Glenn Westlake Middle School

My daughter's been at GWMS for three years and my son starts next fall. I have very good feedback on GWMS. She's consistently had good teachers, great orchestra experience, good sports teams, etc. The school has all modern teaching equipment (mac labs, windows labs, accelerated programs, etc.) Good focus on the whole student - physical, academic, arts. Compared to what I hear from some of our friends in neighboring towns, I can say GWMS is a strong school comparatively.
--Submitted by a parent

I am above average and get bored in class with nothing much to learn. No time is devoted to help kids with disability or kids falling behind. [ I know because of some of my friends and other kids I know.]
--Submitted by a student

This school is good (not great) if you have an average or above average student. If your child can't 'keep up with the crowd', he will definitely fall thru the cracks. My child has had reading support since 3rd grade in this district and has not improved! Yet he continues to get pushed thru to the next grade level and his grades do NOT reflect his test scores. This is a middle school with a high school environment and the enormous population is NOT beneficial to a constructive educational experiance for children of this age group. Why are children being forced to 'grow up' too soon?! Let them be kids and enjoy their educational experience. They are not a herd of cows and they are not a can of beans - they are each unique indivuduals and this is totally lost in this school's environment.
--Submitted by a parent

Kathy Tomasiewicz the Director of Special Services of District 44 has brought her leadership and skills to GWMS, a much needed addition. I am extremely thankful for her services and knowledge. She is a breath of fresh air, and the program that she has initiated this school year will really benefit all, student & teacher.
--Submitted by a parent

i think this is a wonderfull school
--Submitted by a parent

I am in my first year in GWMS and I think its great! All the teachers are very organized and the school has many clubs and activities. Thier security program is amazing! You have to have I.D.'s on at all times and the school has so many kids and they do a great job organizing kids great. its split into 3 teams. Great school!
--Submitted by a student

At the best I can rate this school is a 5 out 10. We have made it through 7 years at GWMS and 3 kids. Communication between school and home is almost nonexistent. More than half the teachers websites have not been updated in years. But my main complaint was the overcrowded classrooms. That has been a problem since day one and the reason why students slip through the teacher's radar in need of assistance. The kids are stressed, the teachers are stressed and they seem to push the droves of children through without even loooking up. The best thing that can happen for all students is to base teachers salaries on how well their students score on tests. Then you will see some changes at GWMS. Good Luck!
--Submitted by a parent

I've had mixed experiences at GWMS. I think the instructors are great. I've found them to be easily accessible and to have a genuine interest in their students' success. If I needed help or guidance with keeping my son on track, they've been very supportive and offer excellent suggestions. That kind of input helps a busy parent in ways words can't describe. The man at the helm, however, I would rather do without. I think the school does a great job of mediating.
--Submitted by a student

Our child's first two years at GWMS have been quite successful and I am expecting a great final year! There is some culture shock in transitioning from a smaller grade school to GWMS: one challenge facing the school and parents/students is that GWMS is the only middle school in Lombard. The student population is very mixed -- and prior school experiences quite varied, so teachers and administrators have to meld it all together. I have encountered many very strong teachers at GWMS and the curriculum is varied enough to be interesting, but not overwhelming. Parents who are unhapppy with GWMS need to put themselves in the staff's shoes: middle school is an incredibly difficult and delicate time in a child's life. Not easy parenting MSers...can't be easy teaching them either!
--Submitted by a parent

After spending time in additional facilities, I realize the building leadership at Westlake is poor at best. There is a ton of parent involvement, too much. It appears as if the parents control the day-to-day decisions at the school (to the detriment of the students). There have been at least three very good instructors who have been run out of the school by these over involved parents within the last three school years; Again, poor leadership....It's a shame to waste such great resources (physical plant, technology and staff)because of poor administrative personnel.
--Submitted by a parent