Gayton Elementary School

Something is amiss when the principal herself takes vacations of several days' duration at random times during the academic year. Where is the school district administration that it allows this? The schools that I taught in (in another state) would never have allowed it, nor would any of my principals have ever even considered it. This reflects a lack of concern for both staff and students.

The parents are very invovlved, the teachers are awesome, especially Mrs. Herbert and the staff are nice to wrok with as well. Great PTA!
--Submitted by a parent

I agree with the positive comments below. A few comments on the gifted process: Gayton is lucky in that it has a small number of 3rd grade classes (where giftedness is generally honored). This allows the gifted resource teacher to have the time to pull 'identified' kids out of 1st and 2nd grade classes for weekly 'critical thinking' exercises. I wish it were more than once a week but I feel lucky that my son got the option at all in 1st and 2nd grades. I am disapointed by the lack of information released about gifted testing. I think they keep it secret because of the sensitivity around gifted vs not. I've had to do a lot of independent research to know what to expect as opposed to having it offered to me by the school. I imagine most public schools would be this way and its not specific to Gayton
--Submitted by a parent

On the last day of kindergarten, my daughter asked me, 'When can I start first grade?' She had a talented teacher and made more progress than I though possible in just one year! I agree with the Dec 2008 post about lunch - I'm in there every week and the kids chatter all the time, not sure where that other parent got their info about silent lunch - HA! The playground rules have more to do with creating enthusiasm about moving up to higher grades with more priveleges - my kids play on all of the equipment after school with no problems. Gayton is a great place to start a child's education, and the community steps up to get involved at every oppotunity. Go Gators!
--Submitted by a parent

My son has entered kindergarten. I have been very impressed with the amount of parent/teacher communication. Our teacher has been wonderful with our son. I think their personalities are very complimentary, which is the luck of the draw sometimes. I would like to comment on the May 29, 2008 posting. The teachers and staff do have high expectations for behavior, which I think is wonderful, and it is true that the kindergarten kids face in the same direction at the tables, but this has to do with the age. 5 and 6 year olds are very easily distracted and I think this is just a way of minimizing that. I volunteer as a lunch monitor 3 days a week and it is a complete untruth that those kids are not allowed to speak at lunch. They talk to their hearts content. I know, I'm there. Our experience has been wonderful.
--Submitted by a parent

Each teacher my child has had has been wonderful. However I have many other concerns: the office staff is unwilling to help and speaks ill of other parents while others are listening; the sign-in process is a joke; no one is willing to recognize or test for gifted students until 3rd grade; there are ridiculous liability releases and permission forms; younger children are not allowed to play on certain equipment since gasp! someone might get hurt; kindergarteners eat at 10:40 AM because they all have to face the same direction and are not allowed to speak at lunch (my child made no friends that year since they may not speak during lunch, in the halls, or during class); children are not given any personal responsibility; I could go on and on. Basically, the teachers are great, but leadership is lacking.
--Submitted by a parent

Completed first year with three children attending. This is a fantastic school that is very personable, welcoming to new students, focuses on excellent academic achievement as well as expressing overall concern for a child's emotional development. Teachers show true concern for children and communicate effectively with parents.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a wonderful school. We moved into the area so my daughter could go to Gayton. She attended kindergarten at Gayton and is entering first grade. We absolutely adored my daughter's kindergarten teacher. She was so involved with the children, she would call us if my daughter did something 'cute' during the day. The staff at Gayton is also wonderful. I volunteered in the school several times last year and never heard a raised voice. All children are actively engaged in their lessons. The atmosphere in the school contributes to the high learning and development standard.
--Submitted by a parent