North Frederick Elementary School

Wonderful school! I would give ot a 100 out of 100.

I am a former student of this school - I would absolutely not recommend this school to any parent looking for an "alternative method" to public schools unless your child is in the 5-10 age group. As soon as you are transferred to the middle school, teachers start to treat you differently. Students are out of control, the counselors have little to no care for any of you given your "bad reputation" and none of the electives teachers really care about you.I was bullied for a majority of my middle school years, and so was my little brother who, at the time, was in 5th grade. My little brother was getting everyday harassment, bullying (physically AND emotionally) and the principal told our family that if my little brother hadn't 'started a feud' in the first place, none of this would've happened. Not only is the school principal ridiculously self-righteous and rarely present, she made no effort in my brother's bullying. We had to file a restraining order after my brother was hit in the face with a ball and knocked unconscious. There was one kid who had threatened to school up the entire school - sent pictures of a weapon, shared it with classmates, scared everyone half to death. They made him read a note *apologizing* to us a week later. He faced absolutely ZERO reprimands for what he had done. There are very few teachers in the middle school who are outstanding, and treated me better than anyone had in that school, one in specific, but that is absolutely not enough for teenagers. Do not send your kids here. And if you are, keep them OUT of the middle school.

We’ve been incredibly impressed with this school since moving to the neighborhood. The staff is attentive, communicative, and truly invested in each child's growth. The principal sets a strong tone for academic excellence while still creating a warm, welcoming environment. The teachers go above and beyond, and the small class sizes mean students get real attention.What stands out most is the sense of community — it’s the kind of school where parents know each other, teachers know the kids by name (even outside their grade), and the PTA is very active. There’s also a strong emphasis on reading, STEM, and character-building — not to mention the school grounds are always clean and well-maintained.We've seen noticeable improvement in the school's overall performance year after year. It’s definitely one of the top reasons young families are moving into the area.

We moved to the area a year ago and after reading this site I was extremely concerned. After now being here for a year I will say that my opinion has changed dramatically. The teachers my kids have had go above and beyond. They are incredibly communicative and overall amazing!!! Everything about this school is great!

My daughter spent her middle school years at Vis. She is excelling in public high school, is in the magnet program, and is taking an AP class her freshman year. She received straight A's on her report card throughout her freshman year. I feel is was the small class sizes and same teachers (for the most part) that gave her the confidence to succeed in high school. I am happy with my decision to send her there and have other daughters at the school.

Our kids are thriving at The Banner School. The move to a new location was hard but the quality of instruction and caring teachers and staff is unsurpassed. Our kids are happy, safe and respected.