Research Noah Webster Basic School charter Schools in Phoenix, Arizona

“This is our 2nd Year and we are happy with the education our daughter is getting.”

“I have 3 children at NWBS and after moving this year had to move my children into Kyrene School district. I wasn't too concerned as all i heard was Kyrene was one of the best in AZ. My child in kindergarten was bored, and my 2nd grader told me his new school was 'easy'. I decided to take them back to NWBS. Yes, parking and traffic are a nightmare but no school has good pick up options. (i have seen the others school parent pick up lines!) I LOVE the fact that they don't have a PTO. You can volunteer for any field trip, school event or party. I also LOVE the fact that it is a closed campus. As a parent I am pretty sure that even some creepy people have kids or could find a way to be on school grounds if it were not so well controlled.”

“Academically this school is excellent! The high turnover of teachers/staff is ridiculous. The director seems to get rid of people who are good at what they do and think outside the box. The front office staff is useless. They don't return calls, they are rude, and they have no clue what they are doing. The director cares more about the business side of the school than the kids. I would not recommend this school and my kids will not be returning.”

“My son had been to three different schools from the start of kindergarden and been in trouble a couple of times for assisting other kids in class. After starting third grade in NW he's never done better. Before Christmas break he was already in the 4th grade material. I'll find out this year how my daughter will do. Good luck to all.”

“I am not very impressed with Noah Webster. The school is virtually closed to parents. You cannot even go on campus in the morning to drop your children off without signing in and getting permission. I think it is ridiculous. The director believes that education should be left to professionals and parents have no role in that. Almost every child is on the honor roll every quarter which seems less of an honor to me. I really liked the classroom teachers but question the administration and treatment of parents.”

“The teachers are excellent. Very academically challenging. The principal is unresponsive, unavailable and clueless. No open door policy. Parent involvement is only allowed when requested (volunteering for school events, not to directly benefit your child's class). Good extra curricular activities but definitely expensive.”

“My oldest son was at NWBS for 3 years and did wonderful. However, my younger son had a harder time with the curriculm because it required sitting for long periods of time. I found that it is just not for all kids. Some kids need to be taught with more of a hands on approach. If they have a hard time sitting for long periods of time they get in trouble and I think, get labeled young. I did not want this to happen to my younger boy so I pulled both of them out. Although my oldest excelled and was challenged my younger was stressed and anxious and felt like he was always in trouble.Bottom line,do what works for you kids, figure out how they learn best and find a program that helps them enjoy school. Discipline should be different for a 5 yr old then a 5th grader.”

“I completely agree with the last parent. I think the family events have been amazing this year and I'm so glad they are planned by staff instead of over zealous parents. I've been involved in PTO's before and they tend loose sight of the schools goals and tend to focus on their own agenda's and control issues. I trust my daughter's education with the staff at Noah Webster, I think I can trust the staff with organizing events as well. So far they are doing an amazing job at both.”

“The schools fund raising ideas are wonderful. I am very glad that there is no PTO at this school. PTO's tend to be a group of mothers who think that they should dictate over other non-member parents. The LAS Committee is a volunteer based comittee that includes staff from different departments within the school. They handle all of the fundraising and event planning. They do a great job. The ice cream socials, movie nights and fun fest are all so well planned. I doubt any PTO would be able to pull it off. The principal is wonderful..although she is quite busy running such a large school and isn't available immediately; she will always make time to meet with a parent.”

“The last posting is not entirely true. When weather is permitting, the students are on the playground after school and not in the cafeteria. They are allowed to run and play on the playground after school. I have found the principal to be very accomodating and willing to meet with me for any reason. Principals and school directors often have seminars, board meetings, etc. that require them to be away from campus. I have 2 children that attend Noah Webster and I think that they are getting a top notch education!”

“Poor involvement from principle. She is very aloof and away from the school a great deal of the time. Parent involvement is not encouraged. This school needs a PTO, but that is discouraged because it would remove all the power and secrecy from the principle. Extra curricular actives are extremely expensive. God forbid your child be late bus and not enrolled in an expensive after school program, they will be forced to sit no talking, no playing for an hour in the cafeteria waiting for their late bus. Response from teachers and administration is slow and often ignored.”

“i think my kids have learned some good things in the education part but as for character and how to treat other people some of the teachers and the director that work there are taking the school in the WRONG direction.”

“Noah Webster is great at hiring teachers that are able teachers. If they are not capable, they are not asked back. Yes this causes high turnover but do you want your children with teachers that can not teach? I do not. Yes the school is large and therfore must have checks and balances. Parents need appointments and must scan their driver's licsence to be admitted. I think it is great. I do not want just anyone wandering my child's school. Also, I do not want parents of 32 or more students popping in and out of my child's classroom whenever they want disturbing the learning environment. The staff that stays at NWBS truly care about the students and the progress. Many parents on here complain about the teachers being too strict. Teachers must have order with the students in order to teach.”

“I am a proud student still attending this school. People are saying this school is terrible when actually it is not. The kids are getting great education and yeah the school has its problems. But its still great everything isnt perfect! I love Noah Webser! Go NWBS!”

