Freedom Park Elementary School

This was my Favoriate school when i lived in Georgia and they tought me everything I needed to know and I have turned out just fine and I wnet there from K-5 and now I am a high school sopomore there has probably been one major change and that would be the principal I was there when Mrs. Rita Bradley was there and she did a lot for the students I am an army brat and i will be coming back to GA in July

I do not have a single positive thing to say about this school. My 6 yr old was allowed to WALK HOME ALONE during the middle of a school event and no one noticed! Even worse, NOTHING has been done about it. When I confronted the principal and teacher all I got were excuses. At one time I was told "The teacher is not obligated to keep track of all her students" Um, what?! The administration is apathetic and useless and in my opinion, unqualified for the job. This is supposed to be the "best school in the district"? What a joke.
—Submitted by a parent

We are a military family with a child that has been bullied by peers and the teachers do nothing.I agree with all the parents in that the leadership at the school, i.e. the faculty are horrible. I wish I could home school my child . I pay out of pocket for my child to go to SYLVAN because she is behind in her lessons. She has ADHD and her teacher last year told her she didn't. The outrageousness of the school is shocking. We are also still waiting for an IEP over 1 year. The children at Ft.Gordon deserve better than this ! Don't send your child there if at all possible. It's been a nightmare since the first week of school last year.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with some parents in the regards of lack of communication from the school staff and the fact that the teachers constantly use slang language when instructing our children. It's no wonder that the children are far below average when it comes to their education level compared to that of other schools nationally. And the posting from a teacher accusing the military families for their inadequacies is appalling. I can understand why parents have wanted the middle school to be taught on post especially since majority of the Richmond County Schools are failing academically and there is an elevated concern about gang and drug related issues in the county. In my opinion this school needs a lot of improvements starting with the board of education.
—Submitted by a parent

My family and I have been at Ft. Gordon for the last three years. We have been very happy with the education, discipline and compassion towards those who live/work on Ft. Gordon. FPS is a quality school with dedicated teachers and administrative staff. It has made AYP every year since opening eight years ago. The school campus will also open it's new middle school wing and new gym in Feb 2012. Some complain about organization skills but I will say they do a tremendous job considering the large number of students who move on and off post 12 months out of the year, not to mention the deployments most parents and families deal with. The one thing I see lacking is more parent involvement. FPS is a GREAT SCHOOL !!!
—Submitted by a parent

I absolutely agree with previous reviews. This school is disorganized and teachers are rude to students. There is a culture of apathy, a lack of supervision, and a chaotic environment due to constant lack of communication among school teachers, administration, and school workers. Everyone I pose a question to, has another new and incorrect answer and no one seems to care how their lack of information, organization, and their attitudes affect the poor students who must attend this school. I suggest homeschooling. I pulled my children out.
—Submitted by a parent

I have had children attending this school for about 3 years and have always had issues with it from day 1!! This school is completely unorganized and alot of the teachers are rude to the students and parents. Walking through the halls I am discusted that these teachers get away with talking to kids like that. It is horrible!! Ever since the new principal came in the interaction between parents and her have been next to nothing. She is very unsocial, I have walked by her numerous times in the halls and when I smile or say hi I get nothing from her no smile no "hello" absolutely NOTHING!! She is very monotone and just rude!! Not the atmosphere I want my kids in!! My daughter has been bullied this school year and absoliutely NOTHING has been done about that!! Nothing from her teacher or principal!! How is she supposed to focus on school when she is constantly bullied and doesn't feel safe in class? Not only that but who can she turn to if NOONE does anything about it? Oh well... its because the bully has family that works at the school. I will be homeschooling my kids this next year because this has got to be the worst school I have ever seen....
—Submitted by a parent

Freedom Park is a great school. One thing the parents complain about is the fact that the school is overcrowded. It is overcrowded because that is what you all wanted. The school was not designed or structured for middle school age students. You same military folk complained and begged for your children to be able to continue middle school at this same school. After your whinning and complaining, the board of education granted your wish. Now you complain about the school is too small. What did you think ~ the building was going to automatially expand?
—Submitted by a teacher

My son has been in the process of seeing if he can get an IEP so he can get the help he needs. It's been a year and a half now and still nothing. My son is failing and the school is doing it. My other son has a teacher that cusses at her students if they don't turn homework in. This is the worst school my kids have ever been to. You would think with military kids going to this school they would have a school that will want to help the children succeed. Also they have a letter saying if your kids are sick DO NOT SEND THEM TO SCHOOL so when my kids are to sick I keep them home like a good parent would. Now There complaining they have to many unexcused absents. I hate this school and my kids do to. They will not be going back next year. I think our military kids deserve better!
—Submitted by a parent

my kids have been going to this school for almost 2 years now and like most other parents i have to agree. this school is not to the standard of the type of schools that i attended. the teachers are not willing to help the student. as for school lunch i had to submit for reduced lunch 4 times before i could get approved. at the beginning of the year i was told that i would not have to re-apply for reduced lunch but come to find out that i did. these people lost my paperwork 3 times, hence 4 time to re-apply for lunch. the teachers requested a conference and set a time for it but when my wife and i went at the time that was scheduled we were waiting for an hour before we decided to leave. the unexcused absences are another thing. sick children should not have to go to school just to be sent home 30 minutes later.in all this school is not what i would like to have learned in if i were a kid attending school.
—Submitted by a parent

