Captain James Lawrence Elementary School

The Preschool program at this school is one of the best I've have seen. The kids are engaged, excited and have a wonderful safe environment to learn and be supported. The school is always encouraging parents to participate in their kids learning with several events throughout the year. Very glad we were able to find a great public school that's super close and convenient.

They love to report people to social services. Last year they had me have my 6 yrs old son to be evaluated by a psychologist. When I talked to the psychologist l, she told me that my son is just like every 6 yrs old kid. I don't understand why i need to evaluate your son. Today I picked up my daughter because she's having menstrual cramp pains, again I have to hear that statement again "we may have to report this to child services". If I get another complaint from this school, I may have to counter sue.

Leadership does not practice what they preach and lack respect/ courtesy to family members. They tell you one thing and do another. Before withdrawing our child from the school, we contacted the front office desk clerk to determine if we needed to fill out any forms, and she said no. She will forward my child's record "when requested" from the new school but never gave a time frame. My child mentioned two schools to his third-grade class; however, our decisions were not finalized because we wanted to look at other schools. My child ended up "not" registered at either school. Unbeknown to us, two weeks after we withdrew our child, the front office desk clerk contacted us, telling us she reached out to both schools to submit his records and that she has the "legal obligation" to make sure my child is registered. My child never spoke to the clerk directly; neither did I.We did not expect her to go on a "hunting spree" seeking our 8-year-old child's whereabouts, putting his name "unnecessarily" out there as though our child is/was neglected. We are parents of color, "not" dumb, incompetent and uneducated. We served our country for over 20 years. Had she contacted us from the beginning, she would have gotten the name of my child's new school. I told the desk clerk her actions were improper, and her email was demeaning. The current School Principal said, "Her email was not demeaning, and her actions were not improper. And that they (Saint Paul) were merely following proper procedures." Her actions were undoubtedly not a proper procedure. The desk clerk told us one thing and did another. The correct approach was to either wait a little longer for the new school to contact her since most schools are working from home "or" contact us (the parents), and we could have reached out to the new school. I have had previous issues with this desk clerk the very first day my child stepped into this school (Kindergarten). I stood up to her bullying tactics and decided to put it behind me. That was a warning, and I should have walked right out of the school with my child, never to look back. Now that we left, she tried it again. Saint Paul school put our child's name out there carelessly and without regard. The "most" common courtesy was not extended to our family, and their actions were undoubtedly not appropriate.

My child attends Doane Academy's Lower School and she absolutely loves it. She can't wait to go to school every day, and we as her parents could not be happier with the education she is receiving.