East Elementary School

I'm an involved parent at East Elementary. I currently have two children who attend. I believe that East is a school in transition. We have been under the leadership of a new principal for the 2009-2010 school year. It is true we do suffer from a lack of funds and have to follow certain testing guidelines due to the No Child Left Behind Act. That said, I truly feel that the teachers are committed to the success and well being of all the students. What I feel the school is most in need of is additional support and involvement from the families. Success takes everyone involvement.
--Submitted by a parent

I have tried to be an involved parent but the leadership is lacking. Many activities inclucing Pride Week and Family Night have been canceled due to lack of volunteers. However, they are not specific with the volunteer duties and are not well organized. Additionally, the teachers are trapped and teaching to the tests. We get increased homework when testing time is near. They even held school open during a severe snow storm to ensure testing was complete. My child is bored and doesn't want to go. Each progress report shows that he accomplished tasks he learned in pre-school. In all, I am just very disheartened and disappointed. We are looking to move from the area to get our children to better schools.

I believe a majority of the faculty really do want their students to be successful and do their very best with what they have to work with. Considering the lack of funds available for this district, art, music, and extracurricular classes are not available. PE is only offered a few times a week, and homework is given daily, on weekends, spring break, Christmas break, and any other day it can possibly be given out under the guise of the No Child Left Behind Act. Consequently, my child has no desire to go to school and looks more like an overworked adult than growing, aspiring good student. The lack of parental involvement is apparent as seen by the lack of respect the students have for athority and their apathetic conduct.
--Submitted by a parent

The school is dirty, not well supervised, and there is alot of racial fighting that goes on. The teachers are very unprofessional in the way they talk to the children. I have been very disappointed with this school, and it is supposed to be one of the best schools in Zion.
--Submitted by a parent