors at OCE and have nothing but glowing reviews for them! They have taken the time to know my kids on an individual level. They establish a great rapport with each student and create a sense of trust, so the students feel seen, heard, and understood.

The PTA goes above and beyond to create fun experiences for the students throughout the year. The PTA also works extremely hard to raise money for the school to create more opportunities for the students to have the best education (like buying programs for the teachers to use, shade structures outside at recess, new and better equipment for teachers to use in the classroom, etc.).

Overall, students have a wonderful learning environment at OCE. The teachers, specials, and clubs at OCE create an amazing learning experience for the students. You can really get involved at the school as a parent, which I really have loved being able to do over the years.

I would highly recommend OCE to any student and family! We were rezoned to a different school and decided to stay at OCE. I dread the day my kids all leave OCE. I have nothing but great things to say, as my experience has been top notch here.

Posted: September 7, 2025

Posted: September 5, 2025

I have two kids at Olive Chapel and weve been a part of the OCE community for four years now. My kids both love the school and I feel confident that they are receiving a high quality, well-rounded education. Their teachers have always been incredibly supportive of their unique educational needs and even helped us navigate the IEP process for our oldest child. It eases my mind to know that everyone at the schoolincluding the front office staff, teachers, specialists, and principalsnot only knows my children by name, but also cares about their social and emotional wellbeing as much as their academic progress.

Posted: September 5, 2025

Amazing school with caring staff and teachers, and a wonderful administration that manages the incredibly difficult task of a year round elementary school so well! I have had two kids here, one is there currently, and I have nothing but good things to say.

Posted: September 5, 2025

Being part of the OCE family is truly a one of a kind experience. The staff and teachers truly care about the students, and it shows in every aspect of the school. One of the things that makes this school so special is the wide variety of programs that give every child the chance to shine. Over the past 8 years our kids have experienced inspiring cultural arts speakers, participated in the amazing chorus and drama club performances and even specialized instruction through the AIG program. OCE offers so many opportunities for students to explore their creativity and talents. The PTA supports and funds "The Picket Fence Project" as another unique highlight that really brings the 5th grade classes together by creating a unique fence post featuring each student and adds to the landscape of the school. We feel fortunate to have both our children be part of a school that not only values academics, but also enriches students lives through arts, culture, and community projects. OCE is truly a place where children can learn, grow, and discover their passions!

Posted: September 5, 2025

My child has been at OCE since kindergarten and is currently in 4th grade. We have loved the family/community feel of this school. My kiddo has/had excellent teachers and all staff have been so welcoming and helpful every time I am in the school. There is a beautiful loving environment with a vibrant PTA and many opportunities to be engaged. Im impressed with the clubs and other extra curriculars that are offered.

Posted: September 5, 2025

Posted: August 29, 2025

This school creates such an inclusive community. It engages the teachers, students, and families.

Posted: August 29, 2025

Posted: June 25, 2025

My expectations fell far short with this elementary school. Some great staff. Lots of good staff are leaving. Very questionable leadership. Probably time for a change. This was a 10/10 school 24 months ago. Not today. Not close. Very disappointed. Children deserve better than what's being delivered. Some grown ups need to check their egos at the door.
Avoid if you have an IEP, BIP, 401
It's a circus. Disrespectful circus.

Posted: July 5, 2022

We have loved our time at Olive Chapel Elementary! My oldest went there from 2-5th grade and now my youngest just finished kindergarten at OCE. Both have really blossomed. It was definitely hard (for everyone I believe) during the COVID time but before/after that things have been amazing! And even during COVID when it wasnt ideal, those teachers and admin went above and beyond! I know my sons teacher even came to our home on multiple occasions and dropped off words of encouragement or little things to keep spirits up, as she did with all the kids in her class.

Posted: November 10, 2021

The is the most loving school staff that I have ever witnessed. Dedication and attention to detail in all facets of the staff's performance!

Posted: November 10, 2021

Posted: October 25, 2019

Excellent school. The principal is one of the best weve ever had.

Posted: October 25, 2019

Posted: January 25, 2018

I am extremely impressed by Dr. Steidinger. She seems extremely dedicated to personal communication with parents and takes pains to make sure that parents feel comfortable reaching out to her directly.

