Blevins Middle School

This school has been exceptional for my two children. One of my children was in the gifted and talented program at Bauder (99% for literacy) and through their time at Bauder also increased their scores on CMAS for math by fifteen percent (going from 81st in 3rd to 96 in 5th)! They ended up also being identified GT for math in 5th grade after growing tremendously. This was huge for entering into middle school. My other child was a struggling learner and reader in first grade. They needed additional support, which Bauder provided, and they went from being in the low 20's on testing to scoring well into the 80th percentile on MAPS and CMAS now that they are in 4th grade. The teachers at Bauder are kind, committed to the kids and great at teaching. We have been so happy with our experience! There is also strong parental involvement at Bauder with an exceptional PTO. We have a lot of fun doing activities with our neighbors and feel so thrilled with our choice.

Went to this school when I was younger. Teachers were rude and 100% picked favorites. Gym teacher was utterly disrespectful to both me and my brother. Most teachers didn't take certain matters seriously and allowed me to be harassed almost the entire time I attended. There were students that would physically harm others, including myself and teachers overlooked it constantly. There was a time that I was being physically harassed to the point that I ended up resorting to self defense. The kid never got in trouble but I got written up for it. The school was fun at first but as I got older, it slowly got worse. I'm a junior in high-school now, and I don't imagine this school has changed much since I left. Nobody is aware of this since they aren't currently attending that school like these children are. I can only hope that kids don't go through the same treatment that I, along with many other children did.

We love the culture at Irish! It is a very close knit community. We have been raising our two children, currently in 1st and 3rd grade, bilingual in Spanish and English since they were born, and feel that Irish really supports and reflects both facets of identities. The teachers are amazing and go above and beyond to meet the unique needs of each student and to get to know families. The school population is very diverse and we've had the opportunity to get to know parents, teachers, and staff from many different countries, which makes for a very rich experience. We also love participating in the unique cultural events and after school enrichment programs (PSD After 3) that Irish offers. In addition to providing such an important multicultural education, Irish also excels at social-emotional support and supporting children with unique learning needs. One of our kiddos was recently diagnosed with both learning disabilities and gifted abilities, and we have been so impressed by how the teachers, counselors, interventionists, and school leadership have supported our family on this journey as we figure out the best support and accommodations to meet their needs and ensure they thrive. Irish Elementary Escuela Bilingüe has really gone above and beyond all of our expectations, and we are so grateful to be a part of the Irish community. It is truly a special place!

We have already seen one of our children thrive after several years at Johnson, and we're excited our younger son will start in the Fall. Every school in PSD is great but there is something special about the warmth and energy of this school.

I went to this school for four years, and every year has been a new, great experience. The PBLs are great, and there are so many nice teachers. Olander is definitely a school I would recommend.