The O'Neal School

PO BOX 290

Southern Pines, NC 28388

38 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by other on December 08, 2024

Like many North Carolina schools they suffer from teacher turnover yearly. Teachers put forth a great effort to teach students, but I don't feel they get the support they need. I feel tuition is a little on the higher end, and with more than one student this is a little prohibitive. I am really on the fence with my recommendation.
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2024

Our son has been at O'Neal since Pre-K and has just entered High Schoo, from the teachers to the staff and coaches we have been happy and impressed. Choosing your child's educational path is paramount as it sets them on a trajectory. I highly recommend O'Neal, the class sizes are small, the attention your child receives and the correspondence you receive as a parent is wonderful. My son has been thrilled with all the Club activities offered in the Middle and Upper School, Model UN, Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, and the Pickle Ball Club to name a few. Interacting with everyone from our son's teachers to the headmaster has been seamless. O'Neal really cares about their students and it truly is a positive, safe and welcoming environment for all. Cannot recommend it enough!
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2024

Our family truly loves the O’Neal School, where we have been part of the community for several years. During this time, we've had the opportunity to connect with the teachers across the lower, middle, and upper schools, and our experiences have been exceptional! The educators we've encountered have provided outstanding support, and the academic programs have been wonderful for our children, challenging them while keeping them actively engaged and nurturing their passion for learning.Moreover, the overall sense of community at the school is remarkable; it is strong and welcoming, encouraging everyone—from parents to teachers and families—to get involved. As we begin the college placement process for my son this year, I feel assured that we made the right decision in choosing this school. I have full confidence in both the teachers and the college placement process they offer. We cannot express enough how positive our experiences have been; from the arts to academic programs, my kids have been inspired to participate, grow, and achieve great things at the O’Neal School.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2024

We have been at the school for 10 years and could not be happier.
Submitted by teacher on January 19, 2024

This is the kind of school that caters to the kids who fit the perfect mold of what they want the school to be: disciplined, smart, and from wealthy families. If you child has any sort of behavioral issues, is behind in any subject, or is not the perfect student... this isn't the school for you. As far as the educators, there is extremely little professional development. People always hate on public schools in Moore County, but at least educators in these schools are required to do a multitude of ongoing education and professional development to keep teachers in the loop of best theories and practices. O'Neal has very little of that. I felt like I went back in time when I taught there. The facilities are amazing - large classrooms, nice gyms, a pool, etc. But do not confuse the school's physical appearance for the quality of educators and education your student will receive. Furthermore, the O'Neal school has a higher teacher turnover rate than it should, and there is a reason for that. So many wonderful educators have left O'Neal on their own accord for greener pastures. As far as bullying, I was personally a victim of bullying myself, as an educator, from the administration itself. How can they protect students if they can treat their own educators in such a manner? If this is the kind of school you want to support, so your child and your family can have that "status" then go for it, but hope your child fits the perfect mold so he or she is not treated unfairly, neglected in their learning, or even ostracized.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2024

We have been part of the O’Neal family since pre-K and could not be happier with our experience! Great safe learning environment.
Submitted by parent on January 16, 2024

We have had a wonderful experience at The O’Neal School! This is our second year and we have three children attending. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the education and the extra curricular options. The community was welcoming from the start and we look forward to many more years as a Falcon family!
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2023

Our family has a unique situation and we have received the utmost respect from the school in regards to that situation. My son has excelled over the past two years in his educational growth and I look forward to my daughter starting to attend next year.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2023

My family is very happy at the O’Neal School! We have a 2nd, 4th, and 6th grader and have found so much to love for each one of them!Firstly the campus is beautiful, with so many trees, wonderful playgrounds and outdoor spaces, not just for elementary students but middle and upper school as well. There is ample time built into all of my children’s’ day to get outdoors and run around.We have been very impressed with all of the co-curriculars: Outdoor Science is a stand out, and so unique to the school; the art program for all of my kids has been phenomenal and well-designed; all of my kids LOVE their language programs, and PE and music have been wonderful as well! As an educator, I love that there is space for multiple co-curriculars per day. My son’s middle school experience has exceeded expectations with multiple ways for him to get involved: after school sports, Battle of the Books, and even off-season strength & conditioning. He also really enjoyed the class trip at the beginning of the year! There is so much to be involved in, the only difficulty is narrowing it down! I have found the teachers, across the board, to be stand outs. They are excellent communicators, passionate about their subjects, and wonderfully engaging in a way that goes beyond the dreaded worksheets. I love how different disciplines work together to make the subjects come alive across multiple subject areas. I love the project-based learning I see with all of my kiddos.Additionally, I have been impressed with the school’s engagement with families, and feeling welcomed in a new community. Admissions was wonderful to work with, and went above and beyond for our family to help get us situated.We are very pleased with our experience at The O’Neal School!
Submitted by parent on February 28, 2023

