Lake Arbor Elementary School

Posted: December 20, 2024

Under Ms. Sothern’s leadership, Lake Arbor Elementary has become a shining example of intentionality, and transparency. The positive shift in school culture is undeniable.
The holiday gift giveaway was a heartwarming event that demonstrated the school’s thoughtfulness and organization. Students were able to pick their gifts, have their special moments captured with Santa and the Grinch, and even received batteries to ensure they could use their gifts immediately—a small detail that made a big impact. Teachers and staff like Ms. Smalls and Ms. Ferguson, along with dedicated volunteers, truly made the day magical for the students.
What also stands out this year is the State of Schools offering, something I don’t recall happening previously. It’s a valuable opportunity for families to understand the school’s successes and growth areas, reinforcing the transparency that is greatly appreciated.

Ms. Sothern’s sincere yet firm approach sets high expectations for staff, students, and families, inspiring everyone to rise to the occasion. The admin team, educators, and volunteers work tirelessly every day, and their efforts deserve recognition. I’m proud of the dynamic direction Lake Arbor is heading and grateful for the opportunity to benefit from the positive shift in the climate and culture.

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: December 20, 2024

Posted: May 11, 2023

This school is full of teachers that do not care about their students.

Posted: May 11, 2023

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Posted: March 19, 2023

This school is nothing short of horrible. I requested an IEP for my son in the beginning of the school year. He never received one. His kindergarten teacher then revealed in February he would need to repeat kindergarten. no additional help was ever provided to my son who has special needs but they blamed me as a parent. The principal, admin staff and teachers are all rude and no one cares about the well-being of my son. He doesn’t eat because he has feeding issues as well no one said a word about him not eating all year long. The staff said they don’t accommodate those issues. They give no prep for his testing and test him like the other students despite him having a disability on record. Disgusting attitudes. My child would come to school late because he struggles in the morning they threatened that he wasn’t eligible to receive state assistance or an IEP because he is always 5 minutes late, even though they still never gave him one from the start and it’s the end of march. They even went so far as to schedule meetings to discuss him getting an IEP or any kind of classroom support to which they didn’t actually show up for via zoom, on zoom calls by myself. I still have no idea when he will receive in class support, they don’t seem interested at all. Everything he is learning thus far is from the homeschooling education I started doing with him after school to catch him up. No compassion for the education of small kids especially if they need additional help. Teachers always seem annoyed to be there, don’t even say hi when you pick up your kids. They are far more concerned with their attendance records than special needs. Please don’t send your child here if you want them to receive a good education. I wish I was still in dc, KIPP actually cares about children who need specialized attention. Beware

Posted: March 19, 2023

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Posted: February 26, 2023

HORRIBLE school students using profanity and it’s coming into my house.2nd administration got no respect like they talking to student when there really talking to parents.3rd alll this fighting got to stop because my child is bringing all that nonsense to my house. 4th My child has not been able to learn because there’s always a substitute and saying they don’t teach them nothing just a waste of time. Lake Arbor Elementary School administrators need to step up there game and get some high level of respect.

Posted: February 26, 2023

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Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

This is a horrible school, staff think they can speak to the parents any kind of way , we are not students we are the parents , if you don’t like your job then find another one !

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: November 10, 2022

Posted: April 23, 2019

My daughter's second grade teacher's approach to homework is average. Some weeks the approach to homework is well organized, other weeks the teacher seems absent.

Posted: April 23, 2019

Posted: April 23, 2019

Posted: April 23, 2019

I have yet to meet or see the Principal at any pep rallies, school or community events. The Principal seems uninterested in improving the school, test scores, or infrastructure, and instead is content to sit behind a desk. The most unprofessional, lazy, disorganized, rude staff I’ve ever met at a school. They don’t care about wasting your time, resolving issues, or providing you general information. Can't wait to move just to leave this school! PLEASE READ THE REVIEWS!

