Fort Smallwood Elementary School

One of the best elementary schools in the county and I’m incredibly surprised it’s only showing up as a 7/10—that’s a head-scratcher(should at least be a 9/10!)…Incredible, hard-working staff and lovely principal! The community involvement is top-notch, too! Parents are invested here and it shows! Teachers can ACTUALLY teach here—not just manage behaviors all day, which means ACTUAL learning can take place. Maybe the only downside here is due to local demographics, cultural diversity isn’t strong. Regarding previous poster…be wary of any parent posting about their singular experience with their “spirited” child….

My children were treated fairly in every aspect of learning, the teachers were very helpful, and willing to get them to pursue anything they wanted and directed them to new challenges as well.

I truly don’t understand how this school has a 5/10 rating. It is an amazing school with dedicated teachers who create an outstanding learning environment. Educators like Mrs. Steinmetz, along with many others, go above and beyond to support and inspire their students. This rating does not reflect the quality of education or care provided here, and I believe it deserves to be revisited.

Nice small school that is very easy to make friends at

This school is a masterclass in hypocrisy.It parades itself as a beacon of inclusivity, plastering Pride flags across every hallway and bulletin board — yet the moment a student dares to voice a differing opinion, especially one that challenges the prevailing narrative, they're shut down, silenced, or disciplined. So much for freedom of speech.Let’s be clear: you don’t get to pretend you support “diversity” when that diversity stops at thought and opinion. Flying Pride flags doesn’t make you inclusive — it makes you performative when you punish students and staff for expressing beliefs that don’t toe your political line. Real inclusivity means tolerating disagreement, not crushing it.This place isn’t fostering critical thinking — it’s enforcing ideological conformity. Students aren’t being taught how to think; they’re being told what to think. That’s not education. That’s indoctrination hiding behind a rainbow flag.If the school wants to be taken seriously as an institution that values equality and justice, it needs to start with intellectual honesty. Until then, it’s just another echo chamber dressed up in slogans and symbolism.

My children have flourished both academically and emotionally at SJF. Their experience with teachers, administration and peers has always been positive even during those rough middle schools years. Two of my children are now off to high school with fond memories of caring, proactive teachers and a level of preparation that has awarded them scholarships and honors classes. SJF was once rumored to be closing but with full classes and a state certified pre-K program the enrollment has risen. SKF certainly has been an important part of the community for over 70 years now. Don’t listen to negative unfounded comments. We love our #sjfonefamily!

The focus is one on one. The teachers focus more on individual students versus overcrowded classrooms. The faith based programs teach morals, faith in God, and respect of themselves and others.