Mockingbird Elementary

Posted: May 1, 2025

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Posted: May 1, 2025

Incredible school with a close community. This year mockingbird was over crowded due to Geneva construction but should resume to previous class sizes.

Posted: January 20, 2024

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Posted: January 20, 2024

It was a great school socially but there wasn’t a lot of opportunities for more one on one learning such as after school tutoring.

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: December 18, 2021

Highly involved faculty and parents. Our daughter absolutely loves it. She has appreciated seeing other kids who look like her (her old school was not diverse). Teachers like hearing from parents and the principal is fantastic. Our daughter gets the support she needs. We have been very pleased with our experience thus far.

Posted: December 18, 2021

Posted: September 25, 2019

The staff at Mockingbird is second to none. The teachers are supportive and great communicators.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Ms Mans is a top rate principal who works tirelessly to ensure the school is the best in the district.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Mockingbird has dual language (Spanish/English) dedicated classrooms for each grade and is the regional school for the deaf so all students learn basics of sign language to be better community helpers.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: September 25, 2019

Mockingbird is an incredible school to be a part of and I would recommend the school anyone looking to move within the DISD footprint.

Posted: September 25, 2019

Posted: July 28, 2019

They go above and beyond every day

Posted: July 28, 2019

They practice Social Emotional Learning every day

Posted: July 28, 2019

They are supportive and consistently there for the community

Posted: July 28, 2019

They specialize in Deaf Education and serve other groups just as well

Posted: July 28, 2019

Admin and counselors take every case seriously

Posted: July 28, 2019

The parent engagement is amazing. And the students receive a top notch education.

Posted: July 28, 2019

Students are challenged to master the materiel

Posted: June 1, 2018

Posted: June 1, 2018

Posted: June 1, 2018

Posted: June 1, 2018

Great school climate and culture. It feels more like a family than a school.

Posted: October 4, 2016

Posted: October 4, 2016

Posted: October 4, 2016

Posted: October 4, 2016

Stonewall is an excellent school. The quality of instruction and amazing and supportive dynamic between the administration, teachers, parents and the community make it one of the best elementary schools in Dallas.

Posted: October 4, 2016

Thankful that my children have are able to attend this incredible school. The teachers and staff are so dedicated and really do a solid job of instilling a love of learning starting the Kinder year. We love the active parent community and are amazed at the parent / teacher support we see on a daily basis.
Mrs. Schiff is doing a tremendous job of leading Stonewall in the right direction!

Posted: October 4, 2016

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Posted: October 3, 2016

Stonewall has been an amazing place for our daughters to learn. The garden program is fantastic and teaches science in a hands on outdoor lab. The teachers are caring and dedicated. We couldn't ask for a better school for our children.

Posted: October 3, 2016

Posted: October 3, 2016

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Posted: October 3, 2016

I think the homework expectations are reasonable. My children can finish it quickly each day and the homework seems to reinforce the lessons of the day.

Posted: October 3, 2016

We love Stonewall! We love the small town family feel this school community offers while living in the Big City!! The parent involvement is incredible and the teachers level of commitment and hard work have helped our child thrive. We have been impressed with the principal and her desire in continuing to make great things happen at Stonewall.

Posted: October 3, 2016

Posted: October 3, 2016

Posted: October 3, 2016

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Posted: October 3, 2016

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Posted: October 3, 2016

It is our daughter's 3rd year attending SJE. She has had a great experience here. The teachers, the kiddos, the administration, the parents are all top notch folks.

