Madison Meadows School

I love this school. My autistic son has been going here for 2 years now and tthe teachers are the best he has ever had. They seem not to define him by his label and expect him to achieve highly. I am so glad I moved to this district and send him to this school.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is thriving. I am very involved at the school and have had an opportunity to get to know the teachers. They never cease to amaze me. Their dedication is heartwarming and impressive. I would recommend this school over others in this district, even the shiny new one.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a student at this school and i HATE it. The teachers are bad and i'm never challenged. Beside the main problem is DRAMA!!! Our school has the most drama you have ever seen. I suggest #1 or Phoenix Christian.

Our child attended Meadows for four years and each year has been increasingly disappointing. There are some VERY good teachers at Meadows and, as expected, some who are not. As parents, we have no way to influence the continued employment and rehiring of teachers who not only fail to inspire students, but actually discourage them from trying. The administrative leaders of this school do not respond to parental concerns about specific teachers and practices. The burden to achieve success is constantly off-loaded to the student and parent. Even the basic process of insuring accurate recording of grades is the responsibility of the student with no accountability and no responsiveness on the part of the teacher and principal. This school could still be great but needs a principal who engages the students and parents as partners to restore the core values that foster a positive, productive environment for learning.
—Submitted by a parent

The Advanced Educational Placement (AEP) track for advanced students is amazing, it challenges students and builds their confidence as they achieve well beyond the expectations.
—Submitted by a parent

'Excelling' school with dedicated teachers. Staff works with all kids to get them to perform their best. Extra-curricular activities are excellent.
—Submitted by a parent

I have my 2nd child now going thru Meadows and let's be honest Middle School is the toughest age for change & adjustment. Overall, education & social balance has been great, sports program competitive, academically excelling and well-prepared my first son well for high school & hoping the same for my second.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have the best education there! Theres alot of open space and an easy way to find the classromms. They hae unique learner system, and my kids are bored and tired and have a lot to say when they get home. Big gym, and a huge cafetiria with stage. they even send a weekly newsletter to tell whats going on.
—Submitted by a parent

Meadows is an all around sound school ..Teachers are motivated and dedicated..parent community is very involved ...extracurricular activities abound..band,chorus,volleyball ,soccer.basketball ,wrestling,flag-football,baseball,softball ,track and field cheer.and cross-country...everyone is involved..that is why it is an excelling school.

Some teachers do not keep parents informed despite having PowerSchool, an on-line system for reporting students grades. Some teachers let four weeks pass before updating grades in PowerSchool. Some classes don't issue text books and expect the students to take extensive notes on material. If the students' handwritten notes contain inaccuracies, then the students study for tests using incorrect material. The school has had a new principal each of the last four years.
—Submitted by a parent

Madison Meadows is a school which has wonderful teachers and a supportive parent group. Our school has an excelling status. Do we have some challenges at present--yes. Are they being addressed in a positive manner--yes. We are looking forward to new beginnings in the 2007-2008 school year.
—Submitted by a parent

Outstanding school. Committed and Caring Teachers. No wonder it's an excelling school! After two years I find my kids challenged and encouraged to be successful. Is Madison Meadows the perfect school? No, but what school is? My overall experience has been very positive.
—Submitted by a parent

My son started Meadows at the beginning of this year in 5th grade- so far, I am impressed! He has always been bored with school - but here his teachers challenge him, and he is now excited to attend school. He is slow to make friends, and misses his old school- but the children here are nice, friendly kids, and he seems to be adjusting well. The teachers are wonderful, especially in AEP classes - they are very involved and caring, and communicate well with parents. Extra curricular activities are well-rounded and well-funded - sports are supported, as well as chess club, homework club, band, choir, etc. They also have an excellent method for field trips - payment is collected in one sum at the beginning of the year. For large trips (like camp)students who normally could not afford to attend are offered scholarships, so no child is left behind.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school with high expectations for student achievement. Caring and supportive school administration with highly qualified teachers. Students excel at this school.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has attended Meadows since 5th grade, each year I have become more disillusioned with the administration and teachers. I had high hopes for the new Principal but the hope went away after my first encounter. I tried meeting with the Principal and teachers but haven't gotten any resolution so I have made a hard decision to withdrawal my son after winter break. He won't be graduating 8th grade with all of his friends from Meadows.
—Submitted by a parent

Meadows excels both with its teachers and community. The district office is transient and administration is rarely approachable but the school maintains its reputation for excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended Madison Meadows for 2 years. She transfered from an under performing school and you can definately tell the difference in the assignments and homework. Expect a lot of homework and books back and forth. At first I thought she was never going to adjust to the increased load. I am very pleased with the academics and her test scores. She has not participated in sports because of the homework load, but she is thoroughly enjoying the band program. They provide wonderful after school care for a reasonable fee and the children also enjoy several nice field trips. I do however wish the children were assigned lockers because one of her biggest complaints is carrying around all her books and folders all day, but a backpack with wheels worked.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is in the 7th grade this year. Throughout his attendance at Meadows he has had a wonderful experience with Ms. Kratz, his band director. She is a wonderful, joyful, and caring person. When there is a band concert, the work that she has done with the students is obvious. Whereas, it might not be quite so obvious how good a math teacher is because there is no public revelation of what the child has learned. My son's AEP teacher this year is Mr. Amos. He is one of the most interesting, diverse, caring, and open-minded people that I have ever met. My son thoroughly enjoys Mr. Amos and respects him very much. When he comes home and starts talking about something, it's amazing. I say, 'where did you learn that?', and he says, 'from Mr. Amos.' He knew the name of my French perfume bottle because of Mr. Amos.
—Submitted by a parent

The principal appears to support his staff more than the population that supports him. The staff seems to have more control than the administration. The support appears to be there for the AEP students, but the average students are forgotten. As a parent who lives squarely in this school districts boundaries (and won't use this school again), I would ask any other parents to consider the student:teacher ratios and ask themselves why 'average' student:teacher ratios are so high.
—Submitted by a parent

I continue to be very disappointed with my child's education at Meadows. During our years at Simis, all we heard were great things about Meadows. Well, it either wasn't true or boy has that school changed. The majority of the teachers don't seem to give a hoot about the students. Why they are there, I'll never know. The principal is a joke. I can't think of a better way to describe him. Put the assistant in that position. Mr. Sotomayer is wonderful!
—Submitted by a parent