Lakewood Elementary

Just a word of caution if you expect "Montessori", what you'll find instead: so much testing. The current administration is obsessed with testing. Students have a test every Friday and they practice for standardized tests a lot. They also do a lot of worksheets. They have so many worksheet packets that they have to do on their own because the teacher has to teach 2 or 3 grade levels in each class. What this means in practice is that students are given worksheet packets and complete them at their own pace in mostly loud and chaotic classrooms. The packets are graded too, which is too early in 1st and 2nd grade. The AIG program isn't consistent either. In our previous school, kids would get pulled out consistently in small groups. Here, all the groups seem to focus on testing techniques or more worksheets. There is no longer a separate science program at the school because the position was apparently cut. The Spanish class is just more worksheets and cartoons that are shown in English, not Spanish. The teachers are mostly very caring and the classroom assistants are fantastic but there is a high turnover. Curriculum wise, it has been a disappointing experience and we wish we had not been redistricted. The PTA is the saving grace because they are fantastic, truly above and beyond, and provide a lot of enrichment opportunities after school. The parent community really lifts up the school. Overall it's an OK school if you live in the base zone and many students walk or bike. It's also small and that is probably the best thing about the school, though that is changing because enrollment is growing, but I would think twice about accepting a lottery seat there if you expect a Montessori experience. Unless you get one of the very few Montessori trained teachers, and even then, that's not what you'll get because of standardized testing and dps curriculum requirements.

Burnt out teachers and admin that can’t solve problems.

This is review of admission and communication process. One of two of my kids were accepted and offered admission. Zero empathy or response from the principal, impersonal and canned communications from admissions director. Would absolutely NOT recommend this school.

My vhild is in upper elementary. The prior teacher was a certified and experienced teacher. The new teacher is now going through the training, has 0 experience, and my child is not learning to properly work with the materials. Parents were informed about this at the last minute, and due to the unrealistic restrictions, we couldn't break contract.My child is not receiving the education we are paying for.

Be careful sending your child to this school. They have changed the curriculum and are pushing ideologies on super young children. They are reading books about gender identity and trying to normalize boys being girls and girls being boys. They are getting away from educating and making it a social experiement on rich kids. They don’t tell the parents what they are doing. In middle school they are telling boys they can use tampons to make it all inclusive. In the lower school they are reading books about how a boy can transition to a girl at a early age. They need to get back to what they are known for and that’s excelling at actual learning objectives. I don’t think parents and donors realize what is actually happening at this school.