Posted: April 23, 2019

Posted: April 23, 2019

Posted: April 23, 2019

Poor. Please read the reviews and carefully consider what other parents are saying before sending your child. I STRONGLY recommend you visit/call a few times first.

Posted: September 17, 2018

The most unprofessional staff I’ve ever had to deal with. They don’t speak respectfully to the kids or their parents. This isn’t towards the teachers it’s the administration. I will be sure to move just to get my kid out of this school. Believe every bad rating you see here. I hope one day the board of education cares enough to look into these comments made here on this site, in order to help make things better for Parents and kids zoned for this school. Maybe do a survey or something? To be a good school you have to care more about just teaching students bossing kids around. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. 1 star for this school!

Posted: September 17, 2018

Posted: September 17, 2018

Posted: September 17, 2018

Administration is very disrespectful and according to the reviews it’s been this way for years. When is the board of education going to look into this? You can’t make this stuff up.

Posted: September 17, 2018

It’s hard to tell who is who because no one cares to introduce themselves. You go to the office for something and you’re lucky if you even get a greeting. I had to google who the principal was and when I seen her picture I then realized she was also one of the people who cared less about asking if I need help.

Posted: September 17, 2018

Posted: September 17, 2018

If anything the administration are the bullies. Disrespectful, impatient, and unprofessional

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: September 13, 2018

Excellent in my experience with my grandchild there. Reading 2 grades ahead n math as well. Had no prior edu before kindergarten there now in 2nd grade. Was reading after 3 weeks with super kindergarten teacher. I observed classes both years n they were well managed n teachers great! So far 2nd grade teacher looks also to be experienced and great! Lots of kids here to manage so leadership has challenges like anywhere cause this is not a small school with lot of different kinds of kids.

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: September 13, 2018

Posted: March 30, 2017

My son went to Lake Arbor 6 years ago. It was a very good school with caring teachers. When my granddaughter moved to Mitchellville and enrolled at Lake Arbor September 2016, I thought she would have the same great experience as my son. I was totally wrong!!! After only 2 months at Lake Arbor, she was bullied by several girls in the school. The school administrator did very little to handle the situation. After experiencing several anxiety attacks due to the bullying, she was removed from the school. It's really sad that Lake Arbor is not taking this bullying more serious.

Posted: March 19, 2017

This is my daughters first year In school and I am highly sad and discouraged at the fact that this is what our first experience had to be like, my daughter deals with bullying, embarrassment from students and also deals with being talked to any kind of way by her teacher. As a mother you do not want to constantly hear bad things when your 6 year old returns home for school, not to mention the curriculum . My daughter is behind and yes she has missed many days in school, and I do mean many due to personal situations and also the fact that each Time she goes to school she gets sick smh and everytime I go to the school a child is in the nurses office (sick) not to mention how uninterested the front office is in how parents feel, I am a now stressed out parent because of this school.

Posted: January 11, 2017

Posted: January 11, 2017

Posted: March 21, 2015

My son is about to graduate from Lake Arbor and I can't WAIT because it is terrible. This schools needs a serious overhaul. The quality of the teachers is sub par. Years ago everyone wanted their child to attend Lake Arbor because it was academically challenging and the administration was MUCH better. Now, Lake Arbor is not competitive and is simply a feeder for the equally terrible middle school across the street, Ernest Just.

Posted: October 20, 2013

There is nothing more special about this school than any other elementary school...now. I've had 3 kids attend Lake Arbor. I was extremely happy with the school, the parent involvement, academic level, and school activities. That is, until a change in the position of the principal. The school has declined. The teachers are pretty good for the most part. However, the only time now I receive communication from the school is about money. The field trips that are planned are not well thought out, planned, or economical; and too many have no educational basis. I feel not enough is done for students who are behind academically due to developmental delay. And on the flip side, not enough is done to stimulate those kids who are above grade level academically. Kids are falling through the cracks on both ends of the spectrum.

