Providence Spring Elementary School

This school has MAJOR communication issues. The minimal communication they do send out is for those who have been at the school. If you haven't attended the school before, you will be lost. My son went to this school for kindergarten and was terrified of his "displaced" kindergarten teacher. He used to say...I hope Ms.... is in a good mood today. Thankfully, he was above average and went outside the class for enrichment. We actually found out he was in enrichment classes when he casually mentioned it to us over dinner. My husband and I made several attempts to contact the principal via email, calls, and through the CMS website. We never heard from anyone. PSE is a school who wants there students to perform like robots for the EOG testing. Their soul goal is to stay #1. Well, I realized #1 doesn't always mean the best. Do your self a favor and stay away from this school district. We moved after the dreadful kindergarten year and are at, what we feel, is the best school in South Charlotte. Rea View Elementary. The principal is a wonderful woman who knows every student by name, and most every parent/family. The teachers are amazing and the school community is strong and welcoming.
—Submitted by a parent

PSE is our first experience with an elementary school, and we are thrilled. Our son's kindergarten teacher as well as his first grade teacher have exceeded our expectations, and he has thoroughly enjoyed going to school these last two years! He enjoys learning, and constantly comes home with fun new ways he has learned various math and reading concepts. The academics are excellent, and I love seeing the principal waving to each parent in the car pool lane every single morning at 7:45am! We were wary about sending our son to pubic school due to large classes and feeling like he is so young, but they are masterful about making each class feel like an intimate learning environment. Furthermore, I have loved the emphasis on parent involvement, especially in teaching Character Education and Values such as caring, respect, responsibility, kindness, etc. I find that we have many conversations with our son when he gets home that piggy back right on what he learned at school. Keep up the excellent work, PSE!
—Submitted by a parent

Agree with the post below. If you have a child who is priviledged, above average and straight laced, then he or she will probably do well here. If your child does not fit that description, then this is NOT the right fit. Compassion and understanding of the needs of all children is sorely lacking. There is little interest in determining why a student is struggling and information provided to school administration is often ignored. A former staff member commented that those children with different learning styles (who don't fit the strict mold) will be forced out of the school so they don't impact the school's test scores. Disappointing.
—Submitted by a parent

This is not a school that seeks to understand the whole child and meet his or her needs. If you don't fit the mold, you are pounded down until your spirit is broken or you escape. This school operates on a model that is appropriate for privileged students who are prepared to perform above grade level. Children who are average are given the message that they are not doing well enough. Children who are not able to conform to strict rules of conduct are constantly disciplined for the most minor infractions until they conform or their parents are forced to choose another setting for them. Parents of kids who don't fit in are given the message that their child is deviant and abnormal. Several parents that I have spoken to have all said that they were told that the staff "had never had a case like this before". If you have a child at this school, especially a son, who is struggling, trying to work with the system to get their needs met is hopeless. Get out as soon as you can.
—Submitted by a parent

Amazing academic program. The school is staffed with excellent teachers and an exceptional literacy facilitator.
—Submitted by a parent

Providence Spring Elementary (PSE) is an awesome school. We also moved to South Charlotte so that our 2 children could attend PSE after checking out numerous other public and private school. PSE is a public school that provides its students with a private school education. The teachers, principal and other staff members love what they do and it shows. They foster an environment that encourages children to think, and the teachers use a wide variety of teaching strategies to reach all students. Yes, it is a tough school so expect that your children will come home with homework and expect that you as a parent will be encouraged to show that you support education by getting involved in your child's education through volunteering your time and/or talents. Both my kids love PSE - what more can you ask!!
—Submitted by a parent

We bought our house just so our son could attend this school. Best decision we ever made. The school is tough, but they know that kids can do it if they put their mind to it. It is worth all of the homework. My son has improved 100%. The teachers are fantastic and they are willing to help anyone. The principal is unbelievable! This is our last year at PSE and we are thankful for the foundation that our son as to build from in middle school. PSE ROCKS!
—Submitted by a parent

Not only does PSE have the most talented faculty I have ever seen assembled in one school, they also have cutting edge technology. SMART Boards in every classroom make the delivery of instruction engaging and interactive. I am so impressed with this school!
—Submitted by a parent

Our experience at this school was terrific. My son attended Providence Spring for all of his elementary school career, and we could not recommend it more highly. The principal is skilled at staffing her school with top caliber teachers. In our son's fifth grade year, he had one of the best teachers he's ever had, and she was a brand new teacher. We hope to be able to stay here in NC, so that our children can spend all their elementary school years at this school.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter is entering the 1st grade and we are very pleased with our PSE experience thus far. My husband and I both work outside of the home and I don't feel that because of this my child gets less attention than a child at PSE with a stay at home parent. I would agree that it seems as if the majority of the families are upper middle class, but that is the demographic of the neighborhoods that feed into PSE not the choosing of the administration. I feel fortunate to be receiving a private school education for no additional cost. They do participate in a lot of fundraisers but we picked a couple to participate in and skipped the others with no negativity from staff, PTA, etc.
—Submitted by a parent

