Birdneck Elementary School

My child has attended for three years now, and I will say the assistant principal is awesome.Teachers, however, will let you know their frustrations with your child and the classroom in general off the bat. They have no "chaos control", and blame it on COVID years. Two weeks into this school year, I picked my kid up from after school same time her teacher was coming out of school, and had the audacity to come to my car and say, Infront of my child, that "she is smart but not living up to her potential." And continued to degrade her Infront of me while telling my daughter and I how stressed she is. I work 60 hours a week as an Operations Director- if I complained to everyone how stressed I was and berated my team, my team would not be successful and I'd be fired. Teacher has made numerous comments to my kid that I find flat out rude, but the teachers paint a pretty picture when I call the assistant principle, so it's pointless. I work with a former Chesapeake principal who, when I discuss the issues I've had with the teachers here, told me to go straight to the school board and file a complaint, which was validating but sad at the same time. I've walked into that school several times and see/hear teachers have very negative discussions about their classes, which I feel perpetuates an overall justification to be desensitized to the children, harsh, overbearing and overly consequential. My daughter has called me from the nurses office several times, and when on the phone, I've heard teachers YELLING at children, obviously unaware of a parent listening. When my child has computer activities that have voice recordings, I can hear teachers yelling and being harsh with kids as well. The teachers are strict about bathroom breaks due to lack of security in the halls. They need a note from the doctor to let them go to the bathroom more than THEY think is necessary. My child has been physically bullied and the boys who have put their hands on my child faces no repercussions and my kid was still forced to sit at the same table and engage with them, even when I demanded she be moved. The teachers say "small problems should be handled by the kids" but how can you even say that with kids who are still learning emotional regulation? It was only after I told a teacher my child will hit back next time her bullies got her, that she actually listened. I worry every day how my kid is treated. At 7 years old, she is ALREADY stressed about school. Avoid if you can.

If you are a present parent and you advocate for your child, this is not the school for you nor your child. Being a spokesperson/advocate will cause you to receive backlash from teachers and administrators at this school. This school is supposed to be a prestigious school under the umbrella of an Achievable Dream. However, the only dream that is Achievable is not for the students but for the school in that they try to recommend programs for the students so that they can receive money. Communication between some of the teachers and parents is sub par. Please do your thorough research before choosing this school to register your precious child into.

If you want your children to succeed then please look straight past this school. The help is no help at all and I'm pretty surprised considering all the good things I've heard from this school. Need new staff and new people in general who actually want to work.

So far this has been such a wonderful experience. All the staff is so friendly and helpful. The teachers are amazing and so knowledgeable.

This school does not teach children good citizenship. The children basically own the school and are allowed to run wild. I have seen the cafeteria. Older children are allowed to bully younger children. The younger children are bullied into giving up their lunches to older children and do not feel that they are allowed to keep their food.The teachers work tirelessly but the current administration does not support any of the teachers hi feel intimidated. Children are taught to judge others in negative and demeaning ways. If you are looking for a good private school, DO NOT put your child here. This is a lot worse then public school which my children have been in before. I had to take my child out if this school after older children continued to bully her and the administration refused to help her. This school does not teach discipline and respect. The teachers work tirelessly but the administration is a sham and very condescending to them as well as the parents.