West Ridge Elementary School

13102 Monaco Street

School District

27j
Grade

PK, K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
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 November 30, 2023

with my enrolment in WRE for my young years, I can confidently say that THIS is how elementary is supposed to be done. at WRE. the teachers care about their kids and make a fun and hard-working environment for the kids. I have made the best memories and gained many values because of this school. the teachers are fantastic people. almost all of my most trusted adults are from WRE. I can trust the WRE will continue to teach kids correctly and happily.
Submitted by parent on November 19, 2013

We love West Ridge!!! We have a kindergartner whose teacher is amazing!! Our son is very bright, and she challenges him. The principal is very visible and friendly; she always has a smile on her face. Great "specials" including art, computers, pe, music, and library. Involved PTO and parents. Wonderful school!!
Submitted by parent on January 08, 2013

I was initially hesitant about my son going to school here, but now he has gone to West Ridge for a year and half (K and 1st grade) and is reading at a fifth grade level. Instead of waiting for the other kids to catch up, the teacher has pushed the four highest readers into fifth grade books to continue to challenge them and keep them engaged. He is definitley being challenged and is succeeding! My son loves his teacher so much he elected to keep her as he moved from K to 1st. The school was overcrowded last year, but has since split into two schools, so that problem is solved. My son's teacher is not the type to "think inside the box" and other parents may be experiencing one teacher's method and rating the entire school based solely on that. My son does bring home math worksheets, but they seem appropriate and innovative and were certainly not the way I was taught math oh-so-long-ago.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2012

This school is a perfect example of how rating based on scores is NOT an indicator of a good school! My child attended WRE for one year and it was nothing but a huge disappointment. THEY TEACH TO THE TEST. There was nothing but repetitive worksheets coming home every week and same for homework. There was ABSOLUTELY no project-based learning.Our teacher had absolutely no personality for working with young children (even though in her 8th year of teaching elementary school, her first year at WRE), was not engaging/interactive. She did not want any parent volunteers in her classroom either, that should've been our first warning sign. The highlight of the science class was watching a bottle of water placed by the window evaporate and record the level of evaporation every week... Bottom line- if your child is an inquisitive mind who perfroms above the grade level, take her elsewhere where teachers care about children's LIFE LONG love for learning and NOT the test scores. It's not the test scores alone that count. Reevaluate your philosophy and start hiring teachers who are innovative and passionate about their profession!
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2012

I am very disappointed in this school. I have tried to work with the staff but they do not listen to you about the needs of your children. Every child is not the same and they need to treat children as unique individuals on work on their needs. They teach by worksheets. This method went out in the 80's. If a student teacher did this they would be told by their college how in acceptable this is. They are not inventive and do not think out of the box. Project based learning is no where to be seen in this school. Again worksheets do not teach children what is needed in everyday life today. They need to keep up with the changes and the needs of this new century and what is needed to be good citizens and employable when they finish school.
Submitted by parent on September 05, 2012

We were very fortunate to be part of the West Ridge family for 3 years before moving out of state. I absolutely loved the school. The staff was fabulous and my children loved their teachers, they were always very positively encouraged and learned so much. I feel very blessed that my children had such amazing teachers that knew how to work with and push my children in a way that met their individual needs. WR welcomes volunteers which I really loved so I could be involved and get to know the school and the staff. I will always remember our time at WR with great fondness.
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2012

My child has been at West Ridge for two years and we have been extremely happy with the staff and with academics. We've been lucky to have two excellent teachers that have always been attentive to what my child needs. The parents are all friendly and many serve hours volunteering. I'm extremely happy with the principal, Mrs. Brock, this past year. She has continued to make West Ridge a fabulous school that I'm extremely proud to send now two of my children.
Submitted by parent on March 03, 2012

My son has attended WRE since kindergarden, he is now in third grade. We are absolutely happy with the experiences he has had at this school and could only hope to find a middle school that can compare. I have been able to volunteer every year. Through my volunteering I have been able to get to know teachers and support staff very well and think they are no less than fantastic. Every teacher he has had was excellent. Yes the school is over capacity, but this will be remedied with a new school opening this next school year. We love WRE and can not wait for our youngest to start kindergarten there next year.
Submitted by parent on December 21, 2011

This is my child's second year at WRE. I have to agree with the previous reviewer, the school is absolutely overcrowded, teachers are overwhelmed...What disappoints the most is the lack of innovative teaching methods. A ton of worksheets and test prep, NO project/ based teaching and absolutely NO GT resources and NO science classes/projects in the1st grade level. I'm not sure how they keep the children excited about learning... The emphasis is on test scores and not on creativity and engaging/innovative ways of teaching. Teachers do not have their own web-pages that could be used to keep parents updated on what's going on in the class. Disappointing!
Submitted by parent on December 07, 2011

School is at 125% capacity. Services to children are very limited. Class sizes are too big. There is not enough funding. Maybe my expectations were too high but it has been a big disappointment sending my child to this school. My sons teacher is overwhelmed with disruptive students. He has lost skills that he had going into the school year. There is bullying on the playground. There is a lack of support from his teacher pertaining to concerns. I have tried to volunteer my time and have been sent away, and told there is nothing to help with. There is a major lack of support of the students in the classroom.