Jackson Elementary School

Amazing scool. Great staff and very supportive.

This school is so great. The teachers have all been kind and communicate with me regularly. The additional staff I have interacted with are all kind and take time to know the students too. The principal has even gotten her dog trained as a therapy animal! The program is IB, so the children start learning Spanish as soon as they start school. Every year with the combined efforts of the teachers/administration and parents supporting the students, the test scores are going up. They make sure to keep families involved too. There are many opportunities to go to the school to have activity days with the children (tie dying shirts, concerts, and joining in for PE are some I've been to). They have two show choir teams and every extracurricular class is enjoyed by my child. They also are able to do community things as well. When I first moved to the neighborhood I got a gift of a painted birdhouse from a kindergartner. And my son has gone to the elderly care home around the corner multiple times to bring art/flowers. I truly cannot say enough good things.

Awesome staff and great new principal. This school was a Bronze Award winner in 2012 with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Can't say enough about how wonderful my daughters experience was here. Very caring teachers and support staff!

The school has/had amazing teachers. AMAZING. However, a new principal was placed at the school this year and the school is negatively impacted by this placement. Teachers are leaving, students are miserable, and parents have complained to the GRACE Superintendent who refuses to consider that this hire was a mistake. This school's teachers are 5/5. Leadership is 1/5 at best.

I am extremely disappointed with how this situation was handled.As a parent, I respect coaches who are firm and help build discipline and character in kids. However, there is a clear line that should never be crossed. I personally witnessed an incident involving Coach Wade Handrich grabbing my son by the chest. I reported this concern to the school, but at the time, my report was dismissed because I did not yet have evidence.I later followed up and requested a meeting to present supporting information, but I did not receive direct communication or follow-up from Pilgrim leadership when it mattered most. This lack of response was both frustrating and concerning given the seriousness of the situation.What adds to my concern is how the situation has been communicated afterward. Since the incident, my son has been told by former teammates that different explanations are being given about why he is no longer playing, including claims about poor grades or injury. These statements are not accurate and misrepresent what actually occurred.I did receive a response from another school administrator who acknowledged my concerns and agreed that the situation warranted attention. I appreciated that support. However, the lack of accountability and clear communication from the appropriate leadership remains an issue.As a parent, I spoke up to ensure my child was treated appropriately and to advocate for his well-being. I hope the school takes situations like this more seriously in the future and improves how concerns from families are handled.