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PLEASE read if your child attends Stewarts Creek Elementary School
Hi, I live in Smyrna near the airport. I desperately want to transfer my child out of her currant school to Stewarts Creek and would like some info about the school. Negative or positive. Can anyone answer some questions for me?
1) Do the kids stay in the same classroom all day except for related arts?
2) Are they single classrooms or set up like pods? A pod is a large room seperated into 4 classrooms by faux walls or bookshelves. They are also called shared or community classrooms. Two first grade teachers and two second grade for example. We are from Fl and all the Elementary schools now have community classrooms. The teachers can help each other out or share supplies. A child can learn a specific subject from a higher grade teacher if they are excelling.
3) Do the teachers only teach one grade or are the grades mixed? Last year, my Daughter's class consisted of equal amounts of 1st and 2nd graders taught by the same teacher all year. This was so the 2nd graders could help out the 1st graders or the 1st graders could also learn at a second grade level. This was wonderful and I think it should be done here? My child will be 9in Sept and should be learning at a third grade level. Everything she learned this year, she mastered last year. She is bored. I tried to have her tested when we moved so she can enter Third grade, and was told that they dont do that.
4) Most importantly. does your child enjoy going to school and does he/she like the teachers and staff? Do you?
5) Is there alot of communication between the parents and teachers? Do you feel comfortable and welcomed whenever you visit your child at school?
6) Does anyone know anything about the Pre-K program. (I have an 8 and 4 year old) How many days it is and the hours? How about the teacher(s)?
I feel it will be worth the drive if my child can attend this school. I will go and take a closer look at it for myself but wanted to get the parents opinions also. Is it the best school in Smyrna? We are in the worst I feel and have researched all others and in my opinion, I think it may be. What do you think? Anything you tell me about the school would be greatly apprecited. We love Smyrna and are planning to stay a long time and I want my kids to attend a school where they can be challenged and have fun at the same time.
I have asked specific questions about schools on here as well, but get the impression it might be a touchie subject, because responses for me also was slow to come in. Since we will only be moving to Mt Juliet in the summer, I also don't have advice other that to look at
greatschools.net
You can compare schools rated on their test scores, teacher/student rates, ethnicity and also see some parent reviews if parents did post. But do read behind the parent's motive as well. I found that helpful in deciding where we wanted to go, and then we visited and walked through the schools. And the one the parents complained abouth most is the one we end up liking best. But that gave us some pointers to ask whether so situations was rectified.
Here's the link, (if I searched for teh rght school!), and if you play around you can compare it to other schools. It looks like you have a couple of parent reviews there to look at: Greatschools.net Search: stewarts creek elementary school
I have asked specific questions about schools on here as well, but get the impression it might be a touchie subject, because responses for me also was slow to come in.
It's probably not that so much as the facts that there are hundreds of schools in the area and only a limited number of Nashvillians here on the forum. It's hard to find two or three people here that have first-hand knowledge of any one school. They might be several such people about some of the major high schools, but not for every school in Nashville and the surrounding counties.
I would tell the originally poster everything I knew about Stewarts Creek Elementary . . . except that I know absolutely nothing about it.
It's probably not that so much as the facts that there are hundreds of schools in the area and only a limited number of Nashvillians here on the forum. It's hard to find two or three people here that have first-hand knowledge of any one school. They might be several such people about some of the major high schools, but not for every school in Nashville and the surrounding counties.
I would tell the originally poster everything I knew about Stewarts Creek Elementary . . . except that I know absolutely nothing about it.
I think that's very likely the reason. The OP might try posting the same question on the Music City Moms website.
I would tell the originally poster everything I knew about Stewarts Creek Elementary . . . except that I know absolutely nothing about it.
Alleycat, You're the best!! And you other guys aren't too shabby either
What you're saying might exactly the reason, and maybe not just people trying to be politically correct as I might have suggested. No harm intented, I had found a wealth of info on here despite those earlier 'slow responses'. The search function also sometimes comes in handy.
Thanks everyone, I've checked out great schools.net, but it doesn't tell me how the classrooms are set up. Thanks alleycat. You have always helped me in the past. Remember in the fall when you sent me a list of Dojo's in the area? Well, we found one and my daughter starts tonight. I have never heard of Music City Moms, I will check it out tonight.
Mike, do you know someone who attends this school? I'd like to hear what you have to say even if your not certain, anything would help.
My daughter attends 1st grade at Stewarts Creek Elementary. She has been a student since kindergarten last year - which was also the school's inaugural year and we have every intention of seeing her graduate from Stewarts Creek High School that is scheduled to be built in 2012 or so.