“I agree that the pincipal needs to be more open to parents concerns. Other than that we like the school.”

“Noah Webster gives my daughter the ability to advance, in all subjects, in quality environment.”

“The principal needs to be more open to parents concerns, especially if it involves respect for diversity within the school. I have on several occasions attempted to communicate with the principal, however this has failed. A complaint was submitted to the AZ Department of Charter Schools to possibly find common ground. On the other hand, the teachers and the curriculum of the school are great. My daughters love the school, are involved and have created good friends at Noah Webster.”

“My son has been at NWBS for the past 3yrs. Started off with a wonderful. I like the idea of educational level of each classroom. My son is challenged everyday. I think the discipline structure at NWBS is horrible. Sometimes you need to let a 6 yr old be a 6 yr old. It's class sizes have gotten way too big for the teachers to handle.”

“Academics at this school are the best I've seen anywhere. However, they need some work in other areas. Some of the teachers, playground aides & the librarian need some lessons in their highly acclaimed 'Character Counts' program. The kids learn character from adults. That includes their teachers. Sarcasam & constant barking isn't an effective way to teach or earn respect. We all have bad days, but some of these staff members need to learn how to manage children or, they shouldn't be there. The funny thing is the answer is always 'I have 32 kids care of.' My reply to that is ,that's not the children's fault that the school is over crowded. I was under the impression one of the benefits of Charter Schools were lower ratios. A PTO would bring balance to the situation. They used to have one. Wonder why it vanished? Maybe we should start another one.”

“Not all teachers have a collage degree of any kind. My child's class teacher can't keep the class under control. The staff will tell you the director (principal) isn't around much. Lunch is 15 min due to over crowding. Most classes over 30 students to one teacher. 8 years ago this was a five star school :(”

“Compared to public schools in AZ NWBS rocks. AZ education overall is poor. Noah Webster is the 1st school my boys like; they want to go to school!! They re challenged (not bored). Public teach to the dumbest level, here they teach to the expectation. Bullies are about nonexistent. Is it perfect? No, I can't get hold of anyone when I call (this needs fixing). Pickup is a hassle here like all elementary schools in Az., but, if parents realized kids don't need a valet to open doors it would go much faster. The activities are as expensive as public schools overall. In a nut shell my kids are learning, treated like they have brains and expected to use them, held accountable with immediate repercussion. No work, No play (public -- sit on the bar, do the work at home. Delayed repercussions are worthless.) A big thank you to the staff.”

“I am still thrilled with the school. My children's teachers are consistently good to excellent. The anti-bullying efforts are still strong and effective. My children are both well ahead academically of where they would be in a public school. The new band program rocks.”

“I have two children at Noah Webster and I found the last entry to be completely false! I have lunch with my older child every Tuesday and my younger child every Thursday. I have never had an issue with going to lunch. I have even send their grandmother to eat with them on occasion. As for parent involvement, most if not all classes have classroom moms that help out in class on a regular basis. In second grade the teachers let the parents take over completly for all parties & celebrations. I've also noticed the school sent out flyers listing all upcoming school functions and asking parents to volunteer. I've helped out with the Ice Cream social and the Build a Book Night. I'm not saying Noah Webster is perfect but it is a great school and does very well accomodating all 1200+ kids and their families. Every school has issues!”

“This is our fourth year at Noah Webster and we just can't say enough good things about it. Our daughter loves going to school everyday and loves her teachers. She gets to attend PE twice a week and music, library and computer once a week. My daughter loves all the different choices for after school activities that are offered and my husband is impressed by how inexpensive they are. (Plus we just learned you can take them off your taxes!) It is a little hard to get through when you call in but I have always had my messages returned very quickly. Just be patient, I've learned emergency calls take first priority. All schools have glitches, but we have always been so impressed by how the administration at Noah Webster immediately recognizes any problem and jumps on trying to find a solution. THIS IS A GREAT SCHOOL!”

“I have been a student here for 6 years. I have never experienced any of this stuff that parents are saying. As I read these reviews I was shocked. I love Noah Webster ! To all the people who said the school was bad and there was no individual help or there is not a lot of time in the lunch room my mom works there and she explained that they have to get Pre-k to 6th grade in and out. The kids do get almost 20 minutes to eat but most of the kids decide to socialize instead of eating. I understood what she meant. But I have been here for a long time and I have including this year 2 years! I love Noah Webster Basic School!”

“This is our first year at NWBS and my son loves going to school. His teacher is always willing to speak with us about any concerns. The traffic in the morning is no good, but where is it good? My child isn't going anywhere but here.”

“This school has some real issues, way to crowded. No PTO, all extracurricular activities cost too much. School does not want parent involement. The director is very rude, and unwilling to listen. The lunch room is small. Lunch is only 15 minutes if the recess aide sends kids in on time, but if your child has to wait in hot lunch line they only get 5 minutes. Some teacher unqualified, high teacher turn over, and a traffic nightmare. Parents can't get into the school to pick up students for appointments. Students are placed by previous teacher and they are hardly ever right, sometimes moved three or four times in and year. Library is a classroom. Going back to public school.”

