Avalon Park Elementary School

I honestly have mixed feelings about Avalon Park. On one hand, they try to do these hygiene partnerships with local ministries, but on the other hand, the attendance numbers are a huge red flag. My son's class always feels half empty because kids are constantly out sick, and the chronic absenteeism here is way too high—last I checked it was well over 20%. It makes it really hard for the kids to stay on a healthy routine. Plus, the building feels pretty dated and I'm not convinced the ventilation is great, especially when flu season hits. It’s hard to feel good about the wellness culture when the school is struggling just to keep kids in the classroom regularly.

My son has been at Avalon Park for two years now and honestly, I’m pretty happy with how they handle things. The school stays surprisingly clean for how many kids are running around, and they’re really on top of calling parents the second a kid looks even a little bit feverish. I remember last flu season they were super transparent about cases in the classroom, which helped us keep an eye out at home. My only gripe is that the nurse isn't there every single day of the week because of the CPS scheduling, but the office staff is great at stepping in and keeping things calm if someone scrapes a knee or feels sick.