I do not typically leave reviews, but we feel a responsibility to share our experience so other…read morefamilies can make fully informed decisions.
Our son attended first grade at this school during the 2025-2026 school year.
During the admissions interviews, we informed the administration that he had undergone GI reconstruction and requires immediate restroom access when he says he needs to go. Waiting can lead to accidents due to his medical history. This was communicated during admissions, again at meet-the-teacher night, and in writing to his teacher on the first day of school.
Despite those communications, our son reported several occasions during the year when he was asked to wait to use the restroom. From our perspective, the agreed-upon accommodation was not consistently implemented. These situations resulted in embarrassing accidents in front of peers and significantly increased his anxiety about attending school.
After the first incident, we asked that the teacher speak with him directly to help repair the emotional impact. To our knowledge, that did not occur. As time went on he became increasingly fearful that he would not be allowed to go when needed.
At one point, the class was given a general instruction to "try to hold it" until the end of a lesson. While this may work for many children, it did not apply to our son's medical condition. He was not separately reassured that the instruction did not apply to him. The day the instructions were given, he came home visibly distressed and worried about not being able to comply. We emailed the school asking that someone clarify with him the next day that he would not be expected to "hold it." We later learned the message was not seen before the school day began and no clarification occurred beforehand. Wanting to follow classroom expectations, he attempted to hold it and had another accident.
During this same period, our son also reported repeated unkind interactions with another student, including being called names such as "dumb," "stupid," and "not smart," as well as playground interactions that made him feel intimidated. While we understand that peer conflict can be complex at this age, the pattern of reports concerned us.
As his anxiety increased, we sought medical evaluation. During the appointment, he told his physician he felt unsafe at school. His doctor noted elevated blood pressure and explained that it can be consistent with prolonged stress. These symptoms were not observed outside of the school environment.
We shared both the peer concerns and the medical findings with the administration. Based on medical guidance, we kept him home for a week following the elevated blood pressure reading.
An investigation was conducted after he returned. While we appreciate that the school reviewed the situation, we were informed that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the reported bullying. It was difficult for us to reconcile that conclusion with our child's consistent reports and the physical stress symptoms documented by his physician.
He was later moved to a different classroom. Unfortunately, he reported additional concerning interactions there as well, including being threatened with being punched in the face by another student and another instance where he reported being told to wait to use the restroom which resulted in another accident.
In several situations overall, we were told certain behaviors were developmentally typical for this age group. While we understand young children are still learning social skills, the cumulative impact on our child was significant.
On a separate occasion, our son reported that a student said he would bring a firearm to school. We notified administration immediately and were told the comment was addressed and that our son was reassured he could feel safe. We were not provided further details.
There were also periods during the year involving extended teacher absences with limited notice, which contributed to concerns about classroom consistency.
Ultimately, based on medical guidance and the observable impact on our child's emotional and physical well-being, we made the decision to withdraw him. Our priority is his health.
While finances were not our primary concern, we were disappointed that a medically necessary withdrawal did not allow flexibility with the remaining tuition. For us, it was less about the money and more about acknowledgment of the situation. One we feel might have been prevented with consistent implementation of his medical accommodation and clearer communication.
We understand that challenges can arise in any school environment. However, consistent implementation of documented accommodations and clear communication are essential, and in our experience, those expectations were not consistently met.
This review reflects our family's personal experience during that school year and is shared to help other families make informed decisions.