Teachers are amazing and a very safe place!
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2022

The O'Neal school has been a great learning environment for both of my children. This is our 4th year at O'Neal and there is no area school that weathered the pandemic and kept the kids on track like O'Neal. My oldest is now looking at colleges and she is not in a learning deficit, thanks in large part to O'Neal keeping the trains on the track during such a difficult time. The school offers rigorous academics and a fun and competitive athletics program. The theater and music divisions are currently "growing up", as the arts at O'Neal has new parent support and interest. No school is perfect, but I highly recommend O'Neal.
Submitted by parent on June 30, 2020

We are very happy with our experience at O'Neal. It's an impressive environment that fosters academic excellence, team environment, athletic opportunities, after-school clubs and activities. The college preparation that is individualized for each student is exceptional. Our child is being well prepared for future academic experience. Each child is involved in a community that is healthy, safe, engaged , supportive, and challenging.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2019

Initially, we did not know how we would pay for our two children to attend O'Neal. It did not take long before we recognized that we could not afford to NOT attend O'Neal. O'Neal has been an investment, not a cost. My son graduated last year. He received an appointment to one of the US Service Academies where they pride themselves on character and leadership. Recently I asked him how he was doing. He said, "Dad, I'm doing great! This is just like being at O'Neal."
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2018

I’m really happy with my experience at O’Neal. I find that teachers and administrators really care for the students and their success. They are accessible and they pay attention not only to the academic performance, but to the overall well-being of their students. Teachers are available to help students if they need extra help with the material.The student body is not as homogeneous as many in the community think, and not all students are from high income families, thanks to tuition assistance.The courses are rigorous, homework and studying strategies are emphasized, and cheating is not tolerated.
Submitted by other on March 01, 2018

I have had contact with the students, faculty and administrators for four years and would recommend this school highly to all who may be considering it, This includes the lower school, middle school, and upper school. The students at every level are polite, respectful, and mature for their age.
Submitted by parent on December 12, 2017

It’s been fine. Still better than what the public schools can offer in the area. The cost is a bit much for what you really get at this school, but the kids are happy so for now I’m not looking into changing. However, if things keep going downhill in the Lower School due to poor leadership, I will be considering other options for my children sooner than later.
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2017

VERY POSITIVE! My daughter has been at O'Neal for 10 years, having started in Pre-K. The school is a friendly community supporting both students and parents. The small class size leads to lots of interactive class participation and high expectations - no child is going to fall behind or between the cracks. The curriculum is rigorous and the after school clubs (both fun and academic) are plentiful. There are wonderful leadership programs that focus on the student-athlete. The school also offers a vibrant arts program. Unlike the other schools in the area, learning a foreign language is a requirement and classes in the arts are part of the curriculum from Pre-K through 12th Grade. No programs have been cut at this school! Financial Aid is generous. The campus is beautiful and void of trailer (temporary that have become permanent) classrooms - take a visit and be sure to meet the Head of School! The school is impressive.
Submitted by parent on March 11, 2017

I am a parent of 2 children. My son graduated O'Neal 2 years ago and my daughter is in high school. I read a lot of reviews from "community members". They are reporting gossip, nothing more. One said only 10% of students get accepted into UNC Chapel Hill. I can tell you from my experience in the last few years, very few students even applied to Chapel Hill. In my sons graduating class only one student applied to UNC Chapel Hill and was accepted. The students from O'Neal attend universities all over the country and don't limit themselves to NC schools. You can go to the website and see a list of the many universities that O'Neal students attend. They have a 100% college acceptance rate. One person complained teachers don't check homework. I have only experienced one teacher that didn't check homework. It was a calculus class and the teacher told the students that not doing homework would reflect on their test greade because the only way to get good at calculus is to work a lot of problems. Most classes actually get a homework grade. The grade is for completing homework and on the accuracy of homework. Another comment was that students aren't disciplined for cheating. That is ridiculous. O'Neal holds students accountable, just like every school. O'Neal is a GREAT school for most students. I do know of a few students that left O'Neal for public schools. Their reasons are varied. Some students do better in larger schools, some students aren't ready for the rigor of the courses and some just didn't find it the right fit for them. Don't judge O'Neal by listening to bitter people. If you are interested, call for a tour and decide for yourself. O'Neal doesn't cater to it's own kind, referring to the wealthy in our community. We are a middle income family that lives in an older home and we drive used cars. Tuition assistance is available and is the only way my children could attend. We still have to pay some tuition and don't mind sacrificing. The pay off for my children has been worth every dime.
Submitted by other on February 23, 2017

This school caters to their own kind. High income students, which I don't understand how, if it is a median household area.
Submitted by parent on August 24, 2016

Having 2 children at O'Neal allows me to offer my children the greatest gift possible. The overall education and enrichment classes and extra curricular opportunities are very special. Our children will very well prepared for life after high school because of O'Neal