Deerfield Elementary School

21 Pleasant Street

School District

Deerfield
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:8
Type

public

School Map for Deerfield 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 July 21, 2024

This school is welcoming. Has wonderful teachers, administrators and families.
Submitted by parent on July 21, 2024

Deerfield Elementary School is a welcoming and supportive place for my children. The administrators and teachers are helpful, kind, smart, excellent communicators, and provide an engaging and nurturing environment for children. My kids have learned so much and are confident in themselves as learners.
Submitted by other on July 16, 2024

Dedicated staff and faculty, excellent administrative team, welcoming place to be!
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2024

My child had an amazing time at this school. He has different learning needs and this group of teachers and the principal were unbelievable in the ways that they helped him to learn. We attended so many family events and really felt like we were part of the community. He recently graduated from grade 6.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2024

The principal is inspiring and motivates children, teachers, and parents to get excited about education. The school culture embraces all learners. Lots of support for SEL curriculum. Teachers are dedicated.
Submitted by parent on May 26, 2020

I Love the compassion, dedication, and integrity of the teachers!
Submitted by parent on February 25, 2019

Our child had a wonderful preK teacher, but in kindergarten things went downhill fast. They hired a new teacher for K, but both she and her assistant teacher were fired within the first two weeks of school. They hired another teacher who was very nice and probably fairly capable, but she was overwhelmed with no time to plan (hired in late Sept) and a class that needed and deserved a more experienced teacher. Our child was not doing well, and they suggested he had special needs, evaluated him, and tried to give him some "support." It was a rough year. The next year we moved to a good school district in CT. Our son was behind his peers in 1st grade, thanks to his K experience at DES, but he caught up quickly. They did a full educational evaluation of him and found that he is extremely bright and must have been seriously under-challenged ("bored to tears" was a phrase they used) at DES. I'm just relieved that we moved before he spent any more time there. Kids deserve experienced teachers.
Submitted by parent on February 27, 2015

It is extremely disheartening to see the decline in this school. Having had my children attend this school, I have witnessed first hand the negative transformation. The school previously had a warm, enriching environment, that fostered creativity and nurtured a love of learning. With the new administrator and the changes she has implemented, the school now has a cold and callous feel. I have observed her tone and demeanor as unfriendly and dismissive when communicating with parents and students, as well as faculty and staff. It saddens me that my younger children have not had the same positive experience that my older children have had while attending this school. On a more positive note, the teachers are wonderful. I commend them for their ability to rise above the poisonous atmosphere in this school, and to continue to provide as best they can a quality elementary school education for their students.
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2014

A place where my child is excited about learning, has made good friends, and loves her teacher. I feel very fortunate to have my daughter at this school!
Submitted by other on August 01, 2013

I am an alumni of Deerfield Elementary school, and my younger brother still attends. In my early years at Deerfield the faculty was caring and supportive; the academics were demanding, but never stressful. However, recently this school has taken a turn for the worst. Upon going through a spell of many different principals, the latest appears cold and disconnected from the community. The faculty has lately conspired and now is over-controlling and unfriendly. Since these changes, I do not feel welcomed when I return to see my old teachers. The teachers at this school treat the older students like little children, giving them little respect and trust. The majority of classroom teachers are wonderful, all though it can be difficult to hand 21-24 different kids per class; still, the main issue within this school is the administrative faculty.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2012

The staff and administration of this school are not qualified to deal with a variety of learners, family situations or the changes to the Common Core. The faculty have been supportive and caring. the school lacks leadership and overall quality professional development. I am concerned for the students of this district.
Submitted by parent on June 19, 2012

The school is great, it has great academic rigor coupled with a caring and capable teaching staff, all the teachers are smart and talented with lots of experience. Even specials teachers like Music and P.E. take the time to seek out parents and connect personally with each student. The academics are challenging but fun and the students love it there. Family participation is very high and the community is warm and welcoming.The biggest problem Deerfield currently faces is having a terrible principal. She is brand-new, unskilled and has not made any positive connections with the students. She is very young with only a year of experience before coming to this school, and does not have the ability to connect with parents. In each meeting with her she is wooden and she is often intractable, especially when she has made a misstep, which is often. She makes snap, harsh judgements and really needs more experience at a smaller school to gain a little empathy towards those around her.
Submitted by parent on February 24, 2012

I have two children who attended this school and with the exception of 6th grade, they both had a horrible experience. The faculty/staff are cliquey and unfriendly. Staff morale is low. Hiring practices were unfair. Bullying is a definite problem. Class sizes are huge and teachers cannot manage the numerous behavioral issues. I can only hope that with new administration, this school will make the significant improvements that are so desperately needed.