Dr. Sally K. Ride Elementary School

This is our second year at FCES, and we truly love this school. The sense of family and inclusion is wonderful, and the family engagement and PTA do an amazing job bringing the community together. Communication from the school is excellent, which helps parents stay informed and involved. My daughter has loved her teacher, and there are many parent volunteer opportunities that make it easy to be actively involved in your child’s education.

From the administration and the children at this school. I wouldn’t recommend this school to an enemy. I have witnessed staff speak to children in a demeaning manor, tell students they are going to get them in trouble with their parents and that they are a bad kid. If they do that in front of other adults, can you imagine what they do when alone with your child? Children at this school aren’t held accountable and it’s always an excuse. Child here anre bullies, use physical contact first, very little is done by staff, student get away with murder, student are forced to have restorative conversations even when someone gets physical and both are forced to apologize. Continuing a cycle of violence and abuse with zero consequences and then wonder why the cycle continues. Although I haven’t come across a lot of amazing teachers I will say there are a few. Both of my children have expressed that a lot of the specials teachers are mean (media, music), shout a lot and are not liked. I have heard students at the park across the street say all their teachers do is yell and shout etc. I hear parents asking other kids about being picked on and bullying. That is what this school enables and cultivates. The fish rots from the head and both the principal and asst principal cover for each other, full of excuses and after several interactions are untrustworthy.

This school was a wonderful environment during Mrs. Prater’s leadership. She was approachable, truly listened, and took meaningful action when concerns were raised. Those qualities fostered a strong sense of trust and community that many families deeply valued.There are still a few teachers I hold in high regard. They are caring, live out their Christian values, and clearly love what they do. Mrs. Thorne, in particular, stands out as dedicated, compassionate, and genuinely invested in the success and well-being of her students.However, I have growing concerns regarding student safety and bullying. It has been troubling to observe how these issues are currently handled. While concerns may be acknowledged, they are not always addressed with the level of transparency and honesty that parents should reasonably expect. At times, communication from administration has not fully aligned with the facts, raising serious questions about trust and accountability.Additionally, when families raise concerns or seek clarification, responses can feel dismissive or defensive rather than collaborative. This dynamic makes it difficult for parents to feel confident that issues are being handled appropriately and in good faith.I am especially concerned by instances where children’s experiences appear to be minimized or not fully believed. Every student’s voice matters, and their safety and emotional well-being must always come first.I share these concerns in the hope that they are received in a constructive spirit and lead to meaningful reflection and improvement. Every child deserves to feel safe, heard, and supported at school.

This school was a great environment when Mrs. Prater was there. She was easy to talk to, truly listened, and genuinely cared, among many other qualities. There are still a few teachers I truly appreciate—they are caring, live out their Christian values, and clearly love what they do. Mrs. Thorne has always stood out as well; she is dedicated, compassionate, and truly cares about her students. However, I have growing concerns about safety and bullying. It has been very troubling to see how reports are handled. When concerns are raised, it often feels as though they are dismissed or that children are not believed. That is deeply disappointing and, in my opinion, unprofessional. I hope these concerns are taken seriously and addressed appropriately, because every child deserves to feel safe and supported at school.