Pass Christian Elementary School

270 West Second Street

School District

Pass Christian Public School Dist
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
Type

public

School Map for Pass Christian Public School Dist

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 06, 2017

Everyone is always friendly and willing to lend a hand.
Submitted by other on January 20, 2017

I am stunned and shocked to know that the last reviews have been removed. I thought this was a place to voice opinion of the school and what is going on. There are problems here and it is due largely in part to the new principal
Submitted by teacher on May 11, 2016

I am lucky enough to be a teacher at Pass Christian Elementary School and can't wait for my child to start here in the fall. Everyone is really positive and totally committed to the students. There's an energy at our school that many schools are lacking. We love our jobs, our students, and our community and it shows! At PCES, we work really hard, but we have a lot of fun doing it. This is easily the best school and district on the coast!
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2015

I paid tuition to go to this school because it was a "10" school. I ended up withdrawing my child less than 40 days into the school year. My experience with my child's individual teachers were EXCELLENT .We were fortunate to get the "diamond in the rough" teaching teams who were actually patient and seemed to understand that kids need nurturing. If you don't get the right teacher you are putting your child and their education at risk. The administration is very immersed in its own political dynamic and is putting the children and their educations at risk for a pretty "resume" and good test scores. After bringing a very large problem to the administration, i was told that i was a bored housewife who needed a "mental distraction". Having visited my child many times at school i constantly was able to see the other groups of students and they never looked happy. Good luck finding a smile on a child's face, and i also witnessed many complacent teachers and parents who allowed atrocious things to happen and go unreported. A large majority of the teachers seem to be very unhappy at work with a VERY small handful that are actually pleasant. The school is beautiful and well maintained with excellent amenities for the students, but what good are they when school isn't an emotionally safe and nurturing environment for the students or the parents. Complacency seems to be the overall theme in this particular school. There should be a long and hard look at this school from someone who is in charge and actually wants to help mold these children into functioning members of society.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2015

My husband was transferred to the Gulf Coast in 2014 and we were very nervous about switching schools for my 3rd grade son and 2nd grade daughter who loved their school back home. The transition could not have been smoother. In fact, Pass Christian Elementary as a whole is far superior to any school we know. The teachers, administrators, and secretaries go out of their way on all accounts. It is such a fun place for children to learn. We love it there. The only bit of constructive criticism I can offer concerns PTO and parent involvement. I would like to see more opportunities for myself and other parents to volunteer. At our old school, parent volunteers were used weekly. It is a beautiful campus with outstanding educators and we are so happy here.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2015

Pass Christian Elementary School is a great school. My children have been attending this school for the past three years. They absolutely love it there! Before my family physically moved to the coast, we visited many schools in the area. We felt that this school was the right fit for our children. I can't begin to express my sincere gratitude for the faculty, staff, and administrators for making my children feel like they really matter. We had never had a school experience like that before. Everyone genuinely cares for all the children. I know I made the right decision in choosing this school.
Submitted by teacher on July 20, 2015

I am one of the teachers who chose to leave PCES this year. It had been a wonderful school...great for students, parents, teachers, and the community. But, many changes have occurred in the last few years which made working at PCES less than enjoyable. A sense of being unappreciated, lack of support with students who have behavior difficulties, inconsistent expectations, very poor communication...the list goes on. Yes, we lost some teachers due to moves or wanting to work closer to home, but we lost many because they too needed a more positive environment. Last year, we lost about 8 teachers; this year, I think the number is up to 14. The total number of certified personnel is only about 36. So in two years, PCES has had to replace about half of the faculty. This is a school that had years without losing a single teacher. I am not a disgruntled teacher who left because of petty reasons. I am a teacher who left because I know that providing students an education can be a wonderful, joyful experience. That joy is rarely evident now at PCES. I hope the district will begin to look more closely at what is happening at PCES.
Submitted by teacher on June 25, 2014

I know the teachers that left on a personal level and the last statesman is incorrect. While some of the teachers are closer to home they didn't want to leave PCES. Others are now driving farther away just to get out of PCES! This has everything to do with lack of support by the Principal. Teachers were getting reprimanded for disciplining "misbehaving children". As there is no such thing as a bad child in a world filled with lollipops and unicorns. Don't cover up the issues at hand! That is why PCES is going down hill. You can't keep closing your eyes to whats right in front of you!! Let's not even talk about the drop in test scores!!
Submitted by parent on June 20, 2014

PCES really is a good school. The majority of the teachers who left did so to work closer to where they live....I think one teacher lives near Hattiesburg, another has a husband in the military and will be moving out of state, etc....The school does so many positive things for students, and I appreciate their efforts.
Submitted by parent on June 12, 2014

Lost 8 teachers and the vice principal this year..... What does that day about the school! Sad day for PCES!
Submitted by parent on January 17, 2014

