Parent Testimonials

“There are so many things we love about New Horizons from the strong academics to the individual attention to the sense of community. The most important aspect of the school, to us, is this focus on community and how each child plays an integral role in the success of the school and the learning process for everyone. I think students at New Horizons are taught how to be citizens of the world in the very best sense of the phrase — curious, engaged and committed to helping those around them. New Horizons is a school the way schools are supposed to be where children are nurtured, class size is small, parents take part, and everyone is important and each voice is valued. We feel so very lucky to send our son to New Horizons.”

~ Heather Wilson

“Our daughter is loved, challenged and treated as an individual at New Horizons. She is being taught more than academics, she is being taught how to thrive. To see her come home week after week excited and joyful while learning says it all!”

~ Caroline Shields

“Heaven! That is how my second son, then a kindergartner, described school at New Horizons Elementary. Our family has had many wonderful years at New Horizons as our three sons have attended school there. The caring atmosphere and spirit of NHES shows through in the teachers, staff and their fellow students. New Horizons has enabled each of our children to bloom as individuals and proven to be the ideal springboard for life ahead. By far, their happiest of school memories will always be about New Horizons and the amazing teachers that have given their hearts to our boys. Our family is grateful for New Horizons Elementary School.”

~ Lucy West

“Stepping into the backyard of New Horizons on our first visit was a
magical moment for us.  From encountering the ukulele club practicing,
to each and every student making eye contact and conversation with us,
we were smitten.  Since that first visit, we have grown to love NHES
for how it is shaping our daughter’s character.  Academics is always
at the forefront of choosing a school, but on top of excelling in
academics, character education is a core tenant of the NHES community.
NHES grows compassionate, thoughtful and helpful citizens and we are
forever grateful that our daughter has the privilege of attending.”

~ Meredith Mulford

“We feel so very fortunate that our children have had the opportunity to attend New Horizons Elementary School. It has been a delightful experience from the very first day of kindergarten. The teachers are special and amazing! They are talented, loving, bright, giving and experienced. Each child in this wonderful family atmosphere is treated as an individual as they grow to become independent learners and helpers. Their gifts and hard work are praised and their weaknesses encouraged. Academics, leadership, creativity and health are nourished at NHES, making for a well-rounded and confident child. My children cannot wait to get out of the car to go have fun with their friends every day! What a treat. Thank You New Horizons Elementary School!”

~ Kathryn B. Ciarrocca

“Within the first year following my oldest son’s graduation from New Horizons Elementary, I received several calls and letters from middle school teachers praising my son and thanking me for allowing them to teach him. They praised his work ethic, academic performance, willingness to participate, compassion for his peers, the respect he showed his teachers, along with admiration for the genuine interest he had in learning. A teacher actually called in tears one day to tell me that my son, along with another boy he graduated with from New Horizons, choose to sit with a special needs student at lunch so he wouldn’t be alone. I strongly feel that the kind words I continue to hear from my son’s teachers are due to the incredibly nurturing foundation he received while at New Horizons Elementary School. We are so grateful for the experience we have had at NHES with our oldest child. We are thrilled that our younger children continue to have that experience daily as it is invaluable and will give them the tools they need to succeed not just academically, but also as members a broader community.”

~ Marissa Hankins

“We have been part of the New Horizons family for ten years. New Horizons, old and new, teachers and families, buildings and grounds, will always have a special place in our hearts. All of our children have gone on with great success in middle school, high school, and college. The things they learned there about community, empathy, and respect and kindness for others were instrumental in making them the good people they are. New Horizons reinforced the values that we as a family strive to instill. In addition, I believe New Horizons was the perfect environment for my girls to build the self-confidence and resilience they needed to succeed. The nurturing, open-minded approach to education that New Horizons provided allowed everyone to shine and use their voice.”

~ Carole Johnson

“As a middle school teacher here in the New Hanover County School system, I must commend New Horizons Elementary for the academic and social/emotional rigor the students at this school are held to for all aspects of learning. Teaching 6th grade, I have students enter my classroom from many different schools – from public, to private, to home schooled and out-of-state. I can attest, with confidence, that students with a NHES background start middle school with a deeper understanding of academic standards in math, reading, science, and history, as well as the social skills that create successful learners in positive educational environments.

Keep it up, New Horizons! What you are doing WORKS!”

~ Ali Nowell

“New Horizons is everything you would want in an elementary school and much more. The teachers and students all know each other by name. The students work with other students in different grades. This creates a sense of community that is nearly impossible to find in public schools anymore, and I would imagine not easy to find in some of the larger private or charter schools. The teachers are fantastic and put in the time and effort to understand and foster each individual child’s interests. The result of all of this is a confident, enthusiastic child. Our son genuinely looks forward to going to school every day.”

~ Jeremy Bivins

“It is hard to believe that it has been 15 years since I first began learning at New Horizons; I can still smell the welcoming crayon scent of Ms. Jane’s Kindergarten classroom. As I am about to begin my final year of law school, most of my best memories as a student are in those first 6 years that I spent at New Horizons. All of the teachers encouraged both academic and personal development in the students. While I fondly remember “Math Wizard” challenges, helping younger students learn to read, and field trips to the library, I equally grew from planting a secret garden with my class and earning “Peace Maker Awards” by performing little acts of kindness at recess. I cannot say enough good things about this school, and I hope that when I have children they can share my experience there.”

~ Billy Green

“Easily the best part about New Horizons is the atmosphere it creates for kids to really just learn, explore, and have fun without any kind of fear of ridicule or not being accepted. It seems too often kids find themselves self conscious, uncomfortable among their peers, or in a constant state of trying to impress even from really young ages. I am still SO grateful that my first few years of school allowed me to be exactly who I was in that moment and to make real and genuine friends that have ended up lasting me through the next 10 years of my life.
I definitely think the environment I grew up in at NHES created my strong self confidence and created the high standards I still hold for authenticity and kindness in all of my friendships and close relationships. Long story short, New Horizons provides an invaluable foundation for kids to be authentic and genuine and to learn the importance of surrounding themselves with others that also value those character traits as well. NHES breeds good, kind people.”

~ Alex Solana

NHES is a wonderful school in the best of times, however when challenges arise you quickly realize that the teachers, staff and other families are a safety net of full of love, support and encouragement to help carry you through. Sending our children to NHES is one of the very best parenting decisions we have made.

~ Maggie Miller

“New Horizons is a school of the highest academic excellence. But it is so much more than that. New Horizons has created a culture that encourages lifelong learning, informed citizenship and personal integrity. The teachers at New Horizons choose to be there and it shows. Its small size is a great asset. Its kind of like a family…in the best sense. Older kids interact and look out for younger kids. Each grade builds on the next. Kids speak to adults. New Horizons gets you ready for the outside world by being a nurturing place in the elementary years. As one of my sons says of the teachers,”…they try to understand everybody so they can figure out how to help them.”

~ Ed West