Posted: January 25, 2018

I am new to the community, so I don't have enough data yet to make a truly informed comment, but my experience with Dr. Steidinger is a very positive indicator of what is possible in the school. She is a true asset to the school.

Posted: January 25, 2018

Posted: October 23, 2017

This school is Exceptional. Although most of the schools in Wake county are great schools, this school stands out. The principal is very focused on the overall development of the child that comes to this school. The teachers are very dedicated and answer all the questions that we as parents have. The teaching methods and the learning environment is very conducive to the overall development of the kids. Our kid is always excited to go to the school in the mornings and always ready to share what happened during the day. There are always some pluses and minuses when it comes to the overall satisfaction of such a large community, but so far we are impressed.
The school being a year round school works out very well for us working parents. We don't need to wait till the summer times to plan our vacation. The kids get few weeks off after so many weeks and they go back to school when things are still fresh in their mind. I was kind of reluctant in the beginning about this type of school calendar, but now I see the benefits.
Overall I am really happy with how things are going.

Posted: October 23, 2017

Our kid is in Kindergarten and he gets homeworks assigned everyday based on the scheduled activity that day. The communications from his teachers is great.

Posted: October 23, 2017

Teachers focus on individual development of the kids and their well-being. I have a shy kid and after going to this school I have found him open up more than I expected. Teachers go beyond their reach to help kids and parents.

Posted: October 23, 2017

Totally agree with the approach the school is taking. The SAIL motto they have works for my kid.

Posted: October 23, 2017

The principal and her assistant and all other staff are very responsive and have a great vision.

Posted: October 23, 2017

My kid is shy and used to have issues with opening up. Now after few months at school I have seen vast difference on his openness. He is not scared to ask questions and say what he wants to say.

Posted: October 23, 2017

So far I have not had any issues with bullying.

Posted: August 24, 2017

I moved here from another state which I regret. I have never met people in my life so cold and rude towards enrolling your child into school. This is the base school for our address but the school is a 30 min drive so that is problem another issue is that it's a year round school I don't even have the option to switch her to a traditional school but the school year already started weeks ago BUT they still wont accept her. I bought in all the required documentation for enrollment including the lease. I was told that since I'm not the leaseholder and just an occupant on the lease that I could not get her enrolled without a notarized affidavit from the leaseholder stating that I live at the address because being an occupant is not a permanent address. So I went to the board they referred me to the Mckinney- Vento Liasion technically since I'm considered homeless because I am not the leaseholder. Fast forward I speak with someone today told them the situation she says that since I AM an occupant that makes me a permanent resident of the address. So if that is the case why is it a problem to get my child enrolled in school? If your saying an occupant is a permanent resident even though they are not the leaseholder then why should I need an affidavit? They contradict what they are saying and give false information.

The definition of occupant is as follows; a person who resides or is present in a house, vehicle, seat, place, etc., at a given time.

synonyms:resident, inhabitant, owner, householder,tenant, renter, leaseholder, lessee

So again why is it so difficult to get my child in school. I honestly feel like I was discriminated against because of my race. Both times I have tried to get her enrolled I was never greeted with a warm hello the social worker or whoever is in charge never properly introduced herself. It was just a very cold environment, lack of communication, and OBVIOUS discrimination. So with that being said I wouldn't feel comfortable for my child to attend this school. If they treat a new parent that comes in to enroll their child the way that I was treated I wouldn't dare trust my kid to be there alone all day with their staff. I thought a child's education is important and no one will be left behind but obviously it's not true in the school system here in Wake County.

Posted: January 20, 2017

This is our first year but great experience. Loved the kindergarten orientation at the beginning of the year and have been impressed by the administration. Incredible hard working teachers that really care about the students. My daughter has an amazing teacher - great communication and the students adore her. It is incredible what my child has learned in six months - really setting her up for success. Excellent school.

Posted: January 19, 2017

With the new administration, things have gotten much better at Olive Chapel Elementary School!! The teachers, administration, staff and parents are all dedicated to making a positive learning environment for students. Oliver Chapel elementary is an excellent school where teacher's really care about their students! We love the year around calendar that is offered there. My children love the school!

