Sidney Sawyer Elementary School

Honestly, I’m pretty frustrated with the situation at Sawyer. My kids have been home sick way more than usual this year, and I'm starting to think it’s the building. Recently, there’s been paperwork about emergency transfers for 'chiller parts' and cooling repairs, and you can definitely feel it—the air quality in some of those classrooms is rough and either way too hot or stuffy. It feels like we’re always playing catch-up with maintenance rather than focusing on a healthy environment. Plus, the chronic absenteeism here is a huge red flag; it feels like half the class is out every other week, and there’s not much being done to stop the spread of whatever bug is going around. I wish the administration would prioritize the actual facility and wellness culture instead of just sticking to the status quo.

Honestly, Sawyer is okay but it's such a huge school that sometimes the individual health needs of the kids get a bit lost in the shuffle. They talk a lot about high attendance in their plan summaries, which is great, but it feels like there is a lot of pressure to send kids in even when they have a bit of a cough. The building is older and you can tell; while they try to keep it clean, the ventilation isn't the best during peak flu season. It's a standard CPS experience—the staff tries their best and they finally put up that new fence for safety, but with so many students, don't expect a lot of personalized wellness attention if your kid has specific health issues.