Parkhaven

Woodley is an ok school the Staff sometimes greet you and sometimes they don't. I do think they could do better on the car rides making sure the kids know the person whose picking them up in car lines and unlike the other Elementary School the Staff hear only stay outside until 8am when at the other school Staff stays out until 8:10 when the tardy bell rings. I have went to pick my child up at 3:23 and the Staff would already be on their way to office with the kids instead of waiting to 3:30 to leave car ride duty as the other schools. I also will say that this school is not as organized as THAMES, but is better than other elementary schools in the Forrest County area. I do like my child's teacher and I think she has good teaching skills and was told she was transferred from a better school in the area.

We love the Montessori Children's House and have been going here since my son was 18 months. The new staff and teachers are wonderful and my son has truly flourished in this environment. They provide healthy lunches and snacks, open age grouping, and an effective education method that works developed by Maria Montessori. As the children are learning letters they learn through their senses and first learn the sounds then to draw on sandpaper cut out letters then in a small board of sand. The environment is very home-like, comfortable, sensorial, global, and human. When it is busy it has a beautiful humming sound as the kids grab their own work and begin their day under the observation and gentle guidance of the teacher, whose presence is hardly noticed by an outside observer. She floats and observes and facilitates. Snacks are healthy. Peaceful resolution of problems is a key focus. I volunteer for some Spanish education. I dust off the sand before helping my excited, engaged, and exhausted child into the car at the end of a day. They have a sand lion pet as well as a tadpole. My child is respected and loved here.