Posted: January 19, 2017

Great staff and amazing teachers. New principal Dr. Steidinger (sp?) has corrected many of the communication issues that haunted the previous administration. I've had 2 children at this school for 6 years and we have a wonderful experience at OCE.

Posted: January 14, 2017

Posted: January 13, 2017

Our experience at OCE has been nothing but wonderful. My child loves going to school. The teachers we've had make learning fun. The guidance lessons aim at having open discussions including fighting against bullies and how to handle the situation if the child witnesses or experiences bullying. Parent involvement is active. There is a vast array of diversity. My child's class has children from at least six different countries. The PTA strives to raise money and treat teachers well. Parent communication has increased with the new administration.

Posted: October 31, 2016

They talk about it in the class in increase the awareness.

Posted: October 31, 2016

Great AIG teachers. Helped us understand the pros and cons of various accelerated programs (Ms. Danielle Green)

Posted: October 31, 2016

Dr. Steidinger is great! So are the rest of the team.

Posted: October 31, 2016

Kind, effective. Our child looks forward to going to school everyday

Posted: October 31, 2016

Great teachers, excellent communication. A lot has changed in the past year and most of the issues from older reviews have been addressed. The new Principal has a lot to do with these changes. We are happy our child goes to this school.

Posted: September 28, 2015

Administration seems more interested in covering themselves than listening to parent concerns. They do not take responsibility for their actions. If you have issues, I recommend keeping it all in writing and not only phone and conference. Unfortunately I thought this was a great school until I had to speak to the Administration.

Posted: July 18, 2015

Unless your child is starting kindergarten, new families are in the dark. The administrative staff does not clearly communicate procedures for carpool, meal plans, ID's or anything. I think they are very disorganized with their "learn and apply as you go" way of doing things.
We came from a traditional school experience where all the meal, transportation and other logistics were done on Registration Day, BEFORE school starts. Maybe the track schedule makes this more challenging for the school, but since 3 of the 4 tracks start the same day, I don't see why logistics can't be completed before school starts. They even had a welcome night for new OCE families and didn't provide a "new family packet" of sorts including necessary forms for the start of the school year. What on earth?!
As though this is not enough, I feel like we're being nickel and dimed for the supplies. We're being required to purchase agendas for our kids and pay for subscriptions to children's publication's as part of their curriculum like Time for Kids. I don't mind investing in my child's education, however, I prefer to have a choice over the books and magazines I want to purchase for my kids. Again, in traditional school we paid a registration fee, the teachers provided the agendas and we the parents got to choose to order publications from Scholastic instead of the school imposing publications on us.
This is our first year in this year round experience and I'm not happy. I will stick it out the rest of the year and see how my kids do. I'll try to update my review as the year continues.

Posted: June 26, 2015

Posted: May 12, 2015

The only reason I'm writing a review on this site is because there isn't a site called poorschools.org. The ineffective leadership team at this school is driving a once thriving learning atmosphere into a place filled with poor attitudes and horrible culture. We've had 2 children (one now in high school and one in middle) come through Olive chapel and have wonderful experiences. Our youngest (now 4th grader) is not on pace to have anywhere near the same experience. Due to Mrs. Lavery's poor leadership and guidance its been relayed to us that over 1/3 of the staff are leaving this year, this is in addition to the over dozen that have left the prior 2 years. What once was a great learning environment for our children is now being filled with inexperienced, inferior educators. Decisions are being made NOT with the school or children's best interest at heart. I don't blame any of the teachers for leaving and myself and most of my neighbors are doing everything we can to get our children out of there as quickly as possible. If you are looking for a school to shape our leaders of tomorrow, look elsewhere. Olive chapel elementary is NOT the place to send them.

Posted: May 11, 2015

We've been at OCE for about 8 years and we have really been sad to see current administration's lack of leadership. While many of the teachers have been great there is a flood of talent leaving and its clear that administration is a root cause. Its time for a change at the top. Glad we are almost done.

Posted: September 22, 2013

I feel OCE has an exceptionally strong bond among the parents because the parents and kids (in each track) have an opportunity to bond over time since they are together for all of elementary school versus a year round school where your child will be placed with kids in their grade which includes 5-6 classes versus 2 classes in a year round school.

