We have three children and all have excelled at ABE. Teachers and Staff are wonderful, parent involvement is amazing. I am not impressed with our options in Lawrence Township choices after elementary school and we will need to make a decision with our oldest soon and only wish we had an option like ABE as our children get older.
—Submitted by a parent

Both staff and teachers are focused on education and amaze me how well they get the most out of each child based on their ability. My second grader is reading at a 5th grade level, my 5 year old writes and reads better than her 6 and 7 year old friends at other schools. Although I dont know if I will keep my kids in Lawrence schools after elementary, I cant say enough good things about Amy Beverland.
—Submitted by a parent

The Pre school of the arts is like somekind of magical enchanted advaenture for my 4 and 5 year olds. Every moorning they are greeted with smiles and hugs from classmates and teachers and they return home having had a full day of academics, arts & Crafts and recess. The Principles and staff handle business matters professionally and recognize me and my children as a part of the AB family. The teachers and their assistants are always positive and providing guidance when needed. At this age my concern is that they enjoy getting up everyday and going to school and my kids wont miss a day. Thank you to the staff @ ABE/POA
—Submitted by a parent

I see that the negative comments are about how parents do not feel thier child is being challenged enough. I am a student teacher at Amy Beverland and I can see how one would say this. What some may not be able to see is that this school practices constructivism. This is when the learning is student driven. Our job as teachers is to become the observer and let the students imagination guide thier learning. I can say that my experience at Amy Beverland is very different from other schools. There is not an a lot of homework given because that is the idea of constructivism. If I could give a worried parent a little advise it would be to not be frightened by this style of teaching because I see children get excited about learning everday. Try to research information on constructivism to learn how great it really is.

This school is great! The children get alot one on one attention from the dedicated staff. The children also get a very well rounded education, as the music, art and PE programs are excellent.
—Submitted by a parent

I have three children who have attended Amy Beverland. Reading seemed to be the top priority at all three grade levels. After moving we found out the above average grades which all three received at AB had not truely prepared them for other school districts. All three are behind in other areas such as math, spelling and grammer. Although the staff was always professional and seems to work with the students, I think too much is put on the ISTEP or areas in which the school receives funding. A true well rounded education should evaluate all areas of learning and comprehension of the materal taught.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is wonderful. The environment is so positive and each child gets a lot of individual attention. They have many programs for the child to be involved in.
—Submitted by a parent

I was very impressed and happy with the personal attention given by the principal and my daughter's teacher. They seem to strive to recognize students as individuals. I believe that any problems are due to NCLB and the struggles it creates without funding. A.B. is overall a wonderful school.
—Submitted by a parent

Amy Beverland does an excellent job of recognizing children as individuals. I have one child that attended there in the past, three more that are currently enrolled. All four have very different ability levels. Teachers and administrators have consistently worked to treat each child as unique. They welcome parent involvement. They listen well and work with the parents to find solutions as necessary. I highly recommend Amy Beverland.
—Submitted by a parent

I am saddened by the few poor reviews of ABE! My daughter just completed first grade, and it was a wonderful experience. I volunteered in the library once a week and in her classroom weekly, so I experienced for myself the environment at ABE - it makes a huge difference when parents become a regular part of the school experience. She did have homework every night...accelerated math practice tests, reading and worksheets. My girl is very impulsive and dramatic, but her teacher simply (and compassionately) did not allow distruptions in the classroom. However, to give her the tools to control her impulsivity, she met with a group of peers once a week with the school counselor - a 'group therapy' session for first graders! As a result, her new-found control helped her soar with her reading, and she even won a silver medal in the Math Pentathlon competition!
—Submitted by Tracy Phillips, a parent

I only have one child. He is now in the 4th grade and had wonderful caring teachers at ABE grades 1-3. This year his teacher has a different style, I guess. He is not as kind and caring toward the students as previous teachers. I do think he feels it is his responsibility to be more firm to start getting the students ready for middle school. Discipline is a challenge, certainly, but I am not sure it is applied evenly - the boys seem to get a bad rap. Overally I really like the school, but one thing that annoys me is the amount of inside recess. There is nothing for the kids to do except play quiet games and boys need time to blow off steam!
—Submitted by a parent

I have one child who has attended Amy Beverland, two currently there, and one to attend next year. My children have a wide range of intelligence and abilities, and I have been very pleased with the education they have received. Last year my fifth grader's educational experience was very demanding, but positive, and included classwork and homework that prepared her very well for sixth grade at the middle school. The teachers that we have had, and we've had many, have all been interested in any concerns that we have had about emotional or educational needs, and they addressed those concerns in a positive way.
—Submitted by a parent

This school advertises itself as a four star school. Don't be fooled! My child is in fifth grade and has yet to receive any daily homework. Many of the teachers do as little as possible to get the child through. The main focus is doing well on the ISTEP regardless of what is best for the child in order to keep their 4 stars. This may include holding a child back in 2nd grade if the administration believes they might not do well on the 3rd grade ISTEP. Look to the Magnet programs if this is your school option.
—Submitted by a parent

I would never recommend this school! If your child is average or above average they will learn nothing. The teachers spend their time helping kids that are below grade level. They will do nothing for the kids that need to be pushed. This district does not know how to handle safety issues. I would move into another school district if possible.
—Submitted by a parent

Two of my children attend this school. It has been the worst education they have had yet. My first grade son is not taught any type of spelling whatsoever. When a school project is being worked on, there are no papers sent home letting the parents know what it is and how long their child has to complete the project. When my son had an accident on the playground at recess, he went to the nurse and she shrugged it off as nothing and sent him back to play. I never received a telephone call or anything letting me know he had gotten hurt......when he got home I had to rush him to the emergency room because he had in fact broken his collarbone. I have been extremely disappointed in this school. When my children first attended here, I was under the impression that it was a phenomenal school. I'm sad to report that I have not seen anything phenomenal about it.