1,000. Days? Meals?…read moreFriends? . . . Reviews?? How to mark a relatively minor yet personally important milestone? I didn't want to just do an *average* review, nor did I want to be so aggrandizing as to create a new "listing" of my own Yelp life. [I did think about that one, though...]. Then it hit me: where it all began. Sure, I didn't start at Westminster til 6th grade (that little spurt in Chatt for preschool then another Atlanta private school came before) but it is the most formative educational experience of my life. Even - I think - more than UVA. What I learned, from the "Christian preparatory school for boys and girls" [Note: the specifically Christian part has changed since I was there in the 80s and 90s] is . . . hard to concisely explain [there are some negatives, which I will also mention]. Highlights: *How to think. My parents planted this seed early and they wisely knew I should be in a place where I was challenged, motivated, and importantly - intrigued. *How to create. So many friends have gone on to do amazingly creative, artistically or otherwise, things [see John Pringle http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=john+pringle+wednesday+with+steve+mcqueen&FORM=VRMATS&mmalsid=&mmsosid=385bcb7f-e962-3d3d-e30d-9cf6536fea31&crslsl=0 and Rob Lathan - http://www.roblathan.com/ Zach Hanks http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1189565/bio, just to name three . . .] *The dynamics of social hierarchy: put a lot of bright kids together - and I assure you not all rich WASPy kids - and you've got to learn some social skills, life tactics, motivation . . . [negatives: much like any JH and HS environments, cliques, snottiness, general *rivalries* exist] *Exposure to language and travel. From JH language classes and my first real foray abroad with my French class in 8th grade (I ultimately ended up with enough scores and credits to place out of any college requirements) to trips like Young Life's Western Tour that took us to TX, CO, Mexico, CA and back, with lots of stops in between (Have you climbed Half Dome? Pretty awesome). *The advantages to having so many interests at your use (and waiting or required, depending) - language! science! theater! oh my . . . *An athletic environment par none in Atlanta at my time, and amazingly even better now (and, frankly all "extra-curricular" outlets are as well- have you ever been forced to do a swing jump then safety catch as part of your high school curriculum? Didn't think so - oh, and I had to do mine in a cheerleading skirt). *Simply outstanding teachers (97.2% of the time) [Some pretty stern faculty members-in-charge could use a reset] *Wayyyy big preparation for college - I (and many of my classmates) say Westminster was more challenging than college (and we went to places like UVA, UNC, Dartmouth, Princeton, etc...) Negatives, so to speak, other than I have noted above? Intense competition and pressure; example: a typical weeknight for me as a high school sophomore was two hours of [cross country/cheerleading/tennis] practice, then homework from 8-11 pm, back up at 630 am. Varsity athletes who were also striving to keep being honor students did this every day, every week. Even Type As like me were . . . working hard and beyond. Social pressure - the flip side of acquiring those adult social skills. It's going to be in any Jr High or High School world, but it is amplified in such a brilliant environment. The Type Bs, so to speak - there for family reasons, because it is a phenomenal school, because . . .a really tough place to be as a kid and teen. Super spendy. A smart kid can learn well and go on to do well, regardless of their surroundings, but this kind comes at a price, which I believe is worth it, but it's a pretty big one in terms of dollars. Bottom line? I wouldn't trade it - the experience, the education, the whole shebang - for anything. As much as this smart, Type A, blonde cheerleading captain, WASP girl might have "fit in" and "excelled" - despite the expectations and challenges, on many levels, it is a privilege to go to a place like Westminster for education and way more. And a lot of other kids, different than me - can feel the exact same way. My parents didn't do everything right for sure, but they are the ones who made sure my hide was in that chair in Mrs. Norman's 6th grade English class, and taught me all about diagramming sentences. Part of why I get to write my 1,000th review. Exit, Stage Left.

The Westminster Schools is a private K-12 Christian school in the heart of Atlanta's Buckhead…read moreneighborhood. If you go on their website, you can find the facts that almost speak for themselves: stellar college placements, consistent state champions on a variety of teams, and a campus that rivals many liberal arts colleges. Beyond all of that, however, this is where I learned to study hard and grow as a human being. The religious nature of the school allowed me to gain a comprehensive education in Christianity, and the teachers here are second to none. Even five years out, I still keep in touch with many of them. The price tag is steep, and the social and academic pressure is high, but Westminster gave me a middle school and high school education that made me who I am today. For that, I thank you. Five stars cannot cover what I learned here.