My son is an gifted, mildly ADD rising second grader at PSE and we couldn't be happier. The teachers and administrators assisted my husband and I in gaining an understanding of how our son can reach his full potential. The acedemic work is appropriate for children who want to learn and the parent involvement is incredible. We transfered from a strong academic faith-based school and have been very pleased with the focus on character as well as education. I strongly recommend this school. I only wish that the CMS would incorporate a foreign language into the elementry years of education.
—Submitted by a parent

The school's leadership seems incompetent when it comes to being able to impartially assess discipline issues at school. The preferred approach is presume guilty and press students to provide the answer the leadership wants to hear, truthful or not. Question the school's leadership's ability to be impartial.
—Submitted by a parent

The curriculum at this school is definitely on par with some of the prestigious private schools in the area. However, this school does cater to the kids that are wealthy or exceptionally academically gifted. I recently had a 5th grader to graduate from the school and the principal did not just congratulate everyone who graduated but had to make a reference to those who just barely got a passing grade on the EOGs. I thought this was very unprofessional on her part. The kids who have wealthly parents who have an 'at home' parent that works at the school have a tremendous advantage over those students who have both parents working. Think of the 'Country Club' school and that is Providence Spring.
—Submitted by a parent

My wife and I picked our home with one goal; to get our two daughters into PSE. This will continue to be one of the best decisions we've ever made for our family.
—Submitted by a parent

Providence Spring Elementary is an excellent school! We moved here from Naperville,Il and I was hopeful that our academic experience would be the same as it was Naperville. It was way better! Principal Adams is amazing! She expects the best from everyone and she gets it! The teachers are really dedicated and motivated and that makes the kids motivated as well. I will warn you that each child is definitely challenged all day and then, sent home with a crazy amount of homework. I have never seen so much homework in my life! Each child that attends PSE works very hard for their grades! However, after working so hard this year, my daughter has improved a great deal in all areas, so, I really can't complain! The parent involvement here is wonderful and it shows throughout the school! We love it here and we feel very blessed to be here!
—Submitted by a parent

PSE is a warm and supportive school. When children have problems the staff is quick to respond and individual needs are met. The technology program is cutting edge, thanks to the support of the PTA. SmartBoards are in many classrooms and interactive learning is the standard.
—Submitted by a parent

PSE has provided an excellent education, positive character traights, and many years of positive school experiences. From the principle to the teachers, this school is blessed to have the cream of the crop. However, it is the parent involvement that is especially impressive. Our kids have terrific parents who are interested in their kids education and elementary experiences. The only downer on the school is the PTA and the overwhelming amount of fundraising that goes on in this school. Teachers...what can I say, my kids had the best teachers, and we are very grateful to have caring and wonderful teachers. Mrs. Adams, in my opinion is a genius for surrounding herself with awesome talent.
—Submitted by Christian Labus, a parent

At the beginning of the school year parent orientation Ms. Adams emphasized that this school is on par with the private schools in the area and that she keeps her head down at district principal meetings because she can't empathize at all with the hardships other schools face. She bragged about a teacher who speaks five languages and a cafeteria manager who was trained at the prestigious local culinary school Johnson and Wales. I have to say I am very pleased with my child's teacher. She is very approachable. There is a very tight emphasis on behavior. They nip even the smallest infractions in the bud. I'm impressed with the way that basic skills are integrated into a thematic curriculum (I've heard that in the lower grades the curriculum is standardized across the district). I wish that there were more balanced choices in terms of diversity and performance in CMS.
—Submitted by a parent

We just moved to the charlotte area from NY this year. I have been so impressed by this school and all of its teachers and staff. We have been welcomed by everyone. My children's transition has been better than I ever could have hoped. I have one child with learning issues and the school has been very helpful in making her feel successful and comfortable. I highly reccommend this school to anyone looking for a great place for their kids.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter recently completed kindergarten at PSE. We were extremely pleased with her experience. The school is obviously committed to fostering an enviroment of achievement but also strives to emphasize crucial values such as self-discipline,respect and tolerance. My wife and myself have spoken to numerous parents of PSE children and have yet to hear any negative appraisal. The school is likely one of the safest in the CharMeck system and is clearly one of the top two or three in overall quality.
—Submitted by a parent