Thomas Elementary School

1025 North Wall Street

School District

Carbondale Esd 95
Grade

2-3
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Carbondale Esd 95 School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on April 20, 2023

As a parent AND a substitute teacher at this school I was able to see first hand how the teachers and administration handle things on a day to day basis. Everybody who works here is amazing. Each teacher has their own unique style and an incredible amount of patience. They also share tips with the substitutes and each other to better serve the community. Their arts, music, and gym classes are awesome. They have enrichment classes that serve the gifted students as well as intervention classes to help those who are behind. The best part is that they have creative incentives to encourage good citizenship and behavior. Go Tigers!
Submitted by parent on August 10, 2013

I know a lot of parents who work at the university who think they need to send their kids to Giant City or Unity Point to get a decent education. It's true, test scores are higher at those schools. But they serve far less diverse populations. What we've liked about Thomas School is that every kid in the city of Carbondale goes there: black, white, hispanic, rich, poor, middle-income, you name it. It looks a lot like real life. And what I'm surprised so few people realize is how superior the range of offerings at Thomas is. There is a fantastic two-way Spanish-English immersion program; there is an academic talent program; and there are not only regular art and music classes, but also optional lunchtime programs in dance, theater, art, and music. Also, EVERY kid learns how to play the violin through a grant program! It's pretty amazing, especially given that both Giant City and Unity Point no longer have art classes at all. Thomas isn't perfect, but it's got a lot more going for it than many people give it credit for. I'm giving it three stars because I think in many respects it *is* average, but it can be great if you and your child are able to take advantage of what it offers.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2012

I agree Lewis has some exceptional teachers; however, they do not have appropriate support staff in the classrooms to ensure each student receives the appropriate level of instruction. Student/Teacher Ratio is now 20+/FT teacher, often without teacher's aides or other assistance required to maintain order in the classroom. Bullying is a MAJOR problem here and is NOT properly addressed by the administration. My child received counseling as a result of the bullying he endured for two years. (Not to mention that we gave him permission to respond physically if necessary to protect himself.) This is not conducive to effective learning!!!