Staley Middle School

Great school and great teachers. Teachers appreciate students and get in touch with parents in time regarding their students performance.

I've sent 2 sons through Staley and a 3rd is currently enrolled as of this review. With any of these sites you will always get a few poor reviews. These are usually upset parents who didn't get their way. and as is typical in Frisco they take to the internet to vent their frustration. Let's face it there are no perfect people and as such, no perfect schools. Middle School is already a hard time regardless of the school. But Staley has consistently provided amazing support and guidance to me and my family over these last several years. As another review stated, I also had a special needs son. As with any special needs kid, not every teacher is going to have patience - but in no way can that be a reflection of the leadership or overall character of a school. Staley offers a massive array of programs and opportunities for kids. As with any school, if you are a parent of a special needs kid that sits back and will not be involved, then your child's education will suffer. From my own mistakes and experience I can tell you that the special needs kids who were very successful and setup for High School success, were with parents who were dogged in their persistent presence - always alongside their child when the opportunity would arise. This goes for even the highest rated schools in Frisco. The difference between Staley and the other schools is that we have a larger population of parents that want to sit back and cross their arms hoping that somehow their kids will magically be the best and brightest among their peers. However this in now way impacts those families with determined kids or not-so determined kids but with determined parents.For those of us parents who have been involved alongside their child's experience at Staley, will attest that this school provides an incredible education opportunity that dwarfs most Middle Schools outside of Frisco.So please take these ratings with a grain of salt. If you are a parent who plans to leave their child's education to themselves then not even the highest rated schools are going to push your child the way you want. But if you are looking for an incredible education experience and are excited about being involved, then Staley and any school in Frisco is for you.

This school taught my student to work hard and care for other students.

My son was at Staley from the beginning of 6th grade to the middle of 8th grade. I always had concerns regarding a number of issues, but was hesitant about changing schools because my son did not want to have to make new friends, etc. It is hard for him to "warm-up" to new people initially. The major problems started to arise beginning of 8th grade. My son got a concussion and broke his hand within a matter of weeks. He immediately fell behind and then soon after was diagnosed with a learning disability. I immediately tried to get the proper help and support for my son and in return received hesitancy, push back, and a lack of support. It was heartbreaking to see my son struggle and to see teachers and leadership so disconnected from my son's success. He left in January and I still often think about how my son was treated and at times still become emotional over the entire situation. I often still think about how I even as a parent was treated, especially by the principal, Mrs. Lightfoot. The negativity and lack of leadership skills was so apparent with our first meeting and was discouraging for myself as a parent to see this in an individual who is an educational leader. The system for assignments is very inconsistent and unorganized among each class. It is incredibly challenging to help your child if they struggle with organization, etc. because as an adult, I was unable to follow due dates, etc. The assistant principal, Mrs. Estell, even suggested that my son was not being honest regarding a situation. By the end of the day, the school found proof that my son was in fact not dishonest, but that a teacher "forgot" and made a mistake. It really hurt my son that he was being accused of lying. There really is a silver lining here though. My son asked to change schools and as a family, we felt it was best. He changed schools the beginning of this year (still Frisco ISD) and my son passed the Science STAAR this year on the first time. He also passed the Math STAAR on the first time....EVER! He made new friends. He gained self-confidence and self-esteem back. His teachers are phenomenal and have helped me help him in every way possible! They are very organized, supportive, and friendly. Frisco ISD has the reputation of having ALL great schools. I highly encourage you to do your research because that reputation is not factual.