Crown Charter School

Crown Charter is one of the best schools I have ever worked for. As a new teacher you never really know what you are going to get until you are in the trenches. I can say without a doubt that the administration, fellow teachers, and parents are nothing short of amazing. The administration is extremely supportive and really listen to my thoughts/concerns and treat me like my opinions matter. The fellow teachers are AMAZING!!! We can brainstorm together and figure out solutions without anyone feeling like it`s a competition or their ideas are unimportant. Crown Charter staff actually works like a group instead of each teacher on their own, which may sound silly, but it happens more often than people think. As a staff we have meetings every morning therefore the communication between staff is outstanding. Moving from Oregon I was really nervous about the school system in Arizona but Crown Charter has exceeded my expectations and I am proud to say I teach here. I see a long and happy career here in my future!

Crown Charter School effectively challenges the minds of the students. It`s amazing to see a child light up with excitement when learning new concepts. The parents receive feedback on their child`s academics throughout the year to ensure that communication is kept up. As a teacher, It`s astonishing that our kindergartens and first graders excel beyond other public schools. Kindergarteners are reading a grade level ahead. First graders take an educational field trip to the zoo and then construct a diorama of an animal`s habitat. Crown Charter also teaches creative writing which is a positive challenge for the younger grades. Crown Charter conducts many family events that give a sense of community to the school. The parents at Crown Charter are so involved and very responsive to teachers and faculty. Working at Crown Charter develops teachers to think outside of the box and continually strive to become better. Crown Charter deeply cares for their students and their progress. Walking through the hallways you can always hear laughter, music, and the excitement of the students. Working for Crown Charter has been one of the best decisions I have made in my teaching career. I have always been supported and encouraged to teach above and beyond!

This is not a good school by any stretch of the imagination; kindergarteners, for example, are required to add several double digit numbers by year's end. This is damaging to the brain development of a 5 to 6 year old child-an average boy or girl this age may often struggle adding single digit numbers. Music, art and sports programs are very limited, which diminishes significantly from the quality of the students' education. While the facilities are quite nice (the school itself is only a few years old), the level of parental involvement is virtually nonexistent. Parents are discouraged from getting involved in the school's day to day activities-it seems the only parents you'll find at Crown are the ones who teach and work there. Perhaps the most disappointing thing about Crown is its director, a woman by the name of T.C.; she is rude, offensive and downright unprofessional. T.C. thinks nothing of berating teachers and staff, often right in front of bewildered parents. Not surprisingly, staff turnover at the school is high. She also insists on being present at all parent/teacher meetings and thinks nothing of humiliating students who aren't getting with the program. I believe Crown would be better off with someone else running its operations, this director possesses poor people skills and leaves those who have anything to do with the school with a negative impression of it. I do not feel that Crown Charter School is a place where children can gain a full, well-rounded education. For that parents will have to enroll their sons and daughters somewhere else.