Forest View Elementary

3007 Mount Sinai Road

School District

Durham Public
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:12
Type

public

School Map for Durham Public 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 parent on August 04, 2024

We have had a wonderful experience thus far at Forest View! The staff members all seem to genuinely care about each child. Our daughter's primary teacher truly loved and supported her last year, and we were always impressed with how the other staff members also knew her by name and engaged with her. The school does a wonderful job with providing a diverse, well-rounded and accepting learning environment. We felt there was good communication throughout the year with weekly calls, emails, etc. The community has felt welcoming and engaging, and we've appreciated the "family feel" that has provided.
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2024

Forest View is a very special place! We are deeply grateful for the parent community here. My son has found many friends. His teachers have been excellent, and I saw strong gains in his learning, and social-emotional growth, last year. The administration, too, are real cheerleaders of the students in this school. Go Falcons!
Submitted by parent on May 21, 2024

We love this school! The warmth is genuine and obvious. The administration is highly competent and supportive. The teachers and staff are vibrant and quick to go above and beyond their job descriptions. They say, "Forest View is where the world comes together and leaves stronger," and that's absolutely been true of our experience so far. My son has certainly grown academically thanks to the wonderful teachers, but I'm even more impressed by the invaluable lessons he's learned from his peers about this beautiful, richly diverse world. Having taught in both public and elite private school settings, I've never seen a school culture quite like it, and I'm so glad we get to be part of it.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2024

We love Forest View. We evaluated all options (DPS, private, charter) and are so glad we are at Forest View. It has been a wonderful place for our child to attend school. We are so encouraged by our child's growth and the care of the teachers and staff in supporting his curiosity and development. We have a very active and engaged PTA and community--it's a relatively big elementary school but has all the charms and qualities of a small school. We started with a tour of the school to become more familiar with what makes it unique. It was clear from the start that this would be a place where our children (we have two more starting there in about a year) would be well cared for and supported. It has lived up to all of those expectations and we are excited to see how it will continue growing. Highly recommended!
Submitted by parent on February 16, 2023

Forest view is a phenomenal neighborhood school. We are new this year and couldn't be happier with our child's experience. The teachers, leadership and the entire community are very engaged and it's just a very happy place. You can feel it at drop off, school events, walking in the hallways. Kids are happy to be there and the staff is so welcoming. In elementary, so much depends on your kid's individual teacher and our experience has been fantastic so far. Not only is the material challenging, and we came from a highly rated elementary in a different county (the teaching at Forest View far surpasses what we experienced before), it's also creative, purposeful and relevant. Teachers use the latest research in reading instruction (unlike a very popular and highly rated neighboring city school system...) and they share what they do during school wide events such as literacy night. It's also surprising that for a school this large, everyone seems to know your kid's name. They make it feel small and the fact it's a neighborhood school helps as there are lots of friends to play with in the community. You can also see some kids biking or walking to school. The school is located next to a small farm in a relatively rural setting so the playground space is huge and open. They have also opened a couple of outdoor classrooms. There are a few clubs for older grades such as science olympiad, chorus and some that are open to younger grades like chess and girls on the run and probably a few others we're not familiar with. The leadership seems open to suggestions of clubs and special events and in that sense is very responsive. Even though the start time is early, our kid loves going to school each day and we couldn't ask for more at this age. Our child could have gone to other schools, including private options in the area or a charter school we turned down. We chose Forest View and are so glad we did.
Submitted by parent on May 11, 2021

Forest View Elementary is such an amazing and warm school. The teachers are passionate, dedicated and caring.
Submitted by other on May 11, 2021

Forest View has been a wonderful place for our kids. The teachers are very caring and dedicated. Teacher turnover is low. Admin is very present, welcoming and available. Forest View has a very diverse population and works hard to be welcoming to all. There is a a good community with fun events. The media center team is amazing as are the other specials teachers. There is an emphasis on science with learning gardens a a yearly week at the creek event to get kids out in nature.
Submitted by other on November 19, 2016

Forest View is a brilliant place to learn! It is mostly a Science Focus school. Forest View try's to get all of their students involved in different things. Everyday the student depending on their grade, goes to "specials". Specials is when they get to do either Music, Art, PE, Technology, Drama, Science Lab, Guidance, etc. depending on their grade or the day. In my opinion, I think that the 5th Grade teachers are the best. They are the most educated.
Submitted by parent on April 13, 2016

I cannot speak highly enough of Forest View. The staff, teachers and administrators are wonderful. The school feels like a community for our family. My two children, though vastly different from each other in their learning styles and personalities, have both felt supported and secure here. Teachers, even those who are not their own, know their names and are welcoming and clearly happy to be here. The school-wide behavioral positive reinforcement program is outstanding, and really gives Forest View a wonderfully positive atmosphere.
Submitted by teacher on August 30, 2015

A Science Focus school that practices its philosophy of "hands-on learning" with great teachers, great facilities, and great results.
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2014

