Laurel Nokomis School

So I was a bit weary when the administration changed recently. I have always found Laurel Nokomis to be an effective school supportive of my child’s learning needs. I am happy to report that the new administration has been good at supporting my kid’s special needs and an episode of bullying and an issue with a bad teacher. Teachers always differ in quality at every school but recently, I felt that LNS continues to approach issues in a supportive manner. The front staff have always been very nice and helpful. I hope LNS keeps this up because my experience at other schools has been less than stellar.

Laurel Nokomis School.We are new to this school and it's not been very welcoming yet.It took two weeks to get my children into school after I registered them. Their lunch was not set up because they didn't inform me that lunch info doesn't transfer from different counties.Also the day of my kids started school I walked myself around the compass to find the cafeteria to fix the lunch but they spent time walking other new parents. What was different with me. We also live 1.9 miles by the map of the school but when you get in your own car it's farther than 2 miles.I think the state shouldnt have a 2 mile for children because those adults that made the rule are the adults that wouldn't do what the kids have to do in the heat or lighting storms.The transportation will not do anything about helping the children in our neighborhood get to school.They all have to walk,be car rider or ride bikes in the heat and lighting storms. I had a receptionist at the school tell me it was my responsibility to get my children to school after I had explained that my children would be tardy because of the lighting storm this morning. They got on their bikes to go.But the rain was to hard. So I got them in the car to take them to school.But I just had Surgery and not suppose to use my arms.It hurt so bad that there was no way I could drive so I didn't.We had to wait for the rain to calm down then they tried again on their bikes but that's when the ski really unleashed and they came back to the house soaked head to toe.The school and transportation said they tried calling me the first week they were in school but I said I hadn't received any calls.It turned out that school entered my phone number in the system wrong. Thank goodness that I called them about the rain or an emergency would of came up. The receptionist said I should be the responsible one. But it's the receptionist responsibility to enter my contact information and to give me all information that I need.They will let a receptionist speak to their parents in a very in respectable manner.I asked for a principal to call me back but I got the principal secretary.They will not forward your calls to the head official.This school better turn out to be good for my children educational wise because I'm not impressed.

I have 2 children at LNS. All in all it is a good school - as usual the most important is the actual teacher, and there are some very good teachers there. What I am less happy about is this culture of giving children candy for no reason, or worse, as reward. This is not only unhealthy, it is also teaching them to associate junk food with success and makes them hyperactive while they hardly have any recess to shake off that extra energy (it is not even long enough for the energy or any child growing up). The new principal seems to be a good person, I hope he will have the courage to stand up for the children's well-being and change that culture. The second point is that the school is simply over-testing children to keep the school ranked - a teacher actually told me that her students in 4th grade were burnout by March - and that she had to motivate them with... candy. I wish the focus would be more on educational discovery and less about making them test machines.

My son was in the Autism unit and was able to be mainstreamed into a regular classroom. I credit the educators at LNS for supporting this achievement. He loves school and the administration. I am most impressed by the spirit of inclusion we have experienced at the school. When I go to an event and several times in public I am approached by someone who is involved with my son's education be it an administrator, an educator or even a support staff member ( the cafeteria lady recognized him at the grocery store one day!) I was worried that my child may experience bullying since he is very "different" from his peers, but was pleasantly surprised to find the other students to be open and supportive. Honestly it was such a relief to see my son embraced by the other students I welled up a bit. I would recommend this school to anyone who has a student with special educational needs, and especially to parents of children on the Autism Spectrum. My only complaint is that it does not extend beyond the 8th grade. All good things must come to an end, but I feel my son is well prepared to meet the challenges before him and a good deal of credit belongs to the fantastic people at LNS.