21 1st Ave
Northbridge, MA 01534

Outstanding programs and options for good students to exceed With parental support Northbridge is great for any student to succeed.

I've been consistently told in different manners that my voice and my child's voice do not matter here. They have no desire for advancement for the children or for meaningful parent administration relationship. Admin and specific teachers I've dealt with, have no desire to get past phony conversations and fake smiles. Though you can expect spewing of progressive rhetoric with no real options for support or advancement beyond their political grandstanding speeches. They will deflect at any possible chance to avoid accountability with improper handling of students and their behavior. They are impossible to get ahold of (including the district superintendent Amy Mckinstry), do not return calls or emails in timely manners at all (unless you practically harass them), will not contact you about serious matters that affect your child, regardless of how firm your desire has been vocalized. However, they will begin creating a file on your student based on bias input and will do everything they can to create situations or embellish "patterns" for future reference against the child, regardless of the truth. They have shady practices when it comes to discipline and use support "programs" called "pathways" and "upper/lower connect" which sounds like a criminal rehab program, both of which are vaguely defined while being loosely monitored. They use this as a go to and as a form of punishment (when they try to offer assurance its not a disciplinary program, its there "for the children" when they need a break... laughable) when they don't feel like dealing with the child.... which is often. If the main office isn't contacted during and "incident", there is no hard copy log that your child was even at the program which means they can lie (and do) about how many times they pull your child out of classes for extremely pointless reasons. They will not contact you when they put your child in one of their padded rooms or in these "programs" so beware. It will ruin your child's confidence and self-worth. They will however call you and interrupt your day because of moot issues that should be easy for people to handle that are in their position if they had the experience that they claim they have. Their student support system is a joke. If you want a decent education and your child to have support they deserve, don't be fooled by the 100mil dollar facade of Northbridge Elementary. You will be doing your child an extreme disservice.

This school is being investigated for several special education violations and civil rights Violations. If your child is at all different, I would not suggest attending. From the reviews, I would say that nothing has changed at this school in over a decade. They value sports above education, and the policies they enact to remove bullying perpetuate the problem and do not help. Their one amazing guidance counselor does not make up for an entire staff of adult bullies and incompetence. They are extremely behind on human rights issues and general education law, let alone sped law. Do yourself a favor and don't send your child here.

Administration from the top down are disrespectful, bad at communicating with staff and families, and care more about preventing lawsuits and having positive public opinions than they do about student well being. They openly show favor towards students who have parents with high incomes. They are out of compliance with several IEPs are a consistent basis due to being short staffed but do not make any real efforts to address staffing issues (i.e. better benefits, better pay, better treatment).