Shenandoah Elementary School

I would have agreed with all the positive feedback until this year. It seems that parent involvement is way down. The reason for this could be that some teachers actually blow off parent's participation. Concerned parents, who are truly involved with their children, are ostracized. If you question the way an incident is handled (or not handled) in school, you are labeled a difficult parent. If you continue to want the best for your child, you become a problem. It would appear that some children are more precious than others and deserve a higher level of "equality". They are all SPECIAL!! Not just the ones with special circumstances and no child should be made to feel that they don't matter .

Shenandoah has been a wonderful school for my kids. The Principal is very cutting edge and academic focused. Both of my kids are reading above grade level and LOVE to get up for school every day. I think that says alot for the learning environment.
--Submitted by a parent

Is amazing how all the staff work together to help each student! My son attend this school at Kindergarten!
--Submitted by a parent

Shenandoah Elementary is a public school that feels a lot like a private academy. Excellent teachers, impressive parental involvement and a Foundation established and financial supported by parents/community to purchase additional supplies and resources for the school. Recent budget cuts have reduced Music and Art programs, but we have been there for 4 years with our daughter and we would not consider any other school in Orlando. We looked at many private schools when she started Kindergarten and Shenandoah's reputation won us over. Many of the private schools use the same curriculum as Orange County, but they do not buy the full curriculm package. - an important thing to consider. I am very pleased with the academics and gifted program. at Shenandoah We fill in music and art through extra curricular activities and it works very well.
--Submitted by a parent

Teachers and support tff who truly care and involved parents.
--Submitted by a parent

Awesome school. My daughter attended two other Elementary schools before Shenandoah, and there is no comparison. She has had wonderful classroom teachers, great Art, Music, and PE teachers, a super Media Specialist, two superb principals. I just can't say enough good things about the school. The children are treated respectfully, and the instruction is great. There is LOTS of parent involvement encouraged by the school. The school population has changed recently, and we were afraid the school would lower expectations, but that has not happened. The teachers are totally dedicated - when I pass the school after hours, I see teachers' cars there until very late (Hours after Extended Day has ended - I sometimes wonder when they see their own families!)
--Submitted by a parent

I am the teacher who 'couldn't spell the name of the school.' Sorry. it was a typo. All our regular volunteers have nametags in the office, and other visitors are asked to wear a sticker with the date, etc. on it. They sign in for security AND so we can keep track of all their hours. We DO have parents who refuse to sign in, even though they have been asked. Perhaps this parent is one. We are trying to correct the problem. Also, the Additions co-ordinator has no record of your hours if you don't sign in. I listed the SAY baseball as a school activity, since the school provided the facilities in the past. (Most Elementary schools do not have their own sports teams). The lack of music programs is due to the construction/renovation and is only temporary.
--Submitted by a teacher

Scary that the teacher who wrote the previous review can't spell the name of the school... I have had kids at Shenandoah for 10+ years and it has been a wonderful experience for all of us. I have been on PTA and have volunteered in many other capacities over the years (am still at the school several times a week) and have never signed in or been asked to wear a badge. The teachers we have had have been fantastic, the writer below must not have been one of them or is clearly in the dark about how things are run. SAY baseball is not a school sponsored activity and there is no Talent Show or music programs this year. There are no extracurricular sports at Shenandoah. Academically, things used to be much better, but with the decline of the surrounding area the school is sure to head downhill.
--Submitted by a parent

I am Shanandoah teacher, and I would like to correct some misconceptions in other reviews: 1) I have morning duty at one of the entrances, and ALL visitors who are not wearing an OCPS ID badge are asked to sign in at the office before entering classroom areas 2) There are tables set aside in the cafeteria where parents may eat with their children, and parents do this every day 3) Parents are requested to notify Extended Day if their child will be absent. If not, the Extended Day personnel check with the classroom teacher about how the child left school, and if not satisfied call the child's home 4)Safety Patrols supervise before and after school with adult help 5) Extracurricular activites include SAY baseball, Chorus, Talent Show, PTA skate nights. 6) Technology includes computer lab, audio enhancement, interactive classroom technology, classroom computers.
--Submitted by a teacher

My kids and I love this school. They have many great teachers and faculty and my kids learn while having fun. The only thing is I wish they were able to learn a foreign language here.
--Submitted by a parent