Polk School

St. Joseph Catholic Elementary is a wonderful school! My son attended from Pre-3 through 8th grade, and we have no regrets. He graduated from 8th grade happy, prepared for high school (and beyond), and feeling supported. The greater St. Joe community is also incredible -- a group of really passionate, involved, engaged, neat people! Given that it's a Catholic school, we also loved its focus on character, faith, and values -- principles that are just missing from public schools. Would 100% recommend!

The teacher's in this school try as hard as the can, but because years ago the school turned a blind eye to the behavioral problems with the students, it has grown to a level that seems impossible to combat. The students are allowed to swear at each other and at the teachers, if they knock another child down, or punch them in the stomach, they are told no no no we don't do that, and that's it. Elementary students have punched other kids in the face so hard the student started bleeding, the student that punched is still punching and bullying students. These students cuss and say racial slurs to other students, staff is exhausted, they can't discipline the students anymore or they would never be teaching. The parents need to be more involved in this school, the teachers need help. The principal at this school is hardly ever seen, I thought the vice principal was the principal, a lot of the kids also thought the vice was their principal since they never see the actual principal. At other schools we've been at, we knew who the principal was, the kids knew who the principal was, the principal was actively involved. These kids are good kids, but the school at it's core has fallen apart, lost sight of having pride in their school, showing pride in the kids, supporting the teachers, and just letting the kids do whatever. The school has said some of these kids can't be sent home due to home life, well they should have something else in place then, a special room with a behavioral therapist for some time to go over respect etc and then do classwork where they are given praise for doing good/listening. I really hope something changes, I do know it's going to take longer to fix this, then it did for it to start. These kids are worth it, please JMES help our students to thrive.

The teacher has been great, but the administration is horrible. My son is regularly talked down to by the vp and principal. When taking with the principal over the phone, she will interrupt you regularly and then hang up when you ask her not to. Unfortunately the bullying that occurs from the management team does not outweigh the teacher's wonderful and patient approach.