Grandview Hills Elementary School

All of my kids go to this school. We don't like it very much. Our kids have attended private schools and public schools in the northeast. The curriculum is horrible. The Quest and Pace programs are a joke. The notion that IB is setting these kids up for success is comical. These programs do not challenge the kids. Homework consists of writing five words in alphabetical order or writing them three times. Ridiculous. Teachers listen to beer drinking songs in class with the kids (my son has come home singing them). The parent population is over active. The kids spend A LOT of time trying to raise money for the PTA which is like a high school clique. We should spend more time on academics and less time on fundraising. It seems that once the STAAR is taken, teaching at GVHE stops. During the school year, I several times went into the school to pick up my kids only to find my daughter out in the hallway lined up 30 minutes before school lets out. Add that up and see how much classroom time is being given up during the school year. Teachers and administrators are nice, but at its core this school is a typical example of a Texas public school. Lean on substance, but everything looks good.
--Submitted by a parent

We have had a fantastic experience at Grandview over the past three years. It is a small campus with responsive administration, dedicated teachers and a very positive and uplifting environment for young children (I believe thanks, in large part, to the IB program). During our first year on campus, we pushed to increase challenges for our child and the campus responded immediately and to our satisfaction (Quest program, Pace Math, advanced reading opportunities, etc). There is no where else we'd rather have our child learning and growing!
--Submitted by a parent

While this school may be rated grated for teachers and academics I have been so disappointed in their involvment. My daughter broke her leg at the school and not once did I get a call to see if she was well, she was able to make it back the same week in a cast and the staff made no attempt to help or accomodate her. If you are fine with academics and no personal care, great. But as far as I am concerned if your child gets hurt under their care watch out!
--Submitted by a parent

An excellent school. We've been there since the school started (when we shared a campus with River Place) and I've been pleased since the very first day. All three of our children attend GVHE. The teachers are wonderful, very caring and attentive to each child's needs. The staff is very helpful. The administrators are the best I've seen - they truly care about not only the children's needs but also the needs and wants of the parents. They know each child by name and greet them like they are the only child in the school. The parental involvement is HUGE. We are a small school but when it comes to volunteers - our parents really step up to the plate. I couldn't be more proud of our school! We've even contemplated moving to another part of Austin, but can't bring ourselves to leave our wonderful school.
--Submitted by a parent

My son has attended this school from the time they were still sharing a building with another school, and every year I have been so pleased with the education that he, and now my daughter are receiving here. They keep the class sizes small, the teachers are attentive, and make a great effort to work with the parents to help the kids, whether they need extra help, or need more advanced work. The principal, and vice principal are helpful, and you don't feel like you have to cut through a bunch a red tape to have your concerns addressed. The parent involvement is outstanding, I always see parents helping out. The I.B. Program here is just icing on the cake. I have loved having my children go here, and I hate that we have to relocate and they won't be going here next year.
--Submitted by a parent

Very disappointed. Very little parental involvement and not the caliber of teachers I expected.
--Submitted by a parent

Great school!! So much parent involvement. Spring fling carnival was great! Thank you for such a great school, my child loves it!!!
--Submitted by a parent

A public school with a private school mentality. The Principal is amazing, listens not only to the children, but to the parents. Parent involvement is very high with a lot of enthusiasm from many different cultures. Teachers are very attentive to each individual child's needs. Great atmosphere, beautiful campus and the IB Programme -- the only one in the southern end of LISD!
--Submitted by a parent

We have been thrilled with the administration and teachers at Grandview Hills. The campus is beautiful, the parent participation has been very good, and it seems to be a really happy, positive environment for our daughter. We came from a private school and had high expectations and Grandview has exceeded them!
--Submitted by a parent

I too am impressed with the faculty and their ability to influence children and leverage their available resources. My only complaint is that there still seems to be a communication issue (late notifications, inconsistent messaging, etc.) and I can't tell if that is because the leadership isn't following through with expectations, or that the teachers aren't quite sure how to manage the parents. It's a new school and I give them credit for coming so far in such a short period. I can only hope that the ISD is dedicating the time to learn from each school opening, and that they monitor/track progress....
--Submitted by a parent