Southwest Elementary School

This review is towards the woman who said not to send you SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD HERE!!! I had my daughter here in Kindergarten and first grade she was a special needs little girl with her speech REALLY hard to understand. I wasn't impressed with her Kindergarten teacher because of her lack of knowing what happened in the classroom as there was one bully inside the class but I chose to step up and demand better for my daughter and you know I got it.. but instead of being a parent that only complained I decided to get involved really got to know the principal and fell in love with her and her staff! There will always be good teachers, bad teachers and GREAT teachers.. In first grade she went back and I got more involved and she had the best TEACHER who really made my daughter feel like she shined and the kids in her class were so wonderful and polite. I for one would send my special needs child here any day or any year with this staff.. but you as a parent need to step up and be your child's advocate not just switch their schools ... but as for my child if we still lived in NC I would send her to SWE over any other school including private or charter in the area!
--Submitted by a parent

SWE is a very structured and academic driven school. I do believe in focusing on academics but to the point where you have a couple children so scared to take the EOG's that they are throwing up in fear. My child had a okay teacher for first and a not so good one for first. I have volunteered and have been involved in the school and the classroom I from what I have noticed I agree with a lot of the other comments pertaining to "military school", "high turn over", teachers not being creative" and the principal as well as the teachers "No because I said so". This school could use a new administration for sure.
--Submitted by a parent

I would like to say that we have had another Awesome year at SWES. My son just finished 3rd grade in Mrs. Day's class. She is a wonderful teacher...dedicated to learning. I volunteered in the class once a week & could see how much these kids wanted to learn from her. She makes school fun! We were very concerned about 3rd grade & EOGs. Our son was given all the support needed to excell. I highly recommend Southwest to any new comer.
--Submitted by a parent

My child transferred to Southwest from a local Charter School. The teachers she has had have been dedicated, involved and on a much higher level than the previous school. I am very pleased with Southwest.
--Submitted by a parent

Well do not take your handicap or special needs child there, I at first thought he would do good there, but with a 27 kids head count in class and lack of them wantign to get more help for him, Within our 1st week I felt he was outsted out at the end like the teachers wanted no part of him. My son was tranferred to a better school .......send them to Colfax. I still 1 kid there at Southwest we'll see.
--Submitted by a parent

My family is very blessed to be at Southwest Elementary. We moved here last year from out of state. My son was in first grade with Mrs. Schlanger. We too, were surprised when he was classified as a nonreader. I would just like to say that this teacher goes the extra mile for every student. My son left first grade able to read any book. I am so thankful to the principal for listening to our needs and most of all to his teacher.
--Submitted by a parent

We transferred our 4th grade son from a local Magnet school where the teaching and especially the principal were seriously incompetant. Southwest has been a blessing!! Principal Susan Allen welcomed us with warmth and compassion, spoke to us extensively about our child's needs, and placed him in the perfect classroom, Ms. Pearson's 4th grade class. The transition was flawless as Ms. Pearson welcomed him into her close-knit class and went beyond the call of duty to personally get him on track scholastically!! We have found the teaching standards to be high--experience counts!!! The students are orderly and respectful--learning while still having fun and being kids!!! We could not ask for a better school!
--Submitted by a parent

I am not able to rate this school in many of the areas listed, since I am not familiar with some of the categories. As the grandparent of a child in the first grade at Southwest last year, however, I would particularly like to recognize his teacher, Ms. Reich. I volunteered in her class and had many opportunities to observe her teaching style. She was the type of teacher I wish every child could have - firm but caring, high teaching standards with creative teaching style, making every effort to meet the individual needs of each child. Southwest is luckly to have her.

While this school has had unusually high teacher turnover in recent years it is by far the best elementary school in the city and one of the best in the coounty. We have two children there now and 5 years ago had another. I find the leadership to be very efficient and well-liked. Most of the parents have no idea how lucky they are to have their children in this school.
--Submitted by a parent

I feel like my kids are very safe in this school, but I don't feel like it is the best learning environment. My children have only been in the school for one year, but I've spent many volunteer hours in the classroom, so I have a pretty good feel for the environment. It seems like there is more time spent on controlling the kids & keeping them quiet & safe, then making sure they have a healthy, interesting environment to nurture the love for learning.
--Submitted by a parent