Ask parents of Poe Magnet Elementary School students about their school, and one word comes up a lot: love.

They love the wide variety of elective courses offered through the Gifted & Talented/Acadmically and Intellectually Gifted magnet theme. They love the faculty and staff. They love the bright and cheerful hallways. They love the small, close-knit school community.

Really, what’s not to love?

Read below from two satisfied Poe parents, and view the short video at right to hear from a third.

Martha Crowley

I was attracted to Poe by the elective offerings that I felt would help my child feel engaged and happy at school. I knew he would do well in terms of the curriculum wherever he went. What I wanted for him was for him to love being at school and look forward to going each day. A second attractive feature was resources for daily AIG instruction (even at the lower grades via elective offerings) and a pathway to some of the best middle schools in the area and to Enloe High School, which is one of the best high schools in the state. I also really liked the principal, the staff, and the light and airy feeling of the school.

‘Incredibly rare’

The GT theme allows children to explore a broad range of interests, to derive a great deal of enjoyment from their time in schools, and to meet children from other classes and grade levels, which helps them to expand their social networks and fosters a sense of community. The AIG electives offer more challenging material on a daily basis starting as early as kindergarten. Being an AIG Basics school means something more. It means that older children who qualify for AIG receive AIG instruction in core subjects (math and/or literacy) and they receive it on a daily basis. This opportunity is incredibly rare, as it is only available to children in AIG Basics schools.

‘Excited to go to school’

My son is incredibly happy at Poe. He LOVES it. And it’s not just the electives. It’s his friends and the staff and the facilities. I feel like we’re becoming part of a big family at Poe as my son develops relationships with classmates, teachers and other staff. Literally from Day 1, he has been excited to go to school and happy when we pick him up, and that is priceless to me. What is more, his skills are rapidly advancing. I am shocked by how much his writing has improved after just a few short weeks in school and I am really impressed by the topics he is learning about.

‘Amazing opportunity’

Poe offers an amazing opportunity to secure for your child a truly enjoyable educational experience with a caring staff and a pathway to some of the most advantageous schools in the district. The resources are unique to Poe and they cannot be beat. My child could not be happier, and we feel the same. We love it!

Lexie Serrano

I love love love the electives! My son gets to learn new and exciting things that he's interested in at such a young age, it's great! I also think having a full-time AIG teacher is so beneficial for the children. AIG instruction EVERY day keeps my child motivated and helps him be challenged rather than bored.

‘Love of learning’

The teachers at Poe are awesome! I try to encourage my son with his education, but I thank the teachers for doing an amazing job at, first and foremost, establishing a love of learning for my son. I also appreciate everything that Dr. Williams and Dr. Vanacker do to help meet the needs of all the children, not just the ones that are identified at academically gifted, but also the ones who need extra support.

‘Home away from home’

Poe's a small school with a great new program that all the staff are excited to develop. The teachers and administrators are very skilled at what they do, and they truly care about the children. Poe is like a home away from home, a safe haven for my child, and I'll be sad when we have to leave.