Testimonials

Howard Parent and Student Testimonials


Alumni now a sophomore in college
I attended Howard seven years ago. This school was amazing, the teachers and staff were among the best in Orange County. I was so glad to attend a school as great as it is, I was a part of the band and on the volleyball team. Howard volleyball team really helped me become a great athlete I am today, I am now playing on a volleyball scholarship in college. Those 3 years at Howard were the best and I’m glad to be a proud alumni of Howard.


Best experience of my life
I am now a sophomore in high school, and I miss HMS every single day. This school brought me so much happiness for my 3-years of middle school. It taught me patience, friendship, and how to love everyone despite of any differences. I met my very best friends at this school. If you are wondering if this school is right for your child, it probably is. It has a perfect balance of artsy kids and sporty kids where the status quo and stigma for the two gets broken every day. This school is amazing and I miss it every single day.

Current Student
I've had so many opportunities at Howard. I've met so many friends and amazing people here. The art program has helped me improve and develop my skills. The guitar program has also helped me with my confidence, durability, and actions, not only inside the classroom but outside too. There are a lot of different kinds of kids at Howard so whether you’re an art, theatre, athletic, or academic kid, you'll fit in.

Howard is everything I ever wanted for my child
My daughter is in 8th grade. We chose Howard for the arts but my daughter got so much more than just that. She has become independent and confident. As a parent and fellow OCPS teacher, I can say that HMS is probably the most diverse school in the district. My daughter has friends from every different background (not just racial or cultural but also financial) and has learned that what makes a good friend, is if they are a good person. Academically, she has soared! Her teachers motivate her and she loves them all. She always says that the teachers at Howard are her friends. Howard has been everything we could have ever asked for!

Student of the Arts
The art programs here are utterly amazing! Both 2D art and 3D art have truly opened my eyes of the art world, showing me that art is more than a drawing on a page or a painting on a canvas, but it is all around us and it can be made out of anything. This school has really helped me further develop my artistic talent.

Band Student
I absolutely love Howard's band because it challenges you in all the right ways where the work isn't overbearing. And not to mention the fact that almost every class we are laughing because the classes are so fun!

Teach you more than just academics but life! (Alumni point of view who is now a junior in high school)
For me as a past student from Howard, it helps you discover yourself as an individual. I joined Howard mainly for their dance program since I was wanting to improve upon my dancing. But little did I know that I was going to have a Star Wars obsessed band teacher, a mountain dew fanatic as a chorus teacher, a messy bun gators fan art teacher, and die hard Hanson fan as a dance teacher. I was able to learn new ways to express my own unique form of creative freely. Not only did Howard help me discover different ways to express myself through creativity but academics. I learned so many things there and whenever I visit I always make sure to see all my past teachers remembering of when I was in their class and how crazy it is the change from then to now. Howard is more than just a regular middle school it helps you get to meet people from different areas with different passions. It also sets you up to be your best self through high school. While in the Howard dance magnet program they gave me the freedom to come up with choreography for fun lessons which I have never done before. Now writing this as a junior in high school, I will be choreographing my own dance number as my senior piece next year. Without Howard I would not be in that position where I am confident to do so, but Howard provided me the freedom to create throughout middle school which allows me to believe I will be able to create that number. I will forever be grateful for being able to go to Howard and having amazing friends and teachers to help form me into who I am today.

Current Parent
It was the gift of friendships that brought us to Howard! My daughter loved starting her day with music - orchestra and guitar (and in 8th grade) ending it with science and Art in the middle. As a parent I am eternally grateful for the first two weeks of 6th grade devoted to teaching my child organizational skills! Seriously, no other middle school does it! I want to send my daughter back for a refresher course!


Prepares you for higher education
My son spent three years at Howard and we were so impressed with the teachers and academic rigor. He’s in high school now and Howard prepared him well for high school Honor classes. The school takes academics as seriously as their Arts programs. There is a nice balance for the students.

