My daughter went to Gesu for kindergarten. Quite a few family members including my mother attended Gesu. During my daughters' semester, there were a few pros and cons I liked.
Communication and Follow-Up
Pros; her teacher encouraged regular communication via written notes. I found if I had questions I could write her a message and she would get back with me. Con; sometimes I would hear back in 48 hours. There was no way to speak with my daughters' teacher during regular hours and by the time I picked her up, she was gone. I left a few messages for the principal to call me back and I noticed pretty quickly she was nearly impossible to get in contact with...she never returned my call. Lastly I had multiple issues with the lunch program. I paid a month in advance for pizza day (Wednesday) and at least once a month they told my daughter, instead of calling me that she didn't pay for lunch. They had to make a lunch for her using leftovers. I had to prove on a regular basis she paid for her lunch and constantly tried to communicate with the lunch coordinator to contact me directly if there were issues...they never did and the missed lunches continued to occur. I was utterly frustrated and fed up with that.
Academics:
Pros; I was impressed with the level of work and homework given ...even for kindergartens. I felt the school challenged her intellect and prepared her for 1st grade.
Cons; it wasn't until my daughter started 1st grade at her new school that I realized her academic struggles. This is not entirely at fault of Gesu, however I was a bit shocked.
Programs:
Pros; Gesu offers several programs for children to participate in. Ballet, Music, sports, chess, choir, etc. I actually was impressed with their diversity of offerings.
Tuition:
Pros; upon researching Catholic schools, I've found Gesu to be the least expensive.
Cons; however, the cost was still a bit much for our budget. $4,000 a year for Kindergarten. We elected a charter school for 1st grade.
Building:
Pros: I loved the architecture of the building. From the original stone floors to the original wooden accents, the building is beautiful.
Cons: there are a few rooms that are desperately in need of an update. I've mentioned on several occasions the bathrooms are in dire need of repair. They are quite embarrassing as a parent to use and I was surprised this was appropriate for our children. Upon orientation Parents were informed of repairs and upgrades that would be made...none of them happened during that year.
Excellent for parents who work and need before and after care. They have homework help and engaging activities as early as 7am and as late as 6pm.
Overall my daughter bonded and made great friends. She enjoyed her experience, however it wasn't enough for me to have her return. read more