Hightower Trail Middle School

Mount Bethel has been a wonderful school for our daughter and I have been so impressed with the support and enrichment for her and the family!

Went I attended years ago, the teachers were rude and unwilling to hear out students prior to a confrontation turning sour. They wanted to avoid issues until after those small issues became mountains. Example: I remember trying to speak to my teacher about getting bullied into buying another student lunch extras and God awful teacher would say "this needs to wait until after lunch" like no this needs to be handled at the time of reporting and no teacher should be allowed to delay reporting.

The students at this school are not excited about learning and are often discouraged from participating in the science fair if they are not part of a selective group (the principal’s favorite PTA group). The teachers at this school try their best to educate the children within the environment they are given. However, I have observed students taking benchmark assessments while other students were talking and running around the classroom.I have also personally observed—and have been told by students—that they are not allowed to play on the playground and are instead required to play near the dumpster due to the playground limitations (broken swings etc). When the garbage truck arrives, the children have to wait and lose their recess time. While this may not be true for all grade levels, it does happen if your child is placed in certain classrooms.It seems to me that the principal cares more about the school’s appearance—whether it looks stylish or not—than about what truly matters. When she climbs onto the roof of the school in an elf outfit is not only dangerous but also sets a poor example for students. The principal is a self proclaimed drama kid trying to always place the spotlight on herself (climbing on the roof in an elf outfit).We left the school and are very happy we did. Several of our friends made the same decision.

Both my sons have attended this school, and my youngest is set to graduate. We have had a wonderful experience in every facet at Shallowford Falls. The Special Ed dept is overseen and facilitated to meet students where they are. The team mentality on IEP teams is such a heartwarming feeling and reduces the stress of advocating. The volunteers who assist SF are amazing--from the PTA, Foundation, Super Dads, the library restockers, and everyone in between. Teachers are attune to students' social and emotional well-being and issues are dealt with fairly and compassionately. My sons are Black, and finding a school where they are accepted has been monumental. In regards to a previous review regarding the discrimination during AM carpool, we have never witnessed or experienced what the original poster claims. Each morning, what we do see, are teachers assisting to unload the cars of Special Need students. We are currently in our 8th year at this school, and in all those years, the only cars who we have witnessed where teachers open doors and help unload the kids are those cars with Special Needs students who pull all the way to the front. This is our 8th year, and each and every day, that is what we see. Teachers are trained to not open doors or assist any students except those who are disabled. I'm disheartened the previous poster finds this "comical" and it shows their own lack of inclusion and acceptance. If we could go back and time and do elementary school again, we would pick Shallowford Falls in a heartbeat. It has been instrumental in providing a safe and inclusive environment where our children have been able to grow into the humans they are now and ultimately ready for middle school. The passion of the teachers is untouchable and this example starts with the admin team. Shallowford Falls = 10 out of 10 stars.