Parker Elementary School

Parker is very questionable if not involved in the music program. They do have a great music program. After their flagship classes though....there is a substantial drop off in academics in the upper grade levels. Go to the PTA meetings and tune into the school a year before enrollment so you as a parent can have a firm understanding of the school. Things always change and you shouldn't make a review based on a review you see online or a talk with the principal. Go the the school and feel it out.
—Submitted by a parent

TTeachers. Staff are wonderful.... the principal cares about the children... so do the teachers their involvement is great!!!communication. Is wonderful & conferences with parents & involving parents is great as well!!!
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers are outstanding and the parents are so involved. This is a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my daughter's first year at Parker. I love all the kinder teachers, they are very experienced, very patient and loving. The new principal has a education PhD, hope he will keep this school academic strong as their music program.
—Submitted by a parent

Overall this is a great public school with good teachers, academics and of course music magnet program. Neither of my children are in the magnet and I think they get the deserved and appropriate attention they need. I have to agree that at least some of staff can be aloof and/or rude, especially the two ladies in the front office. They perform their duties, but they never smile and have very cold personalities.
—Submitted by a parent

I thought that this would become a good experience for my son and myself, however that as been short lived. I find that the classroom is always in total chaos, the staff to be completely rude, if your child is not in magnet which they don't offer for pre-k your not getting the best.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers and staff and a wonderful group of caring people and the music program is excellent. My granddaughter is so enthused about everything she does at her new school.

The best string program in the country at a public school! Great overall academics. Great atmosphere.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter started this past fall as a third grader in strings. She is taking the violin and I can not sing the praises of the music program at this school enough. I am impressed with the wonderful group of parents who volunteer their time in many ways and just how welcoming they are. My daughter is in the beginners chorus and I tell you it brings tears to my eyes when I hear them sing. After spending three years at another music magnet program here in Houston I can not tell you how wonderful this program is. There are not words to describe how much better this program is. The principle seems to be on top of things and my daughter's home room teacher is lovely (Mrs. Brown).
—Submitted by a parent

The music program is stellar and Parker deserves raves for all they've done in this area. However, the program requires intense parental invovlement during the school hours and so is not available to children whose parents cannot be there because of work. I'm a single parent and my child simply is unable to take advantage of any music instructions because of this. For those children who are not in the music program, the quality of the teaching and level of instruction is questionable.
—Submitted by a parent

Our daughter started the strings program in kindergarten and is now in second grade. The program is almost unique, parent involvement is fantastic, and the sense of tradition and community are evident in everything that happens there. We're thrilled with Parker!
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the last posting. The music program is awesome. However thety are a couple of great teachers. But the further my children get in upper grades i admit im am a little concern about the acdemics. I have 2 children that are in GT. I am a little concerened about the child that isnt in GT as far as academics. We'll see.
—Submitted by a parent

Parker is a great school period. It offers a well-rounded, real world experience. My children have been well supported academically by kind, caring and quailified teachers. The administration is supportive and present. My children have shown conistent progress at Parker. When you look at test scores, really look at them. Look for improvements and look at subjects. Parker has a strong neighborhood base but they also serves a transient apartment area. I do mean serve because the overall goal is to educate child not just the ones that shine. Which brings me to my next point. Music. For my family, music is a part to the whole. Another aspect to round out my child. We are priviledged to be involved in the music department where they have received excellent instruction. Academics, Family, Fun, Music. Here, you can get it all. Needs a more diverse teaching staff (esp.K,4,5)
—Submitted by a parent

For the most part we have found our children's teachers caring individuals and the gerneal environment very pleasant. However, if you read the majority of the reviews you will find a common element. Most of them rightfully tout the music program as a high quality learning environment in which the children are well taught and challenged. Regretably, it is our experience at Parker for the last few years that non-music student is getting a marginal education at best and that supplimenting your childs education outside the school is a necessity. Test scores are not great and we contiue to notice a lack of concern as long as the music program keeps thriving.
—Submitted by a parent

We are so happy that our children attend Parker! Wonderful teachers who go above and beyond to help students learn, an incredible music program, and involved parents really make this school one-of-a-kind! High expectations are held for the students, and the kids rise to those expectations. The music program gives them a very strong musical foundation, but it also builds in the children a strong sense of responsibility for their own work (academic and musical) and their instruments and respect for others and their work.
—Submitted by a parent

Both my teenage sons went to Parker. Every year they have been in the HISD All-City band (elementary, middle, and high school) due to the excellent musical training received at Parker. They were accepted into the most rigorous HISD high school magnet programs and are excellent students. Parent involvement is very high at Parker and the principal lives just a few blocks away. The lady who writes the school newsletter has college age children, but she loves the school so much she continues to do it. My husband and I saw the diversity of the school as a positive.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree Parker has a great music program, very friendly staff, music teachers are wonderful and knowledgeable but as far as academics goes...Academics don't seem to be a priority and we believe because of the number of students the attention to my child's academic needs is minimum. We do not count with the help we are requesting and that is a big disappointment.
—Submitted by Ana, a parent

I am very impressed with the music departments at Parker and the PTO but that is where the applause stops. The teachers are trying but the constant I hear from them and the administration is that they just have too many kids. Everytime I go to the school the children are loud and unattentive to the rules. I am never greeted with a smile or hello in the office. The music department does not make up for all the other lacking areas of the school.
—Submitted by a parent

Where else can you find a school within a regular school district that can give children such an amazing musical program and also keep the academic standards up as well? My wife, myself and our two children (Third grade and Kindergarten)are very much impressed with all that Parker has to give from the administration that is very involved with the teachers, students and parents, the vocal PTO, all of the volunteers, the wonderful teaching staff (especially all the music teachers)and all of these wonderful kids. In addition, Parker is a very diverse school and I believe shows these children how the world looks. And the children all get along so well. We are blessed to have Parker Elementary under the HISD umbrella.
—Submitted by a parent

What a fantastic school! We're fortunate to have all three of our kids enrolled there. My work takes me to many of the elementary schools in the Houston area, so I've gotten to peek behind the curtain at other schools. There are quite a few very good elementary schools around here, and Parker is one of the top ten, maybe top five. The teachers are fantastic, the Grammy Award-winning music department is a joy, the parents are very involved and supportive, and the office staff manages to keep all this craziness from flying off the rails. The magnet program means that Parker has a beautifully diverse population, and my kids learn every day that it's the inside of a person that really counts.
—Submitted by Kelly Dean, a parent