Jay M Robinson Middle

5925 Ballantyne Commons Parkway

School District

Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Charlotte-Mecklenburg 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 December 27, 2023

It's been only 3 months and i feel like this is the best school I've ever gone to. The teachers are super friendly and the staff are there to help you whenever you are feeling bad. The students are very nice and supportive of one another. I would recommend this school for anyone.
Submitted by parent on December 14, 2022

Teachers don't follow along with my 504 plan.
Submitted by student on November 19, 2022

I am a 8th grader at jmr and I absolutly love this school. There is some bullying but the staff quickly fix it up. Last year in 7th grade this girl got bullied for 1 week and the counciler fixed it really quickly. Homework isn't bad and it's easy to finish after school no matter what work you may have. All the teachers are super nice and they helped me earn really well. When I go for tutoring it's really nice and my teachers help me understand better. I gave it 4/5 however because the student's aren't that good. They don't like it when someone is smarter than them and some teachers aren't nice to their students (I never had one but my friend does). OVERALL I would recommend this school!
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2022

Excellent school with a hard-working staff. Every school has its issues, but this school from top to bottom addresses everything that a parent could ask for.
Submitted by student on May 26, 2022

I went to this school for only one year and it feels like a whole lifetime. Mainly full of kind teachers besides two the math teachers which are rude and dont seem to really care about the students, for example my friend has ADHD and she has trouble focussing in class so the teacher decided to yell across the classroom about if she was taking her ADHD pills, EVEN tho that teacher has a niese with adhd. The students may be annoying sometimes and so can the teachers but I'm so grateful I got to attend this school before I attend my next. Thanks to JMR I will have wonderful memories to carry on to my next school.
Submitted by student on February 09, 2022

I am currently in 7th grade and JMR is a great school to be in, especially if you are an above-average or excellent student. I am currently taking Math 1 and Honors ELA which shows that JMR gives honors classes for everything, except social studies and science which I feel they should. My only complaint with this school is that it's highly competitive for some students and might struggle but JMR offers students to drop a course within 23 days or so, if they are in honors or above. JMR really promotes extra curricular activities but they don't do much to help from their side and parents have to volunteer for coaching, etc. Only a few kids at this school do not care about school and don't take it seriously. The teachers and staff are really supportive and helpful. I recommend this middle school a lot!
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2021

From a purely academic standpoint, Jay M Robinson was a great school. However, My son was bullied 2 out of the 3 years he attended this school. This wasn't an issue in elementary school, nor was it an issue in high school. But during his years in middle school, the issue persisted. I notified teachers, counselors, and other staff. There was little to no response from the school regarding the issue. My son is a good student and enjoys learning, but he was miserable during his time there...in no small part to the bullying. Given other options, I would choose a different school next time.
Submitted by parent on November 19, 2019

Without a doubt, the best middle school not only in South Charlotte, but Charlotte as a whole. Amazing administration, outstanding teachers, students challenged at all levels and great access to diverse clubs and extracurricular activities. Love Jay M Robinson and couldn't be happier!
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2019

Excellent School with excellent Teachers and Staff!!
Submitted by parent on October 23, 2019

Very mixed. Good social environment, disappointed at the level of challenge and rigor. NO school should have "all honors" of any subject. Each student needs the appropriate level of challenge. Homework in 8th grade for honors students is sorely lacking. We NEED a highly rigorous honors science!!! Other states offer a HS credit for honors science like honors math I. CMS needs to follow suit to be more competitive.
Submitted by other on July 08, 2014

People think that JMR, is the best school and everything, but that's not true. I moved from a different state switching middle schools for my 8th grade year and to say I would have probably had more opportunities at my other school if I had stayed. There are two teams in the 8th grade, but the team I got put in was T-Breds. Compared to the Mavericks, it seemed that the teachers weren't trying hard enough. Especially the math department, the teachers do not know how to teach, one teacher just yells at her students and complains, if they were bad enough she would put tests as a punishment. The other teacher did not know to teach... period. All the faculty is just a joke, since I was a new student I needed my gaggle account etc. I asked the front office many times to create my username and stuff like that in those many time they did not do anything. It seems that the faculty is more concerned about dress code especially about girl's yoga pants, dress, and shirts rather than academics. Although, I did not experience any bullying. I would say once I joined the school my math scores went from an A to a B, I really do not know why.
Submitted by parent on June 26, 2014

