Virginia Lake Elementary School

After 5 years at this school we finally had enough. We decided not to even enroll our youngest child here and sold our home to get out of the district entirely. We transitioned all 3 of our children to a new school in a completely different neighborhood. Quality of communication, education and culture in this school and entire district has steadily decreased. We are so happy we were able to get out when we did.

I went to this school K-6 it was good until 5th grade they would not do anything about bullying and then in 6 th grade a boy was stalking me and they just brushed it off like it was nothing

We love GMS! Our son is in 1st grade, and he has grown so much over the last two years. We had Mrs. Moore in Kindergarten and honestly if we could have her every year we would. She is absolutely the best and so caring.This year we have a new teacher, Ms Jusi, and she is also very good. Our son is excited about school and always talks about the new things he is learning. He often shares stories about how if he doesn’t understand something both Mrs. Moore and Ms. Jusi take time to help him and try to see it from his perspective and if that doesn't work, they get him help from other departments.The best part is how happy all the kids seem to be with each other. It is such a positive and supportive environment, and we could not be happier with GMS.

This school makes a significant effort in appropriate and normal education for the children. There is a sense of togetherness, anti-bullying practices, and sufficient counseling outlets for the children. The lunches are normal/just fine, the fees are normal/just fine. Teachers were found to be overall very normal, helpful, and followed up well with the kids for past-due/missing homework along with assignments the kids didn't fully understand. The one issue I had with an assistant teacher behaving aggressively was resolved quick and well. My children look back on this school with fond memories saying this was one of the best schools they attended (we moved around a bit). Overall, if you are searching for a place to live and are looking for good schools, I would say this one is mighty fine and high up on my list. I tend to have my bar pretty high so that means a lot. :)

I would strongly caution any parent considering this school.For the level of tuition being charged, the leadership and overall student environment are deeply disappointing. While there are a few dedicated teachers, they are not enough to make up for the lack of effective leadership and accountability.The most alarming issue is how bullying is handled. Based on my experience, there are little to no meaningful consequences for students who engage in harmful or exclusionary behavior. Incidents are often downplayed, and students return to class as if nothing happened. This creates an environment where unacceptable behavior is tolerated.There also appears to be a broader cultural issue among many students, where empathy and kindness are not consistently present or reinforced.Parents should be extremely cautious and ask direct, detailed questions about how bullying is addressed — not in theory, but in practice. The answers may be very different from what is presented during admissions.

We've had our boys at St. Theresa for four years and couldn't be happier. The tight-knit community means everyone looks out for one another. The faith curriculum has established a strong foundation for our kids outside of our home. And the academic rigor is above and beyond what they could get anywhere else at their ages. Teachers are great, administrators care about the students, and the community is strong and connected. Highly recommend.