Redwood Elementary School

I agree with several of the parents. The administration and many of the staff members are unresponsive to the cultural needs of the diverse student population. They claim that they embrace diversity, but all they do is "tolerate" it, as their motto states. What they do is very condescending, and amounts to nothing more than history month celebrations and potlucks. Little, if anything, is done in the curriculum or in the hiring practices to really show that they respect and value the diversity in the student population. They have a sheer ignorance in understanding that academic needs are connected to cultural needs, and this is why their scores are a disgrace for a suburban school with so much potential. Change the admin, and we may see improvement.
--Submitted by a parent

Redwood School shows H.E.A.R.T and is a great elementary school. The academic standards are strong and the teaching staff is outstanding. It is a place that thrives on the diversity and has been a wonderful start to all four of our children's academic success.
--Submitted by a parent

We have nothing but great things to say about Redwood. We have two children who attend Redwood. They love school. The teachers and staff are dedicated and outstanding in their field. We continue to be impressed with the parental involvement as well. The class sizes are very small and the students are motivated. The principal has done a terrific job to foster an environment that is both caring and academically challenging.
--Submitted by a parent

Great teachers and a great deal parental involvement makes this school one of the best in the area.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in 1st grade, and absolutely loves Redwood school! She can't wait to be there everyday. She has excelled and is more than Par with other kids I know in other school districts/towns. The teachers are great with communicating with parents, and even the Principal is amazing and caring for every child.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter is a current student at Redwood. At first, I was reluctant to try the school based on my first impression (we were coming from a private-school environment), however, after meeting Principal Kivlon (outstanding) and the teaching staff (outstanding) and talking to many other current and former Redwood parents and hearing their glowing reviews, and most importantly, after seeing the quality education that my child is receiving, I have become a huge fan of the school. If you do a comparison of student test scores in reading and math, class size, level of education and experience of teachers, you will find that Redwood is on par with the most highly ranked public elementary schools in NJ. If you want your child to receive a quality education in a caring, nurturing environment with experienced teachers, you won't go wrong with Redwood.
--Submitted by a parent

Both my sons attended this school; I was PTA president for two years; amazing staff.
--Submitted by a parent

My children have had a very positive experience at Redwood School. They have excelled academically and socially, and I credit their teachers for helping facilitate their growth in these areas. The school is rich with diversity and we have not found the environment to lack tolerance or respect for diversity. There is a great deal of parental involvement in the PTA and many extracurricular activities for the children to enjoy. Most of all, I find that my children come home happy and excited about the things they have learned at school. As a parent, I couldn't ask for more.
--Submitted by a parent

My child has attended Redwood school for the past 2 years so far (K and 1 st grade). The teachers have been very responsive, the principal is very accessible, and safety is high priority in and around school property. I'm disappointed, however, in the lack of extracurricular activities and enrichment programs for the younger grades.
--Submitted by a parent

Test scores are down every year and the administrator thinks we are doing good. I don't with whom she is comparing us to. I agree we need better leadership for sure.
--Submitted by a parent