MacArthur Middle School in Baltimore, Maryland

“the teachers are great to students and students go through a real educational experiance with a college level of work”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This school did change my life--to be stronger, defensive, and focus more on academics (English was very tough in 8th grade). However, the school's behaviour was ridiculously out of hand. There were fights probably once or twice that occurred each month, and it actually takes a while for the staff to break it up. I was able to tell the teachers were even afraid of some of the students. I guess MacArthur is a good experience to build up courage/deal with the real world, but sometimes, it's too much to handle. From so much disrespect in this school, I've had depression problems, to be honest. Just giving a warning to your children/you.”
This review was posted by a student.

“I am a Myp student from Glen Burnie and im in my sixth grade year. MacArthur Middle School is not bad at all. The teachers work very hard and things are very productive. I woould just say that they need to work on building appearence and parent notifications on activities. As long as you stay focused, there is no problem with getting honor roll. I havent gotten anything less than a B on my report cards. I even started out the year with straight A's. Parents should come and visit before they make up their minds that our school is bad. Go 6th grade class of 09!”
This review was posted by a student.

“anyone that put more than one star on this survey need to open there eyes and be aware of the behavior going on in this school. I am even black and i Am saying that this school needs major improvement. I feel as if this school needs to close and never open back up until it is ready to cahnge majorely. It is an embarassment to our new president Obama and all black people who want to succedd in life every where. I strongly suggest that you do not send your child here and this is coming from a someone who has seen and experience dit all.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I hear horror storys of MacArthur..I was terrified for my son going into 6th grade..I raised my son to be a leader not a follower..He is a honor roll student n by far this has been the best school year of both our lives..Parents hear stories of Macarthur n are so quick to judge. The littliest thing that happen with their child they say Macarthur is a bad school..Go to some of the middle schools off post n then judge Macarthur..Just because this is a school on a military base they think their child is protected..Get over it parents..Raise ur kids to be leaders n not easily influence..My son handles his self as the young man we are raising him to be..It starts at home..From a military spouse who dont allow the miltary life to influence her judgment..”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My daughter will graduate from MacArthur this Spring...Thank God! She transferred in from a prominent district in the region. If I could do it all over again, I would've home-schooled her. The past two years were difficult with the bullying and soft bigotry of low expectations but there was a quality administrator/dean that was respected and to some degree feared by the students. This year she moved on to become a principal in DC. If it were up to me, I would fire the principal and shutter the school for a year. It is run down, it lacks the amenities that most middle schools have such as a auditorium, a track, etc. The tennis courts have patches of grass growing in the cracks. There are some quality, dedicated teachers at MacArthur but as an engaged parent, it is obvious that they are not supported by the principal.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I believe the bullying and fighting is continous and is starting to get ridiculous. Thet teachers offer a decent academic profil but...”
This review was posted by a student.

“I believe that those teachers who posted lately good ratings only did that to save thier jobs. This school has been bad for many years. I have two that attend now and had one who attended years ago and he is in college now. He had issues going into high school because he thougth it would be just as bad as McArthur and it wasn't. He went to Arundel High however not on base. Some of the teachers listen but only after there's a problem, I should not have child get near a D when I've told and told them to contact me if it gets to a C and my child is normally an honor roll student. I get emails if I email first not the other way around. It takes maybe 1 min to email that your child is having issues. We spend that much texting/ email friends/surfing.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Parents should read the research about what makes a school strong before placing blame. You will find that the success and climate of a school is driven by the strength its leadership above all else. A uniform policy that can only be addressed by teachers during a 26 minute time frame, that occurs 86 minutes into the school day is ludicrous. Unless you are active in the school, you may be unaware of the many demands made on teachers daily. There are dedicated teachers at this school who give more than a parent could ever imagine to ensure a quality education is provided for ALL students. Ask to see a teacher's MSA stats before judging them. Being easy and giving little work does not make a good teacher. Expecting students to master required materials and giving them the tools they need are what makes a good teacher”
This review was posted by a other.

