Bevis Elementary School

Fabulous school, outstanding administration, dedicated teachers and staff!!!! Bevis is a wonderful school where children s individual needs are always taken into account every day. The principal knows every student by name and always goes out of her way to talk to and get to know students and their families. She is without a doubt one of the most caring and supportive school leaders a school could have. Bevis is so successful on the FCAT because they focus on providing good quality instruction for students. I have had children at Bevis for eight years and with my oldest now in middle school I can t express how grateful I am for the education they received at Bevis. My oldest was a struggling reader in the 1st grade and with the supports and education she received throughout her years at Bevis she is thriving academically and made straight A s throughout her entire 6th grade year! I moved to Fishhawk 9 years ago so that my children could attend Bevis Elementary it was one of the best decisions I have ever made!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is so overated! The principal in condescending and rude unless you have money, social status or on her Board in some capacity. It's amazing to me just how many people are fooled by this school. To put it bluntly, everything is not as good as it seems. Be Careful before you reassign your child here or attend here coming in from another state. They are FCAT driven and that's all that matters to them. I wouldn't even give them a one star if I didn't have to.
—Submitted by a parent

What a fantastic school! The administration and teachers do an excellent job supporting, challenging and motivating ALL students. Administration is very involved, responsive to parents and does an excellent job communicating with all families. We've moved here 6 years ago with our 3 children, our oldest child (who has a learning disability) was behind academically and struggling. The support and resources he received from the teachers and counselor at Bevis was outstanding! He has gone on to have a successful and positive middle school experience. Bevis has given all 3 of our children a strong foundation and has prepared them to be successful. We have been fortunate to attend Bevis!
—Submitted by a parent

perhaps the guidance counselor should read the schools mission statement on a daily basis.If your child has a learning disability or ADHD,poor attendance record(allergy induced asthma)-BEVIS is not the school for your child.My grandchild was humiliated, embarrassed and made to feel inferior,so much so, that tears would be streaming down her cheeks on the car ride to school. The several" talks" the guidance counselor had with her(that I was never informed of) left her feeling terrible-that was the objective and I am so glad I took her out of the BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL. I am so grateful for the wonderful teacher she had who tried desperately to undo the damage that was being done to her self esteem. My grand daughter is a right brain learner and is thoroughly enjoying learning again.The staff at Bevis is more concerned with statistics and titles than the CHILD. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!!
—Submitted by a parent

Bevis is a great school! The focus is on learning. I love that the administration does not allow interruptions during instructional time. I have never seen a school with such a strong focus. Teachers are generally positive and less gossipy than other schools. Be aware that if you come from another school, your children may be "behind" by Bevis standards.
—Submitted by a parent

We are so fortunate to have our children at Bevis Elementary. (We moved to this community- as so many others did- so our kids could attend.) The teachers, administration and staff do amazing things with ALL children who have different educational needs, and go above & beyone each day. The parents at Bevis are more like family and all pitch in to help each other both in and out of school. The school and it's organizations do an excellent job of communcating with all families. There are a lot of opportunities for anyone who wants to get involved in any capacity (both at home and at school) to participate. Information is communicated via email from class moms & teachers, notices that the school sends, meetings, a weekly newsletter, etc. (So it would be hard not to get involved because EVERYONE is invited!) It's #1 in FL for a reason!
—Submitted by a parent

The academics are very good for Florida. However, writing at the 5th grade level is almost non-existent which is a major concern for anyone moving to states with schools rated above 40th in the nation. Bevis is a very political place which can be detrimental to some children, particularly those that do not come from two parent households. Some members of the PTA executive board misuse their position as a platform for gossip, often in front of children (holding a hand up in front of one's mouth while badmouthing does not keep the sound down.) The incoming PTA executive board voted themselves in by holding a meeting on stage just before the 5th grade end of year play (where less than 1/8 of the school parental population attended and precious few took seriously.) Try an inclusive Survey Monkey nomination/ballot system - much more transparent when huge donation spending is key.
—Submitted by a parent

If you are moving to the Tampa area, I highly recommend moving to FishHawk and specifically to a home where your kids can go to Bevis. Top, top quality school. My child is learning much more than friends in the area at other schools. Highly Recommend!
—Submitted by a parent

