Joseph Brennemann Elementary School

Brennemann is okay but honestly it's a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the teachers really do care and they have a solid early childhood program, but the building itself feels pretty dated and crowded. My biggest gripe is the communication when stuff starts going around—it feels like I only hear about a flu or stomach bug outbreak after half the class is already out. The cleanliness is hit or miss too; some days the hallways smell fine, other days you can tell the janitorial staff is stretched way too thin. It's a typical CPS experience where the staff works hard, but the facilities and wellness resources just feel underfunded.

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the situation at Brennemann. My kid is always getting sick, and it’s no wonder when you look at how the building is maintained. I saw on the recent board agenda that they’re just now fixing burnt-out motors in the entrance heaters, and the ventilation feels like it hasn't been updated since the school was built. The absenteeism here is a huge red flag—it feels like half the class is out every other week, and there’s not enough communication from the office about what’s going around or how they’re cleaning the rooms. Between the aging infrastructure and the constant germs, I’m really worried about my child's health being in this building every day.