Alex Haley Elementary Academy

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the health situation at Haley. My kid’s class is constantly half-empty because something is always going around, and the school's communication about it is basically nonexistent. It’s hard for the staff to keep things clean and monitor sick kids when the student-to-teacher ratios are as high as they are here—they just seem totally overwhelmed. The absenteeism is a huge red flag for me; it feels like if your child stays home till they're actually well, they just fall behind because the school doesn't have a solid system for catching up. I know they talk about 'wellness' in their mission, but in the actual building, it feels like they’re just trying to keep their heads above water. I’ve definitely seen cleaner classrooms elsewhere in the district.

Honestly, Alex Haley has been pretty solid with the health stuff this year. My youngest is in the PK program and I was worried about the 'daycare crud' spreading, but the teachers are really on top of making the kids wash their hands. The school is quick to send out emails if something like strep or a stomach bug is going around the classroom, which I appreciate so I can keep an eye out. It’s not perfect—the bathrooms could definitely use a deep clean more often—but they actually stick to the sick-child policy, so you don't have kids hacking all over each other in the halls. It feels like a safe, healthy spot for my kids.