The Exploris School

401 Hillsborough Street

School District

The Exploris School
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
Type

charter

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 31, 2025

Our children have absolutely thrived at the elementary campus since they started at The Exploris School! The smaller setting ensures every child is know by all of the staff and that the whole school truly functions as one community instead of just as a grade. Our kids are doing well socially, academically, and really love getting out into the local community for learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Submitted by parent on January 19, 2025

I am a teacher (at a different school) myself, and Exploris has been exactly the experience for us that we hoped it would be. My child is excited to go to school each day, has formed positive relationships with all of their teachers, and is being encouraged to grow and develop their curiosity and critical thinking. Obviously the facilities are probably not what we would choose if given a choice, but they make them work. The outdoor space provides them a lot of additional experiences and I've been glad to see that they use it.
Submitted by other on August 11, 2024

After several years supporting the school we left from gross negligence and prejudice by the administrators. The principals and counselors for the Elementary and Middle School do not help students with issues in learning. The lack of support from bullying and IEP status is so bad that parents leave. The school takes the students out for ‘field trips’ that are simply walking around Nash Square. Our children were not prepared for high school.
Submitted by parent on January 16, 2024

My child has been at Exploris for a couple of years, and we have been extremely pleased. I love the great lengths that the school tasks to involve parents. I feel like they go out of their way to meet each student where they are, which would be more difficult in a larger environment. It seems like students who are excelling are provided more opportunities and students who need extra support are given that support. The beauty of living in Wake County is the many choices for public schooling, so I realize this is not a model that may be appealing to everyone. Still, overall, I think it is appealing to the many different families who have selected it.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2024

This is the first year for my kids at Exploris and we have felt supported, appreciated, and encouraged. The culture at this school is amazing, the kids have a well rounded education experience and learn that community is bigger than self.
Submitted by parent on January 09, 2024

Exploris has been a huge blessing. My son loves to learn and explore . He has been very supported with all his needs emotionally and academically .
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2024

I am writing to express my utmost gratitude and satisfaction with Exploris Middle School, where my sixth-grade son recently began his educational journey. Since becoming part of the Exploris family, we have been impressed with the school's commitment to fostering a holistic and enriching learning environment.From the very first day, it was evident that Exploris values academic excellence and each student's overall growth and development. The dedication of the teachers and staff to creating a nurturing and inclusive atmosphere has made the transition for my son seamless and enjoyable. Their genuine enthusiasm for education is infectious, and it's heartening to see them inspire a love for learning in every child.The unique approach to education at Exploris is genuinely refreshing. The emphasis on project-based learning engages students on a deeper level and encourages critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. My son has come home countless times excitedly sharing his latest projects and discoveries, a testament to the school's ability to make learning meaningful and fun.One of the standout aspects of Exploris is its commitment to environmental sustainability and global awareness. It's impressive to see how the school seamlessly integrates these values into the curriculum, instilling in our children a sense of responsibility and empathy for the world around them. The hands-on experiences and field trips have broadened my son's perspective, making him more aware of his role in the global community.The communication between the school and parents is exceptional. Regular updates, parent-teacher conferences, and the staff's willingness to promptly address any once made us feel connected and involved in our child's education. Exploris values the partnership between parents and educators in shaping each student's best possible learning experience.In conclusion, I wholeheartedly recommend Exploris Middle School to any parent seeking an exceptional educational experience for their child. The positive impact the school has had on my son's academic and personal growth in such a short time is truly remarkable. Exploris is not just a school; it's a community that nurtures a love for learning, creativity, and social responsibility. We are grateful to be part of the Exploris family and look forward to our child's continued success and growth under their guidance.
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2024

We started with Exploris in the 20/21 school year so our first year was online for the most part. Being part of a small school, Exploris was able to easily maneuver challenges that we were all facing during this time. I was very pleased with the school and my daughter (still in public school) was so impressed with my son’s school that she was excited to go the following year. This is our fourth year at the school and I can’t imagine being back in the public school setting. I think the goal in school is for kids to actually learn and be excited about learning. For our family, hands-on learning has been very effective. For example, instead of learning about streams in a science book your student will get to to go out in a canoe/kayak and collect samples and study streams hands-on. This is just one of the many examples.Having a daughter who has had to learn to navigate friendships as a 5th, 6th grader the counselors have been very supportive and have help guide these young students, who are at a very hard age, build strong positive relationships. Is there ever bullying? Of course. Where there are imperfect things little humans there will be bullying. Exploris is very aware of these incidences and does help handle these situations with those involved. They do not take bullying lightly.Overall, Exploris has been a great fit for both of my kids and I am so grateful to have this experience!
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2024

