Prairie Crossing Charter School

i love this school so much better than any other stinking schools. they r really boring. not 2 b mean, just my option.

This website requires fifteen words. I had planned on just writing one. NIGHTMARE. But there are my fifteen words.
--Submitted by a parent

Some this these reviews are so obviously posted by people who pose as concerned parents but are clearly simply detractors that it's laughable. All schools have pluses and minuses. Our daughter has thrived at PCCS and we have been pleased at the quality of the teachers and the welcoming atmosphere. And give me a break - "our child is gifted and that is why he/she is disruptive"?? Wake up, Parent!
--Submitted by a parent

Our son was a struggling student at Woodland and this wonderful school took him to a level where he is now receiving above average grades. I would take negative comments on this site with a grain of salt, given the unionized area public school teachers are against the experimentation and out-of-the-box thinking employed by these charter schools. Kudos to PC for bringing the area a new brand of public school to our area, we are very lucky to have them in Grayslake.
--Submitted by a parent

My son loves this school but unfortunately the administration and some of those teachers are a big failure. From the principal to the secretary, they just don t know anything about anything. Their organization is very bad and their manners are words. If you try to get some help for your kid with special needs, they will make sure that you don t get it! Their goal is not to help the kids but to keep their jobs. In addition to that, there are some employees that will make sure to make your life miserable any time they can if they don t like you. Customer service is for sure not in their agenda. To be fear, I have to say that some of those teachers are extremely good and helpful and you can see that they love what they do.
--Submitted by a parent

Plusses and minuses. Class size is small; the kids tend to be from families that are very committed to their education. Unique focus on the environment. Students have a variety of experiences not available elsewhere. Parent involvement is high. Open equally to Prairie Crossing residents and others in the surrounding school districts (all are combined equally in a lottery). In the minus column, teacher quality is uneven and the same can be said of the administration; over the past 10+ years we witnessed many changes in staffing; particularly disappointing to see several of the best and most experienced teachers let go over the years for inexplicable reasons. Many of the teachers lack experience. As several others have commented, the school tends to suppress gifted students and this was a huge source of frustration. Ultimately we chose to keep our children there because it was important for us that they be able to walk to school in the neighborhood. In high school our children report that PCCS graduates tend to do well and to be more hardworking/try harder than other students, although they are not generally at the very top of their class.
--Submitted by a parent

There are many wonderful things about this school, but overall the academics do not seem to be the primary focus. Wonderful things: small class sizes, parental involvement, emphasis on being outdoors and physical health of the body as well as environmental awareness, and emphasis on interaction between the class levels (ex, 7th graders teaching 1st graders a block of instruction in plant life cycles). Negatives: Failure on the part of the school and its resources to recognize giftedness as a partial reason for our child's disruptive classroom behavior. I strongly suggest any parent who suspects that their child is gifted seek outside testing. PCCS cannot do the testing, nor will they suggest that option to you even if they suspect a high IQ. The only differentiation for our child was higher grade level reading assignments. The size of the school may impact their ability to implement differentiation in the classroom. PCCS does not have a dedicated gifted program.
--Submitted by a parent

Very poor academics. Principal paid a lot and teachers very little. Math program is very poor.
--Submitted by a parent

Our teachers just made a union because they're underpaid and dont trust the director or principle of the school. Many parents are not happy with whats gone on with the director in the last 2 years and he is being replaced. The school is broke and if teachers want more money it could close the school. Academics are suffering because teachers are not happy and everyone is fighting.
--Submitted by a parent

PCCS is a small family like school with devoted and professional teachers, stuff, principle and director. It has good resource of students with very caring parents. We love the school.
--Submitted by a parent