Horton Middle

79 Cooper Horton Road

School District

Chatham County
Grade

5-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Chatham 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 parent on January 27, 2023

Our son has had a great experience transition from elementary school to Horton Middle (he's a 5th grader). His two teachers are wonderful (they have been teaching for a while now). When you reach out, they reach right back.
Submitted by parent on January 21, 2023

Our daughter and son have overall had a nice experience a lot HMS. It was a pleasant switch from PES!!
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2022

I need to give a SHOUTOUT to our local public middle school, George Moses Horton. GMH is AMAZING! The work that the faculty and staff at GMH are doing to educate and support our local youth is both impressive and inspirational! As a parent, being able to send your child(ren) to a school where you know that they will be safe and nurtured, both academically and emotionally, is a tremendous sense of relief. I cannot adequately express how happy our family has been that we made the difficult decision to take our child out of nationally top-ranked NC charter school, and enroll them at GMH. As an educator, community member and parent, I encourage everyone to check out all of the awesome things GMH is doing for the youth in our community.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2022

Excellent teachers and administration! I have a 6th grader there and she is loving Horton!
Submitted by parent on August 23, 2022

We love Horton! The principal, Mr. Robinson, is fantastic and so are the other staff members. We feel that our daughter is well supported in her education and extra curricular endeavors.
Submitted by parent on August 05, 2022

I believe that the school experience is what you make it. Whether that is public school, private school, or home-school. I have 3 children that are all in public school and were home schooled for the 2019-2020 school year. I've been volunteering in the schools for 11 years through the PTA, PTSA, or on my own. I've gone through 6 different principals in that time, and 2 specifically at George Moses Horton Middle School. Every school has it's good and bad, but we have had a great experience with GMH. Especially with Principal Robinson and Assistant Principal Dark. I would recommend this school to anyone. They care about their students. Constant advocation by many staff members to help the kids do their best. Sports have been great for us. Both the girls and boys basketball teams won the championship this year. We have a great cross country group. We are getting the first phase of a new playground. Lot's of beautification projects are happening around the school. We also have a Boys and Girls Club onsite. I can name a ton of wonderful things going on at GMH. I've already had one child go through and another halfway through. In about 5 years another... I have never thought about having them go anywhere else.
Submitted by parent on June 06, 2021

This year, 2020/2021, was particularly difficult with Covid, and my child has experienced some huge challenges at home. The current principal, Mr. Robinson, has done a great job accommodating his needs and making us feel supported despite our personal issues at home. The oppressive atmosphere of this school (from previous years) has been replaced- with this new principal- by a more encouraging and hopeful vibe, and we appreciate this very much. I hope things continue to improve and blossom for George Moses Horton into the future.
Submitted by student on August 11, 2020

My experience as a student was great and I am really involved with the culture and how activities operate at the school. I love the staff and my other peers. I will be in 8th grade this year and will be really sad to leave. Horton Middle school has really improved me!
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2020

I can't wait for my daughter to finish 8th grade and get out of this poor excuse for a school. There is a culture of laziness among the teachers and many of them treat the kids like dirt. I honestly don't know how some of the teachers still have a job...must be very protected as state employees. If they worked in the real world, they would be unemployed after their first day on the job. I was hoping a new Principal would improve things, but after a few years, it is evident that she is full of hot air and no action. A very toxic environment for kids to be in and teachers are not held to any standard whatsoever. If you have a choice, avoid this school like the plague.
Submitted by parent on September 23, 2019

We are looking to transfer our student. This is the second year here and it has taken a negative effect on mood, interest in school and academic performance. Several people I know have opted for homeschool to avoid this school. Just awful!
Submitted by parent on March 26, 2018

This experience has been extremely difficult for my 5th grader. It has created a lot of anxiety and has been a confidence drain.
Submitted by student on March 09, 2018

If teachers would act like teachers, half of the problems I mention would be solved.
Submitted by student on March 01, 2018

I hate band class alot. I wish teachers didn't yell all the time and kids were nicer.
Submitted by student on February 17, 2018

I dread going here everyday. Teachers here obviously don't want to be there.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2018

Not a positive environment in some grades. Avoid if you can. A few excellent teachers, the rest are stressed out and burnt out.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2018

My child is not thriving at this school. We are looking for another school, possibly a charter or private school. She isn't happy with that fights are common, and teachers are constantly giving worksheets.
Submitted by teacher on December 08, 2017

A good deal has changed since 2009- new admin, new teachers, and a growing population in Chatham Co. Horton has not kept up with best practices in instruction, appropriate and positive discipline, maintaining a safe school environment, and responding to parents' concerns effectively. The school is run more like an inner-city penal system than a middle school, with terrible results- disruptive students, patronizing and/or ineffective teachers (some), and lack of concern for student learning and growth overall. While there are a few shining stars teaching, staffing, and driving buses, the bad far outweighs the good. If you actually care about your kid, save yourself some heartache and look elsewhere if you can. Fortunately, if you have no choice, the high school after Horton (Northwood) is pretty darn good-- if your kid can survive the misery here.