“The teachers and subs are great. If there is a problem with communication, phone is the only and best way to get their attention.”

“My child has attended Noah Webster for 3 years now. We had a bumpy start to the school year this year with 3 different teachers before school even started. But, my child continues to learn things above and beyond his public school friends. I am pleased with the enforcement of 'Character Counts' and of the safety rules. Overall, a very good school. I always recommend it to others.”

“fine until 3rd grade. Teachers inexperienced, unqualified and out of touch with parents. Hard to communicate effectively with teachers. Class sizes too big 32 to 1. Staff harsh with kids. Not a healthy learning environment. Used to be good, but not like it was. Parents unwelcome. Campus seems sterile. No artwork anywhere. Worksheets, worksheets, worksheets. Rude Teacher. Bye, Bye, Noah Webster.”

“My daughter has been going to Noah Webster for two years and currently in first grade, we love the school. Does my daughter do a lot of work each day? Absolutely, but she loves her teacher and she is learning new things every day. My daughter recently had some challenges, and the Teacher was there to help in any way along with partnering with myself. As a parent we also need to help our children it isn't all up to the Teacher. For those of you that are thinking about placing your child back into Public school, I would think twice, if you care at all about their education.”

“My kids are in 1st grade this year. I have been comparing the curriculum they are learning vs. the public school system and they are way ahead. I think the administration strives to make the school and students safe by reinforcing rules including showing your drivers liscence when entering campus and teaching the students proper boundries....ie. walking in lines, being kind to other etc. I have never met anyone there who has been unreceptive to listening to my concerns. Communication is great. They are doing a great job with student pick up/drop off considering there are 300 cars entering the school. I think a 15 minute pick up turn around is great for 300 cars and drop off is so easy. I see the director Kelly Wade as very involved. She will stand out in the heat with the kids at parent pick-up and attends activities. A+”

“If those stars dont start moving up, I will be quite sad! Noah Webster is an amazing school! My children's lives have changed, they always have homework done and they have learned good work ethic.I love Noah Webster school, and same with a lot of other parents I know love it too! Send your child there if you care about an education!”

“My daughter has attended Noah Webster for 4 years. We have been extremely happy until this past year. Class rooms overcrowded. High teacher turnover. Front Office staff unreceptive. Class work too difficult with tough grading. I am sad to say that I believe this school has gone down hill. I am enrolling my daughter in a public school this year.”

“I must say that I was shocked by the parent's perspective listed below. I have been with NWBS for six years and can tell you that one thing the school is very effective on is in communicating. Each week parents are sent home newsletters/notes with their student's work (typically requiring a signature that parents received it). When it comes to parent/teacher communication about a student, NWBS can not be touched. I do not know of any public school who is more in tune with the importance of the relationship between parent, teacher, and child. Additionally, with regard to the PTO: there are many opportunities for parents to be involved with their students 'education.' The school utilizes its staff to be involved, often going beyond the duties of 'teacher, librarian, admin.' NWBS primary goal is 'education.' The teachers are effective, the students are smiling while learning! It's an 'excelling' school!”

“I pulled my daughter out after two years. There's no PTO and no accountability to the parents. Phone calls not returned. The communication about progress/challenges is terrible. Need more extracurricular activities that are more cost effective and affordable. Where does all the money go? The curriculum seems ok, but the teacher has to know how to teach.”

“The only thing negative about this school are the crazy parents. I feel sorry for many of the teachers and the entire staff because there are so many high maintenance parents in this school. My son has been in the school for 2 years and I'm excited to send my daughter this year. I couldn't be happier with my choice to send them here. On second thought a larger music program would make me happier : )”

“I think the growing class sizes are taking its tole on giving individual student attention. Not what it used to be. The teachers are like drill instructors. The students spend more time forming lines then they do anything else. I think that camera's should be placed in each classroom in order to view the teacher's alone with their students. Even though they knew that my daughter's reading ability was low, they did nothing to help change that. This school depends a great deal on at-home learning and teaching rather then spending the time in school learning. I disagree that 3rd graders are wasting critical learning time, learning how to speak spanish. This is not 3rd grade level.”

“In my opinion: curriculum quality varies between classes/grade levels. Few grade level traditions for students. Some good school wide traditions. No PTO. Large class sizes. Few manipulatives -use excessive worksheets. Projects/research mostly done at home. Student computer time and research resources very limited. High grading system can lose meaning by the time teachers adjust assignments and point systems. Many teachers create good feeling in their room, but still have huge work load with few/no aides, others have harsh/disrespectful/intimidating discipline methods. Education level of some staff is concerning. Director doesn't seem to understand aspects of teaching. It seems she ignores/ does not address the root of problems. They don t have programs for high or low students that surrounding schools offer, and the leveled classrooms don t necessarily meet students needs. Test scores and art, music, and p.e. similar to surrounding schools.”

“We pulled our children out of Gilbert Public Schools which are highly rated, but could not provide material that was difficult enough for my children who are accelerated. NWBS uses a program that progressively gets more difficult based on my kids' ability to complete levels of material. We have been very happy here and there hasn't been the behavioral issues from other kids that we had to deal with at Gilbert.”