Posted: September 7, 2013

My daughter finished with Olive Chapel and had a good experience, but my second grader has not. New and inexperienced teachers at every grade, overcrowded, and no nurturing support. I feel my son is loosing valuable time at this school. I feel the school has gone backwards in terms of progress.

Posted: September 6, 2013

My son is in 2nd grade now. We are not pleased with the qualification of teachers. Instead of focusing on providing quality care for little children, they are rule keepers. They do not care about students' emotional/mental/psychological health at all. They worry too much about not being in trouble after incidents or problems happened by students. The education is not good at all. My son is 1-2 grades behind.

Posted: May 17, 2013

my son started there in 2009-2010 school year, first grade was rather bumpy!! second grade better!! i absolutely loved mrs price, third grade, great!! love mrs adame!! fourth grade, good, loved ms cowen, but she left!! i think that mr tussey is great for my son, i love the school, though communication can be fine tuned some but it is still a great school. (bus transportation issues) i have been dealing with wcpss since 1994 consecutively!! and with my last child starting school in 2008 this is the first time i actually had to deal with the zone issues that put my son ( who lives in cary) in a school that is in apex, with the bussing issues that has him getting home more than sometimes 2 hours after dismissal when there are 4 schools that are closer and 3 in walking distance. my son loves his school very much! and that is worth keeping him there and not moving him again!1 thank you!!

Posted: December 6, 2012

We have not been pleased with the school. The parent volunteers make the school work. In my opinion the administration has had bad communication. The teachers have been hit or miss as far as quality of education.

Posted: November 20, 2011

I wish this website would update the reviews. The only poor reviews are from years ago, and I've had a great experience - so have many of the parents I talk to. The teachers my child has are wonderful, and the others I've met through volunteer work are involved and motivated. Even our bus driver is top-notch. The Walking School Bus, Family Marathon, and Landlubbers club offer incentives for the kids to stay healthy and active, there are many opportunities for students to work on literacy skills, and our teachers at least are open to tailoring educational needs to the individual child's skill level. We moved here for this school, and we have not been disappointed.

Posted: May 1, 2011

We switched from a small private school with a 6:1 student teacher ratio and I am just as pleased with the quality of education at OCE as the private school. Also, the discipline and organization are even better! My children are now learning to take responsiblity for their work. My only disappointment is the school lunches which is a Wake County issue and not an OCE choice.

Posted: January 16, 2009

Posted: June 14, 2008

Posted: May 20, 2008

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Eagle Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	13.1 mi
2	Hedingham	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	20.2 mi
3	Winston Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Clayton	NC	22 mi
4	Forest Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bunnlevel	NC	29.8 mi
5	The Summit	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	30.2 mi
6	Sunset Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	30.6 mi
7	Anderson Creek Club	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	31 mi
8	Carolina Seasons	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	31.9 mi
9	Overhills Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	33.4 mi
10	Forest Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	34.4 mi
11	Ellerslie Subdivision	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	35.1 mi
12	Castlebrooke	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Linden	NC	35.9 mi
13	Deerfield	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	37.3 mi
14	Woodlake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vass	NC	38.2 mi
15	Kings Grant	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	38.8 mi
16	Stonegate Apartments	Apartment Complex	Spring Lake	NC	39.2 mi
17	Inverness	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	39.9 mi
18	Patriot Park Village	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	40 mi
19	Kinwood	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	41.2 mi
20	College Lakes	Area of Town	Fayetteville	NC	41.3 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	North Ramsey Road	Fayetteville	NC	37.1 mi
2	Spring Lake	Spring Lake	NC	39.1 mi
3	Vass	Vass	NC	39.6 mi
4	Spring Lake by Ft Bragg Base	Spring Lake	NC	39.6 mi
5	Carthage	Carthage	NC	39.8 mi

Base	Distance
Raleigh National Guard	11.7 mi.
Pope Field	39.5 mi.
Fort Bragg	44.2 mi.

Olive Chapel Elementary

Apex, NC 27502

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Olive Chapel Elementary

Apex, NC 27502

School Ratings

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