Elm Hill

Having come from Glastonbury Public Schools and being a former public school teacher I felt compelled to share I’ve been impressed with John Paterson Elementary. This school has highly-skilled veteran staff that work well together in each grade band. Class sizes have been 16-18 students- which I find incredible given most districts have maximums at 27 students. I’ve consistently been impressed by each teacher my child has had. I get weekly updates on what they’re working on in class and pictures of their activities. They offer enrichment, as well as targeted interventions, for students to ensure everyone’s needs are met. My child absolutely loves their school and has found good friends. Math and reading instruction are on point. I also love the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity here- it’s such a better representation of the real world and offers an abundance of teachable moments. Students get to learn about all different cultures and make friends with students who speak multiple languages. I’ve also been pleased with the social-emotional curriculum. I understand the “great schools” rating goes off of test scores, but schools are so much more than that. My kid is happy, enjoys learning, is performing above grade level, feels safe, and likes going to school.

My kid loves her school. She is very happy and learning with great passion.

I would not recommend this school based on my experience. There appears to be a strong culture of favoritism toward the children of pastors and faculty members, while other students are often treated differently. These students tend to remain within exclusive social groups, creating an environment that can feel unwelcoming to those outside those circles.In my observation, disciplinary standards also seem inconsistent. Students who are not connected to staff or church leadership often receive harsher consequences, while inappropriate behavior from pastor and faculty children is overlooked or excused. Bullying and rude conduct are not always addressed fairly, and there is a perception that some students are protected from accountability.I was also disappointed by the way some teachers communicate with students. The tone can come across as disrespectful and demeaning rather than encouraging and Christ-centered. A faith-based school should model kindness, humility, and fairness, but I did not feel those values were consistently reflected in the school's culture.Every child deserves to feel equally valued, supported, and treated with respect. Unfortunately, that was not the environment I experienced, and for that reason, I cannot recommend this school.