“This has been a great school for my son. I am most pleased with the responsibility and accountability each student has. There are no gray lines here, it is black and white, cut and dry. I am also impressed with the academics. A great school.”

“We are very pleased with NWBS. Love the safety measures. We've had excellent teachers over the past 5 yrs that have inspired our children's desire to learn and want to excel. Way ahead of some other schools in the area and in other states. Could use a little more extracurricular activities but then again, there are enough activities to get involved with outside of school. We're fine with minimum levels of parent involvement at school. Let the school & teachers do their jobs at school and let the parents do theirs at home where it's most needed. Our kids love Noah Webster and can't wait to attend their Summer Camp this year. Thanks to Noah Webster teachers & staff! Keep up the great work. Awesome Pre-K program! Highly recommended. Did others at commercial daycares & this one was by far the best we've experienced.”

“Please visit the school before enrolling your child. Stop by the playground and the cafeteria and see if you are comfortable with the tone especially in those 2 areas before you sign your child up. The tone in the classroom could be hit or miss. Some of the teachers are very sweet and some are like drill sergeants. Discipline is the focus here more than the education in far too many situations that I have observed as parent. My daughter has attended for 3 years now and I am so glad that I finally saw it for myself. She will not be returning. It's sad because the phonics based curriculum and math program are wonderful. The school board needs to step in soon!!”

“I couldn't agree more with the comments regarding the complete lack of professionalism, communication and overall dissatisfaction for the principal of NWBS. I've had many dealings with her - not with regard to my children's behavior, but regarding the absolutely horrible teacher my daughter had last year. She was so mean, nasty and overall terrible - I am just so thankful that it didn't ruin my daughter's love of learning! Beware.”

“This is the best school ever! I love this school. I love all of my teachers and I love all of my friends. This school is awesome! Sign your kids up. All of my siblings go here and will stay here. I love everything about NWBS. I have never had any problems ever. This is my last year here and I wish that I could stay. Many reviews say they have had problems with this school, I am a student currently going here and there has never been a problem. You have to get used to the school. Don't judge a school by its staff.(Don't judge a book by its cover.)”

“Parent involvement is discouraged. Visitors are discouraged. A PTO is discouraged. This is my son's 6th year at NWBS and the decline has been drastic. Small classes are a fond memory (we are up to 33!). I'm thrilled with the security measures that are keeping the kids safe but why are they kepping the parents away? We are not allowed to drop by the campus unannounced. We will not be seen without an appointment. Is there another school you've ever heard of that has no use for parent volunteers? We can't wait until this year is over and we change schools!”

“I have 2 boys at Noah Webster and absolutely love it. This is the second year we have had the same 3rd grade teacher and she is great. I have had to contact the principal once and she was understanding and took care of the in-class situation right away. I drive 40 minutes each way every day with 3 babies to get my kids to this school. I also volunteer regularly and have never felt unwelcome.”

“My child has attended this school for 2 years. I am very displeased with staff members. The lack of communication is incredible for a charter school. I do not feel welcomed at all at the school. As a parent I feel unimportant. The director needs to act like a director and stop hiding behind closed doors and direct her staff. I thought the new lunch schedule was a good idea until my child complained of always being yelled at in line on the way to lunch by the aides outside, with sometimes her class how not much time to eat lately. What a way to eat lunch getting a child upset first then rushing them to finish. No wonder way the staff always changes because issues are hardly taking care of by the director. Some teacher will not stand for that. This school has gone down hill.”

“As I read these comments given by parents I have to agree in some cases. Being inside the school you see more than the average parent. I am very upset at how some children are treated by staff members here. There is a lack of communication among staff and too much drama being spread making this schools academic level suffer. I would rethink sending your child here.”

“I think the teachers do not care about what Parents have to say reguarding their children. I have had problems with several of the teachers and they treat the children very mean. The Principal does not care about what you have to say if you are the parent and it is reguarding you child.”

“I think that this school has some strong points and some low points. I have three children enrolled at NWBS. They have had some phenomenal teachers and they have had some very weak teachers. I really like that the classes are separated by academic ability. I think it is easier for the kids to learn with kids that are on the same level. We have been very disappointed with the classroom size. Ideally, I would like to see it around 20-25 students per room. The director is nice, but is not in touch with what is going on in the school. One of the biggest problems is a lack of PTO. My understanding is that this is because the director doesn't want any parental involvement. They make it difficult for the parents to be involved. But, there are some strong points, like academics, which keep us coming back.”

“NWBS has an excellent program for placing students in levels that allow them to excel and be challenged. Both my children attend, my daughter since 2nd grade and my son since Kindergarten. Unfortunately we will be moving out of state this year and through research have found that to provide an equivalent education they must attend private school. In my opinion the last thing this school needs is a PTO. I removed my children from public school because the neighborhood elementary school was run by the PTO, not the principal. Parents need to leave the education of children to the professionals. I don't need my children to sell wrapping paper or cookie dough, they need to obtain the skills in reading, writing and math. NWBS does an excellent job in these areas.”

