Henderson Middle School

2830 Henderson Mill Rd

School District

Dekalb County
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Dekalb County School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by student on April 27, 2024

This school is horrible. The teachers are subpar and there are constant fights. So many fights that they had to close down the bathrooms which makes it so you cannot use it when it’s not transition time. Overall this school does a poor job at teaching with its tests scores reflecting that.
Submitted by parent on January 09, 2023

all the teachers are mean they slap box inb the bathroom they jump eachother in the cafeteria for takis just for some takis there was one taki bro,....rg.e/g.re no not very goopd
Submitted by student on March 25, 2022

Honestly, there is a few good teachers.
Submitted by student on December 23, 2021

This school is good academically, but the experience is not great. Most classes fall somewhere in between "engaging and effective" and "pretty decent". The gifted program is somewhat better than general education in the sense that you learn at a slightly faster pace. I can't really say anything about the acceleration program since I'm not in it. The social experience may be great for some (I'm not really a social person) but if you looked at social problems then you'd find something that's not great. Fights and riots occur roughly once or twice a month and are done simply either for "entertainment" or "protesting against the dress code". These are really bad reasons to fight and I have no idea why they do them since I don't have social media. Other students talk about sex in a bad sense. They don't really follow certain rules (especially the dress code) and say that the dress code is "too strict" although it's pretty reasonable in my opinion. Overall, the academic experience is pretty good but the problems such as fights and riots make the experience not acceptable for reasonable people.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2021

I would not recommend a dog to attend this middle school. The staff lack common sense & integrity. The principle is rude
Submitted by student on November 04, 2021

So far, this school has been a pretty good. It really depends on if your child is in the accelerated program. If so, it is great! I have been in both the general and accelerated, (this is due to the fact that my teacher forgot to mark me as accelerated.) But if your child is in general I wouldn't recommend the school. In the general area of the school (upstairs for 6th grade) there is a lot of laziness and a lot of bad crowds. Not mentioning the fact that the teachers practically babysit you there due to the other students being quite rowdy. In the accelerated program however, (one set of classes in 6C, 7C, and 8C are accelerated, and 2 sets of classes are accelerated in 6E and 7E. Tnhis is due to the fact that there is no 8E.) the teachers actually teach you and you have a good learning experience. Overall, it is your choice if you want your child going to this school.
Submitted by student on September 18, 2021

Good school I go to the school and it’s kinda fun this year meeting new teachers and stuff and good education
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2020

EXTREMELY POOR. Extremely overpopulated, decaying structure, lots of drugs and sex going on. God Bless and help the teachers.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2019

The Principal at this school is unprofessional and could care less about being a good leader. Too many children at this school
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2018

This school has been the worst experience. If you are undecided I would really look around for alternatives, your child will be better off at another school. I hope to be able to send my child somewhere else next year.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2018

Might be ok for some kids but not for all. Too many students and teachers and staff are overwhelmed.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2017

The students and teachers in the gifted port have been great. My child has had a great middle school experience and has learned a lot. She has met great friends and has loved her teachers. If the student and their parents are invested in their education it will be a great experience
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2017

If you are reading this then this means you are hesitant to send your child to this school. I have grew up in the Dekalb County school system. My mother also taught for over a decade in Dekalb. It used to be a "decent" district. Over the years it's become one of the worst in the Nation. Not in the State, but in the Nation. That should be enough to make a decision as to whether or not you should send your child to this school or any Dekalb school. We are pulling our child out this year.
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2016

My son is on the 8th grade STEM Team and is thoroughly enjoying working with his teachers and classmates on their year-long project. They've had field trips, STEM Fridays, and other project based projects. He is excited about going to school.
Submitted by other on October 17, 2016

As a public school, it is a solid school that will give children a good foundation. It's facilities aren't the best, but it does have access to things that are needed for a good education. It has many class options and a variety of activities for students. Most of the students I know who have attended Henderson would say they had a positive experience. As for people who have talked of a bullying or not preparing compared to private schools, these issues happen at all schools. Bullying is a problem top to bottom, from public to private. As for lack of preparedness, almost all public schools are going to have larger class sizes and in turn less teacher-student interaction compared to private schools (which also will cost an additional 15-25k per year).
Submitted by parent on August 25, 2016

Sneak Peek was wonderful - despite the construction delays. I was a bit apprehensive about sending my 6th grader to such a large school but I must say that the administrators and teachers seem to have things under control. My child has finally made the adjustment to middle and is happy. Looking forward to Team Night tonight.
Submitted by parent on August 08, 2016

My son attended Henderson Middle school last year and we had a HUGE problem with bullying on the bus. We talked to the school several times about it- they did absolutely nothing. All they told us was that my son needs to stand up for himself. My son is ADHD and on medicine for it. I always felt like none of the teachers wanted to deal with him just because he was special needs. Luckily we moved and he's changed counties and schools- very glad to be away from Henderson!!!
Submitted by other on June 15, 2016

We are thoroughly pleased with our children's experiences this past year at Henderson Middle School. My 6th grader enjoyed his teachers and joined the Science club. My 8th grade daughter - who normally struggles in math - came home excited about learning and asked to stay after school once with a week to get extra help from her math teacher (Mrs. Gerrard). The 8th grade administrator is wonderful! Dr. Jackson helped my daughter resolve an issue she was having with a classmate (social media) by involving parents in the mediation. The girls are friends now and actually hang out together. We LOVE Henderson Middle School
Submitted by other on March 02, 2016

Stay far away from this school. You may think your child is getting a good education because their grades are good and they are happy. If you ask your neighbors whose children attend HM they will tell you it is fine. It is very easy to get get all A's here even in the Gifted/Accelerated classes. Unfortunately that is because the school does not teach critical skills. We discovered this when our daughter moved to a top private school for high school. HM does not teach critical thinking, analyzing etc. There are no papers assigned, no novels read and the language classes are a joke. They do get a lot of homework but it is just busy work. I can't imagine what they teach in the other tracks. Compare this school to a school like Chamblee Middle and you will quickly see the differences in how the curriculum is taught. You will discover the difference in caring professional educators and teachers who are just waiting for 4 pm to roll around. Additionally, the school is falling apart and there is no school nurse for 1600 students. If someone is injured they call the fire dept. It is sad really. If your child does attend this school PAY ATTENTION to their assignments. Are they thinking and analyzing or just doing busy work and filling out worksheets? Do their tests have essays that require them to apply what they have learned or is it just multiple choice? Remember middle school is supposed to be preparing them for high school level work. For example, every 8th grader in Atlanta reads and analyzes To Kill A Mockingbird (really- ask your friends at other schools). Every 8th grader except the ones at HM. Too much work for the teachers. Don't send your child here because all their friends are going. Don't think - oh my child is smart, he/she will be fine anywhere. I urge you to join the Parents of Henderson Mill facebook page. I also urge you to do your research. There are many other options out there for Middle School. Doesn't have to be private - there are lots of other options now - Charter schools, magnet schools, arts schools, hybrid schools, or transfers. Please think twice about this school.
Submitted by other on August 13, 2015

We love Henderson Middle School. Who knew that a school with so many students (more than 1600) could run so smoothly. Hallways are clear during instruction. Our children (all 3 of them) are excited about the new year and seem pleased with their teachers. The Sneak Peek was awesome! We left informed and had all of our questions answered. The school is currently working on STEM Certification and we plan on volunteering as often as our schedules permit.