Riggs Park

Overall, I've been pleased with the changes.

I don't believe the school has before-care, so I'm not sure what that other commenter is referring to. Overall, the school has questionable practices in my opinion. Scores were poor last year, and it's hard to get transparent and honest information from the administration. Nearby charters have more to offer.

My child has been a part of this school since pre-k 3, he is now in the 3rd grade. When he first started it was great and the teachers were great but after kindergarten it went all down hill. This school changes administration so much that you never know who is who anymore. This year I have had to address so many problems pertaining to the teachers and my child. They have been yelling at him, getting in his face, not allowing him to go to the bathroom, cursing at him, telling him to shut up, calling him stupid. The staff in this school is unequipped to deal with children and there are only a few teachers and staff members that I can actually say are good people. They switch principles every year so you never know who is in charge, they don't act concerned about your issues and the well being of your child and their main focus is testing. The only positive thing about this school is the curriculum. My child is learning a lot in this school and is very well advanced in some areas. They have a lot of work that needs to be done and they need to get better teachers who know how to communicate with the children and the parents. This will be my sons last year.

I recently attended a formal meeting with school staff to discuss my son’s academic performance and support needs. The meeting included his teachers and the 5th-grade principal. Unfortunately, the tone and conduct of the principal during this meeting were unprofessional, dismissive, and deeply concerning.Rather than approaching the discussion collaboratively and with a problem-solving mindset, the principal appeared defensive and unwilling to acknowledge the severity of the academic challenges being presented. At one point during the meeting, it was openly stated that all students in the 5th-grade cohort are performing approximately three grade levels behind.This admission alone should have prompted immediate concern, reflection, and corrective action. Instead, it was presented as though this widespread underperformance was acceptable or unavoidable, which is deeply troubling. The school has stated that there are two teachers assigned to approximately 16 students in the 5th grade. On paper, this ratio may appear sufficient. However, when the majority of students in the classroom are struggling academically and performing well below grade level, this staffing model is inadequate to meet individual learning needs.Students with learning disabilities require specialized instruction, differentiated teaching strategies, and consistent progress monitoring. Simply placing two teachers in a room with multiple struggling students does not guarantee effective support especially if neither teacher is providing specialized education services or evidence-based interventions. It is unrealistic to expect that meaningful individualized support can be delivered when nearly every student in the classroom requires remediation. This is not a matter of effort or intention; it is a matter of capacity and structure.ring the meeting, my son was present and actively participated. He verbally expressed that he needs academic support and clearly identified the subjects in which he struggles—reading, writing, and math. His ability to articulate these challenges demonstrates self-awareness and a desire to succeed.Despite this, his concerns were minimized. Rather than being validated and addressed with a concrete support plan, his struggles were reframed as issues of confidence rather than skill deficits. While confidence is important, it cannot replace instruction. Confidence is built through mastery, and mastery is achieved through proper teaching, practice, and support.

Our son is currently enrolled in PK-3 at Sela. We were a bit unsure how he would handle the language immersion environment, but he has done nothing but thrive. He loves going to school and can't say enough good things about his day. His teachers are caring and communicative and, as cliche as it sounds, the school environment really is that of a family (parents and students greeted by name by everyone from the Head of School to the front desk staff). Dr. Smith, the head of school, sets the tone of appreciating diversity and striving for excellence.Like all relatively new organizations, Sela certainly has areas in which it is continuing to grow and improve (for example, avenues for family participation in the school community), but it has clearly mastered the most important functions of a school -- providing a first-class education in a safe, nurturing environment. We look forward to returning next year.