My kids have been attending summer camp at Belmont Day for the last few years. Their program is…read moreamazing. I really appreciate that they swim 2x/day (lesson in the morning, free swim in the afternoon). The counselors are awesome. The staff - led by Zach - is super well organized. They send you all the detailed info that you need to know including theme weeks, what to bring and what not to bring, etc. Pick up and drop off are easy. The facilities are nothing short of amazing - including a huge indoor "barn" which is really an AC space that has multiple bball courts downstairs and art/music upstairs. The camp groups are small so our kids have made good friends and have had a great experience here for multiple years and counting. Be sure to register as soon as registration opens up because spots fill up very fast!

Amazing school. Caring, sensitive, creative...lives up to its stated values and mission statement,…read morewhich is a rare find.

When we were considering Lesley Ellis for preschool, we asked around on the playground, and just…read moreabout every parent we talked to told us, "It's excellent! The only negative is the cost." That matched our experience perfectly. The tuition is steep - though financial aid is available! - but everything else was fantastic, and we were consistently impressed with the teachers, curriculum, field trips, awareness of kids as individuals, interaction with administration, and more. My mom worked for decades in early childhood education, and (as an interested and involved grandparent) was also very impressed. They welcomed/encouraged heavy parent involvement, from "come into the classroom to talk about something you're knowledgeable/passionate about" to occasional parent-meetups-over-coffee in the morning and more. But I was never, ever made to feel guilty about not being able to participate heavily, which was the norm once we had our second kid. (Who also went to LES for preschool, once old enough.) We can't speak to their K-8 experience, but for preschool/pre-K/TK they were fantastic.

Lesley Ellis is an independent school from pre-school to grade 6, but expanding soon to 8th. Our…read moredaughter is in her third year there and we have been delighted with the program. The teachers are an outstanding group and attuned to the needs of each individual student. The administration is truly exceptional as they create an environment where parents, children and the school come together to form a nurturing and vibrant community.

We are thrilled to have our child at Atrium. Now a 3rd-grade student, our son entered Atrium school…read morein first grade. In two years, he learned to set goals and take pride in his accomplishments while being realistic about skills that still need to be developed. He learned the value of hard work in overcoming difficulties. He learned to work independently and as part of a group. He is learning how to be a good friend and a contributing member of a community, how to be respectful, caring, open-minded and sensitive to the needs of others, and how to resolve conflicts in a constructive and positive way. Most importantly, our son absolutely loves going to school. Every morning, when I drop him off, I feel elated because I see him and other kids rush off into the building with joyful faces. Whenever you visit, you see and feel that students own the school. It is their place, their second home, their world where days are filled with exciting and meaningful projects and collaborative learning - the kind of learning that stays with the child because it is the learning the child is deeply invested in and can be proud of. We also love Atrium because it is about empowering children and building their sense of confidence and leadership skills. It is about helping each student discover and develop her or his unique strengths and abilities. It is about encouraging students to be creative problem solvers and life-long lovers of learning. It is about respect for each and every individual, it is about fostering long-lasting friendships and community. As a family, we feel fortunate to be part of the Atrium community.

Atrium School is one of those life-enhancing places. We've had our girls at the school for 6.5…read moreyears - since my oldest was in Kindergarten - and I couldn't ask for more. It's a truly progressive school with strong leadership, small class sizes, warm and wise teachers, and a school culture heavily rooted in kindness and true appreciation for a variety of learning styles. My daughter wouldn't have let us go somewhere else for middle school even if we had wanted to (which we didn't!) Worth a visit if you've ever even had a passing thought of enrolling at an independent school in the Boston area.

Went to this school when I was younger. Was bullied by both faculty and students, and the…read moreexperience there was horrid. I would never send my child there. EVER.

I agree with a previous poster. I was bullied mercilessly by students and the faculty joined in…read moreand did nothing. Teachers used to talk about me on the days I was absent to the rest of the students...gee, wonder why I had school avoidance issues? Teachers spoke in one voice-a screaming one.

