Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School is only seven miles from downtown Apex. In a world that seems smaller and smaller each day, there are compelling reasons you should consider sending your Apex middle schooler to this cutting-edge magnet school.
No one is better suited to make the case for this school than Apex resident Margaret S. Feldman, principal of Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School (DDMMS). Feldman has been an education professional for over 28 years. She spent almost two decades teaching middle schoolers up north in Washington, DC before making her way to Apex. Once here, she joined the staff at Salem Middle School and taught there for eight years. In 2018, she became principal at DDMMS.
She is intimately familiar with the overcrowding and capping that pervades our local middle schools and wants to make sure our community knows about her school, a school she is undeniably passionate about.
DDMMS is one of Wake County’s newest magnet schools (i.e., its first year as a magnet school was 2020-2021) and its Center for Global Studies and Spanish Immersion, integrating global themes across all aspects of learning, sets this school apart.
“While we use the same curriculum as all the Apex schools, students at Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School make global connections, become global citizens, and study a world language so they can engage in the world as productive global citizens,” she explained.
Feldman shared that what makes this school unique is the fact that learning is centered around global-content integration and the Four Domains of Global Competencies: Investigate the World, Recognize Perspectives, Communicate Ideas, and Take Action. Teachers and students use the Four Domains of Global Competencies to explore the interconnections of state curriculum, global issues, and global topics. She beamed when sharing that the DDMMS student body features 43 different nationalities. “We represent the world and that is something we take pride in.”
Some of the activities at DDMMS that reflect this global perspective include morning announcements that always start with a global fact of the day; the Dillard Drive News Network, which features students reporting on global news of the day; a cultivated relationship with the Mexican Consulate; a letter exchange between DDMMS students and students around the world; international class trips, including one to Quebec and another scheduled to Costa Rica; and attendance at many of the local international festivals.
DDMMS also has a strong, local business alliance which is especially beneficial given the presence of many global organizations here in the Triangle. The lynchpin of their business connections is the annual career fair held at DDMMS in the spring, which features local businesses visiting the school to expose students to their duality of being local but with a global lens.
The school’s impressive resume is further enhanced given the fact that in 2024, DDMMS was presented the Magnet School of Excellence Award by Magnet Schools of America. This prestigious distinction is given to a select group of magnet schools that have demonstrated the highest level of excellence in all facets of the merit award application.
Feldman was quick to point out how the school’s achievements reflect the dedicated team of faculty, administration and support personnel at DDMMS. “I cannot brag enough about the incredible staff we have,” she said. Among them, she indicated, are two Spanish teachers, one from Chile and the other from Colombia. So, they are native Spanish speakers who bring language proficiency along with a magnitude of culture to the school.
The world language program at DDMMS offers students the opportunity to earn up to two high school credits in either the French or Spanish language. Native Spanish speakers can engage within a heritage program.
“In 2026, our school will welcome a cohort of Spanish immersion students from our pathway elementary school, [Dillard Drive Magnet Elementary School],” she said.
According to Feldman, students and teachers use DDMMS’s core values — show kindness, own it, persevere, be present, and believe — to learn how to recognize other’s perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action to improve society, the environment, and their well-being.
“We infuse these values into all of our core curriculum electives and have even created new electives. All of [the classes] take a global spin,” she explained.
This global spin is important because some of the most valuable skills learned during middle school are those of critical thinking, problem solving and communication. Feldman underscored how the application of the global lens enhances these skills.
“Our approach facilitates kids being able to recognize different perspectives, being open to understand another point of view and mature enough to have those conversations,” she said.
Feldman noted that at DDMMS, students learn about the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and discover ways to put these goals into action. Students are also given the opportunity to learn about the world around them through interactive learning experiences with local museums, travel, clubs like the Junior Model United Nations, the school’s Student Ambassador program, and an assortment of classes on world languages.
“We believe that a global citizen understands, appreciates, and interacts with other cultures. With a choice of either French or Spanish, students develop speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills while learning a new language,” Feldman said.
Students in Apex, Cary, and Holly Springs can apply to attend DDMMS during the magnet school application period, which is from October 14, 2024, through January 23, 2025. The Magnet Fair showcasing schools and programs for the 2025-2026 school year is being held on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, at Enloe Magnet High School (128 Clarendon Crescent, Raleigh).
Last year was DDMMS’s largest recruiting year, so word is getting out. Feldman will be at the fair showcasing their award-winning program. She added, however, that if you have questions about the school or its curriculum, you don’t have to wait until the fair. “My door is always open. Call anytime,” she said.
In closing, Feldman posed a simple, yet fundamental question: What do you want your child to get out of school?
“At DDMMS, we are very intentional about making sure kids are getting exposure to the world outside of school and showing kids the relevancy of what they are learning in school and how it will apply, whether you are going to a trade school, college, community college or heading directly to the workforce. Whatever your path is, we try to make that relevant for kids,” she said.
If you’re looking at middle school options for your child, why not show them the world?
Learn more about Dillard Drive Magnet Middle School at www.wcpss.net/DillardDriveMS or get in touch with Principal Margaret Feldman at (919) 233-4228 and mfeldman@wcpss.net.
