Prairie View Elementary School

I’m reviewing this school for follow up to an interview process. The way candidates are treated and the communication they receive says a great deal about the ethics of leadership in s school or district. I interviewed for an ELL position in February, 2023. My interview was it’s the principal and EL Supervisor. As it turned out, I accepted a position with an urban district and they decided to go with another candidate, which is great, but they didn’t let me know. I called a number of times to find out, and neither the EL supervisor not the principal had the courtesy to call me back and tell me. I finally reached the Principal, who was curt, and very unfriendly as he explained they’d gone with another candidate. That’s great, but how about having the ethics and consideration of informing the candidate, maybe thanking them for taking the time to apply, travel to the site, and interview. Honest feedback would have been great too. I interviewed at four places and received two offers. One who went with another candidate, sent me a letter thanking me for taking the time to meet and giving me positive feedback. The only one of the four that didn’t communicate or return calls or behaved rudely, was Forest Hills Elementary and the EPPS EL Supervisor. (Considering their white majority, snd majority non low income population, you’d think they’d do better at meeting the needs of underserved students, but based on test scores, they don’t to very well at all). This principal reminded me of my childhood principals, mostly white and from coaching backgrounds with little intellect or global awareness. In this aspect I feel like I dodged a bullet. I expect behavior like this from these guys. What I don’t get is the EL supervisor refusing to call back to let me know.

This school is really great. I always feel come, and my kids love the school.

Over the last 10 years, we have had 4 boys attend this school and the last 3 years have been a terrible experience for our middle schoolers. First, many of the teachers do not have teaching degrees and they lack the ability to manage the classroom and the ability to actually teach the material. For example, the LA teacher does not even provide grading rubrics and many A students do really poorly in her class as they do not know the expectations. The Athletic director has made so many mistakes over his tenure that many students have quit playing school sports. One of the lunchroom monitors is so full of disdain for the children that she frequently and angrily approaches kids and yells at them. Even worse is that the administration insists on enforcing an archaic and punitive discipline system that sets children up to fail, especially boys with high energy and/ADHD, which happens to be numerous athletic boys. They are threatening suspension and expulsion, and actually suspending boys who have minor write-ups, nothing major. They do this in the name of mercy and justice, but what they are doing is the exact opposite. They are actually driving our future leaders away from the Catholic faith instead of learning how to deal with high energy teenagers, which such techniques are readily available to them.

Chapel Hill Academy is an amazing school! The head of the school, the teachers and all the staff are so nice, good with the kids and are always willing to help or answer any questions. I highly recommend Chapel Hill Academy.