Florence Bowser Elementary School

FBES was a gem in the Suffolk School system. Unfortunately, the Superintendent and School Board have elected to increase class sizes to above the Virginia Board of Education and Virginia legislature standards. Now good teachers and aides are unable to provide the attention and direction needed for an excellent education. At times they are reduced to providing crowd control. The students, PreK through 1st grade, are overcrowded, denied needed individual attention. Children who need extra help are being missed and students who could excell are not challenged to do so. Communication with parents has also suffered, making it difficult to continue educating the students at home. This is not a reflection on the teachers, but on the conditions provided by adminstration moves.
--Submitted by a parent

Due to the reshifting of teachers within the Suffolk Public Schools, the class sizes are at and above maximum capacity this year. Unfortunately the kids will be the ones to suffer for the lack of School Board planning and lack of City Council Funding education. I have lost all confidence in the Suffolk Public School System and will be sending my children elsewhere.
--Submitted by a parent

Due to a recent re-zoning of schools in the area the class size is now around 18 students per class. The staff is wonderful.
--Submitted by a parent

Nice small school for the younger set. Teachers know the parents and know the children too! This is because the school is only for PK4-1st grade.
--Submitted by a parent

I had one daughter graduate from this FBE and 2 sons currently attending this school. I really feel confident in my children's education at this school plus am very active in the school as well.
--Submitted by a parent

My son just 'graduated' from Florence Bowser. If you let the outside of the school scare you, then you miss out on some amazing teachers. The teachers are wonderful and so are the resource teachers. I would like to see some more maintenance done (my son dealt with a leaky roof in his class for too long) and the school food is not very healthy. But those are district problems. We'll miss FBE!
--Submitted by a parent