Garrison Elementary School

My experience at this school is great so far, when we first came back after summer break it was kinda wild like fights and stuff but now it has gotten more safe and students cosequences. we are a very organized school and the teachers and staff are great, and the students are OK, there is no bullying in the middle or elementary school. So, so far this a great school year right now.

This school has caused great harm to my child. If your child needs special services, I would recommend you to go to this school. But if your child wants to grow up happily and study safely in school, you should make a careful decision.

As a parent, in-class parent volunteer, parent chaperone (had to clear an FBI background check and get finger printed), PTA representative, I was very excited about Ross. But what I saw over 4 years, was deliberate withholding of FAPE from dozens of students especially those with any kind of dyslexia or learning disability. Why would the smallest school in DCPS, in Ward 2, always under enrolled, withhold reading supports to students eligible for an IEP? Ross leadership would not hear that 1 in 5 people have dyslexia. That people with dyslexia are super bright thinkers, and are more able to adapt because that is what they always have to do. Ross refused to offer supports to its teachers and supports that would not have come out of the Ross school budget. Ross leadership is focused on raising money from the the parents of the lower grades to pay for everything in the school. Dyslexia is usually recognized and or diagnosed btwn 2-5 grades when the work gets harder, and yet it can be detected as early as pre-k. Ross refused phonics and to give teacher training in Child Find- a federal and state law. Why would Ross NOT even support its own teachers in academic expertise? People want to teach as a small school, so why is there an intense turnover rate of teachers at Ross? For 10 years, Ross leadership refused to place a parent representative on the Personnel Committee so that the parents could have input on teacher hirings. Why? Parents, PTA, and LSAT signed a petition and sent it around to OSSE and others for Ross leadership in order to force a placement of a parent on this committee. This letter also demanded that Ross leadership hire non-white teachers, to hire racially diverse, teachers, representative of DCPS. Why did this have to happen? Ross could be a vanguard of change. It could be an incredible school for reading and writing, and why not? With this focus, students from 2-5th grades would stay rather than leave in a mass exodus in 3rd and 4th grades and/or leaving the DCPS system altogether. DC Council passed The Decoding Dyslexia bill- Ross Leadership should take everything in that bill and run with it!! It should become the top example for how the measures in that bill can turn around an entire school especially after 3 yrs of COVID school shutdown, Canvas, Teams, etc...(spring 2020, SY 2020-2021, fall 2021).

I moved from Thailand, and my son had a hard time adjusting to the new environment, new friends, and a new school. But the teachers here have been so kind and supportive. They constantly help him and always keep me updated on his progress. Even when he was sick, they reached out right away.I love joining field trips and participating in school activities with him. There’s nothing more important than knowing our elementary kids are in good hands - and here, I truly feel that they are.

There was people bullying kicking the students at the cabinets this is not a good school

DCPS's hidden gem! Thomson has fantastic instructional leadership, including one of the best and longest serving principals in the district, who greets every child by name. She's been able to attract - and retain! - a group of high-flying teachers. The diversity is a huge plus. The parent community is warm and friendly. My child is reading and doing math well above grade level and has been continually pushed and challenged academically. The school offers great social-and-emotional education too...my son will do "rainbow breathing" to calm himself down in tough moments. The IB curriculum is rich and deep and encourages kids to ask questions and be curious. Also feeds one of the stronger middle schools in DC. (Feeder high school is another story). Would definitely recommend Thomson to anyone!

HD Cooke and the staff there has been a great support to me and my granddaughter. I greatly appreciate all of them. Great School. 10 stars if I could.

Wonderful school and lovely community. Spanish immersion program. The teaching is high quality and they are very serious about developing strong readers. Many families are under-resourced, and the staff, faculty, and PTO go out of their way to meet all students’ needs and ensure they get special opportunities. The biggest challenge is getting DCPS and the City of DC to address recurring infrastructure needs within the school and in the surrounding community.