Echo Mountain Intermediate School

Excellent school! My daughter has learned so much in the past year. The teachers are great and are dedicated. I could not ask for better staff.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is awesome! The teachers are great and dedicated!
—Submitted by a parent

Great school! Dedicated teachers and staff. This school has become a model for others schools who are in lower economic areas and it should be. The test scores alone prove how dedicated the teachers, staff, parents, and students are. :)
—Submitted by a parent

For the people who are whining about the 'Make Your Day' - How do you think teachers can teach without the students learning how to be responsible? By the way, the school is not falling below the standards. Actually, this school received Performing Plus - just one point shy of Highly Performing - most of the students at this school are meeting the standards on AIMS. The person who was complaining and making a statement that this school is falling below standards obviously just wanted to vent without any real proof behind their statements. Students need to learn social skills and that's what Make Your Day is all about. This program holds students and parents accountable for learning and I'm sure that doesn't make some of the non-involved parents very happy.
—Submitted by a parent

The EMIS administrators and instructors are dedicated to increasing the safety, health, well-being, and educational opportunities of each student. If given ample funding, time, tools, and materials to implement specific endeavors, the EMIS would rate five stars. As such, it is a pleasure to vote for the EMIS!

With so much emphasis on the children's social behavior and this 'Make Your Day Program' it's no wonder the school is falling below standards. I am a supportive parent of the school and the teachers in place, but enough is enough. I believe they're so wrapped up in a child's social skills that they've completely lost track of the academic aspect; which is what the children are there for in the first place! Total lack of communication, rude, and lack of compassion is all I can say about the Office Staff.....We will be moving out of this area just so that my kids can attend a different school!
—Submitted by a parent

I like this school and the Teachers. But some of the people working in the office should take a Customer Service Class or something. They can be very rude and condesending. And there doesn't seem to be communication between the poeple in the office. As I call my daughter in to one person in the office and then several hours later get another call that they never got my message. Like I said I like the school. My daughter does very well and likes her Teachers but the office needs improvement.
—Submitted by a parent

I believe the teachers and administrators are very caring and capable. There are a lot of complaints regarding the make your day program, these are the people who need to come to school due to their childs behavior complaining, not the parents whose children are following the program. I believe working with the teachers and administrators rather than fighting against them would send the right message to our children and go a long way to help the school improve academically.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended Echo Mountain since pre-school, she is now in 5th grade. I have heard parents speak of the other schools their children go to. After listening to their complaints I have to say that Echo Mountain has never given me any reason to complain. The teachers always contact me if they think it will help my daughter in all her classes. This has been very helpful in a few ways. I love the Make Your Day Program they have. The principal is very concerned about all the children. Everything he does is in the childrens' best interests. I love this school and everyone there from the principal to the duty aides and even the janitor.
—Submitted by Teresa, a parent

Echo Mountain Intermediate School is an outstanding school in the Paradise Valley School District. The administration and staff go above and beyond the call of duty to service a diverse student population. Children are given extra help in small group settings in areas in which they struggle. The care and attention that was given my child by the teachers there made her feel special and gave her a love of education. The Make Your Day Citizenship program allows the students to learn how to communicate to one another. A skill that is not universally taught to our children. Children can voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. My child felt safe and secure with this program. We have been in other schools that did not have the Make Your Day program and I would not go back to them. The students at Echo Mountain Intermediate are very lucky to be there.
—Submitted by a parent

There is nothing more irritating then a school claiming to want parental involvement yet doing everything it can to prevent parental involvement. The perfect example is that this and every other school district that blames the parents lack of involvement is the very same schools that has award assemblies at 10 am and after school activities that end at 5:30 pm. If I need to explain what is the logic of that type of scheduling you need to go to these same events at a school district that doesn t complain about parental involvement you might be shocked to find these events scheduled around the two parent work family s that make up over 90% of American homes. It has nothing to do with tax brackets and schools with money it is the people running the schools.
—Submitted by Carl, a parent

Unfortunatly this is the 4th school my kids have been to. This is the worst school yet! We are either transfering them to another school or we will move just to get out of this district! The office people could use a class on friendlyness and helpfulness. Parents beware!
—Submitted by a parent

Echo Mountain does focus on holding students accountable for their behavior. The school teaches students how to take responsibility for their behavior and consequences for inappropriate behavior. Academics are of upmost importance. Teachers are dedicated and go above and beyond to help all children be successful.
—Submitted by a teacher

Too much focus on the 'Make Your Day' program, where students evaluate their soial perforamnce six times a day - once an hour - the point process is tallied and re-tallied. The outcome does not deliver a strategy for improvement or any measure of progress. With so much emphasis and time invested in student 'behavior' - where is the acedamics? With consistent below average test scores and the highest student to teacher ratio in the school district suggests that the focus on 'Making Your Day' takes priortity over academic learning at Echo Mountain. Clearly the expectations here are not being met. Echo Mountatin 'chooses' to not perform as expected. Clearly, Echo Mountain, does NOT Make ITS Day.
—Submitted by a parent