John Whistler Elementary School

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the health environment at Whistler lately. It seems like kids are constantly out sick, and the communication from the school about what’s going around is basically non-existent. The attendance rates in this neighborhood are already a struggle, and it feels like the school isn't doing much to help families keep kids healthy and in class. My child has complained about the bathrooms not being great, and with the high student-to-teacher ratios here, I don't think the staff has the time to really monitor if everyone is even washing their hands or if the classrooms are being sanitized properly. It feels like a 'fend for yourself' situation when it comes to wellness, which is a shame because the kids deserve better than just getting by.

Whistler is okay on the health front, but it’s definitely an older building so you can tell the vents and floors have seen better days. I do like that they don't mess around with the sick policy—if a kid has a fever, they're heading home right away, which helps keep the classroom bugs from spreading too fast. Communicating about outbreaks (like when strep was going around) could be a bit quicker, as I usually hear it from other moms before the school email goes out. Overall, they do a decent job keeping things sanitized considering how busy the hallways get.