Safety Harbor Elementary School

I’m very grateful for the wonderful experience my daughter had during her two years at this school. I want to give a special thanks to the principal, Ms. Baker, and the entire staff, especially the front office team. The two teachers my daughter had—Miss Fraunhoffer in Kindergarten and Ms. Bennett in First Grade—were amazing with her. Not only did they provide a great education, but the communication between parents and teachers was excellent. My daughter loves them very much!A big thank-you to the R’Club staff as well—Ms. Lisa and all the teachers were always so kind and attentive. In the cafeteria, Ms. Barbara was incredibly special to my daughter. Shannon says she will always carry her in her little heart.She also enjoyed the many fun activities and field trips the school offered—those were some of her favorite parts. And to her art teacher, Ms. Aziz, thank you for encouraging her creativity and making her feel proud of her work.To any teacher or staff member whose name I may not have mentioned, please know that my daughter truly loved and appreciated every one of you. Thank you all for creating such a positive and loving environment.I highly recommend this school to any parent, especially those who are nervous about starting this new chapter. As a mother who was once afraid to leave her little one in such a big school, I can say from the heart—they take excellent care of the children here.

Excelente escuela para nuestros hijos, el personal es muy agradable y respetuoso el principal es como un padre con nuestros hijos El único punto débil de la escuela es la teacher Mrs Barber en verdad es una pena que existan personas como esa señora enseñando a niños vivimos una experiencia muy desagradable con dicha señora gracias a dios pudimos cambiar a mi niña de clase y todo fluyó de maravilla. Mrs Barber recuerde siempre que usted trabaja con niños no todos son iguales los hay más tranquilos que otros, mi niña es de un gran corazón pero yo sé qué es un poco intranquila pero usted como profesional debe saber lidiar con distintos comportamientos de los estudiantes y no hacer de ellos niños inseguros que pierdan el deseo de ir a la escuela por su culpa recuerde son niños y merecen el mejor de nuestro trato .

The staff really cares about my child.

My daughter is thriving here at SHMA! What matters most to our family is the relationship she has with her teachers (they essentially are where the rubber hits the road) and her teachers are supportive, Montessori trained, compassionate, foster a love of learning, and are very knowledgeable. According to her MAP testing she is performing at and above grade level. We are grateful for this school.

am sharing this for families seriously considering Espíritu Santo Catholic School and looking for an honest parent perspective based on our family’s experience over several years.While every family’s experience may be different, during our time at the school we observed significant teacher turnover. Several of the strongest and most engaged teachers left, and that kind of instability can affect students who benefit from consistency and long-term relationships with educators.Another concern many families have discussed is the unusually high number of students leaving the school in recent years, particularly in the Middle School grades. At the same time, scholarship programs allow new families to enroll quickly, which can make the level of turnover less visible to families who are new to the community.Approximately two years ago, a group of parents sent a letter to Father Len and to the Diocese of St. Petersburg outlining concerns related to school leadership, treatment of students, and overall management. The letter was signed by multiple families, and to our knowledge parents never received a formal response or follow-up.While the school often highlights its Blue Ribbon recognition, families should understand that the award reflects a different period in the school’s history. In our experience, classroom instruction sometimes relied heavily on worksheets and repetitive assignments rather than more dynamic academic engagement.Several Middle School traditions that had been part of the program in previous years were not held recently, including the Middle School dance, the Science Fair, and the traditional Science Trip. These events used to provide valuable opportunities for students to build community and engage academically.Facilities and outdoor space are also somewhat limited. At times students spend recess in a smaller designated area rather than having consistent access to larger open spaces.Athletics are another area families may want to ask about. While the school promotes multiple sports opportunities, some parents have expressed concerns about the structure and leadership of certain programs.As Catholic parents, we value strong academics, stable leadership, meaningful student experiences, faith formation, and transparent communication with families. I am sharing this perspective so families considering Espíritu Santo can ask thoughtful questions, speak with current parents, and make the most informed decision for their children.

This school honestly sucks. I have dealt with bullying and harassment for my three years at ESCS, and no one should ever have to feel this way especially at a Catholic school. It’s unbelievable. Many teachers are nasty and rude, which is completely unfair and unacceptable. Everyone I know who has attended this school warns others to stay away because of how poorly everything is handled. They say to “follow the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” but in reality, they don’t practice what they preach. Another major issue is that the school focuses on small, silly problems instead of addressing the serious ones that actually matter.