Riverside Middle

Riverside Middle is a junior high of close-knit scale in Williamston, North Carolina, operated by Martin County Schools, caters to 335 students in grades 6 through 8. That puts it 45% leaner than the typical public school in North Carolina, which averages around 605 students.

Across the 10 schools in Martin County Schools (3,382 students total), Riverside Middle accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Demographically, Riverside Middle logs that 57% of the student body identifies as Black. Other groups include 26% White, 11% Hispanic, 4% multiracial. By comparison, Martin County as a whole is about 40% Black, so the school skews considerably more Black than its surroundings.

In terms of school funding signals, Staff filings list 25 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 13.7:1 students per teacher. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 15.9:1, putting Riverside Middle tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 99% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Riverside Middle sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 48.6%; this one delivers 38.3%.

In the surrounding community, Martin County reports that median household earnings sit near $48,578, roughly 17% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 15% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Martin County's 12 public schools (combined enrollment of about 3,967 students), Riverside Middle is one campus in the mix.

Nearest neighbor: Riverside High, around 1.6 miles off. Within five miles, there are 6 other public schools. Among the 5 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Riverside Middle ranks 4th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 52.4%.

Riverside Middle operates from a countryside location.

Five-year trend. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 29%: 470 students in 2018 compared to 335 in 2025. White enrollment moved from 33% to 26% across the same window. Class-load math has fell: from 15.4:1 in 2018 to 13.7:1 in 2025.

On the community side, posts here usually surface around enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.