2013 Moses Harper, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Matoaka Elementary is a wonderful school. In terms of education, the teachers (universally) and (for the most part) administration, are highly engaged, effective, and transparent. All of our children have had wonderful educational experiences in the classroom. The school suffers a lot from the role that the PTA plays. If you aren't affluent or you are a two parent working household, you are persona non grata. There is a whisper of bullying from the PTA moms and heavy handed (if not shameful) 'insider trading.' The PTA kids universally get the best classrooms, and/or are switched out from those classrooms if the mothers deem them not the best. School-wide contests (not fundraising or legitimate contests, but contests that require a vote, such as the yearbook contest) are won exclusively by PTA kids. Some contests that require a 'popularity voting' mechanism have not been won by a kid whose mom is NOT on the PTA in over FIVE consecutive years. If you hope to volunteer at the school, you'll be denied because the PTA moms control those dynamics, often serve as "class moms" and only invite those they are close with into the fold. If you're a stay-at-home mom with affluence, you might make the cut. If you're not--good luck. My only concern with the school is the ways in which it is impossible to be engaged as a parent if you are not a part of the PTA mom drama club. Every single one of our kids has gone through Matoaka and again, the educational experience is top notch. But we've found that, despite the inclination that there would be more drama at the middle and high school level, the drama fades when you leave Matoaka because the school allows the PTA to run amok.