ESK Voices: Robin Crook
ESK’s culture of trust, honest and integrity doesn’t just stop with the faculty, it is built in a partnership between the students, parents and faculty. Each part links together to ensure a solid education for each child. Thus, parents are considered integral to the success of their child. Parents are encouraged to be active participants in the life of the school! ESK values the involvement of its parents and knows the difference that parents truly make in the life of a school and the community that ESK has built over the last 17 years. In our ESK Voices series, you will get a unique look at the faculty that make ESK what it is. Today, we speak with ESK parent Robin Crook, who has three children at ESK: Caroline, 6th, Cooper, 3rd, and Ethan, 1st.
See more below from Robin.
Why did your family choose ESK?
The reason our family chose ESK is because our daughter, who was in 2nd grade at the time, was at a very large school and we started seeing changes in her. She became more of an introvert and didn’t ask questions and at the time one of our neighbors was an ESK student and came to our house selling cookie dough as a fundraiser. She was very sweet, engaging, and personable, and she asked questions. I was just really impressed by her. It just so happened that there was an open house at ESK the next day and so I came and when I got here I realized that this was the place for us. We’ve been here ever since.
What has kept you and your family at ESK?
What has kept our family at ESK is the way that they tailor education to each individual student. My three children are all very different, they learn in different ways, and they have different interests, but they all love it here. They get what they need from their teachers whether it is a challenge or some extra help. As a parent, knowing that you have children who look forward to coming to school makes for a satisfying educational experience.
What has been the biggest surprise about ESK during your time here?
The biggest surprise that I’ve noticed is the field trips. They’re not just fun days out of the classroom, they’re really an extension of the learning that is being done in the classroom. In the 1st grade the butterfly unit is fantastic and they go to Chattanooga and they experience the butterflies at the aquarium. The 4th graders go to Nashville and it’s an extension of the state history. It’s a great opportunity to get out in the real world and see how what you’re learning relates to more than just the classroom.
Is there a teacher who has been especially amazing during your time here and why?
It’s really hard to choose one amazing teacher here at ESK because they’re all wonderful at what they do. I would say the biggest influence on one of my children has been Jeannie Hoover in the 4th grade. 4th grade is a year of instilling personal responsibility, which can be difficult with a child that age, and presents its own challenges. But, as challenging as that might be, it pays off dividends in 5th grade and 6th grade.
What do you think ESK does best?
The thing that ESK does best is the way they include the students in decision making processes and day to day activities. It really makes your child feel like their voice matters. From taste testing a new kind of peanut butter that will be served in the cafeteria or being able to speak to potential job candidates and asking questions that are important to them. I think it goes a long way in what they’re able to get out of their students when each student feels like their voice matters.
If you could describe ESK in one word what would it be?
If I could describe ESK in one word it would be safe. Not safe in the traditional sense, but in the community that has been created here that you feel a part of immediately. This along with the Tribes Agreements, especially mutual respect. When your child feels like they can be themselves and can let their guard down, ask questions, or say that they don’t understand something, and not fear how their teachers or their classmates might react to them, then they’re really open to real learning.
Do you have a short story which exemplifies why your child has been successful at ESK?
One of the first things that I noticed about ESK that made me feel we made the right decision by sending our daughter here was when she came to me and asked if she could be in the talent show in March. It was her first year here and the reason that we brought her here was because we felt like she was crawling into her shell a bit. So, the fact that she was willing to go up by herself and perform in front of all of her schoolmates and share her talents without fear of what somebody might think or say about those made me realize we were in the right place.