University Park Elementary School

It is a great school and very helpful staffs specially Mrs Umanzor was very very kind and helpful. Recommended 200% you will never be disappointed.

La directora es lo peor , creo que quitando a esa directora habría un gran cambio positivo.

I'm extremely disappointed with the bus service at Paint Branch Elementary. The timing is consistently terrible – my pre-K child's bus arrives around 5 PM, even though school ends at 3 PM. What's worse, one day the bus actually took my child back to the school, and they were there until 5:30 PM with only the janitor present. While I'm not accusing the janitor of anything, the fact that there was no staff supervising my five-year-old is unacceptable. This school needs to seriously improve its transportation and supervision. I cannot recommend Paint Branch Elementary based on this experience.

This is one of the worse elementary schools I have come in contact with. In only the first year of my child attending this school she has been exposed to several illnesses and dangers. There was a lice outbreak in which parents were not notified till weeks after. This was the same for illness outbreaks as well, my daughter would come home sick and announcements of outbreaks were posted days later. The parking situation is horrible and very overwhelming. There is never parking available and the streets are dangerous(which i’m sure contributed to the TWO YOUNG LIVES THAT WERE TAKEN on the sidewalk which surrounds the school. On top of this they are strict and unreasonable about PARENTS entering the school. I attempted to drop off my child off with cupcakes and goodie bags for her birthday and I was denied entry. I AM THE MOTHER of the child and was denied entry to drop off goodies for her BIRTHDAY. Additionally, I was only notified two days in advance of my daughter’s promotion in which I was required to dress her in a certain color and had to emergency ask off from work already having an infant at home. Day of promotion I was given two tickets only. I was no informed about an infant being required a ticket ESPECIALLY since they did not allow me to enter with a stroller or car seat. My older daughter and infant baby were forced to stay behind because my infant counted as a person despite not being physically able to sit in a chair. The cherry on top of all of this is while my daughter and I discussed who would enter the promotion, I was met with a rude and disrespectful attitude. The staff at the doors Word for WORD in the most disgusting tone said “ so are you coming inside because we are starting”. This is the worse elementary school ever and I have TWO OLDER DAUGHTERS which are now fully adults. I have never had such a negative experience. I will be doing all in my power to remove my daughter from this school because these moral and values are not one that I have time to deal with nor do I want instilled in my child. Do better.

We relocated specifically to this school from another state. We attended for less than 2 years and in that time we experienced poor leadership, poor communication from the administration, and witnessed classroom management styles that do not acknowledge the dignity of the student. The school does not have the resources to support students with learning differences and classroom teachers use punitive measures when children do not follow classroom rules that are not conducive to the development of children. I would not recommend this school and I'm very disappointed that it is touted within the Catholic community as an example of excellence in Catholic classical education. My oldest daughter has now stopped practicing her faith after leaving the school; she is only 11 but has chosen to stop receiving sacraments because of how she was treated at SJA which shaped her understanding of God. If your student is self-motivated, can sit still in a desk for the majority of the day, and abide by a rigid learning environment then perhaps they can do well at this school. Teachers say "three strikes and you are out" as a warning in the classroom and as a management technique; students with learning differences are put in the hallway with no support, and as a whole instructors do not have the training to teach with social-emotional intelligence needed working with children. One teacher imparticular was more interested in rules than personal relationships with new families and students. This school was a massive disappointment, and we will not use another Catholic school as we saw this as our last hope for failing Catholic education. Maybe years earlier when it initially became classical and improved enrollment the school was a good place for children under Mary Pat Donoghue. We did not have a positive experience under the principal (Danny Flynn) who has now left to work as a consultant for other Catholic classical schools.

The school has made great improvements. The teachers and the staff engage easily with parents. The communication is good enough, and the extra curricular programs the school offers make it even better. I see a lot of input from the school coordinator, I am sure there are gaps that would be covered but parents need to also do their part.My son will finish in this school next year.