East Cary Middle School

Posted: January 2, 2026

I SUFFERED in my two and a half years at this school. Gang violence, drugs, bullying controlled that place. None of it makes the news. My grades dropped, my mental health was at an all time low, I was degraded, abused, and taunted by students and the staff did next to nothing to help. I told counselors and begged them for solutions, all I got was an admin pass and mediations which only made it worse. I didn’t go to any classes and hid in the library, teachers didn’t care I was gone, just asked when my work would be gone. One counselor violated a privacy rule after I told her how bad the bullying was, the next day I walked into school and all my teachers were trying to ask me when the bullying started. I was physically abused by students and the higher ups just told me they’d talk to them. Teachers watched me get hit, pinched, pulled, yelled at, and said nothing. My parents were not informed about anything going on with me during my time at ECMS. Students from Cary High were allowed on campus and roamed during carpool hours waiting to taunt students. Halfway through eighth grade I signed some papers and stepped out of the school and never went back. During my time there my life was changed and I now have a passion and working towards a career in helping those who were victims to violence and drugs and went downhill. But I will NEVER allow a loved one to step foot near that campus. I fought to make sure my sibling wouldn’t attend. Special needs and 504’s were ignored if you didn’t have obvious disibility. This school diminished my faith in public schooling and I will never be able to experience school the same.

Posted: January 2, 2026

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Posted: March 1, 2025

Kid got hurt from tryout and coach made him run up hill

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Posted: April 24, 2024

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Posted: April 24, 2024

As as student at East cary middle school i think that this school Is Quite Terrible. This school advertises as ¨global studies¨ the only ¨GLOBAL¨ thing about it is the language studies which i think are quite effective as they are not controlled by the school administrators like most of the Main ¨Core classes.¨ Those core classes previously mentioned are ELA (English Learning arts) Social Studies (history) Math and Science. ELA In my opinion is Quite boring as Unluckily i have gotten some Quite Unkind teachers over the past 3 years i have gone to East cary middle school so i would rate ELA in this school as 3/5 as it does teach you a lot of stuff kind of shove Equality and the SDG Goals Down your throat Which i Find quite Boring however some others might find this interesting. Now their Social studies I would rate this 4.5/5 and i think that they do history/Social Studies Perfectly. however i might be bias in my opinion of social studies as i find it my favorite subject and quite fun to learn. something else to mention is most of the teachers for social studies are good and in my experiences have taught the classes effectively and have not been overly strict. Mrs. Perez Was a very good teacher for 6th grade (she has left due to this school paying less than a better school in the area) and she was able to help out most students with most of their problems including other subjects like math. Another teacher i would like to highlight is Mr A. (i am using Mr. A as i would not like to butcher his name & that is what he goes by via most of his students) He is a very good teacher And actually Cares about his Students. and teaches correctly and is not overly strict and if you do good in his class you will be allowed to wear airpods which gets people to actually learn & answer questions. Math 3/5 I think that most of the math teachers are good however i suck at math to people who are good at math i think that this is their best class and could be a 4/5 or even 5/5 however in my opinion 3/5 as some of the things in the workbook are quite confusing and the teachers are being overwhelmed with other students. Science 3/5 As someone who is quite good at science and gets 90s in the class i think that the school administrator is throttling the class and i think that if they were able to teach like the language teachers they would be much easier able to teach the subject in a fun and interesting way. Overall i would not recommend this school as i think others are better.

Posted: April 24, 2024

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Posted: May 19, 2023

My kids have a great experiences in this school

Posted: May 19, 2023

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Posted: November 17, 2021

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Posted: November 17, 2021

There is a strong concern related to students' safety within East Cary Middle School. There has been an increasing in bullying and physical fighting on school property. Instead of being completely transparent with the parents, each case is hidden from the parents. We are not asking for details of who the kids are but noticed it a tread within a certain groups of kids. very concerning about how they response of ISS or suspense and no mediation or parents involvement.

Posted: November 17, 2021

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Posted: May 30, 2021

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Posted: May 30, 2021

Buses have not been safe. Teachers don't teach. Some male teachers are creepy. There's so much bullying. Administration doesn't listen. Nor does Area Superintendents nor Cathy Moore nor school board members that have been there for so long. They treat kids horrible at this school and ridicule them.

