Owens Elementary School

My daughter has mild autism, and I didnt fully have a grasp of this when she started kinder at Owens, though I knew something was wrong, I didn't know specifically how to help her and I was in denial sometimes. Her teacher Ms Duong really helped get her get the services she needed, which led to her diagnosis-she was not allowed to fall through the cracks for a second. While at times it was very painful and difficult, the staff I dealt with were very understanding and in the end my daughter was helped and she is well on her way in getting the interventions she needs so that she can be successful, and I have the staff at Owens to thank for that. They seemed to REALLY care about my daughter.Communication with her PPCD teacher, Ms Dew was great. I have also heard through word of mouth the school is very good at "catching" problems when their child attended other schools and it didn't happen. I will always be grateful to the people who were involved with getting the help my daughter needed, and also for sincerely being excited to see her progress! There is a dress code which I thought was great.
—Submitted by a parent

My daugter went to Owens and now we do homeschooling because of how terrible Owens is. The principal punishes the kids to hard even for minor things. She also holds grudges on the kids for the ones that have minor infractions. I will never put my kid back in public school again because of Owens. My daughter wasn't learning anything in public school and now she is doing wonderful with the homeschooling program called CC. She loves school now unlike when she went to public school.
—Submitted by a parent

We just moved here from out of state, and my experience with Owens Elementary has been terrible! We came from an excellent school, and I can tell you, this one doesn't compare. The move down here was quick, so there was little time to investigate the school we were zoned for; otherwise, she would have NEVER had to have this experience. This is a terrible school and my heart breaks for my child and others every time I drop her off.
—Submitted by a parent

Most of the complaints here are district wide policy. The problem is Cyfair. It has gotten too big to manage. Your choices? Move to Tomball where the teachers aren't scripted and forced to teach only what the district wants them to teach and only the way the district wants it taught. Tomball also has closed concept schools, because open concept has long been known to be a bad idea, but Cyfair continues to build them because it would cost too much to retrofit the older schools. The cupcakes and candy thing has been a policy since 2005 when they decided that was the way to keep kids from obesity. Cy-fair has excellent teachers and tons of money, but is too big to work. taxes to cyfair and pay tuition, and if the economy turns again
—Submitted by a parent

I have 2 children that go to ownes elementary. This school does seem harsh when it comes to punishing children for minor things and spends a great deal of time on preparing them for the tasks test. They also do not allow the children to bring cupcakes on their birthday for their class or valentines day candy to pass out. I find this unacceptable because everyother school district allows it. Also, my husband is on the enrollment paperwork as my sons stepfather (the only father he knows) and the emergency contact. They have called him in the past to pick up my son but today when my husband went to pick him up from school early they would not release him. Crazy! Why would he be on the enrollment and emergency contact if you cant releade him to him.
—Submitted by a parent

My experience with Owens Elementary has been horrific! We moved here from out of state & bought a house in an extremely nice neighborhood only to find out that our child would be required to wear a uniform-which is ridiculous! You know it is going to be a bad year when you go to Open House night only to be told that Science and Social Studies would not be taught as seperate subjects to your child--they would be incorporated with Reading and Math! Let's get real here-they aren't teaching them seperately because they aren't on the TEKS test! The 'open concept' classroom was tried in the 50's & 60's & deemed an unacceptable learning environment-don't we pay enough taxes to get walls in Cy-Fair? Punishment for minor infractions is the main agenda @ Owens! They are more interested in punishing than helping children.
—Submitted by a parent

One of my Grandsons attends! And he loves it there! Means a whole lot when a child likes his school!

This school is excellent. Great Staff. Very Friendly.

My experience with Owens elementary was horrific! Being a teacher myself and working in education I could not believe the things that were going on at that school. Administration including the principal is well below standard. There is no communication in regards to the kids well being. They are more interested in punishing the kids instead of helping them. It's a disgrace to the Cy-Fair school district. I ultimately had to remove my child and put her in a school in my district. TEA needs to be sent there to clean house.
—Submitted by a parent

Because of my husbands job, we transfer frequenlty and have been able to experience many different school systems across the country. Based on other experiences Owens is horrible! I wish my children didn't have to go there and really regret buying a house in the zone. The entire year is focused on the TAKS test and the children aren't learning anything. My oldest child attened last year and has to return in the fall. I have to send my kindergarten aged child there in the fall but I'm trying to find a way to afford private school or any alternative for the following year. I've even switched my major (still working on my degree) to education in the hopes that I can teach elsewhere and take my children there. The principal is concerned with what looks good on her resume, not what is good for the students.
—Submitted by a parent

Owens Elementary is a solid academic school. When my children attended the teachers were focuses solely on learning, and that was great,but there were never much opportunity for other fun activities for the children, it was very monotonous and dull. Great School academically, but need a balance in learning.
—Submitted by a parent

Extremely disappointed. 4th graders dont know multiplication prior learning division. Kids take a Writing TAKS but arent taught to write a book report. No grammar skills are taught. Cursive isnt taught. Reading is not taught. The only purpose of this school is the outcome of the TAKS. My child scores exemplary on the TAKS because that is all they teach at Owens. Its deplorable that the well-to-do parents dont drive their Hummers and children to private school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have to say that I am very disapointed with the perfomance of the principal at Owens Elementary. Unfortunately, the school has lost some of the best teachers I have ever met and I am very sad about it and concerned about my child's future at that school
—Submitted by a parent

Based upon my 9 years of experience with Owens I give the Teachers who taught my children an 'A'. They are fantastic. The Parents-especially the PTO--do a great job supporting Owens especially with the funding of events like 'Exchange City', 'Ropes' and 'Nature Trails'. So the Parents get an 'A'. I would give the Gifted and Talented differentiated curriculum a 'D'. I have not seen much differentiation. I would give the open classroom concept an 'F'. The idea of having no walls and very little sound attenuation may save construction costs but the functionality is greatly lacking. The use of technology needs to continue to be improved so I would give technology use a 'C'. When I look at how much I pay in school tax versus the additional cost of a private school or home schooling I give Owens an overall grade of 'A'.
—Submitted by a parent