North Side Elementary School

I'm a parent of a Walker Wildcat, and I volunteer in the school's Media Center, and we love this school. The teachers and staff are involved, and the school is one of First Lady Michelle Obama's Turnaround Arts Schools. The Magnet program offers a wonderful, FREE (because it's public school) performing arts program that my child looks forward to every day. The school is in a poor area, so we don't get much in the way of property taxes, but everyone is dedicated and working toward improvement. Instead of looking at a "1" rating and looking elsewhere, I'd encourage parents to come be part of the solution and help make Walker the best school in Broward County. For what it's worth, we researched other schools nearby, too. One in particular, a top-performing school in the area, also has a lot of rich, privileged students, and boy, the ones in my kid's after school martial arts class sure were entitled little people. Not exactly the peer group we were looking for, despite its high Great Schools rating.

When I initially put my son In this school I did it because it was hyped about being the only A school in the area and in my sons district. I want to start by saying the principal Nikia started off as what seemed to be a very involved, understanding, and willing person to ensure that your child succeeds. That changed when I realized her reputation or her friendships with the teachers were more important to her. She allows the guidance counselor to do absolutely nothing. Complete bare minimum don't even expect a call or email back from him. She allows her teachers to be and act very aggressive to the parents even when not being met with aggression, she will walk out of any meeting when it gets tough with any excuse which sure shows her intent and urgency to help the situation. My son had a teacher throw his math test on the ground because he failed it and when addressed she admitted to it and confirmed that she actually did it to all of the students that failed that day. I see now that this school is a 3/10 and I absolutely know why. They do any and everything to keep that funding going including not assisting kids that really needed it instead pushing them out so that it wouldn't affect their numbers or funding. But now look. God sits high and looks so low. even as low as this school and its employees. This school will mentally and emotionally damage your children. PLEASE BEWARE!! you will have a lot of pieces to pick up. Very sad

Here is what I wish I would have known; it's a public school, period ( before being a Montessori school). So your main question to answer as a parent if you are wondering if you should send your kid to VSY is the following: If VSY didn't exist/ wasn't an option, would you send your kid to a public elementary school anyway? If your answer is yes, then go to VSY because its probably the best public school around. But if you wouldn't send your kid to a public school, but you are thinking about making an exception for VSY, because of what you've heard from other parents, because of the "Montessori," then don't. Go private and you won't regret it. VSY is 100% a public school, not Montessori..coming from a genuine Montessori background, I can say it truly isn't. No comparison. They use some Montessori material for some lessons, but the philosophy isn't Montessori inside the classrooms. Also, your kid will have homework, lots of it; think 24 pages per week for a 2nd grader, because the school teaches to the test.

4 BECAUSE HALF OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS FINISH SCHOOL AND THEY STARTED AT THURGOOD

I’ve had some many problems at this school. For the whole thing I will NEVER refer this school to any parent. They don’t have all together. The kids are terrible and there is a lot of bullying going on. I’ve NEVER seen the principal. They never answer the phone when you call. We as a people as a whole have to do better. When my grandkids were in public schools they made the A honor role every semester, when they get to this school their grades dropped tremendously!!!!

The school has been so good to my daughter! She received speech therapy since PK3 exceeding our expectations, she has made great friends and loves to go to school everyday. It feels like everybody is family, they are very welcoming and the teachers are top notch very communicative and caring. They work on individualizing education for your child's needs to make them thrive academically and socially. It is not easy to get in but if you do you’ll have no regrets ever. It’s a wonderful, safe and intellectually stimulating learning environment in the heart of downtown Fort Lauderdale.