Brickell Hammock

My experience with this school has been deeply disappointing and concerning. Instead of being a supportive and nurturing educational environment, the school has become a place where many children—especially those with academic difficulties—are made to feel overwhelmed, insecure, and discouraged rather than supported and helped.There is a noticeable lack of empathy and patience among a large portion of the teaching staff. Several teachers display poor attitudes, little understanding, and a harsh approach that intimidates students and negatively impacts their self-esteem. Rather than motivating children to grow and learn, they are made to feel incapable and constantly pressured.This culture appears to stem from the school’s leadership. Beginning with the principal Barbara Martin, the school’s methodology seems to support a rigid and emotionally insensitive approach, where academic pressure outweighs students’ emotional well-being and individual needs.Additionally, there is clear evidence of favoritism. Certain students—particularly children of teachers or school staff—receive preferential treatment, leadership roles, and opportunities that are not equally available to other students. This creates an unfair, exclusionary, and discouraging environment for the rest of the student body.The overall school climate is negative and unhealthy: poor communication with families, lack of emotional support, minimal inclusivity, and an absence of genuine concern for students’ mental and emotional health. As a parent, it is extremely troubling to witness how this environment damages children’s confidence and their relationship with learning.I would not recommend this school to families seeking a safe, equitable, and compassionate educational environment for their children.

I love this school and the community. Academics are obviously important here and the kids love the school.

The new administration was very disappointing. Parents were misled about the new Downtown campus. The school advertised a beautiful outdoor space, but it was apparently never approved by the city. This was not clearly disclosed until a parent noticed it had disappeared from the website renderings. Only after parents raised concerns did the school admit there would be no outdoor space.We also enrolled under the Early Bird special because it advertised a refund if canceled within 24 hours of the tour. We toured the campus, canceled within that timeframe, and the school still denied the refund.The teachers seemed caring, but the campus felt cold and uninviting. Many classrooms had little to no natural light. Academically, we did not find the school strong enough for a child who is advanced. In our experience, when a child is bored, the school is too quick to label that as a behavior issue instead of recognizing a lack of challenge.