My son just completed his first year at JMR after moving from an academically challenging Catholic school in NJ. He reports that the classes are just as tough, if not tougher in some instances here at JMR. He doesn't get piles of "busywork" for homework. Classes are in "blocks" of 1 1/2 hours each, thus allowing ample time for questions and discussion. The kids have been very friendly and welcoming. His teachers were very accessible via email, and helped ease his transition to JMR by watching his interactions with the other kids. We are grateful to the great teachers at JMR and look forward to next year.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2013

After two years, I continue to be impressed by Jay M Robinson. The teachers blend the right level of educational rigor, compassion, fun and life skills that is really needed for this age group. Let's face it: Middle School can be a tough time for kids, and yet the teachers and staff at JMR have been able to create a team environment for the kids, in which they strive to learn and do well at school. My daughter looks forward to going to middle school! We have participated in the band program at JMR, which is simply amazing. The band graduates have created a reputation of excellence among the local high schools. And, for that matter, I've been told by counselors at Providence and Audrey Kell (the two high schools who receive students from JMR) that these children consistently outperform students from their other feeder schools. They are simply more well-prepared for high school than their peers. I would highly recommend Jay M Robinson to any family looking for a school focused on academic excellence, creating life-long learners and interested in nurturing global citizens.
Submitted by parent on August 15, 2013

After five years, our family is a high school family. My final assessment: mixed. Their emphasis on "rigor" (particularly fourth quarter, when EOG pressure amps up) caused a lot of stress for my two children and many of their peers. An entire night of homework following a seven-hour school day is excessive; pressure on the students to be the top of the heap in CMS, similarly so. As a result, self-destructive behaviors are more prevalent among the student body than even the school may know. As I barely saw administrators, I cannot offer an informed opinion. In the plus column, I found the majority of the teachers communicative and willing to work as part of a team when issues arose. However, the Math department is this school's weak link, with a couple of outstanding exceptions. I don't feel either of my children received a good math education at Jay M., because the foundation for understanding the subject wasn't laid. Nonetheless, I believe Jay M. is the superior public middle school in South Charlotte.
Submitted by other on July 20, 2013

Any accolades this school gets are a direct result of the students that attend. The faculty and school policies are an absolute joke. There is no sense of achievement and a very negative atmosphere.
Submitted by other on March 16, 2013

Horrible! I am a former student at Jay M Robinson and went there from 6th to only a half of my 8th grade year. The school is not very welcoming and the teachers don't use student feedback on surveys to appeal to all students at their pace, skill, and learning standards. My 6th grade year was fine but the kids are NOT WELCOMING to people who are new and starting their first year. It is sort of like a challenge as the students in the upper grades are "the top" and "the boss". The teachers also won't take the time to help you understand a subject. I have been to all my teachers' tutoring and all they do is give us review worksheets instead of teaching us. Most of all, the students are OVERALL VERY RUDE. There was recently a new student in my 8th grade year, I payed close attention and it was obvious that no one helped her around. No one pays attention to student talents or other features that make the students unique. The principal isn't involved AND THE BULLYING GOES WAY TOO FAR! I hated it so much I switched schools during the year to a CMS magnet school and it is way better. Popularity showdown + major bullying instances + no interactions = Jay M Robinson Middle School.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2012

My child "graduated" from JMR 6/2012. JMR is a tough school aimed at preparing kids for high school. My daughter has an IEP (Individualized Education Plan due to diagnosed learning disability) and the staff worked with her to meet her needs to be successful. She is now at a charter high school because of the overcrowding in classrooms in CMS. JMR prepared her for the level of high school work and she is ahead of her peers in her study skills and abilities such as writing an essay. The high level of parent involvement in this public school and their children's education makes for JMR generally being a satisfactory and safe learning environment. The vast majority of capable teachers are truly interested in seeing their students excel.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2012

My son goes to jm is a honors student there for 3 years in his final year is a honor roll student a and b student the school is really a good lower end middle school not all but seems to me teachers are paycheck hounds not all but good amount of older staff there.But then again the administration will not change this maybe if they could they would but not likely.The old line is you get out of school what you put in not what the teachers are putting in