Ruth Chaffee School

Great school, the teachers are great.. The office, the principal..

Having come from Glastonbury Public Schools and being a former public school teacher I felt compelled to share I’ve been impressed with John Paterson Elementary. This school has highly-skilled veteran staff that work well together in each grade band. Class sizes have been 16-18 students- which I find incredible given most districts have maximums at 27 students. I’ve consistently been impressed by each teacher my child has had. I get weekly updates on what they’re working on in class and pictures of their activities. They offer enrichment, as well as targeted interventions, for students to ensure everyone’s needs are met. My child absolutely loves their school and has found good friends. Math and reading instruction are on point. I also love the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity here- it’s such a better representation of the real world and offers an abundance of teachable moments. Students get to learn about all different cultures and make friends with students who speak multiple languages. I’ve also been pleased with the social-emotional curriculum. I understand the “great schools” rating goes off of test scores, but schools are so much more than that. My kid is happy, enjoys learning, is performing above grade level, feels safe, and likes going to school.

Made my kids comfortable and excited to learn

Overall My rating for school is 10/10

Some teachers and staff are genuinely good, but overall the environment is unwelcoming. Many people come across as rude or unfriendly, and the surrounding community feels the same. There’s a sense that some individuals act pretentious and believe they’re above others, which makes it hard to feel comfortable or build trust.