What I love most about Oyster elementary is the social environment. Truly a supportive and diverse community, a place to build life skills. I am very happy that my kids are there.
—Submitted by a parent

Having a bilingual program is great. The trouble is kids need to master & excel in skills beyond languages later in life and Adams does not offer a challenging academic curriculum in the middle school years. I hope they get it right someday. It's just disappointing my kids won't see the benefits...
—Submitted by a parent

Discipline problems are on the increase in the middle school due to poor leadership. In addition quality of instruction varies from classroom to classroom as there is no real supervision to ensure consistency. My kids have had very good teachers and very bad ones too. Teachers receive very little support and are left on their own to battle the daily problems. Many are very fed up. I agree with some of the comments that parents have posted here. The school really needs new leadership to survive.
—Submitted by a parent

Great teachers but very poor administration. Both, teachers and parents are frustated with the current principal and her team. The school needs new leadership to survive.
—Submitted by a parent

The teachers at the school are great and very committed to make the dual program successful. However the administration is weak and uninspiring. The current principal is not acting as a leader and seems to be unable to make any decisions at all. The assistant principals are just as bad. The middle school campus in particular is badly run. Discipline problems are on the increase because there isn't a clear policy for students. Students misbehave because the school allows them to do so. It is a real shame.

Grade 7 and 8 are relatively new additions and continuing with the bilingual immersion or choosing a different middle school is a hard choice for some (not all) parents. In the early years, this school so inspired my daughter to an incredible love of learning and passion for going to school,developed her values and worldly outlook. Immersion schooling was a privilege, a huge challenge for leaders to deliver but wonderful. And a special aspect of this school is its true commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Each child is taught to feel special for who they are, to develop and value their self-identity and appreciate others. All in all it was an incredible experience for my daughter and I am ever grateful to the dedicated staff, and exceptional community. Now it has middle school years that with support can become wonderful too. The principal is Harvard educated and PIONEERED a bilingual school successfully in a more challenging demographic situation prior to this appointment. I trust her background and leadership. It is complex. Parents listen and support or move elsewhere at the middle school stage. Pre-K to grade 6 is really special, a privilege for sure.
—Submitted by a parent

My children will just be starting the Oyster-Adams Middle School, I have received mixed reviews regarding the school. I love bilingual education for my children, however, I will not sacrifice high academic expectations to get it.

I have had a different experience than what the other parents have recently discussed. It's true that they aren't going to offer a lot of leveled math instruction, but that's due to it's small size. Small size=less money=fewer teachers. There just aren't enough teachers to offer the leveled math instruction that some parents want. That is a drawback to some parents. However, the small size contributes to a very close-knit community. All teachers know every student in the school, and my son appreciates that everyone knows him. I also have to disagree about the curriculum not challenging students as well. Just take a look at the 8th grade graduating class - over half of them have been accepted to prestigious private high schools or selective public area high schools. This, to me, tells me that my son has received an above average education and is ready to take on high school.
—Submitted by a parent

Huge discipline problems and a very uninspiring principal are the negatives of the school. The English teachers are good and so are the parents. There are very few good Spanish Teachers. In general they tend to be very weak.
—Submitted by a parent

Teachers and parents do a great job, Principal leadership is below average, most students don't behave well. This wasn't the case with last principal
—Submitted by a parent

After many years in the school we have deciced to leave for another middle school that can offer the academic challenges that our kids need. The current Principal doesn't believe in offering different levels of math instruction, Instead her philosophy seems to be "one size fits all" . Other middle schools offer a much better and more solid curriculum than Oyster does so we are leaving. In adddition, the current administration is very weak. The school has serious discipline problems which they seem unable to resolve. We have tried to speak to the current principal several times and have offered her different solutions but she doens't want to hear. IT is a shame and it breaks our heart, as we really do believe in bilingual education, but not at the expense of putting the academics at risk. We feel that if we stay at Oyster our child's education will suffer.
—Submitted by a parent

We are very dissapointed and frustrated with the current principal. She is making really bad decisions with regards to teacher selection and the middle school program. What is worse is that she doesn't listen to parents and ignores any concerns, or suggestions parents might have. As a result of her weak leadership, the program is becoming so average that a bilingual education for our children is not longer a priority , if the academics are going to suffer. We know that many other families think likewise and many are leaving the school. Amongst those there are Spanish speaking families like us. It is a real shame as Oyster used to be a great school.
—Submitted by a parent

I agree with the comments posted here. The current principal is not a leader and is losing the respect of parents, teachers and students. we don't understand why she insists in keeping those really bad teachers that are affecting the quality of the program. The school really needs new leadership.
—Submitted by a parent

Once upon a time, Oyster was a great school but it is rapidly declining due to the lack of leadership and vision of its current principal. The best students are leaving to go to Deal and other schools, not because they do not longer wish to be in a bilingual program but because they are getting bored and the school is not offering them any challenges. In addition the principal does not want to fire some really bad teachers who should be doing something else rather than wasting the years of our children.
—Submitted by a parent

Oyster-Adams has an effective bilingual immersion plan that serves a diverse community of learners. It is both a true neighborhood school and a place that serves our city as a whole. My daughter loves Oyster.
—Submitted by a parent

Oyster is a awsome school. Its a small environment so that the students can get to know their teachers and classmates. And it is a great oportunity to be able to learn another languege from such a young age
—Submitted by a student

This school may be 'above average' by DC standards, but by far not an above average school. I find it to be quite average and luke warm at best. The children are frindly and well behaved: 5star. The teacher quality: 3star. Parent involvement: 4.5star. Dual immersion language model: 2. Acedemically overall, nothing special: 3star-luke warm. Not agressive or very well targeted toward the individual. My son will not be returning next year. I expected more based upon the school's reputation. I am not alone in my feelings as a parent either. Please note, there aren't many reviews written on this site yet; only 9.
—Submitted by a parent

Great acceptance rate to the best high schools after graduation.
—Submitted by a parent

Oyster has been life-changing for my children, and the quality of the teaching and dedication by staff is as good as it gets -anywhere, private, charter or public. Just today I dropped in the intermediate campus: 5th graders presenting a power point to their classmates on a multi-tiered math project in Spanish; 6th grade math group rapping/singing the solution to an equation; 4th graders focused outside with their teacher on language arts; you see adults putting children first every minute. All DCPS should be like Oyster.
—Submitted by a parent

My school is the best school in the district because its the only school that people from all over the world can learn english and spanish and mybe teach us stuff about their old school soo do the parent that says the school is unsatisfactory then why is your child in it thank you vary much P.S the teachers their are one of the best teachers in the district and the principal is the best principal in the whole district. to anyone who disagrees feel free to say what you want but no matter what you say Oyster is the best . Thakyou very much!!!!!
—Submitted by a student