Richard Bard Elementary School

After several meetings with leadership/childish ideas of recording/capturing teacher in-class behavior, we elected to focus on what is really important and pull our student out in order to get him into an environment that could better meet his educational needs and goals and allow him grow unhindered.

Wonderful school. They have a brand new principal and many new staff members who have really changed the atmosphere of the school. New iPads in the classrooms and a great focus on PE and the arts. Their GATE program is outstanding and they brought back band for 5th graders.

Awhile ago when my kids went Bard had an exceptional Principal who left the district to lead districts in the county. Dr. Puglisi had a hand in much-developed a sports program for PE, developed the after school program subsequent leaders dismantled, ran music flag salutes, built and supported the library, supported and drove curriculum, had a big part in the coordination with the base, in short a guy that knew the job and did it 24/7. He personally did it. And people supported him incredibly. A TEAM. When the District leadership changed unfortunately a lot of what was great became strangled and lost. Now Bard remains better than other schools in the district now it touts "CHAMPS" as innovative-which is a behavioral program that turns all human interaction into a Skinnerian model. 1956. At some point the really great teachers that were there will all be retired and younger ones will be following culture of this school they never actually saw for themselves. And that's sad because the terrific is lessened under current district leadership . For my kids Bard did a great job-excellent actually. It was a place with a caring heart, arts, theater, enrichment, love of literature.

Fabulous school with talented, caring and cutting edge teachers and programs. My son flourished in the Dual-Immersion program. The teachers encouraged parent participation on and off campus, and invited me to share in my child's education. My son was challenged academically, while teaching him constructive processes to succeed socially and emotionally. Bravo Zulu!