Barbara Jordan Intermediate School

Great teachers for middle school, lots of family activities, staff very approachable and nice,

School is unaware on handling bullying situations and fails to inform the parents.

The principal of this school feels she does not have to follow the law concerning safety or treatment of special needs children. There have been multiple complaints lodged against her. When a tenured teacher with 16 years in the district with multiple accolades stood up to her, she had the teacher removed from the school because she felt she could not continue to work with her. The principal compromised her integrity multiple times but was close friends with the district superintendent, so nothing was done. Multiple teachers took jobs in other schools and districts because of her incompetence. She even took school business on Facebook and argued with parents and basically stated people were lying but refused to meet people as a group to discuss. Multiple incidents of “lost” children after school. Don’t send your kids here until she is removed. She refused to follow state directives for special needs children and showed no respect for concerned parents. Intimidation is her tool of choice. Very much a bully. If truth does not support her, she changes her story or makes up new charges, like stepping on the grass or having a secretary say the voice was loud.

We decided to transfer our daughter out of the kindergarten “Fish” class after a difficult experience. At home she is loving and well-behaved, but at school we mostly received negative reports and little focus on her positives. Some discipline practices, like being told to “get out of the carpet” in front of classmates or sitting on an “X” repeatedly, felt public and shaming rather than supportive.On a few occasions she asked adults for help when another child hurt her, but no one followed up. We also reached out to the counselor about a sensitive concern and felt the response lacked empathy.In the end, instead of encouragement and patience, our daughter felt anxious and stressed. Five-year-olds deserve to feel safe, cared for, and supported. That was not our experience, which is why we moved her to another school.

This school is fantastic. We’ve had a wonderful experience here for my kids for preschool, kinder, and first grade. I don’t know why it doesn’t have a 10/10 rating because it is a meticulously organized and thoughtfully run school full of passionate and kind educators. We’ve had Armstrong, France, Hamilton, and England, and they have taken such good care of my kids and taught them so much and you can tell these women love what they do and all their students. The principal and staff are super motivated and keep parents updated regularly. On the sixth day of school the principal was greeting every student by their first name. I wouldn’t have believed it but when I dropped my kids off I watched her stand there and greet each student and she does that every morning, it’s incredible how loved my children feel. We even did distance learning last year for the pandemic and it was well organized given the circumstances and the teachers were so understanding and flexible, which we really needed. The teaching staff uses an app this year and last year called dojo to communicate with parents, it makes it so easy to stay in touch and message the teachers with questions and concerns and often the teacher sends out pictures of the kids doing activities throughout the day which really reassures me that they are in good hands. My only concerns are really more regarding the school district as a whole, I wish the kids were given more time outside as they only get two 15 minute recesses which is pretty standard nation wide but I would love to see more of a nature focus in the curriculum. Otherwise you can’t do better than this school!

Sippel is a fantastic elementary school with a warm and welcoming environment. The teachers are dedicated, patient, and truly care about each student’s success. The staff fosters a positive learning atmosphere where kids feel safe, supported, and encouraged to grow academically and socially. The school also offers great extracurricular activities and a strong sense of community. Highly recommended for any family looking for a well-rounded and nurturing education! My family just hit 1 year back in Texas and this school has made the transition so pleasant, It’s in a great safe community that makes you feel so welcomed.