Willis Junior High School

I saw the Great Schools score of 3/10 and didn't want my son to go to Kinder here at first... but it was beginning of COVID and we couldn't get enrolled into our preferred school. So, we went to this school as our official 'home school', and prayed all would go well. Let me tell you, I am VERY IMPRESSED by the personable, encouraging staff, the curriculum, and even how they handled a budding bully experience in the 1st grade. My son is in a regular classroom, however is on an IEP. The special ed department takes the time to really get to know him and work with him as an individual. I have been nothing but impressed and thankful for the culture here, his main classroom teachers, the Dean of Students, and still getting to know the new Principal this year (so far so good!). My son has attended K-2nd grade here and I cannot recommend this school enough!

Great Staffs! Nice environment. I will recommend anyone in the district.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: This school claims to be helpful, open and accepting of those with learning disabilities/IEP. It. Is. Not. We had constant struggles the entire year with the team continually talking very negatively (mind you in front of my child) during the meetings. They did not report very many good things until asked which was very frustrating. Our child would get very discouraged during the meetings. Definitely think twice if your student is even slightly struggling in any area as they will not receive the help you hope for. SAFETY:We always knew our student was very safe while at school due to the safety precautions they had in place which was comforting as there were school shootings around the country during this school year. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT:IF and WHEN they notified of events we loved attending but a lot of times we were not notified of anything and found out through fellow parents who worked at the school who would ask if we were going to activity x, y or z. We even sat down with the principal at the start of the year and expressed our sadness of missing an event right off the bat because of lack of communication. There is a lot of that. TEACHING: Our student was not a fan of the teacher. Our student complained regularly that she was kind of mean and has come home with a lot of negative self talk and when asked where he heard it from the response was that the teacher would say those things. Absolutely broke my heart. LEARNING:Also the sheer amount of homework even for the littlest grades is absolutely horrendous. My student should not be expected to come home from a school day and proceed to do 45+ minutes of homework when they should be able to just play and be a kid.

AS A parent I am LIVID that my child can not get a reward because she read to many books isn't this what schools are wanting students to not read as much this stupid AR test one renaissance does not get my child a banana split!

As a parent, I truly cannot say enough amazing things about New Vistas Center for Education. My son has been there since preschool and is now in first grade, and the growth we’ve seen in him has been incredible.The curriculum is exceptional, with a strong focus on critical thinking and individualized learning. He genuinely loves to read, write, and learn, which says everything. He wakes up excited to go to school, enjoys the structure and calm environment, and looks forward to playing with his friends at recess.What really sets New Vistas apart is the faculty. The teachers are not only incredibly smart, but deeply caring. Every child is truly known. No one is just a number. The small class sizes make a huge difference, allowing for personalized attention and support, and there is no ceiling on learning. Each student is encouraged to grow at their own pace and pushed to reach their full potential.I am beyond impressed with what my son already knows as a first grader. It goes far beyond what I expected. Most importantly, he is confident, curious, and loves learning.We feel so grateful to be part of this school and are incredibly excited for his future here.

I am an alumni and now parent of St. Mary Basha. The education I received from the school not only helped set myself up for success but left such a positive impression that I am proud to now send my children here. They have made great strides in technology, safety, student support and family engagement since my time there and continue to provide the students with tools they need to be smart and successful in this high tech area. I appreciate that they teach digital literacy from a young age while still maintaining a traditional approach to education. The teachers, staff and admin truly care about each and every student here. The principal knows every student (and I would say every parent) by name and has excellent communication with the families. She has personally responded to every email I have ever sent quickly and with a detailed, thoughtful response. There are plenty of ways to be involved in the school which allows parents to get to know the staff and other parents better and really integrate you into the community. The finance coordinator has been amazing at providing information with options on how to make our Catholic education attainable, especially for the PreK and kinder years. I am grateful to continue to be a St. Mary's family and highly recommend the school to anyone looking to give their student a Catholic education!