Irving Elementary School

2520 Pennsylvania Avenue

Dubuque, IA 52001

School District

Dubuque Community
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:12
Type

public

School Map for Dubuque Community 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 August 04, 2016

Irving has a great history but the current regime leaves a lot to be desired... The office staff is exceptionally rude...The principal is micromanaging and delusional about what goes on in her school...she is two faced and will smile and nod to you while she is making terrible decisions that detract from and diminish the quality of education at Irving...She and her office staff are rude, impatient, condescending, unaccommodating. She is not in keeping with the traditional high standards of Irving. Most of the staff with strong integrity has retired or left and the remaining staff are kept silent about incidents and conditions and odd behavior by fear of losing their jobs...she has shut out parents to maintain the strained stranglehold she has on the school as any self respecting average citizen would observe the absurdities of her rule and she would be undone...And indeed many many parents have observed these actions and commented. It is hard to believe she has not been censured. There must be something wrong at the level above her...in the management of Dubuque's elementary principals to allow her to continue and to make recent terrible decisions like switching the "good"/successful principals out of the schools where they were successful and leaving the Meehans where they are...it all has an air of Machiavellian decision making to instill fear to keep control and dismantle the strong neighborhood cultures at the more successful schools...
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2015

Staff are complete idiots and have no idea how to deal with special needs children. Principle is condescending, rude and disrespectful. Avoid this school at all costs.
Submitted by parent on April 03, 2015

If you have a special needs child stay away from Irving and move to Eisenhower. You will be glad you read this review.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2013

Hi. We are new in town. And we were worried for a good school for our kids. And I pick Irving Elementry because it's annual result is remarkable. And so far my kids are happy with the school too. Teachers are phenomenal and very cooperative too. Principle is one of the amazing persons I met. She knows her school kids name and talk with them very friendly. I think when leader is capable enough then her team can achieve any goal easily. Overall we like this school very much.
Submitted by parent on August 02, 2013

I've had three kids in this school and at first it wasn't going well for my oldest. Since then he has exceeded beyond anyone's expectations. I think the staff under the new principal is responsible for his improvements. The teachers care about the students and everyone is really friendly.
Submitted by parent on July 19, 2013

After a VERY bad experience with Kennedy elementary in Dubuque, we were planning to homeschool to prevent our daughter from suffering any more abuse at the hands of a teacher and principal. Thankfully, we decided to move and give Irving a shot before giving up on public school all together. I could not be more pleased with the year we have had at Irving! The principal is so kind and caring - she knows every child by name and they run to hug her when they see her. The teacher my daughter had for 3rd grade was the first time she's felt supported, nurtured, and cared about at school. She was an absolute angel. We plan to stay in the area, at least until our children are done with grade school, just so they can both take advantage of this amazing school. My daughter has special educational needs and instead of being made to feel like a problem and burden like we were at Kennedy, Irving has made her feel just as normal as the other children. The bullying she suffered daily for 3 years at Kennedy has not been a problem for even ONE single day at Irving - they do not tolerate bullying of any kind. Amazing, wonderful, sanity-saving school! I literally cannot say enough good things!!!