Samuel R. Donald Elementary School

Very disappointed with this school. The lack of leadership is the main problem. The prior superintendent was making progress with this school, but the board did not like it. It is a shame, because it was once a very good school.

We are so grateful for Aaron Decker School. The teachers are incredibly patient, kind, and supportive. They truly care about each child’s development , not only academically but emotionally as well.My child feels safe and happy there, and as a parent, that means everything to me. The communication with families is clear and consistent. We feel lucky to be part of this community.

My daughter completed Kindergarten at Kiel and is now in 1st grade. She loves going to school every day, loved her K teacher and can't stop raving about her 1st grade teacher and specialties (music, art). Her 1st grade teacher is truly incredible. She frequently communicates with the parents, has an awesome instruction style with independent learning (reading has improved A LOT) and group activities. The before and after care program is reliable and friendly. The school facilities are in great condition and the classrooms are well stocked with books, materials, projection screens, computers. They also make a big deal out of being kind and caring to others and have rewards systems in place in the classroom to reward the class for showing kindness to their classmates.

Extremely disappointing experience here. I dealt with consistent horrible bullying from grades K-8 from the exact three same students, and the school refused to do anything about it because those students' families were "buddy-buddy" with the administration. The teachers rarely helped me to deal with it - in fact, in the decade that I spent at this school, I can only recall two teachers who actually tried to stand up for me. The rest of the blew me off without any consideration. As the only Asian student in my classroom, I definitely felt being singled out for my race. The school character felt like, "We are in this together unless you aren't white." The teachers for the most part picked favorites and like most typical private schools, whatever family that had the most money/donated the most usually had a stronger say over less fortunate families. It was often seen when I asked for extra help that the teachers would reply claiming to be too busy to help me, but when another student asked for help, they would schedule a session without hesitation. To say the bullying policy here is poor would be giving them credit. It is nonexistent to the point that it seems like a majority of the teachers joined in on the bullying.The original principal that I had in Kindergarten was great, but the "new" principal during my time at the school was phony and often singled me out to the point where my parents almost had to file a report with the diocese to stop all the problems they put me through - it didn't work, it continued all the way up to my graduation. As for addressing learning differences and differentiation, it was mostly nonexistent. Everything was worksheets, repetitive vocabulary and spelling tests, filling out pages in a workbook/textbook and the occasional use of the SmartBoard. Not many aspects of Gardner's Multiple Intelligences were followed. I hardly ever got any hands-on activities to truly apply knowledge other than, "Complete Pages 34-37 in the workbook."All I have to say is that this school showed me what a good school community SHOULDN'T be, and I take the many things I've "learned" from this school with me into my professional career as an educator. All I have to say is if you are a student of color, stay away. Thank you to the VERY FEW teachers at this school who did not let the community's biases get in your way. As for the rest of them, I hope that you are never given the chance to put another student through what I was put through again.