Carden Traditional School of Surprise

My children have attended Carden for 6 years now and have really had a great experience. Two of my children have since graduated and i have a Kindergartner excited to come next year. Carden really prepared my kids well for high school and beyond. Both of my high school kids left carden and went right into honors classes. One of them will be taking AP exams and is college bound. He PSAT scores were great. I am excited about the new construction at Carden and the added opportunities that this well give them to enhance their educational experience.
--Submitted by a parent

I have 2 children in Carden. We most likely will NOT be back next year! I am school shopping! My son has been there for 3 years and every year has been a disappointment and I'm finally fed up. Since Kindergarten, my son has had a new teacher that has either been new to teaching (fresh out of school) or new to teaching that grade. A new teacher right out of school for a year here and there is not bad, but a new teacher to teaching every year gets real old real quick @ my son's expense! Trust me it gets old when its every year. So when you have a new teacher, just when the teachers get good they leave because alot of them are not happy there. Even when I told them I want a guarantee of a 'seasoned' teacher for next year, they can't make that promise. The never ending need to hit parents up for money never ceases to amaze me. They don't take field trips hardly at all because no bus driver. The one field trip my daughter has will cost me 17.50. The communication from teacher to student needs to be improved on...they rely too much on 6 and 7yrs old to articulate the details on how to do the homework. We have yet to see this buidling they've been prominsing for years.
--Submitted by a parent

I would not have your child attend this school, no building which has been promised for 8 years, no field trips as they have no bus driver! They even expect you to pay for school events and they have no building to present them in.
--Submitted by a parent

My son attended Carden in the 8th grade. The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is amazing. It helped him to think globally. The teachers at Carden truly care about the students. My son loved the interactive hands-on learning. Carden s anti-bullying policy is amazing especially in the upper grades. The administrative staff is extremely welcoming and I love the open door policy the school has. I highly recommend this school and refer many parent to Carden.
--Submitted by a parent

As with any situation, a parent must make the decision that is right for them and for their child. For my family, Carden is the right choice. I have two children, both with IEPs, and the care and attention given to them by both the special needs dept and their teachers (including the whole team) is something I can't put a cost to. Leaps and bounds better than any other school in this area that I've tried. Are there issues? Yes - what school *doesn't* have them? But, as an involved parent, I take the time to make phone calls, have meetings, and ask tons of questions. Carden is a special school - the teachers, aids, and admin staff are there to help the students. This is a way of life for them, and they are trying to have an impact on young lives. In my opinion, that's a lot better than being there because it's just a paycheck. I would recommend Carden to anyone. Take a look, and see if it's right for you. It may or may not be - only you can make that choice. But, keep an open mind and remember that a school is only going to be as good as what you emotionally put into it. This is your child's future - you need to work towards it, not sit back and let the teachers do it.
--Submitted by a parent

We love Carden! My son has attended since pre-school and is now in second grade. Carden has a gifted program that is wonderful and I do believe he is in this class because of the attention from his previous teachers. They care about the students and keep the parents involved.
--Submitted by a parent

This school is only good if your child is gifted because they only care about there test results. If your child happens to be a little behind or in need of a little extra help this school will shun them. I think it is sad my one gifted son does great at a school like Carden but my other son who learns a little differently is pushed away. What does that say for the charactor of this school?
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter started Kindergarten this year at Carden and we are very pleased with the school so far. They have Art, Music, Technology, Library and a lot of school activities (Fall Festival, Literature Day, etc.). I am very happy with my daughter's learning as well. She knows all her letters and their sounds and is on her way to reading. I would highly recommend this school.
--Submitted by a parent

We love this school!! My daughter started here this fall and I am quite impressed. The principal and staff is awesome. There are so many different programs. As a military family that moves every 2 years, my daughter has already experienced many different public school environments. This is by far the best. Thank you Carden!
--Submitted by a parent

Very good school. Helpful Staff, and the fact that they have a uniform policy helps the students focus, no worries about cliques etc. The programs are challenging but the children are walked through them as needed. Great area as well. One little complaint is that they do seem to be focused a little too much on promotions of the school, which in turn makes them seem a bit too concerned about monetary gain from the attendance of extra students. Do they really have to wear a logo on the shirt? why?
--Submitted by a parent