Sooner Elementary School

5420 Southeast 89th Street

School District

Moore
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
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 November 20, 2019

I feel very nervous sending my kids to school every single day. I don't feel as if they are safe anywhere on the grounds or even on the bus. I don't appreciate recess being taken away for talking AT LUNCH the kids need to be able to release at lunch and recess everyday. We will be moving our kids to a new school.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2018

I would avoid this school if possible. Not all staff are bad. I've had a horrible experience with this school in general. The counselor there is awful beyond comprehension! She is rude and hateful! If you can send your kids elsewhere!
Submitted by other on May 12, 2017

Wow. This school is just bad. The office ladies are sooooooooo rude. I can't believe they get away with it. I have anxiety anytime I have to go and interact with them. Their punishments at this school are not age appropriate. We are moving out of the district just to get away.
Submitted by parent on February 14, 2017

The ladies in the office are very unpleasant. We are a blended family and have kids in both Moore and mid-del schools and our experience with this Moore school has been absolutely terrible. We literally see a night and day difference between the school districts and schools in general. Sooners principal is not active in school activities like the Barnes principal on Midwest City. The office staff mistreats parents and always have an attitude. Our first graders teacher doesn't participate in any holidays so our daughter has not been able to enjoy those activities like the other siblings that attend Barnes. I tried to drop off flowers today for her for Valentine's and they said absolutely not. The Mid-del disttict participates in all holidays and are more active with the children. The communication between parents and school is terrible. Overall I strongly suggest if you have a choice, don't send your children to this school. We are transferring our daughter out of this school and putting her in mid-del schools for next year.
Submitted by other on January 21, 2017

The secretary who works in the front office is often the "face" of the school. She is typically the first contact parents have with school staff upon entering the building Her behavior is rude, dismissive, and unwelcoming to say the least. Very disappointed she's been allowed to conduct herself in such a manner for so long...
Submitted by parent on January 20, 2017

They are real nice...but if you ask them any questions about your child's well being they flip. They areally not parent friendly and are very defensive on everything. Bullying is acceptable in this school. They are now about looks.
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2015

The school received a new principal in 2013. He is an outstanding person who genuinely cares about the children and staff. He will greet the "car riders" by opening the car door and greeting the children. Because he leads by example, staff interaction with the children has greatly improved. When we moved into the district in 2009, both of our children attended Sooner and they would come home and tell horror stories about how they were treated mentally by not being allowed to talk and then punished if they did talk. I took it as a child's exaggeration of an issue until I saw it first-hand as a proctor. It was true, they were not allowed to communicate with each other all day. We immediately pulled both out and re-enrolled them in a private school from which they originally came. Everything the other post on this site mentioned was occurring. With the new principal, their friends told them how much it changed for the better; so we went back to Sooner and there have been no issues with the exception of maybe one staff member, but the principal handled appropriately. Not 100% perfect yet (but what is in life), however he is working diligently to attain that level.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2013

This is a horrible school. I have left two previous comments that somehow are not showing up on this website...hmm. When our son was born, we took him to a private school/daycare for a few years. We were SO excited when he graduated kindergarten because he could go to this school and I wouldn't have to drive so far to pick him up/ drop him off. We were excited until he started school. He kept getting red lights all of the time for talking in the hallway or during lunch. When he got a red light, he had to stay in a"time out" during recess which meant that he had to remain quiet. All day he was forbidden to speak and expected to sit in his seat. His teacher was never there. There was a substitute teacher usually 2 or 3 days out of a 5 day school week which means that there was no consistency at all. After two months we started looking for private schools and he started attending a wonderful school that was over an hour round trip from our house. After about two years of going to that school we were able to buy a new house with a wonderful school. I regret not moving sooner because he had to do a lot of work to make up for the three months he attended Sooner.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2013

My child's experience has been great at Sooner! I understand and agree that improvement can always be made - I really miss field trips, what happened to those?! - I also understand the pressures that the teachers and administrators face from the school district and state board of education to test well, sometimes at the expense of the overall learning experience. I also firmly believe that the level of parent involvement directly correlates to a successful student. My child is not an academically gifted student, she is average. She is neither punished nor singled out because she isn't stellar. She does work hard (most of the time) and she loves her school. She is treated well because she treats others with respect. We too had a bullying issue at one point, and it was handled fairly and satisfactorily. End of story. The staff can be curt, but they aren't there to be your friends. They are there to do a job and that is to keep 500 children healthy and safe on a daily basis. The teachers at Sooner are like teachers everywhere in the public education system, you have bad ones, you have good ones, and you have great ones. The new principal has breathed fresh life into the school.
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2013

The secretaries are rude and condescending. My child's teacher does not return calls or emails. There is little communication and not worth the one star it was given. Short notice is given when kids need to have items brought to school for class projects. I would not recommend this school to anyone.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2013

Terrible school :bullying is a regular practice . Last scholastic year, 2012, the principal was removed because she ignored a Hispanic girl that was beaten by her peers but the new Principal together withe the teachers still ignoring the bullying in the hall, classroom, cafeteria of that school. Sad very sad situation for some minorities and other kids. Parents are not welcome there!!!
Submitted by other on March 09, 2013

Parents are not allow to go to the classroom or cafeteria. if I want to eat with my son it is going to be in front to the principal office, not in the cafeteria, so I can observe nothing unusual. The secretaries in the front desk are good for nothing, very rude and so the counselor, who is zero to the left . Since last week my son don't want to talk to me about his school bullying because then the other kids call him momyboy and the teacher call him a gossipy...! We are planning for my son to attend a private school as soon as two days or so. My son has to move out from this unsafe and emotional insane place . It is not way to change mentalities like the staff from that school, if you love your kids be far away from Sooner Elementary School, if your kids already attending that school and you have not choice for moving out or pay a private school maybe you have a god case in the court
Submitted by other on August 27, 2012

Yes, the have been many leaks resulting in a lot of mold inside the classrooms.
Submitted by parent on July 26, 2012

Utterly disappointed! My daughter was always that kid who wouldn't stay home from school even if sick until we moved into this district. She begged to stay home everyday and I couldn't understand why... Until I took a voluntary leadership position at the school. The principal is rude and demeaning to the kids but ALL smiles around the parents. She leads by intimidation. Teachers are often in the hallway on their cellphones or chit chatting once the day begins and parents leave. Probably one of the reasons she does not allow parent volunteers in the classrooms! The kids get absolutely zero time to let out energy, have to remain silent in the halls and at lunch, and inside recess due to inclement weather consists of MORE schoolwork done in silence - no fun at all! Additionally, there's mold in that school that gets covered up constantly with paint. After my term was over I home schooled my kid until we were able to find renters for our home and get out of dodge. LOVE the new school and absolutely no problems with phantom stomachaches and illnesses in order to stay home. She actually smiles and anticipates the next day... Whew! Glad we escaped.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2011

I have submitted a review already, but I just wanted to say that I would have to agree with the other parents....I don't think they get enough time to stretch or talk...I realize it is school, but that is a long day for them to not get to have some time to socialize and stretch. I think after lunch they get about 20 minutes for recess and I don't agree with the having to sit quiet with a book in the line for the bus and if they don't they get in trouble. They are kids! We had some friends leave Sooner and said their kids get more free time and get to talk at lunch and even eat outside if the weather is nice and that her boys are both doing much better in school. It does need to be a time for learning, but I do think it doesn't have to be that strict. As far as the office staff goes....I think you get what you give...I have always loved the ladies in the office, but I am nice to them. I have had friends who have had issues with them, but I know them well enought to know they they probably aren't being very friendly themselves.