We switched our eldest to Fayerweather at the start of 3rd grade seeking a school where the…read morelearning would be significantly challenging, values-rooted, and joyful. We wanted a place where our inquisitive kid could really stretch her edges and feel comfortable taking academic risks (and sometimes making mistakes). Now 12, she has a deep sense of who she is and what matters to her - and this strong sense of self has allowed her to take risks (academically and socially) and push herself as a learner and community member. She understands that justice and community are the essential foundations for learning and social impact. Our younger child (now 7) started at FSS in kindergarten and we have found that, while quite different from his older sibling, he is just as seen, valued, and supported. He has gotten incredible guidance navigating his intensity and high energy, and he is academically challenged in just the right ways - he works on meaningful problems and his sense of accomplishment is significant. Fayerweather has helped him have a voice and language for his feelings, his challenges, and his successes. The loving support and developmentally appropriate and thoughtful curriculum have allowed him to discover his best self and build the skills and agency to choose his actions wisely. FSS is all we hoped, for both kids.

We just started school at Fayerweather this fall, and my 1st grader and 6th grader cannot get over…read morehow friendly the school community is. My son came home from school after his second week of being a new kid (a middle schooler, no less -- in the 6th grade) and said "mom I give it 5 stars!!! Everyone is SO nice, teachers and kids, and I love it!!!." Now that we are four months in, happily his review remains. He also says that his homeroom and math teacher is "literally THE best math teacher" he's ever had. I'm continually impressed with how in touch with my son's learning style the teachers are, and he's growing leaps and bounds. My 6 year old daughter, who is usually shy, is coming out of her shell socially and is really starting to take to reading (which she has avoided prior to Fayerweather). Her teachers are incredible and so in tune with her and helping her to grow where she is ready to, and there is such insight into the social emotional ecosystem of the classroom. Fayerweather has the academics *and* the community we'd hoped for -- the school has a joyful, healthy, connected vibe and is inclusive and diverse to boot. We couldn't be happier.

To all the kids who feel different. To the outcasts. To the kids who hate school and would rather…read morebe doing literally anything else: this review is for you. I was an elite member of CH-CH's boarding program a zillion years ago, so I feel qualified to tell all: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Academics: Honestly? Pretty easy. Show up to class, remain conscious, do your homework, hand it in on time, and congratulations--you're probably getting an A. They did give students opportunities to explore their strengths, though, and I remember the teachers being pretty socially aware, which was genuinely cool. Extracurriculars: Drama counted as a team sport, which was fantastic for those of us who had absolutely no intention of becoming varsity athletes. You were required to either play a sport or do drama, so if you hated both...good luck! It looks like they offer more options now, which is probably for the best. Boarding: Not bad! The metal bunk beds were approximately as comfortable as sleeping in a shopping cart, and there is something inherently weird about your teachers seeing you in pajamas. But if home isn't your favorite place to be, boarding gives you somewhere else to exist for a while. Upperclassmen could do study hall in their rooms, and the weekend trips were worth taking advantage of. Social life: When I was there, the student body was basically extremely talented artists who smoked weed. The vibe was very chill. It seems like the culture has changed since then, but it's still high school, so obviously there are cliques and drama. And this school is SMALL. If you drop a pencil at 2:00, the entire student body will have developed a working theory about it by 2:15. So why two stars? Unfortunately, CH-CH was also the kind of place where you needed to be very careful about who you trusted. The culture blurred the line between teachers and students being friendly and teachers and students being friends, and those are not the same thing. Boundaries matter, especially when adults are working with teenagers. And please don't arrive expecting mental health treatment. Teachers are teachers, not therapists. Yet somehow, that did not always prevent people from offering opinions about students' mental health as though they were handing out extra-credit assignments. Also: staff gossip. My God. Sometimes I think the adults had more tea than the students did. And finally, the cafeteria. Avoid. There are enough challenges in adolescence without voluntarily adding that food to the list. Do I recommend CH-CH? Yes and no. For a kid who has always felt like the weird one, finding a school full of other weird, creative kids can do wonders for your self-esteem. There were parts of being there that I genuinely valued. Just remember: you're allowed to like your teachers without making them your friends.

This is an amazing and unique school. The school is very inclusive, my son has been incredibly…read moresupported, and he has transformed from an academically disengaged student to one who is happy, interested, and successful. The faculty and administration are caring and genuine. The student body are positive and create a warm, tightly knit community. I was on the fence about public vs private school and have two older kids who did well in our public system. For my youngest, this school has been a game changer and was one of my best parenting decisions.

