Sumac Elementary School

We love Sumac! The teachers are great, the atmosphere is nice, and the staff is excellent. The campus is closed now, and upgrades have been made. The school has parent meetings to help parents support their kids bilingual education at home, without homework. It’s clean, managed well, and a special little gem of a school that we feel privileged to attend.

Can't really complain about teachers: they do their best in a crowded classroom where students have differents levels and NEEDS and so the students. Main disappointment : campus is literally opened, not secure so anyone can join during recess or lunch and kids go wherever. I witnessed it more than once. Morning drop-off and dismissals are a joke: lack of organisations( few times there was no adult supervising), parents speeding, passing, picking- up kids before loop and blocking, parking where not authorized.......when they are not showing their finger or giving insults! Moved to another school, don't feel right having my kids here.

We love Sumac. Wanted to thank the teachers for their endless patience, sense of humor, calmness, coolness, and most of of all for their professionalism. Wanted to thank the administration for their openness, willingness to listen and resolve problems, for all the extras Sumac has, and for keeping our school in pristine condition. Thank you everyone, who keeps the school website and class webpages updated. I'm a working parent, having all the current information posted on the Internet means a lot to me! Wanted to thank the district for implementing L-STEAM program at our school, for taking care of every child in the district from kids with special needs to gifted ones through the various programs available, and for all the community involvement. When I see my child reading thick books, that I wouldn't even touch at her age; or when I see how easily she is able to explain the meaning of each chart and table in our utility bills; or when I see how attentively she listens to others, and how well thought her own arguments and ideas are, I'm not only feeling incredibly proud of my little one, I know that she is attending a school that is teaching for life, not for a test score.

I like this school. The dual language program is excellent. However, the teacher absenteeism is very high. Pretty much all the teachers are out of the classroom for several days out of the year for teacher training, conferences, and meetings. Those who fall ill or take off for personal reasons are gone for much more than that. I have two kids at this school and every year, at least one of them has a teacher gone for more than four weeks, sometimes longer. It is frustrating, however, when the regular teachers are in the classroom the instruction is very good.

Our son started Kindergarten last September and he loves it. The L-STEM program is great. My son is in the dual language program and is learning Spanish. Aside from the dual language program (which is optional) he has music, computer, science and art class and visits the library once a week. I am impressed with the breadth of the program and have enjoyed meeting and interacting with the parents at the school. It is a very nurturing community.