Lincoln Elementary School

I have to strongly disagree with the 5/2/13 posting - this school is a real gem! The teachers and principal are committed to excellence in education as well as personal development of the children. My child transferred to Lincoln in 4th grade from a highly regarded, private school in Lincoln Park and is now thriving - getting good enough grades to be accepted into a college prep high school. No school is perfect but for a public school, this comes pretty darn close.
—Submitted by a parent

This is a great school if your child is on the right hand side of the bell curve. Strong fundraising means techers never lack for equipment or supplies. Teachers are decent and along with dedicated room parents things are pretty good. Sports and band programs are solid. However if your child is below the mean Lincoln's ability (and sadly among some staff, willingness) to help isn't great. One of our kids has had a wonderful experience but our other has been poorly served. If you're willing to push and work the system it's a pretty good school but if you think you can go on autopilot and be assured the school is watching out for your below average or special needs child you're making a sad and dangerous mistake.
—Submitted by a parent

I would like to clarify the misleading information in the 3/19/13 review. My first grader is in the classroom NEXT TO the boiler room (no class meets IN the boiler room), which was a music room for years. Not only is there a window in the room, but it is the only classroom with a second exit (fire door) that goes directly outside to the back of the school - - something I took comfort in the day that a gunman went into Sandyhook Elementary. Also, there are only 23 students in each of the first grade classes - - pretty wonderful for a CPS school. As for the kindergarten, there are two full-time, experienced kindergarten teachers in one over-sized classroom (specially designed for kindergarteners) teaching about 18 kids each. Again a nice student-teacher ratio. There's no question that having full-day kindergarten at Lincoln next year will put additional pressure on the school, but having more space available at DePaul for the older grades will help the school to address this challenge next year and possibly beyond. I have been a parent at this school for many years and, while it is not the small school it was when we first arrived, it has done well as the population swelled.
—Submitted by a parent

Lincoln was a great school but the overcrowding situation is deteriorating the quality of the school. A first grade class now meets in the boiler room with no windows, half the library was taken away last year and now they are talking about taking away the full library for next year. We lost the music classrooms and now band meets in the auditorium at the expense of assemblies and opportunities for kids to gain experience on stage. Currently there are 36 kindergarteners meeting in a single classroom. With the mandated full-day kindergarten the situation is worse. We know the principal and teachers will do their best, but a school with no library and no music classroom cannot be a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

I had to respond to the 9/4/12 reviewer. There is too much emphasis on testing but that's where American education is going. Lincoln is not perfect but it's not just about ISATs either. Kids from this school have gone on to city-wide and state-wide history fair/science fair/spelling bees and done well. Try to match the band program anywhere in Chicago, public or private. The French language sub-school is directly affiliated with the Consulate and uses programs from the Ministry of Education- this all rubs off to the benefit of all students. The same teachers who instruct the pre-IB/International Gifted classes in grades 6-8 also teach mainstream students and the results show. High school placement results (selective enrollment and honors programs) have few peers. My child dissected a frog in 7th grade and will do it again in the second half of freshman year (2 yrs. later!) at a high school that accepted less than 1 in 10 applicants by merit, not lottery. You can count on one hand the number of non-magnet CPS schools that can say that.
—Submitted by a parent

I have no idea why so many people think this school is so great. We were here for 5 years and had very few good experiences. It is over crowded, the principal is not approachable. I contacted him about an issue and his response was sorry to hear about that and left it at that. The french program is a joke! The school spends so much time preparing for the ISATs that the kids get stressed out! I could go on and on about all the problems at this school. They boast about having smart boards in all the classrooms but all that means is the teachers play videos on them for the kids. My kids came home with terrible headaches almost everyday from them. Don't let test scores fool you! There are only a few teachers here that are amazing. If you think knowing how to take a standardized test and filling in test bubbles properly are skills your child needs then this is a great school. If you want your child challenged and given positive criticism then avoid this school. Some one said that the principal is great with the kids. I have to strongly disagree. I personally saw him screaming, yes screaming at kindergarten children.
—Submitted by a parent

Wonderful school, wonderful principal. Principal sets high expectations but also has sense of humor that makes him approachable and establishes rapport with kids and parents alike. Parents welcoming, incredibly involved resulting in multiple enrichment opportunities unavailable in other schools. Band program a great program for all kids (with funding for those who can't afford an instrument) - whether your kid is a superstar musician or just wants to participate, they'll get a lot out of it. Separate music teacher and band teachers all first rate. Core subjects all strong, absolutely filled to the gills with teachers who strive for more.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is fantastic. They have a fun, active school, with Junior Great books, sports, music and art. They also begin French in kindergarten. There is a bit of overcrowding, because everyone is trying to move into the area. It is a great since of community and friendship, where people are willing to help each other out. The school is extremely clean but dated. They have smartboards that the FOL raised funds for and they encourage summer reading.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is a third grader at Lincoln. This school is excellent. Great teachers, good environment, and very engaging parents. The academic progress is very competitive. We are lucky to go to this school because this is better than a lot of private schools!
—Submitted by a parent