I am stunned and shocked to know that the last reviews have been removed. I thought this was a place to voice opinion of the school and what is going on. There are problems here and it is due largely in part to the new principal. People should know that before coming into this school district. my son had his grades drop when his teacher went out on leave and a sub that was older came in and really was not good for the children. But no one did anything. As a parent I spoke with the principal and nothing was done. But where do you go to complain. No one will listen. The Vice principal doesn't seem to be able to help even when she wants to. We rae thinking of leaving the district for the private school here.
Submitted by other on January 16, 2014

What happeneed to the teacher's review? I guess the scools' political arena truly works! I guess the truth hurts!
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2013

This is our second year at PCES, we moved to the area 3 years ago. I have read many reviews that were negative, stating things like you have to be home grown for the child to be recognized or awarded and I have not found this to be true. Last year my child had a very good year and had excellent teachers. He received awards and recognition. This year he has already been recognized for his good behavior. This school focuses on celebrating the student as well as providing excellent academics. No school is perfect and I am not saying that this school is, but PCES is an awesome elementary public school.
Submitted by other on April 13, 2013

Doesn't it stand to reason that, statistically speaking, the majority of students attending PCES are "homegrown"; therefore, may have a greater probability of receiving an award. Nevermind, what am I saying? If you do not know the difference between there, their, and they're, or the correct verb tense - how could you grasp the complex laws of statistics.
Submitted by parent on February 06, 2013

Pass Christian Elementary School is a great school. I just moved to this area this school year. The administrators, teachers, and support staff are all wonderful. Everyone has really helped my children be successful. This is one school that goes above and beyond to make sure every child reaches his/her full potential. My children rave about all that this school has to offer! Keep up the great work PCES...There are many satisfied parents in this district!
Submitted by parent on January 28, 2013

I am not surprised to read these negative reviews. These are obviously coming from a few disgruntled parents holding a grudge against the new principal. Funny how they were all posted on the same day and contain basically the same narrative. My children have attended the Pass Christian School District for a number of years. The previous principal was wonderful, and our current leader learned from the best. Both she and the assistant principal are competent, capable, and caring administrators. If you are considering moving to Pass Christian, I urge you to visit the elementary school and meet the principal. It is laughable to think that anyone would find her rude or unwelcoming. Seriously, have these people ever met her?
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2013

The complete failure of this school to effectively communicate in any meaningful or respectful way with parents is not new. Last year, there was an actual explosion, followed by a fire, in the school cafeteria WHILE CHILDREN WERE HAVING LUNCH. The administration didn't even bother sending home a note or using the automated emergency phone system to tell parents that it had happened. I found out about it through my children, who described the chaos that followed as completely out of control. In fact, when my child found her way out of the school, she wasn't even with her own class, and no one noticed that she or 2 others who were with her were even missing from her class! This is unacceptable. Several members of the PTO were there that day and knew that it happened, so when I complained that they didn't contact parents to let us know, they informed me that the administration would not allow PTO to conduct an emergency phone chain. In fact, they are not even allowed to have contact information for parents - the PTO! Not allowed to contact parents! Sounds like this school does not value parental involvement, school safety, or communication - especially between parents. Red Flags!
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2013

Disappointed! We moved to this area specifically because of the strength of this school district. Obviously reviews and test scores do not tell the whole story about a school. The school certainly has many gifted and caring teachers that are solely responsible for any success this school has. However, the administration seems to be a big problem. Clearly the focus of this administration is on the standardized test scores, and they micromanage the teachers and force curriculums that only cater to improving these test scores, even at the expense of failing to develop a love of learning and creativity in our children. It clearly does not cater to the individual talents of our teachers, and the feedback from teachers suggests that they are consistently stressed and pressured and not happy with the work environment. In discussing this with the teachers, they openly expressed that they are afraid to speak out against this administration. What s even worse is the resistance that parents receive when they try to become involved in the school. This does not create a good environment for learning. Without parents involvement in our school, this system is doomed to failure.
Submitted by parent on January 11, 2013

I certainly wish someone would have posted reviews like this before my grandchildren moved into this school district. Maybe last year's administration was good, but this one is rude and ineffective. My experiences visiting this school to volunteer and to eat lunch with my grandchildren have been sad ones. The environment of the whole school seems tense and dysfunctional and the principal talks to everyone as though we are children. She doesn't seem to have much respect for the kids, the parents, or the grandparents, and she even speaks to the vice principal in front of parents as though she were a dog. I will try to get my grandchildren moved to another school district. This school has really declined in quality in the last year.
Submitted by other on January 11, 2013

I would never send my kids to this school since the new principal took over. My kids go to East Hancock, and I just feel sorry for all of my friends who have risked homebuying in a bad economy to move into what was once an awesome school district, only to be shocked by the incompetence and unfair leadership of this new administration. Prediction... many homes are about to come up for sale in Pass Christian. So sorry, friends.