3305 Pinot Ct
Marietta, GA 30062

One of the worst schools I’ve ever seen as far as the whole child. The focus is on drill and skill and robotic like behaviors are rewarded/demanded. I’ve never seem anything like it. The kids refer to this school as prison. It’s detrimental to learning, and I’m fighting the good fight in an effort to make effective change.

My daughter only attended this school for a year, not for any negative reasons, but rather we were buying our time to transfer her into Marietta Center for Advanced Academics (Out of District) for their certified Stem Program. Since, she only attended for a year, then I cannot provide a holistic review of the elementary path she would have taken her, but from the start, I can say it was a much better improvement than the time at Addison Elementary. The school was rather new, and likely still is about 3 years ago now from this writing. I think a new building also really breathes new life into the people that want to come and teach our children to learn new things. I can honestly say that this was the sentiment we felt. The coursework seemed above average from what you would come expect in a district with high rankings for their schools. The carpool is a question, I am sure most people are curious about at any school, but this one after a few days of trying it out is structured well. We had no issues with the teachers or administration. My favorite two observations about the school, the first being the priority is the security in place from the entrance to deter a mass tragedy. It is not something any parent wants to think too much about, but being in a country with the bountiful freedoms we enjoy with good or bad mental states, this must be at the fore front of all parents minds. Luckily, they have a great system for this. If you ever tour the school, it will be the first thing you learn. My second favorite thing about the school is the party they have for the kids towards the end of the year. I have never had so much fun on a party bus, yes a party bus that they rent out. It is such a joy to treat the kids with at least a bit of fun after working so hard during the year. Overall, the school gets an A+ in my book. If MCAA, had not worked out, then we would of had our daughter just attend here for 3 years.

This school places a ridiculous emphasis on sports. It overwhelms the communications from school, the social media, and public student celebrations and accolades. There is not enough diversity in elective options. The school schedule changed daily, which is incredibly hard to keep track of. Worse, transportation doesn’t flex with the schedule on all days, so kids without a parent available to taxi them around need to sit in the auditorium for an hour waiting for bus service. The school is incredibly crowded, with the hallways stuffed shoulder to shoulder during passing periods.The bathrooms are DISGUSTING. There is an anonymous shminstashram account dedicated to the horrific state of the bathrooms, both in deferred maintenance and in student disrespect. If you can find that account, that is, amid the overwhelming emphasis on the omg sports. I would have NEVER enrolled my kid at Pope had I found those disgusting pictures first.This school’s administration will “uh huh” and “I see” thorough a 504 meeting, acknowledge that some teachers are already providing the supports you’re requesting, and then deny the 504 because the unofficial, sporadical, and inconsistently applied provided supports are juuuuuust enough that your student isn’t failing. Yet.Pope is dismally average, unless you are a high achiever with a tiger mom or an athlete. Woe be the teenager who is just struggling to get through being a dang teenager. One bright shining start in this whole mess has been the counseling department. If your child is struggling and you reach out for help, they WILL move mountains and find resources and loopholes to help you make it though to the other side. It’s just too bad your kid has to scrape the bedrock before they can get attention. Don’t even get me started on the school board!