Bay Crest Elementary School

The majority of the teachers indeed lack a passion for teaching, my child used to go to Bay Crest, I used to volunteer there and was part of the PTA as well, and once I was volunteering and overheard one of the teachers going off about her paycheck. I was astonished!!! Another thing is, most of the staff in that school are extremely rude. The vice-principal is reliable, very committed to her job, friendly and caring for the well-being of the kids, she participates on the events, always open to hear criticism as well as willingness to fix whatever the issues were. Now to the other comment who responded very aggressively, probably the principal itself or someone very close to her, criticism are a great way to analyze ourselves and make significant changes, if you have a block on it you won't be able to see the bigger picture. We make criticism to allow others to acknowledge that something is not satisfactory to us, especially when it comes to the schools our kids attend. So I have to say in a very non-confrontational way, open your mind to the opinions given and make relevant changes for your organization, it is better than lose students and staffs as well!
--Submitted by a parent

To the person who wrote the comment about the bathroom incident. First of all, people have a right to their opinion. We all have them whether you agree with it or not. If you considered the issue to be that serious to you, then you should have brought it up with the principal and it would have been handled ritht then and there, but no, everyone has to post it up on-line because that's the smart way, right! This is why things continue to happen because people complain behind a curtain and expect changes to occur through osmosis. Wake up. In my opinion, parents need to have more control over their children and stop letting them get away with things without disciplining them, then maybe, you wouldn't hear the kinds of comments/conversation you heard. Children now in days are rude and very disrespectful and parents aren't far behind. Not all of them, but a great majority of them. People always criticise teachers, but that isn't the only profession that needs some improvement. Take a good look at yourself and ask yourself what are you doing for your child's school to make it a better one, instead of wasting your time posting comments on line. That's the easy way, try it the hard way.

Parents, do not rely on the Hillsborough County school rating matrix because it is misleading at best. The main challenge at this particular school is the lack of leadership and "cronyism" amongst the teachers. The impression I have of Baycrest is that they have too many teachers with a deficit of earnest passion for teaching. Additionally, the teachers nearing retirement age give the impression that theyare just there to collect a paycheck. Baycrest does have a few teachers that care and enjoy their work, but those are few and far between.. I had the misfortune of walking into one of the bathrooms and was thoroughly appalled. I would not recommend Baycrest, not at all.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter loves the school, which is important. After moving to Tampa from another state and comparing my daughter's old school with the new, I think the work could be more challenging. Teacher are nice and friendly. Would be nice to be able to go online to review our child's progress as we could before in order to ensure that she is doing all of her assignments. I would give a higher rating if there were more access. At this point, I would still give the school a good rating.
--Submitted by a parent

Bay Crest is a great school with very hardworking teachers and a staff that cares about my daughter and all the kids. Our experience has been wonderful! If you are new to the area, you'll be pleased to have your kids at this school. You have access to your teachers to talk about any issues, and the front office and administration are helpful and responsive to your needs. My daughter can't wait for the new school year!
--Submitted by a parent

I have 2 children attending Bay Crest Elementary. Both have attended since Kindergarten and my older son is in the Gifted Program. It has been an excellent school and we feel confident in our choice to place our children in the hands of the talented staff who have been instrumental in their success. Parent involvement is key also as success starts in the home. Both my sons are several grades ahead in reading. I would recommend Bay Crest to any parent new to the area. Bay Crest is our Pearl!!!!!!!!
--Submitted by a parent

This is my 7th year as a teacher at Bay Crest and 14th year as a teacher in the SDHC. I choose to drive a long distance to work at this school. The area where I live has a reputation for having the best schools in the district but I can honestly say that it's "Better at Bay Crest"! The teachers are caring and respectful to students. The parents work WITH staff to make each child's experience successful. Volunteers who don't even have kids at our school come time after time simply because this is a place they enjoy! The administration supports the teachers and the kids. Both the principal and assistant principal have chosen to have their own kids attend Bay Crest and that action speaks louder than any of my words. Bay Crest's slogan is "Bay Crest is my PEARL". (Partnership, Education, Achievement, Respect, and Love) As PC as our society has become, I think that it takes a lot of guts to focus on "Respect" and "Love". Many schools have cute slogans too but most are based on curriculum. Bay Crest truly believes that each child, parent, volunteer, and staff member will excel when we work together WITH respect and love. If you are searching for excellence, search no more!
--Submitted by a teacher

Both of my children have attended Bay crest, My son has moved on to Middle School and in the 6th grade has many advanced classes. My daughter , in the 3rd grade is also advanced in many areas for her age and grade. I praise the faculty and Principal at Bay Crest for the skills and knowledge that my kids posses. Along with the curriculum at school, my wife and I spend a lot of time with our kids making sure they are the best that they can be. In my opinion, If someone has an issue with the education from Bay Crest, perhaps you should look in the mirror, as education starts in the home. Judging from some of the comments made on this site, perhaps some of you should attend Bay Crest to get a Grammar refresher course.
--Submitted by a parent

I can't believe anyone would write a favorable review for this school. Then again it depends on what you are use to. My kids went from reading two grades above to literally falling behind. One of the challenges is that the teachers stand around and talk to each other all day. Many times homework sheets were not distributed. I found assignments ungraded for weeks at a time. Its ridiculous. The principal? She'll say anything to shut you up, but does little. She is a nice lady, but real leadership is what's needed. More oversight is needed!
--Submitted by a parent

The teachers at this school have a sincere love of teaching and compassion for students. That is the good. The bad...the entire administration is incompetent! I have seen the principal actually yell at teachers. She is unprofessional and seems to micromanage the staff in everything. I think it is probably lack of experience, frustration and poor stress management. Good luck getting any kind of special help, testing or evaluations for your child, they are unwilling and unknowledgeable. All I can say is that I hope your teacher is great and you never need any contact with the administrators. The speech teacher, social worker and guidance counselor are very caring and helpful.
--Submitted by a parent