Westwood Heights

Cody Elementary presents itself as warm, child-centered, and collaborative but this image is paper-thin. Beneath the surface lies a deeply dysfunctional culture defined by emotional neglect, professional isolation, and unchecked disrespect.Teachers who walk into Cody expecting a supportive team or even basic collegial courtesy are often met with silence, exclusion, and passive hostility. Staff interactions are frequently cold and transactional. Simple kindnesses, like saying good morning or offering help, are rare. Some teaching teams operate more like social cliques than collaborative units. Information is hoarded rather than shared, and new staff are often left to figure things out on their own while their “partners” look the other way.There is an unspoken hierarchy at Cody; if you don’t conform to the existing culture, if you’re too compassionate, too conscientious, too emotionally attuned, you become a target for subtle forms of mistreatment. It’s not always loud or overt. It’s the quiet cruelty of being consistently left out of conversations, ignored in meetings, and treated like an outsider.Even more troubling is the behavior of certain support staff. There are individuals in this building who speak to both colleagues and students with open disrespect. Yelling at children, condescending tones, and public reprimands are not rare occurrences; they're routine. And they are tolerated. Leadership has yet to demonstrate that emotional safety, especially for children, is a priority that goes beyond empty slogans.While there are a few genuinely kind individuals in the building staff who bring light and care to their roles, the toxicity of the overall culture overshadows these moments. Instead of fostering connection and trust, Cody has created a work environment that breeds isolation, anxiety, and burnout. It is emotionally unsafe for anyone with sensitivity, empathy, or trauma-informed values.If you’re a parent, ask yourself: What kind of energy are my children absorbing from the adults around them?If you’re an educator: Prepare to navigate the job alone, unless you’re willing to emotionally disappear into the culture of silence.Cody Elementary looks safe on the outside. But what happens behind the scenes tells a very different story.

I had 2 children go to this school. The teachers at Oak Valley are fantastic. You can tell they enjoy what they do & try their best to meet the needs of each of their students. The class sizes are smaller & the building is really nice. Truely a gem among OPS