We are a new family to Exploris this school year (23/24) and have been blown away by their model for learning . It amazes me the opportunities that these kids are given and also makes me wonder why every school cannot do the same. My child is learning life skills, navigating downtown by foot, real world problem solving skills and also academics. We are thrilled to be a part of the Exploris family
Submitted by other on January 02, 2024

Our family has been very happy with our experience at Exploris Elementary School. The faculty is excellent, our child is excited about attending school and is consistently and continually learning. I love the emphasis on family/parent/community involvement in explorations and community circle; the school is structured in a way to leverage community resources and keep parents involved. Exploris is a small school (one large class per grade at the K-5 level) and it can be a hectic place when viewed from a parent's perspective. We actually really love this: the chaos is part in parcel with pedagogical experimentation and continual introspection and improvement. That said, the dynamicism may not be everyone's cup of tea.One thing that I've noticed is that the school seems to go to great lengths to engage with and serve students that have special needs, especially in terms of emotional support. I suspect that students that would be set aside in regular public schools or pushed out in private schools and other public charters are allowed to continue to engage in their classroom. On the one hand, this is extremely laudable: kids grow up, and we need to serve them and support them as early as possible. On the other hand, it is possible that they could be disruptive in classroom settings as the school gets a handle on how to support these students. Because of the single class per grade level at the elementary school, there may be no escaping a particular disruption. This is an important factor to weigh if you are considering Exploris as an option for your child. Exploris has also made strides to improve representation/diversity amongst the less privileged by creating a partially weighted lottery system in favor of some students coming from lower income families. While the lottery is otherwise unweighted, I think this is a forward-minded policy as the lack of a school transportation system (buses) otherwise weights enrollment towards students whose parents can easily provide transportation.I would like to reiterate that our experience with Exploris has been wonderful. Our child is presently enrolled at the school and loving it. Exploris has a well-deserved good reputation in the community, and we look forward to many more years at the school.
Submitted by other on October 03, 2023

Not a good school in the last 3 years. We attended for many years but it now does not live up to the standards that were set originally. The current administrators in particular are not doing what should be done to address learning issues and bad behaviors by students. It is a disappointment as a previously sought after charter school that is not good anymore.
Submitted by other on June 06, 2023

You give up all the resources you would get from WCPSS - for nothing - there is no benefit to going here. It’s a big mess. Just give your base a try, and apply for magnets! Our child did not learn anything at exploris, they cried all the time, and we did not feel they were safe there.
Submitted by parent on May 18, 2023

I will present you with factual events so you can decide what is best for your child. Please note we as a family had to endure this:-For field trips, buses are NOT provided, parents (unknown if they had been cleared to transport the children) volunteer to drive the children using their personal cars-electives are mainly parent volunteers which is a disadvantage when parents aren’t able to continue-the school is short staff which the children suffer academically -they don’t follow the IDEA protocol which hinders the child to receive the necessary services in a timely manner-The director is unprofessional when parents are expressing concerns or address an issue-The director reported that she has enough people enrolling which makes it seem that are concerns should be taken else where. -inappropriate events happen during school hours or activities (physical aggression towards a child during an after school activity, harassment during school)-It’s hard to get a good picture on how your child is doing due to the lack of proper documentation. Test scores don’t match the progress-concerns that need immediate attention that requires parents attention is minimized -the grievance process is FAKE. They won’t even address the request made.
Submitted by parent on January 24, 2023