I attended Fessenden class of '98. It was a different place then and my hope is that the rampant…read morephysical and sexual abuse that I encountered has come to an end. After 19 years of silence I finally reported the abuse to authorities. Based on my forensic interview the DA determined my statements were "highly credible." Unfortunately the case didn't go to trial. The school offered me 100k to shut up. Fessenden then released statements to the Boston Globe in favor of the sitting administrator having been "cleared" of my allegations. How can an administrator be cleared and reinstated following a SETTLEMENT?

i am a graduate of fessenden.the school wasgreat.the teachers were proffesional.i enjoyed the…read moreclasses and sports.was a very great time in my chjldhood.i wpuld recomend the school very much.

Wildflower Montessori is an incredible school community. All three of our children have attended…read moreand thrived in this warm, supportive, unique Montessori environment over the past 5 years. Our youngest is currently in her second year. As parents, we have seen each of our children develop strong, secure relationships with the amazing teachers and with the kind friends in their class. We have also cherished the friendships we have made with other families in this close-knit community. Recommend 100%!

This is literally the most beautiful interior space I have ever seen for children and educators and…read moreparents. It looks more like a curiosity filled art and living park than a traditional school- which can be depressing and feel stifling and even boring inside. At Wildflower, the school feels like a pastoral space where learning and exploring are a natural and engaging (fun) part of life and the world.

I've two kids - one Pre-K and the other being in 1st grade. The school builds on five principles:…read morecommunity, stewardship, integrity, simplicity, and equality - but it doesn't just talk about it. It _embraces_ them. It instills the value of community teaching the kids to be good people - to care about other folks, to think of other folk feelings. At the same time it balances the individual spark each kid has - recognizing our differences and building on the strengths. With the class sizes being on the small size it means that the kids who are excelling can get more individual attention to get more challenging problems (so that they don't get lazy), and for those who are having a harder time they can get the attention to improve. The older kids are buddies with the younger ones - sending inter-school mail, to foster reading and writing skills. Stewardship is manifested via its focus on the tangible things - recycling, carrying for the butterflies (yup, every day in the spring they learn about metamorphosis seeing caterpillars turning into butterflies), and taking care of the garden. Integrity - the kids learn to take ownership of their actions, of being truthful by setting plans out ahead and understanding ones strengths and weakness. This is a hard -try asking a kid "what were you thinking?" and the answer is never straightforward. But the teachers have a knack of asking and listening and getting to the bottom of the issue and un-jamming the emotions the little ones have. Simplicity and equality is embraced by their social justice program. The kids learn about very touchy subjects such as class injustice and racial injustice at Pre-K level! They did a play where each kid would take a different role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott - bus driver, Rosa, etc. And then swap to have other roles to try to understand each person viewpoint. Academically they are able to focus on high performers to challenge them and on the low-performers to help them. This is math, writing and reading, gym, etc. They also are able to deal with the more "energetic" kids by having ways in the class for those kids to get their energy out (swing, or climbing structures, chairs with balloon), and for the Pre-K kids having _two_ recess time. This was especially important for me as our kids are very high energy. We are very happy with our kids at CFS.

A sad excuse for a school. Back when I went here I was bullied and even spanked by teachers, in…read moreaddition I got locked in a closet for forgetting to put a block away. Not to mention the relentless bullying which included attempted strangling, isolation, physical assault, harassment, etc, and later led to death threats so bad that I had to switch towns and schools, and of course the teachers didn't do anything about it. The sheer lack of supervision also meant that kids (under the age of 10 even) would be making out in the bathrooms, in addition to vaping. And don't even get me started on the faculty, that's a whole other story. In short, I'm for the schools ultimate downfall.

Commonwealth has been an amazing school for our child. They promote a genuine love of learning and…read morescholarship. It's a small school so the kids develop strong relationships with the teachers. And the teachers are amazing... true experts in their field. The academics can be intense but we never found it overwhelming. Overall a fantastic school!

This is an extraordinary school that changed both of my children's lives for the better. If your…read morechild is the right fit for this school, it will change your child's life too. Take the time to read up on Commonwealth's history and its culture (the interactions between students, staff and teachers), because it's nothing like the other private schools in the area. It's truly unique. I cannot recommend Commonwealth highly enough.