Jennie Moore Elementary School

We could not be happier with JME! Before our child was old enough for kindergarten we considered placing our house on the market because of the school district. We had heard wonderful things about Laurel Hill and liked that it was a new school. We are so happy we decided to stick with JME. Yes the building is old but the school does the best with what they have. The janitor at the school goes above and beyond to keep the school clean. Mrs. Felder , the principal, is so hands on. She tackles every problem head on. I recently saw her out in the parking lot fixing a school bus.. Her door is always open for you and your family. The teachers we have had are remarkable. Mrs. Brownewell for kindergarten was so loving but kept control of her class. She had our daughter reading so quickly after she started. What an amazing introduction to the JME family. There are only 4 to 5 classes of kindergartens rather than 20 or so at other schools. You quickly get to know all of the parents. I now have a special needs child in the prekindergarten. I could not be happier with the progress she has made in just a weeks. The teachers are very supportive and take the extra time needed with my daughter.
—Submitted by a parent

We are relatively new to Jennie Moore and the area/state (Spring 2012 my children transferred to JME). I heard great things about the school, read the great reviews on here, and loved our tour/mtg with the principal, so we bought a house in this district. Unfortunately, I am extremely disappointed in the quality of education and wish we had purchased in the Hill/Pinckney district. Classroom sizes are large (31 students!!!), with some students in trailers. A new school is scheduled to be built; while I don't mind old buildings, the existing one is dirty, smells awful, and is crawling with live roaches about which my children complain. My second grader has yet to produce any school work in her weekly folder (just 4.5 weeks into school, but they should be past the goof-off period by now!) My fourth grader is constantly correcting her TEACHER's misspellings and even getting correctly-spelled words marked wrong on work. I have decided to keep them in a little longer, but if situations do not improve, we will homeschool, while we pursue other options. Sure, JME has art, music, drama, a family-feel, etc., but they need to focus on educating children in the core subjects.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school, Cockron for first grade is the best! Karen Felder does very well in her role as principal. Don't know how she does it, it's a tough job dealing with parents with elementary age children. Parents are still getting to know what it best for their children in a learning enviornment, can be emotionally charged (I know). She keeps her cool and ultimately chooses the best route. I've learned no matter what school you choose, the job of making sure your child is getting everything they need that is available to them is still the responsibility of the parent. Instigating communication and staying on top of things is key. My experiance at JME is a large majority of the teachers know what they are doing, have a heart for teaching and a good handle on their class and really love my children.
—Submitted by a parent

If you are a parent who wants to be involved in your child's elementary education - Jennie Moore Elementary is the place! There is an open door policy for parents to help administration and teachers, you can eat lunch with your child, volunteer in the classroom, walk your child to their room. My children are performing academically and socially way beyond my expectations (current 3rd and 1st graders) thanks to amazing teachers and administration! Coming from Virginia I was worried about the SC school system but even if that school system was right next door I would keep my kids at Jennie Moore.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent principal that knows the students, supports the teachers and creates an environment that is genuinely warm and academically challenging. This school has been terrific!
—Submitted by a parent

Great school and the only school around that has programs for music, art, Spanish and drama. Each child is treated with care and respect. Thank you!
—Submitted by a parent

I researched every school within a 20 mile radius of Charleston. We bought our house in this district specifically because JME is the best school in the area. The SC reputation originally made us quite nervous. After meeting with Karen Felder, the Principal of JME, we were convinced it was the school for our family. The teachers are wonderful, the staff is amazing, and I can call the Principal any time and she makes time to talk with me. Administrators at other schools redirected me and did not spend any time answering my questions. The PTA is super involved here as well. They have even taken peanuts off the ice cream menu so our allergic children won't be exposed to them. Thank you to Ms. Felder, Ms. Ramsay, Ms. Dailey, Ms. Jenkins and all the staff for your time, effort and care for each child. You make JME a success!
—Submitted by a parent

This is a wonderful school.... The best
—Submitted by a parent

JME is an excellent school. My son is in Kindergarten and is having a great experience and is learning to read and write. We are very pleased.
—Submitted by a parent

NOTE - a fantastic, new administration came on board the fall of 2004. Strong leadership has transformed this amazing school into one of the best in the state, perhaps in the country! This magnet school with an arts infusion focus emphasizes differentiated instruction. The staff has evolved into a supportive network doing everything possible to reach every student. Besides after-school tutoring, students in grades 2 - 5 break into small groups for specialized instruction four days a week (TEAM time). All teachers are involved with this including our Special Area teachers. The administration is incredibly supportive of the outstanding parent involvement/volunteers. The principal has an open-door policy and welcomes suggestions. The PTA offers innovative programs to support the students, teachers, and families.
—Submitted by a parent

The magnet school program offered by this schoool definitely gives pupils an advantage over some of the other students in the Charleston county area. I attended Jennie Moore in the late eighties and I definitely believe that it gave me a solid foundation to achieve the success that I have today. Three out of the four children in my family received full scholarships to college, so we stand as a testimony to the long term benefits of enrollment in Jennie Moore.
—Submitted by a former student

I've been a JME parent for almost 5 years. My husband and I are 'good parents'--meaning we are active, visible and involved in the school and classrooms. Therefore we have had success in getting the excellent teachers and maximum access to the programs available through this magnet school. But, a parent has to be very 'wired' in JME and must 'work' to get any help for his/her child earlier rather than later. Any academic or discipline problems are compounded by poor communication from the administration and some teachers. The administration is reactive rather than proactive when dealing with problems (communication, discipline, academics, etc). Overall, though, JME IS a good school--especially if you take the time to get involved in your child's education.
—Submitted by a parent