Bethesda Elementary

2009 South Miami Boulevard

School District

Durham Public
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:14
Type

public

School Map for Durham Public School District

GreatSchools Rating

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on April 30, 2019

My children have had great teachers so far. The teachers work hard to learn each students strengths and weaknesses.
Submitted by parent on March 30, 2017

WoW this is by far the worst school i have ever encountered! To the point i pulled my child out the school and decided to home school the remainder of the year. The principle of the school can get extremely nasty when it does not go "her" way, as if she was speaking to a child, she hangs the phone up on a parent rather then solve the issue at hand. Oh and to top it with a cherry my child was in 1st grade and at 7:15 am they are feeding our children corn dogs and pizza wrapped in plastic on a cart in the class room. I mean that's not even close to breakfast. And then when i removed him from that school it happened to be a half day, and 1st graders have a small "foodlion bag sized" amount of items, they refused to give me any of his things till 2:30 pm hmm someone was acting very child like on a half day, i decided they truly needed those items more then my child and left his stuff there. I could continue all day on here about the negatives of this school but i truly suggest school of choice or a charter school in this school district.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2016

I have been very pleased with my kindergartener's experience at Bethesda! His teachers are enthusiastic and he has excelled academically. The principal, Mrs Moore-Lawerence, is very present and approachable, even helping out with carline sometimes! I have good contact with my son's teacher. My son also works with the EC team at Bethesda, and they have gone above and beyond to help my son in his deficits.
Submitted by other on June 06, 2015

This school is the worst! My son has a great teacher. My daughter has had 4 different teachers this year. They want to fail my daughter (2nd grade) and tell me this in the last week of the year. Why did they not talk to me about this sooner?! They say she is not at the reading level she should be at. If they knew this they should have told me so i could get her the help she needs. She took home her notebooks this week. I looked at every page. So many spelling mistakes and not one is corrected. The books she is reading in class her younger brother read at the beginning of 1st grade. Her punctuation is horrible. Again this is never corrected. Sometimes she gets a check pluss for this work. I did not know this because nothing is ever sent home! They dont even have spelling tests. They want to blame her issues with focusing for her failing. It is the school that has failed. They have failed my daughter.
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2015

This is the worst school to send your child too the principle and the front staff are rude and unprofessional . My son teacher isn't a good teacher she seem to be giving out the same thing for homework every night. the kids don't go to the library or do they take spelling tests. they really isn't learning nothing at school. ITs also lack of communication with the teachers. im very very very unhappy with this school
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2014

My kids went to Bethesda Elementary school after public schools in Massachusetts and for both Bethesda Elementary was in general a horrible school. The principal is rude and irresponsible with lowest professionalism I ever met. My son was bullied in 4. & 5. grades. Our complains about bullying were ignored . My son's 5 grade teacher yelled at him constantly, I've heard the same complains from other parents, but principal seemed not to notice them. My daughter had amazing teachers in 2 and 3 grade, she loves them. But, last year she cried even about going to school. Many of parents from BE took their kids out of BE and signed them to different schools, due to the similar experiences. I took my child out of BE school today, after one of the teachers yelled at her in front the entire class and in front of me only because she talked to a friend of hers in the isle few minutes before children had to attend his class room. My daughter started to cry and told me that this teacher shouts often at kids. Now I understand why my kid cried so much in school and after.
Submitted by parent on January 16, 2014

My kid has been there for 1st/2nd grade & her 1st teacher was remarkable.She still loves to see her in the halls & teacher still cares about my child.she kept me informed all year. Her 2nd grade teacher is another thing, I have no clue to the class schedule, what they been working on, any notes I send I never get a response so I don't know if she even got it. The security at the school is horrible. I have had someone pick up my child who is not on the list & they let him with no id check or anything. anyone can walk into that office or walk around the school & no one questions them. when they buzz you in they tell you to go to the office but they don't make sure you do. field trips are sub par and they could do better & more.she has been to the same museum three times in 2 years there. the are unorganized & unprofessional in the front office.in the mornings they have limited drop off time to 10 minutes before the first bell which is ridiculous. most schools have a 30 minute window so make sure parents get through carpool and students get to class on time. when your child is late you don't have to sign them in, just let them out & they will buzz them through with a pass to class.
Submitted by parent on August 06, 2013

School ends 3:30 & usually my child would arrive home betwn 4-4:15. Well on this particular SUNNY day I arrived around 4:40 & the sitter informed me that my child's bus had not yet come & that she had sent someone 2 the school 2 inquire where my child might b. The staff was rude 2 this person, greeting her with "The school is closed". When I called to inquire it was only THEN that they informed me that the bus was 30min late when it departed. When I asked why they had not called to inform meprior the receptionist's 1st response was "I dont have a list of every child that rides that bus to call all the parents "(T_T) her 2nd response was "There is no law requiring us to contact U". The thing that gets me is that on 1 occasion last yr during really bad weather, DPS sent a mass automated phone message 2 all that there myb delays w/ buses due to weather & every Sunday I would receive what BES calls the weekly principal spotlight (updates) via same route. Idk y they didnt think to do something as important as notify parents of a late bus. its 1 thing due 2weather, but when the sky is clear and sunny u really worry. Ive got a part 2 of 3 review coming. As 1200 Characters is not enough
Submitted by parent on August 06, 2013

BOO to the front office staff They can be VERY unprofessional in terms of overall conduct and how they speak toward parents and each other On many occasions I've been to the office and waited while the women discuss amongst themselves how crazy their weekend was or how they cant wait to go out later on In terms of education, the teacher my daughter had in particular was OUTSTANDING! It was her first year teaching at the school and my child not only adored her but learned so much from her as well From day1, the principal seemed to be a bit unorganized when events are planned, everything last minute and parents were given very little notice of things like their "Kindergarten Kick-off". If your child is a car rider essentially anyone can pick up your child so long as they know the child's name, as they dont ask for ID and all parents are doing is driving through the round about to pick up. The security issue is obvious in this regard. Also they have dissolved the PTA for lack of participation by both parents AND teachers- there was no support from the principal either. So if you are a parent who looks forward to participating in things like the PTA in particular, good luck with that.
Submitted by parent on July 30, 2013

My son attended Bethesda Elementary School for the 1st grade last year. This was the worst! The structure of the school is nothing I want for my son and I hate it for the kids who are still there. The office staff are not welcoming, the teachers seem to lack motivation. Its obvious that this school is looked over by the Durham Public School Systems in funding. I would not recommend this school to anyone! Thankfully we were able to get my child placed in another school!
Submitted by parent on June 11, 2013

On June 6th 2013, Bethesda Elementary let a man come into the school with a lady and claim to be my child's father and grandmother. The front office staff didnt check ID, nor did they make this man sign in. This man was able to walk into the office and given my son's classroom info and allow to walk to the class and get my child and walk out of the building. When the school was asked who checked the my son out, they had no idea, nor did they know when he left.When the school was asked how did this happen, Mr Glenn stated that they were so busy with 5th grade graduation. Parents please help me, do not allow this school to get away with allowing strangers in the school without following proper policies and precedures. I have not seen or heard from my son since I dropped him off at school Thursday June 6th. Parents please let other parents know about this.
Submitted by parent on September 04, 2008

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Submitted by parent on May 30, 2007

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