Westside Elementary School

2680 Newman Drive

School District

Idaho Falls District
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:21
Type

public

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 May 26, 2017

This school is an absolute nightmare. If you have a child with a disability run away from this school as quickly as possible. The principal is incompetent, dishonest, ignorant, prejudice, and a bully. My child (with special needs) was left out in the hall for multiple hours a day. She was humiliated and mistreated. I could go on and on about how awful this school is.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2017

First grade was a hard transition for my son. Combine the jump from half day school to full day with his sudden leaps forward in his reading skills and interest in learning and he had a hard time finding his "groove". His teacher was so interested in helping him that she collaborated directly with my husband and I on a plan to help him. The plan included things that could be done at school and at home to challenge him in a productive way. The combined efforts have been more than just successful.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2017

Westside Elementary is the perfect school for my son to transition from Pre-School to Grade School at. Everyone at the school from the Principal down was amazingly helpful and welcoming for him the first few days to ease the transition. Now he has come home from school happy and each morning he is excited to go back. My son is excited to learn and the staff there fosters this enthusiasm, he often says "Dad, did you know...." and is excited to share the things he has learned. Thank you Westside Elementary!
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2017

The teachers at Westside are tremendously dedicated, and the principal may be the best administrator we've ever associated with in our 10 years of sending kids to various elementary schools. Westside also has a lot of community/parental support, as evidenced by all the activities and special events that are put on throughout the year. The school itself is in a very safe neighborhood, which puts us at ease sending our kids there. The lunch program is average, which is why I didn't 5 stars.
Submitted by other on August 18, 2016

I read the other parent's review and would like to offer a different point of view. My kids have always scored among the highest in their grades and though they are not being individually tutored by their teachers, they are being pushed to achieve more - this is a public school after all. I have had nothing but positive interactions with the principal, and when my child was an innocent by-stander at another student's sometimes violent outbursts, it was handled completely to my satisfaction and that child was not allowed to continue at Westside. I know there are ample opportunities for parents to express their concerns to both teachers, principal and PTO, as I have interacted with all of them. I was pleased with the numerous school-wide activities they hosted - ranging from Fall Family Carnival, Donuts with Dudes, Danishes with Dames, Dr. Seuss Night, Family Math Night, Kindergarten Reading Night and I believe a few more. I agree that the school isn't the newest, but it is definitely clean and has currently gone through a complete remodel of the front/reception area. I have never felt as though my children were unsafe as I understand how the door lock system works and I believe all doors can be locked with the push of a button. If you live in this area, Westside has among the highest test scores and the teachers work hard to help the students achieve that. I am proud that my children attend this school.
Submitted by parent on June 02, 2016

I had high hopes when bringing my daughter to this school, but sadly, I do not think this school is a good match for children who need to be challenged beyond their current grade level. The principal is good at touting how great all their advanced programs are, but it's more lip service than anything else as my daughter has yet to learn anything she was already familiar with prior to attending Westside. There is a lot of focus on standardization and testing, with very little emphasis on helping students maintain and strengthen their love and excitement for learning. There is a significant lack of organization at the school and the principal does not seem to enjoy her job at all whatsoever. Parent-teacher communication is not handled efficiently and I don't feel that parental concerns are given much thought or consideration. There are very few school-organized events throughout the year, and the couple that were held were executed very poorly and were not organized well at all. The school itself is rather dusty/dirty and security is lacking. If I had known these things prior to bringing my daughter here, we would have definitely chosen a different school.
Submitted by parent on May 09, 2014

We have had great teacher experiences with both of our kids. The first and second grade teachers rotate so that your child can have the same teacher for both years. We have really liked this idea. The staff is good, but short. Music and PE have been cut quite a bit. Principal is very involved, very knowledgeable and strives to make it the best school in the district. Parents are very involved which is good, but also a sign that they are lacking staff/funding. We have loved our experience at Westside. I recommend it above all the schools in the district and above most in the Idaho Falls community.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2013

Safety standards at this school are nonexistent. There is no procedure in place to ensure that unwanted people do not enter the building. Doors are left unlocked at the sides and rear of the building and there are no security cameras. Children are not allowed to enter the building until start of school, yet there is no outside supervision. Children are forced to go outside during recess, with the temperature far below freezing, even if they've forgotten their coats or gloves. When it is too cold to play, the children huddle together outside until their 20 minutes of forced outdoor time is over. All of the school's policies are directed toward the convenience of the staff, to the detriment of the child. The administrative staff is well-meaning but completely incompetent.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2008

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