New Horizons Elementary School in Wilmington

Posted: August 10, 2023

My son has been attending NHES for 5 years and is always eager to go to school. As a parent, I am eternally grateful for the school's committment to building a strong acadimic and emotional foundation within my son. The school's motto is, "Thrive Here", and he is doing just that.

Posted: August 10, 2023

New Horizons has become the school community we have always hoped for. I have watched both of my (very different) kids thrive and succeed here over the last five years. Their teachers have helped to encourage and ultimately cultivate a love of school and learning for my kids. On top of being impressed by the curriculum, I have loved how New Horizons fosters social and emotional learning as well. They help with real world knowledge that will take my kids through life. Lastly, the community is like no other. Every staff member from every grade knows my children. My kids also know all of the other students in the school. The multi grade interaction is invaluable and we are so thankful we found this sweet, amazing school.

Posted: August 10, 2023

NHES is the school we dreamed of for our child. The students are outdoors as much as possible (and with 2 recess breaks each day), hands-on learning is a priority, the general atmosphere on campus is very cheerful and nurturing, and the class sizes are smaller. Parent involvement is encouraged, which has been so wonderful for our family. When I walk into my childs classroom, I am always impressed with how supportive the classmates are to each other, and how confident and excited they are to show off their work and space. In addition, the teachers we have had have been phenomenal - we have been at NHES for 3 years, and I cant imagine another elementary school experience!

Posted: August 10, 2023

New Horizons is a wonderful, nurturing school that provides students with the supportive environment needed to help them thrive academically and to grow as a thoughtful kids. We love it!!!

Posted: August 10, 2023

Posted: August 2, 2021

The director at this school as zero leadership experience and is going to bring the entire school down. She makes all decisions based on her mood which changes frequently. Its very unfortunate because the teachers there are really great. Hope the school makes some serious changes before its too late.

Posted: August 2, 2021

Posted: September 17, 2019

From Kindergarten on, they gradually build each year to get the student to love school and see homework as a leaning opportunity rather than an unwanted duty.

Posted: September 17, 2019

We have loved each teacher our son has had here. You can tell they are extremely well educated/trained/informed and also love your child.

Posted: September 17, 2019

The whole child concept! They have recess 2x a day and PE multiple times in addition. They encourage the kids to try new things and learn as much as possible. If there is an issue, the children are guided through discussion to figure out a solution together.

Posted: September 17, 2019

Ms Donna, the director, has personally made our transition into grade school a wonderful experience.

Posted: September 17, 2019

One of the biggest perks of being such a small school is that the students all know one another - it is such a treat to have my 6 year old get a high five from a 5th grader at the grocery store. They all work together as a school.

Posted: September 17, 2019

Excellent! You can feel the love in the school, what my son has learned in just a few years is mind blowing. I am grateful to be a part of such a wonderful school and cant wait to send the rest of my kids there.

Posted: September 17, 2019

First, let me say that if you are reading this you may be new to town. If so, I hope you consider NHES. Come visit and see what it is all about. If you are local, then you have probably asked around town and heard great things about NHES. The high demand for enrollment sure shows this. Now, about homework... there is not too much busy work given. Homework is designed to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom. Especially in the lower grades I have appreciated that there was not too much given. There is plenty of support from the teachers as well in completing the homework and making clear expectations known.

Posted: September 17, 2019

At NHES teachers go by their first name and are very personally involved in the children's lives throughout the day and week. This is often why they say that they want to be at NHES - here they can really focus on investing in the kids and not bureaucracy or overly large class size.

Posted: September 17, 2019

I could not agree more strongly with this message! Countless times I have been told by visitors that they are so impressed with the behavior and manners of this school. This is truly a unique emphasis and value of the school.

Posted: September 17, 2019

The school Director is working constantly to improve the school and invest in the students. She makes each child feel special each day. But she is also a strong leader outside the classroom and invests many years of educational experience and leadership into the school.

Posted: September 17, 2019

NHES does a great job of helping all the students learn in a way that works with where they are are and also helps stretch them. Keep in mind that this is a smaller school and will not have every resource for special needs that a large public school might have and they are up front about that. Also in the last few years a full time instructional coach has been added to the staff to work with teachers and individual student needs providing an invaluable resource for all students and teachers.

Posted: September 17, 2019

I've read some of the other comments on this site. I have been a parent here for several years with several children. I can honestly say I don't know what they are talking about. I have not had problems with bullying at this school. The school is very careful to carefully interview each student before enrollments and also to work in teaching them character and values along the way to prevent this problem. Contrary to the other review on this site, I know that there were several students who moved TO NHES because of bullying at other schools and have been extremely happy with the move to NHES. In my opinion there is no school that can be completely free from the challenge of bullying as long as they have children there at all - and yet I feel that if something were to arise the school has the resources, policies and attention to all students to deal with any discipline issues.

