Erin Shades

There are very few teachers here that are decent. I used to go to this school, and I was supposed to get help with my work because I have ADHD and the teachers did nothing about it, so they basically let my grades slip and I failed everything. Also there is so much bullying, judgment, racism, and harassment. Even the teachers bully the students. DO NOT GO HERE

It is a good school when I went here. Good diversity and not much trouble.

It has the worst principal, Erin Traylor. My son was bitten by someone; she even did not provide an apology. she is very selfish.

The students are expected to know how to read and write proper A,B,Cs both in upper and lower cases and numbers or 1,2,3… before they even begin KG at this school. They expect students to know how to draw people, animals, things, etc. before they even begin KG. They want your children to know American history, science, social studies, math in kindergarten and in grade 1. Teacher to students ratio is 22:1 or 23:1. The teachers purposely grade the exams at CTES very strictly even in KG and in 1st grade. Students in first grade are expected to read extremely well and write multiple paragraphs with proper English grammar, spellings, vocabulary and punctuations before they can move up to the next grade.Principal and teachers at this school never listen to parents’ concerns or use parents’ advice to alter or make small changes into their rigid and extremely difficult curriculums. Kids are often bullied, made fun of and ridiculed. Most teachers purposely make learning very difficult even for the average students. They expect students to study and learn everything at home. They expect parents to teach kids how to read and write at home and to read them stories and ask questions on a nightly basis as if we don’t have jobs or other responsibilities.Teachers at CTES make their curriculums purposely, extremely difficult for students with a little bit of learning problems. May God help you if your kid(s) suffers from ADHD, anxiety or any other physical, mental or learning disabilities. My kids often come home crying cause someone said or did something mean to them. My kids hate going to school and cry every morning. Parents concerns are often neglected. We find it is not a safe place. I don’t recommend this school to anyone except to those people whose kids can multitask, are above average, super smart and who can stand up against bullies. Even though this school has an 85% minority student population, most of their teachers are white.They don’t care about diversity except as a lip service or to celebrate it as a superficial, one day event. If you’re a minority or speak a language other than English then this is not a good school for your kids. I wish someone had warned me about it before I moved into this part of town. Some teachers pretend to be sympathetic, but they really aren’t on your side. They would gladly fail your kid at the end of the year. What really upsets me is that teachers cover for one another instead of caring for the well being of our kids.

When I worked here at the age of 23, I did not receive the training that they said I would get. I felt thrown to the wolves in a job that I was not trained for. I cared so much about my students, and did a good job with what I was given. I did not receive proper resources, materials, or training for being with 20 toddlers. Really unfortunate process for hiring and keeping teachers. I quit because I did not feel like I was appropriately serving the students, even if I kept being told that I was doing “great work.” I don’t recommend putting your young people in this school, and urge you to ask how the administration is supporting the teachers.

Our daughter’s first year at Steward was truly transformative. Joining as a new student in her final year of middle school could have been difficult, but Steward made the transition seamless. During the summer before school started, the school introduced new students to one another and paired them with a current family, helping our daughter begin the year already feeling connected. Once classes began, both the students and faculty made her feel genuinely welcome. The teachers and administrative staff went out of their way to ease her transition and make her feel at home.The facilities at Steward also stood out to us from our very first visit and create an exceptional environment for students. From the Innovation Lab to the athletic fields to the cozy classrooms, every space contributes to an atmosphere that feels safe, comfortable, and engaging. One of the main reasons we chose to transition to private school was the overwhelming size of the public schools, and the smaller class sizes at Steward helped our daughter feel both at ease and actively engaged in her learning.The quality and kindness of the teachers were immediately apparent as well. It’s clear they genuinely care about their students and are deeply invested in their growth and success. At the fall meet-the-teacher event, parents experienced the instructional approach firsthand by participating in the same types of exercises the students had completed in class. We were struck by how engaging and thoughtful the teaching style was. Rather than focusing on rote memorization or teaching to standardized tests, the lessons encouraged students to ask questions, think critically, interpret information, and develop a deeper understanding of both the material and its real-world application. It was clear that Steward prioritizes curiosity, engagement, and meaningful learning over simply memorizing facts for an exam.As our daughter wraps up her first year, we could not be happier with our decision to join the Steward community.