Fremont Elementary School

My son is in 2nd grade and is also in speech. I think his speech teacher is fantastic!!! The PE teacher is great and the Art teacher is VERY talented!! I think having a new principal with experience this year (2012-2013) will be a positive step forward for the school. His teacher this year is Mrs. Anderson and she is fantastic!! My son has gone from 36 words per minute in reading to 79 in a month.....partly due to our hard work at home... I would like to see a more secure procedure for getting kids to their parents/to the bus etc. They open the doors and let them loose except one teacher who physically has to see the parent before she lets the child from her sight!!
—Submitted by a parent

I was extremely happy with this school. When we decided to pull our son out of Penrose and place him here it was because of the great scores and word of mouth about this school. The gym teacher is great with the kids and the kids respect all of their teachers. The 5th and 6th grade combined class has an excellent teacher, (Mr. Evans). He not only pushes them academically, but also as a person. Our son excelled in math and science and was always trying to be better at everything thanks to the teachers. I hope they get more funding to continue to improve on all of their programs and highly recommend this school for your student.
—Submitted by a parent

I like my son's kindergarten teacher. The gym coach is really nice too. I don't think very highly of the principal though. She says the low scores for the school are because of the student who go there. I'm a firm believer that if the kids aren't learning it's not their fault it's the curriculum's fault. you need to change the way you are teaching the students. All kids are great learners if you can figure out a way to catch their interest. One of the poorest schools in I think in district 49 got top scores. So it has nothing to do with how rich the family of the students who go there are or their ethnicity. It's the school itself that makes the difference.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent school!!! The teachers care about their students academic success. They work hard to meet the individual needs of students whether they are an average student, struggling student, special ed student, or gifted student. The teachers work together collaboratelly to create the best learning environment for each child. The principal wants the best for each child. Her door is always open to teachers and parents. Fremont is an excellent school and should be toured if you are needing a new school for you child or children. Becoming involved in the PTA would also be something you as a parent would want to do.
—Submitted by a parent

I am the grandmother and aunt of three children in this school,I have been envolved and encouraged to be envolved in this school. I have watched my grandaughter struggle with math and in this past school year with the extra help she received after school has improved her skills beyond our expectations.The staff is wonderful and helpful and the principal is gives great leadership. If you come from a large city and want more one on one for your child this is a great school for them to come to. Thank You to all the staff for caring for these children!!

The special education team is severely lacking at Fremont. They push children out of special education before they are ready, fail to comply with IEPs, and offer the most minimal help they can get away with. They lack knowledge of certain disabilities and also lack ethics. As the teachers state, the SPED team is beyond their maximum capable work load and unfortunately, it shows. Communication is nonexistent at this school and it is my opinion that parental involvement is only tolerated if the parent is willing to overlook the schools shortcomings. The principal is unable/unwilling to lead her staff. The principal is working in the best interest of her staff rather than that of her students. She is in her first years as a principal. She lacks experience and has difficulty being the "boss." Unless you are able to spend every waking moment ensuring that your child is getting an appropriate education, this school is a negative 5 on scale of 1 to 10. On the other hand, it's perfect for parents who don't care to pay attention. Both of my children will attend a different school next year.
—Submitted by a parent

This school does not have many school functions at all. The PTA is made up of maybe 10 active members, so you can't really expect much- they simply don't have the manpower. They do some really wonderful events when they are able. So, if you do place your child at this school, PLEASE join the PTA! They need more parents to get involved. The gym teacher is WONDERFUL!!! He truly gos above and beyond to keep the kids active. He leads all sorts of activities! Anyone who has a child at Fremont would agree. Academically, this school is not so good. My daughter fell severely behind because of the lack of individual support. Despite my pleading, they just didn't believe she needed any extra support but I saw her struggling the entire two years we were there. As a single mom, I struggled to compensate for what the school wasn't giving my daughter with her academics. I will tell you that there are A FEW good teachers at this school. I would NEVER recommend this school but I would recommend that the few good teachers at this school quit and find a school that matches there dedication.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been incredibly happy with this school. All of the teachers and the principal know my three children by name, despite the fact we haven't been at the school for very long. They are caring and supportive, and really go the mile to make sure my kids get what they need. We are now participating in the SAIL program at the school and love the alternate learning style provided for our gifted children :) extra
—Submitted by a parent

I love the school, the staff is greatI My chldren have attented Fremont for three years and will continue to do so. Mrs. H is the best teacher ever:)
—Submitted by a parent

So disappointed I moved my children to District 20. The teachers are overall helpful and work hard. The principal should be replaced in my opinion.
—Submitted by a parent

Extremely disappointed in the attitude of the staff. Very snobbish towards some students. Extremely disappointed in the school. None of my three children will be attending next year.
—Submitted by a parent

Small class sizes (less than 20 students per 4th grade class in 2005/2006) and very strong teachers. Bullying isn't tolerated. The principal (Claudia Saunders) is outstanding - she knows every student, and goes far beyond expected duties of a principal (even to the extent of helping my youngest learn to get organized). Most classrooms are completely enclosed so the school is quieter than open-concept elementaries.
—Submitted by a parent