Harrand Creek Elementary School

My son attends first grade at this school and we love it! The principal is great as well as the teachers. My son has ADHD and receives special education services at school. It has made a tremendous difference with him. One of the teachers called me the other day just to tell me how great my son had done in one on one reading that day. That was very special to me and my son. We are moving away to south carolina in two weeks and I am very sad to pull my son out of this school. The next school he attends will have very big shoes to fill. I would recommend this school to any parent!
—Submitted by a parent

Harrand Creek is an excellent school, both my children are going to Harrand Creek. The principal is the best, they have excellent teachers. Unfortunately we are moving this summer, nut i hope the next school my kids have to go to will be on the same level as Harrand Creek.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter loved attending Harrand Creek Elem. and we as parents we so pleased that we had chosen a home in the area prior to even thinking about having children. The teachers and staff are very apt to student sucess and learning. Through strong reading and math programs my daughter began at her new school over a smester ahead of fellow peers. We do miss our School Family at Harrand Creek. Through exellent teachers and leadership our children received a challenging education and loved every minute of it.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers were extremely cordial and my daughter is definitely challenged. The principal is on a mission to ensure Harrand Creek stands out from the rest. I addressed their student sign out policy which has been revamped for the safety of the students. Remember to send in a sick note, or it will be an unexcused absence.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm not impressed with this school. The principal is great but the teachers have attitude. It looks to me that the teachers run that school. They are not friendly and do not communicate well with parents. I'm so glad that we have moved so that my children can go to a better school.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is in his second year at HC, and I have seen none of the problems experienced under the prior administration. Mr. Rutherford is friendly, caring, and really seems to 'get' kids. He manages behavioral problems in young children through reason, motivation and encouragement, rather than punishment and fear. My son has a sense of confidence and self-worth that I largely credit to his wonderful teachers, aides, guidance counselor and principal; and he is doing very well academically. I would highly recommend this school to any family moving into the area.
—Submitted by a parent

So far I am so impressed. This school has really made me feel at peace, The staff is warm and makes a parent feel welcome. The nurse is great as well. My child is fatally allergic to peanuts, and she has done everything in her power to make sure my child has a safe year. The best experience I've ever had. I can have a peace of mind knowing everyone is prepared and well aware of the situation. Thanks
—Submitted by a parent

This school is by far the best in Enterprise. Mr. Rutherford is wonderful. We bought our home in 'Harrand Creek' largely because of this school. They are also very supportive of military families and do their best to make the transition smoother.
—Submitted by a parent

Wow what a difference Mr. Rutherford has made this year. New activites, excitement in teachers, students & parents. We love the school & staff.
—Submitted by a parent

The changes at this school in just a year are fantastic! The school was recently a model site for the Alabama Reading Initiative, and has consistently scored high overall in reading/phonics. The teachers seem driven to achieve, and I would suspect that this enthusiasm transfers to the students. The school overall has improved, from the teachers to the building itself, with its new history-themed decor--all much more people-friendly. The new principal and his staff are to be commended!
—Submitted by a parent

Overall, the school is Great! Most of the teachers are Fabulous! The principal is okay. There are concerns about a couple of teachers, however, these concerns are not addressed by the principal. Could use some improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

Last year, HCE got a new principal, and the changes are amazing. He is personable, caring, interested, yet not a push-over. Tthe new atmosphere will encourage parental involvement instead of discouraging it.Kudos all around.
—Submitted by a parent

After reading the reviews listed on Harrand Creek I wanted to give an update on this school. There has been a turnover made. We now have a wonderful new Principle. Mr. Rutherford is nothing short of wonderful for the school and all the children. He takes time daily to get to know all the children on a personal basis and he's always readily available to parents for any questions/concerns even on a walk-in basis. He has really turned this school around and focuses entirely on the students. I have been very impressed! I have only had pleasant experiences with teachers as well as the guidance counselor. I have 3 children in this school district including one who has learning disabilities and feel they have really gone above and beyond to see that all of my kids have received personal attention in all academic areas. Way to Go HCE!
—Submitted by a parent