Posted: October 3, 2016

I have a 5th grader and a 3rd grader at Stonewall. My fifth grader started here in Kinder, so this is our 6th year. Stonewall has an amazing group of educators who care DEEPLY about the education of our children. One of the things I love about Stonewall is that the education is well rounded. For example, while our science teachers take the kids to the garden each week (our outdoor learning lab) the kids aren't just practicing science. They are observing, drawing, writing, measuring, calculating and experimenting. Time in the garden enhances learning in science, math, art, language/writing and social studies. Another unique feature is that Stonewall is the regional school for the deaf. All children learn some sign language and learn about deaf culture alongside their hearing impaired peers. A challenge faced by Stonewall is that many (most) of the kids come from higher level socioeconomic families. This means that the school receives less funding than its other public school peers. This means that fundraisers are essential to provide the tools needed for our kids to learn and continue to excel. As public school budgets become tighter and tighter, "extras" (like our school garden) are now funded by non-profit entities instead of the school district. The school is somewhat dependent on the community to provide the resources needed to allow this school to develop our kiddos into the best citizens they can be.

Posted: October 3, 2016

Stonewall Jackson Elementary is a wonderful school with top notch teachers, administration, and students. Parent and community involvement is unparalleled. Additionally, the 20,000 sq ft outdoor classroom found in Stonewall Gardens, provides meaningful and hands on learning.

Posted: October 3, 2016

We have been at Stonewall for 6 years now and have had the best experience. The teachers at Stonewall are amazing and the new principal Ms Schiff has exceeded our expectations. This is such an amazing neighborhood school and the community feel that comes with it is such a bonus. We love being a Stonewall Star Family!!!

Posted: October 3, 2016

Posted: October 3, 2016

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Posted: July 10, 2016

Posted: July 10, 2016

Posted: July 10, 2016

Posted: July 10, 2016

I'm giving Stonewall four stars based on a bullying incident that happened to my kindergartener at the end of the year and how the administration ( principal and executive director) handled the situation. I understand that these types of incidents do occur however my sense is that the response and follow-up to the incident was not in porportion to the gravity of the incident itself; I feel it was not handled with the proper seriousness it demanded and dismissed far too quickly. I do not pretend to know the policies and procedures that are in place to address these types of incidents but I am certain more could have been done to safeguard my child and current students at Stonewall Jackson as well as to prevent such incidents occurring in the future. The current guidance counselor was retiring and at no point of time throughout this incident was he brought into the situation to ensure the safety of my child due to is "busyness" closingout the school year!

I’d like to stress; my child and our family had an absolutely amazing year at Stonewall Jackson this year. Our kindergarten teacher genuinely took care of our child as if one of her own. And perhaps why this incident was so disturbing is because of how in contrast it was to our experiences for much of the year.

Posted: February 21, 2016

this is a great school, my son told me that he got a lot of friends there.

Posted: February 21, 2016

Posted: February 21, 2016

Posted: February 21, 2016

Posted: January 3, 2016

School is very rigid academically, but they all are these days. They have a great outdoor garden/learning classroom and still believe in recess. Teachers are very engaged and the PTA does a LOT of fundraising for extras that are not found in other DISD schools. Glad for all the stay at home moms that are involved, but they are very much a click and snobby making volunteering a dread. This year's new principal is very "by the book". My daughter loves it there and has scored in the 95th percentile of the Iowa tests every year so they are definitely doing something right.

Posted: January 3, 2016

Posted: January 3, 2016

Posted: January 3, 2016

Posted: November 10, 2015

I held off on writing a review so I could be more objective and temper the review. Have had a few interactions over a couple of months with the v. principal and I found her to be a little odd - lacking in understanding and patience in some circumstances, at times coming off a little petty and/or immature in some responses.

Posted: March 23, 2015

This is the worst school I have ever dealt with. My son has the WORST kindergarten teacher that I have ever met. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILDREN TO THIS SCHOOL. The teacher and principal find it acceptable to call out 5 and 6 year old children in front of the class causing them to be embarrassed. I don't find this school to be a healthy environment for any child.