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses…read more Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employer I think Galloway is a great school for Liberal Arts not being a liberal. My daughter loves the way the teachers teach and allow you to express your thoughts and approach to life. Yes, Galloway has an open way to accept everyone. I think it's great because some of the other independent schools don't. Minority students have a hard time adjusting to the culture/environment of the school. The administration listen to everyone whether you have money or not. If you are a family that gets involved and take pride in your children education, they listen to your comments and suggestions. Some schools don't listen to anything the parents have to say because it's tradition. "This is the way we always did it speech" comes after you make a suggestion about the school. At Galloway, the community helps shape the educational climate. I love it. The new concepts and theme of our school explains who we are. At Galloway, we do 4d learning which touches four areas which are daring, deliberate, dynamic, and discovery. if you don't want your children to explore learning and not do traditional learning. Galloway is for you!

I went to Galloway from K-12, so this comes from a very long firsthand experience. There are…read moredefinitely positives: it is a kind, supportive environment, the teachers generally care, and the school does a good job making students feel seen as individuals. I understand why a lot of Buckhead families are drawn to it. That said, looking back as an adult, I do not feel like it prepared me especially well for real life. There was a lot of emphasis on "be your best self," which sounds good on paper, but in my experience there was less emphasis on discipline, toughness, accountability, and the kind of academic rigor that actually helps once you leave a protected school environment. It helped get me into Alabama, but I was not especially well prepared once I got there, and that became obvious pretty quickly. Now I work in residential real estate, and while I do fine, it is not exactly the kind of challenging or deeply fulfilling professional path I once thought a school like Galloway was preparing me for. It is a very relationship-driven job with long hours, and if I am being honest, a lot of where I landed had more to do with family connections than with any real edge the school gave me. That is the part I think prospective families should think about. Galloway was good at making students feel comfortable and affirmed. I am less convinced it was good at pushing them hard enough to thrive on their own later.

This is a fantastic school!! There is an international community that is unparalleled at other…read moreprivate schools in Atlanta. The school is adding a 3-year-old immersion preschool program in Fall 2012. They also have 4- and 5-year old Kindergarten and 1st through 12th grade following the International Baccalaureate program. It is a beautiful campus and getting better all the time!

From the owner: Atlanta International School offers all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programs to over…read more1350 U.S. and international students from three-year-old kindergarten to grade 12. Rigorous academics are enriched by a world-class language acquisition program, which begins with a full-immersion preschool program in Spanish, French and German. The school offers STEM-and STEAM-endorsed and bilingual diplomas in addition to the prestigious IB diploma. Beyond the classroom, AIS students participate in award-winning performing and fine arts opportunities, competitive athletics and global experiential learning.

Our church uses this campus for some of our bigger events. It is a beautiful, beautiful school with…read morelots of open spaces! The landscape is always trimmed and clean, and the interior is fully equipped with technology and furnished with adequate school utilities. If you are looking for a large space to rent out - this is definitely not a bad option!

We have been at MIS since it opened, and my kids feel so lucky to be learning there. The classes…read moreare small so attention is individualized. The staff truly know and care about my children. My kids feel safe, respected, challenged, and cherished. And they get to go on independence-building, eye-opening, amazingly fun trips every year! We had zero problems transitioning to middle and high school because the environment is so inclusive. As a parent, witnessing that development of an empathetic and open mindset has been truly one of the most important outcomes in our current day.

We came to MIS five years ago because of its pledge that "no one waits to learn." They've kept…read morethat commitment, working with us creatively to provide challenging courses for our gifted children. The teachers are exceptional, and exceptionally committed to engaging gifted children. We love the diversity of the school and faculty, and we appreciate the support for social and emotional development as well as academics. We also love the opportunities for international travel that are back after being paused for covid. We hope the high school especially will keep growing, but accept that our kids' peer groups are smaller than at other schools as the flip side of having small classes and individual engagement from teachers. As our older son begins looking at colleges, the dedicated college counseling they provide is also a huge plus.

Great neighborhood Catholic church and school, similar to what we're use to in/from the Northeast…read more Come home.

I went to school at OLA for 8 years. I didn't think it was a well run school and some of the…read moreteachers did not know what they were doing. I have heard it is much better than it used to though since I have been out of that school for about 4 years now.

This is a amazing school my son goes here and has learned so much. Currently his teacher is mrs…read morebillups and she is wonderful.

From the owner: Trinity School is an independent co-educational elementary school located in Atlanta, Georgia,…read moreserving ages three through Sixth Grade. Founded in 1951, the School is a non-profit, tax-exempt institution governed by an independent Board of Trustees. Since its founding, Trinity's vision has been to provide a nurturing environment in which to challenge students.