Sunset Ridge Elementary School

We sent our kid for preschool there for a while, had a really horrible experience. The administration and leadership is very unprofessional and disrespectful. The school probably had some good days many years ago and had some good teachers, but had taken a sharp down turn in the recent time. Very early on (pre-pandemic) our kid was in the toddler room and had a good teacher, things seemed fine. Then our kid's teacher left the school, and it seems the principal changed too after pandemics. After pandemics we returned to the school, our kid was in the pre-school room had had some difficulty re-adjusting the classroom. We communicated many times with the school trying to figure out a way to help him after months of complete social isolation. But the school just want get the tuition with the easiest job possible, instead of doing what educators should do and help the kids. Basically they kicked my kid out after 2-weeks of new semester, telling us he probably has autism and need therapy, and they "as a Montessori school, are not equipped to help kids with such special needs". This is ridiculous--We researched and liked the philosophy of Montessori method, and Maria Montessori started the whole thing from working with kids with learning difficulty! Needless to say how stressful it was for us as parents. We scrambled to find another preschool (everywhere was full right after pandemic and you only get in after being in line for a long time-- that's probably why they can just quickly kickout students they dont want to make the effort for and right away fill the spots). Luckily in the end the new school was great, the teachers are very nurturing and professional. They told as after pandemics a lot of kids had social difficulties and they will work on it and learn--- Indeed my son did too, and he is thriving now. I should also mention because of that, we had my son evaluated by 2 independent clinicians, and they both concluded he does not have autism or learning disability. He had a language delay at that age which made communication a little harder in preschool (he's bilingual too), but with help it completely resolved. What this school did was discrimination based on perceived disability. Now in 1st grade in a public school my son is happy, friendly, well rounded. He is in advanced learning, having lots of friend, loving to go to school. He does not remember this experience at 3, but as a parent, I am still dramatized and enraged. Avoid this school at all cost!

I am a parent of 4 children who attend St Peter Catholic School in Ashton. St Peter is a wonderful authentically Catholic school near Middleton. It is easy to get to from the Beltline, or from points west off Mineral Point Rd, P, or 151. Many families drive 20 minutes or more, some one hour daily one way, to send their kids there. Mass is 3x per week, and there are also weekly adoration and confession. The school has Stations of the Cross during Lent also. The school prays together before and after lunch, and before and after recess. I have children in 3 of the 4 combined grade level classrooms. The combined classrooms make it easier for children to work at their level. The children also learn to interact with those younger and older on a regular basis. Class sizes are small and intimate - the children all know each other throughout the entire school. There is school support for mild learning and behavioral needs, and students with Dyslexia. Staff is top notch and genuinely cares about their students. Staff also know their students well, and regular parent volunteers (and most parents honestly) know almost all the kids in the school. Discipline is appropriate and usually self-imposed when and if needed. There is an air of not only genuine respect, but also a feeling of family in the school as children look out for each other and help each other. Specials like music, PE, Art and life skills are offered as well: my child in 4/5 even learned how to change the oil in a car! It offers a great deal for a small Catholic school; and the enrollment is growing every year. I cannot recommend St Peter enough for parents seeking a truly Catholic school where our faith is incorporated into every aspect of life, and life is incorporated into every aspect of learning.

Good except for Principal Robert Abshire and limited friend opportunities with small classes