Posted: October 18, 2014

I second what the prior reviewer has to say. We were so lucky to find a house in the SJ neighborhood. The school is a real community treasure. Let's hope the district doesn't ruin it. My one complaint is that the principal and the district are obsessed with testing. The children are over-tested in all grade levels. Children have different strengths and aptitudes and shouldn't be made to feel like failures because their brain is developing at a different (or even normal) pace. The teachers are great but I know that the district has increased stress levels for all of them. Thank goodness for the therapeutic nature of the outdoor learning lab. My kids love reading, writing and drawing in the outdoor classroom. They each have a plant that they tend and they grow and they eat so many different vegetables now. It is so fun to see the community out in the garden performing service, tending their own crops and teaching even their tiny tots about nature. There is a lot of fundraising at the school and in the community so be prepared but we consider it a bargain for what it provides!

Posted: October 9, 2013

My son is in his 3rd year at SWJ and he still enjoys his time there. I think he is moving in the right direction as far as his education is concerned. There are a bunch of great activities that SWJ are a part of and get the students involved with. BUT IT ALL COMES AT A PRICE! I understand that every school does fundraising but SWJ takes it to another level. We are asked for money donations almost daily. We are asked to provide food and services for student activities and our child is STILL expected to pay for the food they consume. Where does that money go if not back to the parents who actually provided the food and drinks??? How about an iPad to a 5 year old who sold the most items for the fundraiser- or a Nintendo DS for another winner. This is needless spending and is sending the wrong message to our kids to be a winner by having the latest and greatest before they reach their teenage years. So do you choose to add a new category in your budget for school fundraisers and activities so your child can be in a 10 school?

Posted: August 18, 2013

I have a child going to second grade now and another one starting kindergarten this year. I couldn't be happier! The teachers are great, and the PTA is awesome. I'm a full time employee and unfortunately can't be as involved as i wish, but I feel so grateful for the PTA and all volunteers, they really make a difference in my children's elementary experience. I love SJE!

Posted: November 11, 2011

We are in our fifth year at Stonewall Jackson and have been thrilled with the high-quality education our children have received. Stonewall is a great neighborhood school with a strong principal, committed teachers, and great parent involvement. The garden stands out uniquely among public schools, offering the type of hands-on learning that studies show is so much more effective than classroom work alone. Teachers combine science, writing, art, and countless other subjects in this outdoor classroom.

Posted: November 11, 2011

Our son is in 4th grade at Stonewall, and we couldn't be happier with the education he has received. We chose to send him to Stonewall after researching private schools, and we are very pleased with our decision.

Posted: November 11, 2011

I have two children at Stonewall Jackson Elementary and we love everything about the school!

Posted: November 11, 2011

Stonewall Jackson is an incredible school with educators who are top-notch. Moreoever, the school boasts one-of-a-kind programs such as Stonewall Gardens, our outdoor science lab and the regional day school for the deaf. Children are given respect and learn to respect others. Teachers lead by example and teach in a way that children are motivated to strive for nothing less than excellence. We specifically chose our home based on being within Stonewall's district and could not be more pleased.

Posted: November 10, 2011

My family moved to Dallas 4 years ago due to a job change and I was terrified of putting my kids in Dallas Public Schools. We came from the suburbs and I wasn't sure how in the world I was going to put two kids in private school. We got moved and started meeting neighbors who told me what a great school district we had moved to and what an amazing school Stonewall Jackson is. It is so true! I have a 2nd grader and my youngest is in Kinder this year and we absolutely love it! The teachers are so wonderful and truly love our children. We have met some great friends and the parent evolvement is something to be proud of as well! I am positive my children are getting a wonderful education and are surrounded by educated, creative people-such a blessing!

Posted: November 10, 2011

I am the parent of two children that attended and one that current is at Stonewall. Stonewall was our school of choice because of the reputation it has. The teachers & staff welcome each and every student with open arms. There is not a thing that they will not do for their students. Children are challenge to the best of their ability. It is we, the parents who have support the teachers in the decision that they make for our children. The communication between the teacher and parent is there we just have to make sure that we follow through. The parental involvement is an asset to the school. One thing that we have to keep in mind is communication it's a two way street, if the teacher communicates with us, we must communicate with them. If we had to start all over again, Stonewall would be our school of choice hands down.

