Lyndale Elementary School

I would rate my experience at this school a 3/5. I have a lot of friends but there is a lot of bullying and I don't like. Also a lot of drama which can lead to suspension or worse being expelled.

Our son was in Kindergarten at this school before we moved back to the east coast and he was so happy and made great strides here. I think the test scores are skewed due to the school being spanish immersion-- when our son entered Kindergarten in Washington DC his teachers were surprised to learn that he could read fluently in spanish, read some in English, write well in spanish, and wrong ok in English. Basically, if these tests were in spanish this school would probably look AMAZING. Now our son has the gift of being totally bilingual. On an interpersonal level, he LOVED every day at the school, loved his teachers, and enjoyed his fun, gently, exciting classroom. I can't say enough good things about Green. Our son was also in the before-school program and WOW. How do these educator keep up this level of warmth and caring for the kids every single day.

My kid has been going to Whittier for a few years, and our experience has been very positive. Whittier has great teachers and staff, provides many opportunities for student learning (including after school programs, music lessons, and summer camp), and has many family events. We have had a great experience sending my kid here. We are very happy with their education and what they've learned. My only issues were that MPS Kids no longer offers after school care here, but that is mainly substituted by the after school programs and the community center for older kids. The community center connected to the school is great and offers many great activities for kids in the neighborhood (things like art projects, drones, skateboarding, ice skating, archery, etc.) If you're worried about Whittier having a bad rating, I'd encourage you to visit the school and get to know the staff. We're very happy we selected Whittier, especially being it's out community school and we've enjoyed getting to know the other families that live in our area.

There are some wonderful things about this school and then you see below the surface and wow, what a shame. It is a beautiful place to send your little kids. "The grades" (1-8) are riddled with major problems. Because of the rosy picture that is painted and the beautiful festivals and music, we were blind to the true problems and lack of a solid education our kids were getting. Parents are kept out of the classroom and at arms length, so it isn't clear at first what the kids are missing. I SO wish we had left sooner. We were there for eleven years between our kids.They claim to teach "the science of reading" by tossing around Orton-Gillingham basic training, but they are not teaching reading with any proficiency, and MANY kids are negatively impacted by this. Because reading by some classroom teachers does not start until 2nd grade, it is isn't until 3rd or 4th or even 5th that true reading problems are exposed. This is a SERIOUS disservice to many kids who have gone through this school. It is very very common for kids to need outside tutors for reading. Sometimes this is over 1/3 or 1/2 or a class needing tutoring for reading. Social Emotional wellbeing is one thing that feels centered when touring and learning about the school, and to come to find out it is one of the weakest aspects of the school can be heartbreaking. The approaches taken in middle school often leave lasting pain and inflict unnecessary drama on the students. We came for the beautiful package and as it slowly opened we saw the disfunction that was inside.

Our son has been at Lake Country School for the past 2.5 years, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with his experience. He has grown in remarkable ways—building deep friendships, gaining invaluable life skills, and developing a genuine love of learning. The educators and support staff at LCS have been extraordinary, nurturing his growth with care and intention at every step.Beyond the classroom, we’ve discovered a truly special community through family events, both in the city and at the breathtaking Land School. The Land School itself is an incredible gift—offering students hands-on opportunities to work on a farm, connect with the origins of their food, and experience the rhythms of rural life. It’s an inspiring extension of the LCS philosophy and one of the many reasons we feel so grateful to be part of this community.

My kids have been going to this school since my oldest was in 1st grade. The teachers are excellent and the students all love each other. The parents, students, and teachers at Pilgrim are like family. Finding Pilgrim was the best thing that could have happened to my family.