St. Mark's Episcopal School

This place is circling the drain! Enrollment is down year after year and the administration is to blame. Poor management is prompting this school to make irrational moves, firing good teachers, mismanaging finances, and trying to camoflage these mistakes by hyping new programs, which they probably cannot afford. It seems they cut one place to fund something else! One of which is outsourcing the Spanish program. What a joke. These teachers are ill equipped to handle students in a classroom environment and this leads to many many discipline problems and minimum learning. They tout a religious philosophy but thesse students are out of control participating in wild parties and drinking alcohol. The school claims parent involvement but good parents are obviously not involved enough to see what is really happening here! I pulled my daughter out of this school and I advise you to do the same!!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a current dental student at Nova Southeastern University. I went to St. Marks from kindergarten through 8th grade. It was the greatest experience. The teachers were truly fabulous and the education I received helped me to stay at the top of my class throughout high school and college. My kids will one day attend St. Marks. I won't consider sending them anywhere else.

If you are looking for a small school with a loving, family-like environment and caring, excellent staff, then St. Mark's should be at the top of your list. It has been at the cornerstone of the East Ft. Lauderdale community for over 50 years, and has consistently graduated top performing students. The school offers something to bring out the best in everyone.
—Submitted by a teacher

You know you have made a great choice in schools, when your elementary school child comes home, and says, "will I be at St. Mark's next year?" We reply, " yes, why?" My child responded, "because today we had to tell what we like best about our school, and I could not pick one, because I love everything about it!" Then my child rattled on about all the things they do, from class activities, to computer, to after school activities. Thanks St. Marks for providing my child with such a positive experience.
—Submitted by a parent

One of my friends that attends St.Marks as we speak, is constantly around bullying, and ranks of popularity. The students in middle school, act like they are high-schoolers. There are innapropriate photos that go around the school, and if you have a child in the middle school there, they probably are exposed to it. I dont hate St.Marks and I am not trying to promote another school. All I am saying is that the students there are exposed to an impure and innapropriate enviroment. Rumor has it their Spanish Program is pretty bad too. Students dont know what they're learing and probably could'nt say more than colors and numbers. The children in the middle school also use innapropriate language daily. Now tell me, does this sound like a safe nutring enviroment to raise innocent children? I think not. Dt.Lauderdale has wonderful schools! St.Marks just doesnt happen to be one of them.

I had 2 children attending this school for 5 years and saw this school go from a nice conservative well-discilpined school to a totally you can do no wrong feel good school where everyone is awarded for even bad behavior. I also saw not only the academis go downhill but an unruly student population. Detentions are handed daily like it is candy. The environment is like a play ground with children throwing paper balls and pencils in the classroom. The inappropriateness of this environment will shock you and confuse your healthy child. If you need your child to be reformed then this is the school to put your child, however, if you have a healthy child who wishes to learn this is not the place. The school has many hidden issues that you and your family are walking into and money has nothing to do with what is going on in this unhealthy environment. Pine Crest, West Minister or Cavalry which are all in the area are more appropriate schools with strong leadership and academics.
—Submitted by a parent

St. Mark's Episcopal School has been been nothing but a positive experience for my family and most other families that we know. The school's leadership today is nothing short of spectacular. The administrators and teachers are pro-active in identifying the school's needs and the needs each individual student. For the student that needs accelerated programs they are available. For the student that needs more attention in a specific area, it is available. If you are someone that would like your children to go to a school that has strong academics, that emphasizes hard work and critical thinking, and promotes strong values like honesty, integrity, and equality, then St. Mark's Episcopal School is for you. Great students, great staff, great faculty, and great parents make ST. MARK'S ONE GREAT FAMILY! As for the negative comments, read between the lines. You have 95% plus happy families and students at St. Mark's. Maybe these people making negative comments should take a good look at themselves and their children before before criticizing the school. When the comments are about the cost, I think that tells you where the real issue lies these families. ST. MARK'S = GREAT PEOPLE!
—Submitted by a parent

We have see first hand the success that SMES has had on our son. He is now at STA and with all honors and AP classes. The nurturing along with the strong academics is combined to compliment the student to excel in all areas. Parental involvement is strong and one can feel comfortable in a variety of areas to volunteer in.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter has attended St. Mark's for three years, and I know she is receiving the best education Fort Lauderdale has to offer. Each of her teachers has made a lasting positive impact on her; one she is sure to carry with her for many years. I have also been incredibly pleased with the enriched learning environment at St. Mark's - music, physical education, art, world religion, science, Spanish, media skills, and computer provide the skills and knowledge she will need in a competitive world. Choosing a school is the one of the most difficult and important decisions my husband and I will make as parents, and I am so thankful we found St. Mark's.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so happy with the education my daughters are receiving at St. Mark's! In addition to the excellent academics, they have the opportunity to work with amazing teachers in the arts every week who inspire them as well as learn the importance of community and respect of others and self. I have watched them blossom and gain confidence in themselves, their ideas, and their work, which is such a gift for a parent. I would be remiss to not mention how dedicated the parents are and what a pleasure it is to be part of the community. I look forward to my son starting at St. Mark's next year!
—Submitted by a parent

