Southside Elementary School

We were very excited to get in this school. You have to get lucky to win the lottery and it is the best public school in the area. Teachers in kindergarten are amazing and our little one learned a lot during her first year in Ada Merrit. School staff is very nice for the most part. The only person who really ruins the impression about the school is Patricia Marty. She is one of the ladies who works in the front office, she processes excuse notes for absences. She never does it on time, it takes several emails and reminders in person for her to do her job. And every time she will give you an attitude. She is the rudest person in the whole school. The principle should have a conversation with her. I hope my kids don’t get sick so I don’t have to deal with her. Otherwise it is an amazing school.

The new administration was very disappointing. Parents were misled about the new Downtown campus. The school advertised a beautiful outdoor space, but it was apparently never approved by the city. This was not clearly disclosed until a parent noticed it had disappeared from the website renderings. Only after parents raised concerns did the school admit there would be no outdoor space.We also enrolled under the Early Bird special because it advertised a refund if canceled within 24 hours of the tour. We toured the campus, canceled within that timeframe, and the school still denied the refund.The teachers seemed caring, but the campus felt cold and uninviting. Many classrooms had little to no natural light. Academically, we did not find the school strong enough for a child who is advanced. In our experience, when a child is bored, the school is too quick to label that as a behavior issue instead of recognizing a lack of challenge.

My daughter started the Gordon School at 12 months and is currently enrolled still. As part of the ECC community, my daughter has grown and developed in a way I could have only dreamed. She is now speaking both Spanish and English and looks forward to going to school everyday. When it is time to go home, she never wants to leave-if she could sleep at the Gordon School and go home with her teachers I think she would. Not only are the teachers INCREDIBLE in the sense of love, warmth nurture and academics, they love each child like they are their own. When I was looking for schools for my daughter I saw the outdoor space, the garden and the trees and was immediately sold. As parents, we have made lifelong friends and are happy to belong to a community as welcoming, fun and warm as the Gordon School community. There are so many opportunities to be involved in the community and the school-its also been beautiful to watch my 2.5 year old cover her eyes during the shema and learn the traditions of Judaism at such an early age. Another huge plus is the security...I drop my child off every day and I know that she is safe.I would recommend the Early Childhood center to any and all families.

Great school, teachers very attentive.Excellent communication with the parents,my baby has been under their care since she was 3 months old and she loves them like family.I have nothing but great things to say about this daycare. The director, Ismaray,she is a great leader and she really knows how to deal with parents. I strongly recommend this daycare.

KLA Academy is a Reggio Emilia inspired school serving children ages 3-months to 5th Grade. We are a whole-child centered school that believes children are and should be active participants in their social and learning processes. In addition to incorporating best proven practices for teaching into our curriculum, we teach children problem solving skills, how to collaborate and how to think deeply, critically and creatively. Our children leave prepared and armed with a toolbox full of skills to help them navigate the uncertainties of middles school and have matriculated into a wide variety of schools including Gulliver Prep, Ransom Everglade, Miami Country Day School, Belen, Miami Charter Arts School, The Cushman School, Riviera School and more.