Uptown

This school is not recommended. Don't risk your child growth and development by taking them to this school. Horrible

I want to share my experience with being a parent of three children at Disney. There is nothing better than hearing your kids say they are excited to go to school. I have a child in kindergarten, second grade, and another in fifth grade at Disney, and they have had such positive experiences there.One of the things our family loves most is the arts program. My oldest child was able to participate in Dare to Dream, and it was amazing to see her confidence grow as she prepared for and performed in the show. We also look forward to the arts showcases throughout the year. It's clear that the school values creativity, and I love that teachers find ways to incorporate art into classroom learning as well.Whenever we've had a concern, we've felt supported. The second floor assistant principal was especially helpful when we ran into an issue. She took the time to listen, work through solutions, and make sure everyone was on the same page. It made a stressful situation much easier to navigate.My children genuinely enjoy being at Disney. They feel supported by their teachers, have built strong relationships with staff, and are confident in what they're learning. As a parent, that's exactly what I want for my kids.Furthermore, the school has always felt welcoming to our family. The principal is visible, approachable, and involved. He greets families, talks with students, and is always present at school events. I've even seen him outside picking up trash and helping keep the school grounds clean. That might seem like a small thing, but it shows how much he cares about the school and the community.No school is perfect, but speaking from my experience, Disney is a place where staff truly care about students and work hard every day to help them succeed. We are grateful to be part of the Disney community.

Goudy is one of those amazing neighborhood schools where the teachers, staff, and leadership truly care. You feel it at every school event and from the kids who are genuinely excited to go to school there every day. It's one of the most culturally and racially diverse schools in the entire CPS system, and they prioritize the needs of the community (i.e., they actually welcome newcomers and immigrants, unlike other area schools that have turned them away and placed an over emphasis on teaching kids to test well rather than creating engaging and healthy learning environments that help all community members). The school was also just awarded a "Top Magnet School of Excellence" status by Magnet Schools of America, and was just one of three schools in the entire state to achieve this recognition—proof that academics, alongside of healthy learning environments, are equally prioritized here. As others have said, the school also has many amenities and programs that other schools of its size do not (tech lab, 3D printers, two full size gyms, rock band / battle of the bands, music class, drama class, a full size library, etc.). Overall, we have been extremely happy with our choice to send our kids to Goudy, and highly recommend other parents in the area look into this under-the-radar gem as well.

We have had such a positive experience at Courtenay. My kid attended the pre-k this past year, and will be returning to Courtenay this year.This school is under excellent leadership. The admin is engaged with the whole community, dedicated to programs and initiatives that benefit both the students and their families. Whenever I’ve had questions or concerns, the administration has responded promptly and thoughtfully. I attended nearly all the monthly ‘Coffee with the Admin’ meetings with the principal and assistant principal and got to experience firsthand their appreciation of parental feedback. If someone had a question or concern that couldn’t be addressed at that moment, the principal was quick to get the information relayed to us. We loved our kid’s teacher team and were so lucky that they have the wisdom and experience to see when a student requires intervention. We were a bit worried about the transition from daycare to pre-k, but from the very beginning his teachers were engaged and communicative about how they were supporting him in the classroom and how we could support at home. I felt he was truly taken care of and given an environment in which to thrive. He came home happy and was eager to go back the next morning. During LSC and other school community meetings, I met passionate educators of the 3rd-8th grades and it seems that the entire staff knows every kid in the school. I also found the Child-Parent Center a great asset. Their sole purpose is to create opportunities for parents and families to get involved in the school community. They organized parent volunteers for field trips and school performances, and offered a variety of on-going opportunities (cooking club) and classes (CPR, wellness, culture) throughout the year that gave me the chance to meet other parents. To top it off, they have a flourishing ‘Friends of’ organization that further supports the students and school as needed and the new playground is fantastic for all ages.I’m so pleased this is our neighborhood school, and I am excited for our kid to continue to experience such an open and friendly learning environment.

As a new parent to the district we were incredibly happy to see how warm, engaged and helpful the teachers and teaching support staff, are with each child. While I am not sure administration supports the teachers/staff as much as they should, each teacher we have worked with goes over and above for their students. The kindergarten class reached 32 students before it was split. As parents we were unsure how a teacher would be able to effectively educate and why administration allowed this to happen without adequate support in place. Ms. Aragon handled the situation with grace, kindness and professionalism. She truly cared for and fought for what is in the best interest of each of her students. Ms. Aragon is a 10-star teacher in every possible way! The entire preK/K branches staff is the best elementary experience we have ever encountered. A few excellent educators; Mr. Kyle, Mr. JB, Ms. Moloney, Ms. Koloba, and so so many others that unfortunately I don't know their names. Also the security team in both buildings are phenomenal and greet children by name with excitement. I do believe that the upper administration are good people however it seems apparent that in every school it is parents/teachers against administration instead of working together. Budgets and policies seem to rule upper administration instead of the best interest of each student.

We had a very positive experience at this school. Would recommend this school. I love how communicative the teachers are. They provide key updates on how your child does and establish a 1:1 connection with the parent. The teachers are very caring and approachable. They are always open to addressing our questions and special needs. They also have an indoor gym which is a great way to engage kids in physical activity especially during cold winters!

Worst place to send your child. They will destroy the students self esteem and only believe either their way or go away. Their attitude is a mini dictator. All their teachers attitude toward parents is unbelievable. It makes you to think, where you in some undeveloped country. Glad I made a decision to remove my son soon.