Posted: September 17, 2019

I am proud to send our children to this school for all of the reasons listed here. I personally believe that the learning environment here is unique beyond just Wilmington - I don't think there is a school like it in the Triangle or anywhere else around. It's the school you wish you could have gone to as a young child. Come visit and you will quickly see what it is all about.

Posted: June 27, 2018

My child went to this school for 6 years. It was the best decision for our family. Great teachers and leadership.

Posted: June 10, 2018

At one time it was the best School in Wilmington. All of the things that made it great have been changed in the last several years. This year there was a mass exodus of kids leaving the school as the atmosphere is toxic.

Posted: June 10, 2018

Teachers are all controlled by the director and cannot make decisions without repercussions. This being said there are several incredible teachers.

Posted: June 10, 2018

The teachers still do the best they can and there are a few that our outstanding.

Posted: June 10, 2018

There are no policies in place for handling issues. Basically every single decision is routed through the director who makes decisions based on her moods. She tells certain parents information that she should not share. She shuts parents down the first time they even slightly disagree with her decisions. The board was hand selected by the director and basically is just there to pass her agenda and plan a fundraiser.

Posted: June 10, 2018

One cannot effectively deal with bullying where there are no policies in place. Its again dependent on the directors mood.

Posted: June 9, 2018

We were extremely disappointed in the school. After hearing all of the wonderful reviews from past families we were sure it was a great fit for our children. We learned that the schools leadership is toxic and the social policies and curriculum are out dated. The teachers dont seem to be supported by leadership.

Posted: June 9, 2018

Posted: June 8, 2018

The teachers hands are tied to effectively manage their own classrooms. They are micromanaged by the director and the board that she hand chose. Since the teachers are on annual contracts and those contracts are approved by the board and director there is no system of checks and balances. The consequences of this type of system trickle down into the classroom.

Posted: June 8, 2018

This has fallen by the wayside. There has become a consistent problem with bullying behaviors that are not addressed by the administration.

Posted: June 8, 2018

The Director unfortunately has taken what was a wonderfully unique school and transformed it into your run-of-the-mill private school. The director has no prior administrative experience and it shows in the daily operations, morale amongst staff and in communications with parents.

Posted: June 8, 2018

They are understaffed to do so and now that the class size is up from the original 16 to 18 it is harder to meet individual needs.

Posted: June 8, 2018

Students with bullying and aggressive behaviors are often portrayed as victims while the parents of the children being bullied are treated as nuisances by the director and board.

Posted: June 8, 2018

We chose this school 7 years ago and have watched its ideals and values decline with the change in leadership. Its heartbreaking that the school has lost the charm and unique character that it had. It appears that emphasis is now put on money and outward appearances rather than on the caring culture that the school used to embody.

Posted: May 22, 2016

New Horizons is everything we expected school to be and provides all the elements that are missing in public school. Learning is actually fun here and my kids have a smile on their face everyday at pick up! The teachers/staff are nurturing and challenge each and every child to achieve their personal best. It is academically challenging & unencumbered by NC state testing guidelines. The students work in small groups daily on interactive hands on projects. Students get several recesses daily. New Horizons has a dedicated PhyEd, Music, Art & after school teacher. My kids don't need to go to after care due to scheduling, but beg to go, because they have so much fun! We love it, because they complete homework first & then play.

Posted: February 9, 2016

The teaching staff at New Horizons is amazing!!! They all hold teaching degrees and many years of experience, not to mention that they care for each and every student. Take a tour and you can feel it the moment you enter their classrooms. They have so much energy & passion to get each child to achieve his/her best!!

Posted: February 9, 2016

Yes, students are held accountable for their actions & interactions with others. Issues are handled in a professional manner that respects all parties involved. Best of all, every teachers/staff member knows each and every student, so students clearly understand the conduct of conduct/behavior. When we enrolled we were given a page that listed 25 manners every student should have. It is true & followed at New Horizons.

Posted: October 22, 2015

There are not enough words to express our love and admiration for NHES. This unique school provides a loving, nurturing, educational experience that is a parents and a student's dream come true. We have watched our daughter bloom both educationally and socially during her years as a student. We are a middle class family that has vowed to do whatever it takes for our daughter to stay throughout her elementary education years. I doubt you will find another school that can exceed your expectation like New Horizons! It is the greatest gift you can give your child.

