Safety Harbor Elementary School

535 5th Avenue North

School District

Pinellas
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:12
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 other on October 22, 2022

i went to school here for most of 5th grade. it was a very good year! i had a good time when i was at this school.
Submitted by parent on January 04, 2021

We have 3 kids (2 with IEPs) at Safety Harbor Elementary and I am quite pleased with our experience thus far. I would highly recommend this elementary school to any family coming to town.All of the teachers our kids have had have been fantastic, both in an in-person and virtual environment. They have all gone above and beyond to make our children feel welcomed, and have really pushed them to grow as individuals both socially and academically. We came from New England where our previous elementary school was top ranked on this site and others and had some concerns with where Safety Harbor Elementary was ranked when we moved to town, but our expectations have been exceeded. I would actually rank our experience with the educators at Safety Harbor higher than the previous experience at a higher ranked school. I feel they are much better at catering to a wider range of student ability and interest in Safety Harbor, while our previous experience was great for over achievers, but not so great for your "normal" student who might need guidance in certain areas.The only complaint I would have about this school is with the top leadership. I have never felt so alienated or disappointed with decisions made by the principal at Safety Harbor in regards to specific items relating to my children. She is completely out of touch with reality and there is no room for rational discussion. Thank god for the teachers, as they continue to be so great and have been saviors time and time again despite the principal's shortcomings.
Submitted by parent on July 10, 2017

It was a great school until the new principal was hired. She drove out some of the best teachers and other employees. I've never seen so many teachers and staff "retire" in the first school year and then even more the next year. It was so sad to see such a fun loving school loose its spark. I don't mind discipline and rules, especially in a school, but it's been taken to a new level and it can seem more like a prison than a school. I hate leaving a negative review but we left that school so unhappy. We were involved in SHES for 5 years. (Don't get me wrong. The teachers are excellent and my kids still loved it. It was the only school we knew and they had many great friends. But when we moved in the middle of the school year to a new state they finally excelled academically. Their grades improved. They had less homework. It was an all around better experience.)
Submitted by parent on March 12, 2013

This school is absolutely amazing. My son, Gino, had gone to a Hillsborough County school for the first part of kindergarten. Our family was just finding out he had ADHD. I was getting phone calls from hillsborough county every day to come pick Gino up from school. They couldn't control him. I was at my whits end and crying to the principal. He finally sent me to the guidance counselor who had never even heard of my son! 3 months at that school and you don't know the worse behaved kid?! We moved to Safety Harbor and enrolled Gino at SHES. It was the best move we could have made. They helped Gino from the first day. Mrs. Goza, Mrs. Turner, Mr. Kalach, and Mrs. Stall worked together as a team to help Gino. They created a 504 plan for him and accomidated his every need. Gino is now in 1st grade with Mrs. Eggers and his behavior problems are almost non-exhistant. They never treated Gino like a problem, they just worked to find a solution. I don't know what the one parent is talking about when they say Mr. Kalach is a bad principal. They do require background checks for volunteers at the school.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2012

My daughter has thrived at Safety Harbor Elementary. Having suffered from epilepsy, I was impressed by the special care she was given by her teachers, especially her kindergarten teached, Mrs. Cross. Now in fourth grade and seizure free, we are thankful for all of the wonderful teachers we've had at Safety Harbor Elementary. Mr. Kalach is a great principal who's enthusiasm for the school is contagious.
Submitted by parent on September 26, 2012

I suppose everyone has different experiences at even the best of schools. I have three children, one of whom has already graduated from SHES. All three of my kids have had fantastic experiences at Safety Harbor Elementary. Their teachers have been excellent, they've been challenged academically every step of the way, and they've thrived from the nurturing, supportive environment the faculty, staff, and administration has fostered. No school is perfect, but for our family (and many others I know with high standards) this school comes very close.
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2012

This used to be a good school until the current principle Mr. Kaloch began there. It turned into an absolutely horrible school for special needs kids. I even witnessed a child being closed into a "quiet room" while the aide held the door shut. They also do not do background checks on the volunteers. It is very sad since there are actually great teachers there that are now limited on how they can teach since Mr. Kaloch took over. I have pulled my son from this school and there are 7 parents that I know of that did the same thing in the same school year.