Ronald E Mcnair Elementary School

Honestly, I’m pretty worried about the environment at McNair lately. Between the news about safety incidents right outside the school doors and the fact that the school is dealing with chronic absenteeism rates way over 25%, it just feels like the school is struggling to keep a healthy, stable routine for the kids. The student-to-teacher ratios are tight, and it feels like the staff is spread way too thin to really keep an eye on things like deep cleaning or checking in on kids who are out sick. It’s hard to focus on wellness and science when basic attendance and neighborhood safety are such constant issues. I really want to love the specialized focus here, but the lack of consistency and the high number of kids missing school makes me feel like the overall health of the school community is in a rough place.

To be honest, the health environment at McNair is pretty hit or miss and it's starting to worry me. My kid's class is constantly rotating through colds and stomach bugs, and I really don't feel like the communication from the school is clear enough when things start spreading. The school is trying to refocus on 'student engagement' and science, but it’s hard for the kids to focus on academics when the building feels like a germ factory and the attendance is so inconsistent. I've also heard from other parents that some of the summer funding and support programs are getting pulled back, which makes me think they’ll have even fewer resources for mental health and nursing staff next year. It just feels like wellness is on the back burner lately.