Park Hill School

5050 East 19th Avenue

School District

Denver County 1
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

public

School Map for Denver County 1 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 October 20, 2022

My dear niece attended kindergarten here.We had an immense amount of troubles with her suddenly not waiting to go back to school. After seeking outside counseling, it became apparent that the "teaching style" of her instructor was causing her to feel shame and be fearful. This was heart breaking. We only wanted her to love school in her own neighborhood. This escalated until we finally were met with a mediator. This teacher was surprisingly closed minded and cold. I was surprised that she could be teaching for SO very long and become this callous. The rest of the year was arduous and barely tolerable. That summer we met several of the neighbors whom coincidentally had children in this same teacher's class. According to them, this was exactly their experience as well. We're still navigating emotional trauma that causes my niece to be distrustful and have anxiety in school settings, as a result. I wish there was something the school board or somebody would do. This teacher has never seen accountability. I would still recommend this school... Just not this teacher. She's a giant scar on what is otherwise a lovely school.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2016

The school offers a standard fare public school education. Class sizes are typical, instruction is inconsistent across grade levels and within grade levels. Behavior management is handled in a more traditional fashion. The school is located in a middle class neighborhood. Most children do not qualify for free or reduced lunch (28% vs 66% for the district). Despite the drawing from a rather advantaged pool of students and parents the district's overall score for the school is 65%, which is a middle score in the "Meets Expectations" range.
Submitted by other on August 28, 2016

We were a voluntary mid-year transfer (something DPS does NOT want students to do) and we were greeted with open arms by the school administration, teachers, and community as a whole. While there is a whole lot of "teaching to the test" at Park Hill, I think that's a district-wide problem. The principal is amazing at making sure his teachers are appreciated and honored for their passionate work. The class sizes are large and the student abilities vary greatly in each class, but the teachers are passionate and very willing to have paras and volunteers in to help differentiate students. Ken Burdette sets an example of strong leadership from the top and it shows all the way "down" to the students.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2015

We have 3 children in attendance at Park Hill and are very pleased with their education. Their teachers have been great and really know each of them. They are appropriately encouraged to continually improve, accentuating their strengths and identifying areas where more work is needed. The community is fantastic with great parent engagement. It is a great neighborhood school!!
Submitted by parent on January 14, 2015

My daughter is in Kindergarten at Park Hill. It is our neighborhood school and I feel extremely lucky that this is so! The school does an amazing job of differentiating instruction, while still forming a happy, motivated group of learners. In my daughter's classroom there are SIX reading groups! Some students are already approaching second grade level reading, while some others are just getting where they need to be for their age in school (this is only a small group though). As a former educator myself, I'm amazed at what can be done to close the achievement gap in the (about 20%) kids that started a bit "behind." Her classroom is a manageable size of only 22 students, with a teacher as well as an aid (who happens to be a certified teacher herself). The specials (music, art, gym, and library) are all very engaging, and supports the well rounded education we were hoping for. The after school enrichment program offerings are also amazing, as is the parent involvement both inside and outside the classroom (PTA, etc.) My child wakes up excited each day to go to school, has her passion for learning fulfilled, and is smiling when I pick her up at the end of the day!
Submitted by parent on March 23, 2014

I have been a PHE parent for 4 years and couldn't be more pleased. My children could both read before entering K and we had no problem sending them there. While certain we could have tested into Polaris, we wanted our children to be part of a community, something hard to find in a large city. We chose not to be part of the crowd outsourcing education for the convenience of dropping off our children downtown. The parental involvement is amazing!. I have no opinion on Dr. Potts as I have had little interaction with her, but I have never heard anything bad on the playground. What most of the reviewers on here lack the courage to say is that there are several kids in every classroom that may require a little more attention as their home situation is less than desirable. Yes, there are minorities who attend Park Hill who don't live on Montview. Yes, there are 7 year olds who have trouble reading because they didn't see a book until their 1st day of school. I will gladly spend a little time with my kids so these children can get an education. In summary, if you think you children should be at a 8th grade after 5th grade, then PHE is not for you.
Submitted by parent on January 07, 2014

This is an ok school in a great neighborhood. The curriculum is heavily focused on prepping kids for the state standardized tests and very little is done to differentiate in the classroom for gifted students. Class sizes are large and there is a wide disparity of learning abilities in each class. Park Hill teaches to the middle. If your child is highly motivated and working above grade level, don't count on this school to adequately meet their needs.
Submitted by parent on December 10, 2013

Park Hill is a great school for families who are looking for an "in the box" option. It is a test-heavy, traditional elementary school. Worksheets are a regular at night. Creativity is squelched by a heavy requirement to follow dictated curriculum. I would agree with the other reviewers in terms of the principal. She's average and isn't particularly good with individual concerns. Not seeing she is a good listener when there is a need. This means it is a good school for some, not good for others - thus the average rating. It is a fantastic neighborhood and a good option for a neighborhood school - parents are certainly involved. Heard another parent comment that the principal cultivates parent relationships who become "groupies" and those parents create an environment that can be good for all kids - the parents work very hard to be inclusive and aware. LOTS of amazing enrichment and after school activities.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2013

This is a great school with a wonderful community. Lots of parent involvement leads to a great school and Park Hill has this. My student is in 2nd grade and he enjoys his teacher. She is in tune to his strengths and weaknesses. In his weaker areas she has provided helpful advice and work for us to do at home to accompany his work at school. My child's teachers have been accessible and helpful over the past few years. Park Hill has a great music, PE and Art dept as well as a well stocked library. After school there are lots of kids around playing together and making friends.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2013

