South Columbia Elementary School

SCE is an excellent school. The teachers and staff are extremely professional and it's obvious they care about the children. This is our first public school experience and it has been awesome. The Curriculum could be more challenging but overall I am very pleased with this school.
--Submitted by a parent

For all of the bad things said about this school, I must disagree. My husband and I are very happy with everything at SCE. The teachers have kept us informed of everything we needed to know on our children (2 attend there). Always answered questions. The office staff knows who our daughters are as soon as we walk in. Always with a smile. Our oldest is in ensemble, and she loves it. Keep up the great work SCE
--Submitted by a parent

I am on the fence about this school. We have friends with children in other schools (Richmond and Columbia Counties) and can see good and bad points with S. Columbia. I am really disappointed with the Accelarated Reader program. My son is no genius, but not allowing a second grader to read second grade books is crazy (he is scoring 100's on the books he has read). The Principal has been with the school for quite a few years and is great. The teachers are attentive and will answer any question, but sometimes let you know that they are busy. This year's teacher has given us an e-mail address, so that handles that problem. I was not supprised by the CRCT scores as the school didn't really seam to care that the tests were coming last year. Have had problems with bullies also and disruptive children. Lunchroom also needs improvememt.
--Submitted by a parent

I am very impressed by South Columbia Elem. They are nothing short of awsome. I was very worried when my child started Pre-K. She had some learning disabilites that I wasn't quite sure the teacher could handle. Her first year of school was excellent. I could not have asked for a better teacher. She was right there every step of the way. Her kindergarden year was awsome. She was a different child. The staff at this school are incredible. When you walk into South Columbia, you feel like your right at home. The teachers that my daughter has had so far have given me every bit of information that I ask for. I agree with some parents that we do have a lot of fundraisers but this isn't Stevens Creek. My hats off to all the teachers, staff, and PTO. South Columbia Elementary is making our world a better place.
--Submitted by a parent

I must agree with the previous review, TOO MANY FUNDRAISERS! I also have a problem with their accelerated reader program. My child reads at an 8th gr level but is only allowed to read library books at a 4th gr level. He too is an A/B student with excellent grades. I have repeatedly asked that he be tested for the gifted program but my requests fall on deaf ears. We know a teacher at a middle school that feels he would truly excel in a gifted class. I guess we will have to wait-again. The Zero Tolerance on fighting needs to be better enforced. They tend to go too easy on the agressors and too hard on the kids that fight back when it is the child's last option. How many times must a student or parent complain about bullying before something is done?
--Submitted by a parent

I give this school a 5...I am not impressed with the teachers NOT keeping the parents informed with grades. My childs teacher sends home graded papers every so often (only when she feels like it). Thank goodness my child is an 'A' student, otherwise it would take a lot of catching up to do if it were the other way around. The school seems to be more into fundraising than anything and of course as the lady mentioned in the previous review 'they involve the parents in everything'; if they did not, the school would get 1/4 of what it gets from fundraising since it is the parents that do all of the work. I feel as though I am constantly getting bombarded by fundraising items, or stickers at least 5 times per month! That is crazy!
--Submitted by a parent

I have nothing but good things to say about this school. They involve the parents in everything. The teachers are very involved snd make your child feel like they are the only ones that are important. Very supportive of military families, single parent families, and grandparents. I went here when I was younger and hope that it continues to stay the same!
--Submitted by a parent