Tom Matsumoto Elementary School

My kids have had a great educational and social experience at Cadwallader. Both K teachers are kind, structured, and effective educators. The PTA and many parents are all about building community through the school, which makes for a very familial vibe. The principal is available, receptive to feedback, and involved in the details of every classroom as needed. In amazing to see the lengths the staff goes to to lift every kid to their highest potential.

“The principal, assistants, and office staff are very good, but the special education teacher is quite harsh. I had a negative experience with her regarding my child.”

Constantly got bullied, laughed at, and excluded from here. Got shamed by teachers and had to sit in a table away from everyone because I liked talking out loud a lot. Got accused of being the bully by a group of kids, and some lady believed them JUST because there were more against me even though I was the one being bullied. My bullies got no repercussions.I'm pretty sure I was neurodivergent (autism; thinking back of it I showed MANY signs) with the way I was always socially out of place and excluded, but nobody really picked on that or helped me.Some teachers are nice while others have an ego too big and pick on kids they don't like.

Wow, where do I start with this one. This school is what your child might call "hit or miss". My son attended from 4th-6th grade. 4th and 5th were excellent, with an amazing teacher. The school had many oddities however. They let the special- ed kids play in the same playground, which of course they have the undeniable right to do, but at the same time as the other students could be a hassle with them potentially getting hurt. My son also told me that they put those children's strollers abnormally close to the swings, and refused to move. Other than that, it was basically the only major problem that the school had. The problems would grow the following year. My son received a passionate teacher in 6th grade and had a good friend group. However, half way in the year, his teacher began slacking in teaching the material. The kids were set to learn about Rome for a month, yet ended up learning about it for a few days. They also had to do five chapters of science in one week. Many of the children's grades were negatively affected due to this. That school year thus ended on a somewhat sad note. My son often reminisced about his time at Norwood the following year at Quimby. Of course this all was many years ago, so I'm sure the school has improved by then. The transition to Quimby, was in itself not what we expected and a whole story on its own. Overall, I'd give this school a 6.5/10.