Northwest School

Northeast school is not ready for diversity especially young black boys. They don't listen to parents and concerns if the parents are African-American and even the staff is complaining of a racist work environment. The school doesn't hire African American teachers and the school is half or more 50% of African American students. The staff put on a face to play the role but, the staff don't care about the African American students that they label and make out to be a problem. Staff say horrible things about children and families. This is one of the worst districts for hiring people of color and they like to hire people they know and relatives.

My wife and I put three children through Ashburn Community School. Why three? Because we kept hoping things would eventually get better.One of the first principals—Retired Jewel Diaz—transferred our son to another school without our permission. Why? Because my wife asked too many questions. She didn’t want my wife encouraging PTA involvement, and she certainly didn’t want our son to have a paraprofessional in a general education setting.Then the second principal, a close friend of the former, took over—and continued the same hostile, dismissive culture.In total, we had three children go through this school. Our daughter did graduate, but when she got to high school, she was disappointed. Why? She realized she hadn’t truly learned anything. I looked over one of her math tests—she had seven questions wrong, yet the teacher gave her a 100%. That same teacher is now the assistant principal.One teacher even told my son and his friends, “You’ll be nothing but McDonald’s workers.” Well, as of today, that same son just attended his younger brother’s graduation—and he himself just graduated from Navy Boot Camp.Our youngest son, happy just to be finished with Ashburn, said it best: “Mom, I’m so glad I don’t have to go back to that school.” He only went because it was close to home. When he opened his final report card, the teacher who had given him the most trouble—the one who clearly disliked my wife for being too involved—gave him a D. We believe that grade was personal.This school seems to dislike parents who want to be engaged. They push back against strong voices, especially strong women and men who refuse to stay silent. Yes, some of this is personal experience—but it’s also undeniable observation.As our son walked across the stage at the Kroc Center during Ashburn’s graduation ceremony, our family felt one overwhelming emotion: relief. We’re finally done. Done with the coldness, the fakeness, and the leadership that does not have the well-being of children at heart.

Our experience with St. Germaine School was very positive during my child’s early elementary years. The teachers were caring, the school fostered a strong sense of community, and we appreciated the values-based education.However, beginning around 5th grade, our experience changed. It seemed that some of the teachers were very young or recent graduates, and at times they appeared to relate to students more like peers than educators. As a parent, I want my child learning from experienced professionals who emphasize academics, critical thinking, and character development—not conversations about Instagram, social media trends, or the latest online challenges.Another factor in our decision was that I lost confidence in the school’s leadership under the previous principal. I simply did not feel that my concerns aligned with the direction the school was taking, which made it difficult for me to trust the leadership. That said, I understand leadership changes can bring new opportunities, and I sincerely wish the new principal the very best. I hope they are able to strengthen the school’s academic focus, support the teachers, and continue building a positive environment for students and families.Every family’s priorities are different, but parents considering St. Germaine for the upper elementary and middle school grades should ask questions about the teaching staff, classroom culture, and how social media topics are handled. While we were very happy with the school during the early grades, the later years ultimately did not meet our expectations.

We have enjoyed being part of the QM community for the past 5 years. The school families are wonderful and truly look out for one another. At the younger grades I felt my children were engaged and challenged academically. However, as they grew older I began to notice that the level of academics and teaching was subpar; a direct result of teacher quality. Don't get me wrong the staff is very helpful and embody the catholic faith-just not qualified to teach academic subjects at a level that I expect. Additionally, the new principal has been less than impressive. He has been overly concerned with enrollment numbers. By focusing on attracting new families, he has neglected current families. This has alienated many of the families that give their time and energy to help the school community and various programs. Oh, but he brought back football...so there's that? Maybe if there were more concern expressed with ensuring a quality academic education we would have stayed.