Merrelltown

It used to be gray 3 years ago. Today, the noticeable lack of stability among the staff, including the office staff and the principal. This instability has continued to affect the school environment, and it seems to have worsened over time. This year, for example, my child’s classroom teacher resigned at the end of August, and the position has remained unfilled since then. As a result, my child has had multiple substitute teachers with no consistent leadership in the classroom. There has been zero communication with families about the ongoing situation.As a parent of a child with special needs, I reached out to the school principal with my concerns, but it took a week to receive a response, which was merely an apology for the inconvenience. While I appreciate the acknowledgment, the lack of follow-up or any substantive action is deeply concerning.More recently, I learned of a serious incident involving a Special Education employee. When I picked my child up from after-school care—provided by a third-party organization on school premises—the after-school program leader shared a troubling report. She had witnessed a school Special Education staff member speaking to my child in a demeaning and disrespectful manner, even physically forcing him as a form of punishment. According to the leader, the SPED employee instructed the after-school staff to "make him do things, not ask him," and to isolate him so he could "learn." This behavior is unacceptable and deeply concerning, especially in an environment that should prioritize the safety and dignity of every child.I emailed the principal immediately about this alarming situation, and while I did receive a response stating that an investigation would take place, I have not heard anything further since then. The lack of transparency and follow-through on such a serious issue is simply not acceptable.

This school is the worst school I’ve ever been to in perspective I’ve went to a school in south philly

My child has been at Joe Lee Johnson for a few years now. When we started, the school was struggling, but under new leadership, it's really turned around. We've had excellent teachers and my child is a super reader! The campus itself is gorgeous and well-maintained and the kids love the playgrounds. The PTA is SUPERB, very active, and incredibly involved. I encourage you to join if you enroll at JLJ. Principal Dean is very transparent about the changes and the work being done to turn this school around and the teachers have been working incredibly hard to ensure all students get the attention they need.

in 3 days the school has made us feel unwelcome and uncomfortable. I chose this school as it was well rated and I was seeking structure from an honest school l

We have been part of AIS for over ten years and have seen the school evolve in many ways, most of them positive. One of its most enduring strengths is the small class sizes, which create a more personalized and supportive learning environment for each student.The elementary program is led by some of the most engaging educators we’ve encountered, with three teachers supporting instruction across the three languages. This structure not only strengthens language exposure but also keeps students actively engaged throughout the day.The admissions process, which includes an evaluation of both the student and their family, helps foster a strong and engaged community. This intentional approach contributes to the overall positive atmosphere of the school. A great example of this community feel is International Week, when students from preschool through 8th grade study and present on a different country. Each class explores aspects such as music, food, dress, art, and culture, and families are invited to participate, making it a meaningful and memorable experience.While the goal of students graduating in 5th or 8th grade as trilingual is admirable, in practice the amount of time dedicated to Spanish can limit opportunities for achieving true fluency for many students. This is especially notable given that the Spanish teachers are among the school’s greatest strengths and bring tremendous value to the program.As our family looks ahead to eventually graduating the school, we know it will be bittersweet. AIS does an excellent job of ensuring that students feel academically prepared transition to high school. One area to be mindful of, however, is subject-specific vocabulary, particularly in math and science, which are taught in French throughout middle school. Since local high schools do not offer instruction in French, this can present an adjustment as students transition to English-based coursework.

The teachers are not qualified at all. The school has no sense of care for safety and has a poor environment for learning.