Awbrey Park Elementary School

This school has great teachers as well as great leadership. The teachers work hard and care about the children. This school has a very positive staff/ campus.
—Submitted by a parent

I gave this school a below average rating because I don't agree with full inclusion for all kids, which is a school goal. I have seen how one child, with special needs, can occupy most of the teacher's attention while other students suffer. Why should one child's needs be weighted more than others? I have witnessed special needs' students making little to no improvement after months of working solely in the classroom. This school should align with special education laws that emphasize least restrictive environments for all children. There is no law about full inclusion or long-term research that supports it. If LRE means full inclusion for one child and pull-out programs for another, then that is what meets them, individually, the most and is ultimately what is best.

Awbrey Park Elementary does a lot of things correctly. The school has great kids and supportive parents, and the staff seems to care about kids and is good at maintaining current systems. The principal seems nurturing and appears supportive, but she is resistant to generational diversity in leadership positions and to outsiders' ideas and suggestions in best-practices' research and data in reading, writing, math and PBS. The school and district could benefit from hiring people who have taught in other cities and states and from people who have experienced positive and effective academic changes that have transformed Title I schools. There is always room for improvement and growth, and everyone has something to contribute, despite age and appearances. Awbrey Park has a lot of potential and deserves more than just maintenance and stringent micromanagement.

Our kids liked A.P. and had much success there. One of our daughters, in particular, went from being a below reader in first grade to a top student in fourth grade. Her favorite year was in fourth grade and her teacher, too. Fifth grade was a let-down. Her grades and scores dropped, and we think the teachers, in fifth grade, move too quickly and do not review as often. Also, there seems to be too much focus on technology where kids seem to be desensitized by it in fifth grade. The pros, at A.P., are social-skill development, parent involvement, rewards and activities. The cons are the library, academic instruction, and too much homework.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids went to Awbrey Park Elementary and experienced positive and negative things. Over the years with a newer principal (Karen Hardin), the school's O.D.E. academic ratings decreased to 'satisfactory'. My kids liked their teachers, and I thought the teachers did an excellent job of teaching my kids cooperative, social, physical education and technology skills. However, I volunteered there, and I do not think the teachers' strengths were in pedagogy; the delivery of instruction was not meaningful or clear. The embellishing counselor was overzealous, and the secretary was beyond rude. The principal was not a good listener, lacked empathy and was amateurishly quick to solve problems. She also tended to get rid of excellent-performing teachers. One of my children had the best teacher ever; parents and kids loved her. His teacher successfully had high test scores and was very well-rounded, but the principal did not fight to keep her on staff.
—Submitted by a parent

They have wonderful programs to ensure the success of all children. My daughter thrives here after years of not having her needs met in other schools.
—Submitted by a parent

I currently have two sons at this school and we all love it. The teachers, as well as many other staff members, really seem to care about our children feeling secure and successful. I would recommend the school for anyone and am surprised to see the rating of only a 4!
—Submitted by a parent

It's a great school that caters to my sons needs, he loves it there, and we think the school is great!
—Submitted by a parent