Glendale Landmark Middle School in Phoenix, Arizona

“my children have attended for the past 3 years. I have noticed that the school seems to structure a learning agenda around the aims test. The grounds look great. They have a lot of nice things. But to be a teacher it takes something money can't buy, that's a passion to teach and this school doesn't promote it in the teachers or in everyday operations. Poor service poor learning environment. If another school would accept out of area kids I would go there”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am very much satisfied with this school, even more so since I have chance to compare with other elementary schools and with Europe system of eudcation. It is demanding one, but definitely giving one, which is on long term the best for kids, to learn about discipline, responsibilities, respect, to have appropriate education and personally I love parents are involved and informed on regular basis. What I love the most is that respect among children and stuff is mutual, and that is essential.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Parents are always encouraged to be involved. There is a site council for parents to become more involved and the newsletter asks every month for more parents to attend. I have never had any problems with the staff - I am grateful for what the staff does at the school - the test scores last year prove they are doing whatever it takes to get the students to achieve.”
This review was posted by a staff.

“I have 2 children in this school, I am not happy with the staff. I have tried to be involved and the response I get is: I have to many students to bother. The front office is very rude. I am dissatisfied. My boys hate this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I read the other reviews and they concern me. Landmark is a great school that has really turned things around. Their math scores are higher then other schools in the district and they offer many Advanced Math and Language Arts classes. My child has the opportunity to go be in band and sports and take many Elective classes not offered at every other school. And I can't believe anyone would complain about a school uniform, it makes shopping for clothes extremely easy, I just bought 5 shirts and they were all on sale! I say, take an interest in your child's education and show your support and LMS will show you that same support. I am proud that my child goes to Landmark and will sing their praises to all that will listen.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Great parent invoplvement comittess. Huge push to gang and drug awareness. Love the staff.”
This review was posted by a former student.

“We are quite pleased witht eintervention programs of the school. Staff is excellent.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I think this school has given up on kids. There is high level of acceptance of bad behavior, teachers who would rather 'get along' with their students rather than teach or guide them, scores are low, the school smells like a giant cat box and the office staff is rude!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I would not recommend this school to anyone! I have had nieces and nephews attend this school and was told they didn't learn a thing while they were there. I wasn't sure what to think when I had to send my own son there. I wanted to give them a chance and found out I should not have. He was put in the 'A' core (top group) and I believe for children to actually learn something they should bring homework home at least a couple of times a week. My son rarely ever has any! I have always felt from the teachers that they cared more about themselves than any of the kids. I also do not like the uniform policy they started this year. Uniforms don't keep kids out of trouble. I don't like it because they start the kids now at 7am in school every day which means they get out earlier. Why would a school that is known for gangs and trouble let the kids out of school even earlier to get into more trouble. The only words that come to mind....no common sence! Keep your kids away of this school.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I think Landmark is a good school. My child has no problem with students and even though there are gang members it is not a bad school. Parents think that its a bad school because theres gangs. My child got along with them and they will treat you with respect if you give them respect. The more the teachers tell them not to do this and that well they just go on and do it . My children don't have any problem with any of them the only problem they have is that since that school is more with hispanics and blacks white people seem to look at them like if they don't have respect and they seem not to like them.”
This review was posted by a former student.

“This uniform policy is ridiculous. There are too many 'regulations' in place. To say my child has to have white shoes because gang members wear black shoes is stupid. This is a public school and should not be so worried about how the children look and much more concerned about if the children are learning. Every teacher conference I go to the first thing I am told is that my child is not a discipline problem with no mention of his academic achievement. Children behaving in school is a given, and more emphasis should be place on academic achievement and less on 'behavior'. The one thing that would help this school the most is a zero tolerance to any type of violence (tempered with common sense).”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I've had a daughter who had a hard time at first, the work expected was hard and more than that required of her before. At the same time my son didn't fare so well. The school is a mixture of so many schools, expected to become one, in truth all seperated into there own little clicks, and most of the bullies run amuk and a lot of their behavior ignored or not noticed. I removed him from the school after a number of attacks, then he had second degree burns on his face. He was slapped 5 seperate times by four different boys, just making it unbareable for me to leave him in the school. My decision came after my daughter informed me of a teacher watching one of the incidences and ignoring it. Also that another teacher just told another that he shouldn't, the same teacher wouldn't even let my son go to the nurse afterwards. The reasoning for this accureing to me was unexcusable. At the next school he did fine. He was failing and tardy at landmark, the school was hard to break the fear of being bullied but all proved well worth the move.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Landmark's staff are wonderful. They truly care and go over and above what is asked of them. This is an 'inner-city' school which, of course, has the problems that go along with it. The principal is very upfront about the difficulties the school faces and does everything within her power to address these issues. Gangs are at this school (as they are at almost all other Arizona schools) but at least at Landmark, the principal knows who and what they are and addresses the issue. My children have never felt at risk or that they were in danger from the other children at this school. There are occassional fights, but it is mainly relegated to the gang members. My main concern with Landmark is that there are other schools who feed into Landmark that do everything possible to keep the best students for their 7th and 8th grade programs. The parents who hear rumors about Landmark being a 'bad' school (some told to them by the 6th grade teachers) are doing their children a great disservice by leaving them in an elementary school environment. My children are more than ready to go to high school and have learned many life skills (as well as academic learning) to go on and succeed in high school, college and beyond. Always remember, whether a child learns and does well in school rests directly upon how well parents do their job. teachers, although they try to be, are not miracle workers and need parental support and backing to be able to teach effectively. Landmark has been a great place of learning for my children and I look forward to my younger children attending in the future.”
This review was posted by a .

“LandMarks Has Very good teachers. There are alot of gangs and other problems like that . My child says that there is at least 3 fights a day and usually they are gang related. And I believe that right now the best thing for all of the administratin to do is just leave the children alone they are rebelling against the teachers. If the teachers say you cant wear that then the kids just talk back and wear the same thing the next day. If they say all gang activity the more gangs show up.”
This review was posted by a .

“I am very disappointed with the quality of this school. My child has complained that there are so many disruptions in the classroom that he cannot hear the teachers and hence the lesson. I have discussed this with administration with non-satisfactory results. It is clear there is such a discipline problem at this school, the teachers are spending their time dealing with fights, disruptions, etc. and not teaching. Additionally, there seems to be reverse-discrimination at this school between the students. An example, post-911 the children wearing their ""American Pride"" tee-shirts were singled out and discriminated against and harassed by foreign students. When this was brought to the attention of the administration - nothing happened and it seemed to continue.”
This review was posted by a .