Crown Community Academy of Fine Arts Center Elementary School

I really want to love Crown because of the arts focus, but the health and attendance situation is honestly stressing me out. The school has a massive issue with chronic absenteeism—last I checked it was over 40%, which is wild. It makes it so hard for the kids to stay on track when half the class is missing. Also, they promote the 'Healthy CPS' thing and are super strict about no snacks from home, but then the actual building facilities feel like they need a lot of work. Communication about when bugs are going around or how they are handling illness in the classrooms is pretty minimal. With the school being so small and the attendance rates so low, it just feels like the wellness culture isn't a priority compared to just trying to keep the doors open.

My son goes to Crown and overall it's a decent experience, but the health stuff can be a bit of a mixed bag. The school is pretty old, so you definitely notice it, but the custodial staff really tries their best to keep the common areas and the arts rooms clean. I do wish the communication when there's a stomach bug or strep going around was a little faster—sometimes I find out from other moms in the pickup line before I get an official email from the office. Their sick policy is standard for CPS, pretty strict about the 24-hour fever-free rule which I appreciate. It’s not perfect, but I feel like they genuinely care about the kids' well-being even if the building itself feels a bit dated.