“This school is not as it once was. They need more of the basics at this school.”

“I love this curriculum. Something is being done right because this is an excelling school. I can't believe that people are upset about the safety measures that have been implemented. With as many students as they have at NWBS I feel comforted that visitors are not allowed to enter the school unless they are expected by a teacher and people have to scan their drivers license. I checked out several other schools and turned them down because I didn't feel that he would be safe. Two other schools in the area keep gates open frequently. The gates here are never open except in the morning drop off and afternoon pick up but there is always a faculty member at the entrance. The driving instructions are a bit of a hassle but again, it's for safety's sake and that should be the schools 1st priority.”

“I have had my children at NWBS since the year they opened. I am so thankful! I've experienced the growth, and the changes that come with it. I think the changes that have occurred over the years have only improved the school. I continue to be impressed with my children's teachers, and the progress they have made. I think the front office staff are amazingly patient and helpful! The nurses are wonderful! Even though it has increased in size, I still feel that the attention and commitment to my children has remained the same! I would highly recommend this school!”

“When you couple that with the near impossible task of getting someone to answer the phone during business hours, you get a school that does little to follow their own mission statement of being committed to seeing each child succeed. Thank goodness we got out before it was too late for our child!”

“I love the school it was the best thing I ever did . Public school was not a good thing for my child at all”

“We finally left Noah Webster after years of the frustration with their ever changing policies. I was reluctant to go to public school so I suffered through with the mismanagement of the school.”

“Noah Webster is one of the few schools that really demonstrates a love for our children. Kudos to the learning environment, and kudos to the progressiveness of the school.”

“We have finally left this school. It took many years but I really feel its what is best. Now to go into the school the actually scan your drivers license. I think its crazy that they waste money on stuff like that. I can see the money being used for better things. This is my first year in a public school and my son is actually very happy. Something I haven't seen in a long time. Noah Webster used to be a fun warm school and now its so cold and parents are pushed away.”

“I have 3 children currently enrolled at NWBS. It's great! I also had a child graduate last year from this school. Now he is in the top 3% of his Jr. High. I think this is one of the best schools in the valley.”

“We have pulled our children out of this school after being there for 6 years. The test scores currently go down each year and they have a [high] teacher turnover for the past 3 years. The administration now makes it very difficult for parents who want to be a part of there childrens education. They have fired all staff that designed there once so great education system they had. Now they are just concerned that your child attends every day of school for the first 100 days. After that they don't care if your children are at school or not. Please read this and think carefully about your childrens education. You only get one chance to do it right.”

“I have two children attending NWBS. We have attended for 4 years. The school has declined in the last few years. The principal Mrs. Kelly Wade is aloof and non-responsive. The new VP Mr. Bill Taylor is unresponsive and will tell you anything he thinks you want to hear just to get rid of you. No one in the front office ever answers the phone. It is frustrating to only reach an answering machine durring school hours. The staff has had a huge turn over. There is not a PTO just a request for Family Dues at the beginning of the year. No opportunity to volunteer, as administration really lets it be known you are not welcome. We will not be attending this year.”

“Two of my children attended this school for one year. They have a system of placing the children into different classes according to their ability. There are good things about this and some bad, too. In every other aspect, however, I would say that this is a fairly good school.”

“The new tourting program at NWBS has help my child extremly. Thanks NWBS!”

“My child is in their last year at NWBS and I am so glad. My child's teacher is great, but the rest of the staff is terrible. Rude, disrespectful office workers, a principal who has no clue how to run a school, the VP is even worse and the rest of the help is just as bad. If it wasn't my child's teacher and it being my child's last year with friends, I would move my child out of NWBS. Not worth the headache.”

“I feel that NWBS seen changing locations they are all about money and not really about the kids anymore. At one point the school was great and now I'm not sure what I thinl about the school. For the most part the school is great but they have changed a lot. Although I don't think NWBS has prepared the kids to move on to Jr High.”

“Currently, I have 2 children at Noah Webster. I am disappointed in the way the school is currently being run. The school administration seems to continually implement programs designed with 'safety' in mind, (the fingerprinting program, the new visitor policy of not being allowed to go to the classroom to observe, only scheduled visits) but it limits the parent involvement considerably. Also, my son started at Noah Webster in second grade. He excelled and loved the experience. Now he is in forth, and he is struggling with the teaching styles. The school has had a ton of staff turn over, and the teaching styles have changed to reflect more of a public school setting. I am not sure I will re-enroll my children next year. I am not sure I will keep my children there the remainder of this 2005-2006 year.”

“Noah Webster is a good school as far as teachers are concerned. Although the moral does not seem as great as in past years. The administation staff do not seem as friendly or tolerant. Also notes that go home are often late or the date is wrong. Sometimes there is even grammer errors on letters that go home to parents. I do not think this is very professional. The administration has had a reduction in parent volunteers because of the attitude we are not needed. This schools admin does not provide a very friendly atmosphere for volunteers to work in.”

“Academic programs are high quality but the extracurricular programs are nonexistent/expensive.”

