Cortland Elementary School

370 Lexington Avenue

School District

Dekalb Community Unit 428
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

public

School Map for Dekalb Community Unit School District 428

GreatSchools Rating

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 23, 2022

This school is excellent. The staff is amazing, caring and well educated. They go above and beyond to educate the students and involve parents. Leadership is fantastic and it really is the best school in the dekalb school district. In reference to the garbage dump on the other side of the expressway, the school installed a system that monitors the air inside and outside every day. There are no air quality issues. The one day there was a problem, waste management hit a gas pocket while digging. It was not anything that has ever been repeated.Again, I would not want my kids in any other school. Kudos Cortland!
Submitted by parent on August 05, 2017

We've been pleased with our experience at Cortland.
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2015

The staff at the school work very hard & efficiently to assist, guide, support & challenge the kids. It truly depends on which teacher you were talking about that utilizes the technology available. Regardless though, majority of those teachers & staff make themselves available and are willing to have a good communicative relationship with parents. My kids attended the school before, during and after the smell incident. I feel it was handled very efficiently since they provided the information to the parents as soon as they received it. If they had done otherwise and waited until they had all the information, then many parents would be complaining that they weren't notified early enough. I was honestly told by the firefighters that handled the incident that although children were sent to the hospital it was as a precaution. Most people would actually have higher levels just by using permanent markers at home.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2014

Cortland elementary is horrible! My kid was in special Ed and had a iep. They repeatedly did not follow the iep after many phone calls. This school was also built right by a dump which many children and staff were sent to the hospital. I have since taken my kid out and put my child in private school
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2014

This school was built right next to a dump. If I could give it 0 stars, I would. On January 14th, 2014 over 60 kids and staff were sent to the hospital because of a methane gas leak from the dump. Parents are now trying to get this school shut down. School board officials knew of the potential hazards of building a newer school next to a dump, but didn't care! A lot of people were against them building the school there. They are now probably saying to the school board, I told you so!! I am now scared to send my son to school everyday! Talk about reckless endangerment. Please avoid this school at all costs if you can. It's not worth your kids life!!!
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2013

The school is newer, which is great, but the teachers and staff do not use the technology they have available to them at their advantage. I can't believe my son's teacher doesn't put grades online. They have the website to do it, there is even a place for it on the site. But, my son's teacher just doesn't use it. It's just ridiculous in this day and age. We moved from a tiny town (575 ppl) in another state, that was way more technologically advanced than this school. I used to even get email grade alerts! I'm not impressed at all. Also, good luck with trying to find anyone that can answer any of your questions. I'm seriously contemplating private school next year.
Submitted by parent on June 15, 2010

The new (2009) school, on Lexington Avenue, is built 1300 ft next to a dump. Since the beginning of the school year children have been exposed to a variety of toxic/poisonous gases.The staff was well aware of the toxic gases being emitted since the first day of school.(Windows on the south side of the school are sealed shut.)The "rotten egg" smell, H2S was present almost daily. I would grade Cortland School/staff with an "F" for Failure. Staff involvement would have had the school tested sooner.The school was tested in the spring and tested positve for H2S on June 2010. The school is toxic.Keep Out.
Submitted by other on April 22, 2010

N/A
Submitted by parent on April 17, 2010

It's a neat and clean school where the teachers and parents obviously care about the kids and their surroundings.