Civicorps Elementary School

Let me describe my son s kindergarten, parent teacher conference. I am surrounded by work; Ms. Roberts, his teacher, moves thorough his writing assignments WRITING ASSIGNMENTS! He couldn t write at the beginning of the school year. And, creative art work that introduces numbers, letters, colors, shapes, site words and much, much, more. She shares with me that my son s reading at a first grade level FIRST GRADE READING LEVEL! He couldn t read at the beginning of the school year. My son is so thrilled by the announcement of his accomplishments he jumps out of his chair, grabs a book from the reading corner and commences in a clear articulate voice the entire book. Ms. Robert s begins again with the conference and I ask her to pause for a moment to reflect on the HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT of reading. READING! She thought him how to read!!! Kindergarten is the foundation of grammar school, and reading is the foundation of life. A privilege, just like a good teacher and good school are a privilege. And, we are so blessed to be apart of the Civicorps Elementary privilege.
--Submitted by a parent

My wife and I spend a large amount of time and effort in an attempt to enroll in Malcolm X Elementary which is located one block from our house. After our daughter did not make the enrollment we became very anxious for our daughters first day of school. My father attended St Columba elementary on the site which is now CiviCorps and upon touring the school I was impressed with the intimate class sizes and the overall interactivity of the staff. The uniforms wasn't a favorite of mine in the beginning but I would not want it any other way. The faculty is very family oriented and appreciate their passion for creating a loving space for child development. My daughter loves her kindergarden class and especially her teacher, Ms. Roberts. I enjoy volunteering and doing all that I can to be apart of this school. Thank you CiviCorps faculty and keep up the excellent work. I encourage any parent considering enrolling their child to visit and see for themselves.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been a Civicorps parent for three years and I look forward to many more years to come as my second child will be entering kindergarten this fall. While there have been many changes, challenges, and reorganization over the last year, our family has chosen to stay at Civicorps because of their amazing teachers, small class sizes, a founding principle of service learning and arts integration. Now that their charter has been renewed and the organization has successfully re-stabilized I am so excited to be a part of the future of Civicorps. My third grader has received a challenging and exciting education each and every year she has been a student at Civicorps and I look forward to her future growth as well as that of my soon-to-be kindergartner.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm surprised to read some of the recent reviews. I can only speak to the experience our family has had and it has been extremely positive. Our son is in Kindergarten and we have had wonderful experiences with the principal and staff. His teacher creates an environment of structure, balanced with creativity. I'm very involved and have had a chance to get to know the other students in his class (I volunteer one day a week). My son can read and his writing has improved greatly in 3 short months. His homework is challenging and his teacher continues to stretch him. However, she has an individualized approach to education. She recognizes that every child has unique needs. The principal knows the students and parents on a first name basis. She has a fresh approach to education and is present in the school. Every morning, when the students gather at drum circle, she has an announcement. Her messages are threaded with inspiration, coupled with the core values of Civicorps Elementary School. I love Civicorps and the values it represents. All things, considered, Civicorps is top notch and I'm proud to be a parent of a Civicorps Student!
--Submitted by a parent

We tried Civicorps for 2 days. Today I am keeping my kids home and filing an R-4 for homeschooling. I was excited about Civicorps and so were my children. But on day 2 my 8 yr old became familiar with the yelling, shaming punishment methods. Only a lazy instructor would resort to such with 8 yr olds. My son- only 2 days into his first day of school- deserved better. Other eyebrow raising moments: * Children are allowed to come and go at the gate by busy streets, despite the advertised 'closed campus' safety. I brought it up with staff and they pretty much shrugged. * My perfectly capable children being taught to multiply by counting their fingers. * My 6 year old daughter not being allowed to finish her lunch because she ran out of time (on her first day). * All the literature I was given is outdated. No more 'free friday', no healthy lunches unless you sign up weeks in advance, 1 hour art per week, no pencils or erasers in the classrooms... I asked a teacher for a supply list and she rattled off a list of things she wants for her classroom, * The principal fed my son lunch privately- her own food- without asking me. She could not possibly have thought this was acceptable.
--Submitted by a parent

The past two years have been so turbulent, the lack of accountability just painful. The staff was once full of energy and ideas, the school's credo was bright with direction but, now it's listless. There're teachers who've created alliances with one another, allowing immature rifts to intercept teaching. And some who've taken advantage of the chaos. Punishment through yelling & spotlighting has proven to be a less than positive venture in discipline. Only weighing heavy on the rest of the students who aren't disobedient. Since the turnover of yet another principal(!) the place lacks the mission it once represented. I'm worried my child will not be prepared for a new school and be behind as academics are poor and lacking zest. The gardening programs, science, arts & music were what brought us there. The whip cracking , rule making no-nonsense of the newest admin is what will make us leave.
--Submitted by a parent

The district is considering closing the school for good reason. The unruly students are allowed to bully and disturb student learning, teachers can be heard yelling at the students, and only a few teachers are teaching service as they advertise. I have found better alternatives for my children and recommend that you do the same.
--Submitted by a parent

My child is flourishing in kindergarten at Civicorps. I think her teacher is excellent and she's getting a great foundation. I'm looking forward to getting more involved to keep Civicorps a great school in spite of recent funding cuts.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of a 5 year old at this school and I think his teacher is wonderful. She is smart, well educated and loved the children. I know the school has issues right now but I think anything worth having is worth fighting for.
--Submitted by a parent

This school has a great mission, but is so poorly run by the non-profit agency that holds the charter that it falls flat on it's face when trying to live up to it's charter. I would never recommend this school to anyone, and actively recommend against anyone going to this school. There have been 6 principals in 10 years, most of the teachers are young, and while most are decent there is a big lack of maturity among them.
--Submitted by a parent