Kernan Trail Elementary School

The staff and principal are very caring and committed to excellence!
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. The ESE program is wonderful. The principal and the administration is very caring.
—Submitted by a parent

Kernan Trail Elementary has great teachers, facilities and resources.
—Submitted by a parent

I love this school. My daughter will be going back for her second year. They changed it back to being only elementary and brought in new administration. I am hopeful that this year will be as exciting as last!
—Submitted by a parent

We are very disappointed with Kernan Trail. Our child has a learning disability and even though he/she has received a minimum of 1 D each 9 weeks, we are assured he/she will pass to the next grade. As parents we feel they don't want to deal with our child and his/her problems and moving him/her to the next grade gets him/her off their roster. We are very unhappy with KTE and are trying to get our child out of there before he/she slips through the cracks one too many times and there is no hope. KTE serves middle of the road children only...if your child needs help don't count on it...unless they need tutoring for the FCAT so the school can get their funding.
—Submitted by a parent

My child is also in 3rd grade and it has been a difficult change from 2nd grade to 3rd grade and we are still struggling. I feel that the teachers are not compassionate and some of them are down right mean to the kids! There is no communication. I have never been told one positive thing regarding my child's school work. This is such a pivotal year due to FCAT and as a parent I feel the child is left to sink or swim! There is no organization with this school and there never has been. Orientation was a joke as well as open house night. I wish I could afford private school but I can't but I made a promise to my child that I will not allow she/he to become a statistic and fall through the cracks! The school needs to step up and do their part!
—Submitted by a parent

My child is in 3rd grade and it has been a difficult change for all 2nd graders. The teachers have been excellent with communication. The teachers at Kernan Trail are very friendly. The extended day program is excellent as well. The staff has improved the attitude. I do think the could be more organinized when it comes to the homework and the folders the children carry around. They have around 5 folders! My child loves this school and has made many friends.
—Submitted by a parent

I was a teacher at Kernan Trail in an 'all-inclusive' classroom (or, one of the big classes). The principal has great ideas and theories, and somehow pulls strings to get special programs at his schools that he thinks will be of great benefit to the students falling behind. If he's not very visible, its probably becuse his office isn't even on the elementary campus; it's down the street at the Middle school office- WHY...I have no idea!! That needs to change! It seems things would work more efficiently with two different principals for each campus. I requested his presence (and the AP's) many times for help- and never got any until it was virtually too late. If your child has an LD or you suspect he or she does, get them some private tutoring because they will not get the instruction they need out of any public school in Florida.
—Submitted by a teacher

I love this school and have faught to keep my kids enrolled even though we moved outside of the district
—Submitted by a parent

The Autistic program at this school is top notch! Ms. Amanda Barrett's classroom is one of the best I've involved with! Thanks
—Submitted by a parent

I am very pleased with Kernan Trail. The staff and teachers are great. My child transfered into the school one month into the school year. He was behind in reading since coming from out of state. His first grade teacher Mrs. Williams did an excellent job of working with him and catching him up. The staff in the front office and in the cafe' are very helpful. My son loves this school and so do I.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers in general are great. The new, male principal is particularly not suited for this age group. (I am male...) His rigid, rule based approach is more military like. Might work better with his co-assignment to principal the adjacent middle school. As noted below, the staff has deteriorated in morale and is not nearly as friendly before his arrival.
—Submitted by a parent

I like my daughter's teacher and she seems to be developing scholastically very well; however, I am very disappointed in the fact that the children are only allowed to go out to the playground two days out of a seven-day rotating schedule. I am also very disappointed in the front office staff.
—Submitted by a parent

It is a very good school and the teachers are wonderful!
—Submitted by Deb, a parent

Great elementary school with caring teachers and administration.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so pleased with Kernan Trail Elementary. The teachers are wonderful, the school is clean an appealing to the students, and I feel my childs safety is always kept in mind. My child started with Kernan Trail in Kindergarden and is getting ready to enter the 2nd grade. Her teachers have both supported her, and pushed her to learn more, and as a result she is excelling in every aspect. The academic programs are challenging and the teachers are prepared to help the students achieve the goals. The Principal is always visible and approachable. The parents are encouraged to participate in school activities, and at home learning. I am very pleased with Kernan Trail Elementary - and I am excited for my other child to start Kindergarden this year! I know she will love it as much as her sister!
—Submitted by Tabatha Schultz, a parent

Kernan Trail is an excellent school, the teachers are very caring. My daughter had Mrs. Callison for 2nd grade in 2004 and my son had Mrs. Lisser. The only issue I had was their slow speed in getting my son into ESE classes, but this was more red tape than a problem on the schools part. I would love to keep my kids in this school.
—Submitted by Crystal Riegel, a parent

I am a grandparent and retired high school teacher from Pennsylvania but have had several opportunities to visit the Kernan Trail Elementary classes of my granddaughter(in both grade 3 and grade 4) and grandson (currently in kindergarten). In both cases I have found the creative yet disciplined classroom atmosphere, the intensive yet appropriate level of academics taught, and above all the teachers to be outstanding. I especially appreciate the number of student-directed (rather than teacher-directed) activities offered. The Kernan Trails school environment is clean, ordered, and condusive to student safety and to learning. I am grateful that my grandchildren have been able to begin the early years of their education at Kernan Trails.
—Submitted by Sharon Steiner, a parent

This is an excellent A-rated school. It is situated well away from the busy road, so there is no chance of injury, really, from road traffic. The teachers are friendly and helpful, and the PTA is very active. Parent communication has been very good so far. We have completed kindergarten there, and are now in first grade. Only complaint is the 'combined' 3rd and 4rth grade rooms, where there are 55 kids with 2 teachers in a class. There is chaos, and little parent/teacher communication in those situations. We will not choose those classes!
—Submitted by a parent