"Academy Heights vs. PES" by Academy Heights vs. PES

Academy Heights vs. PES

Blog: Academy Heights vs. PES

July 20, 2010

My daughter starts Kindergarden in August. I have her enrolled at Pinehurst Elem School. However, I have been hearing not-so-great things about this school. (Ex. problems with bullies, teachers are lazy, school is old, principal doesn't listen)

So of course I am having second thoughts. On the other hand, I have been hearing GREAT things about Academy Heights--which is the year-round school in Pinehurst.

Have you ever had your child/children enrolled in one or both of these schools? If so, please give me your honest feedback!!

Helpful replies only please...

jrhyne 2 years, 10 months ago

I cannot speak to issues at PES, but I can highly recommend Academy Heights. My son attended Episcopal Day School through the 3rd grade and then transferred to Academy Heights for 4th & 5th grades. I was very impressed with the teachers and staff at Academy Heights. The facilities at AH are old, but did not detract from his education or the positive experience he had there.

AllNatural 2 years, 10 months ago

Thanks for your input jryhne. How did you like the schedule at Academy Heights? Arent they in school for 9 weeks and out 3? How did that affect with your work schedule?

teufelhunden 2 years, 10 months ago

We love PES. Great teachers & staff. My child has loved everyone of them since 1st grade. He is going into 5th grade. He was actually glad to find out he will not be going to the new school this fall. The principal is wonderful and very approachable. It feels like a big family. We are very satisfied. We have a child in high school so year round didn't fit our schedules. Hope this helps.

AllNatural 2 years, 10 months ago

Thanks for the input teufelhunden!

kamawi 2 years, 10 months ago

I don't have any real firsthand knowledge of Academy Heights, but I have sufficient experience with PES to know that your source sounds perfectly clueless about the staff and administration there. I taught there for several years, and I had the fortune to work with a first-rate group of teaching professionals.

I served under the last two exceptionally talented administrators there. The current principal, Ms. Bigley, is a former guidance counselor and assistant principal. She is highly respected by peers, co-workers, students, and parents. When the principal position opened three years ago, our staff overtly campaigned for her to become the new principal because of her abilities and personality.

Whichever school you choose for your child will have its good points, but go in to talk with Ms. Bigley or some teachers (some teachers will be there even though it's summer break), ask questions, and see for yourself.

runorbike 2 years, 10 months ago

Keepitreal

You are are right. AH is smack dab in the middle of T-town. IAnd back when I was going to SCC, I always thought I was going to school in Southern Pines :)

GoldenDreams 2 years, 10 months ago

AllNatural: I have never had children attend either school, but I can give you feedback on both from parents and teachers I know. I have a neighbor who put 4 kids through Academy Heights, and she loved the school. She was very involved and found the teachers to be welcoming. She loved the all-year schedule because as she said, "What do I do with 4 kids and the endless summer?" I saw her point! At Pinecrest, I know one of the kindergarten teachers and she absolutely adores her job and the children. She would do anything for them. I also know an assistant who works there and she said she is very happy going to work every day. She credits the principal for making the school a safe, happy place. So both sound great, and it may come down to scheduling for you to make the decision.

phstresident 2 years, 10 months ago

Both our children attended PES and this coming school year will be moving to the new school at West Pine. PES is a great school with a very good staff. As with any school, your child's experience will be determined but who their teacher is. Some are great, some are good and some just ok. No matter where you go that is the case. We've been very pleased with our experience at PES and think the adminstration is very responsive to any issues. Both schools are very good and you can't go wrong either way in my opinion.

GoldenDreams 2 years, 10 months ago

AllNatural: Correction! In my previous post, I said Pinecrest when I meant to say Pinehurst Elementary. Sorry!

AllNatural 2 years, 10 months ago

Thanks everybody for the informative feedback!

soccermom 2 years, 10 months ago

It's definitely Academy Heights!

We moved here over five years ago and bought a home within easy walking distance to Pinehurst Elementary. When purchasing our home and getting to know the family he were buying the home from, I was surprised to find that she was sending her three elementary school-age kids to Academy Heights when she they lived so close to PE. She told me her reasons, she loved the smaller school, the family-feeling, the year-round schedule, the principal and teachers - and said it was often referred to as the 'private school of Pinehurst', because everyone that was there 'wanted' to be there.

I did my own investigations, visiting both schools (and others), and found Academy Heights was where I wanted my kids. The enrollment alone was incentive enough for me, with Academy Heights at about 271 and Pinehurst Elementary hovering around 670.

At Academy Heights a warm, friendly staff that showed me around, I saw and fell in love with the high-gloss polished old wood floors, the wide and colorful classroom doors, the cool-courtyard with garden, and the wonderful academic record of the school speaks for itself - they have consistently outpreformed other elementarty schools (including PE), in testing, EOGS, etc... and have been awared the additional 'Honor School of Excellence', which is a added designation meaning they met not only the 'school of excellence' criteria, but also adequate yearly progress, under (NCLB) guidelines. You can check out Academey Heights and PInehurst Elementary school testing records at www.education.com, enter both schools in the search categtory and review for yourself.

My own experiences in the Academy Heights family, have been wonderful. A new principal came on board two years after we started, and he's the best. The parent involvment is incredible, and therefore the PTA is strong and capable and preforms a great deal of beneficial projects and programs for the school.

Sure PE has some good teachers, but when I visited the school, it seemed cold and institutional to me - from the foyer, to the cafeteria - it just didn't do it for me. Granted my visit was a few years ago, but I don't think too much has changed since then.... But, I guess there will be changes at PE this year, with the new elementary school opening in the Fall and about half of PE's current enrollment moves to the new school.