Matthew Thornton Elementary School

This is a mix bag. There are great teachers in special education and some in regular education. I recall a person at our special education meeting - not sure her role- telling me I should place my daughter in residential and then take her home when her behaviors were more in control.Really? What does she know about residential placements and staffing at these placements along with qualifications? What does she know about removal of a child from a loving home and the trauma that it can cause?Why are the behaviors at school that have led to isolation rooms and physical restraints occuring in the school setting while the home setting is modified to reduce such behaviors at school?Why are staff so naive when it comes to curriculum and intervention strategies when working with children on the spectrum with significant behavioral needs - children who cannot understand spoke language, children with the mindset of an infant that is put in a school program designed for pre-school/elementary children when a child is forced to sit at circle time and learn calendar days - a child that is functioning like an infant.The child is so frustrated that he begins to bite himself and scratch staff for sitting still with an infant mind and looking at calendar blocks is not comething this child is developmentally ready for.Really staff?

Get your child out of this school if they are in special Ed. I had a horrible experience with the special Ed teacher. She should not be working with autistic kids. She was so negative and my child regressed so much. Just a horrible school.

Great School, Great teacher Mr. Quimby, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Small and Mrs. Knault are great teacher. I am sure all other teachers are great too.

My wife and I went to private schools out entire life. We always felt that we missed out on the "town spirit". We wanted to move to a town that had great public schools. We have three kids with EIPs and could not be happier with Londonderry public schools and especially Matthew Thornton. Yes in every school you have the teachers that just do the basics to get by but there are so many good teachers there. It all starts with the leadership. Have doubts about MT? Request a meeting with the assistant principal Ace. He makes me feel like I am dropping my kids off at a friends house everyday.

I feel that this school is old in every way. the teachers are unenergetic and there is no dr.Sues week. I don't know any school that doesn't have this. With all of the technology that are kids have to make them smarter than we were at there age, don't you think there should be some fun. Weekly popcorn days, fun fridays.etc. all work no play. Let them enjoy the little childhood that they have. update the school allow parents to have lunch with there kids. Wheres the pto.