Newton Parrish Elementary School

Our experience at Burns Elementary was absolutely terrible. My children in 2nd grade and kindergarten faced bullying that was consistently ignored by staff. The teachers were unsupportive, and my child came home crying almost daily, afraid to go back. Academically, they learned nothing due to the chaotic and unsafe environment. The second-grade math instruction caused nothing but high levels of stress. Instead of teaching the standard methods appropriate for their grade level, students were only shown confusing and ineffective strategies, leaving them frustrated and without a solid understanding of basic math concepts. When I asked the teachers to help me understand the math they were teaching so I could support my child at home, they were dismissive and condescending—treating me as if I were unintelligent, despite my college education. Their attitude was not only unprofessional but incredibly rude and unhelpful. Recess was a joke—only 10 minutes long, limited to one classroom at a time, and often cut short by discussions about classroom behavior. They often took away a students recess time as punishment if they did not fall in line with what the teachers wanted them to do. The actual playtime was minimal and heavily restricted, with strict rules that prevented kids from playing freely as children should.The principal and administration were completely unhelpful and dismissive. They seemed to care more about themselves than the well-being of my children. On top of that, the school repeatedly disregarded my clear instructions regarding my child’s diet, giving them sugary and restricted foods despite multiple requests.Several of my neighbors have children on the spectrum, and they’ve made it very clear that Burns Elementary is not equipped to support autistic students. Rather than provide help, the school would rather remove these children than support their success. Of the many parents I’ve spoken to since moving to this town, not one has had anything good to say about this school. If you ask my second grader, she would tell you it was a nightmare and trying to undo what that school has done has been very challenging.

This is a great school with caring staff. The staff and students pull together to help each other out. The teachers are excellent and the students are amazing.