Setauket Elementary School

134 MAIN ST

School District

Three Village Central
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Three Village Central School District

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on April 21, 2023

My son joined the school in September 2022 in grade K. I find Setauket Elementary a really good school, with devoted, caring and experienced teachers, and extremely supporting staff, both at school and aftercare. I could not be happier with their service so far. My kid also has special needs and I am happy to say that he has a good multidisciplinary team making sure that his needs are met, and I could see how they all really care about him. My kid is also a few grades above in reading and math, and the teachers have strived to support him at meeting him at a higher level in these areas, while at the same time working those areas where he needs additional support. All in all for K at least I could not be happier with the school, I feel my kid is supported by caring, knowledgeable and efficient teachers and team.
Submitted by parent on April 16, 2016

My sons both went to elementary school there; my oldest went through 4th grade at Setauket Elementary school. We found the administration there to be impersonal and indifferent, at best, and at worst, deceitful. The experience with school teachers were very uneven. In some years my oldest son had good teachers; in other years they were horrible, even harmful. It was bad enough that when my second son finished kindergarten, the prospect of going through the same roller coaster experience we had with our first son again was enough to convince us to homeschool them both. Thank goodness we made that choice. We homeschooled our sons for 5 years. My sons are back in school, in the Port Jefferson School District this time. They are in high school and middle school, are well-adjusted, overachieving, and are at the top of their classes. They're model students, and I'm convinced they would not be so if we had left them to the care of the Three Village School District. By the way, if your child is being bullied, the administrator Cathy Taldone, who is the Three Village contact person for reporting bullying, is the last person you want to get in touch with. She is only interested in keeping her records clean. If you tell her your child is being bullied, rather than protecting your child, she will do everything she can to push your child out of the school system or out of her turf. She tried her best to intimidate us. We report this to let other parents know of what they might be up against if bullying is an issue for their child. It's a more extreme example of the insensitivity of the Three Village administration.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2014

Revolving administration, teachers who aren't given the authority to do what's best for the kids due to the conflict between the administration and the teaching staff, growing class sizes and some tenured mediocre teachers who really need to retire. All this and my taxes are still going up year after year. I'm looking into private schools.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2013

Setauket Elementary is NOT what it used to be. Happy for the parents that had such wonderful experiences at this school. The reputation it had over the years is what attracted us to move & be a part of it. But, over the past several years to say there have been a few changes, well, that's an understatement. Does any parent want to hear the word "intermittent"...as in principals, vice-principals. Leadership has been very inconsistent. The teachers do their best with the ridiculous changes that are continually being implemented. Let's us "Everyday Math" as one example. Starting a new math program at the 4th grade level??!! Seriously? Carrying a price tag of $200K to boot. The time spent on prepping our children for standardized tests that rate the school/teachers is outrageous...but, it's all about those ratings. And now, 2013, we're being introduced to "Common Core Education" -- equal curriculum for all, no matter what zip code you live in. Doesn't that hit anyone as "cookie-cutter" education? And why bother voting "yes" for future budget increases. Zip codes don't matter anymore, can we get a refund on being one of the most expensive school districts in NY? Pathetic
Submitted by parent on October 29, 2013

Five of our six children have all gone to Setauket for their elementary school years. Overall, we have been extremely pleased with both the academics and the social life they've enjoyed there! Setauket's teachers are top quality, making learning both challenging and fun for our kids. They have all grown to love reading, writing, math, and science at Setauket, and now are in middle school through college - continuing to thrive! We are very grateful to Setauket for the way in which they have enriched our children's lives in so many ways over the past ten years! We just have one left there. He is a happy 4th grader who has already learned this year how to write a good-looking essay, enjoy a good long chapter book, and take on challenging math problems! Kudos to Setauket Elementary School! It's not perfect, but it comes pretty close. We are grateful!
Submitted by parent on May 24, 2013

The whining about this school by some other parents is unjustified. I have had three children attend the school over a 15-year span and they have all been well educated. I have no interest in helicopter parenting. I expect the teacher to do their job and I don't interfere. The campus and school are well cared for and the teachers seem dedicated and competent. They generally focus on the basics of education rather than useless projects and my kids loved to go to school each day. There is not much to dislike. My only complaint is the level of mathematics teaching, which is a general problem in the country. It does not seem sufficiently advanced for our high tech world. One of my sons, who attended the school, is currently a math major in college and at the top of his class, so it is arguable how important this is. Nonetheless, we do send my youngest daughter to School Nova at Stony Brook University for math classes on Sunday mornings. This has been a revelation, with my 1st grade daughter already mastering the basics of algebra. I doubt it would be possible to teach the entire class at this level and whether it has a long term effect on my daughter's math skills remains to be seen.
Submitted by parent on April 30, 2013

The recent posts from 2013 regarding Setauket Elementary are 100 percent accurate. We moved to this area several years ago in part because of the schools and we are very dissapointed. The teachers and administration are mediocre at best. The children are not challenged and the hiring process appears to be based on who you know versus ability and skill. The taxes in the Three Village area are ridiculous and they continue to climb regardless of the cap. We have considered moving out of the area and closer to work due to the lackluster performance of the schools. The homework is almost non-existent or very easy and the new math program was implemented very poorly. Most of the teachers do not understand how to teach it properly and they received minimal training. if you are considering a home in this area look further west. The school's reputation is not what is purported to be. Test scores are high because many parents in the area hire extra help for their children.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2013

If you have a child with special needs, be prepared to fight, fight, fight for their rights. It's OK if they have physical disabilities, but they are ill equipped to handle anything behavioral, even if it's a disability classified under IDEA they will still stick to the "code of conduct" and suspend your child at the drop of a hat for little to nothing. There are some good teachers here, but the administration is really weak. I'm considering pulling my daughter out of this school and into private school, yet I bought a home in Three Village because of its reputation. All I got was hassle and high taxes, and the teachers are getting a 5-6% pay increase this year!!!!
Submitted by parent on April 06, 2013

I am amazed at what is allowed to continue to go on in regards to the education that is provided at this school . Many of the teachers are mediocre at best and have no understanding of individual student needs . When the administration is questioned about this they become defensive and can not provide an acceptable response , and many parents wont question the quality of education their children are getting in fear of the repercussions that will be taken out on their child . This charade must come to an end
Submitted by parent on April 02, 2013

Unfortunately, I have to agree with what has been posted. This elementary school has been a grave dissapointment. Parents are treated like the plague, and the children are shown such disrespect. Relevant issues are brushed under the carpet and the sense of entitlement and detachment exhibited by the teachers and administration is appauling. If my taxes werent so high, my children would be in private school. I will be so happy to get them out of there!! How does a district such as three village allow this to go on??!!
Submitted by parent on March 29, 2013

Setauket Elementary is the biggest disappointment. Very few teachers and administrators are inspiring and talented, most students are not challenged, and parents are kept on the outside with very little information about student progress. I cannot believe that we moved here for an exceptional education for my children and so far it has been a very poor educational experience for them.