We moved here 5 years ago when Bevis was the no.1 elementary school in Florida, this year it again is No.1 in Florida. We have always put our children in private schools until we moved to FishHawk. The principal knows each child by name and truly cares about them succeeding.Their PTA is so involved... Bevis has parents lining up to help.. other schools in the area are begging for help. I know several famiies that have chosen school of choice just to get them in Bevis. They have a choir, chess club, math teams I can go on and on... There is a reason why Bevis has beat out all other 'A' rated school in the area and repeatedly has been rated number 1 in Florida. Kids that come out of Bevis truely have an advantage over other schools when they go on to middle school.
—Submitted by a parent

we LOVE Bevis! We moved to FishHawk for the school. Not only does it have high academic standards, but all of the adults are friendly and loving towards the children. There are a ton of parent volunteers, also. We've attended a school in the past that stressed test scores only - and Bevis is NOT that kind of school. It is high energy, fun, rigorous and positive.
—Submitted by a parent

Love the princpals and cant wait for my kids to start in the Fall. FishHawk is such a great community i know its goingto be awesome for us all. We are very blessed!!
—Submitted by a parent

To the person who said 'stay away!' from this school because they focus on FCAT is mistaken. The FCAT is at every school and thats the way it is - it might not be what we all want for the kids, but that's not the school's fault. It's the states requirement and the school is just doing it's job.

When we moved to Fishhawk with pre-school aged children everyone told us how much we would love Bevis. I did not realize exactly what they meant until my daughter started Kindergarten last year. The principal is enthusiastic, involved, friendly to the students, and responsive to the parents. All the teachers that I have had experience with have been exceptional. Their gifted program is wonderful. I am also very pleased with the art, music, and PE programs. It is difficult to really explain the positive environment at Bevis. My child, who is now in first grade, loves going to school every day. The PTA is very well organized. The parent involvement and sense of community is superior.
—Submitted by a parent

If you want the best public elementary school education for your child in the state of Florida, then Bevis is your school. It is academically challenging without being overly rigorous. It teaches children discipline, character, integrity and the pursuit of academic excellence. Unbelievable faculty, staff, principal and community involvement!
—Submitted by a parent

My wife and I moved to Fishhawk for the specific purpose of going to this school. We read about the rating and thought we were going to get a superior level of instruction for our children. We were sadly mistaken. We have been disappointed from day 1. We have had multiple meeting with the teacher, guidance counselor and vice principal all to no avail. Their response to our concerns was 'well that isn't how we do things here at Bevis.' This school is all about the FCAT and only that. Don't expect any quality of music, art or physical education. At the elementary level they don't even have recess for the kids on a daily basis! The expectations of the administration is for the kids to be robots and sit at their desk all day long learning how to take the FCAT. I say no thank you! Stay away!
—Submitted by a parent

We moved to Fishhawk and it has been the best decision we have ever made! I have nothing but good things to say about my children's experiences at school and the staff there. Beavis is a great school!
—Submitted by a parent

We moved to Tampa due to a military change of duty station and we specifically chose Fishhawk Ranch because of Bevis' reputation as 'the top school' in the area. (we researched extensively and also spoke to many friends who lived in this area) It has proven to live up to this reputation. Academically it is challenging and more than prepared our 5th grader for middle school. There is a fantastic community feel- the principal knows every child's name and the parents as well. All the teachers we have had contact with (8 classroom teachers total) have proven to be conscientious, communicative, and caring about our children and their education. After years of paying for private school, my expectations were high for this one and they met and exceeded every one. It's a lucky child that attends Bevis!
—Submitted by a parent

More fluff than quality. The school's focus is not on the highest quality of education. The focus is on the test scores and many parents do not realize that their child is not getting an overall balanced and quality education if the constant focus is on 'passing the FCAT.' The FCAT scores and other tedious factors that play into the school district's rating system are what drives the school and so many parents have a false sense of what true quality education is because of the 'A mask.'
—Submitted by a parent

Having moved from the Northeast three years ago, we chose to live here because of the schools. My youngest child is special needs...he has an IEP. Here, for the past three years, not only has he gotten all the remedial classes he's needed with communication/reading, but he's also in two gifted classes for math and science! Now THAT is individualized education! The teachers and administration are wonderful!
—Submitted by a parent

Bevis is an excellent school! The children are challenged academically while being taught good character as well. The teachers are experienced, dedicated, and enthusiastic. Many parents are involved, and the school really has a community feel. Bevis definitely deserves to be an A+ school!
—Submitted by a parent