“I took my son out because of the manner the teacher was treating him. He was in 4th grade and I had him tested now I found out he is a a begining 3rd grade level. The staff didnt informe me that he needed glasses. I found out 4 months later. The communication from staff to teachers are really bad”

“This school has been great for my two kids. They have excelled beyond public schools. Many public school kids have trouble moving into this school due to it's advanced teaching abilities.”

“My child attended this school for K and 1st grade. We removed her this year at the start of 2nd grade. The school has stopped focusing on the children and more on money making. The principal needs a better direction. Teacher quality is mixed. My daughter's K and 1st grade teachers were excellent, though.”

“The academic side of noah webtser is basically sound, depends on the teacher providing the education. The school has become far to large student count wise. I removed my daugther mid-term after seeing how the class was being conducted. Some teachers are still wonderful. My daugther's first two years were wonderful. Be forewarned, quality suffers for lack of help. Thank you”

“This was a great school when they were smaller, at their old location. They have had a major staff change for the 2005-2006 year. My daughter's teacher had too many other responsibilities in addition to a classroom of 32 2nd graders. The school has become too big and impersonal for my daughter. We have moved her to another charter school, with much smaller classes and more hands-on teaching.”

“I seem to be more and more disappointed with Noah Webster as the school year goes by. I thought they were amazing in prior years, however this year I have experienced problems with transportation. I am currently looking for a new school. Sad that they have declined so much in 1 year, I wonder why that is?”

“This is our first year with Noah Webster, So it just the beginning for us. So far I'm not very impressed. The are school in a whole so far is very unorganized, and unpreppared for this school year. I will come back at a later time to update this review, after I've had time to form an oppinion.”

“I am impressed with NW's enthusiasm for quality. I wish there were more emphasis on music and art, though. There is a high percentage of parental involvement at this school, much higher than you see at other schools.”

“Noah Webster Basic School is a awesome enviroment. I have many children and their abilty level grouping allows all of them to be successful. THanks for all you do You are a great School.”

“I think that the school's curriculum and teachers are great.”

“A lot of changes have gone on. Hopefully, things will get back on target, and get better.”

“Since the school moved to its new location I feel that the school has been driven by money instead of students or teachers. It seems that the classroom sizes have increased but no aides have been added to the classroom to help with these extra children. This school is more like a corporate business instead of the family school it once was. It seems that since the school got new funding a lot of things have changed. Many teachers have left and the school does not seem to like volunteers coming. The school seems to be run with money in mind instead of moral values. The school is not the same now that Lora, Mrs. Davies and other very valuable staff members are not there. This is no longer a friendly environment.”

“Noah Webster was a great school at one time. However, it has begun a fast slide downhill. My sons test scores went down this year rather than up. Parents are not welcome as volunteers anymore like they have been in the past.”

“My daughter has been attending Noah Webster for the past 2 years, going on her 3rd yr. While we were pleased with our daughter's teacher last year, we were not pleased with the lack of support from the principal and the front office staff is so rude. Never helpful at all. It's almost impossible to get a phone call back from anyone. Communication needs to be improved. I would look for another school.”

“We are very happy with the education are children have received. However, little notice is given for changes to schedules, events, and even school supply lists arrive later and later each year. This school needs to refocus it's efforts on the children like it did 2 years ago. Last school year we changed locations with much confusion and many changes led by an unorganized pricipal. Hopefully Mrs. Wade has her sights set on providing greater education and asking less for money. Mrs. Wade is also bad with structure and enforcing the no bully policy, she allows it to continue every year and looses many male students over it because when two male students are involved she doesn't care. Make this year better!”

“Good academics at Noah Webster, great teachers, and they seem to encourage parent envolment. However, the administration could use some improvement.”

“Good academics, but lacking in extracurricular activities.”

“Noah Webster is great academically, but doesn't offer extra curricular activities unless it's an after school program and then it is expensive. The children who are academically high do well, they need to be focused. The lower children need more repetition which doesn't happen regularly at this school because the demand for high test scores is high. It is a very disiplined school, and the staff is great. If you have a special needs child, the child may benefit better from another school since Noah Webster is an advanced curriculum school, although is does have a good spec. ed. program. The children are still expected to do the classroom work, which may be difficult for them and cause frustration. Academically the school is good, but lacks in other areas.”

“This school began with a great vision, but unfortunately, the focus shifted away from the classroom.”

“I worked at Noah Webster Basic School for 4 years, I resigned at the birth of my second child. While at Noah Wabster I worked both in the office and with the special needs children. There are several aspects on which Noah Webster should be commended. They developed a cirriculum that was hugely successful, and the staff that implemented the ciriculum truely cared about the students that they were teaching. I have never met teachers with a greater desire to see each child perform. On the negative side, the staff was always weary of losing their job, the turn over was huge, on a yearly basis multiple teachers would loose their jobs. It always felt like there was a scandal in the administration. I would reccomend Noah Webster because of their academics, but I would probably say if you could find a school with less drama it might be benificial.”

