Butterfield Elementary School

The fundamental issue with this school lies in its “open school concept.” It operates under the assumption that every child will naturally adapt to a completely open learning environment—with no walls between classrooms and constant noise distractions. This is simply not true.My child struggled immensely in this setting. When I submitted an official evaluation report highlighting these concerns, I was not taken seriously. My child himself voiced how overwhelming the environment was, particularly the constant noise, and was told to “try harder.” This response left him deeply frustrated and led him to internalize the belief that something was wrong with him.Eventually, things escalated to school refusal. Instead of exploring how the school environment might be contributing to the issue, the social worker suggested we consider enrolling him in a specialized institution for school refusal. At no point was there real acknowledgment that the noise and lack of structure were a problem, despite these clearly being major contributors to his distress. The open school layout—with no walls and overlapping auditory distractions—is incredibly difficult for many children, especially those with sensory sensitivities or attention challenges. Yet this was completely dismissed by the school.To make matters worse, the district offers no reasonable pathways for families seeking a school transfer. The process is convoluted and unsupportive, leaving families stuck and children unsupported.Ultimately, I had to make the difficult decision to leave the district altogether. We moved to another district where my child’s needs were immediately recognized and the right supports—including IEP accommodations—were put in place without delay. The difference has been night and day.I do not recommend this school—ever—especially for children with ADHD, sensory processing differences, or any child who may need 504 or IEP accommodations. If your child thrives in a calm, structured, and supportive environment, this is absolutely not the place for them.

I wish I could give zero rating for this school

my child went here for 5 years. front line staff and superintendent allowed my child to be pulled out of his class by my co-parent's girlfriend on 2 occasions during my parenting time and defended their behavior when confronted. my child class had a student with serve behavioral problems that made it extremely difficult to learn on a daily basis for a year. I believe the reason why this school system is allowed to rate themselves so high is because when students do not do well on the exams, they give retakes.

We love St James as this is a wonderful school for our son. Classes are small ( which I really like) so each child gets a lot of teacher attention. My son struggled with reading but the teacher would spend an extra time on him so he is making a significant progress! He used to be a shy kid who would not want to participate in any event etc. But now he loves going to school, loves his friends and teachers.