Simon Guggenheim Elementary School

Honestly, keeping my kid healthy at Guggenheim was a constant battle. The school is located in a really tough part of Englewood and you can tell the building has seen better days—definitely felt like the ventilation was poor and it didn't always have that 'clean' smell you'd want for an elementary school. The chronic absenteeism was a huge red flag too; it felt like half the class was out sick or just missing every other week, which makes it impossible to keep a consistent wellness routine or know if your kid is being exposed to something. To be blunt, the school was stretched way too thin to focus on things like mental health or proper nursing staff. It felt more like they were just trying to keep the doors open than actually fostering a healthy environment for the kids.

To be honest, the environment at Guggenheim is pretty frustrating. My biggest issue is the cleanliness—some of the facilities feel really neglected, and I've heard other parents and staff complaining about the general state of the building for a while now. It’s hard to feel good about sending your kid to a place that feels dusty and poorly maintained, especially during flu season when you want to know things are being sanitized properly.