Joseph H. Wardlaw Elementary School

The faculty at this school will go beyond to accommodate my children and my needs. Teachers will do their best as they can. So many parents are involved in all activities. I love this school

So far my kids are happy. It’s not all up to the school it’s up to us parents as well.

We enrolled our child in the program because we value Spanish and wanted him to be exposed to an additional language at an early age. The school indicated that instruction would be delivered in a mix of English and Spanish. However, our child’s experience did not reflect that description. He reported that subjects such as math and science were taught solely in Spanish, which made it difficult for him to follow the lessons.As a result, he struggled to understand what was expected of him throughout the day. For example, he did not eat lunch because he did not recognize when it was lunchtime, and there did not appear to be sufficient support to ensure he understood basic routines. This suggests a gap between the school’s stated approach and the actual classroom experience.Clear communication about the language of instruction is important so families can make informed decisions. If the program is primarily conducted in one language, it would be helpful for the school to present that accurately and transparently.As you can imagine, My kid's future is not to be taken lightly; I immediately transfered him after one day there.

I recommend this school my cousin goes to this school and he love it

Parents need to be aware: this school has serious safety and accountability concerns under the current principal. Earlier this school year, I raised concerns with a kindergarten teacher about behavior between students that began with inappropriate conversations. Despite my warnings, the situation escalated into unwanted touching between students.As a parent, it was extremely concerning to feel that early warnings were not taken seriously when early intervention could have prevented the situation from escalating.I also had serious concerns about privacy. Emails I sent directly to the principal regarding classroom safety and incidents involving my child were later accessed from the principal’s computer and shared with staff members. These communications included information about my child and classroom matters. Parents should be able to communicate concerns with school leadership without worrying that their child’s personal information will be circulated among staff.In addition, several teachers have openly expressed frustration about the relocation from their previous campus, and that tension appears to be affecting the overall school environment. Parents have asked for clear written or physical safety plans, but transparency and communication have been limited.I had high hopes for the merger between VCS and MIHAFA and truly believed it would be a positive change for the community. Unfortunately, my experience this year has been deeply disappointing. My hope is that leadership begins prioritizing student safety, privacy, accountability, and stronger communication with families.