Posted: January 11, 2019

Instruction in character but unfortunately unevenly modeled by staff.

Posted: January 11, 2019

Fairly apathetic leadership. It seems like they want to be liked and/or not have conflict more than foster high academic expectations for all students or hold teachers accountable.

Posted: January 11, 2019

If your child's learning style does not match the teacher, you are toast. However, this is true in many schools.

Posted: January 11, 2019

Again, very uneven. My child was harassed by another student and it was handled immediately and well by the school counselor. He was later stabbed repeatedly with a pencil by a different student, but her father works at the school so no punishment for her. They did "mediation" instead. A teacher once asked the class to vote on what color tutu my son should wear after calling him a baby for over a week. Yes, this really happened. The teacher is still there.

Posted: January 11, 2019

Super disappointed. We thought this would be a STEM school but almost no STEM, my son's scores dropped nearly twenty percentiles in the time he was there. We finally pulled him out. There are some really great teachers, but unfortunately the are completely counterbalanced by the not good ones and just lack of academic expectations for most students. High test scores are because we are a fairly wealthy community and most students come from educated families, not because the school is good.

Posted: January 11, 2019

High variance among teachers. Good teachers use homework well; others use it to have a grade and give very little feedback. Unfortunately fewer good teachers than otherwise.

Posted: January 11, 2019

Again, a few great teachers, but mostly not. My child has not done a single science experiment in science class in the first two quarters of school - only takes quizzes on the computer after some teacher lecture and computer-based instruction. Very disappointing for what was supposed to be a STEM school.

Posted: December 22, 2018

The main way for teachers to communicate to parents about what is due, is through either the teacher weebly or through Reminders. The problem with this approach is that many teachers do not use Reminders, or refuse and maintain their webpages efficiently, so often the information is not up to date. It's very frustrating from a parental perspective.

Posted: December 22, 2018

No, because students learn from adults, and many of the adults my child has encountered at this school are quite childish and very condescending. Part of being an effective teacher is listening. Many at this school talk "at" their students instead of engaging with them and encouraging them to do and be better.

Posted: December 22, 2018

If you are AIG or math 6 plus, you are treated with respect and doted on, but if you're not, teachers have a tendency to be dismissive and hurtful to children who might be struggling, so there is definitely much room for improvement, in this regard.

Posted: December 22, 2018

Neutral because I do not know of any instances where there has been bullying and my child has not been bullied by other students, to my knowledge, but some of the teachers can display extreme bullying behavior - especially a few of the Electives teachers. They act like a bunch of kids with their foolish antics and are downright disingenuous in more cases than not. When you try to confront them, they either place 100% blame on the student and accept zero accountability, or just avoid you altogether, so be warned.

Posted: December 22, 2018

I would rate them about a 3. So much room for improvement.

Posted: August 10, 2018

How can that develop when students are being bullied by teachers? There's a no bully policy everywhere...means nothing when teachers are allowed to insult kids, push them around with their authority. It's survival of the fittest. Don't send your kid to this school if they are kind, caring, hard working and sensitive. They will come out realizing only good kids get punished, bad kids get ignored and, worse, bad teachers will be still be there. Sad to see good teachers who honestly want to teach and engage with students slowly disappear. When those strong characters leave, so does the opportunity to develop strong characters in our students.

Posted: August 10, 2018

If leadership is at the administration level, then it has visibly declined since the beginning of the new principal. Leadership "leads" by example. Hard to see that leadership when you hardly see the principal. No direct student engagement from Ms. Davis - you don't see her around campus at all. I honestly think she doesn't like kids and I am sure she only knows the names of a handful of them. I've seen other schools where the principal would be at carpool, connecting with students, making their positive presence known (hence, leading other teachers in how to make the best start in the day). I am especially offended that she doesn't sit with parents during after school performances (like band performances). It's a profound lack of respect on her part to spend the entire event standing at the entry way, texting. I think it makes it loud and clear that 1) she doesn't want to be there and 2) she doesn't respect the band teacher or the students. That's even more surprising because she hired the music teacher. He needs leadership and is definitely not getting it from her. It's another sign of her lack of leadership when you see the ineffective teachers she hires to replace the amazing ones. Our students, in a STEM school no less, shouldn't be the guinea pigs for teachers to work out their teaching competencies.

