Charles P Caldwell Academy of Math & Science Elementary School

To be honest, the environment at Caldwell is starting to worry me. My daughter has been sick on and off for months, and it feels like the school is just a revolving door for germs. The attendance rates here are really low—regularly dipping below 90%—and when you look at how many kids are chronically absent, it's clear there's a major health or wellness gap. It’s hard for the kids to stay on track when half the class is out and the school doesn't seem to have a solid handle on sanitizing or managing the spread of whatever is going around. Plus, trying to get a hold of anyone to talk about wellness or getting support for her after she’s been out is a struggle. It feels like they’re just stretched too thin to prioritize a clean and healthy space.

Caldwell Academy is okay when it comes to the health stuff, but it definitely feels like a typical CPS school sometimes. Regarding cleanliness, the classrooms look decent, but the bathrooms can be a hit or miss by the end of the day. I do appreciate that they are pretty strict about the sick-child policy—if your kid has a fever, they are calling you immediately to come get them, which helps keep the flu from spreading too fast. My main gripe is the communication; sometimes I feel like I don't find out there's a bug going around the classroom until my kid already has it. It would be nice to see more focus on wellness and maybe more outdoor time, but the staff does their best with what they've got.