Harrand Creek is a great school. There are numerous programs and activities that many other chldren are not exposed to. Extra care is taken by the faculty and staff to ensure that all children are safe. I am glad that I found a great school like HC for my children.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is currently attending the school and I have to agree with the other comments. I personally have had no issues with the principal but I can see where these problems stem from. Dr. Townsend clearly has no direct contact with parents and there is a very clear atmosphere of transparency in the school. Simply put, if there is a problem as a parent you really have no clear person to contact. This seems deliberate. My biggest gripe with the school is that WAY too much emphasis is put on devising complex schemes to reward behavior and much less on advanced curriculum. My son is in the 2nd grade and still doing single-digit addition when he should be doing more complex math and simple spelling words. Given the advantage of small class size, this school should be challenging students and putting them ahead of students in bigger cities.
—Submitted by a parent

Harrand Creek is an overall 'good school.' Having read the previous reviews, I must say that some of the comments are right on target, others are missing the mark. The principal of this school is one of the worst I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Fortunately, there are several GOOD teachers in this school and my child has one of them this year. There are several BAD teachers as well...one that needed to retire 10 years ago! My child had her last year. I am a firm believer in leadership and discipline. This school has virtually NO leadership and an unfair way of providing discipline. With new leadership, this school could flourish! Unfortunately, you have to 'know someone' in order to get things like this accomplished in this town! Too bad for the kids!
—Submitted by a parent

It shames me to have to add this review but I do feel compelled to do so. Fortunate for me, my kids have all finished with elementary school. All three were straight A students from K-6 and I do credit the teachers and the past principal of Herrand Creek for the outstanding job. Unfortunately, there has been a change that seems to have brought the level of parent approval down. The programs are still the same, the teachers for the most part are the same but the 'atmosphere' has changed drastically. Parents are complaining more and more these days about the school. The only major change to this school is that a new PRINCIPAL was appointed. Maybe this is where the parents and school officials can direct their troubleshooting efforts toward. Parents can make a difference in their childrens education... Do the right thing and get actively involved and quit complaining.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is currently enrolled at Harrand Creek and I must say that if I didn't like her teacher so much I'd pull her out of this school. The principal of this school is on a power trip....She has no time for parent complaints and if you try to go to the 'super's office' they will also dismiss you. As a military parent all I can do is inform others coming to the enterprise area....Avoid Harrand Creek if at all possible! There are numerous other parents I've spoken with who like me are also extremely disappointed in this school and it's principal. It's a 'good ol boy' network down here... And our children are paying the price for it!
—Submitted by a parent

I was disappointed in Harrand creek. My son was in Kindergarten and did not have P.E. until 2pm, with no recess and no nap time. He would come home thirsty because there was never enough time for him to get a drink. Sometimes for P.E., instead of exercising they would watch movies. When I tried to get extra help for my son, nobody seemed willing to give what he needed. He would come home frustrated and pushed to the limit. they have a playground, but the kids are hardly allowed to use it. they seemed more concerned about getting the kids picked up after school efficiently than answering parents' concerns. Parents are not allowed in without appointments and they don't take volunteers.
—Submitted by Gina Turville, a parent

I must say I was at times a bit frustrated with Harrand Creek Elementary. They were quick to point out any minor difficulties my children were having with subjects, but took FOREVER in aiding them. The after school tutoring sessions were a joke. The kids would go and basically do their homework...the aid was giving them the answers when the got something wrong. My son had difficulty in math towards the end of his school year. His teacher said that understood the basic concepts, but seemed to freeze up on tests. My question to her constantly was 'As an teaching professional what can you do to help my child improve?' No answers were ever given, but the reply of knowing the basics kept being restated. It was VERY frustrating! My youngers son's teachers were GREAT! The front office staff could use some customer service polishing...they didn't seem happy.
—Submitted by a parent