Encino Park Elementary School

Amazing elementary school with great parents and supportive teachers and staff!!

Absolutely horrible I wouldn’t recommend this school to any one! Not even my worst enemy

We have had nothing but positive experience with this school. I was raised in private schools and have a high standard for what I want for my children and EPE has met every expectation.

I am a proponent of public education, and because of this, my spouse and I moved to NEISD so that my child could attend Encino Park Elementary. But I've realized this year that much of the school's success is driven by the community's social class, as much as the former principal's personality.Encino Park is a school where children are taught to specialize at a young age, and if not good enough, they are rejected. For example, the school holds auditions for a play every year. You either make the play or you aren't good enough. Don't get me wrong: failure is good. It teaches valuable lessons, but unlike high school where Junior varsity sports or Pre-AP prepares and develops students, Encino Park simply rejects. There is no attempt to develop, train, or even nurture skills, passions, etc. It's a harsh lesson for a kindergartener and flies in the face of what elementary schools should probably be about, especially at the lower grades. You'd think, at a minimum, that children would get meaningful feedback so that they could improve, etc.The teachers are awesome: talented and passionate. But the Gifted and Talented program is a mess. The teacher apparently hasn't read the GT Program's policies and when asked to provide that information couldn't even point to it. The district's GT Director doesn't even know the district appeal process, and when pushed for a link or copy of the actual policy, simply provided incorrect information. It makes me question if there is even a policy or, at worst, that the individual in charge of the program is woefully incompetent. It is troubling that a district like NEISD might not have a written policy on cutoff scores and the selection process; or, just as troubling, the GT program is run by people who don't even know where to find the information.Lastly, the principal is a nice enough guy with best intentions. But instead of being an advocate for the children or, at least, attempting to solve problems, he passively leads. It's frustrating to realize that the one person who should represent your child's--and all of the children's--best interests would rather do...nothing. Ugh.I am a proponent of public education, but if NEISD can't seem to get it right, I might become a bigger proponent of private or charter schools.