I went to this school around 1992. It's sad to see other parents and students talking about the bullying and damaging culture that still exists there. When I was a student at Crestwood 32 years ago, the kids were extremely mean and and an angry assistant principal also screamed at us every day through the lunch period. Maybe only unhappy parents and students come to this page to vent...or maybe the damaging culture has echoed through the generations. It's very sad to think that that could be the case. I don't mean to trash the school entirely. When I was there so many years ago, the teachers cared about the kids, worked hard for them and, I believe, provided me with a good middle-school education. I remember the teachers and staff at Crestwood well. I feel grateful for the kindness they showed me and the academic development they enabled. They did not, however, intervene in bullying (adults not intervening in bullying was standard in the U.S. culture at that time). I honestly think that this building should be torn down. It was built during an architectural trend (in the 1970s, I think) during which people thought that a lack of windows in schools would help kids to not get distracted, thereby encouraging them focus on their school work. The windows that do exist in some of the classrooms are tiny little prison windows. The only light kids and staff have for most of the day is florescent overhead lighting. We know now that windows and natural light promote productivity and better moods. We know now that a lack of natural light promotes irritability and depression. If you look in the pictures, you can also see that the ceilings are rather low. It's a recipe for unhappiness, in my opinion. I was miserable at this school, and I don't think I was the only one. The kids were mean and the environment felt suffocating. I now suspect that the physical environment of the building has a damaging impact on the moods of both the kids and staff. Kids act "bad" when they feel bad. I think we all felt terrible in that place 32 years ago, and I imagine that kids and staff continue to feel terrible in this school now. If I'm right that the building is partly the cause of the damaging culture, there's no reason to think it would ever change without major changes to the physical space. If anyone from the school district reads this and has power over these kinds of decisions, I sincerely hope you will consider tearing this school down. At a minimum, windows should be added to the classrooms that can have them added. Some of the classrooms and the library are in the center of the building with no opportunities for windows to let in light. Perhaps skylights could be added to those. That would be transformative. I haven't been back to this school since I finished 8th grade, but thirty-two years later, I still remember the layout, the lack of windows and the feelings the space created. I also still remember how much I suffered when I was a student here. The bullying I experienced caused me serious self-esteem problems that had to be addressed over years in therapy. I don't think the cause of the problem with the culture of this school is just the people. I think the building is bad for human beings. Children and teachers shouldn't be made to feel that they are in a prison. If you are a teacher at this school, please know that your kindness and support of the kids here does matter. When I was a student, the teachers and staff were my lifeline. Please consider using assigned seating rather than letting the kids choose where to sit. I remember that the classrooms that had more structure and less choice for the kids resulted in less bullying. Please interrupt bullying if you see it and please consider introducing an anti-bullying program if one doesn't yet exist there. If you are a kid at this school who is being bullied and feeling miserable, please know that this isn't your fault. Nothing is wrong with you. You'll eventually get to make more choices in your life and will be able to surround yourself with kind people. You are probably very likable, even if you don't feel that way now. There are lots of people in the world. Many of them will think you are great when they get to know you. Stay off the internet when you get home (so you can get away from the meanness) and find something physical or interesting to do that brings you joy. You shouldn't have to suffer like this now, and I'm sorry that you're in this circumstance. If you are a parent with a kid who is being bullied here and the staff isn't able to get it to stop, please consider moving your kid to a different school if you can. I really think that the teachers can only do so much for the kids in this building that doesn't promote emotional well-being. I suspect that the teachers and staff (even the screaming adults in the lunch room) actually really care about the kids and are probably doing their best. read more

Crestwood Middle School was one of the most harmful experiences of my life. Bullying was constant, not just in class but also on the bus and online. Students targeted me in group chats, planned fights, and made school feel like a nightmare. The worst part is that the staff knew and did almost nothing. Guidance counselors were even friendly with the bullies because they were considered popular. This toxic environment has been going on for years. The school only acts after something serious happens, and even then, it's just to look good in front of parents. There is also a serious drug and vaping problem. Most students were exposed to it early, and if you didn't join in, you were labeled as weak or left out. Academics suffer as well. Classes are constantly disrupted and many teachers seem burned out or indifferent. My parents tried to get the school to step in, but as newcomers to the country, they were misled by the guidance staff who downplayed everything. If you are a parent who truly cares about your child's safety and mental health, do not send them here. Any positive reviews are likely from staff, because no student who actually went here would honestly say it was a good experience. If I could give this school a ZERO I would. read more

The culture at this school is very toxic!! Screaming teachers who act nice when a parent shows up, but let it rip in the classroom and lunch room. My child spent her final year at this school, never had any disciplinary issues before in all her years of schooling, a honor roll student, even at Crestwood. She is still traumatized from the experience there with a teacher who hold grudge against the students, who admitted to calling kids placed in her care degrading names and who has the support of a vice principal and principal who don't listen to the children and make them out to be problematic. Parent take the time listen to your child if they are telling you that they don't want to go to school let them share with you. They deal with a lot at this school. read more

This school is full of bullies. There are fights constantly. The administration does not prevent bullying, they are a joke.Ms. Pugh the guidance counselor is an angel and seems to try her best to talk to the students who are being bullied. My student has been attending this school for three years and has been through so much bullying, name calling and harrassed daily. When he fights back he gets suspended instead of the bullies. My daughter also was harrassed and bullied here. Don't send your child here if you have a choice not worth the daily stress. Also my student makes As and Bs, a very good kid but in a toxic school. This will be his last year here thank the Lord! read more

My time enrolled as a student here a couple years were miserable. During the time period I was at this school the BLM movement and coronavirus was going on, being white I constantly got discriminated day to day for simply existing. Students would walk past me calling me "white cracker" and other offensive names just to get off on to the point where I had to LIE and say I was of spanish descent so the kids would stop harassing me. Teachers and staff were WELL aware this was going on and simply couldn't care less, even going as far as snickering at the comments students would make and even saying things like "the blacker the berry the sweeter the juice" and "black is better" being direct quotes from teachers I have had. These teacher don't do there job, not to call out directly one of the 6th grade history teachers but I think we all know who she is all she would do is vent about her broken marriage ALL CLASS, we didn't care because the more she talked the less we had to do. Not to mention that there are literally hundreds of fights every school year, constant bullying but it's only okay when you're making fun on the quiet kids, kids with special needs, or the white students right? Another thing, kids are easily able to smuggle drugs into the school and barely ever get caught, people have directly told me that they would smoke in class and either the teacher wasn't aware or just didn't care and I've seen it firsthand. When we say the teachers don't care, they literally don't. Another instance where a kid lit a match in the middle of the class and the teacher had no idea until one of the kids in the class told her and she did absolutely nothing but tell her not to do it again. If you're a parent thinking about sending your kid here, don't please. read more

The happiest children are here at Crestwood Middle! I have worked at this school for a few years, and they have so much support all around, excellent teachers, counselors, and the staff really love the kids! read more

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Schools bad kids fight a lot teachers are rude and disrespectful thankfully some of the teachers are nice

One of the most horrendous schools I have ever encountered, both of my children attended there and you could not begin to believe how bad it actually was. The principal was absolutely horrible, careless and judgmental, she does not understand children or care to see the negative impact that she has on the kids around her. I would suggest sending you children to anywhere but here. In 2018 we should be kind, respectful and caring. The children of today will soon be running the world and need to be nurtured and guided so that one day soon they can pass on those same traits to the next generation. I didn't review this school while my children went there for fear of retaliation but hopefully this helps some other families make a decision on whether or not their kids will attend Crestwood. We think read more