Wolhurst

After moving to many states over the last 10 years we landed here at Eldorado Elementary and it has been amazing. Teachers & staff have helped advocate for my kids particular needs & they are thriving!

Our family moved into the district after our children had been at other schools previously, and we were welcomed with open arms. We love how close knit the community is, and how supportive of each other. The teaching staff truly cares for their students, and a lot of families live within walking distance so the playgrounds are always full of friends after school, and during weekends and the summertime. In terms of academics, I think it’s fair to say no kid actually “likes” everything they work on in school, but our children have been well supported in their needs, which have included an ALP. There is an annual science fair, as well as a spelling bee, monthly writing and perseverance awards, and several after school special programs on offer, including a run club. The library is robust, and there is a kid-run news program that goes out to the school. Band and orchestra are offered for the older grades, as well as art, music, and gym for all classes. The school does have a preK, and a SPED center. Class sizes are excellent! We have been pleasantly surprised by how much we love being a part of the CHE community- our previous schools were both blue ribbon DPS schools, but we’ve never experienced the warmth of a community like this one before. Heartily recommend this school for consideration!

I have waited a long time to make a review to reflect on what the real problems were with FRCS. I believe this school is damaging enough to it's students that I should leave some warning for anybody considering it. There are some amazing teachers here who go out of their way for the students. Generally that is not the case, though potentially it is beginning to improve a little. Most teachers follow a straight line to not risk their jobs or relationship with the owner/principle and coworkers. The main issue I have is with the High-school Bible teaching. I have no knowledge of who is teaching that now, they could be great, but in the past it has proven to be very damaging to students. The selling point for FRCS to a lot of people is the Bible/Christian aspect. But I have learned it is worse to be taught the Bible wrong than not at all. The last Bible teacher was a sports coach, and should have never been considered for Bible teaching. The 3-4 teachers before that, (usually duos) generally taught more harmful beliefs than thought provoking ones. And almost always were in disagreement with each other. I personally chose to agree more with Nietzche than any Bible teacher, and they introduced me to his philosophy. I truly do hope the Bible teaching is better now, but in my experience it can be devastating to a real faith in God. It seems encouraged for the teachers to disagree with the literal parts of the Bible, and leave most things open ended. Which is especially bad when they are the ones to give the side of non believers and just leave the defense unsaid. As far as the Christian side of FRCS, I would highly suggest you either tell your kid to ignore the Bible teachers, or to avoid the school entirely. I had a terrible experience for a lot of reasons, that is not the fault of staff. So I will not speak to the other aspects more, but i do think its important for me to warn people considering this school. Even if you are not a believer but want your kid at an expensive private school for whatever reason, this is probably not for you. It has too few students for real social interactions, and public school probably offers a slightly higher level of education.

FOR YOUR TODDLER PLEASE READ!Contact me personally with any questions’Below I have added 6 incident reports which my toddler received almost weekly this is only a few.These will show clearly not only does the owner not care about child safety but that these kids are being ignored by the teachers.If a teacher was paying attention and not talking to friends on their phones most of these could have been avoided.I have a ton more issues with this school and owner.The issues include:My daughter being left with spoiled milk for extended periods during full school days on multiple occasions.Being informed that there is no standard practice to replace children’s cups with fresh water during the day or to clean them routinely.Frequent minor injuries occurring on a near-weekly basis, which I believe are related to inadequate supervision. I have personally observed staff using phones during classroom hours instead of actively monitoring the children.A consistent lack of communication regarding my daughter’s daily activities. Despite being told she participates in art daily, I have never received any of her work.A noticeable behavioral change in my daughter. She was previously comfortable and social; she is now fearful of returning and appears anxious around other children.When I ask about my daughter’s day at drop-off or pick-up, I am often ignored or treated as though my questions are an inconvenience.Teachers playing on cellphones while watching children which leads to more incidents, lack of care, and discomfort around studentsThe owners reply shows zero remorse and more frames it as a misunderstanding?Do these look like a misunderstanding?These children are being neglected. They do nothing to help parents issues or help the students

St. Mary Catholic Virtue School is a wonderful place, and our family has been blessed to be part of this community for the past five years. We truly love it here. The principal, Father James, is an innovative and faithful leader who has renewed the school as a deeply Catholic place. His vision has strengthened both the spiritual and academic life of the school. The teachers work extremely hard to support their students and genuinely care about the formation of their souls, not just academic outcomes. The academics are rigorous, and students are expected to work hard both in class and at home. This high standard is exactly why we chose St. Mary for our children rather than a school that simply passes students along. Some courses are more challenging than others, Spanish for example, but we believe that appropriate hardship helps our children grow, builds resilience, and prevents them from being overly sheltered or coddled. I am honestly surprised by some of the negative reviews. This is a private Catholic school. Families choose to attend and pay tuition because they desire a strong Catholic identity and high expectations. No one is forced to enroll here. If a family is unhappy with a school that is unapologetically Catholic and academically demanding, it may simply not be the right fit for them. The parish community is vibrant and welcoming, and we have felt truly included. St. Mary has also made sincere efforts to build a special education program. While it may not offer the same level of support as some other schools, the effort is valiant, especially when many other schools in the Archdiocese would simply turn away students with additional needs. We are grateful to be part of a school that values faith, discipline, academic excellence, and community.