Lloyd & Dolly Bentsen Elementary School

My children were students here and they had an amazing experience. I am very grateful to the staff for treating my kids as family.

Roosevelt Elementary continues to provide excellent educational opportunities for our children in our community.

Feel extremely blessed for my son to be at Thigpen-Zavala. He has been going there for 4 years and we couldn't be any happier. He is excelling in every way with the help of everyone. He gets so much encouragement from the teachers, coaches and so many others. You can see that Mrs Casas, the Principal, plays a very vital role in the success of the students. She is very involved and makes everyone feel welcomed. We have and will continue to choose Thigpen-Zavala!

I've had a handful of issues in the the years my child has been attending. I've seen my child's learning process digress as this school has continued to place my child with children that need more specialized attention. I diligently drive to assist my child in advanced ideas and methods during the summers and after school only to have my child placed in a low expection class. My child is not challenged to grow and advance learning skills and now has a " I don't have to do more because it is not expected of me in my class" view. I am not okay with this minimal goal setting and this school needs to do more to encourage just the opposite mentality in these children. I've been told by a teacher that they won't push them to read so they enjoy reading more. Goal setting IS pushing them to read. Give them a higher goal and at least give them the opportunity to meet a higher challenge. The expectation from the higher level classes vs the lower level classes is extreme. The Starr test wouldn't be as stressful if some of these children were taught with a bit more confidence in their ability to comprehend. "Things are difficult if WE make them difficult" is what I have always told my child. Every child that is capable of being challenged at a higher level SHOULD be challenged. This school is creating a pool of children that will have to work that much harder in high school and college to catch up to the median. Unless this is this district's median. Needless to say we will be disenrolling; my child is worth more than this.

We Moved to Texas, for my Job. Originally From North Georgia. My Son Attended Clarke Creek Elementary School in Cherokee County, Georgia. He was there Kindergarten and 1st grade. He as always excited about school. Then we moved and he started 2nd Grade in this school. He did not like going to school. He did like all his teachers, but he absolutely did not like to stay in school. His grades started to slip and he started to fall behind. The school even enrolled him in ESL program. I thought it was a joke since my son is Born in Marietta, Georgia and he spoke better English then most of the kids in school. I finally found out, since majority of the kids are Hispanic, they all speak Spanish in school. My son was constantly bullied by kids and used homophobic slur toward him. I asked the school to take action, but they did nothing. I Had to personally talked to father of the boy who was bulling my son to stop. Now My son go to Winder Elementary. He absolutely loves his new school. he is not struggling at school. And this year he became the spelling bee champion for barrow county and placed 4th on regional spelling bee.

Warning for Parents: Our Terrible Experience at Harry Shimotsu ElementaryAs parents, we rely on school ratings to guide our choices, but sometimes those numbers don't tell the full story. Harry Shimotsu Elementary's high rating shocked me, especially when considering the devastating experience our son had there in 1st grade. This school's quality of instruction and leadership left lasting negative marks on him, and we feel it's crucial to warn other families.Our primary concerns revolve around the former principal's deeply problematic conduct: * Unauthorized Diagnoses and Testing: The principal frequently diagnosed children with conditions like autism directly in front of parents, without any professional medical or psychological credentials. He also routinely removed children from classrooms to his office for "testing and evaluation" of their skills, a practice that is highly inappropriate and lacks proper oversight. * Abuse of Authority and Academic Punishment: My son was unfairly targeted. The principal, in collaboration with the teacher, withheld my son from passing grades and participation in athletics because he did not complete his homework. This extreme and disproportionate punishment for a first-grader, especially without proper educational support or communication, was a clear abuse of power. * Lack of Accountability: It became clear that this principal, having been in the system for a long time, operated with a sense of unchecked authority, acting as though he was "a king" and not accountable to parents or proper educational standards.Our experience at Harry Shimotsu Elementary was not just negative; it was damaging. It highlighted severe issues with leadership, ethics, and child welfare that parents need to be aware of.Advice for Parents: * Be Present: Don't just rely on ratings. Be actively involved in your child's school life. * Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences: Use these opportunities to build relationships and gather information. * Believe Your Kids: If your child expresses discomfort, fear, or shares troubling incidents, listen to them and investigate immediately. * Complain High When Kids Are Abused: Do not hesitate to escalate your concerns to district administration, the school board, or relevant educational authorities if you witness or suspect any form of abuse or misconduct. Your voice is critical in protecting your child and others.