2550 E Payton Ave
Des Moines, IA 50320

Discrimination is a constant at this school from administrators if your child is not a minority. Young kindergarten Students are isolated for multiple recesses and in the class room setting for repeating behaviors learned from other students. Another student can strike and hit your child, but if your child responds or sticks up for themselves they are punished for it, not the instigator that caused the situation to begin with. A black student made a racial slur and was not reprimanded for it at all, my white child repeated what the black child said and was suspended for two days for repeating the same word said to him to begin with. Absences where not excused and he was refused to go to his after school program but I am still required to pay for said program he is not allowed to attend now. The administrators at this school play favorites, if your child doesn’t fit into that niche they are a constant target and will be constantly sent home. My child has absolutely no issues in his multiple extra curricular activities outside of school, never received a single negative report in his school the year prior, and has no issues in his private daycare outside of school. This is the only place, the school refuses to work towards any sort of resolution and continues to constantly isolate and punish my child for any little thing. He is 5 years old and I’m told he has extreme impulse control, again behavior I have never witnessed and has never happened else where. I receive constant phone calls of my son crying hysterically and he hates coming to school here. DMPS refuses to release him from the school so we can take him elsewhere.

Great school, and staff who cares. Highschool is a step into adulthood, you get what you put into it. If you fail to go to class, do your work and actively learn then no, your not going succeed. Teachers always help when asked if you don’t understand something or need extra help. Your social life here is what you put into it, there are tons of clubs and extra clubs or sports you can participate in. My councilors helped with college apps and helped me get a number of scholarships.

Outside of the counselors and attendance lady (, it's been rough. Definitely need to make sure your kid knows self-defense. Teachers seem burned out.