253 The Mdws #253
Enfield, CT 06082

In the words of the principal when i brought a bullying concerned about my child's safety was, "we have too many students to focus on just one"

This is my son’s third year at Henry Barnard. Everyone we have encountered has been wonderful and supportive. So far, it has been a great experience all around.

Survival of the fittest. This is a wild school where bullies run unpunished and teachers can be unfair. Many students will encourage others to do horrible things to themselves. A teacher of mine even made a racist joke. Lunch has recently been reformed and is quite tasty now. However they still use lunch pods separating people. As a student, I would say the school does deserve it's low rating. Vice principals often scream in between periods for people to get to class, this being after the bell had just rung. This, in my opinion is unnecessary. Kids will often skip class and TALK TO SECURITY GUARDS. Kids will often make friends with vice principals. The school has many TVs in the hub that just display screensavers and stock images. Money wasted that could be used to upgrade the faulty keyboards, half of which had to be replaced within my first year at this school. We currently have a paper shortage. This should not be an issue after a renovation using $80,000,000 of taxpayer money. You would expect the board of Ed to scrape a nickel off the side of the money jar for us to be able to complete work. The music program may not have sufficient amounts of paper for another song. The honors programs contain the following:Busy work.There are currently leaks in art/music wing that may damage instruments, as well as mold posing health risks. My own orchestra teacher who is a beacon of light in this god forsaken school is having daily coughing fits. Almost all of the world language teachers have unfair punishments and solutions for problems. Detention for work left on floor, and having to write your name down at the beginning of class for a bathroom line. My own sister whom is in the same grade as me was rushing to do her work after an unexpected change in due date. Some students sometimes feel that commiting to die is the best way out. This is serious. I want the school administration to see this. There are major faults in this school. Im begging that someone sees this because this school needed change yesterday.

I am looking to send my son to another schools. His third grade teacher is inflexible and rigid, and does not seem to have a genuine love of children. As an educator myself, I am disappointed in the lack of understanding from the principal and teacher about the needs of children with emotional disabilities. That being said, the guidance counselor is wonderful!