Robert Nathaniel Dett Elementary School

Gonna be real, I’m pretty frustrated with the state of things at Dett lately. It feels like the building is constantly falling apart—I keep seeing work orders for broken windows and door glass, which makes me wonder how well the heat and ventilation are even working during these Chicago winters. It’s hard to keep kids healthy when the physical environment feels so neglected. On top of that, the student-to-counselor ratio across CPS is usually a mess, and it feels like we’re seeing that here too; there’s just not enough support for the kids' social and emotional wellbeing. Communication about illness circling the classrooms is hit or miss, and honestly, the school doesn't feel as clean or updated as it should be. They do some fun family picnics and dances, which is nice, but when it comes to actual health and safety standards, the school is definitely struggling.

I really want to love this school because the staff seems nice, but the health situation is a mess. The chronic absenteeism here is super high—it feels like half the class is out sick or just missing every other week, and it makes it impossible for the kids who are there to stay on track. If one kid gets a stomach bug, you can bet it's going through the whole building because the hygiene and deep cleaning just don't seem like a priority. I've also had a hard time getting a straight answer from the office about their illness protocols; it feels very disorganized when you call to report a fever. It's a 'nurturing' vibe on paper, but in reality, the environment feels stretched way too thin to actually keep the kids healthy.