Spectrum Elementary School

We have a 2nd and 3rd grader at Spectrum. They like it. The teachers are great and excited and enthusiastic. Principal is fantastic. Wonderful experience from coming from Virginia to Arizona.
--Submitted by a parent

2011, this school is in need of a reality check by Arizona State ASAP! My kid, who is in Kindergarten, has already been sent home with 3 notes from the teacher and a visit to the principal s office within the first week of school. My kid who just turned 5 got in trouble for jumping up and down (on the carpet) and was sent home with a note. My kids teacher makes my kid come home and tell me that what I packed for snack time is not a snack at all. This school just flat out sucks! My kid cannot even enjoy being a kindergartner without facing consequences. The after school program is a complete joke. They are understaffed and if your kid dashes around a corner, they will get suspended. Yes, that's right, SUSPENDED! My 5 year old kid has been suspended for going around a corner and a teacher had to come and tell him to get back into the gym (not outside or anything). I pay for them to watch my kid for morning and after school and because they cannot watch them, the best solution is suspension. I told them, what is my child supposed to gain from a suspension at age 5? They told me, you can go home and talk about why they are being suspended. Absolute joke! Be warned! Very warned!
--Submitted by a parent

We have had three children attend Spectrum Elem over the last 7 years and have enjoyed great success in the quality of teachers, curriculum and the administrative staff. I am very happy to continue to to put faith in an outstanding school and district even as they face continued budget cuts and challenges. Every school has its challenges but I would put the quality of education from Spectrum Elem up against any private or charter school. Some parents have left Spectrum to utilize local charter schools only to be widely disappointed by "bait and switch" tactics, "test result" based teaching and inconsistant student standards. "Buyers" beware when leveraging a charter school.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved in the district mid year. My son has an IEP for speech and was having difficulty with reading and writing. The principal took the time to sit down with me and go over my concerns and placed him in a classroom she though would be beneficial to him. By mid semester he was reading and bringing back A+ Spelling Test. These test are not easy. I never want to move from this school.
--Submitted by a parent

My son attended Ms. Dyas class from Oct 09 to April 10 then we had to move to FL. To this day he still talks about Ms. Donna's class and how much he truly misses her. I hope to get back in with her class on our return to AZ. My son is in an EIP and I must admit that Spectrum is a great school for the program and I am very inpressed with them and their curriculum. I give the school in it's entirety a 100 %
--Submitted by a parent

This school is NOT the right school for your children. Ever since Mr. Hallock left the school has went down hill over the past year. I am very disappionted with the staff here. They do not care for the kids and the office staff always look depressed. The only teachers that have great detication to the school are Mrs. Tatum Chitwood, Ms. Britney Davis, and Ms. Andrea Faber. Thank you for deticating our school the proper way.
--Submitted by a teacher

my kid go to this school for 2years, i used to like this .but after the new principal it got worst and the teachers did not care for their student.mykid alway get bad grade because she lost her paper work,i have to write the note for her so many timeand she found the paper somewhere around her desk and gave her credit as a late.sometime she grade wrong in the computer, and i talk to principal she told me she also type wrong too.one thing i was so disappoited is i tried to talk to her and she alway got excuse and never want to sit down and talk
--Submitted by a parent

I'm a parent and proud of our excelling school. The last 2 reviews are real distortions. Yes, it's hot in Arizona and the wait time is not 20 minutes. The process is very organized and our kids are safe. No problems with leadership or teachers.
--Submitted by a parent

This used to be one of the best schools in Gilbert but the principal has brought it way down over the past year. If you plan on picking up your children be prepared to stand in the desert heat for at least 20 minutes and by car is even worse. I can only hope with a leadership change that this school could go back to what it once was.
--Submitted by a parent

Hands down, Mrs. Allison is the best KPrep teacher. Both of my children attended KPrep and I believe they were very prepared for Kindergarten.
--Submitted by a parent