Never recieved a code of conduct book or dress code. Every day they are demanding more from the parents. There is violence in the school and the principal will not do anything about it. The children are out of control. I will not send my son back!
—Submitted by a parent

We have been very happy with this school. My 3 children have had no trouble with kids, that of course is every mothers worry. Teachers are a little hard but I would rather have them in control of the students, so I am fine with it. I would not send them any place else but here.
—Submitted by a parent

Where do I start? First of all my son is 8 and is in the third grade. When we registered him they didn't have him in a class room. They didn't pass out the code of conduct book until a month affter school started. He has had 6 different teachers in ONE YEAR. With having so many teachers he has been going over the same stuff in class. They are always handing out flyers late. When they were switching teachers non of them had a meet and greet. Actually, we hardly hear about any events that are going on with the school. When we applied for reduced lunches we didn't find out until a month after that we qualified. Then when we had to get his school supplies he had to turn them into the teacher. I haven't seen anything except a few things out of the 30 item list.
—Submitted by a parent

Hello my daughter goes to this school and it the best school I have seen in a long time, it well mannered the principle takes good care of the school and has the school under control. The kids r well behaved they dont do whatever they like to do which is a good thing. There no viloence there and I feel safe for my little girl to go to this school.My lil girl has autism and I feel safe for her to be there they take time with there children and dont just not pay attention or shove them off in a corner like most schools do. There are concern with the kids at this school all the teacher interact with them very well and they have good teacher that r nice and know there children by name and have teacher watch out for them in the mornings
—Submitted by a parent

I recently attended Freedom Park for my 8th grade year. I came from a school that had lockers, 7 classes a day, and great teachers! When I got to this school it was a set back. The school is not very good at all. At the beginning of the year 8th grade classes were so messed up.... kids were going to wrong classes getting homework assignment messed up. For the beginning of the year one teacher taught math and social studies. It did not work out! Math would run into Social Studies time... They don't allow choices like othe middle schools would. You are givin 4 classes and you have to take all four of those classes. They don't have art. They have music, p.e., health, and computer! The principal was nice but conflicting. The policy states you are not allowed to wear hats, but the principal does and then gets...
—Submitted by a student

My daughter has attended this school for two years now and compared to her last school, I was disappointed. The faculty are not very parent or child 'friendly', communication within the school is almost zero and there are very little activities held outside of school hours or even within school hours for that matter. The nly positive feeling I have about this school is that it is so close to home we can walk there.
—Submitted by a parent

I have to agree with the the most recent posts. My husband & I are actively involved in our son's education. On many situations, we have gotten conflicting information regarding happenings in the school. Something as simple as dismissal times. The staff out front informed us that dismissal had changed (in late April/Early May). When I went to ask the front office when car riders would be dismissed, they looked at me like I was crazy. They stated times did not change. The teacher my son had was wonderful, but she to was frustrated. The school lacks normal organization. At times our son came home an hour later due to overcrowding on the bus. Literally 3 to a seat. They still have to do two bus runs for the neighborhood on base. New Base housing is nice, but if you value your childs education, look seriously at housing in Columbia County.
—Submitted by a parent

FP was built to house 540 K4-5th graders. Richmond County decided to add 6th-8th grades increasing enrollment to 900+ students w/o adequate bldgs, books, or staff. There is no organization among the staff, events are usually planned at the last minute with no notice to parents. A active PTA doesn't exist with select few that like to control the situation & drive all the willing parents away. The majority of the staff is as frustrated as the parents & the Principal & Richmond County is in full denial of the exisiting problems at hand. The MS students don't have the cirriculum or extra after school clubs or activities, so they rob Peter to pay Paul in using the Elementary staff. Arrival & disimissal is chaos, MS & ES students share the buses, & the school does not have the necessary technology resources. This school is divided in culture and educational vision.
—Submitted by a parent

Not the greatest atmosphere for children. Some great teachers in the lower grades, but the middle school terachers leave a lot to be desired. Most are rude and disrespectful towards the kids. The school is way too small for Pre-k through 8th grade. And the middle school students do not get a whole lot of freedoms and responibilities that they would be exposed to in a regular middle school. Information about upcoming events is hard to get and faculty seems uninformed most times. Not a lot of people who really know what is going on. Little to no PTA info. I've never recieved any info about any meetings and yet I have been a member for both years we have been here. All in all the school needs a lot of work, but offers little to no opportunity do so. I'd homeschool before sending my kids here for another year.
—Submitted by a parent

I must say this school is different. The inclusion of middle school (PK-8TH) is great for me b/c all my children attend. But in order for the middle grades to get 'ready' for high school I think they need to have more structured bell changes for these children. Its getting better, its just the beginning of the year so hopefully by the end they have something concrete. Overall great school, I love it.
—Submitted by a parent