Maple Grove Elementary School

This school is amazing! The old principal was terrific - caring, engaged, a real advocate for students and the school. The new principal is all of those things, and also brings a warmth and concern for the kids emotional well-being on a daily basis. He has implemented the Second Step program to teach emotional intelligence, and also the Energy Bus curriculum about finding positive steps forward, goal setting, and surrounding yourself with supportive people. He is in the classroom more, supporting the teachers, which the teachers seem to really respond to positively. The school community is really supportive and inclusive. So many families walk or bike to school every day, so there is so much opportunity for social engagement and building community. The parents do a great job of rallying around the school and supporting their teachers. In the years since we have been there, they have improved their gifted and talented programming, and have also really engaged and improved support for students with IEPs. I have a kid on both ends of this, and feel totally supported by the principal, teachers, and school community.

We have been at MG for 3 years now and love our experience there. The new principal is young, caring, and open for change and new ideas. I've met with him numerous times on different items, and he's always willing to help. The teachers so far have been kind and supportive of my family. It's a great neighborhood school with a strong PTA.

Staff members here are caring, respectful and interested in improvement. The principal is genuinely concerned about students and student achievement. Although mostly a traditional school, the emphasis is to support kids of all abilities and learning styles, including trying to expand teachers; repertoire of teaching methods. No school is perfect for every kid, but this neighborhood school does a fantastic job of trying to serve all of its families, with their varying needs.

It's all about the test scores only and children not being able to be children. Example a call home from an after school activity coirdinator saying your child and other children were giggling during a break mind you this was supposed to be a fun activity for them. They were instructed to stop. We've noticed parental clicks with other parents and teachers. Preferential treatment aka playing favorites with certain parents and unkind to other parents. The current principal all about the image (test scores) but ready to pass the buck in parent concerns when a teacher is not willing to fulfill their duties in parent teacher communication. He will attempt to project and verbally pin you in a corner creating false situations. Right off the bat we've dealt with unwelcoming teachers that are not friendly or considerate to certain parents and students. Very unprofessional seeing teachers stepping out of line and the principle supporting their bad behavior. On numerous occassions staff has been rude and unaccoutable including dishonest of their disrespectful behavior toward parents. Observing that a child's IEP was ignored, no backing in support when it comes to a child with special needs, ignoring the needs of these children and even separating these children away from their peers in class viewing them as problem children. Seeing now that in a previous review that another parent has unfortunately experienced this lack of equality. It does not match up what the principal stated about the no child left behind policy. Moody principle poor overbearing ways. We will not be placing our children at this school unless these repeat issues are addressed with tact and respect. Please rethink this school!!!