Browns Mill Elementary School

Robert Westfall: This is our second year at Browns Mill, and we are very happy with what we have been seeing there.  Our children are an extreme minority at Browns Mill, but you would never know it.  The first teachers meeting I went to showed me just how much they care.  Every teacher knew my child very well, and I could tell by thier comments that they really tried to know my child and see to his personal needs.  The teachers and counselors go way out of thier way to help the children.  

This year we have two more children going to Browns Mill, and so far everything is going very well.  We thank God that we found a school  that can put all of our worries to ease.  Thank you to the dedicated teachers and staff at Browns Mill Elementary School!

As this is my first year with my children at Browns Mill, I will be curious to see how my review changes at the end of the year.  For now I can say that the school is going through some changes and it will be interesting to see how things pan out with the leaving of Dr. Butler. I must agree I am very excited about the no sugar diet in the school.  I am also very impressed with the level of control the teachers seem to have over their classes in the morning.  The teachers are not yelling at the top of their lungs asking children to sit down and be quiet like I witnessed at another Dekalb County School.  The children are very mannerable and quiet in their classrooms and waiting to learn.  Open House was a very pleasant meeting of some of the teachers at which time I was presented with clear directives of what would be expected of my children.

However I must agree with the other parent with reference to the front office staff.  They ARE very condescending in dealing with the parents.  This attitude does make one feel as though we are not welcome in the school.  This is very unnerving because you do not want to get on their bad side, because they will take it out on your child.  However, that does not give them the right to talk to parents any kind of way. That is something that needs to be addressed at the head.  Like I said it will be interesting to see if my review changes at the end of the year.

The school was previously a school that parents sought out.  However, the school is slowly declining.  The staff is very unorganized for the most part.  PTA is almost non-existent and parents are usually notified of trips/events at the last minute.  SO much focus has been placed on the fact that the school is sugar free - no one is minding the house. Teachers are very lax and the front office staff tends to have condescending attitudes.  It is very sad because the parents want to be involved.