Mandarin Lakes K-8 Academy

Parent please when you walk into the office be polite say good morning check your bad attitude at the door. The office staff is underpaid and over worked. The last thing they need is for parents to come in screaming obsanatives at them. The rudest parents I have seen are at Mandarin.
—Submitted by a parent

I had no other choice to put her into this school since I had to move back to Homestead to take care of my sick mother, since i brought her into the school at the end of a school year she didn't do as bad as she is doing this year. Now in 6th grade my daughter has a D in every class except Music. I tried talking to teachers and administrators and yet nothing. They have no PTA for parents who actually care and want to be involved. They don't give out agendas you have to buy your own even though all school provide one. Teachers have nothing but attitude and love to give it to you whenever they get a chance. The ladies in the office barely speak english so at times we have a hard time communicating. I'm going into the office tomorrow morning to fill out a TRANSFER FORM thru Miami Dade Region to get her transferred out and bused to a better school
—Submitted by a parent

I have twins that attend this school and they are now in 1st grade and have been there since K. My son is an honor roll student and my daughter has a really nice teacher. But i must say that parent who left the comment about kids with disabilities, watch what u say becuz ur child or future child could be one. So if i were u, i would zip my lip. But anyway, i love the school, i love that its K-8 so i don't have to worry about transfering anytime soon.
—Submitted by a parent

On day in the office to pay for lunch in the cafeteria I been noticed a lot of student come in late right after 8:35 when school start at 8:20 for elementary and middle school kids at 8:30. I believe the parents need to work out with the students attendance a little bit more The stundent missed a very important instructional time. A concern parent
—Submitted by a parent

When i started 6 grade in 2010 iwas so nervous but my first day was just HORRIBLE teachers wouldnt help me find my classes i skipped like 3 classes even lunch because i didnt know where to go i spent all that time looking for my class . But then everything started going good i made lots of friends , there was drama, i fell in love for the first time , and the teachers were nice and helpful and really funny , the classes were fun. Then in 2011 i started 7 grade , got back with my ex LOL , then made moree friends knew where everything was ,and the first day was just soo amaziingg !! I was really exciteed !! me and my friends were really happy we were all together and alll that, and i dont know if i will be here next year for 8 grade ! i hope i will !!! AND remember just take ur time and u will see how everything wwill end up being amazingly perfect in MLA.

I have to say that the first 3 months of school had been by far the worst Elementary School that I have sent my children to.. being Military between my two we have been to 6. I had more than one teacher tell me that a "C" is average and because my child was one of the more advanced children in their class that they had no concerns.... my child was an A/B student up until going to this school. She was put into a class for behavior issued children and didn't need to be there!! I find it very disturbing that teachers limit their expectations to a "C". There is no Teacher/Parent interaction unless a parent initiates it... my child wasn't completing her work and that's why she was getting a "C" but it wasn't the teacher requesting a conference it was ME!!.. a bit backwards if you ask me but I guess when you have a class with behavior issues and she wasn't one of them, then the teacher didn't have time to bother with her. After having a meeting with the Asst. Principal and Principal getting my child into a different classroom her grades went back to A/B's!! I absolutely LOVE the teacher she was moved to and ALL teachers need to remember why they are there, FOR THE KIDS..ALL KIDS!
—Submitted by a parent

I wanted to get a transfer immediately after my sons first day, but did not due to the urging of friends and family to give it a chance. I have given it almost an entire school year and feel as though I have failed my son for keeping him in this school. The office staff is rude and uneducated, the teachers are callous and completely irresponsible, this schoo is FILLED with children with emotional and behavioral problems and is NOT dual-language! My son was fluent in spanish and now barely speaks it. Bullying is RAMPANT! Several incidents have occurred which were quite significant and I didnt even receive a phone call from the school. I received the news from my son after school and now have to hear him beg not to go to school anymore because he is mistreated my classmates. This school should be shut down or re-opened as a school specifically for emotionally handicapped children and those with severe behavioral problems.
—Submitted by a parent

My Rating for this new high tech school, I really don t know where to begin. May be the unprofessionalism or just the plan out rudeness. I m very low tempered and highly obsevative, on the first day it was a disaster my child sat in the holding tank for two days which is a term the deemed for all the registration screw ups. On their behalf I might add. The other day they took me there. I flew off like a hot pot of tea. The office staff is extremely rude and loud which cause me to behave the same way. I must say if things don t change I will be transferring ASAP. I don t have any thing good to say as of yet. Oh and the cafeteria staff has been hounding my daughter to pay her lunch balance. Are they kidding me?
—Submitted by a parent

I have spoken to the principal and she seems nice my kids have never been bothered bya dny other kids. I believe they should comunicate better with the parants so the parants can know what the school is working on and help out. My kids are still here because if I put them in another school they would be worse. But I pray to god that this year there will be better teachers and better communication.
—Submitted by a teacher

DO NOT base your thoughts on what others think. As per what the person who spoke about her first grader, that is your desicion. Also said: MY Recommendation: Find out from a direct source about the school, and THEN you can make YOUR OWN desicion.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a first grader here, my experinece here has not been very postive.My child has come home several times complaining of being Bullied.The Principal in my opinion is really rude.You can never get clear answers from the Staff as to a postive solution.Yes we are a society of rules, but I'm a firm believer in the saying,'It's not what you say But the way you say it.' Respect is due to all involed. I'm in the process of removing my child because of I don't feel my child is safe.
—Submitted by a parent

As a parent of a first grader that attends Mandarin Lakes....I am also a volunteer there. I once thought that the staff was rude, until I helped out in the office for a day. If the staff is rude, then the parents must stop and think about their own attitudes and how they, themselves, treat the staff. The day that I was there, the parents were shocking...You must realize that the school has rules that are put in place for the saftey of our children!
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent at Mandarin Lakes for the past two years and I have been very satisfied with the staff, teachers Principal etc. I have seen parents get upset when they don't get their way and thats why they complaint so much about the school
—Submitted by a parent

this school is like a prison. The security is very rude. The principal is very rude. The staff is very rude. It is too hard to talk to anyone there. I did not feel like my children were safe there either.
—Submitted by a parent

I choose the school for my kids, because at the open night it sounded all sooooo great. Soon I regret that I send my kids there. Very poorly Management, Principal and Staff. They don't know how to deal with parents and I don't think they know how to deal with kids. I can't say anything bad about the teachers. But if the head of the school is not cooperating, how can others? Very rude, very rude staff.
—Submitted by a parent