Former Parent
The best decision for my daughter. I remember the day I told my fifth grader we were applying for our middle school. Her statement was “you are going to take me out of my private school and put me in public school”. My response was yes if you want to dance more this is the way we’re going to do it. I took her to open house call and she was blown away by the dance. As a parent I remember feeling like I walked into a school where you could feel the creativity oozing from the walls. We applied and prayed and trusted that if this was the school for my daughter she would get in. We got the news that we got the golden ticket and we registered. I had no idea how I was going to get her there as I am a single working mom but I was blessed to find a car pool literally 1 day before school started. My daughter loved the school. Over the years she was in dance and joined the dance troupe where she was able to dance at DPA and Orlando magic games. She was also able to sing at the Magic games with the choir. My daughter also discovered her love for photography and enjoys that as a hobby. Howard provided a safe creative environment where she was welcome as all kids are she has friendships that will last a lifetime and as an alumni she always comes back to help during open house and dance recital and still keeps in contact with her teachers. The little 5th grader that wonder what was I doing was one of the 3 last students to leave campus her last day of school her eight grade year and to this day she considers herself a Ranger. I know how lucky we were to get in and I will say this it was a great sacrifice to drive for 3 yrs and those week where we had several performances one each day were so stressful however I would not change it for anything. Howard Middle help me shape my daughter into the young lady she is today and I will forever be grateful to all the teachers and staff. This was the best decision I made and I will always say “PROUD TO BE A RANGER”

Orchestra Student
The orchestra program here is the best! The teacher is amazing and she challenges us every day to try something new. In Orchestra, you get many opportunities and improves you as a player.

Current Parent
My daughter moved to Howard from a nearby K-8 starting her 6th grade year. She is in 8th grade at Howard this year and loves every minute of school. My girl thought her former school was ok, but she thinks Howard is amazing!!! Some reasons that she thinks Howard extraordinary... the diversity- gender and race. She loves that Howard is all inclusive. Embracing differences. She loves that Howard expands beyond the normal for teaching. She tells me her teachers are happy! My daughter has had a wonderful experience at Howard. It has broadened her mind and heart. I encourage any parent who wants more for their child to give Howard a try. It is more ♡

Current 8th Grader
The Howard Magnet Program has given me so many benefits. It has given me so many amazing opportunities and has helped me to become the student I am today. I have become a better dancer, artist, and actor. Before I came to Howard I had never thought that I would want to be a performer but now, this is my passion.

From a Student
Everyone at Howard is welcoming and supportive of their students, there are many different personalities and different talents here, the school gives you the opportunity to excel in your core classes and provides electives to help bring out your talents, like band, art, and other options.

P.E. isn't just a period where you exercise, but it actually teaches you how to be in a healthy physical state, and a helpful state of mind. There is very much diversity at Howard, and that is a big factor to what makes Howard a very amazing school.

Current Parent
Howard is amazing!!! My daughter is a 7th Grader there. The first time we came to tour the school we knew it was a perfect fit for her. After a year and a half of being there I can honestly say that it was the best decision we could have ever made. The teachers here are absolutely the BEST! They are all so invested in the kids and have such a special way of making learning fun and exciting. They go above and beyond to make sure that all of their students are succeeding. The administration and counselors are also amazing!! I’ll never forget I had questions about a class my daughter was put in, I was blown away that her counselor called me at 8:30 on a Friday night and spent an hour talking to me and putting my concerns completely at ease.

While Academics are very important and challenging at Howard, the kids also get such a wide range of fun and exciting Arts electives, which keeps things really exciting for them. The opportunities at Howard are endless!!! Another thing that I feel sets Howard apart from other schools is the commitment to inclusiveness, acceptance, and kindness. Howard is a safe place! All students are welcomed, loved, and supported there no matter your race, religion, sexuality, or gender identity. At Howard everyone truly matters! If you want to watch your child grow academically and be surrounded by a compassionate, supportive community, I highly recommend Howard.

We found our school
When our daughters were in Elementary school we were never happy with their schools, and neither were our kids. We left one school because they only cared about testing, and left a charter school because they didn't have real teachers. They were not able to teach effectively or control the classroom. When we found Howard our daughter immediately loved it. A year later, our younger daughter immediately loved it as well. Our scholarly daughter feels challenged and our less scholarly daughter gets the help she needs. Teachers are accessible, so helpful and go beyond the call of duty. Our daughters find the teachers personable, helpful and they make learning fun. The Principal and other Administrators are also very communicative and helpful. Having great Arts programs certainly helps a great deal too of course!

Howard is a wonderful school!
My son is an 8th grader and I feel so lucky that he had the opportunity to attend Howard for Middle School. The teachers here are amazing and so dedicated to their students. He has had opportunities to talk with Broadway stars, take classes with professional dancers and so much more. If your child is interested in the arts this is the school for them. They get so many wonderful experiences and learn so much in their time here. I wish it was also a high school!