Thomas E. Kerns Elementary School

We have loved our experience at Blythe so far. The teachers we have had all seem very excited about their jobs and make the curriculum interesting for the kids. The language immersion program is wonderful. The administration does a good job of listening to the needs of parents and students. The parental community is engaged.

I truly wanted this school to be wonderful; however, what was presented to us and what is actually occurring are two very different things. The school could be wonderful, and many of the families are, but academics are significantly lacking across all subjects except philosophy and theology. Discipline is inconsistent, with disproportionate attention given to minor issues while serious concerns are often overlooked. There is notable favoritism and a culture of gossip typical of small, insular communities.The facilities are old and deteriorating. HVAC issues have persisted for years, leaving students cold in the winter and overheated in the summer. Despite hundreds of thousands of dollars raised annually—and a large percentage of families receiving state tuition assistance—these problems remain unaddressed while fundraising continues. There is little transparency regarding how funds are allocated.New modular classrooms for older students are being installed, which should be an improvement. However, facilities are often unclean, and students are routinely required to clean as a form of discipline. Teachers are not regularly evaluated, and raising concerns is viewed not as an opportunity for growth but as a challenge to leadership. Communication is limited to a small group of parents, with critical information frequently shared informally, leaving many families uninformed.For an extended period, there was no consistent security or law enforcement presence due to diocesan issues, despite the surrounding neighborhood being unsafe. This remains an ongoing concern and leaves students vulnerable. While there is genuine potential here for a strong school rooted in culture and community, character formation should complement—not replace—academic excellence. Overall, we are disappointed with our decision to enroll and with the lack of meaningful progress after years of waiting, though not all was a loss.

It was a n experience that helped us grow!

The teachers at this school put on fake smiles and half of them don’t even have special needs children or family members which I feel makes them lack empathy for the parents that do. Breanna is very standoffish and rude if God ever blesses her with a child, I hope that child doesn’t endure what my child did under her care