Woodland Elementary Charter School

My child attended Woodland for a few months and I must say I was VERY disappointed. For this school to be a charter school their focus was TOTALLY off. My son had left a Christian base school with more curriculum guidance than Woodland. I got more behavior notices and random calls about foolishness than homework. I do believe in discipline but I also believe that the teacher should know how to keep their kids busy. I did not take my son out of the school due to these issue but due to relocation and I'm happy I did. All of the issues I dealt with here was amazing. Once my son left this school the new teachers told me EXACTLY what I needed to do for my son to help him. With my son only being 5 years old it was more guidance.
—Submitted by a parent

Woodland is a school that has been ahead of the curve in curriculum and instruction since the new administration has been put in place. The administration has provided an abundance of support and staff development for all teachers. They have made their expectations clear for teachers and provided us many tools to meet those expectations. I have worked at many schools and by far the staff, parents and adminstration are top quality. Teachers have high expectations for themselves as do administrators in how hard and effective they work. I would recommend any teacher to work here and you will be treated with respect and challenged at the same time. Other schools are visiting our school to learn from us on a very frequent basis.
—Submitted by a teacher

Woodland Elementary is a wonderful school, and I am honored to be able to teach at this school. The current administration has a vision that involves teachers utilizing various best practices, such as guided reading, literacy stations, and math stations, which all allow teachers to meet the unique needs of each child. The administration has high expectations of the teachers, just as teachers should have high expectations of not only the students but also themselves. Woodland is becoming the place to tour in Fulton County. Numerous schools and individual Fulton County employees have come to see the guided reading room as well as literacy and math stations in action!! Change requires a lot of dedication, patience, and a constant vision. As a teacher, I understand the administration's vision and fully support it. I personally feel that the minute things become stagnant, then we, as educators, are not helping children one bit. As aforementioned, I am extremely grateful to work in a school with such a great vision, and I, too, would recommend any professional educator to consider Woodland!
—Submitted by a teacher

I completely disagree with the last two posts. The current administration has turned the morale at our school around, as well as worked on policies/procedures put in place by Fulton County - improving it immensely for the betterment of the education and growth in our students. We have three children there and are in constant communication with their teachers - they LOVE our school, administration and most importantly our kids! We have seen them go above and beyond to teach and foster a warm learning environment for everyone there. Get involved at the school and you will be amazed at all the opportunities provided to our children - it's impressive all that they are learning.
—Submitted by a parent

I am shocked to read the negative posts. I am parent and have been at Woodland for 4 yrs now. I have found the teachers to be exceptional! Hands down, they all cared about my children and me as a parent. My kids have loved the school too! Which says everything. We have a lot of working families in our school, and those parents do a great job of getting involved when they can. For those parents that are able, they volunteer and are dedicated to supporting the teachers and staff. Furthermore, the curiculum is very dynamic and constantly adjusting to today's needs. And this is hard to do. Teachers are so creative at finding just the right tools for their class based on their students. We have new and veteran teachers in our school. It is sad to read that a teacher feels they way they do below. I hope this is not a current teacher, it just seems so out of character. Thankfully I don't have a lot of need to be in the Admin office since my kids are thriving. But when I have, they are always eager to see me and sit down with me to discuss whatever. The new asst princ is just the nicest guy. My kids love him too. He is positive and so in tune with the students.
—Submitted by a parent

Woodland is an outstanding school! I have one child who has been at Woodland for three years and she has always been challenged and nurtured by her teachers. My other daughter graduated from Woodland exceedingly prepared for Middle School. A very high percentage of the teachers at Woodland have Masters Degrees or additional certifications and care deeply about our children. The 9 teachers that we have had over the years have ALL been top rate educators who are communicative and encouraged classroom visits and volunteerism. The administration has implemented a positive discipline plan that has created a sense of community and excitement at Woodland. We love our school and are highly involved on a daily basis. I imagine that people who are writing unkind and untrue reviews have never attempted to be an engaged parent at the school or they would realize how wrong they are.
—Submitted by a parent

As a parent I would like to thank the teachers my children have had at Woodland Elementary. They have been truly exceptional! I think it is amazing how well the needs of ALL students are met, from TAG students to Special Education. The teachers understand the needs of every student in their class and know exactly how to challenge each student. My children love school because their teachers are so caring and are even willing to provide tutoring before and after school. I have never seen such a dedicated staff! The programs at Woodland are challenging and tailored to meet the needs of every child. I know that my childrens are receiving an education that will prepare them for success in college.
—Submitted by a parent