Lincoln provides an excellent education and creates a wonderful sense of community. There is wonderful parent involvement, and the children feel supported and valued by everyone in the building.
—Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent school that provides a balance of challenging academics with top notch after school activities. I see involved parents, devoted teachers and a motivated principal who is approachable and available to work out any concern. The end product of this school are happy students who are nurtured and have great friends. This is truly an exceptional school. Go Lincoln!!!!!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

While we like Lincoln, the class size is a real concern. Many classes have 33 students to 1 teacher. The lower grades class size seems to be getting bigger every year and there is no room to expand.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers, principal, staff, parents and students. It is an awesome school dedicated to doing the best for our students.
—Submitted by a parent

I love this wonderful public school because their fabulous teachers nurtured my son right into a challenging college prep High School and now continue to teach and nurture my daughter. Their wonderful PTA and FOL work hard and well to provide extracuriculars like Art, Music, Band, Computers & Technology, PE and even a Climbing Wall. And now, we are even going for a Greenhouse Rooftop Garden !!! How wonderful is that? My children have always felt safe and at home when they are at school. I love this school.
—Submitted by a parent

Lincoln is a wonderful school. It has many programs like band and sports, but the truth is, it's the parents. Many of the parents come from relatively wealthy families, and are kind to put their time and money into Lincoln. We also have a wonderful principal, who has organized many new oppurtunitiess for students. My children were both in I.B, and they were challenged evry day at Lincoln. The teachers are not the best in the city, but they do not have any teachers worth criticizing. Most students also live close to school, and the surrounding neighborhood to Lincoln is very welcoming. Overall, Lincoln is a great school, especially for a Public School.
—Submitted by a parent

Fantastic. My child was in the pre-IB and was always challenged. He was well prepared for one of the top selective entrance high schools. The band program is FANTASTIC. The sports programs are good too. The principal has a great manner with the students. Boys are well appreciated in the school, which can sometimes be a problem in strong academic programs.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter has been at Abraham Lincoln for 3 years now (grades 1-3). We have been uniformly impressed by the school, in particular the quality of the teachers and the high level of parental involvement. The qualities that make this school so wonderful are not the obvious, quanitifable ones (test scores, student-to-teacher ratio, etc), though Lincoln holds its own in these areas, but in the care, attention to detail, and esprit de corps of the place. Everyone, from the principal to the teachers, students and parents, cares deeply about the school. To give an example, in second grade, our daughter's teacher organized a toy drive for children in Tanzania, and her daughter, a member of the Peace Corps, personally delivered the toys. There are many other stories like this. We really feel our daughter is becoming a 'citizen of the world' at this school, learning far beyond the standard curriculum.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the 12/14/07 poster. This is an excellent public school but it is still a public school. The point about the teachers union I think simply means that the teachers will not be uniformly excellent. The more important point is that roughly 10% of Lincoln students in our experience (three years) are disruptive or 'acting out'. You have to be a really excellent teacher, as was our 2nd grade teacher, to create a great environment for learning despite 2-4 students being incorrigibly off-task and attention-needy. But the overall environment, including the diversity of student personalities and attitudes, is one of Lincoln's great _positive_ features. Real life involves making success with sometimes anarchic situations and imperfect but real people.
—Submitted by a parent

For a neighborhood public school in a big city Lincoln is outstanding. Measured against schools in more affluent subsurbs or even the city's elite gifted schools it holds its own but is not at the very top tier. Highly involved parents and fairly affluent district boundaries relieve some of the financial pressure an urban school might face. Fund raising is continuous but the result is better equipment and facilities. I sympathize with the reviewer whose child had a negative experience but you have to realize that a big bureaucracy and strong teachers union create challenges. You have to be more aggressive than you would in a smaller suburban or private school. Follow the protocol but don't be afraid to escalate your concerns to the principal or area level quckly.
—Submitted by a parent

I'm in the 7th grade and all the teachers are wonderful and they won't let you fail. None of the teachers will. I must admit it is a little crowded but other than that, it's an excellent school with excellent teachers.
—Submitted by a student