Posted: August 10, 2018

Posted: August 10, 2018

No way...and worse, you don't get to know if a situation has been addressed by the school because of student confidentiality. So, your kid can come home telling you a "horror" story and it's all back to normal a few days later. The lesson, go ahead and bully...you'll get some in school suspension and then it's back to class. And then the ridiculousness of those trying to stand up to bullying - they get in trouble! AH...the lesson is turn a blind eye to bullying, avoid the bully, don't get the bully in trouble because they will come back for you...etc. Really....why have this policy? And then there's the bullying from teachers. We aren't talking about a teacher needing to raise a voice when students get noisy or to lecture when they need to admonish someone. I think it's a form of bullying when a teacher plays mind games with kids. Using their authority to, at a whim, decide that something they dictated one day is now different the next day. No consistency...just keeping the kids on edge wondering if it's safe to approach the teacher to turn in a form or ask a question. Was it okay the other day...will it be okay today? That's a cruel type of manipulation.

Posted: August 10, 2018

Again, depends on the teacher. But there are a greater number that (during the actual instruction time) are doing a thorough job of getting the information across to the students and providing consistency in what they expect from students.

Posted: August 10, 2018

I would say - overall - equal parts disappointed (from where it was with Dr. Chisnall) to frustrated (no response to email queries, dealing with ineffective teachers). If you have a choice...try to go where there is a good or even great principal. I used to think they didn't do much to effect change at the classroom level. But they hire teachers, they set the tone, they either love or dislike kids...it all shows. ECMS could be so amazing if our principal actually liked our students and showed it be giving them the best in teachers, showing them respect by actively attending their special events, and simply greeting them each day.

Posted: August 10, 2018

Some teachers give constructive homework in a consistent manner. But you will get those that give homework just to give it..without any followup to its application to the current agenda. Very frustrating to the students...they know when they are given "busy work".

Posted: January 3, 2018

Lazy leadership and hides from parent interaction.

Posted: January 3, 2018

Posted: January 3, 2018

Posted: January 3, 2018

East Cary has a principal that never shows herself at carpool and is never available to parent meetings. Prior to Davis, the principal Chisnall was incredible with many Clamoring to get into East Cary. I believe the notion of racism is not just one sided but absolutely opposite in the black community. Martin Luther King would never approve of reverse Racism which is prevalent now at East Cary Or any school in the United States.

Posted: January 3, 2018

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Posted: August 4, 2017

students are observed helping each other and learning consequences for both positive and negative behaviour

Posted: August 4, 2017

Posted: August 4, 2017

the staff in place is a-freaking-mazing. students who have come with serious insecurity issues become thrivers, finding their place in the world and learning they have value

Posted: August 4, 2017

many points of intervention are available and in use. counsellors, administrators, SRO, teachers, general staff all work together to protect and mature the students

Posted: August 4, 2017

While the strain of middle school is sometimes evident, the staff is very committed and involved in the lives and success of the students

Posted: August 4, 2017

Posted: August 4, 2017

many teachers offer extra help. most teachers have websites where information is current and helpful.

Posted: July 29, 2017

The quality of any school is strongly dependent on its leadership and this school has gone downhill since the departure of Dr. Chisnall, who also took some of the top staff with him. The current principal and assistant principal are ineffective and unable to lead.
Furthermore they are not interested in working with parents to resolve problems, as a result many high performing students have left ECMS for other options (home school, private or magnet schools). It's ironic that this is a STEM school but have weak math and technology programs. Also, the administration has not had been able to come up with solutions for bullying and cussing. We pulled our child out after a year. We do not recommend this school.

Posted: July 29, 2017

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Posted: July 16, 2017

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Posted: July 16, 2017

I think this school is ok. There is a little bit of bullying here and there, and also, my bus comes 2 hours after the dismissal bell. However, the teachers are great, and the electives are very fun!

