Wacoochee Elementary School

I am very disappointed in this school. My daughter and her family recently moved into the district from another state. Our grandson is in 3rd grade. He is quite intelligent and gets very good grades. This school was near to expelling him for non-compliance after he had been there for 2 months. (He takes his time making decisions and did not always understand what the teacher was asking him to do.) The only thing the school asked to have done to help him succeed in school was for my daughter and son-in-law to give permission for corporal punishment to be administered by school personnel. They would not try putting him in another teacher's classroom or having a helper work with him or work with them in any other was. And, he never had a recess. I do not expect young children to sit in a classroom for 3-4 hours at a time without a break. Perhaps this is one reason why Alabama school children don't test very well on the national level. This school needs help!

The best in Lee County! Great test scores! Very supportive teachers and administrators! Five stars! I am happy my child is a part of this school.
—Submitted by a parent

Since moving here and starting at this school my daughters grades have dropped from A's to C's, she's become depressed and hates going to school, she's been bullied and picked on and starting counseling for depression and not a single person at that school seems willing to help and her own teacher told her, "I refuse to concern myself with matters that should be handled at home." If I could afford to put her in private school, I would have already done so. In the mean time, the absolute lack of cooperation and consideration afforded to the welfare of a child is appalling.
—Submitted by a parent

Though this isthe first year that wacoochee has been an elementary school and there are still a few bugs to work out, I could snot save more please. The teachers, faculty, and staff are beyond the best I have had the pleasure to work with. My four kids love it. I would recommend this school to any looking to move to the area.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is in 7th grade and loves WJHS. He is being challenged in school and loves his teachers. The administration is very supportive and really cares about the children.
—Submitted by a parent

well i go to WJHS! and i absoultely love it! the teachers there are great and help you when you need help...!!! and concerning sports... football does get most of the attention, but name one school where thats not true!! and as for volleyball... the rock!
—Submitted by a student

My son loves Wacoochee and i hope my daughters enjoy it. The teachers push the students to learn. Some students who complain are probably the problem students. I hope it goes well for my daughters there.
—Submitted by a parent

I think Wacoochee gets a really bad reputation due to parents who say things that they have heard that are going on but really are not. I have had a son go through Wacoochee and no in the high school my daughter is in the 7th grade now. We have not had any problems with the school what so ever. They had been great. Parents need to remember that how a kid acts has to do with how they are raised at home. You would be surprised at the lack of support the school gets for any functions from the parents,because they (the parents) don't want to be inconvenienced. Maybe parents should take time out of their busy schedule and get involved in their child's education and sporting events.The Smith Stations Schools are the best.
—Submitted by a parent

The only reason I wont chage school is because of my friends. Some teachers are okay,but seriously most of them are not very nice. They dont even seem like they like their jobs, its more like they hate it. I dont feel safe at this school at all. There is a fight almost everyday. The counselor keeps saying this is 'the best year ever' if it is thats pretty bad. And to all the parents who say this is a great school, alot of things have changed.
—Submitted by a parent

I love this school sooo much! Its got great teachers and i love every teacher there!
—Submitted by a student

This school could be a lot better than what it is. The principals need to be replaced. The teachers try their best but they are not supported. Put in new principals and this school could really turn it's self around! The teachers, staff,children and families deserve better!
—Submitted by a parent

I teach at Wacoochee and after having taught in other Lee County schools as well, I have to say that Wacoochee is a great school. There are some bullies and there are some problems, but most of the problems come from kids whose parents didn't teach them to behave in the first place. Most of the kids are sweet, the majority of the teachers are amazing, and the administration works to appease parents more than any other school I've been at. I know I work hard to make sure my kids are learning in the most interactive way possible. I love my students, even the 'trouble-makers' and they know I would do anything for them. I would easily be ok with sending my child to this school.
—Submitted by a teacher

this school is boring and lame. the teacher care nothing for the students and let rules be broken left and right. i wish my son(7th grade) had another choice of schooling. also the sports program is horrible. it is centered on football and all other sport are left out of the circle. players have to stop one sport mid season to play football. it is not fare to students
—Submitted by a parent

I am a honor roll student and although, yes, i am doing good the teachers don't focus on helping the ones who really do need help! There is way too much fighting and bulling and no one will step up to the plate and seperate the children until someone is seriously injured! Also, the well educated children aren't being pressured to do better but simply to maintain their average when perhaps it could be improved. I am not challenged in hardly any of my classes. I think ya'll should seperate the better acedemic children to the more challeneged so that they were all able to focus on the work and not the class clown! Please try to improve on these issues that I feel are important! Sincerly, a concerned student.
—Submitted by Ashley Elizabeth, a student

I don't know what the other parents were talking about below but Wacoochee is a great school. In my opinion Wacoochee is a great school and I would reccomend it to anyone who asked. The teachers are great and my kids and I loved it.
—Submitted by a parent

The reviews contained on this website concerning Wacoochee are very disheartening to me. I have had a long term relationship with this school and the negative comments that have been made seem very one-sided. It is unfortunate that the responses did not mention high ADAW test scores or the high % of highly qualified teachers at this school. I know there are positive things going on at this school. I have been involved with several other schools and school districts and this school and Lee County are far above the others in many areas. The one thing I think people tend to forget is that this is a junior high school with 12 to 15 year old children. They are very different at this age than at any other. Consider also the state of our society. Unfortunately, this transfers into our schools. The students are cared about at Wacoochee.
—Submitted by an administrator

I have visited several times and had questions about my childs activities, classes and schedule. I have always felt comfortable at the Intermediate School when I needed to speak to a staff member, but it is not so at this school. It is as if you are 'wasting the time' of anyone you speak to. I can never get a direct answer to any of the questions I asked, and when I am waiting in the office I fell like an intruder. I recently asked for a simple swap of two classes (same teachers, just to switch the periods) and was flat out denied. Although I respect the principals reasoning, I disagree with it. I feel that each case should be based on an individuals need and not just dismissed without knowledge of the parents wishes and reasons. Unless things change I am very concerned with the school.
—Submitted by a parent

Wacoochee Jr. Highschool is a great school. The teachers are great. The teachers do their best to make learnig fun. I personaly would like to thank mrs. whitlock cause she realy dose out do her self. She does moore than she should. She is a great science teacher.She also dose alot of extras such as:setting up the wjhs bueaty pagent,the wjhs year books. Also are new web site. wacoochee Jr High is realy a great school.There are alot of rumers such as bad dicapline and bad teachers but thats not true.
—Submitted by a student

I agree with the earlier review of Wacoochie! The school personel care nothing about the students, or the fact that the bullies rule the school. Also, they make the car riders stand outside beside running busses (diesel fuel) in the mornings. You can talk to anyone there and they don't care.... and don't even think of talking to anyone about bad teachers there, the only thing that will get you is your child being seen as a 'troublemaker'. Thank goodness I have no more children going to that school. If I had it to do over again, I would home school them before allowing my children to go to this place of abuse!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is an absolute disappointment if you have a boy going! There is so much bullying that goes on in the lunchrooms, locker rooms, bathrooms,hallways and it is justified as 'boys will be boys', until someone gets hurt seriously! There needs to be more supervision instead of things being overlooked because they don't want to deal with it! In the meantime, our sons are begging us not to go to the school to deal with this for fear of these bullys! This is what goes on at Wacoochee jr. High school. This did not happen with my daughter, but has happened with many of my friends sons also! Something needs to be done before this school is sued! I guess you could say this is not a very good review of your school!
—Submitted by a parent