Putnam Elementary School

1400 Maple Street

School District

Poudre R-1
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
Type

public

School Map for Poudre R-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 September 22, 2023

Putnam is a gem! I've had two students at Putnam for eight years, collectively, and I cannot emphasize what a great school this is! With only 200 students, teachers and admin know every single student by name. They are committed to growth and consistency for each child. The principal and assistant principal are outside on the playground at recess and greeting students as they come in the building (and leave for home) every day. They have the highest academic growth in the entire district, but more importantly - they take nurturing little hearts very seriously. I can't sing their praises enough...we LOVE Putnam!
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2021

My niece has had nothing but fantastic teachers and wonderful support from staff that truly cares about her and her family. It’s a great school.
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2013

When we first moved to Fort Collins I was wary of putting my children in Putnam due to some of the other reviews, but because it was our local school, I thought I would try it out. I have been nothing but satisfied with the school since we've started! All three of my children love their teachers, and WANT to go to school every day. The school is constantly doing things for the kids, like the free after school program (club-TRES) as well as the monthly book fair budget. Each child is given $7 towards book orders every month. There are constantly flyers for opportunities to help those less fortunate, which whether your a benefactor, or a contributor to these several programs, it just shows how much the community is involved, and does nothing but thinking of the kids! The teachers are great and keep the kids challenged, even with the "No child left behind" laws. My children are always engaged and have been advancing so quickly in all their scholastic fields! The lunches are healthy, and usually have a vegan and gluten free option. I'm extremely satisfied with the teachers, and the entire staff. I love this school, and will likely make it my school of choice for the following years!
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2013

Both of my children attend Putnam and we have been very satisfied with our experience in our neighborhood school. We feel very supported by the teachers and the support staff. Both of my kids are high level learners and they continue to make great strides academically, a fact I attribute to the model of individualized education and enrichment. The last two years the school has made huge strides to bring their status from Turn Around to Performance (top level) and have caught the attention of many other schools working to achieve similar growth. They put a great deal of focus on personal character development. The school continues to struggle with parental involvement but they have recently began to offer many new opportunities throughout the year to build school community with good attendance. This little school is on the rise!
Submitted by parent on October 02, 2013

My daughter is a third grader at Putnam Elementary and she is thriving in every way. She comes home happy and excited about doing her homework. All the staff and faculty are helpful, informative and very eager to see the students succeed. Best of all is the way the kids are broken up into groups regularly for individual attention. And as opposed to one of the reviews, I feel that the school is working extra hard to involve the parents in a diversity of ways. I highly recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on August 13, 2012

My children are high-achievers and have been attending Putnam for three years now. I am really struggling with the decision to keep my children at this school or choice them out. Though it has a bad rep in my neighborhood, I have (up til now) chosen to keep my kids there to support my neighborhood school. It is also the most diverse school nearby, which I love about it. However, I don't always feel like my children are receiving the best possible education here. Some of the teachers are amazing while others are really lacking. I feel too much non-educational television is shown in the classroom and as special treats. There is next to NO parental involvement, and I feel it is not welcomed by many of the teachers and staff. The lunches are terrible and often the vegetarian option they list is not offered and the lunch staff is rude about replacing it with an equally veg-friendly option. Though more than half the population of the school is Spanish-speaking, there are no Spanish translators and none of the staff speak Spanish. There is no Spanish offered to the children. It is a divided school that I am worried is in danger of failing in the near future.
Submitted by parent on August 12, 2012

As a parent, I don't feel welcomed by the leadership. I have made many appointments to meet with the principal and he never called to schedule. This went on for several years, until I moved my children to a new school. The school is run as a business for the principal and not as a happy place where kids want to learn. It makes me sad. Last year, morning recess was taken away from the kids. My children and others really need this time to be active and it was taken away. I don't know why. Research states that kids who are active learn better and remember more. When I talked to the teachers, they told me that they don't have any choice but to do what the principal says. I would never have my students return to this school. School has not started and I have met with the principal of the new school several times to make sure that things are in order.
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2012

I am not pleased with the leadership of the school. Parents do not feel welcomed by the leadership. The school is on a Turn Around Status, meaning that the school is not meeting state standards. The leadership does not welcome discussions with parents about this status and the overall feeling is very unwelcoming.
Submitted by parent on April 21, 2011

Putnam strives to provide a balanced learning experience for all students, and the hard work and dedication of the entire staff and Principal certainly achieves that! As parents, we feel that Putnam is an excellent school and would recommend it to all neighborhood families.
Submitted by parent on March 21, 2011

My child went here for Kindergarten. I felt like they only wanted to punish him. When we asked if they thought he might have special needs, they said no. He was diagnosed with ADHD and Pediatric Bipolar in the last 2 years. We took him out of school for 6 months, and then moved him to Kruse because we felt that school was becoming a very negative experience. He is improving steadily at the new school. I felt very discouraged and embarrassed with the way they dealt with my child. It was like we, as parents, were failures in their eyes. I am glad that we moved our child to another school while he had some self-esteem left.
Submitted by teacher on April 15, 2010

The staff and teachers are excellent. They really care about the students at the school. The students are very needy and come with so much baggage. The teachers at Putnam make the students fill safe and they create a warm, caring environment for the students to learn and succeed.
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2007

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Submitted by student on May 26, 2007

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