The students run the school. If this is something you are looking for this is the school for you. Complete chaos is a great tag like for Exploris. Staff has no clue what is going on. Things are hidden from parents, board members and others so they can seem like a “great school” and continue to get new students where if y anyone were to view the roster they would see students are quickly transferring out as fast as they can. *In my experience, students at this school feel excited about what they're learning >DISAGREE<* In my experience, teachers at this school are respectful, supportive, and motivate their students to learn >DISAGREE<* This school provides students with disabilities the support and accommodations they require >DISAGREE<*In my experience, this school provides an environment safe from violence, discrimination, and harsh punishment. >DISAGREE<* In my experience, the school welcomes and includes families as partners in their children's learning >DISAGREE<You don’t believe me, attend and you’ll find out.
Submitted by parent on January 13, 2023

The administrative staff is unprofessional. Electives are only on Fridays, yet sometimes the "volunteer" staff or staff do not provide the lesson; therefore, the students have to finish any assigned work that they weren't able to finish. Furthermore, most flex days are on Fridays... The structure of the school is a disadvantage to the child. They have flex day- "Work from home". The students are responsible to do class work at home for those days; and, lecture nor guidance is provided for those days for the children. Its difficult for the parents who is working to be on top of their assignments. Another huge issue is the lack of diversity and the bullying the children receive in this school. I have received more emails from administrative staff about "not tolerating bullying", yet I hear about it and actually seen it among the students. No appropriate action is taken to mitigate this concern. I strongly do not recommend this school.
Submitted by other on October 16, 2019

Some unprofessional administrative staff. I cant imagine the intra staff and student exchanges. Professional cultures are a reflection of the personas that make it up and operate it.
Submitted by student on April 20, 2018

I would rate MY overall experience at this school 4 stars. It's not the best school ever, but it is very good. I like the curriculum, and way of teaching at this school much better than at a public school. Here at Exploris, we also do lots of hands-on activities, we go outside a lot (we have lunch at Nash Square twice a week in 7th grade), and the field trips are amazing. At this school, we go on one really expensive field trip every year. This field trip is overnight and usually at a campsite. I think it's totally worth it because our field trips are always so much fun. My favorite field-trip/the one I'm most excited about is that in 8th grade we get to go on outward bound. Outward bound, from my understanding, is backpacking in the mountains for a week. You have to clean your own water, sleep under a tarp on the ground, spend a week in the wilderness, and go rock climbing. I don't know about other people, but I am looking forward to this trip. It is mandatory, and like $900, but the school provides kids with the opportunities to raise the money themselves and I think it's totally worth it. Anyway... my overall experience at Exploris has been great and I definitly would recomend it to other families.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2016

My daughter joined the newly formed Exploris Elementary School and now has completed 1st and 2nd Grade. Her learning has been IMMENSE. They cover all the basics- reading and math performing well above grade level, but they take it much further. They team them about community, making a difference in the world. Design for change. Project Management and Presentation skills. While doing this they are having FUN. Awesome teachers, awesome school, awesome administration. A school with a a community feel. Our family is extremely grateful to be a part of this school.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2016

The school doesn't have the basic resources of a standard public school: no text books are used, just internet based research with little or no teacher guidance. The kids are learning math with online tools like Khan and Think Through Math. There is no attention given to advanced students. Often the resulting work product contains scientifically invalid evidence because there is no effort to build from core principles. Students learn that they don't have to work hard because they will just be given a retest as many times as they like to get the grade they want. The STEM and NC Green school distinction is baseless because they don't implement the programs on which these awards were founded.
Submitted by parent on March 01, 2016

Exploris is no different than a public school. The only advantage is that you do not have discipline issues and they think out of the box. It is core curriculum based; very little homework and they take a lot of field trips. A majority of the teachers are VERY average and wait until the report card comes out to report issues with your child. There are no mid-term reports. Communication with parents is a BIG issue and remains an issue. The principle is not engaged with the students and teachers and spends her time trying to find money to support the school. The teachers are not being held accountable for their performance and behavior. If a teacher goes out due to health reasons they do not get replaced with a sub. My child had a teacher out for 1/2 of the year x2 years leaving the ratio being truly 32:1. I honestly believe my child would be a different student right now if this had not happened. It really is a shame because it has loads of potential but it always boils down to the money. My child is an average to an above average student, well behaved, friendly and sweet but just as it is in public school, he flies under the radar.