Hillside Elementary School

Hillside has been a wonderful experience for my children. I have a third grader and a first grader and we have had amazing teachers that I can't say enough good things about. They are both advanced and have been challenged by their teachers at every level. The PTA is really caring and hosts amazing programs for the kids such as Science Day and Artist Day which the kids love. I love their character education program that teachers the students value words every month. They also do a ton of drives and service projects to reinforce those values.
—Submitted by a parent

the people are very nice but the program is way too slow if your children are high achievers or excel. my son is unmotivated and the work is unchallenging for him. the response in all areas of the school is slow too and it is slow to adapt to other students. i haven't seen much homework come home so i know they are not doing the volume of work they need to. the problem is just lack of interest in these exceptional students in my opinion. instead of seeing them as an asset and great role models, they dumb down the whole class for the ones unable to do the work. this makes the teachers appear overworked and to let the smartest kids fend for themselves.the environment is pleasant and homey. kids are mindful and pleasant so it is hard for me to pull them out since they enjoy this environment very much. i believe the incessant problem of slow children needs to be solved via volunteers.encouragement from the teachers also instead of looking at parents as intrusive. the pta seems more about $/events than the huge holes in the school that exist.it is unfair for exceptional kids. they need to do more in the way of engaging parents or helping teachers.many more spanish liasons needed also.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a new Hillside parent. My children are new students in grades 2 and 4. We have received a very warm welcome. The teachers have made every effort to make my kids feel part of the Hillside family right from the start. We attended a school within the district in the past. Hillside has a small school feel and I must say - I am impressed!
—Submitted by a parent

We have been at Hillside for 3 years now and it has been a wonderful experience. Both of my children are happy and excelling in their academics. The teachers are incredible and the administration is very easy to work with. The PTA is a well organized group of people who are doing everything they can to make Hillside the best it can be and are constantly asking parents to step up and help in any way. We love Hillside!
—Submitted by a parent

Bad Leadership by the Principal. PTA is a Mom's group that doesn't encourage others parents to participate they do not accommodate changes and are very unfriendly. The Teachers some are nice but some of them are way out of line when it comes to respecting the parents and handling children. If you complain about anything you are penalized, the teachers and staff gang up against you. Not a healthy atmosphere for children and parents needs complete change. Needs dedicated teachers who love teaching children and have patience and understanding.
—Submitted by a parent

It is the fist year for my daughter and she liked the experience. TAG class is her favourite. The staff is caring and teachers are very attentive. I am very satisfied.
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers and staff. School is always doing extracurricular activities and adding amenities to expand student s knowledge and make the school more personalized (new plant boxes by the front entrance for example). As well, parents are very involved as was demonstrated by the successful fund raiser to put in the new gym floor last year. I wish there were more funds to support the teachers as I think they are bearing an unfair burden in having to take days off w/out pay. If I thought I could find support I'd lead a charge to raise money among the parents to reimburse the teachers for the days they have lost. That is how strongly I feel about the quality of the Hillside staff.
—Submitted by a parent

fantastic teachers and programs. they teach to the 'higher level' which I appreciate but also support kids that need an extra hand
—Submitted by a parent

I have a 12 year old who went thru grades K-5 and now a 3rd grader still there. It is a great school and most if not all teachers work hard to educate the students on many levels. If there is a complaint, and I'm sure many have thought this but few have written , it is in the amount of non-Hillside flyers that come home in each weeks VIP packets. They overwhelm me and make me feel that 1, my kids could be joining all these things but I won't let them, or 2, I feel pressure to contribute to some cause constantly. I want to know what's going on at Hillside. Not wanting to see so much about other non-Hillside events that my 8 year old could be particpating in. The school should be filtering this stuff out.
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 children here(1 in her first year and 1 in her 3rd year). I am impressed by how with it's many changes(redistricting, principal changes) how quickly they are to respond to parents and how they teach to the highest level(and work with those that need extra help to bring them to the highest level as well). I am a child of private school as is my husband but we are impressed to date by our choice of public school in this area.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school - highly recommended!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is terrific!!
—Submitted by a parent

Outstanding public school that values diversity, achievement, and differentiated instruction. The new principal and administration are focused on attracting and maintaining experienced, quality teachers, and integrating high tech materials into the classroom. Students can look forward to participating in a school-wide Science Olympiad Day, an Artist Day where 15-20 local artists spend the day at the school, teaching about their artform, reading motivational programs, and student clubs. The media specialist facilitates a student-led morning tv show called WDOG. Of course, every school faces challenges, and Hillside is no exception. It has an interesting mix of students from rich and upper middle class to a number of students that qualify for free lunch. But, the cultural diversity is a benefit. I highly recommend this school. We plan to move this year, but will be staying in the Hillside district.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is amazing!!! It is the most organized school that I have ever known! The new principal is awesome and the teachers are great!!! My son loves going to school here which is the complete opposite of last year at another nearby school. There is a lot of parent involvement and after school activities to select from. I have not talked to one parent who has said a bad thing about Hillside.
—Submitted by a parent

D.Jones the principal has created an awesome environment for all the children
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at Hillside and love it! We started in K and now in 4th grade. It is better than most private schools - I used to teach at one. My son started in Pre-K and is in K now. Every teacher is top notch and the shcool is gorgeous with state of the art technology. They have WDOG news every AM on closed circuit TV so even my 6 yr old knows what's happening! They change classes from K on for reading & math to ensure students get the appropriate level of challenge. The principal is down to earth and knows all the kids. She is a real leader and encourages parents to join kids for lunch any day. It is a privaledge and I am about to pay an extra 30K for a house to stay in this school district. Thanks to all the Huskies!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is everything we hoped it would be when we moved from out of state 2 years ago. Hillside tailors the children's education to their individual needs in a way I have never seen nor heard of before. They do a fabulous job with both advanced students and students with special needs (and those who fit both descriptions). The teaching staff is truly remarkable and I don't believe my daughter could receive a better education at any price. We chose our home so we could be in a Hillside neighborhood, for the combination of test scores and diversity. We have not been disappointed. The scores continue to outshine other schools in the area.
—Submitted by a parent

Hillside is a great school! They offer many opportunties for their students; Boyscouts, GirlScouts, Band, Sports, A Daily progress book. Hillside is better than a lot of private schools.
—Submitted by a parent

Academics are exceptional. Wonderful Continuous Achievement program in Math and Language Arts. Staff-the best in North Fulton. Students feel completely at home and feel a sense of pride and ownership. There are numerous ways for the students to get involved. The art teacher is fabulous and has received a National Award. The Orchestra progam is exceptional. The Media Specialists helps film a daily news show by the students broadcast out to all homerooms. The Staff is very giving of their time. The whole staff and the PTA were awarded the National President's Volunteer Service Award. There are so many wonderful activities and experiences for a student at this school. I cannot say enough good things. If you want a school with the best across the board, then this is the school for you. All students are nurtured and helped to achieve their personal best.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter began her education at Hillside and is now a second grader and we've gone to great lengths to make certain she stays there! We were zoned out of the Hillside attendance zone at the end of last school year. Without hesitation we began plans to relocate to within the zone in order to keep her at Hillside. The school is wonderful and the staff is fantastic. These early years are very important to my child's educational future and she thrives here. My two regrets are that the school only goes up to 5th grade and that my son was not able to attend Hillside. My children are ages 8 and 18.
—Submitted by a parent