Posted: June 2, 2017

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Posted: June 2, 2017

I had high hopes for this school based on the STEM program and the great reputation of the Principal, Dr. Chisenell. However, when my son started there for 6th grade, a new principal was put in. I had to pull my son out after one year. I found the majority of the teachers to be unresponsive and apathetic. His best teacher left at the end of the year. I heard about a lot of nasty behavior, bullying and picking on others among the students. I agree with the one of the previous parent's review that this school went on a rapid decline after Dr. Chisnell left. I do not recommend this school.

Posted: March 24, 2017

I like that the teacher's seem genuinely interested in the kids succeeding. I like the STEM aspect and the athletic department is good. My son is in 7th grade and I'm not looking forward to having to change schools due to a move.

Posted: June 4, 2016

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Posted: June 4, 2016

Posted: June 4, 2016

This school was on an upswing because of the former Princpal, Dr. Kerry Chisnell. He is no longer at the school and the new principal is not responsive at all to the kids needs. A principal makes all the difference in Wake County schools. There is a lot of staff turnover and many of the good teachers have found jobs elsewhere. The school is growing due to a few good years with the old principal as the word got out it was a great place. However, I am now looking for a new school for my 7th grader as soon as possible. He is not happy there. Counselors and teachers don't call back for meetings and the Common Core curriculum has all but ruined the Math experience.. Teachers are avoiding helping the kids who are struggling with it and the new Principal just ignores calls for help.

Posted: March 14, 2015

What is the rules about clothing and I'm not a student yet about to be one...

Posted: January 6, 2015

My son transferred to ECMS from a Magnet school at the tail end of 6th grade. He was practically failing at the Magnet School after having been a straight A student previously and bullying was a huge issue at the Magnet School. There has been an amazing improvement on all fronts since being at East Cary. The staff is amazing- there is a ton of pride and the curriculum is top notch! Highly recommend this school and will not move out of this area while my son is still in middle school!

Posted: May 21, 2014

we love this school. Dr Chisnall is responsive and always working hard to continue to improve the school and the staff is supportive. The teachers have all been great too.

Posted: March 24, 2014

My daughters are 7th graders at East Cary Middle School and we could not be more pleased with the Principal, teachers and staff at the school. When choosing this school (which is not our base school, but our calendar option), we were very selective. We were looking for a school with a strong and supportive administration, dedicated staff, strong academics, and lots of elective and club choices. We found all this and more at East Cary. My daughters enjoy going to school, have teachers that help them stay focused and they have made lots of friends. I attribute that to the "no nonsense" environment that the Principal has established.

Posted: February 10, 2014

My child is a 7th grader at ECMS. We looked at several magnet schools when he was entering middle school and decided to go with East Cary instead and are happy we did. The principal is outstanding and there's a lot of school pride. Transition to middle school was very easy. My son has had several really amazing teachers. I was concerned about AG services going in, but between single subject acceleration and in-class differentiation we've been happy on the whole with AG. I'm not hearing about any bullying and my son is happy to go to school except that it starts so early. We've had a couple of so-so classes (Spanish most notably) but I know there's no perfect school. We're glad we chose East Cary and our younger child will go here too.

Posted: September 7, 2013

Switched to this school from dillard for 7th grade. I loved it for all the time I went! Only priblem: Some students are a little judgemental Otherwise, amazing school and best in the area!

Posted: August 29, 2013

My daughter started 6th grade here this year, and the transition to middle school has been very smooth. She is excited to be at a STEM school, and has already seen the benefit of this. Bullying and meaness can be a problem among this age group, but there is no sign of bullying or discipline problems at this school. Also, we love the year-round schedule.

Posted: August 13, 2013

East Cary Middle School is the best school in the district. The principal has transformed ECMS into a school for caring and compassionate leaders. There was a group of children on the bus who were bullying my child. We informed the principal about this, and he immediately kicked the children off campus. My child's teachers are very kind and keep on sending e-mails every every Friday telling what is going on in the school. The kids are also very respectful and obedient. This school's S.T.E.M. program has helped the students significantly in their careers. S.T.E.M has bought many initatives to the school: Science Olyampiad, Career Fair, Science Fair, S.T.E.M electives, and allowed students to get their own Samsung Galaxy S2 tablets. I would like you parents to know that overall ECMS is a very High quality school and it is greatly worth the act of sending your child to this wonderful East Cary. Go ECMS IMPS!

