Sunrise Elementary School

After moving around a lot, we have been lucky to find this school for the past 3 years. My eldest daughter has gone there from 2nd till 4th grade and my other daughter was in kindergarten this year. Mrs Carlton is one of the best principles I have ever meet, she forms a relationship with each child and the entire staff follows suit. I have had difficulties with some of the teachers, but Mrs. Carlton always wants what's best for the student and works with parents. I have been able to volunteer a lot at the school, even bringing my infant along to help. It was real easy to get involved and make a difference.
--Submitted by a parent

What happened to all the good teacher? I know of one maybe 2 in the entire school. My children have been going to this school since kindergarten. My oldest is in the 3rd grade now and neither of my kids will be back next year. I have asked several times from the teachers that they help me out, send home parctice sheets on areas that the kids need help with. I have hired a tutor for the kids, but we cant teach if we dont know what is being taught. My daughter is being bullied, not by other kids, but by teachers! I am so fed up with this school, I have no idea how they got their ranking, but its way wrong.
--Submitted by a parent

My son attended Sunrise from 1st-5th grades. Initially we were very pleased with the staff and the curriculum. By the time he reached 5th we had several concerns that weren't being addressed. My son was not being challenged and the only solution they had for us was to give him additional work. We wanted him to be challenged, not to be made to feel like he was being punished with additional work. Also, there were a couple disruptive children in his class that demanded much of the teachers attention which took away from the students who deserved the teachers focus. When we brought this up we were told there was nothing they could do. We made the decision to move our son to a school that challenges him and allows him to excel in his areas of strength and still provides him great assistance in weak areas and all the while promoting strong character and integrity as a person. Leaving Sunrise was the BEST educational decision we could have made for our children.
--Submitted by a parent

My children have been going to this school from Kindergarten. I have two children with disabilities. I am an active volunteer with the PTO (I might add that Sunrise has the largest and most active PTO in the district). Our PTO is open to anyone that wishes to attend. We have provided countless services to our students over the last few years to include helping to purchase the new playground equipment on the primary side of the school, new projectors that hook up to lap tops, as well as the lap tops for each grade etc... Sunrise has a dedicated staff that provides a well structured and always well suprevised enviornment for their students. I have NEVER seen chaos in the lunchroom, playground or in any other enviornment in this school and I am there volunteering EVERY SINGLE DAY! The Life skills teachers are wonderful! Sunrise is the BEST!
--Submitted by a parent

I get the impression that these parents are blaming the disability of their children on the teachers. The fact that at the end of a year you child is not ready to go on to the next level is not a reason to decide the entire school is a bad school. I'm sorry your child was not ready to move on, but that is one of the misfortunes of life. I have 2 grandchildren involved with this school. Both are straight A students because of direct involvement of teachers, staff, and concerned volunteer parents. I go to the school programs and have experienced a true sense of total involvement. I could understand the special needs classes as appearing unruly and disorderly, but I don't believe any child in this school is uncared for in any way. It's a great school.

I have too agree with this parent. The school has a system that I have difficulty comprehending the concept of children being left too do what ever they see fit without anyone to guide them to do what's appropriate and respect other children reqardless if normal or disabled Parents have complained too the staff and yet the repetition of their action is nothing. I am a concerned parent that has encountered utterly chaos in the morning and at lunch time and during recess with the children. By the way this is with the kindergarten class of 2009. What is a parent too do with the attitude displayed to parents if you have a concern then that is grounds for angry parent when the staff from low to high should try to see the major concern of the parent and not labeling them and distancing themselves from their children instead of being educational mentor
--Submitted by a parent

I believe this school is the worse school in all of Colorado. My son is in their 'Life Skills' class where kids of all ages and grade levels attend who have disabilities. I think all this class does is teach basic skills to get through a day or for their future life such as eating and communicating but it does not give any of the kids an education. My son attended half day kindergarten last year and was to be integrated into a 'normal' first grade this year. They said my son was not ready for first grade so again they are trying to integrate him into kindergarten even though he goes all day and is considered a first grader.
--Submitted by a parent

I am a former student of Sunrise. I really enjoyed attending Sunrise. Every morning the teachers would always be pumped up and ready to teach which made me ready to learn and have fun! There was always things like dances, carnivals, sports, etc. Also, the parents were always very involved and made sure the students had fun and the teachers had help. Over all,I give this school a 5 because the education and extra activities for all of the students were amazing! Sunrise also has an outstanding music program. Widefield Dis.3 has one of the best performing arts programs in the city. So if you're looking for a school in the Widefield area for your child, this would be the school to choose!
--Submitted by Jordan B., a former student