“Noah Webster has had some excellent teachers over the years, but since the move to the new facility things have changed. Teachers are not being valued, nor are students. Administation is not available to answer concerns. There seems to be a general air of discontent around the place. The focus of the administration seems to be the outer appearance of the facility and fundraising rather than making sure students are getting a good education.”

“The school used to be good. This last year the quality of education has gone down along with the morale of the teachers. Look for another school.”

“I loved the education at this school but they seem to have a problem keeping staff? Its hard when new teachers come every year.”

“My child loves attending Noah Webster, her reading, writing and math skills have improved greatly this school year.She really enjoyed learning from her teacher and making new friends.The school is very well run, safe and has strong academic programs and standards.The school has well-qualified, very professional, caring, motivated teachers.”

“Noah Webster Basic School is not what is used to be. It was all about the students education, learning and family. Now it's all about money and high test scores to impress investors. Teachers hands are tied when it comes to the freedom of their classroom. It makes students and teachers miserable. Problems are not resolved by the principal who once had an open door policy but now keeps it closed to everyone. It is impossible to get return calls, emails or any other kind of info from them. Many of their best teachers have left for numerous reasons. It's a very sad thing that the focus in no longer on the students education and happiness but on money. I don't know that my students will be returning to NW in the fall. Problems are being covered up, not resolved and parents aren't kept informed of school issues.”

“My child thrives at Noah Webster! I love the fact that I receive their work each week in a packet explaining the lessons and work done and if there were any challenges that as a parent, I need to address, with my child individually. The teachers are always open for discussions at any time as well. I love the values taught at Noah Webster. When my child was enrolled at a public school, the classrooms were so out of control that there was no contact with the parents other then parent teacher conferences, and at Noah Webster it is opposite. The staff is wonderful as well. I only wish the transportation was better... but they have always been open to suggestions.”

“I have had children at Noah Webster for six years and am thrilled with this school! We have been very impressed with the school nearly the entire time we have been here. The teachers, staff and administration have been consistently accessable, involved and responsive. The parents are also very active and this is one school where more than just a handful run projects and activities. The special education department is very compassionate and does an excellent job of handling the unique needs of a child with problems. The school is also great at challenging an advanced student and keeping them from being bored. I don't care for the way they have the transportation set up. We ended up not using the buses in the morning because of the insane hour that they required that the children be picked up. We live 20 miles from the school and its worth every mile!”

“After doing 1 year in the Public School system before finding this school I would never go back to public elementary schools again. NW has been wonderful. I love the different levels for each grade. I like the fact that my child is grouped with other children on the same learning level he is at. This way no child is left behind and no child is so far ahead that they are bored. It continues to amaze me how much more advanced my child is than my friends and relatives children who are in the same grade but in Public school systems. They have music weekly, after schhol sports and arts and crafts. They also offer after school instruments and other activities. It is a great school9just wish they went through 8th grade)”

“I love the acadamic programs they offer here. I have a daughter that is 6 yrs old & her level of education is that of a 8yr old. They are very good at what they do there at Noah I can honestly say that Noah is one of the best schools around. I have 3 children there and they are all up to 2 yrs ahead of their grade. I love the faculty they make it so easy. You can tell they love what they do. The teacher's involvement in the students life is outstanding.”

“Noah Webster has a great academic program. I love what my child has learned. The only complaint with this school is the communication. Sometimes the principal will not even respond to a parent's concern. I have also referred friends to this school, and they have never even gotten a phone call back. Some of the teachers are also not good with communicating with a parent when there is a concern.”

“I currently have two children in Noah Webster. One is in 4th grade and the other is in 1st. So far I feel my children have exceeded due to the challeging academics. They seem to be a step ahead of public schools. I don't like their lunch system or their lack of buses causing late arrivals to or from home. They are also extremely strict when it comes to attendance.”

“Although Noah Webster is a fantastic school (academicly) and has some of the best teachers that care alot, their administration is too strick and parents have no rights and are not respected. Their attendence policy is harsh and punishes innocent children with '0s' in the grade book for ONE day missed. The school is getting big because the were awsome BUT the are loosing sight of what is important.... the children!!!!!!!!!!”

“I love this school. My son started in public school, and we had many issues because he was advanced. He was told to sit and wait while others completed work, and then would get into trouble. After moving into Noah Webster, and being placed with kids that were also advanced, he began to thrive. He attended Noah Webster from 1st through 6th grade, and has now gone into public schools for Jr. High, and was placed in Honors programs. My younger son started at Noah Webster in Kindergarten and is now in the 5th grade. He was reading chapter books and doing addition & substraction by the time he left Kindergarten, and is now doing Algebra. I am thrilled with the progress he has made. I also find the staff to be qualified and caring. Even though the school is large, they make it feel small. I recommend this school.”

“This is a wonderful school. Each child gets the attention they need and they are put in a level they can learn on. When my child was bullied the problem was taken care of fast and it did not happen again. I can't say enough good about this school. They recoginize problems and take care of them so they are continually improving. I have seen a dramatic change in what my children are learning and they are no longer board in school.”

