We are having a great experience at Francis Stevens Elementary School. The teachers are amazing and the whole staff is very helpful when you need them. I recommend the Pre-school program without any doubt. It is the best start my child could have!
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent teachers, My daughter is happy with her teacher and friends. Shes is learning enough for her age.
—Submitted by a parent

Don't understand the basis of the last posting. Volunteered for a full day to work with all grade levels and found the students to be very engaging. I think one needs to understanding the adolescent before writing such comments. Staff, in general, is very committed to their students and the parent involvement is growing exponentially.
—Submitted by a parent

Poorly run school with rude, foul-mouthed students. Stay away if you value a quality education for your children.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a single father of two, a 4 year old girl and a 6 year old boy. I was very apprehensive at first; given the reputation DC public schools have. However, considering the fact it is only 3 blocks away from my job and the fact that it allows me to stay active and and keep a close eye; I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, FSEC has exceeded my expectations, and even more Mrs. Fitzgerald. They have not only been assisting me in my long journey and struggles of a single parent, but they have made me feel at home and have given me tools, tips, and strategies to be successful in helping my children to be successful. The fact that my son couldn't read and started to read in only 30 days in Kindergarden, in addition to learning and doing algebra on his own has given me the excitement and motivation to help him and the other children to see what levels they can achieve. I have not only signed them back up for another year, I have also become a member of the PTA, changed my hours to be more active, Im working to help the school on their mission to provide a healthy lifestyle for the children, staff, parents, and the community. 4 stars only because we need more parents to be involved.
—Submitted by a parent

I really like the rest of the school and wish i could say the same about the kindergarten class. My daughter comes home with horror stories everyday and she isn't learning but being discourage to retain the skills she has acquired. I am very disappointed that the school systems still allows sub par teachers who just want to collect a paycheck teach. I am extremely aggravated at the meeting i tried to have with the teacher where the tone was "Thats not my problem" Its a shame because the cheer leading program and many of the staff is awesome. Unfortunately i will be looking for a better opportunities for my daughter to be encouraged to learn. Don't be fooled at the beautiful campus or the nice placement in NW DC. It still seems to live up the the expectation of a DC Public school which is sad and even more so for someone trying to give the DC school system a chance.
—Submitted by a parent

Just as a point of clarification for School Year 2012-2013, Ms. Luppino will be a Pre-K teacher and Ms. Schrauth will be a Preschool teacher. The other early childhood positions have not been finalized yet.
—Submitted by a teacher

My daughter recently completed Pre- K at Francis.I was not please and that's putting it mildly. The staff which emcompasses the office staff, security and some of the teachers and aids were very unapprochable and anti social. As a parent, this was a huge problem for me........ My daughter loved her teacher. However,there were times the teacher exemplified rudeness, and being cavalier towards the parents. I could continue but I just felt best, I send my daughter else where.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a preschool teacher at Francis Stevens and I would like to respond to the parent that reported that we haven't had any open houses or haven't reached out to neighborhood parents. We have actually had two separate open houses this spring that were well attended. We also welcome parents to make an appointment with our main office for a personal tour during operational hours. We have had a get together for new parents on our playground and are also planning another meet and greet breakfast for our new parents. We do try to limit the amount of large group open houses so that the children who are currently attending our school are not constantly being disrupted in their classroom. We welcome children across the city and are excited about all parents who want to be a part of our Francis Stevens family from preschool all the way to the 8th grade!!!!
—Submitted by a teacher

As a parent, I can say that I am pleased with this school and will be returning next school year. The location is in NW, DC - the Foggy Bottom area. It is minutes away from Dupont Circle and Georgetown. The school has several partnerships with local businesses, including George Washington University. My daughter has made tremendous literacy gains in fluency, comprehension and vocabulary development - from teacher instruction and free GW student tutoring programs. The school has a diversified student population and is offered Spanish as an elective class. The administration is visibly present and welcoming to the school community and neighbors. After several talks with the principal, I find him to be a visionary. He has strategic plans to prepare student learners for the demands of the 21st century. Kudos to Francis Stevens!
—Submitted by a parent

I have had a wonderful experience with my child there the past 4 years. He has been challenged by his coursework, has moved from proficient to ADVANCED the past 2 years on DC CAS, and has a true love for his school. The principal and AP have been beyond supportive. We have had a great experience at FSEC!
—Submitted by a parent

What a disappointment this school is. It is on beautiful grounds, has a supportive neighborhood, and has done absolutely nothing to reach out to parents in the neighborhood who want to learn about the school and send their children there. We are surrounded by two good elementary schools: Ross and Hyde. It is obscene that DCPS, and Francis Stevens in particular, cannot get their act together and have a simple open house at FS for prospecitve parents. Virtually every other PS in D.C. has an open house. Are you really going to trust your child's education to a school that cannot-- and has no interest in-- organizing an open house? I have heard from numerous parents who send their children to FS that the preschool and kindergarten teachers are good but the first grade teacher is horrendous so at first grade, you have to find your child a different school (and the fact that these lower grades are good is due to neighborhood parent involvement-- wake up FS!). What a disappoinment. DCPS, the Francis Stevens Parent Organization, and the principal of FS should be ashamed of themselves.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter who went there for a year in Pre-K absolutely hated the school. The teachers were extremely rude and unforgiving, the kids in her class were bullying her, and no amount of complaints to the teachers helped. My daughter was absolutely traumatized and now does not even want to pass by the school.
—Submitted by a parent

What an unforgettable year our kids are having at Francis-Stevens PS-3! I am sure they will have the best memories about Ms Schrauth, Ms Bilker and their classmates. And I hope my kid will find teachers like them in his academic life. They care, they know, they love our little ones like they are their own children. I really appreciate what you have done for our children, Francis-Stevens PS3 team.
—Submitted by a parent

We are at preschool at FS and quite happy about it. One has to look beyond test scores for middle school to see that pre-s and pre-k are much better.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the worst school ever the principal is useless, its tons of racism, and they have no control over the students. They are children pre-k to 8th grade, older kids picking on the younger ones. Few months ago there was a firth grader that beat up two pre schoolers, and yesterday police took two 8th graders in hand cuffs and the school didn't even contact the parents I had to find out from my child. I don't advise anyone to go to this school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my children's 1st yr in a public school. So far so good. There is great communications amongst myself, my kids teachers, and so on. The only issue I truly have is the lack of parental involvement!
—Submitted by a parent

The staff and principal are working really hard together to bring the school to excellence.

This is the second year my daughter has attended since it was made a pre-K thru 8th grade school. Test scores are improving. They have a principal and assistant principal who truly cares about the students and are respected by students, parents and faculty. The teachers truly teach your children -- not only academic-wise, but also lessons in life. They encourage the children to always do their best and to never give up. It's a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

Great School, wonderful teachers, and happy students!
—Submitted by a parent