Tara Heights Elementary School

Overall, this seems to be a good school. I wanted my children to get a quality education so decided on the PLCS district. However, I will say they do not do a great job at fostering kids’ emotional intelligence and I have noticed that bullying is typically “brushed off” as something kids will outgrow. While that can occasionally be the case, children will typically grow into a behavior rather than “out of it.” That said, if a behavior is not investigated and corrected then it tends to continue. Bodily autonomy is another thing they are not great at enforcing, but that again stems from the lack of investigation into cases of bullying. If a child were to ask another child who is bullying them to leave them alone, and the bully uses “entrapment” to ensure their classmate cannot be rid of them, but the child being restrained by the bully kicks or hits them; who is ultimately at fault? Ideally, the situation would be handled and a multifaceted approach used to determine consequences for all students involved. This does not happen. The child who protected their right to space would not be treated as such, they would receive consequences while the bully gets coddled for being hurt. This is an oddly specific complaint since I am a staunchly new age, modern mother and want the absolute best for my children. Their right to a bully-free environment is the same as any one persons right to a hostility-free work environment. Kids can’t learn if they are being picked on. They’re anxious because, in a sense, they’re being hunted after. The adults at this school do not have a modern approach to bullying and I feel that they could use more training surrounding child psychology and how to effectively handle bullying to ensure that everyone involved is heard and dealt with properly.

So far, I have enjoyed this school, but there is still room for improvement. Mrs. Buttler (Kindergarten) and Mrs. Lauber (1st Grade) communicated efficiently. They put in place some extra activities to help my kid succeed and were excellent teachers. My kid is in 2nd grade now. I will be back later with more updates.

The website rating current shows 3/10. What a horribly inaccurate, and obviously unfounded rating. LVW is a wonderful school with an absolutely outstanding staff! Those people LOVE those kids! I'm truly thankful for being in this district, especially with the special needs my kids have. LVW is exactly where I want all my kids to go!

I have 3 children who have attended this school. I have been impressed with the school’s recent push to draw more attention to student success. One of their new 1st grade teachers is hands-down the best educator I’ve ever met. Most teachers will make sure to challenge and push students to their fullest potential. The school counselor and psychologist are great. The principal is welcoming. The nurse’s aid sometimes comes off as harsh on the phone, but I think she has student’s best interests at heart. The school secretary is a sweetheart— I feel like she knows my kids even through they don’t cross paths very often. The PE program is great, and I like the 6th grade band as well. We have not had issues with bullying at this school. Kids generally seem to like each other and support one another. My kids are all scoring above average on their state standardized tests, and they look forward to going to school—for those reasons, I feel confident about the quality of education they are receiving. I have a complaint about how “gifted” students are chosen, but that’s ultimately something that needs to be handled at a district level, not something the school can change on their own. While my kids haven’t qualified for the HAL program, two of them have gotten pulled out to work on areas that they excel in with other teachers at times, which I truly appreciate.

We’ve been at Hickory Hill for a year now and have had a wonderful experience! Ms. Thompson (the principal) is a gem and creates a wonderful community there! Positive reinforcement is used to motivate kids to be their best and it works!