Wayne Carle Middle School

I have had three (very different) kiddos at Sierra and it has been a wonderful school for all of them so far. The Specials team is fantastic! They have Art, Music & PE and days called ROAR days that my crew absolutely loves. The building is light and bright. Administrators are visible and accessible. Two of my kiddos have had IEPs, and they have been well supported.

This is our final year here at Weber. Kinda of sad to leave this little gem behind. This will be my 12th years there between two kids. Great teachers - really great- little turnover. Small class sizes, well run by admin, a walkable and mall community of neighborhood kids- not bussed on kids. They are a performance school that offers a great musical instrument program. Overall very happy experience at Weber.

I have two kids at this school and they have been loving it. The IB program focuses on project based learning in which they put together research and reports. This is opposed to other schools nearby which focus on work sheets and repetition. My children score extremely highly on standardized tests and do not need to do more rote work but simply be engaged with the material and enjoy going to school. A good deal of the student population is low income or ESL, which drags down scores on average, but the project based system allows students that need to go slower to go slower while allowing students that need more to get more. It is difficult to express the rewards of that on a numerical basis. Red Rocks also provides after and before school care, similar to other public schools nearby. The class my oldest child is in has gifted and talented kids in it at well above the 4% rate that would be expected which reinforces talent among the group because instead of coasting on being the smartest he is challenged by peers.

The heart of Woodrow Wilson Academy is undoubtedly its wonderful community. From the dedicated staff to the involved families, there is a genuine sense of belonging and mutual support that makes it feel like a true partnership in raising our children. It is rare to find a school where the social fabric is this strong and welcoming.However, there are a few areas where the experience becomes more challenging:• Homework Volume: There is an abundance of homework that often feels disproportionate depending upon the grade level. While academic rigor is appreciated, the sheer volume can be overwhelming for families trying to maintain a healthy after-school balance.• Math Program Hurdles: Navigating the Eureka math curriculum continues to be particularly difficult for all involved. The program is quite demanding with ‘new age’ techniques and the program often requires a significant amount of parental involvement to bridge the gap between classroom instruction and the complex assignments sent home. It can feel like a steep climb for students who aren't naturally intuitive with the specific methodology used.• Discipline Support: There appears to be a lack of consistent discipline support. Without a more structured or transparent system for managing behavioral issues, it can feel like parents and students are left to navigate difficult situations without enough administrative backing.Overall, it is a school with a fantastic soul and great people, but it would benefit greatly from more streamlined academic expectations and a more robust approach to behavioral support.