“I am a current staff member at MacArthur and we contrary to what many parents have stated on this site, we DO NOT have fights daily in the hallways. The term bullying has been over-used, we do have kids who are picked on and mocked, and although this is not appropriate, this happens not just at our school but at h8undreds of middle schools in Anne Arundel County and across the country. MacArthur does lack a cohesive staff however, it is not a dangerous school and you should not feel intimidated about sending your child here. As a parent and a staff member, like in any situation, parents need to carefully research schools prior to enrolling their child. Instead of reading all of the negative comments, as a parent you should visit the school, meet with administration, counselors and teachers then make a decision.”
This review was posted by a teacher.

“MacArthur is not bad at all...i would just say it needs work on the staff members and the building its self! CLASS OF 09!”
This review was posted by a student.

“I think MacArthur is a great school with great teachers! :-D”
This review was posted by a student.

“I am a parent/teacher at this school and I would rate this school between a 2/3. MacArthur is a good school however, it could be much much better. I agree with parents who state that there are issues with administration and not backing their staff. I agree that some students do attempt to run the school and that some teachers need to be replaced however, we are striving to do the best that we can with what we have. What I do encourage is that students as well as parents to write the school board as well as Dr. Maxwell - School Superintendent and Dr. Ciafrani-Area Director and voice how you feel about your school. That is the only way changes will be made. Parents if you want to see changes made within your child's school, my advice is for you to get involved, get involved, get involved.”
This review was posted by a teacher.

“i am a graguate of macarthur and i would have to say that it is a very wonderful school.i say this cause it is true.the staff there is great.there were a lot of fights though and people did get expelled but all in all i would have to say that macarthur is an excellent school to attend.so i recomend macarthur to all parents if you want your child to have a good education.so now that you know how i see this school...Stop saying bad things about it!!!!”
This review was posted by a student.

“I attended this school for 8th grade a few years back. I had no problem in my learning environment. MacArthur is not for the student easily distracted. If your child has focus and the want to learn, then they will be perfectly fine. While it is distracting they offer great Art Programs, P.E. programs, and several others things. Although I was very disappointed to hear their policy had changed that no longer enabled previous students to visit with teachers.”
This review was posted by a student.

“The actual school building, while very old, is well kept. Unfortunately that is the only up side to this institution. Most of the teachers are helpful, but they are not in a positive environment for condusive learning. I would not recommend this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This school has too many teachers that are run by the kids, and others have no room for any questions to be asked, and slack to be given. My daughter has been bullied for her race and religion, which is absolutely horrible. Some kids (I am told) make sure that no one else in the room has a chance to learn anything due to the fact of the noise level in each classroom. While some teachers let the kids run the classroom, others act like children are a nuisence, and do not help them by not being clear and not answering questions. This makes it even harder to learn in an environment that already has regular fights and other distractions. Cussing is a whole 'nother problem. Kids randomly cuss at others in and out of the classroom, teachers see this and do absolutely nothing.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“It is the worst school i have ever been to. The uniform policy is too strict. People curse at you and bully you. They need a stronger foundation to build up on. Some of the taechers are not good quality teachers.”
This review was posted by a student.

“I am a staff member at MacArthur Middle School and have to agree with most of the posts I've seen. MacArthur does indeed need stronger administration and there is a severe bullying problem throughout the school. As teachers we try to do our job the best we can and refer students who have issues to administration. Unfortunately the administration doesn't give appropriate consequences for actions the teachers see as serious. If one had a choice I would think twice before sending your student here, and if you do please get involved with the school. If parents don't complain to the administration and state their opinions, nothing will change. If you have to go to the Board of Education do it! Teachers are trying to do what they can.”
This review was posted by a staff.

