William S Maxey Elementary School

Dillard Street Elementary is a total gem and a testament to how incredible public education can be. My kids actually looks forward to going to school every morning. I’ve been especially impressed with the staff goes above and beyond to make sure every child is seen and supported. The teachers and staff know my boys by name and give them a friendly greeting every morning, even if they have not had my boys in their class. The PTA is diverse, welcoming, and constantly finding ways to bring us all together. It’s truly a school that brings back that old feeling of community, and our family is so lucky to be a part of it.

I'm really happy with the school with the new board and staff. Mu daughter's teacher (Ms. Snyder) is amazing!

Foundation Academy has been a wonderful school for our family. The environment is warm, structured, and supportive, and the teachers genuinely care about their students. Communication has always been clear and consistent, and my child has grown both academically and personally. We’re grateful to be part of this community.

StarChild Academy Winter Garden (SCAWG) is a great option for preschool; however, I strongly caution against enrolling your child in the elementary school. The overall positives of the school are cultural diversity among the staff and student body, a family feel, and friendly, caring faculty and staff, as well as building updates on the preschool side.Preschool Pros: curriculumPreschool Cons: Teacher retention; on average, children go through at least 2 lead teachers a year, and it’s a revolving door for assistants.When our children were attending SCAWG, it was advertised as an advanced curriculum school; it’s not. We withdrew our youngest child first because it’s easiest to succeed in surrounding charter schools’ lotteries when entering kindergarten. Youngest attended from age 2.5 – 5 (VPK). Youngest is testing above grade level in ELA (was even promoted to grade 1 phonics class at new school) on Florida’s statewide standardized assessments (F.A.S.T); however, Math results were below grade level. Elementary School Pros: N/AElementary School Cons: no technology in classrooms, teacher retention, no behavioral specialist, inadequate disciplinary action, unrealistic amount of at-home supplementing, ineffective curriculum, no positive reinforcements for academic achievement, no standardized test prep, combined 4th and 5th grade classOldest attended from age 3–9 (grade 3.5; we withdrew after mid-year). For context, in kindergarten, first, and second grade, the oldest had all A’s with 1 B for the whole school year. Q1 of third grade all A’s, one B, Q2 of third grade all A’s, one B. Oldest tested at grade level in ELA on F.A.S.T and below grade level in Math. At SCAWG, they introduce concepts and move on quickly without allowing the child adequate time to practice or retain what they’ve learned. While every institution has its pros and cons, we’re most disappointed by what we now realize is a horrible curriculum and questionable teaching styles. There are better elementary school options in the area than SCAWG, and I urge you to exhaust them. SCAWG Elementary turned out to be a colossal waste of money for us – it shouldn’t have to be for you, too.

Since Ms. King has taken over as principal, this school has seen a huge improvement in student and staff happiness. The behavior department goes above and beyond to work on social emotional skills with the students who need it. A strong arts and performance presence in the school.