This school makes me want to turn back the clock and be a kid again! It's a dream come true for a…read morebright kid who doesn't have just one area of focus. The teachers have been wonderful about letting my child check out things he's interested in and develop his own interests and opinions. He's gotten to try writing fairy tales, learning about sea life, and art club. He is in love with the chess club most of all - Coach Indermaur is awesome and so dedicated! The school just feels like it's brimming with possibilities. The teachers and leadership go very far out of their way to make sure they're not leaving kids behind due to special needs, poverty, or even behavioral issues. The communication from the school, PTA, teacher, and principal has been beyond impressive. The involvement and volunteerism from the parents truly blows me away. Most of the volunteers have jobs (like I do) but build in time where we can to be a part of what this school is doing. Every time I leave the building, I realize I've been smiling the whole time I've been there. The added focus on early AIG-related teaching has been wonderful. I truly don't see how other schools manage it when they can't identify or give additional enrichment to AIG kids before 4th grade. An intellectually gifted kid in a regular class is a teacher's nightmare. People think "intellectually gifted" means the kid who sits up front and knows all the answers and reads all the time. It's often the kid who won't quiet down, the one who is obstinate toward the teacher, or the one who interrupts the other kids. More difficult work and added academic challenges are an important part of the solution there, and other schools don't provide much support there. Hunter has teachers and a principal who "get it" when it comes to this, and they're willing to work with you and your child to allow them to become their best version of themselves through work, practice, support, and structure. Every teacher I've worked with thus far seems genuinely happy to be at the school, and my son's teacher has been a standout star in an already very bright field of stars. Just seeing the difference in my kid's knowledge, writing, reading, and attitude in the past 3 semesters is proof positive that she is an expert at her very difficult job. I cannot say enough good things about the school. Love, love, love Hunter!

So I have been sending the little clones to this school for the past 4 years now. Just like any…read moreschool, it has it's ups, and it's downs. The normal school day runs from 9:15 AM to 3:45 PM. They have a before school program, but not an after school program, so your kids MUST be picked up for 4:00 PM. And if you call after 4:00 PM, unless you have somebody's mobile phone, or direct line, the front desk will not answer the phone. The do serve what they consider "a nutritional" lunch. But I say, it is only nutritional IF AND ONLY IF two things happen. 1) You don't burn or over cook it. Then all the nutritional value is gone. 2) If the kids eat it. If it is burnt, or dried up like a brick, then the kids will not eat it. If it taste like, hmm, in the words of my 7 years old, the food sucks, then the kids will not eat it. Here is a true story, I went to have lunch with my kids at school, when I got there for the first one, he was eating a salad. Now, this kids loves his veggie tables more than most kids, but he is also a T-Rex with his carnivorous appetite. I did think it was kinda strange, but I didn't realize till I was having lunch with the next one. I actually went through the line with him, and he just chooses the safe option everyday, and eats a PB&J. I could not even recognize some of the food. But if you really want to know how good the food is, check out the staff, and see how many of them eat it. I would say about 95% of them bring their lunch. Now that makes you ask, if it is so healthy and nutritious, why don't the people who work their eat it? But I have to admit, the school food is better than it was there two years ago, so I will give them that. As far as electives, since Hunter is a AG/GT Magnet School of Distinction and has won awards, they do have a nice variety of elective programs. Some of the teachers are the nicest people you will meet in the world. The music teacher, Mrs. Taylor, is not just a music teacher, but actually plays in orchestra and symphony concerts, so you know she is good. She is also super nice, and whenever she has extra concert tickets, she shares them with her students families. The school likes to invite authors, poets, dancers, musicians, you know real famous people to the school and have them talk to the kids One of the authors was the writer of "Where the Wild Things Are." The school does try and have a good curriculum. They recently started a "Walkers Club" for those that get there early in the morning. You can do a few laps around the track, and earn points. You know kids, they love points. Not sure what they get at the end, but they still love points. So, in the end, if you want to know more about Hunter Elementary, take a tour. While you are there, if you see some parents around ask them. And for the new orientation, when I attended, they handed out what I call a "Kidnap me" directory. That a book with the name, address, e-mail and phone number of all the kids that go to the school. You can opt to have some of the information removed from the directory at the beginning of the year, but you better catch them before they publish it. But come on, who just hands that information out to total strangers the first time you meet them. Be a little bit more secure with that info. That is why I wanted only wanted their name, my name, and the phone number listed. Everybody, their momma, and their daddy don't need to know where I live. Not that I have anything to hide, but do you want a book floating around that could fall into the wrong hands with everybody's info in it? Did I go off topic, sorry. Just my personal thoughts. But go check out Hunter, they are a decent school for the most part.

Please do your research before sending your child to this charter school. I removed my son from…read morethis school immediately for child abuse allegations. My son (who is autistic) cries and screams not to go inside the school. There is currently an active child abuse investigation at this school. Please proceed with caution.

My son was accepted here before we moved to the area. I truly should've done the research before…read moreeven applying. It wasn't a good fit for him. The staff were pretty friendly when we went to tour, but the teacher giving us the tour told us that the students were "rough" & there were a lot of "bad apples" that she wouldn't want my son to be around. She told me that the school is primarily "urban" & they come from a different life. While I appreciated her "warnings", it only turned me off of their school. I definitely don't want my son getting beat up or bullied, so I left him in virtual school and withdrew him. Someone else can have his seat. Do your research before applying to this charter school.