Greathouse Shryock Traditional Elementary School

This is my first year at Greathouse and my children love it! I have a daughter in 4th grade and a son in kindergarten, and I have been very impressed. My daughter learned more in the first six weeks here than she did the whole year at her last school. It is definitely not just sitting at a desk doing papers. They do many different things, and both my children have so much to tell me when they get home each afternoon. It is true that your children have to behave, or they will get in trouble. It allows the teachers to teach rather than spending time trying to control the class. I volunteer at the school as much as I can and every time I am thanked by many staff members. When I volunteer I see happy, well-behaved children. Traditional school may not be for everyone, but my children feel secure, are learning a lot, and are happy to be there.
--Submitted by a parent

My son, who is considered "active" by those who know him, is currently enrolled at Greathouse and we love it. He has thrived with the routine and structure and we are very happy with the teachers, principal and staff. Yes, this is a structured environment, but my child is by no means sitting in a chair for the entire day. He loves it and I know that we made a great choice for him. I also enjoy that parents are encouraged to volunteer at the school, so I feel like I can volunteer and get a "behind the scenes" look at the school which I am always impressed with. I am a firm believer that not every school is for every child, but Greathouse has been a wonderful choice for us.
--Submitted by a parent

My child attended this school before we couldn't take it anymore and moved him to another school. Greathouse is a great school if you hope to raise a narrow-minded, non-thinking, but mostly well-disciplined child. Many of these reviews say the school is not a great match for those with learning disabilities. I agree with that. It is also a poor choice for those who are at the other end of the spectrum. Greathouse focuses on extreme discipline, lots of homework that is mostly busywork, rote memorization, and standardized test prep. They do not allow gifted children to get ahead nor do they do much by way of encouraging critical thinking. Having different ideas or beliefs is discouraged. It is a great school if you're child is average academically and you would like them to work unnecessarily hard and get yelled at so much that they stop asking questions -- even the ones that would allow them to grow their brains.
--Submitted by a parent

My child was enrolled at Greathouse from 2005-2009. Although she made good grades and tested well, she was not thriving in the school. The school strips children of their individuality, tends to focus on negatives rather than strengths, lacks diversity and is strict to a fault. The teachers are incredible but they are stifled by a militant principal who is not supportive of teacher, student and parent needs. If your measure of success is test scores, send your child to Greathouse. We moved our daughter (she was not kicked out or asked to leave) and we are now seeing her grow into a well-rounded student and citizen. Her love of school has returned and she is much happier.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a student at greathouse and we LOVE IT!!!! The school had a meeting before the school year even started stating that this is not a school for everyone. This is a tradition program and it is optional. The reason parents put there child in these types of programs is because they do not want them to have to go the school and be disrupted by the students who are not acting correctly at school. As the other reviews stated this is a strict school....which to me is great...why should my child have to suffer because your child needs "individual attention"??? If you are not a parent that is willing or able to have a structured home and lots of rules for your child then this is not the school for you...if you are a parent who wants this for your child then this is the best school!!!
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is finishing kindergarten at Greathouse and I have very pleased with the quality of her teacher, the school facilities, the PTA, staff and principal. My daughter loves school and is already looking forward to first grade. I have the read the unfavorable reviews and am surprised by them. This is not a Montessori school, this is a traditional school - expect it to be very similar to what it was like when we went to school in the 80's. There goal is to take an average group of kids and help them reach their full potential. I would not send my child there if they had any type of learning disability. The principal had a meeting before school started and set very reasonable expectations on how she ran the school and how things were done. I felt very prepared for the school year and simply obeyed the rules.
--Submitted by a parent

I feel that Greathouse is like a military school. Way too disciplined and structured. Learning here is about sitting at a desk and writing. Very little hands on learing. They don't make learning fun for the kids. The school also focuses on what the children do wrong, not on how they can improve.
--Submitted by a parent

Greathouse prides themself on test scores, but where they lack is in helping the children that need a little extra attention to achieve. Their extremely strict rules and guidelines are not suitable for all children. If your child falls behind, they may have trouble catching back up. i felt that my child did not recieve enough individual attention to fully get ahead and learn. As she fell behind, she was teased by the other children. It was very difficult for her to make friends and to feel welcome. She grew to hate school and had to transfer.
--Submitted by a parent

I felt this school is unable to handle the needs of children with disabilities. Their overly strict structure does not lead to condusive learning for all types of children. My child did not get the hands on attention he needed to strive. After transfering schools, his grades improved and is now an honor roll student. He no longer cries when it is time to go to school.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter goes to Greathouse for two years and we have to leave the school because we moved. Its a fantastic school, rigid but necessary as kids need the dicipline in order to advance. But my daughter still have fun at the school and she is very sad that she has to go to a new school. Also, the teachers are caring and they are willing to work with the kids that need help if the parents are committed it.
--Submitted by a parent