Cherry Valley

I moved to this district hoping for a decent special education system and a decent education for my children. Unfortunately, our experience has been awful.My children were originally in a special-needs classroom and were then moved into an integrated classroom based on the Child Study Team’s recommendation. While the staff has been kind, the educational experience has simply not been strong enough for children with their needs.Both children were promoted to second grade, yet neither is performing anywhere near second-grade level. Both tested around a kindergarten level in reading and writing through their home school program. These are 7-year-old children.We have always been involved parents. My spouse is a stay-at-home mom who maintained constant communication with the school and stayed involved in their education. We are not parents who believe our children are perfect or that every educational challenge is the school's fault. We understand our children have significant needs and require additional support.What we cannot accept is watching our children fall further behind while being moved forward academically as if the problem doesn't exist.A kind staff is appreciated, but kindness alone does not equal a strong special education program or an appropriate educational placement.We moved to this district specifically because we believed our children would receive a decent education and appropriate special education support. Instead, we have been deeply disappointed.Honestly, we are thankful we decided **not to buy a home here**, because after this experience, we would not feel comfortable making that kind of long-term commitment to this district.Families considering this district for children with special education needs should do their research and ask very specific questions about placements, services, academic progress, and what happens when a placement isn't working.

It's a small family feel in the school. The staff knows all of the kids well. They take a true interest in each child. When my dad passed they kept checking on the kids, when our dog passed they did the same. Not many do that today. Love the staff and the community so much!

Save your money this school is a horrible place to spend it. The teachers and faculty staff do not spend enough time caring about the children, or their education. A lot of children have complained about their teachers treating them differently based on their skin tone. The kids in the school are a very bad influence on others. Bullying and racism have taken a big part of this schools system and it has not been dealt with. Kids have tried to speak up about to teachers, staff, and principal and it still didn’t get the help it needed. Their education also is another prime issue, my kids had a really hard time understanding formula with little to no help from teachers. The money they endure isn’t spent well either. This school has had ceiling leaks, mouse problems, and just a horrible environment for your children.