From our oldest son's first day of kindergarten, we have been extremely pleased with Forest View. The caring teachers and staff understand each child's ability and strive to meet them where they are and encourage them to excel. Our oldest son is now in 4th grade and our younger son is in 1st grade. We love the community feel of the school - lots of parents take time to help out with programs like the Fall Festival, Science Share, and Multicultural night. We really feel fortunate that Forest View is our neighborhood school.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2014

I have two children at Forest View and used to teach there. Forest View is an outstanding school with a wonderful group of dedicated teachers and administrators. The sense of community among students, teachers and parents is very strong, and my children have always felt connected and cared for. The student body is very diverse, representing many different nationalities and speaking a variety of different languages. The school is a science focus school and has a strong emphasis on outdoor learning, with several gardens that students help care for all around the school. Forest View as always and forever will feel like home to our family!
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2014

The number one thing I love about Forest View is the sense of community. Strong teacher involvement, parent volunteers, caring staff, a "whole child" approach to education. Teachers and staff work hard not only to provide a strong education in the classroom, but they also spend time creating outside the classroom opportunities like a yearly Science Share, arts projects that celebrate International Peace Day, and a Multicultural festival that's standing room only it's so popular. My child (now in fifth grade) still talks with her kindergarten teacher about what she's reading, her extracurricular activities, and how school's going. Teachers, staff, families work together in the school garden, write grants, volunteer at the fall festival, and take a community approach to the school's success.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2014

Horrible school. Never under any circumstance allow your child to attend this school. The vice principle and the principle do not assure your childs safety.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2014

I've never came across that constantly harrasses a parent like this school has. I understand my child isn't an easy child to tend to being as he was just diagnosed with A.D.H.D but every week i either get called or have a note about my childs behavior the teachers feel that it is okay to ask me if i am medicating my child for the A.D.H.D and if I do not immediately sign and return the note I get called by the assistant principal asking if there have been changes in the family or home as if this is ANY of their BUSINESS. It is frustrating and appalling how this school handles things. I don't recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on March 04, 2014

Forest View is a healthy school. The principal is friendly, a strong leader, and he trusts his educators. The teachers are knowledgable, loving, creative, and devoted to helping children learn and grow. Parents are very involved and encouraged to participate in their children's learning. My children and I appreciate the science focus and the international community.
Submitted by parent on August 11, 2013

Forest View Elementary is a great environment to learn for all of its students. It is a multicultural school with an Administration that is very open minded and focused on delivering a wholesome and solid foundation for learning. My children are thriving at FV and I'm so excited to be a part of this community. There are so many unique highlights - Odyssey of the Mind, Book Club, Chorus, Play Pod (the only one in the area) and so many more extra curricular activities for their students.
Submitted by parent on December 14, 2012

We absolutely LOVE Forest View!! We are new to the area and heard about Durham schools being inferior to nearby Chapel Hill, but we couldn't be more pleased with Forest View. The teachers and principal are caring and truly make it a wonderful place. Our child has learned so much, and I love how the curriculum includes an emphasis on science. We also LOVE the diversity of the student body. Go Falcons!!
Submitted by parent on November 27, 2012

My son's first American education ( our American dream?!) started right here at Forest View. We have LOVE , plenty, for this school. The ESL teacher had tought /led/guided/helped my son with great compassion and efforts. Only one year, my son could get on a normal track an Language Arts class should be. Thank you. The diversity and very friendly/warm atmosphere were what attracted us. We
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2010

What do I love most about Forest View? I love it that the teachers collaborate to enhance education for all students. A recent example to demonstrate: on a beautiful day in April, the students walked to a nearby creek (part of Duke Forest). The dance, music, gym, and art teachers were there to help make the most of the day. The students played musical instruments, danced, and learned how to identify plants and animals. The technology / science enrichment teacher led them in lessons about the natural world. My daughter came home brimming with excitement and full of stories about her day outside. This outdoor education isn t limited to one day a year at Forest View, however. Most of the classrooms have gardens outside the windows (that are large enough to serve as doors and do for gardening purposes) and teachers conduct lessons during science time and have the students help in the gardens during recess. The kindergartners have a beautiful large garden all to themselves and a bog garden is nearby. My daughter s second grade teacher has the students begin recess every day by running a lap or two around the playground. Each lap is one third of a mile, and students keep records of how many laps they ve run. When they have run five miles, they get a token to put on a bracelet. In this way physical education is combined with the math curriculum. Subject matters are not learned in isolation at Forest View; rather each supports and strengthens the others, leading to a rich and deep educational experience. I also love the fact that there are students from all over the world in my daughter s classroom. One evening she announced at dinner that she loved her school because she could learn about China, India, and Mexico just by talking to her friends. Most of all, however, I love Forest View because my daughter is making tremendous academic and social strides. From the wonderful principal Neil Clay to the amazing specials teachers (one of whom created a 2nd grade science club for girls that meets three times a week after discovering that my daughter felt lonely as a junior scientist) to the incredible classroom teachers, I feel fortunate to send my child there every day.