Valley View Elementary School

Horribly outdated curriculum, very unorganized, a handful of quality teachers with a pair of principals that lack the leadership and knowledge needed to turn the school in the right direction. Worst school in Illinois? No. Worst school in McHenry? Definitely. Send your kids to Landmark if you can!
--Submitted by a parent

Academics are average. As long as you supplement their education and do the tasks the teachers assign, your child will be fine.
--Submitted by a parent

I think the homework needs to be cut back somewhat. I understand the concept of homework but my son doesnt get home until 4:15 and then he has to eat dinner and has tons of homework. After being at school all day and then coming home and having to do all that homework he is so worn out and has no down time. Im not saying dont give homework but maybe just cut down alittle so these kids have alittle down time to be kids!
--Submitted by a parent

Although my child had a great interaction with her teachers at this school, the overall satisfaction is very poor. There seems to be a lack of communication with the parents. The Secretaries in the office seem to know more than the Principal and Assistant Principal. They seem to turn down parent involvement in many cases and have given very negative input to the PTO. The meetings seem to become more a battle between the parents and the admin. In my years there, this "new" admin is a downhill slide for the school. The previous admin was more focused on the education of the child. Since the promotion of the Principal she has focused less on reading which is in serious trouble. Many of the people that have voiced their opinions have been eliminated. To have a school that puts more emphasis on a behavior program rather than the updating of the school library is a shame. If I was in charge and given $ to update the library I would take as much advantage of that as was possible. It seems that the PTO's plan was put to the wayside and all you heard from admin was about the STAR program, it's toys and end of the year party. What are we teaching our kids. S Such a shame.
--Submitted by a parent

I would like to see the reading scores come up. I recieved a letter saying that they have not achieved the minimum AYP proficiency target in all subgroups in Reading. Under the No Child Left Behind Act provides us the option to transfer our child to another public school within the district with transportation provided by the district. However, at this time they do not have a school within the district to which your child can transfer. No schools in neighboring districts have agreed to take students at this time. So at this time we are stuck with leadership who can not produce.
--Submitted by a parent

The school is very unorganized. We recieved letters that our school did not meet the AYP proficiency minimum for all students. They will be on academic probation. They have failed for two years in a row (with new principal and vice principal) while they implemented a STAR program for good behavior. It seems that they are not interested in the fundementals of reading and quaility education. It should be time to make a change in leadership. The school has some excellent teachers who are willing to go the extra mile, but the administration does not give them the help they need. They also have a history of treating volunteers very badly. We are letting them fail our children and effect our property values. What does it take before the school district makes a change and puts in some quality leadership?
--Submitted by a parent

We are very disappointed with this school. It is overcrowded, unorganized, and poorly run. The principals are a joke. When we can we will be moving to another school in the district.
--Submitted by a parent

We were new to this school this year and so far it has seemed very disorganized. We have moved several times and the principle or vice principle in the past have always greeted us or better yet, shown us around. I know they are busy, but a hello and welcome would have been nice. The activities so far have all seemed like they are thrown together last minute. I think some of the teachers do a lot and pick up the slack of the lacking principal leadership. My son has a great teacher that has been their forever and knows how to teach. I am greatful for him. My daughter has a teacher new this year and hates her. She seems very disorganized and unfriendly like the leadership.
--Submitted by a parent

I am sad to say that since the new administration took over last year, the school has gone downhill quickly. From what it was before with the old principal, It now seems very disorganized to me as a parent. Whenever I come in to talk to or call the principal and vice principal they are never available. The few times I have talked to them, I feel like they are only telling me what I want to hear, and laughing behind my back. They give their 'favorite' parents, teachers and students preferential treatment, and leave everyone else behind. I am thankful for the few great teachers my daughter has had, but the leadership needs to stop focusing on themselves and start focusing on the students they serve.
--Submitted by a parent

When my daughter entered Kindergarten reading at a second grade level and bored by the daily Kindergarten activities, the staff listened to our concerns as parents. My daughter was tested and accelerated to the next grade. The staff is genuinely concerned about each child and wants every student to succeed.
--Submitted by a parent