Poe Elementary

My son came to Poe through the magnet program. Poe was our first choice (above all other magnets and our neighborhood option, which is a 10 on greatschools.com), and I could not be happier with the school! We were attracted to Poe by the electives, the AIG resources, the professionalism of the principal, the skills and friendliness of the staff, the light and airy feel of the facility, and the joyfulness of the students. The latter was especially important to me. I felt confident that my son would do well academically wherever he went, but I want him to enjoy school and feel engaged enough to do his best. He LOVES this school. It feels like a big happy family where the staff and students are energized all day long. I am amazed to see that even after a long day of work, the staff in aftercare seem to be truly enjoying their time with the kids. The resources are also amazing. The elective options are terrific (Lego robotics, anyone?) and there are even some academically and intellectually gifted (AIG) electives for K-2 students (in non-magets and in non-AIG-Basics magnets, kids don't start AIG until they are older and they receive only 45 minutes per week, whereas Poe has daily AIG for older kids and AIG electives for K-2). My son's specials, which include dance, are also fantastic. He enjoys his time in school and his academic skills are quickly advancing. When he entered kindergarten, he was reading but had poor handwriting. Fewer than eight weeks in, his writing skills have improved immensely. Just as importantly, he now ENJOYS writing now in a way that he didn't before he started attending Poe and he ASKS(!) to practice writing before bedtime. Although Poe is no longer a Montessori school, I suspect that the child-centeredness of that approach lives on in the respect for children and commitment to developing their unique gifts. It's a perfect match to the school's current Gifted and Talented/AIG Basics theme. Poe feels like the best of all worlds to me -- a child-centered environment with an experienced and caring staff, electives for all children to explore their unique gifts and talents, extra resources for AIG programming, and a diverse environment where my child can develop relationships with kids from across the socioeconomic spectrum and from a variety of race/ethnic backgrounds. It's a fantastic school! I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Please do not judge this schools by it cover. There are certain sub-population that have not tested well. My child has had a wonderful education here and the staff is very supportive of the students.