Special Education Teacher - Special Education Teacher, Elementary School Mastery Schools Employee Review

Mastery is a great place to work. There hasn't been an adult I've encountered who didn't believe in the mission and wasn't wholeheartedly committed to doing right and well by students and their families. The Mastery team believes in working for ALL students and not leaving any student behind. The team is committed to its values, and I'm excited to be part of such an incredible group of mission-aligned people.

The evaluation system and process for the NST staff are antiquated and not relevant to the people doing the work. It is time for a change.

I have worked in several districts, and this has been my favorite so far under the current administration. I feel supported, and more importantly, I feel that teacher feedback is actually heard. Leadership regularly asks for input and you can see real efforts to improve based on what staff say. They model many of the same expectations they set for teachers. The job is demanding, but the support makes the workload manageable. I never feel like I am handling challenges alone. There is also a genuine effort to bring some joy and humor into the school day, which matters more than people realize during a busy year. The staff culture is another strength — colleagues are collaborative, approachable, and easy to get along with.

At times there can be a disconnect between building-level needs and expectations from central administration. Communication is improving, but sometimes you have to ask questions in order to fully understand procedures, and information is not always located in one clear place. That said, I have seen noticeable improvement over the years, and leadership does appear to be working toward better clarity and consistency.