“We have been impressed with the results we have seen in our son with this school compared to the other schools he has attended. They work well with the children, have activities that keep them busy and challenge them. The after school sport programs are great as well! We can't wait for the new school to be built and see the further improvement!”

“This schools intentions are good however their accelerated academic education is overwhelming for the children. Children of other parents in addition to my child, learned at a fast pace, too fast to retain valuable information. This is my opinion based on my experience. From speaking with other parents, I've heard similar concerns.”

“I am the parent of two former students at NWBS. I served on the parent board; Pride Group; and taught as an aide in the Title One Program. I have seen the school from both perspectives: Parent and Employee. NWBS allows students to achieve their personal best - at all times. Students are taught to be, and are expected to be, responsible for their own actions both in and out of the classroom. Emotional and educational growth is encouraged by the staff at all times. A hug from a teacher; words of encouragement; award ceremonies; etc. all help students to grow and challenge themselves. My children are products of NWBS and when we moved to Payson, AZ -BOTH children were promoted a full grade level. Teachers are encouraged to continue their educational growth as well. A positive atmosphere is upheld from the principal down to the aides. This is a wonderful environment for any child to be exposed to. My children and I were blessed to be a part of the NWBS system. Sincerely, Mrs. Trish Koch”

“This school is simply outstanding. My children have really excelled in their education there because of dedicated teachers, hard working staff members that care, and pure academic skills that are really pushed. I love how each class is filled according to the students ability. I feel my children have been able to have more learning time because of that. Some of my children have graduated out of Noah Webster, and have been extremely successful at their other schools. Thank you Noah Webster!”

“I had my daughter at Noah Webster and found the school to be highly effective for her. The teachers and staff were excellent and extremely attentive to her needs. She learned more in her year at Noah Webster than ever before! I only wish the school went beyond the 6th grade. The campus is very secure and I always felt that my child was in a very safe place during the school day. Upon reading a previous comment by another person, I wanted to clarify that donations that were requested were for such things as donations to needy families, field trips, and parties for the children. All donations went right back to the students! Great school!”

“I feel like they do not pay enough attention to each students strengths and weaknesses. I have brought things to my daughter's teacher's attention and instead of taking me seriously my daughter got first honor role. Don't get me wrong I'm proud of her, but I know she isn't being as sucessful as the teacher is reporting. I see the work that comes home, I see the strugle she has w/ homework. I will be looking elsewhere. This school also is always asking for something that costs $. I have never seen a school that is always hitting my pocketbook like this one!”

“Although Noah Webster was involved in a bully prevention program, and received accolades for this, the follow through in real-life situations of bullying was pathetic. I have had 2 children attend this school, and have seen it decline in quality of education each year(our children have been at N.W. since it opened), to the point that we chose to withdraw our children. Their ability to retain quality instructors is also questionable. Twice in one year our child experienced instructor turnover. We are disappointed in how N.W. has devalued itself. Academic achievement is also valued above the needs of the child. They use public humiliation to 'encourage' performance, e.g. each student's class standing (grade percentage, overall) is sent home to every family in that child's class.”

“I am a parent that was at Noah Webster for 2 years and then had to move to the North West Valley. We have gone through 3 schools to find one that could come close to Noah Webster. I now truly appreciate this school and the great math curriculum. There is not another Arizona school that will introduce new concepts and challenge the kids from kindergarten on up. I do think they could work more with handwriting, but besides this there is not a better school. I give the school an A+ on helping a child reach their full potential.”

“My child has gone to noah webster for 3 years and has had 6 different teachers. Im very disaponted in the teaching staff. I have tryed to contact the principal but never get a call back. I have tryed to offer help with my childs class but have never recived any calls. Over all Im very disapointed”

“This is an awesome school! My daughter has the best teacher in Arizona! My daughter is learning so much more than her other friends that are in the same grade at other schools. After school activities are great. Education is aggressive but individualized and is structured for the students to be successful and be with students at similar knowledge levels. All day kindergarten is awesome especially for children who are used to preschool all day. Transportation/busing is a lifesaver.Only a few early release days all year which is excellent for working parents! Overall excellent school!”

“We like the fact that the children are in ability level classes, however they are large, crowded and lack structure. The classrooms are too small for the number of children....desks are crowded together. Not enough attention is given to a child's individual needs. Candy is overused as 'treats' too often in the classrom. School lunches are overpriced, but have improved over last year. After school activities are expensive. Security is good and the office staff is friendly. The nurses are wonderful. This is our second year, but we are looking elsewhere. Somehow, she is still excelling and a public school is out of the question as long as we are in Arizona.”

“The school does nothing about bullies. The teachers try to take care of it in the class and do not even contact the parents! I pulled my child out of the school because they did not care for the safety of the children.”

“Poor phonics and handwriting progams, HUGE lack of supervision and when events happen where there is supervision - it continues without intervention, point system is rarely if ever enforced, principal unresponsive most times although she is nice, School in general tends to be disorganized. Lunch program has gotten better, still overpriced for what the kids get this year. Not overly inviting to new families. However this school has some good teachers, and great afterschool opportunities - although costly. Am seeking some place else.”