Posted: November 9, 2011

With all my closest friends sending their children to private or park cities schools, I experienced much trepidation about DISD at the onset, when my son started kinder back in 2008. I could never have in my wildest dreams have anticipated what an absolute gift our Stonewall journey would prove to be! For 4 years now, and with 2 children enrolled, we have seen our kids enjoy every moment of their school experience. They have grown into such secure, inquisitive, engaged learners and have made amazing friends along the way. (My husband and I have as well, the people are just wonderful!) The teachers are deeply invested and you can see the pride they have in their school, the principal is incredible. The school is diverse, accepting and the parent participation is inspiring. While originally I had concerns, Stonewall has proven to be one of the greatest blessings our family ever could have received and we feel grateful and lucky to be a part of this community!

Posted: November 8, 2011

My son attended k2010-1st 2011.He was transferred to another 1st cl's after completing 10 wks.We attended all conferences but were never told until a month before the end of the yr.Our son should repeat 1st.We were in shock since my Husband just had a conference 2 wks before. Our son k-ITBS was 82% higher than Nat'l average.His 1st grade year end ITBS testing reflected he was at the same level as he tested the end of k-which was 1grade third mth.We believe he was not being taught in the class he was transferred in.All text books remained at home as instructed by Teacher never to be used ! Our son has been tested by a School credit learning Ctr which proves the point our son is very teachable but was not being taught !!! and no one cared !! They only wanted to standby the Teacher and not the Student. We as parents have the right to voice our opinions when Dallas ISD Fails to give quality Education ! We have since move on instead of having our child repeat 1st grade at Stonewall because we knew he wasnt "prepared" for 2nd grade.

Posted: November 8, 2011

In responce to the last posting, talk about a child being left behind! What an injustice to the child and makes me wonder about the other children in that class. They intrusted a teacher to do a job, she failed to educate this child .No wonder they have lost their Exemplary status.

Posted: August 10, 2011

My daughter went to kindergarten at Stonewall last year, and I specifically choose my home because of its reputation....academically. Had I known about the social reputation with the parents, I would have never chosen this school. Even my daughter's teacher and the principal involved themselves in the politics. It was absolutely ridiculous. This summer, I ended up moving down a street that was split between Stonewall and Lee Elementary attendance zones. I was upset at first because my daughter's education comes before my comfort. However, the numbers were released and SJ actually dropped in TEA ratings to academically acceptable and Lee is now exemplary. This may have been a blessing in disguise.

Posted: June 18, 2011

Stonewall is a very focused school. Focused on the TAKS test so much that the teachers are so stressed out they are continuously yelling at their students. I had a child in the school and I was a student teacher there and the inside view I got was not very comforting. I now have a 7 year old son and will do what I can to keep him out of the school.

Posted: December 21, 2010

the best school and teachers we just move from california and they help me with the school transition the best of the best

Posted: September 21, 2010

I have two kids who attend school at Stonewall and they love it. The teachers are caring and truly want the kids to succeed

Posted: September 16, 2010

This school is awesome! I have two kids at Stonewall Jackson and they love it! The garden program is a great way for them to learn how plants grow and other types of information they would have never learned otherwise. The fifth graders go to Camp Grady Spruce, the Opera, and the 6th Floor Museum. They have ballroom dancing with professional dancers, their own chicken coop for the kids to help take care of, and amazing teachers! GO STARS!!

