Pembroke Elementary School

We started our daughter in kindergarten at this school in the fall of 2016. At the first meet and greet, my daughter said that she and others were told to stick their questions in their pockets. She said she would forget her question, so she just *ate* it. Later, she told us the teacher also told them to put marshmallows in their mouths so they would be quiet. I called the principal and notified the teacher that I was concerned about the language being used with kindergarteners. The principal said all her teachers use that language and that her school values questioning so much that she brings in experts to talk with the fourth and fifth graders to teach them how to question because "for some reason" they stop asking questions at that age. I told her they stop asking questions because they were told to shove them in their pockets on Day 1. At a certain point, they just stop asking. Nonetheless, we started our daughter there on the first official half day to see if our complaint was recognized. My daughter said the teacher did not tell her to put her question in her pocket but told the other students to do so. That afternoon, we visited the elementary school just up the road and explained our story to which that principal said "I am not aware of any of my teachers talking to students that way." She helped us get the transfer paperwork through that same day, and my daughter started her first day at this new school on the second official day of school. We are so very happy there. The children all ask questions eagerly. The school is growing, and they had to add a new kindergarten class this year. My daughter still loves her new school. It's the highest-rated Birmingham elementary school on greatschools.org this year, and it's well deserved.

Pemproke Elementary school is a very good school because the teachers and the staff do really care about their students and their continuous improvement both socially and on their education the only thing I would really like the school to work more on is the second language teaching it should be more enhanced.

My child attends Pembroke and I am very pleased with his education and the quality of the teachers. He does bring home homework and as much as I don't care for young students having so much homework, I do accept it as a part of going to a great school district like Birmingham. I work hard with him to keep up with his homework and to study his spelling words each work. It does take dedication and effort, but I accept that. What I really love about the school is the small class size and the community feeling I get when I'm there. Instead of feeling like a big warehouse of a school like some of the other Birmingham elementary schools, this feels like the cozy neighborhood school that I attended as a child. I do feel like the teachers care deeply for their students and work hard to ensure their students' success. I like that this school is more down-to-earth than some of the other Birmingham schools which quite honestly felt way too materialistic to me. I feel like Pembroke is the best kept secret in the Birmingham School District. I hope it stays that way too!

This was my first year at Pembroke Elementary after being at another school for 11 years and the students, parents, and staff made me feel like I had always been a part of the school. I love it here and hope to stay as long as they will have me.