I currently have two boys at St. Marks that have both attended the school since they started Kindergarten. One is currently in 7th and the other in 4th and I find they cannot get a better education and more well rounded experience than St. Marks. I don't find the school to be going "downhill" - I see just the opposite. St. Mark's has a wonderful new Spanish curriculum and offers so many different enrichment classes that makes this school stand apart from the others. St. Marks has and will always be a school that lives and prides itself on teaching the children to live by the honor code. It is our responsibility as parents to make sure our children also grow to be responsible and productive adults by what we are taught at home and school. My boys live to go to school and love to participate in all that St. Marks has to offer. I wouldn't send my children anywhere else.
—Submitted by a parent

Who are these people who think this place is still good? Both my children were there and it was a OMG when will we escape kind of thing. First off...Way Way Way overpriced. After you add all the "extras" field trips, food etc., you are within $1500 of Pinecrest. No comparision folks. Not academically, not athletically. I mean athletically they hire the cheapest they can find. One of their favorite coaches to employ is this hispanic women who cusses, screams, bullies and belittles the players of every sport she coaches. Really? for $17,000 this is the best you can come up with? Then the academics have been steadily declining. The rules are ridiculous. Kids are hoodlums because they are allowed to behave however because the school needs money. Then you have chapel everyday for an hour while classroom time is reduced more and more. The lunch room food is green and I am not talking lettuce folks, well that is until the accredidation board was there, then it was edible. All in all an miserable experience for my kids. On top of that the only time parents are involved is when they can have a drink in their hand.
—Submitted by a parent

This place continues to go downhill. No wonder why so many familes have chosen to go elsewhere... I am pulling my children out at the end of this semester. What a disaster!!!
—Submitted by a teacher

We had 2 children attending this school for the past 5 years. For the past 2 years we watched not only the academics dummy down due to an unruly student population but admin. did not know how to handle the children. Teachers started handing out detentions daily and then screaming. When that didn't work, the teacher would sit down and instructed the kids to teach themselves. In a couple of subjects it appeared that the teachers were so frustrated they sent the kids home with their exams. Now, it appeared that almost everyone was making honor roll and or head of school. A few kids were asked to leave the school and others left on their own for a better environment. On almost a daily basis you will hear the most inappropriate language coming out of your classmates mouth, you will be shoved, elbowed or accidentally kicked. Our kids have seen it happen to their classmates as well as defend themselves when it occurred to them. It's a locker room mentality. As for religion, Spanish and computers there was little to no instruction. All communities need schools but they also need strong leaders at the top which appears to be lacking at SMES.
—Submitted by a parent

Our son loved St. Marks -- there were so many opportunities to participate in sports and arts programs. He received excellent preparation for high school and is now in all honors classes. Thank you St. Mark's!!
—Submitted by a parent

I'm so impressed with the quality of the curriculum. What my daughter is capable of in 7th grade really amazes me!
—Submitted by a parent

My kids were at St. Mark's for several years. We have recently moved and we are finding that our kids are ranked in the top 5% in our new "A" rated school system in a new county and they are being placed in the gifted programs. I give huge credit to St. Marks and the wonderful early education programs. I m sure that all of the skills they acquired there at such a young age have helped them tremendously.
—Submitted by a parent

St. Mark's is a great school, my daughter is in the PK program and I really thought of it as "day care" at first. This is her second year and the program is incredible, she has Gym, Spanish, Music and Religion classes! The faculty and administrators are wonderful caring people, it's a great community. I am more than pleased with our family experience here at St. Mark's.
—Submitted by a parent

SMES has an outstanding curriculum. All graduates enter their high school of choice, most enrolling in honors courses. SMES students attend STA, Cardinal Gibbons, PInecrest, University School and prestigious boarding schools. All these schools welcome them with open arms and note how prepared they are. The administration and particularly its guidance department bends over backwards to help all children succeed there. When parents are willing to participate in their children's education, the parent -teacher relationship creates a superior environment for learning. The arts department is second to none and rivals many high schools in the area. This school is a HUGE bargain for the tuition which combines academics, the arts, sports and also the benefit of spiritual development. NO other school offers what SMES delivers in Fort Lauderdale.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter graduated from St. Mark's, and is now in high school. Overall, she was not as prepared academically for high school as she should have been. She also does not speak positively about her overall experience as a student at St. Mark's. In hindsight, we would have given more consideration to other private schools in the area before placing our daughter at St. Mark's.
—Submitted by a parent