Richard J Daley Elementary Academy

I have to be honest, I'm pretty worried about the environment at Daley Academy. The chronic absenteeism rate is super high—like, over 40%—and you can really feel that lack of stability in the hallways. It feels like there is always a bug going around and the communication from the office about illness outbreaks is basically non-existent. With the student-to-teacher ratios being what they are, the staff just seems too stretched thin to stay on top of deep cleaning or checking in on kids who are out sick. It’s tough because the teachers are trying, but between the old building issues and so many kids missing school, it doesn't feel like the healthiest spot for my 3rd grader right now.

I honestly have mixed feelings about Daley. While the preschool program is a nice resource for the neighborhood, the actual day-to-day health environment is pretty stressful. The school deals with some serious overcrowding and the chronic absenteeism is high, which makes you wonder how well they're actually tracking when kids are out sick versus just skipping. It feels like as soon as one bug hits the classroom, it just cycles through everyone because the ventilation in these older buildings isn't great. Communicating with the office about health protocols feels like pulling teeth sometimes, and I've heard from other parents that the counselor-to-student ratio is way too high, so kids aren't really getting the emotional wellness support they need. It’s a tough spot if your kid has asthma or needs more individual attention.