Gaston Point Elementary School

This school is one of the worse schools my children has been to. They do not ad hear to the rules, and just out right sorry. After a certain situation arose of when my daughter was forces to pull out her pants without parent involvement or notification, I transferred my children out of that school immediately. My daughter came home so upset and was crying. I could not believe that they had done such a horrible thing to such a young child. Never again. Not just that, but the some of the teachers just seemed uneducated.
--Submitted by a parent

The new principal is a breath of fresh air. She is really there for the students and makes sure the teachers are there for them as well. I'm looking forward to next school year!

This year started out to be a dismal failure. There were a lot of problems created by some staff and a number of children. It finally began to improve after winter break. There were still occurrences of what could only be called outrageous behavior on the part of other students but the situations were immediately resolved without further incident. The special ed department does the absolute best with what they have and for them I am grateful. My son's teacher is amazing (this is his 2nd teacher this year) as is my daughter's. While the staff have improved their handling of situations, there are still more kids than teachers and the kids know it and abuse it. I will be sending my kids to a different school next year.
--Submitted by a parent

My children attended this school when we were stationed there. We lived there before Katrina and after. I was afraid to send my kids there at first because of the location. That is the reason people frown on it. It seems nobody wants to come out and say it so I will. After realizing that private school was just not affordable for us, I was forced to send my kids there and I am happy to say I don't regret it at all. I have a son who has behavioral problems and Dr. Bradley and my sons other teachers there went above and beyond to help him and me in every way possible.
--Submitted by a parent

I have two children in this school. I had another child in this school but we are now paying 240.00 a month in order to keep her out. The other children will be removed the moment we can save the money. I have found this school to be the worst we have seen in 13 years. My children come home crying their head hurts due to screaming in the classroom. The teacher has little or no controll of the classes. My children have gone from A's and B's to F's across the board. The children removed from the school are now doing much better. The ones still there continue to have major problems.
--Submitted by a parent

The parents that rate this as a great school must be locals. Military families have an advantage and disadvantage here. My child has gone from straight A's to having a D and an F. Why you may ask? Because when my child is sick she is not given the opportunity to make up missed work. WE are told if they are not in class they miss much needed work. Well, I guess if my child was perfectly healthy this would not be a problem. Involvement? Well who wants to be involved in a school where many of the teachers and parent volunteers talk at the children instead of with them? They praise perfect attendance, yet it's the irresponsible parents who send their sick children to school just to get other kids sick. And WE are the irresponsible parents who keep our ill children home out of care and respect for others.
--Submitted by Joanna Morgan, a parent

I am very happy with this school from the staff to the princepal. My daughter loves going to school everyday we just had her transferred from another local school and all I have to say is I'm so glad there is a school that has so much more to offer.She is learning Spanish they have art,music classes and of course academic courses.all I know is my child is happy to go to school and is learning much more then the other school she left.That being said it's a great school with nice friendly staff that is willing to help you in anyway possible.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter spent 2 1/2 yrs at Gaston Point and i felt it was a decent school. Dr. Bradley is a wonderful principal and demands that all students treat everyone with respect. Still discipline is a big problem at the class level but I feel it has more to do with the lack of involvement from the parents than any real problem with the class. The teachers can only do so much with children who refuse to behave. We did experience some minor race issues. Teachers were always willing to meet with parents. Great emphasis on reading. They did seem to spend a considerable amount of time in preparation for the MCT test, a little too much in my opinion. I think with the right level of parent involvement this could be a really great school
--Submitted by a parent

My kids moved to this school after 'the storm' from a level 5 school with a great reputation. We worried a lot about this move for no reason. GPE is super! The principal and staff are incredible! I don't know what the past history of the school is other then the looks of dismay I see on people faces when they hear my kids go there but as of today, right now, 2006, this school is worthy of all praise. I am a teacher, I am a picky school chooser for my kids, and GPE has done nothing short of astound me. They no longer deserve thier bad reputation; no one need be concerned about putting thier kids in this school; this school out shines that level-5-good-reputation school my kids went to before....I would say its even 100 times better then that other school! Bravo Zulu Dr. Bradley and staff!
--Submitted by a parent

I don't know if there is a new administration since the 2004 comments on this page, but I can tell you the one that's there now is outstanding. Dr Bradley is as good as it gets. My kindergardner can read, my second grader was pushed to always do better and ended up with outstanding grades and opportunities. This was one of the first schools to open its doors after Katrina and one of the only ones to offer a lower cost summer camp (everywhere else it is at least 110 a week or higher). The neighborhood is growing and eveolving and the school is as well. Its an old building and the school could use a lot more parent participation but the teachers are great and the programs are even better. If you are an unsatisfied parent, get in there and participate!
--Submitted by a parent