1) Do the kids stay in the same classroom all day except for related arts?
They stay in the same classroom with the exception of separating them out for leveled classes in reading and math a couple times each week so they may work according to their ability. My experience is only with 1st grade, though, and I don't know what programs the higher grades follow.
2) Are they single classrooms or set up like pods? A pod is a large room separated into 4 classrooms by faux walls or bookshelves. They are also called shared or community classrooms. Two first grade teachers and two second grade for example. We are from Fl and all the Elementary schools now have community classrooms. The teachers can help each other out or share supplies. A child can learn a specific subject from a higher grade teacher if they are excelling.
The classrooms are all single rooms. The younger grades are connected to one other room separated by a 'cubby' room where they kids store coats backpacks, etc. These are buddy classes and buddy up in academic and/or fundraiser competitions.
3) Do the teachers only teach one grade or are the grades mixed? Last year, my Daughter's class consisted of equal amounts of 1st and 2nd graders taught by the same teacher all year. This was so the 2nd graders could help out the 1st graders or the 1st graders could also learn at a second grade level. This was wonderful and I think it should be done here? My child will be 9in Sept and should be learning at a third grade level. Everything she learned this year, she mastered last year. She is bored. I tried to have her tested when we moved so she can enter Third grade, and was told that they dont do that.
Teachers teach one grade throughout the school year. In addition to the leveled lessons I mentioned previously, the kindergartners get a 3rd grade reading buddy and my 1st grader has a math buddy from the 4th grade. She can't wait to become a buddy herself! Again, our experience only goes to 1st grade so I can't attest to programs beyond that.
4) Most importantly. does your child enjoy going to school and does he/she like the teachers and staff? Do you?
My daughter LOVES going to school. In fact, just today she said she WASN'T looking forward to summer break because she'll miss school so much. When Terra Nova testing was finished last week, she said she was looking forward to doing more classwork because she loved learning so much. I was speechless and very, very pleased! I and my friends feel very lucky to be able to attend SCE and can't imagine sending our kids anywhere else.
5) Is there alot of communication between the parents and teachers? Do you feel comfortable and welcomed whenever you visit your child at school?
In addition to the mid 6 weeks progress reports, we receive a weekly recap of the week's lessons and an agenda for the coming week. Also, the office uses e-mail and the automated phone system to keep parents informed of upcoming events.
Parents are welcome in school at all times. Having lunch with your child is encouraged as is parental involvement in the individual classrooms. We have an active PTO and many, many involved parents. In kindergarten, parent volunteers are utilized daily, but because we had so many parents that were willing to help out, I was usually only able to volunteer twice a month. In the higher grades, volunteers aren't really needed, but I still go and help usually every other week doing whatever I can and I always feel welcome. I'm a SAHM and work with the PTO often so I'm at the school quite a bit helping out in various ways.
6) Does anyone know anything about the Pre-K program. (I have an 8 and 4 year old) How many days it is and the hours? How about the teacher(s)?
There are no state-funded Pre-K programs at SCE right now. We have 1 Kindergarten Readiness class which serves 14 students. To enter this class, your child must be screened and receive a recommendation during the kindergarten screening in August. The principal has applied for both pre K classes as well as additional kindergarten readiness classes but won't know if he has been approved until June or July when the budget is finalized and approved. One friend's son is currently in the K Readiness class and he is already reading! K Readiness is on the same schedule as the rest of the school - Monday thru Friday, 7:30 to 2:30.
BTW - kindergarten preregistration starts May 5th!
SCE's principal, Richard Zago, is very committed to having the best school in Rutherford County. He only issues 1 year contracts to his teachers and if he feels they are not preforming to his standards, their contracts are NOT renewed. Teachers are required to have weekly meetings with other teachers in that grade level and he is always present; either in charge of the meeting himself or as an observer. He is an extremely hands-on administrator and it shows in the quality of the teaching staff. When he was first named SCE's principal in 2006, many of the best teachers in the county applied for positions. Because of his reputation, he can afford to be extremely picky about the teacher he hires and only accepts the best. His reputation is well known to other teacher and they know that slackers need not apply with him!
I'm biased, but I think SCE is currently the best elementary school in Rutherford County. The teachers, administration and parents are dedicated to making it the best as well as a fun and exciting house of education. Security systems are excellent with the most up to date computer security to control access to the interior of the building. The PTO is active and hardworking and has raised huge amounts of money to provide additional benefits to the teachers and students.
Feel free to contact me via e-mail on this site if you have any additional questions!
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