It saddens me to see that a parent and staff member have posted that Woodland is a below average school. I am also concerned because a specific statistic (9 out of 10) was used, but yet no information was given about the source of the information. If there is such a survey that conveys this information, then I have not been made aware of it. Now with that being said, are there areas for improvement? Of course. Is the majority of the school striving to improve in these areas? Yes. These past few years have been turbulent, but despite all the events that have happened, Woodland has still been able to give an exceptional education to the students. The MAJORITY of teachers and staff at the school genuinely care about each and every student, so please don't let the minority dictate your impression of our school.
—Submitted by a teacher

Woodland is a great school!. We have a wonderful, committed staff, parents and administration that support us . Our kids work hard and are eager to learn. Our school is warm, inviting and focused on the individual needs of our students. In fact, lots of other schools from FCS are coming to visit to see our innovative instructional practices. What more could you ask for?
—Submitted by a teacher

Awesome school! I can't imagine sending my kids anywhere else!! We love our teachers, administrative team and the other families that make Woodland so great. Sorry to hear that one "teacher" is upset, but sounds like he/she should spend more time on lesson plans and less time on here.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent, and I have been reading these reviews with some surprise. My daughter goes to Woodland, and I have to say that I've been disappointed. The school doesn't really care. We receive notices of truancy even though our daughter was ill and a note was submitted each time. We don't have any follow-up on important issues. We can't really speak to the teacher or visit the classroom. The school does not fix errors after the assistant principal admitted there were errors. I really wonder about this school and these other wonderful reviews on this site.
—Submitted by a parent

What a great academic environment! We love Woodland! This is our third year at Woodland and we have been continually impressed by the level of education our daughter is receiving. The faculty is top notch and rises to the occassion to meet the needs of all students. We love the diviersity of the school. I believe there are 32 countries represented at the school. International night is such a great opportunity to celebrate this wonderful diversity! Additionally, Woodland has a wonderful inclusion special needs program. It is heart warming to watch all children interact and even more so to watch the superior dedication the special needs teachers. Kindergarten classes have two teachers per class with only 20 students! All classrooms are very spacious and bright. The school is clean and very well run. It is hard to believe that almost 950 students are attending this school, you would not know this by walking the halls. It is a very quiet and orderly, amazing!
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter has thrived at Woodland and we have been very happy with it. The teachers are very dedicated to the students' education and that's been the biggest plus.
—Submitted by a parent

Woodland is a great school, with fantastic teachers and administration. Parental involvement is lacking, but anyone who puts in the effort to be involved at the school can and will see its strengths. The negative post about Ms. Gamble is nuts, and I think reflects on the writer more than the principal. We do have a handful of problem students, and the administration - Ms. Gamble and Vice Principal Dr. Shields - have worked out an excellent discipline process that is both transparent and fair.
—Submitted by a parent

We love Woodland!! This is our third year at Woodland and we are more than happy with the school. We have loved all the teachers and staff we have worked with over the years. They are professional, courteous, organized and motivate and inspire the kids. Yes, it is very diverse, but this is representative of our city of Atlanta. Both my husband and I work full time but we make an effort to stay very involved in the school. The more you put in, the more you get out! As for the front staff, I have always found them to be professional and focused on the well being of the students.
—Submitted by a parent

I am so impressed with the principal, teachers, and staff at Woodland. Everyone works together to help every child be successful and there is such a family atmosphere at the school. The parent involvement is also impressive. Seems everyone is working for the same great cause...our children and their education.
—Submitted by a parent

Woodland has teachers that care, are involved and interested in their students lives and academically, which says alot about a school. No one school is perfect, but Woodland is constantly working with the teachers & staff to implement the most productive academic practices & also supporting the teachers well with what they need to do this. Our 2 children there have been able to thrive & enjoy school, even with the higher classroom numbers we all have at our schools now. Thx, Woodland!
—Submitted by a parent

I am very satisfied in having my children attending Woodland. The teachers are highly trained, highly motivated, and inspire my children to try their hardest. Although the school has had some bumps in the road, our new principal, Amy Gamble, is leading the school in a positive new direction by keeping programs that are working, making improvements as needed, and eliminating practices that were not benefitting the school or the students. Our family has the option to attend private school, and we are at Woodland because of its strong academics and TAG program. I am proud to be a part of such a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

Woodland has great teachers, a great principal, and a great community. My children and I are very happy.
—Submitted by a parent

We have phenomonal teachers, staff and administration who care about our children - our family is receiving a top notch education and we couldn't be happier
—Submitted by a parent