Posted: August 12, 2013

l love being a student at ECMS! Here there isn't a lot of bullying (as far as know) and a wide variety of skill level classes. For example, some 7th graders are in 8th grade classes, along with some extra help classes. Also, there are STEM electives once in awhile that students can have fun, and learn about the things they want to advance in when they are older. By that, mean there are STEM electives that may align to your future job. You get to pick what STEM you wish to have, but even though you might not get that STEM, our students counselors will try there hardest to get it for you. Lunch is great, they provide a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, while also providing "Red Baron" pizza Monday through Thursday for an extra 50 cents then your average entr e. would recommend trying to get your child into track 4. t has the best teachers, and the best track-out times. During Christmas, our break merges with Christmas break- thus, we get a five and a half week long break. That's all have to say! My name is Ryan, I'm an 8th grader on Track 4, here at ECMS. P.S. We have a new principle, so please disregard any bad ratings revolving around her. -Written by a Student

Posted: August 1, 2013

Simply Amazing!!! It keeps getting better every day. The principal is very accessible to parents and keeps us well informed. He has lead this school to a whole different level. Its STEM focus keeps our children challenged, while enjoying a fun learning environment. The existing friendly and respectful environment at the school has helped my 6th grader transition into middle school without any problems, and loves going to school every day. Love ECMS!

Posted: May 19, 2013

We have been at ECMS for one year and it has been a great year ! We are so grateful that we get to be in a STEM school that has so many things going for them. The whole 6th grade has new tablets that they get to take home and use daily in their classroom. How awesome is that!! The teachers there are unlike any I have seen anywhere else! From a small middle school that had room to grow to an amazing middle school that students from all over Cary and trying to get into..... I am so THANKFUL to be a parent of a student at East Cary Middle !!

Posted: May 16, 2013

for the first year or so my daughter was fine, then she hit the 8th grade (2002-2003) and had some minor problems with bullying. the principal allowed known bullies to remain on campus and di nothing about it. they did nothing about it, in spite numerous trips to the school and phone calls. hopefully they have gotton their act together since then.

Posted: December 15, 2012

My daughter transferred in from Wake Leadership Academy, and East Cary has been a wonderful experience for her. In a matter of weeks, she learned to play clarinet thanks to a wonderful band director, has a story every day about something interesting she learned, and is constantly working on school projects that she is excited about. Her teachers seem very enthusiastic and involved, and the children seem very polite and well-behaved- a noticeable change from the last school. The office staff and principal seem to know all the kids, and I couldn't be more thrilled that her transition was so easy. She is excited to go to school every day, feels appreciated for her hard work, is learning a lot, and has a group of sweet friends. What more could I ask for?

Posted: September 17, 2012

My child loves ECMS and so do I! I transferred her to ECMS ( from a traditional school in Cary) and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Whereas some may see small class sizes as a shortcoming, I see it as an advantage and an ideal learning environment. My daughter not only has teachers who challenge her academically, but they also give her personal attention. I find that the electives offered are of high quality and are enhanced by the clubs and activities offered at the school. The instructional technology is an added bonus with iPads, etc. available to the students. We are very excited about the new STEM electives being offered, which clearly reflect the school's focus on science, technology, engineering and math. I think the school's new administration is leading the school in the right direction, and has what it takes to help our children succeed. ECMS has definitely exceeded my expectations!!!

Posted: August 26, 2012

East Cary has miles to go before becoming a good school even with its new STEM classification. Its capacity is still underutilized & ranked the 4th worst for seats filled in Wake County last year. While that does cater to small class sizes compared to other popular middle schools, like Davis Dr, it means there are also fewer teachers -- which means fewer electives. The arts opportunities are VERY limited. The culture of the school is a "drop & go" feel with very little sense of community.

Posted: August 25, 2012

WWent here for 6th grade and it was amazing!!! Now I'm in the 8th grade and now attending Davis drive middle. East Cary was amazing so easy to make friends and I wish I could go back :( btw Davis drive is awful...