Zel & Mary Lowman Elementary School

If you can, please find another school for your child. The teachers are amazing and most generally love working at Lowman. However, there is a dark cloud of negativity and fear that hangs over the school. Sadly, everyone can see this cloud except the principal. The principal has no respect for teachers, and unfortunately, teachers who are not respected have a hard time building respectful relationships with their students. Students, parents, teachers, and community members will tell anyone that the principal is the major reason for the lack of student achievement and abundance of negativity at Lowman. It's true that there is a major teacher turnover every year, and this year was no different (almost 75% quit or transfered to other schools). When asked, almost every teacher will tell you that their decision to move was based on being treated unfairly by the principal. The district has been told time and time again about these concerns, but for some reason no action has ever been taken against her. Apparently the district doesn't want to ruin any other schools by transfering her somewhere else! If Manch ES will let your kids in, send them there...you'll be much happier!
—Submitted by a teacher

With more than half the faculty leaving yearly, one has to wonder what is the cause. Many of the faculty leaving do not cite the children as the problem as to why they are leaving. There is the silence, of people not saying what's really bothering them. Stress levels remain high all year for the faculty. Most new teachers arrive from out of state, not locally, where there are more than 18,000 teachers in the district alone. The new school year may start with substitute teachers due to a lack of interested applicants. If your child is in 4th or 5th grade, they will have a new teacher. All of the previous year's teachers have transferred, voluntarily. If you are a teacher considering this school, beware of administration intimidation.

The staff at this school is working under a vindictive, inept, unjust and unfair administrator. Every year, large segments of the staff leave the school and are replaced by new first year teachers. The constant turnover of teachers does not benefit the students. This is an unfortunately horrible situation. This school should be avoided at all costs by teachers, students and parents.
—Submitted by a teacher

This school was not a good school for my child. The principal is very rude and the teachers seemed overwhelmed. My daughter was falling behind while she attended this school. I moved to find a better school.
—Submitted by a parent

MY OPINION ABOUT THIS SCHOOL IS VERY BAD ,NEED CHALLENGING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ,I DON,T LIKE THIS SCHOOL FOR MY CHILD .
—Submitted by a parent

I was a first year teacher for the 2009-2010 school year. There is no new teacher mentoring program, as evidenced by the principal's poor Teacher Learning Conditions survey results. Even the more experienced teachers were stressed and unhappy. There is a huge teacher turnover rate (as witnessed in one of the emails featured) . This malignant learning environment directly affects student achievement. The students and families, in this lower economic area, are wonderful and, for the most part, willing to share in facilitating their child's education. This principal was missing the most wonderful opportunity for community involvement and the resulting student success. I miss my students and their families but, if a change in guard is not made, many great teachers will be unwilling to stand the abuse and teaching restrictions imposed by this tyrannical rule.
—Submitted by a teacher

I am not pleased with this school. Some teachers have little to no patience with the students. I do believe they can work a little bit harder to ensure the best education for our children. Good luck for anyone who's zoned to this school.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is ok, the teacher that my child had on his first year was the best of the best, he actually learn very fast and she was really nice, however some of the staff is rude and unprofessional which makes it bad.
—Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, I tend to agree and disagree with some of the parents. I too have had 2 children at the school last year. I found lack of stability in keeping one teacher permanent. My First grader had 3 different subs. This made it hard for him to adapt to. Now my second grader had a good teacher. The staff was lost with the new principal last year. I wish we could bring back their old principal the school was better off. I truly believe they do need prekinder to help all the children.
—Submitted by a parent

Lowman has as many positives as it does negatives. The teachers my child has had in the last two years were caring and very invested in the best way to educate to ensure each child got as much as possible from the curriculum. There is a solid core of extra curricular classes. Music, Art, and PE all have dedicated classrooms and teachers. The negatives this year have been the newly placed administration and the lack of ESL. There are children being moved from one grade to the next without being taught that speaking and understanding English is a necessity. Pre-Kindergarden is available...but only to children who dont speak English. Also, when presented with issues from students, the current administration makes a habit of telling the parents and students that these issues will be dealt with without actually following up so the same problems continue without resolution.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children attending Lowman Elementary. I really like this school and the majority of people working there. I go and help usually once a week if possible. I feel Mrs. Konawolow is a great principal who has great ideas for the future of the school. She makes the children feel wanted and appreciated, therefore they always want to come to school. During Halloween, she had a parade for the children in their Halloween costumes (not to big of a deal) but to the children this was awesome. I just have to say that Lowman Elementary staff has done a wonderful job so keep up the good work.
—Submitted by Laurie Kearney, a parent

Not the best school ever, due to overcrowding, but it's a far better school than its' sister campus, J.E. Manch. At least the teachers seem to care about the students here.
—Submitted by a parent

Wow, this is public school at it's worst. Teachers are weak, other staff is rude. English doesn't appear to be anyone's first concern for these young students. Just great. Staff is very unprofessional and rude. Wish I could find a different school for my child.
—Submitted by a parent