Battlefield Elementary School

My wife and I were concerned because our daughter could already read at a second-grade level when she entered kindergarten. We were extremely concered that she would be bored with the level of instruction. We needn't have worried. Our daughter's teacher (Mrs. Johnson) has decades of experience and decades of dedication, and found ways to engage our daughter throughout the learning day. Bottom line: Our kindergartener loves her school and loves her teacher. She is always learning and investigating everything that she does, and we credit Mrs. Johnson at Battlefield for stoking that learning fire in our child. This week, she is badgering us (mom and dad) about the details of how Santa delivers all of his brand-name toys in the span of 12 hours. This is what happens when you encourage a child to investigate. Now it's up to us to be creative and come up with a response that will satisfy a very bright 5-year-old.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter used to love school...until she enrolled in Battlefield Elem. Now my kid who would cry if she was too sick to go to school, cries NOT to go to school. Every year I have to request a transfer from the classroom they put her in because the teachers want to be cruel, uncaring, as well as dismissive of the parents. Then I would have to fight and fight, and they would put her in another class, and it would be only a little better, but still really bad. The staff is very patronizing and spiteful. My daughter was getting A's in math for 2 grading periods. The 3rd grading period she suddenly recieved an F, and the fourth it went back to an A. All because in the 3rd grading period, I began to push about my daughter going into the Gifted program. Now most parents know, there is no way a straight A student can have such a dramatic drop in a grade, especially when I see all her graded papers have A's and B's on it. Next year I'm transferring my child to a different school in the district. I can not allow her to deal with BES anymore.
—Submitted by a parent

My son was in kindergarten and was switched out of his classroom with only 3 weeks left of school. The teacher did not want to answer questions I had about my child's education and was told she did not want to deal with me therefore it would be better for my son to be in another classroom. I wasn't even told about the switch until after it happened when he came home from school. He was traumatized by the event and even cried and asked for his mother. He is now attending private school and is still suffering from the incident that day. His doctor sent the school a note stating it was not medically feasible to switch a child out of his classroom. The principal still did not care and would not let my son finish the year in his class. I had to pull him out of his kindergarten year and he could not even say bye to his friends. He is still going through a lot because of this. Also, this school does not teach phonics and therefore, a lot of children will have problems with reading. They are taught to memorize words and not how to sound them out. Many children here struggle. With my son, he started there knowing more than when he left.
—Submitted by a parent

Battlefield Elementary is the worst school in the county when it comes to education. I was lied to about my son's academic ability. The score on his PALS test he was given was a complete falsification. I had him tested by another kindergarten teacher that I knew personally and it proved that the school was not honest. They wanted to pull my son out of his class the next school year for remedial reading help because of this test score and he didn't even need it. His report card was exceptional and there was never any indication of any problems with his reading. Be careful that they are not doing this to your child for funding purposes. The principal totally disregarded my concerns and told me to leave the school and take my son with me. I can't believe a principal is capable of these kinds of actions and that the county allows it.
—Submitted by a parent

The open classroom environment does not work if your child has a learning disability or ADHD. My son started Kindergarten and was having many problems. Instead of helping him the school just sent him to the office every day. It took many months before we could get an outside evaluation for ADHD (he could not think because of all the noise). Whenever we tried to bring up any concerns they put it all on our son saying that even if he did have ADHD or an LD the open classroom environment wasn't the problem because "all the other kids have adjusted". The principal did not care about our son and it showed. My son grew depressed that it progressed to him cutting off his eyelashes in class. After that we ended up pulling him out of the school and homeschooling him for the last quarter of the school year. The only person who showed any concern for our son was the assistant principal who unfortunately retired this year :-(
—Submitted by a parent

Since moving to Fredericksburg, we have had great experience with everything except Battlefield Elementary! Coming in after the start of the school year was hard, and getting any information about anything was like pulling teeth! The few times I had to go into the office and ask questions I felt as if I was bothering the office staff, and being allowed into my children's classrooms to ask the teacher a quick question or make a simple inquiry was like getting into Fort Knox! The open classroom situation is somewhat scary (at least it is for us), lots of noise and distraction. We get very little information about anything coming home in the kids folders and the PTA is practically non-existent!
—Submitted by a parent

This is a wonderful school, I feel it provides my child with the teacher interaction she needs to function. She has been at this school for 3 years and has had a terrific teacher each year. The parent involvement is good at this school as well as the Principal and Vice Principal involvement. They seem to know everyone's name and remembers who their parents and siblings are as well. I would recommend this school to anyone who asked me.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is excellent. My children just started this school and love it. We moved from Manassas Park and Battlefield Elementary School is way far better for my children. Keep up the good work Battlefield!! They have excellent teachers to teach the students. The office staff is helpful. I love the open classrooms design.
—Submitted by a parent

Although my daughter is only in Kindergarten, I've come to find out that Battlefield is one fine school. The office staff are super friendly and her teacher is one of the most creative individuals I've ever met. Makes me want to go back to Kindergarten myself! The open class room atmosphere is a brilliant idea! Keep up the good work Battlefield!
—Submitted by Tracy McDaniel, a parent

This is the BEST School here. The Teachers and Staff are Fantastic. My Daughter has grown and advanced so much in the 2yrs she has been there. Everyone here goes above and beyond their Job. We have a Wonderful Caring Principal and Asst Principal. The open classrooms make learning fun and Teaches the kids to learn to block out outside noises and distractions.
—Submitted by a parent

Kids love this school-I love this school! The kids are thriving academically, emotionally and socially! Better than any other schools my kids have attended in all of our military travels(including Courtland in this same district (but also a good school),and Kraft Elementary in Hampton, VA.
—Submitted by Lorrie Schmitt, a parent