Posted: October 19, 2013

I have loved my time at LAES. The neighborhood has changed quite a bit; it doesn't have the same types of families that were there when the school first opened. The administrations have also changed several times. In spite of all that, the schools assessments continue to reflect great teaching going on in the building. Some of the complaints on this page seems like bitter parents who are upset they couldn't get their way about one thing or another. My family has continued to be treated with kindness and respect. Unfortunately there are more parents who really like the school but their comments are not being reflected here. It's a great school and I am glad my family is a part of it.

Posted: October 18, 2013

This school received a 5 by Great school rating. Why? Although I am really happy with the teachers that my child has had, there is this first grade teacher there who is extremely rude, judgemental, and condescending. With teachers like that, I can see why this school does not have much parent participation. I attended a meeting at the school where they spoke about the xommon core standards, but the work that they were showing that our children were doing, mine was doing In pre kindergarten. Not once did they mention what they do foer those children who are advanced academically. My child is in first grade. He has been counting pass 300 since he was in pre kindergarten, could tell time before kindergarten, and has been counting money for over a year now. Now we learn that telling time and counting money is not taught until they get in second grade. I take a lot of pride in his education. This school should help those children who are advanced also.

Posted: August 11, 2013

School has progressively gone downhill from the teachers right down to the office staff. I can substantiate the previous reviews since my child used to go there with the original principal to the current one. That's why the stars decreased from 5 to 2 or 3. Don't let the current 4 star average fool you. One child was injured due to poor staff management on the grounds and the other violently threatened by a student and suspended when he was the victim and has never had any problems being an honor roll student. Administration needs to stay on top of things, teachers need to listen instead of assume & the principal needs to be more aware of what's going on within the classrooms and engaging with parents. The Vice Principal did a way better job than the Principal. Avoid Lake Arbor if you can.

Posted: July 10, 2012

This school has changed over the course of 5 years teachers are quick to dicilipne students,students ghetto like to curse in class. This school used to be a great quality public school nut ever since this new principle came into the picture things dramttically changed for the worst. She is not doing anything to address the issue. i have been there for a year after going to kettering I am proud to say kettering was intellectually stimulating and less ghetto than it seems. Lake Arbors students curses nad i swear they have fights everyday ones that have turned bloody. If you want to send your child some where i would suggest Kettering. Because ovbiously Ms.Riggins is not doing her job. That is just my opinion. And every subsitute that has subsituted 5th and 6th dont want to come back that is an horrible this school is the most horrid school i have ever been to please if you want your child pure DO NOT SEND CHILDREN HERE.

Posted: August 10, 2011

Don't let the title of being in Mitchellville fool you. While there are a few excellent teachers, the majority are impatient and do not communicate well with students or their parents. I have had meetings with the former principal and current principal as I had one son graduate and another still attends. Many teachers and staff are either quick to punish or lack appropriate punishments for the children. I understand dealing with children is a hard job but the school needs to do better. I truly want my child to stay and grow at Lake Arbor but I am steadily looking into alternatives for the betterment of my child.

Posted: May 5, 2011

This is my daughters third year at Lake Arbor, she came from a private school. I was satisfied with her 1st grade teacher and pleased with her 2nd grade teachers; however, unpleased with her 3rd grade teacher(light skinned with curly hair). The communication from the teacher to the parent needs improvement as well as focus on student achievement and pasion for the job. The ratio of students to teachers is like 30 to 1. Getting a good teacher is hit or miss and an excellent teacher is hard to find. I find the arrival and dismissal process to be EXTREEMELY chaotic and disorderly and opted to enroll my daughter in the after care program located at the school because she is picked up from her classroom by the after care staff and does not have to exit the building. My daughter was excepted to TAG this year and has only had two TAG classes. Overall, the school is okay, but could use improvement. I feel that my daughter will be better suited at another school and I faithfully enter her in the lottery for TAG, Charter or Performing Arts Schools. If all else fails, I am prepared to move to ensure my kid gets the best education my tax dollars will afford!