Dicken Elementary School

Very unsatisfactory experience at this school. Principal is a nightmare. Everything looks fine on the surface and then you dig a little deeper and you find out all sorts of nonsense that is going on - from how the pto spends money to how little your kids are actually learning in the classroom because of discipline issues.
--Submitted by a parent

Poor leadership by a below grade Principal. The school suffers abundantly for this. As a result the parents and staff work around the clock to compensate which ends up with a lot of burnout and hard feelings. --- and unhappy people.
--Submitted by a parent

I have two children attending Dicken and couldn t be more pleased with the quality of teachers and the school. We switched from South Arbor to Dicken, and find the community of support is amazing. Dicken parents live close by and can drop in to help. It is amazing how much help parents provide during class room activities, and it is true they helkp the students in the lower level grades by providing one on one tutoring that you don t find everywhere. The "ROAR" reading program was created by Dicken parents and makes a difference. Principal Madison is passionate about his work, and his enthusiasm for helping students is contagious. The principal is at almost every evening event, which averages several per week. The PTO is the most active around, with all kinds of activities enhancing the children s education such as a choir that practices at recess, a Thanksgiving potluck, icecream social, a high percentage of participation in the year end science competition, and local community support that helps with huge donations of goods and shared revenue. The best thing is the kids enjoy going to school.
--Submitted by a parent

Our family didn't have a good experience at this school. My son went to first grade and his teacher was terrible. I visited the class several times throughout the year and it was always the room mom teaching the kids. Not to mention the scandal with the principal that made national headlines. I enrolled my children in a school outside of the Ann Arbor school district this year and we won't be back. The Ann Arbor school board is a joke. Just do a little research online about the Dicken Elementary principal and you'll see what I'm talking about. I can't go into detail here because of the website's rules on commenting.
--Submitted by a parent

This is an excellent school, and the leadership is fantastic. Parent involvement is phenomenal, and one reason is that the principal is very open to parental involvement, new ideas and new programs. He is an excellent leader.
--Submitted by a parent

I have had kids at the school for the last six years and I could be happier with everything about Dicken! I am at the school often and see the teachers, principal, and parental support in action. They are a well oiled machine! Excellent all around!
--Submitted by a parent

Most of the staff and students at this school are excellent. But i am disappointed with the Principal , another reviewer said he is 'All business' and that is completely accurate. Let someone who cares about the staff and kids run the elementary school.
--Submitted by a parent

My kids love their teachers and we are very happy with the parent involvment. We consistantly here negative things about the Principal - he is not very in tune with the students - but the community setting is great.
--Submitted by a parent

Excellent...couldn't be better. The Principal is extraordinary and his leadership and dedication to the needs of the kids filters down into every aspect of education. They are especially resourceful in providing for at-risk kids, despite the the poor resources and specialists that are forced upon them by the District Administration.
--Submitted by a parent

Very good teachers, not the best leadership of the school.
--Submitted by a parent