Grahamwood Elementary School

My granddaughters go here & I am pleased with their progress. We reward their good grades according to the amount of A's scored on reports cards. So far so good!

It's a shame that some would downplay the excellence of this school. It is highly ranked every year and the principal is fantastic. Many of the teachers have been there for decades and they do show respect to students and parents. For every disappointed parent there is a majority of satisfied and realistic parents who know that this is the best elementary school in Memphis. If you want a real-world, optional school education minus the offensive private school tuition, Grahamwood is the perfect place for your child.
—Submitted by a parent

Grahamwood is an excellent school.When we moved from another state and from a private school,we had a lot of concerns about the school..but after we have been extremely pleased and more than satisfied with the academics at this school .y son goes to the optional program and loves it,the CLUE program is wonderful and there are always exciting field trips.This is a great public school and has a lot to offer to parents looking for enriched academics!
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the parents who acknowledge that this school is just hype. Being one of the best Memphis City Schools is not saying much. Children are not treated with respect by many teachers and the Principal is non-responsive. Teachers put on the hype but do not follow up with action to prove their capabilities of bringing out the best in a student. I would not recommend this school. I would recommend a county school or most of all a private school especially this day and age.
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers and curriculum. Tons of extra curricular activities to enrich the kids' minds.
—Submitted by a parent

The Grahamwood optional program has been 'home' to our three children since 2003. Two have gone on the White Station Middle and High Schools and our youngest will graduate from the elementary school this coming year. We've been extremely impressed with the academics, the diversity of the student body, the intense participation of parents and, for the most part, all of the teachers. By far, the strongest component has been the CLUE programs which each of my children has loved. The caliber of work (not to mention the volume of work) is extremely high. Budget cuts at Memphis City Schools have been tempered by more parental involvement and campaigns -most successful- that ended up sparing jobs. Don't know what the future holds but thus has been an outstanding choice.
—Submitted by a parent

The school is an excellent school. The leaderhsip provided by Mr. Ware, former principal and Mr. Johnson have helped this school maintain it's stellar reputation.
—Submitted by a parent

Grahamwood's optional program is outstanding. My daughter received a first-rate education during her years there. Graduates of Grahamwood go on to become top students in area public and private schools. The educational, organizational, and social skills she received while at Grahamwood helped lay a solid foundation.
—Submitted by a parent

It is just a city school. There is lots of hype with the optional programs. Students are just average compared to other county schools in Germantown, Collierville or Lakeland. I moved my son last year back to Arlington and I have to say, Grahamwood is not as good as others claim. They do have some programs but nothing that you can find in other county schools around. Like with all other city schools with poor management, I am concerned about the future of this school
—Submitted by a parent

The optional program is excellent. The new principal is doing a great job so far and we are very impressed with the teachers. You can't get much better in the city of Memphis or Shelby County unless you pay through the nose.
—Submitted by a parent

The optional program is outstanding. The teachers love their jobs and show it with their enthusiasm. The teachers feel that the new principal is providing they want, but also gladly accepts input from the staff. We have been at Grahamwood for three years and each year seems to get better. Clue is exceptional.
—Submitted by Michelle, a parent

My husband and I were so excited when we found out that our children were going to Grahmwood. One finished last year and with two more to go we are looking for other options. The CLUE program is terrific but the rest of the school leaves a lot to be desired. The school has been a steady fall from expectations since we began. We are leaving at the end of this year if we can endure it until then. We are having to home school our children after school to keep them interested in school at all. No we are not pleased at all and do not recommend Graham wood at all.
—Submitted by Ginni, a parent

It is a shame that the test scores for the Option Program for this school can not be presented separately from the whole. I think then you would see why Grahamwood has a 4 out of 5 by parent rating, but only a 3 by test scores. While I have rated the principal leadership as low, we are expecting a great improvement with the new incoming principle.
—Submitted by a parent

We are just starting out with Grahamwood and have been very impressed with the level of teaching in the optional program and the PTA is fantastic.
—Submitted by a parent

Mr. Ware deserves a A+ rating. Most of the teachers are great. My child has made a complete turn-around since being enrolled in this school.
—Submitted by a parent

I must say that this school is exceptional. The principal has an open door policy and will talk to any and all parents. The teachers are demanding and have high expectations. The school faculty and administration can't be faulted for many of the issues mentioned by other reviewers. Many students are left off at the school as early as 7:15 a.m. -- the school starts at 8:15 a.m. After school supervision is superb.
—Submitted by a parent

I have been very disappointed about our experience at Grahamwood. The counselor is overwhelmed and the principal in unconcerned and will not even bother to return phone calls. My son's teacher is very commited to teaching, but her classroom is overcrowded and the expectations that are placed on her are unreasonable. The children are not sufficiently supervised in the mornings before the school bell rings or in the afternoons once school is released. It's only a matter of time, before a child is seriously hurt.
—Submitted by a parent

After interviewing several private and public schools, we made the decision to send our child to Grahamwood and never looked back. The academic enrichment program is excellent, the extra curricular chess club is 2005 State Champion, and the Gifted and Talented(CLUE)program is the best in the state. The leadership of the school is excellent and on any given day you will find at least 20 parents somewhere in the school building helping tutor, assist teachers or the library. The school welcomes parental involvement with open arms. This should make any new parent much more comfortable in starting off a first grader into the 'real world'. It is an diverse, multicultural school and has its own privately funded fine arts curriculum for all students attending Grahamwood. In addition, Federal Express is our corporate sponsor and gives generously. Grahawood is rated top Elementary School by Memphis Parent Magazine for 2004.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter just completed sixth grade out of the optional program in Grahamwood. She had a wonderful six year period here -- the teachers are outstanding, the CLUE program is fantastic, the two principals she had during the period were excellent, and above all the PTA involvement has to be seen to be beleived. The school has an excellent chess program as well.
—Submitted by a parent