Buford Garner Elementary School

80 Birch Street

School District

Iowa City Community
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Iowa City Community School District

GreatSchools Rating

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Reviews

Submitted by other on January 12, 2023

I went here from kindergarten to 5th grade, and even as a current high schooler, this is my favorite school I’ve ever attended. I always thought that the teachers were kind to all students, and gave everyone the same opportunities. The only issue I had with this school is how the staff members handled some students, specifically students with behavior issues. There were numerous times when my class would be disrupted, because a student with a behavior issue got out of control. Often times, we would even have to clear the classroom. If these incidents were handled well, I wouldn’t have an issue with it, as I know the behavior of some students does not reflect on the quality of the school. However, when one of these incidents would happen, the teachers would do nothing besides keep other students out of the way. For example, I have a very vivid memory of someone in my 4th grade class getting out of control, and throwing chairs around in the “pod” area. Meanwhile, the principal and another teacher were doing nothing; just standing there, drinking their coffee. Overall, loved my experience going to Garner Elementary was great, and I still have very good memories of the school.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2022

The Iowa city community school district is still using racist and destructive zero tolerance policies and mandatory minimums. Your child is not safe from lopsided and overzealous punishment. Extremists have taken over from the stats capital to our public schools. Bring common sense with your vote.
Submitted by parent on June 29, 2017

Excellent job with open classroom teaching concept.
Submitted by parent on July 07, 2014

My son goes here, teachers are very nice and experienced. We liked this school very much.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2014

Garner Elementary is a wonderful school with great students, supportive families, and an outstanding staff that truly cares about the students.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2014

After experiencing several schools in and out of the area, Buford Garner is by far the best my child has attended. Each grade has excellent teachers who work well with every child in the class. The teachers are pro-active with any learning situation and cooperate very well with outside resources. Garner's PTO is outstanding and provide great activities to give parents & children a fun way to interact with the teachers and school personnel. Our principal is extremely attentive to the students and what is going on in the school. By far, Garner is a top notch elementary and will lay a great foundation for any child's educational career.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2014

Garner is not just a school, it's a family. From the Principal, secretaries, custodians, to teachers, everyone at Garner is top notch and cares about the students as a whole person.
Submitted by parent on July 03, 2014

My son loves Garner Elementary! We moved to the area two years ago and my son was nervous about finding friends in a new school. He was welcomed with open arms and now has a group of great friends. The teachers and staff are top-notch and truly care about you child. All children are treated with kindness and respect.
Submitted by parent on June 23, 2014

I like Garner, but feel they could do better. The teachers, at least in the older grades, need to work better at communicating with the parents at more regular intervals about what work they are doing in the classroom, i.e. weekly/biweekly newsletters. There is not a lot of homework, which means if you don't have a child who likes to talk about what they are doing at school, it's kind of a black hole. I know they have had lots of changes in the few years we have been there - separating the kids all by grade, a new principal, and they have handled these changes all very well. The teachers we have had all really do care about the students and their progress.
Submitted by parent on February 03, 2014

We are so grateful to be within the Buford Garner boundaries. The teachers we've had the pleasure to interact with have been absolutely wonderful. They truly care about the well being and development of our children.