Byrd Elementary School

My daughter has attended Byrd Elementary K-3rd grade and now into her 4th grade year. This school is wonderful. The school is small so the administration, teachers, and parents appear to know most all the kids by their name or their relations. There are opportunities for all children to excel and be challenged. My daughter is in the gifted program but I have seen other kids each year be offered some of the same opportunities as she has. All of her teachers have been totally different but all offered a safe and encouraging learning environment with open communication toward the parents. Our family has considered relocating at times for different reasons but the school system so far has kept our family from leaving Goochland.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter started second grade at Byrd on Monday August 23, 2010. Our previous two years have been outstanding. Excellent teachers and small class room size made for a wonderful start to our child's education. Most important was our daughter's love of this school and the content of what she learned. There were opportunities for enrichment classes and subjects and the first grade teacher made learning fun for the kids. Reading is encouraged and rewarded as well as good behavior. I was a little disappointed in the class size of second grade due to budget cuts , but after meeting the curren teacher she appears to be fantastic! The school is clean, classrooms are bright and cheerful and the office staff and teachers have always been friendly and welcoming. There is also a New Gym and outdoor Science Lab that is Green and Earth friendly!
—Submitted by a parent

We have been at Byrd for over four years and felt that the third grade has been a transition, but one for the best. The children were challenged above and beyond and the SOL scores certainly were indicative of their hard work and the teachers hard work in preparing their lessons. We had great commnications with all the teachers and the office too.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has been at Byrd for four years now and some years are bad some years are great. I have to say the same for the teachers, some will take the SOL information to such a greater level and others teach only what they must and everything else is just too much work. I don't believe that teachers in general have our children's best interest at the forefront of their agendas nor do I believe they educate the parents on what is expected with the 'No Child Left Behind' mumbo jumbo! We did better with the 'RRR' and letting the teachers have some creativeness on how they teach. This day and age a parent better be a teacher them selves because that is what it is going to take to get your child in college.
—Submitted by a parent

We love Byrd Elementary. The Principal shows true compassion towards the students. He has an open door policy and is very approachable. The teachers and staff are just as compassionate. I feel that the faculty and staff honestly care about my child's education. They have his best interest at heart. The ladies in the office know each child by name and usually can pin point which classroom my child is in before I can even tell them. When you call on the phone you can hear the smile in their voices. I can not imagine my child going anywhere else. This is a great school!
—Submitted by a parent

Byrd School is an exceptional school. The staff is one of the most dedicated I have ever seen. The parent involvement is good, but with the competition is society today, and as hard as it is to relate this to parents: school must be a priority, challenge the students more and more.
—Submitted by a teacher

I feel that this school is not helping the children that need help the most. they do not offer extra tutoring of any kind.
—Submitted by a parent

My child has finally made it to the 4th grade and I have to say these teachers are doing their best to get the child involved in school learning. They expect the students to raise their hand if they don't understand something.
—Submitted by a parent

My son just completed 3rd grade at Byrd and my husband and I are GLAD it's over...There is a big disconnect from parents-teachers, from all school officials. I think that every teacher that 'teaches' needs to go to a MANDATORY Train the Trainer style classroom of 2-6 wks. Without this I feel like the bright kids are signaled out & this unfairly reflects to the 'world' that Byrd is doing a better job than they really are.
—Submitted by a parent