Coonley Elementary School

My experience with Bateman Elementary School was extremely disappointing. I found there to be a lack of communication, inadequate supervision, and concerns about the level of staff support available to students and families. I also felt that security and adult supervision on school premises were not where they should be.One of the most frustrating parts of my experience was trying to get help from the administration. I felt that my concerns were not taken seriously and that the principal, Georgia Davos Vetas, and assistant principal, Kate Kloepper James, were unapproachable and unwilling to provide the support and communication I expected from school leadership.As a parent, I believe every family deserves a school that communicates openly, responds to concerns, and prioritizes student safety and supervision. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I hope the school's leadership takes these concerns seriously and works to improve communication, staffing, and the overall support provided to students and families.

Waters has an excellent philosophy on the whole child, which was important to our family. I felt compelled to write a review based on what most of us parents experience and defend, a great local community school with high standards and an ability to constantly collaborate with stake holders. Thank you, Waters, for being what you are to our family.

Pilgrim has some strengths, including a history of preparing students for preferred high school placement. For families looking for a small (emphasis on small) school for a neurotypical student, it could be worth considering. There are caring staff members, welcoming families, the potential for more individual attention because of the school's size, and a lower tuition than many private schools. However, some perceived benefits may be more limited in practice. For example, opportunities for differentiated or accelerated learning may not be as robust and there are fewer amenities/resources than other options in the area.If you have a neurodivergent learner, I would encourage you to proceed with caution and ask detailed questions before enrolling. In our experience, school leadership and some teachers did not demonstrate approaches that aligned with current evidence-based best practices for neurodivergent students. We found that responses to challenges tended to be reactive and relied heavily on punitive behavior management rather than supportive strategies. Even when we shared recommendations and documentation from medical professionals, we experienced resistance. On more than one occasion, we documented contradictory statements and accusations made by a teacher, yet those inconsistencies were never acknowledged or addressed. We also encountered language that we found to be unprofessional and not in line with the child-centered communication we expected from educators.If you are the parent or guardian of a neurodivergent child, ask specific questions about how your child's needs would be supported on a day-to-day basis. Request concrete examples rather than general assurances, and make sure you understand how the school collaborates and communicates with families, as well as how it responds when concerns or challenges arise. Ultimately, we decided not to return because the environment had become distressing for our family and, most importantly, was no longer a healthy place for our child.

My son has completed two years of preschool at Queen of Angels grammar school. He is starting to read already and doing the curriculum of a 1st grader. The teachers are detailed orientated and truly teach the kid lessons early on that they will need to be successful as they progress through 8th grade and beyond. I would say that the teachers and school higher ups over communicate what is happening at the school and in the classroom. This is defiantly not the case when I talk to family friends that send their child to a public school in the area. The school has a buddy program where a preschooler is matched up with a 4th or 5th grader which creates cohesion and respect throughout the levels of the school. My experience is my child getting high fives and fist bumps leaving school rather than bullying. The community of the school is tight-nit with parents that are very welcoming of new families. Families are given many opportunities to give back through service and build new relationships through events. We are a very happy family with Queens and put our trust in the school with our son which is our #1 priority. Nathan Voegtle