Furnace Brook Middle School

500 Furnace Street

Marshfield, MA 02050

School District

Marshfield
Grade

6-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Marshfield 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 March 06, 2024

If you’re looking for an unsanitary, rude, and hard learning environment for your kids then enroll them here! I got food poisoning from the school lunch here and theres mold in the bathrooms. Along with mice!! But it’s not the teachers faults its mainly the guidance and administration. A guidance counselor targeted my friend and started calling her mom when a lot of stuff was going on and now my friend is going to do online school because of how terrible this school is. Middle School is already tough as is but its even harder for students going here.
Submitted by other on April 04, 2016

We moved to Marshfield two years ago and have one student enrolled at FBMS. It has been a great experience for us.
Submitted by other on January 10, 2015

This is an unwelcoming and less than mediocre school. From rude, unwelcoming office staff to serious lack of leadership and inflexible and uninvested teachers, all during a time that is difficult enough for students and parents. No follow through with many teachers and complete disregard by some teachers to educational plans. The most difficult part is to go from warm, caring, solidly run elementary schools to this. Unfortunately, when these issues are brought up with leadership, they are ignored and insulted that you would question their ability to service all students of Marshfield. Furnace Brook is a weak link of an otherwise good school system.
Submitted by parent on May 01, 2014

It's a shame bc the only time i was even contacted about the failing class my son was in was a week before the report cards come out. come on now... a kid gets straight 40s on tests and quizzes and no one reaches out to the parent. not to mention he is on an IEP. Office ladies need some sugar in their coffee.. no communication at all .. then you walk in there with an attitude and they all look at you like you are the weird one!
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2014

FBMS is great... until you have a problem. Then it is the worst. The guidance department has been great, but at least half of the teachers will blatantly ignore and disregard any requests from parents and recommendations from guidance. Just one example: last year my child had a teacher who shouted at the class all the time and handed them worksheets and expected them to teach themselves. Then when they performed poorly she did nothing to help them learn the subject. We even tried to schedule a conference with her. She told us she couldn't fit us into her schedule the day before we were supposed to meet with her and the other teachers. When we arrived for our other conferences, we were informed by another parent that our names were indeed on her schedule. I don't know what she was playing at there, but all of the above tells me that the administration needs to get a grip on its teachers. The other half of the teachers are great and I feel SO bad that they have to deal with co-educators like that. I really hope they tighten up a bit because middle school is hard enough as is without that nonsense.
Submitted by parent on September 16, 2013

My daughter really likes FBMS (2011-2013). I believe the criticism in the other reviews needs some perspective. This is a working-class town that is surrounded by other affluent communities. In this school, the students are grouped into "clusters"....... Crimson Cluster, Yellow Cluster, etc. My daughter had 2 teachers who projected poor attitudes, but all of her other teachers have been outstanding. As parents, we always engage with our child's teachers. We initiate meetings with the teacher. We want the teacher to know that we are engaged/supportive. 99% of teachers and Staff have truly created a positive culture of "inclusiveness". As an example, the school productions (music/drama) have every student participating, no matter how small their role. When we had concerns about another student being disruptive toward our daughter, the Asst. Principal was directly engaged with us regarding the matter (very responsive).
Submitted by parent on June 16, 2012

To be frank, I have no clue why this school has a rating of 8! It is a huge disappointment all around. Our family moved here from the city to have a better quality life for our children. We make fairly decent money and try to be involved in the community as much as possible, so it was a complete shock when we had to go up against the school for numerous atrocities. My son's teacher would send home work to be completed that she would "make up". The vocab words each week consisted of words she had made up, which was fine until we learned some did not even exist in the dictionary anywhere! I did not have an issue until the third time this happened. The teachers for the most part are great but the bad teachers take all the credit away. The school must not have any funding and judging by the yearly taxes, you would think it should be a really great school. The academics might seem on point, but the students really do not learn everything because it goes by so fast they do not have a chance to indulge in it. One week could consist of three projects done in one class alone. This gives you one night to complete a poster, and make something special from that project. Huge disappointment.
Submitted by other on November 01, 2011

I had some pretty good teachers at this school, but it needs work. First of all, the rules here are pretty ridiculous. You can only go to your locker at certain times which makes a huge load of books and you can't carry a backpack. Seriously? You also have to be walked down to lunch in 6th and 7th grade. This isn't kindergarten. Lastly, the school says they have a zero tolerance bullying policy, but in my view that's not the case. The guidance department is wonderful, but its the principal that I was never a fan of. Most importantly, the education I got out of this school was fantastic. I am not complaining there.
Submitted by other on January 09, 2011

Marshfield is a wonderful place for children up to age 11. When the children go to this school at age 12, things aren't as good. The students are mean, plain and simple. I am a student at this school, and I have been bullied relentlessly through both of the two years I've been going to this school. I've tried telling guidance and the principal, but little is ever done to stop these kids. The handfull of students that are even a tiny bit different are rideculed by the "popular girls" on almost a daily basis. Children run to the principal's office crying, and very little is done to stop these girls. Acedemically, everything is fine. But bullies run wild here, so be warned.
Submitted by parent on November 30, 2010

Not a well run school. The good teachers are outnumbered by the time-killers and the teacher's union runs the show. Shy kids and children of color continue to be marginilized in favor of the white (Irish) jocks and townees. This school needs some real leadership and the bad apples need to be removed. Especially the teachers who are academically suspect. Bullying remains a problem and little is done about it.