Shelburne Community School

345 Harbor Road

School District

Champlain Valley Unified
Grade

PK, K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:11
Type

public

School Map for Champlain Valley Unified School District

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 December 09, 2024

SCS has been an amazing school for our two kids. When needed, we've been able to access special services and supports for our kids. Our teachers have all been top notch. We moved to Shelburne, in part, to send our kids to SCS and it's been an incredibly positive experience. My kids NEVER dread going to school. They're always happy to hop on the bus and learn. Highly recommend.
Submitted by student on February 20, 2024

This school has a lot of issues. There is a lot of mistreatment towards a few groups of people and the special education system is abhorrent. There are several good teachers, but my (and many of my classmates) experiences with the middle-level guidance counselor have been negative. The students are disrespectful and the teachers either don't do anything about it or bring in the principal/have students stay in for recess.In a lot of classes, the punishment for being 5 or more minutes late is a "green sheet" which means talking with the planning room staff and sometimes a call home and well as missing a sports practice.If I were to improve the school, I would make special Ed more easily available, promote more of a culture of respect towards teachers, and enforce rules in a more appropriate way.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2024

I prefer homeschooling my child and working a full time job instead of having my child partake in schooling at SCS. I am more than happy to tire myself out to provide a proper education for my child where they feel safe and heard. They do not do a great job at enforcing safety nets for students that get bullied. The school will defend a student with money or parents on the board instead of protecting students that are threatened with weapons. Their curriculum is horrible and if your child is having a hard time with attendance they will change that curriculum so that there is no valuable learning/education (building legos, finishing puzzles and playing with fidget spinners!) - THIS IS ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE SCHOOL - this is where your fundamental learning happens! Please if you have the choice to homeschool or private school to get your child away from this school please do it for your kid.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2024

The curriculum is horrible, it dosen't challenge students at all, they are looking to make it fun instead of being chalenging, must have harder classes, and different levels of classes, all kid together from the top of the class to the bottom all inside the same class being taught the same things. The students have no challenges this school should have harder classes and be better. The communication with family's is so frequent it is annoying.
Submitted by other on February 05, 2024

I think that scs is ok but you could do better at making it more equitable.
Submitted by parent on September 30, 2023

My experience with this school was awful on so many levels.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2014

My son attended school in Florida, and he never made any gains (has a learning disability). We moved to Vermont, and the gains he has made at SCS is astounding! The teachers, principle, para-educator, and other parents and faculty have grown long-lasting relationships with my son and us as well. I love the community atmosphere they offer, and the fact that they teach kids how to look out for each other as well as living an active and healthy life-style. The teachers are good about responding to any email's I send promptly (as well as much of the staff). They are also good at sending my any curriculum my son needs to know so I can help him at home as well as them helping him at school. I enjoy the mandatory parent/teacher conferences (two a year), as they help me keep up with the progress my son is doing (as well as the emails). I also like how they set up their IEP's for my son. We fight to keep our son in this school and tell others our opinions of this school. I do not think there is any school better!
Submitted by parent on May 16, 2013

There are minor issues mainly due to decreased funding. Class sizes are small (Average is ~20 students in elementary classes with one teacher, a para educator, and full time one-on-one aids for those studentheming special needs), the arts have been left intact (art and music each 2x per week with chorus and band electives), and students continue to perform well above the national average on standardized tests. Grade levels are grouped into teams where the administration assigns each student according to accademic and personality strengths and weaknesses based on information gathered from teachers, parents and the students themselves. Parent control within this placement is discouraged, however, any problems are dealt with promptly (inside and outside of the classroom including bullying). Shelburne is a pretty well-to-do community (less than 10% free and reduced lunches) and parents can come accross as entitled and demanding. All in all, this is a very good school. I will update as my fifth grader enters middle school next year. PTO is wound a bit tight, and although that can be intimidating for new members, they are effective and manage to get a lot done.
Submitted by parent on February 12, 2013

The changes in administration - new middle school and new elementary level principals - have been extremely detrimental to the school. While the school had challenges prior to these changes, those challenges are now exacerbated and there are many more. Chief among them is the absolute unwillingness of the administration to listen to and address serious concerns - academic, social, etc. While there are some excellent teachers at SCS, there are some extremely poor teachers as well, and no accountability or efforts to remedy those situations. Academic rigor depends on the teacher, not the curriculum, which is problematic. Limited resources and opportunities for the majority of kids. Very sports-centric. Board not responsive, nor is superintendent. FAR too extensive use of "para-educators"; they have a lot of power and no background/education - kids are terrified of them. And while everyone sings the praises of the community of involved parents, the reality is the PTO presidents are "tenured", the same parents do everything and do not welcome outside input.
Submitted by other on February 11, 2013

I would just like to point out that the school has had a change of administration. There are very high reviews of SCS prior to the hiring of the new middle school administrator (principal) in 2010. Draw any conclusion you would like. I just think it is an important fact for all to be aware of and perhaps something will change!
Submitted by parent on October 05, 2012

Don't be fooled, if you are well connected or have a relative on the school board you will get a good teacher. If however, you are not, you will find you child crammed into a classroom with 40% higher student to teacher ratio, while the board members' child will have your child s teacher and a low ratio. The administration cares more about their own jobs then the lives of the children they are destroying. If you would like your child to succeed, don't go here. There is not a second language until too late, no science and no history, as it does not fit in with their indoctrination.
Submitted by parent on June 07, 2012

Don't be fooled. We talk about how great SCS is but that's relative to Vermont's other mediocre schools. Teachers mean well but are fundamentally mediocre and fail to challenge kids with rigorous curriculum or standards. There's significant diversion of resources to children with special needs or behavioral issues instead of core students. The facilities are poor and there's limited supervision of children during lunch and 'in between' times. Administration seems confused about pedagogy (e.g. teams, multi-age classes). Parents are involved and there's a great community feel to the school. But at what cost? We can't afford another option for our three kids, two of which are already at SCS. But I see how far behind my 4th grader is from kids of his ability in CT/MA/NY. We are fooling ourselves that all the property tax money is going to educate our children. I believe in the progressive value of public education, and I want to support my local school, but I cannot keep denying that my kids are just getting lost at SCS. I want them to be challenged.
Submitted by parent on January 18, 2012

First the outside "breeze way" the Pre-K - 3rd graders have to pass through to get to music, lunch, art and PE throughout the day (at times alone). They expect the younger kids to go outside and then back inside to get everywhere. My son hates it! Not to mention the lack of security. When a group of parents brought up the security issue they put up a security camera. Also, they have 8 different after school activities FREE to the 6-8th graders to be involved in (cooking, dance, etc) besides the sports & a free late bus. But nothing for K-5. K-5 needs to pay for some reason, & I have been informed that is not going to change. They don't seem very open to new ideas unfortunately and very stuck in their ways. I am happy about an online program my child is using Lexia Learning and Fast Math. The teacher can see when you log on at home & follow your progress. My son does love the music teacher & the art teacher does a great job exposing them to a variety of types of art. I don't like the inconsistency between teachers in the same grade. Our teacher is very good, but doesn't believe in homework, while others are sending home book reports & other work, & they're in the same grade.