Jones Valley Elementary School

Our family loves Jones Valley Elementary. Our son is in his second year and we have been blessed to have two teachers that are outstanding. He is now in first grade and is reading at about a 4th grade level consistently. This is a great tribute to the academic focus of the teachers. Our principal and staff are great as well. Wonderful neighborhood school!
--Submitted by a parent

I am both parent & teacher new to this school. I feel that I can be objective. First, the principal deserves 5 out of 5 stars! She shows terrific leadership skills and is kind-fair to all. She is a breath of fresh air compared to many of the other principals who rule like Hitler. When morale in a school is elevated, it shows in EVERYTHING - state test results, happy-healthy teachers/students/parents, and overall performance from teachers/kids. My child is being challenged, but he's having fun in the process. Plus, they offer TONS of extracurricular activities. There's no perfect school, but this one comes close! My son and I are blessed!
--Submitted by a parent

Please note that the later comments that are critical of the principal are directed at the current principal and not Dr. Brusick, who retired 3 years ago. I agree that the leadership has suffered greatly since her departure. The new principal is overly officious and does not command respect or offer leadership. If asked several years ago, I would have given the school a higher rating. Not now however.
--Submitted by a parent

As a parent of a 5th and 3rd grader, I am pleased with the education my children are receiving. The atmosphere of JVE is one of a private school where the children respect the teachers and in turn the teachers are able to teach. The parental involvement is high which further makes this an excellent school.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a first year parent at this school. The principal does not provide strong educational leadership nor does she present herself as an authoritative figure demanding and expecting respect. This should be role modeled for the children and the standard. Consequently, disrespectful behavior is tolerated, bullying is not addressed, and discipline is lacking. Office staff are also rude. While test scores may be high, the overall learning environment could be greatly improved. Stronger leadership is necessary.
--Submitted by a parent

This year has been my first experience with Jones Valley Elementary and I must say I am not impressed. Home/School communication is poor! Room mothers seem to be the 'middle men' who have the majority of the information and decide what gets to the other parents. Very little information comes from my child's classroom teacher. Kindergarten students seem to do a lot of busy work (worksheets). Concerns have not been addressed in a reasonable amount of time from the classroom teacher or principal. Behavior expectations and discipline certainly aren't a priority. Certain teachers end up with 'stacked' classes while others get all the behavior problems. I had heard so many wonderful things about Jones Valley. I have been very disappointed!
--Submitted by a parent

This is a fantastic school. The faculty and curriculum are above average. My daughter attended this school K-5 and tested well above average for the local middle school curriculum. Her math skills in the 'normal' math classes are above those in the gifted programs of others school based on conversations with other school parents, children and faculty. I highly recommend this school. The principal, Dr. Brusick, is attentive, respectful and very involved with the day to day events at the school. We could have gone to another elementary school, which is closer to our home, but based on Dr.B and this school, we chose to attend Jones Valley Elementary and we have been thrilled with our decision. The facilities are also impressive with their wonderful updated computer labs! Keep up the great work JVE!
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter attends Jones Valley Elementary and is about to enter 2nd grade. We could not be happier with our choice of schools. Our principal, Dr. Brusick, is so wonderful to the children. When my daughter was having trouble in reading she took time out to help her and other first graders one on one to make sure they were getting the help they needed. How many principals do you know who do that? The teachers are very sensitive to the needs of the individual students as well and understand that every child learns differently. The PTA and parent involvement in the day to day funtioning of the school are amazing! There are always activities, both academic and social, that are beneficial to everyone! If we ever move we will not leave the Jones Valley School district. I don't see how any other school could ever measure up!
--Submitted by Christy H., a parent

Our son was in the 1st grade and we were very impressed with the course work. They consistantly challenged the students with content above the normal grade level, but allowed each student to progress at their own pace. Our teacher (Mrs. Roberts) gave each student individual attention and really tried to get the kids to exceed the normal expectations of 1st graders. The Principal (Dr. Brusick), was always very attentive to our needs and obviously took great interest in all the kids. We especially liked the consistent attitude towards good manners and proper respect...hard to find these days. Overall, I would be hard pressed to find a better school...in our opinion this school even exceeds any of the local private institutions.
--Submitted by Scott Black, a parent

The principal at this school called kids 'dumb' and 'stupid' if they don't do something right after a couple of tries. The teachers are allowed to 'give' grades on the report cards. I have two children at this school and both test below grade level in reading. We spend our summers in tutoring and the tutors always say it is what they are not being taught that is hurting them along with their self confidence. In 1st grade they were not allowed to ask questions if they did not understand something-the teacher admitted this to the principal and her response was that the teacher was just an 'air head'. We don't need that in 1st grade.
--Submitted by a parent