Ralston Intermediate School

I graduated from this school last year. Personally, I feel like the school's problems stem from the administration and staff. They put no effort into reinforcing the rules and supporting the students other than putting up a bunch of posters. All the mental health related things they do look compassionate, but they really don't do anything for the student body. The school campus looks pretty from maybe 15 feet away. You can't walk five steps without coming across some sort of litter, which the staff tell everyone to pick up but provide no real consequence or reward for doing so. The locker rooms reek of sweat and chlorine, and the field is really unsafe to run on. The student body is kind, but that's not because of the school. There's a lot of diversity in terms of race, academic rankings, and personalities. I can assure you your kid will make some good friends here. But the school is particularly unkind to the special needs students here. My brother, who attended Ralston with me, has autism and was treated awfully here. My parents had to spend most of the school year fighting with the school administration just so he could have a good teacher (who, by the way, is lovely). I don't think any parent should have to suffer so much just to secure a good school experience for their child.On that note, classes here are stressful. Most of the teachers here are either mediocre or downright awful, excluding the occasional good ones. Getting a good teacher isn't rare, but it's certainly to a point where you're considered very lucky for getting even a decent teacher. Though the teachers don't really contribute to the overall issue with the school, it does directly affect your child, which is something I'd take into consideration. Your child is likely going to get a bad teacher at least twice, and that will have quite a big impact on your kid. Classes here in general are very stressful, even if you have a good teacher and/or you're a hardworking student. If you end up with a poor teacher (which, like I said, is likely), then it's even worse. This school will bring you down. I know so many academically talented people here who never got that opportunity to flesh out their potential because such opportunities are discouraged. Nearly everyone I know in my grade had lost academic motivation during their time at Ralston. Overall, I wouldn't recommend send your child here. I'd give them 3 stars, but they don't deserve it.

Really mixed. A few bad apples (eight grade teachers) made it really bad. These teachers who do not know how to manage their own time, blame the kids that the teacher has to work over weekend or till 10 pm. Algebra and Science in specific for eight grade made it really bad.

Very bad. School is not standing up against bullying. It's a very unsafe school!

5/10. I've grown sadder as the months went by.