Edison Elementary School

The new administration seems to be gutting the school. Some of this is caused by the divide between the HGT and regular classes, but the end effect is that many of the great teachers in both HGT and regular classrooms are either leaving or being forced to leave. Their replacements are generally fresh graduates that are not as capable as the experienced teachers that left. The current school does not have anywhere close to the community involvement it had in prior years. Many of the motivated parents and teachers have moved on and the school is changing dramatically. Test scores are the primary focus at the school rather than learning. The new principal has definitely given a "my way or the highway" which is probably why enrollment actually dropped recently. It seems that with the great teachers going or gone that Edison has become just another middling elementary school with large class sizes and inexperienced teachers.
--Submitted by a parent

We have been at Edison for 3 years now. One with the old administration and 2 with the new. I'm still surprised how many people say they do not feel welcome in the school, just because they have to fill out a background check (district policy!) and get buzzed in the front doors by the front office. I for one, feel like my kids are safer at school because of these policies. The principal was brought in to make sure the non-HGT classes get as good as an education as the HGT classes. Why this has caused so much controversy baffles me. My children have loved their teachers and I feel like my children (one HGT, one not) have both had amazing educations that fit their individual needs. My biggest complaint is that so many parent complain about things, but fail to get involved to help better the school... I'm sure it happens everywhere, but if people spent more time working together we could have a pretty amazing school.
--Submitted by a parent

The new principal is horrible. She is rude to children, teachers, and parents. She believes and has said aloud, "It's my way or the highway!". Disappointing to see a wonderful school go downhill so fast.
--Submitted by a parent

After a long year as a parent at Edison I must say that I m walking away disappointed. This being my child s first year at the school I hoped the love my child had for learning would stay, how ever we never really felt welcome, this put my child in a not to comfortable place 5 days a week. Some of the staff was great. Many of the kids are very nice, most of the parents are stuck up!!!! Walking around like there poop don t stink, just below is a good example of one. Just because Every One say s That school is great Don t make it so. A school is only as great as the people involved in it!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

I have no problem with filling out an application to volunteer at my child's school.This is a public elementary school and whether we enjoy the diversity or not, other people's families may contain adults we would rather not have around our children. I have always felt very welcome in the building and appreciated. In addition, my child's teachers appreciate the new administration.I guess you can't please everyone, but everyone that I speak with is very happy with Edison. DPS is a choice district, and Edison has a waiting list, so if parents are not happy, I am sure there are other schools that they could enroll their children in so that families that WANT to be a Edison can have a spot.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm a freshman at the University of Colorado at Boulder and attended Edison Elementary. My ratings will, of course, be very dated. If Edison's gifted and talented (GT) program is still intact, then I highly recommend it. I cannot speak for the regular program. The GT program gave me an excellent foundation for all my schooling to date. The only times I sank was when I went on to the International Baccalaureate program at Hamilton Middle. Coming from the GT program, where creativity and unique approaches to learning were accepted and nurtured, the regimen of the IB program failed to cater to the more whole person mindset of the GT program. In order to enter it, you will have to have your child tested. I highly encourage you to do this. Had I not been the GT program most of my talent and ability would have been wasted. Those times in my educational career where I wasn't challenged or allowed to approach things creatively, i.e., in the IB program, I would drift elsewhere, lose interest and motivation, and consequently fall behind. Instead my focus turned to things outside the classroom, while I continued to learn in this sense, the three R's were then disregarded and my grades fell.

I have a child that went to Edison is now in middle school and succeeding academically. I attribute this to her background from Edison. We have another child still at Edison and are very impressed with the teacher quality. In past years, Edison has also had a wonderful community feel to it. However, there is new administration this year and I will say we are very disappointed with the new principal that started this fall. She made drastic changes to the culture of the school when the culture was great already. Parents do not feel welcome any longer. Hopefully, this will change with time. Staff, too, is finding the new leadership difficult. In general, Edison has always been great and we hope it will continue to be in the future.
--Submitted by a parent

All my children have/are attending Edison. We are well out of area and I don't mind the travel at all to bring my children to this wonderful school. Yes, the classrooms are a bit crowded but the teaching staff does an awesome job to make sure each child succeeds. Parent involvement is incredible! The staff in the office are always friendly, which is a great first impression for future parents.
--Submitted by a parent

Great if you are pushing your child to be an average student. The curriculum is a joke, but that may be the fault of all of DPS. No groups for children who are advanced or struggling, and unfortunately, we have had 3 teachers and 2 were sub par. We will have our work cut out for us transitioning to middle school; less csap, more education.
--Submitted by a parent

Edison is a good school. It has a dedicated staff. There are issues between GT and regular classrooms but every school has its issues. Classroom size ranges around 25 to 28 kids per classroom. The school lacks in class enrichment opportunities for students who fall in mid range acedemically and you may be disappointed that your child is not being challenged enough. Parent involvement is off the charts and the after schools enrichment opportunities are phenominal.
--Submitted by a parent