Jonathan Burr Elementary School

My kid has been at Burr for a few years now and honestly, the health environment is just okay. It's a CPS school in an older building, so you definitely deal with that 'old school' dust and sometimes the ventilation feels a bit stuffy in the winter months. They are pretty strict about the sick policy, which I guess is good, but I've definitely seen some nasty colds sweep through the lower grades because the classrooms are pretty tight. I wish they had a bit more of a focus on mental wellness and counselor availability, as the current staff seems stretched pretty thin with the number of kids they're seeing. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely your typical urban school experience where you have to stay on top of the office to make sure things are actually being cleaned properly.

My 3rd grader is at Burr and honestly the health stuff has been pretty solid since the new admin settled in. The school is actually clean—like, you don't get that weird 'old gym' smell when you walk in. They’re super on top of emails when something like strep or pink eye is going around the classroom, which I appreciate so I can watch for symptoms early. The sick-child policy is standard CPS stuff, but the nurse there is a sweetheart and really great with the kids if they get a scraped knee at recess or a tummy ache. My only gripe is that I wish they did more outdoor time when it's chilly out instead of keeping them in the gym, but overall it’s a healthy spot for the kids.