“My daughter attended this school for a brief 3 months, when we pulled her out due to many factors. The level of teacher and principal attention to problems is reprehensible, fights were constantly taking place, noise in the classroom was so high my daughter couldn't hear the lesson. As parents, we saw her enthusiasm for school wane, which was unacceptable. We moved her into a charter school with many less kids, more attention to detail and a very strict behavior and education guideline. My suggestion to any parent is to look somewhere else before putting your child in this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“After a year of being in that school, my son has gone from being an advanced student to stagnating academically. Unfortunately the school lacks strong leadership and kids are bullied and fights occur regularly. My wife and I are going to be sending him to a private school, where I know he will at least be safe and that he will be challenged mentally. If you can avoid sending your kids to this school, I highly recommend it.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I have two children that currently attend this school (2006 - 2007). Some classes lack books, some teachers refuse parental contact to discuss issues, and I often feel that there are so many field trips that the school's focus towards my chidrens' education is lessened. In my opinion, the school needs to focus more on students' needs and less on their teacher's personal wants.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The quality of acidemic programs is high, however some teachers care too much of what the students think of them, rather than what they teach. There is a wide variety of subjects the students can take ranging from chorus to tech Ed. to home Ec.. A student is put into a class by how well they perform, students in the same grade may not have the same classes. Extracurricular activites are offered at MacArthur and there are a lot to chose from. Newspaper club, art club, yearbook, rocketry, chess... and even sport intermerals. The student's ability to participate in these intermerals afterschool is not affected by their grade. And even though tutoring is offered, more students are in sports. The level of parental involvment us average. You have parent chaperones and parents donating time, food and money to help the school with events. And teachers constantly talking to parents about students grades.”
This review was posted by a student.

“Unfortunately my Daughter attends Macarthur Middle school. Macarthur has sever bulling, harrassment and discipline problems. The administration does not follow through with discipline problems. Administration seems to be easily intimidated by students. Please tour this school while in session before making the choice to expose your child.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Macarthur Middle is the worst school we have come across yet. Discipline is rarely used and if used at all it is at a minimum. The administration is only there for looks. Unless you as a parent push the issues of Academics you might as well forget it. Some of the teachers make an effort to educate and discipline but are not backed by the rest of the administration. My Daughter fears for her safety daily. There are daily fights in the halls. Students speak to the teachers as well as faculty using valgur language. I would never recommend sending your child to this so called school. If the school actually followed it own rule handbook and with a little reform it 'could' be a decent school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son attended this school for one year before we put him in another school. He was placed in advanced classes and did fine academically. The main problem with this school is the other children that attend it. There is a huge population of bullies and the school seems powerless or unwilling to stem their behavior. Many children are bussed in from the rest of the county and even one of the administrators told us that their hands are tied in large part when it comes to dealing with them. Some of the teachers are quite good and concerned about their students, while others have no business being in the classroom. It is an old faculty that is overcrowded. From the first step inside you feel more like you are in a poor inner-city school than the suburbs.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Huge middle school (1,100+ students). My son attended middle school this year for 7th grade after being homeschooled. The biggest drawback is that this school is county-run, which means kids off post attend. School looks rundown and teachers do a good job of educating, considering the students they are teaching. This post is close to everything, which is a huge perk. The staff and teachers are nice and seem genuinely interested in teaching the curriculum. The counselors are great at working with kids that need IEPs or 504s.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My daughter is attending this school now and for the first time ever she has made the honor roll. I volunteer regularly and keep in close contact with her teachers to keep her on the right track. If you get involved and make it known, I believe your children will have a good experience here.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I went to MacArthur and i loved it, it is a diverce area and the teachers are very understanding being that some of the kids come from a military home. I learned a lot about different people and different family lifes they also ahvea great musical programs that give students lots of oppurtunities.”
This review was posted by a former student.

“My daughter attended MacArthur Middle for 2 years. She absolutely hated it. Some of the teachers didn't actually teach, while some were really strict. I feel that MacArthur changed my daughter in an many emotionally destructive ways. So in my opinion, MacArthur Middle is not a challenging acedemic school. Thank you, -Anonymous”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My son had no issues w/ this McArthur. He can from a school that had disipline problems and thrived in this school. My one knock on this school is poor teacher/parent involment. When my son started having difficulties academically, a spot check on my part discovered the problem. Felt teachers should have brought to my attention first and earlier. The issue was addressed and worked out find w/ extra work and closer supervision.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am a teacher at MacArthur and can't say enough about how wonderful our school is. We are diverse in every way and serve children from all walks of life. Parents, you will have our support, as we need yours to keep your child successful and challenged. Students, talk to your teachers. Let us know who you are and where you see yourself in your future.”
This review was posted by a teacher.

“My daughter and I have had a wonderful experience with this school. She has always worked below average and upon enrolling her in this school I made my concerns known to her gudance counselor as well as her teachers. From the beginning they kept in constant contact with me and offered solutions to her problems that proved effective. This quarter she made the Honor Roll for the first time ever! Kudos to MacArthur Middle's teachers and guidance Counselors”
This review was posted by a parent.