Yorktown Elementary School

Excellent school! I m extremely pleased with my child s first year at Yorktown. This is a great school with outstanding and dedicated teachers and faculty who are very responsive to any issues or concerns. My daughter s Kindergarten teacher is excellent and strives to enrich and challenge her students at all levels. The PTA here is very active and works to provide many opportunities for parents to be involved. There is a very high level of parental involvement at the school that is encouraged and welcomed by the principal and teachers. The principal is an awesome leader who works closely with teachers and parents to provide an excellent educational environment. Not only are students provided with challenging academics, but also reinforcement of positive values to develop their character and help them reach their full potential. Although PG County doesn t have the best reputation for school performance, Yorktown is an example of one of an increasing number of top notch schools in the county. Supporting our local neighborhood schools is essential to enhancing our communities and improving school performance. We are happy to be a part of the Yorktown community. Go Wildcats!
—Submitted by a parent

Totally not pleased with this school. Perhaps it is because my kid came from a blue ribbon school, but they tried to tell me that my child had problems keeping up. And they told me this at back to school night. Now that was a week and a half into the start of the school year. When his father wanted to have a meeting with each teacher, they refused and the principal involved herself and tried to say that all the teachers needed to meet with us at the same time instead of us being able to meet with each teacher. Just horrible; I've lived in PG county all my life and have never experienced a horror story/situation like this one. I am kind of surprised, but I put my foot down and the principal backed away from the situation. Its funny because the first thing she would say during orientation and back to school night was if there is an issue, PLEASE CONTACT THE TEACHER FIRST, then come see me. I don't hold office hours. Like, what? But as soon as we want to have a conversation with each teacher and the "model" doesn't go there way, she intercedes. Interesting. Sounds like a form of bullying to me.
—Submitted by a parent

Yorktown is a great school!!! The office staff is very friendly and helpful and will accommodate any needs for parents or students. The new principal is wonderful! Teachers do a great job and are very hard working and make sure all students learn!! Go Wildcats!!!!
—Submitted by a parent

My son has a specified learning disability and the minute I enrolled him in Yorktown Elementary School for 1st grade, the PG County Board of Education worked with me to put an IEP in place before he started 1st grade in the fall. His resource teachers are perhaps the best humans and educators I have ever known (and I come from a family of educators). The Principal and staff at this school are amazing. My son is now in 3rd grade. My son's teachers are incredible. He is exceeding our expectations.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is very close where we live, I have my daughter who is in Kindergarden,the stuff are friendly and they really take care the student, my only comment in this school or even other school, they dont mind if the student go to pre-k or not,as long as you are 5 yrs. old you are automatically kindergarden, I just wish they put my daughter in pre-k first before Kindergarden even shes already 5 because i felt shes left out w/ her classmate,(because due to problem thats why she didnt go to pre-k)and im too busy working to teach her,im a single mom w/3 kids so im just hoping the teachers will teach her and more patience to her because im having a hard time to teach her, but im trying my best to help her in my own simple way. but still good school,keep up the good work.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at Yorktown and have been pleased until this year. I am so unhappy with so many things neither child will attend next year. The PTA is great and I still like several teachers but not enough to keep me there. Will consider private or anything else at this point.
—Submitted by a parent

I am quite pleased with the principal's leadership. She sets the tone and we appreciate it. Also, the PTA is excellent. I bet the whiners do not volunteer... it's too easy to whine and throw stones. Great Job!
—Submitted by a parent

Two of my children attend Yorktown. The principal is non-extent at this school. The new vice-principal is wonderful and the teachers are energetic and many are new to teaching. They bring a good mix of old wisdom and new energy into the school.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is awful! Many of the teachers do the bare minimum they need to receive their paycheck. They do not have any words of encouragement and if your child struggles even the slighest bit they have no patience. The only thing good about Yorktown is the guidance counselor, Ms G.S.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school. Wonderful teachers who helped my children (ESL) to learn and enjoy school. My son worked hard and ended up on the honour roll twice in his first year (3rd grade.)
—Submitted by a parent

I feel that this school should never be attended by any child with special needs.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is good for the community. The vice principal is awesome. She has a motto for the children this is great. She expects greatness out of all of the children.
—Submitted by MT, a parent

This is a school where the students, parents, and the teachers work together. The outstanding music teacher, Mrs. Truske, directed two plays in the last three years. The whole community was involved and the students played to a packed house.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the the previous comments. I, too, here more about the Vice Principal more than the Principal. Apparently, the VP provides lots of energy and inspirational quotes and such that the children retain and recite. My daughter has been at Yorktown since Kindergarten and she's about to enter 4th grade. She is in the TAG program, and had been challenged w/ the Masters of Math program, but otherwise she makes honor roll every quarter with ease. She probably would have been better challenged by skipping a grade, but the principal refused the suggestion despite the fact that test scores where exceptionally high even in kindergarten. It's not the best situation, but not the worst either.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is going to the 4th grade and has been at Yorktown since Kindergarten. She is academically gifted, but there is not a clearly defined and enriched program to address the needs of children that excel. My daughter has learned a lot, but she gets A's with very little effort. I would like to see her challenged a little more. I hear more, from my daughter, about the new vice principal than the actual principal. The VP is very energetic and offers a lot of motivational words of wisdom that my daughter retains and recites often. It's refreshing.
—Submitted by T. M., a parent

I have a child who needs special care and attention. Yorktown has continually met his needs and encouraged him to excell to his fullest. I have three children that have moved on from Yorktown. It is an awesome school. There are alot of extra curricular activities through parks and planning. We have band and chorus and before and after care. I would not send my children to any other school. The one on one attention that a child gets when needed is outstanding. All of our teachers work as a team!
—Submitted by Amy, a parent

academic programs were horrible there were no sports at all. The acadimics are worse the good teachers like mr.scott and dr.Olsen are all gone.There are very few good teachers remaining..like mrs.Horvath, and and mrs.Tucker. There is alot of parent involvment.But when i left the school i still didnt know how to do my times tables which showed the lack of good education.Tag and Best are very discourageing programs to the children who are not involved.Suddenly they are not 'tallented or gifted' which brought me down while i was at this school.The reason i left was becasue of the principal who happens to be the worst and is very phony.
—Submitted by Maria, a former student

As a Yorktown parent, my disabled child has been unable to get the consistent support he needs. They staff works well with resolving conflict, but the teachers are often confrontational and rude. It's hard to get a conference with them. Good PTA and extra curricular activities.
—Submitted by a parent

Yorktown is a community of caring school. Yorktown features a 'Wall of Respect' and has a Peer Mediation program. This represents the best of Yorktown. While a few teachers can teach both the average and gifted student in the same class most Yorktown teachers do not do this at all well. As a parent of a gifted child, I find this most frustrating. I like the Masters of Math program. Good extracurricular activities. This school needs to do much more for their gifted students.
—Submitted by a parent