Spring Glen School

Spring Glen has great teachers, principal, and a clean, new building and playground. The PTA is very involved (though constantly asking for parents to send in money via cash/check. There is a lot of pressure to contribute financially.) HOWEVER, my primary complaint is with the curriculum. The "new" math program is a joke. It is very lacking, and many parents complain about it, in fact I know of several parents who pay to send their kids on Saturdays to Eli Whitney for math enrichment so that their child will actually learn something! Additionally, in comparing the math, science, and spelling curriculum at Spring Glen to elementaries in Wallingford, Cheshire, North Haven, and even other elementaries in Hamden, Spring Glen appears to be teaching about 1 grade below level for each grade. K-3 has been all that my 2 children have experienced thus far, and in those grades the lack of computer lab time/skills is obvious, and the lack of penmanship (in K & 1st) and cursive instruction is discouraging. Improve the curriculum and add more FREE extracurriculars, and this school has the potential to be fantastic!
--Submitted by a parent

Desperately needs a better curriculum to give our kids a stronger start! There is no challenge, no foreign language, no gifted program! Though Hamden as a whole is a less academic district, so maybe the poor curriculum at Spring Glen simply reflects that.
--Submitted by a parent

Our experience with Spring Glen has been mixed. The building and playground are clean, new, and welcoming. The principle seems very personable and completely committed to the school. The PTA is very strong, and there is a good sense of community there. The two things that brought my rating down were the secretary (difficult to work with and not at all welcoming or friendly), and I have been disappointed with the teacher. It feels like she's been using the same material for 30 years. My child is advanced and hasn't gotten any kind of environment to continue to develop that. And for the first 3 months, the only reports of school that I heard back were about the teacher yelling, the playground helpers yelling, and the lunch monitors yelling. My child felt scared in an environment I was hoping would be safe for her. It seems to be a school of incredible potential, and I really think it is heading in a fabulous direction. I have high hopes for the future.
--Submitted by a parent

I give this school a below average score. After experiencing kindergarten and first grade we decided to move our child to catholic school and we are not catholic. Our overall experience was that if your child is natural student, he will do fine here. But if he needs any additional attention beyond what's offered to the class, you will have problems. The tutors they provide are mainly computer software games. They teachers tended to segregate students in class with how at tentative or distracting they are which sounds like it makes sense but all you gain is ignoring the problem and a group of kids who end up distracting each other all day. My child was not encouraged to raise hand in class to better understand directions, if you didn't hear it the first time, you better listen the next time. The teachers all make you veal like "if it weren't for parents, teaching would be so easy!" Our expectations I would say we're reasonable from the start and this school severely disappointed.
--Submitted by a parent

Excelleng teachers, strong leadership (the new principal is child/parent focused), and involved parents. Great facilties including a brand new playground. I highly recommend Spring Glen School.
--Submitted by a parent

Teachers and principal are great!!
--Submitted by a parent

It's a wonderful school with a loving group of parents who put their heart and soul into the school. They perform the arduous tasks necessary to make not only the school, but the community a wonderful place for the development of children physically and mentally.
--Submitted by a parent

Wonderful teachers and parents, great facilities and an amazing new principal - we are happy that our daughter is doing great in kindergarten and will have 5 more years in this school!
--Submitted by a parent

Spring Glen rocks! I've never felt more at home than I have while being here. Our principal is amazing at all she does, the teachers are fantastic and the students are absolutely awesome! The PTA goes over and beyond the call the duty and are some of the most enthusiastic people I know. We have so much to offer everyone who comes in to contact with Spring Glen that the learning & fun never end. This is truly a wonderful place to be. I'm honored to call Spring Glen my second family & my second home.
--Submitted by a parent

great teachers. awesome enrichment programs. A PTA that is very involved and proactive in providing the students with wonderful extracurricular activities. wonderful community of parents who appear to be involved in volunteering at the school, a principal who goes above and beyond.....
--Submitted by a parent