Posted: September 8, 2010

I have two children at Stonewall Jackson and have nothing but great things to say. My youngest child has an LD issue and the school has gone out of its way to help us and accomodate him. The teachers are wonderful and my kids are excited and happy to go to school everyday. My eldest will go to middle school next year and is sad at the prospect of leaving Stonewall. Yes, some of the parents are snobby and tough to get to know but that is the way it is in the real world - you do not need to be friends with everyone. The parents and PTA are caring and make things happen. I consider myself lucky to be a Stonewall parent and thrilled my kids have had the opportunity to go to such an outstanding public school.

Posted: September 7, 2010

This school has an elitist attitude about itself and it has to come from the parents. There is definitely a very cliquish feel to things and you either fit in or you don't. Sorry - I don't like being asked to fork out money for unnecessary projects or activities so the school can make a headline in the local paper. Teacher quality was fantastic for K-1st, after that it goes downhill. The principal is completely ineffective. Everything about school participation is forced here. I pulled my daughter here for 4th grade and have been thrilled with the academic focus of Robert E. Lee which is just down the road.

Posted: August 5, 2010

Stonewall Jackson has many great qualities. However, the previous review regarding parent cliques and the exclusion of moderate income families is true. I have met with more than a dozen families that have experienced social exclusion, isolation and high school "bad girl" behavior from many of the core SJ moms. A group of previous and current families has started to share experiences and plan to take collective concerns to the prinicpal and the DISD offices in a healthy and positive format. Elementary school should have one focus: Children, their academic and social development. Shame on the parents that make Stonewall Jackson like an exclusive country club. Exposure to social, ethnic and income diversity at school is not the same as warmly incorporating that diversity into your life. There are lots of great children and parents that aren't white, wealthy, or have high profile careers.

Posted: August 5, 2010

We have been at this school for a few years and with each passing year the quality of parent/teacher communication and teacher/child involvement has declined. By the time your child reaches 2nd grade the teachers are cold to both parents and students. It has never changed--The parents gather in cliques. The activities are almost designed to exclude the more moderate income families. The only really great things about the school are the outdoor garden program and the arts programs. The outstanding music teacher and librarian have left. There isn't a computer program and the outdoor science program is hanging on. It does have an outstanding kindergarten program and a pretty good 1st grade program. 2nd grade was disappointing and 3rd was terrible. We are headed to private school. We want a challenging academic program with higher quality teachers who are generally warm/communicative and where parents get along.

Posted: May 24, 2010

SWJE has been a good school for us. Lots of the normal complaints of lots of homework and the like, but the teachers really care and try. It is an amazingly diverse atmosphere, where kids are exposed to and learn a lot (mixed races and cultures, kids with disabilities, sign language, bilingual program, pre and post school activities, cultural and arts programs, etc.) and a strong PTA and parental involvement. They struggle against the budget and system of DISD at times, but I think they do quite well considering.

Posted: April 26, 2010

Stonewall has programs that are unique in public education, teachers that are happy and experienced, and wonderful parents who realize that helping out as a volunteer or monetarily also helps sustain this excellence in education that the school provides.

Posted: March 7, 2010

Stonewall has been a disappointment. All we heard were good things, but now being there we have been underwhelmed. We think the garden program is unique and important. There is a lot of parent involvement but it has been very frustrating to not feel accepted. There are a lot of cliques and it has been mind boggling how you meet them one day and they act like they don't know you the next. We have been shocked with the amount of Disney Movies that have been shown. They should find other things to do regardless of the weather and not send home the work they should be doing in school. We found our little one out by the curb one day when they were let out with no supervision. This is due to lack of supervision and chaos at release. Hopefully this will improve before it is too late.

Posted: March 6, 2010

Over all this is an ok school. Once you have been around several years the 'ghosts start to come out of the closets'. Our child is looking forward to moving to another school! How sad that how our child feels is close to what we as parents feel like also. Teachers are pretty good. Office staff is so-so. They could be more approachable and welcoming, they look so stressed and too busy to ask them a question. We are hoping to move this summer and enroll our kiddo to another school. Oh, the parent group issue is very true. You can see them huddled in their 'cliques' it's truely silly.