Laurel Elementary School

As a parent, I couldn’t be happier with Forest Ridge Elementary School. From the moment you walk in, you feel the warmth and sense of community that makes this school special. The staff and leadership team truly care about every child—they go above and beyond to make sure students are safe, supported, and excited about learning.Academically, the school sets high expectations while also providing the right support so that every child can succeed. Teachers are creative, dedicated, and keep families in the loop about progress. I love how much emphasis they place on both academics and social-emotional growth. Programs like the Zones of Regulation help students learn how to manage their feelings and build positive relationships.Forest Ridge also shines when it comes to diversity and inclusivity. The student body reflects so many cultures and backgrounds, and the school celebrates that in meaningful ways through events, activities, and curriculum. It’s wonderful to see children learning in such an accepting and respectful environment.Communication from the school is excellent, with regular newsletters and updates so parents always know what’s happening. There’s also a strong partnership with the PTA, which plans family-friendly events that bring everyone together.Most importantly, my child feels happy and proud to be a FRES Eagle. The school’s values of Focus, Respect, Empathy, and Safety are more than just words - they are lived out daily. Forest Ridge Elementary truly is a place where students can soar to success!

School environment is very safe and encouraging and engaging my kids and all their friends love to go to school each day. PTO is very involved and plan really fun activities throughout the year. School is very diverse and teachers are very patient and really care about the education and making school a pleasant environment. Mrs. Stahler the principal is very involved and you can tell she really cares about the school and all the kids.

I am extremely concerned about the leadership and overall direction of this school. There appears to be a significant disconnect between administration and the day-to-day realities affecting both students and staff. The current leadership has been in place since the school opened, yet meaningful progress and accountability remain noticeably absent.It is deeply troubling that student performance challenges are consistently attributed solely to parents, with little acknowledgment of the school’s own standards, instructional quality, or leadership responsibility. Effective leadership requires shared accountability, transparency, and a commitment to measurable improvement — all of which appear to be lacking.Messaging such as “Just show up” reflects a concerningly low expectation standard and does not align with the level of academic rigor and commitment our children deserve. Students should be encouraged to strive for excellence, not minimal participation.Additionally, there seems to be a misalignment of priorities. While community initiatives and fundraising efforts can be valuable, they should never overshadow the fundamental responsibility of providing a safe, accountable, and high-quality educational environment.At this time, the school’s trajectory feels unsustainable. Families entrust this institution with their children’s education and well-being, and that trust must be earned through competent leadership, clear standards, and demonstrated results. Significant change is necessary to restore confidence and create the environment our students deserve.

My child has been in this school for two years. We have had excellent communication with the teachers, we have been able to set up conferences with our child's teacher, we have been able to recieve updates on her progress in the class and the progress of the class in general. So far each year the teachers have been great at communicating and answering questions via phone call, in person, email, or throuh the ClassDojo app. The homework and classwork she has brought home has always come back with feedback from the teacher. Also the results we received in the mail from the standardized test that were taken make me confident in the education she has received. On top of that I really appreciate the level of Christian education incorporated in the classes as well. The student teacher ratio is perfect for the students to get the support they need from the teacher. It is quite different than the 1:26 ratio at our local public school. I have seen some poor reviews online and I can't speak on every grade level or every teacher but so far we have loved our Christian Academy experience. From Academics, Extracurricular Activities, and Christian education it has been a great experience so far.