Idlewild Elementary School

My daughters have been attending Custer since day one of Kindergarten. My older is now a 5th grader and I also have a 1st grader and they BOTH LOVE IT! All the staff, from principals and teachers, to custodians and receptionist, they are all AMAZING! You can tell they all care about the well being and safety of the children along with ensuring that they are getting the education they need and deserve. I would not hesitate to enroll kids here and would recommend it to anyone and have nothing but kind words about the school and staff!!! Love my Custer Family

When I went to the school I was 8 years old now I am 18 and the teachers and staff both said to my mother to her face that I was too stupid to teach,and I was bullied by teachers and staff and when ever I did something I was supposed to do i was called out for being too stupid for it and I have very bad ptsd because of the school

It’s important to note that there is a new Principal at Park Lodge Elementary. I’ve read several reviews about someone named Mrs. Muzzulo, that sound terrible, but she is no longer there. The new principal, Mrs. DeShields, is wonderful. I’ve spoken to her several times, and she is always positive and, I think, does her best for the students. My daughter says the she even drops by the classroom occasionally to have lunch (covid year, the kids ate in the classroom) or just say hello. The teachers there are absolutely amazing. Every single one I’ve interacted with have been kind, supportive, attentive, and genuinely interested in what is best for every student. During virtual learning I’ve overheard the classes at times, and I’m so impressed with how patient, and effective they’ve been throughout this stressful year. During in person days (hybrid) every teacher I encountered during drop off and pick up, knew my child’s name, and they always had a smile on their face and a kind word.My child has never had a problem with bullying. She considers all of her classmates to be her best friends. I would definitely recommend this school to everyone.

When the principal promising to do this or check into that, she never would follow through, and then deny it all at a later date. Communicating with her was nearly impossible, she wouldn't allow us to get a word in edgewise. It reached the point where I asked to speak to someone else besides her because of her communication style and was told by the new priest that he personally liked her, and our daughter wouldn't be welcome if we didn't accept her communication style. The new principal specialized in selling a program to help schools and implementing it prior, she was a salesperson. She hid anything negative, such as deficient funds or problems with classroom management, and instead manipulating numbers in public service announcements to attract new families. She quit right before the announcement came about the school closing to avoid questions, and even afterwards she sent parents emails from her personal account, trying to confuse parents about her role in hiding the numbers. There was so much obfuscation present here at all levels that some parents were being misled first one way and then another all the while touting the virtues they believed present.

This is my daughter's first year in the Pre-K (4) program. She had a difficult time with transitions during daycare, so I thought the jump to a school program would be almost impossible. The teacher assured me that within 2 months, she would be fine with drop-offs. I am so happy to report that within 1 month, she was handling drop-offs like a little champion. I attribute this to the teacher's experience with children her age, but also her confidence. Fast forward to 5 months later, my daughter is absolutely thriving, has comes leaps and bounds in her ability to be a student. What I love about St Francis is that it feels like a community. All of the staff I have had contact with show genuine care and interest in my daughter. And I can tell she knows she is loved there. Another bonus, they've added Spanish lessons for her age group which is absolutely fabulous. She's proud to be learning a new language. All in all, I am very thankful for this experience, the community and all of the opportunities St Francis Cabrini offers. I believe she will have a great school experience, thanks to their values.

we have been attending Lakewood Lutheran for three years and love this school and the teachers and volunteers. My kids never want to leave and have made wonderful friends here. I like that there are so many opportunities to volunteer and be part of the school. We appreciate how easy it is to communicate with the teachers and feel like they really care about our children success and overall happiness.

Our experience at Lakewood Lutheran has been very positive. We love the warm, safe environment and the private school, homeschool-style, Montessori-like approach that allows kids to grow at their own pace.The two multi-grade classrooms truly mimic real life, helping students navigate different ages, personalities, and challenges while building confidence and responsibility. The educators are amazing—balancing current practices with an “old school” approach where kids are expected to learn and take ownership.Most importantly, kids are given space to make mistakes, grow, and reach their full potential. Through a supportive environment, adversity is easier to navigate. The world isn’t always kind, so knowing our kids are safe, valued, and able to share how they feel means everything.The staff is caring, welcoming, and values parent input and involvement. We’re especially thankful for the principal, who made our transition from one private school to another feel easy. It’s been a wonderful year, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.