Camelot Elementary School

Posted: January 12, 2021

My daughter was in the Pre-K program and I can only speak to our experience with that program.
I have 5 children and she is the youngest. This was by far the worst experience my family has had with a school .
This school should NOT be funded for the Ealey Education Program as they are ill-equipped. The “rooms” are very small, dark and actually depressing trailers in the back of the school. There is no Dramatic Play areas for the children and very little room for them to move around.

This school ignores the vast majority of research in early childhood education that shows kids gain knowledge through their experiences rather than having it spoon-fed to them by an adult. This school does not encourage exploration and discovery. They DO NOT provide rich hands-on learning opportunities to stimulate deeper understanding by asking probing questions. Play is not encouraged or tolerated; 4-year-olds must sit still and listen (they are expected to sit quietly for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time) when their brains are wired to explore, their bodies are eager to move, and their verbal skills are ready to be unleashed.
If a Pre-K student is being disciplined, teachers take away recess or outside time as a punishment. This is extremely harmful to a child in this age group and only leads to worst behavior. Activities never change or don’t hold children’s interest.
When my child was at this school, I was called daily to report behavior problems. We tried to work with the teacher and staff but there was no empathy or consideration for her and the situation was actually causing her to digress and start to have tantrums (she never had them prior to attending the school). We decided to remove her from the school and place her in a private school. The 1st day at her new school, I was so worried I would receive a call. Nothing! I never received calls with bad behavior reports from the new school. During the parent teacher meeting, there were NO reported behavior concerns and she actually was moved to the highest reading and math level groups. The experience was a complete 180!

Tragically, the very things that many uninformed parents desire in a preschool are the very things that are most harmful to their kids. I feel so sad for parents who have to send their child to this school and don't have the ability to look for an alternative.

Posted: January 12, 2021

Posted: January 12, 2021

Posted: January 12, 2021

Posted: January 12, 2021

Posted: January 12, 2021

Posted: May 30, 2017

This place is horrible. The teachers and staff ignored complaints from my children about being bullied for months. We had to pull them from school because of the amount of psychological damage if had done to one of my son's. We live about a block away and he used to get speech therapy there. He had such bad panic attacks that he would breakdown and beg me not to bring him back.. now we are out a great speech therapist as well as a sub-par school and they have to be homeschooled. When we spoke to the teacher she became defensive and basically called my child a liar and myself a bad mother, though I had made several calls, written notes, and spoken with her on several occasions about issues that were ongoing. Keep your kids far from here if you have any other choice.

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: May 30, 2017

Posted: August 4, 2015

My kids have been going here for 2 yrs and they love it! I love the teachers, they are super friendly and very helpful. I also love how the school is updated and safe. Definitely a great school for my children!

Posted: October 11, 2013

I love this school! The one comment about other than black children having problem adapting really bothers me. My children are white and they have never been treated different. In my opinion the school is very cultural. There is a lot of all races that go there and that is how I prefer it. It is also an extremely safe school. So much that most of the staff know me by name and they still require me to show my ID to pick up my kids. The principal Dr. Cooper-Collins is AMAZING! I absolutely couldn't think of a better principal and my daughter can't leave the school without getting hugs from almost every staff member she passes :)

Posted: September 9, 2013

the staff is very friendly, they make you feel comfortable.. they are always doing stuff for the kids on weekends..I am very proud my daughter attends here.

Posted: June 10, 2013

I am Linda V. Williams and my dog s name is Princess Williams. We are new volunteers at Camelot Elementary School s (CES) reading program. Princess is a therapy dog and she is a member of Therapy Dog International, Inc. (TDI).Princess and I visit the school every Monday in hopes of brightening someone s day and to help enhance some students reading skills. The principal, Dr. Karen Cooper-Collins, her staff, and students always welcome Princess and me with a smile and warm welcome .Many of the students, grades 1 through 5, read exceptionally well and are always willing to give their best effort while reading to Princess. In order for the students to pat/receive kisses from Princess they have to read to her-Princess makes reading possible! Princess and I are proud to be members of TDI and to volunteer for Camelot Elementary school. Princess and I thank you Dr. Cooper-Collins for allowing us to be a part of this great school. You provide excellent programs, and overall the students at CES, Chesapeake, Virginia display good character and disposition and are eager to learn. I look forward to the Paw Reading Program (this is my special title) next school year