Posted: October 22, 2015

Posted: September 29, 2015

Absolutely...instilling values such as these is at the very core of New Horizons' whole child philosophy.

Posted: September 29, 2015

New Horizons is a fantastic place for children to learn and grow!! We feel so fortunate to have found this wonderful school and couldn't imagine sending our children anywhere else! We love the whole child philosophy that NHES follows which places an emphasis not only on academic excellence but on character development as well. Cannot say enough about the amazing faculty...dedicated, nurturing, creative, exceptionally qualified, and really loved by their students! Another huge draw for us was that students and faculty at all grade levels consistently have the chance to interact and work each other...there are truly no strangers at NHES and as mentioned in another review, what could be cooler to a kindergartener than to be greeted by name by a 5th grader! Physical education and wellness are a priority at NHES which I'm afraid is becoming a rare thing in schools today. Not so at NHES..our children are kept active with ample opportunities to play and learn outside. Difficult to put into words all of what makes New Horizons so special, but as a parent just seeing the excitement that my children have for school and learning says so much!!

Posted: September 7, 2015

What a privilege it has been to send our children to NHES over the past eight years or so! This school is just a gem -- a wonderfully caring place where the teachers, staff and students are truly one big family. Children thrive here, and learn and grow at their own pace in a safe environment. They also enjoy immense personalized attention, whether they need extra help or are advanced and encouraged to move ahead in their school work. I can attest to the fact that our older child was exceptionally prepared for middle school (now taking advanced classes), and our younger child is likewise benefitting from the well-rounded curriculum that NHES provides. The decision to attend NHES has resulted in two happy, academically driven and thoughtful children, and two very thankful parents!

Posted: September 7, 2015

New Horizons used community events and projects to develop honesty, integrity, and fairness in its students. New Horizons supports the whole child -- and their families!

Posted: September 7, 2015

We love New Horizons, the teachers, and the community. My son is challenged, loved, and nurtured at this school in a community that encourages all children to be leaders.

Posted: September 7, 2015

Posted: September 2, 2015

Posted: September 1, 2015

We are so fortunate to have this school in Wilmington! I can not say enough about how much we love this school. We have watched our son grow so many ways academically and socially over the past 3 years. The small class size and the level of teachers really helps with teaching to each child's strength and work on their challenges. We feel this school is more affordable than what is offered in town and has way more value!

Posted: August 6, 2014

Best school in New Hanover County! Great program with the Leader in Me! Teaches leadership within the academic curriculum. I love how the older kids interact with the younger students. As far as the other review about parent workdays, I enjoy those days. It brings a sense of community to the school and helps keep capital expenditures down. My child has exceeded our expectations at New Horizons.

Posted: August 2, 2014

The curriculum is just not that challenging and not a fan of the parents driving the kids everywhere. They also use photos of the children publicly on Facebook to advertise. The school has no custodian, but uses the parents to clean the school on "parent workdays" on which you get to clean toilets and classrooms. Definitely not a good place for a working parent who might not be able to take off every other day for school events.

Posted: June 9, 2013

NHES is a wonderful school! My children have blossomed in the caring environment the outstanding teachers provide.

Posted: June 8, 2013

At the second PTC my daughter was labeled by the second grade teacher as ADHD and referred to a specific psychologist for evaluation. The psychologist did not find my daughter to have ADHD and I informed the teacher and asked that she keep me informed on how I might help my child improve her performance in the class. At the third PTC this same teacher suggested that I seriously consider medication for my child and informed me that should she attend public school that they would insist she be medicated. Additionally at the end of the school year they fired one of the BEST instructors at the school, the first grade teacher.

Posted: February 7, 2013

This school is incredible. Like a comment from another parent, my daughter cries when I tell her she is not going on teacher work days!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Cypress Pond at Porters Neck	Apartment Complex	Wilmington	NC	10.2 mi
2	The Landing at Mill Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sneads Ferry	NC	35.8 mi
3	Mallard Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Jacksonville	NC	41.9 mi
4	West River	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Jacksonville	NC	43.2 mi
5	Countrywood Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Jacksonville	NC	45.2 mi
6	WilliamsburgPlantation	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Jacksonville	NC	50 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Porters Neck	Wilmington	NC	11.8 mi
2	Sneads Ferry	Sneads Ferry	NC	38.4 mi
3	Richlands Area	Beulaville	NC	48 mi

Base	Distance
Coast Guard Wilmington	3 mi.
Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU)	12.8 mi.
Stone Bay	34.3 mi.
New River MCAS	45 mi.
Camp Lejeune	46.9 mi.

New Horizons Elementary School

Wilmington, NC 28412

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New Horizons Elementary School

Wilmington, NC 28412

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