I agree about this school being very average. It's location in this particular neighborhood can't be beat. The hometown feel is very nice. There are some really good teachers here- each grade has one (sometimes two) stand out teachers and if you're smart enough and lucky enough, request your child have them. If you have problems, admin can be less than helpful- the squeeky wheel saying doesn't necessary apply here.
Submitted by parent on August 22, 2013

This school has really been turned around in the past couple of years by the principal, Tonda Potts. She has improved the teachers and overall feeling at the school. The parent involvement has grown enormously and improving every day.
Submitted by parent on February 06, 2013

I think this school is average. Considering the neighborhood, the amount of volunteers, education level of the parents and their incomes, it should be exceptional. Our daughter went there through 3rd grade. The teachers are alright but I agree that the leadership is not. We dealt with some bullying type issues and I felt like I got a bunch of lip service. I felt like Dr. Potts did what she had to do to not get into trouble legally but really did not want to be bothered or do any follow up. If you have a kid that needs extra help, you will get it. If you have a middle performing child I think you will be pleased, but if you have a high achieving or bored child, this is not the place. If you are fortunate enough to easily test into a stronger academic school, you will see the difference between average and exceptional.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2013

I've had 2 children that have gone through Park Hill. The teachers overall were very good, a few teachers were exceptional. Concerning my last child that had attended Park Hill, I kept thinking that we should change schools but I kept holding out for things to get better. I felt like the boys were treated poorly at Park Hill. It seemed as though they assumed that the boys would be doing all the negative behaviors and many a girls behavior were overlooked. My other concern was that the administration was too quick to bring in the police. I felt like some of the african-american students were treated as if they were criminals. It seemed as though during the last few years that the environment was not up to the previous years. Both my children had there ups and downs at Park Hill. Some of the negative experiences at Park Hill pushed them into choosing schools that they were interested in and in the end motivated them to find an environment that works better for them. I feel fortunate that DPS allows for choice in finding a school that fits.
Submitted by parent on January 22, 2013

Have to agree with recent posts. Too many concerns about the rigor here. Administration does not do enough to differentiate for higher performing kids. Due to "no child left behind," the higher performing kids get left behind. And don't bother trying to express your concern to the principal here. It won't matter. I so wanted to support my neighborhood school! Sad. The best thing about this school is the wonderful people in the neighborhood.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2013

The principal is riding on the coattails of a fairly high-performing student body. I know 2 parents (both DPS teachers) that had concerns with cirriculum and lack of rigor in the classroom. Both had lengthy conversations with school leadership and unfortunately left the conversation feeling more frustrated than before and completely ignored. She's good with talking the talk but not proactive with parental concerns. You have to engage the higher ups in DPS if you want anything done. When you have parents that live within a few block radius from the school, pulling their children out of Park Hill in 3rd and 4th grade, something isn't right...
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2012

We've had a wonderful experience at this school in the 3 1/2 years that my son has been a student here. The teachers are first rate across grades, and I attribute some of their excellence to high morale associated with the strong principal here. Dr. Potts is knowledgeable and decisive. My son has some special needs and the school has been much better than I expected at addressing them. Also, I volunteer a lot at the school in addition to being a working mom. I'm sorry to see that a couple of the ratings here reflect bad experiences with the volunteer and fundraising efforts. I know that most of the strong parent community here (including me) are not privileged in the least, and the fundraising work we do reflects a strong commitment to the real financial needs of this wonderfully diverse urban public school.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2012

I also have two kids at this school. As long as you don't question anything, you won't have any problems. But if your child is struggling for whatever reason, or you have questions about school policies, good luck. My own experience with the principal was dismal; I went to her with what started out as minor concerns, and left with major doubts about her oversight and judgement. Other friends of mine have shared similar experiences - when they've gone to the principal with concerns, she either yelled at them (!!!) or told them she didn't know what to do (the latter in response to a parent who was asking about procedures for a child skipping a grade - hardly a novel issue in elementary school). There's been a lot of hype about this school, but in my experience it just doesn't deliver. It's a good school, but not a great one.
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2012

I'm a parent of 2 children - both have gone through Park Hill Elementary from Kindergarten. One is in middle school and the other is (thank goodness) in 5th grade. The main problem here is the principal. She needs to go. She has NO IDEA what it means to provide students with a well-rounded education. The teachers are good and respond well to parents wanting more out of the curriculum but you get a sense that everything has to go through the principal. If you have the patience and wherewithal to talk to the principal when an issue arrises, it's futile. Basically felt like I was talking to someone who didn't know anything about education. The one thing she is on top of is making sure you call her "Dr." instead of "Mrs."
Submitted by parent on October 22, 2012

My two children transferred to this school from another district out-of-state. They loved their teachers here and made decent progress, though they both thought their classes were too easy (and I was a little concerned when teacher handouts had spelling and grammar mistakes). Sadly, the parent community at the school is toxic and I was especially appalled by the nastiness and immaturity of those associated with fundraising. I was similarly disappointed with the principal's lack of professionalism. It's important to me to support my children's school, both on a financial and volunteer basis, but these people thoroughly poisoned our experience there. I had high hopes for this school but it's back to the private school system for us.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2012

I whole heartedly agree with the parent reviewer on Sept 8, 2012. Park Hill is a great school for learning, but has the diversity and neighborhood feel on top of it all. I have been extremely pleased with every teacher my daughter has had, from K-3rd and believe her learning has soared. My kindergartener is just starting out,but I suspect great things as her class has the teacher, a paraprofessional and a college childhood education student. You don't get that in-class room support int he subburban schools.