PADGETT Rd, White plains, MD 20695

We moved from out-of-state in the middle of the year. We chose Hatfield when we were told that it was the top elementary school in the area. We should have looked around. I can sum up our child's academic experience here in three words: DRILL AND KILL. Clearly the standardized bottom line is very important to the faculty and staff, as this seems to be the primary focus of the work, if you can call the work focused in any way. Assignments seem to have little creative direction or relevance to each other. We see stacks and stacks of completed in-class assignments. Is this all they do all day - sit at their desks and slave away at math and spelling? Where's the creative writing? Where is there an opportunity for the kids to express themselves? The faculty here appear tired and set in their old ways - not interested in learning new approaches, and there is much they could learn. Our happy little first grader went from loving school to dreading it in a matter of two weeks. As parents who value education, this is deeply saddening. Sorry, Hatfield. Our children deserve better than this. This approach to education died with disco - or at least it should have. Do better!