About 8 years ago I wrote a one star * negative review about Cushing. Two other alumni with bad…read moreexperiences Yelped me behind the scenes thanking me for my review. Today, all these years later I am reversing my review to a full ***** five star positive review. The reason for this is twofold. 1) With greater age, wisdom & grey hair starting to grow, I realized that these criticisms that I had, while valid, are also very common problems. Common coin of many educational, professional & family environments. Therefore to blame Cushing alone for them, when they are common problems, was overzealous; yet in a sense also valid; with belief & hope that Cushing can do better than the average; in fact exceptional on these issues, if it wished to in the future; among the best of schools. 2) That leads to my second reason for reversing the review from one star to five stars is my belief that the new Headmaster, Randy R. Bertin, Ed.D. has the capacity to lead Cushing in the right direction, to a better future, in these, as-well-as, all sorts of other ways. I have returned to Cushing about ten times or more since graduation in 1981; including four class reunions and to speak & work with several of my professors, for years after graduation. I strongly support the concept of "community building." Over the years, along with face-to-face, as well as email communications, multiple generations of Cushing Headmasters, along with other leaders, have gradually, step-by-step, showed me how they were making Cushing Academy a better & better place. My intention is not to degrade or discredit the negative reviews of other alumni or students. No institution or for that matter person is perfect, and given the #s of students that go through such a revolving door, there are almost guaranteed to be at least a few bad experiences for one reason or another. The "big question" for every school, institution & person, including myself, is how are we going to honestly, directly & clearly look at these problems & mistakes, that one or another of us may likely make at some point, or have already made, and both make remedy, as well as do everything reasonably possible to prevent it from happening again. As well as all the fun, creative, educational, & enjoyable stuff we ask our educational leaders to create or make possible as well...In these ways, Cushing history is not perfect, but it is based on my experience, continuing to improve over the years, getting better & better with time! Lets keep on complaining & also keep on improving! Not afraid to look at the negative problems, but recognize them, resolve them, prevent them from happening again, improve beyond them! My Cushing experience was amazing because I met and was assisted my multiple teachers in and out of the classroom that were among the best I had in life and beyond my public school. Met great life-long friends, & had all the typical sports, games, getaways to Boston, each other's houses, & much more. It was over all a great, fun, amazing time!!! Thank you, Cushing! A very cultural experience that a local, yokel, from a small hick town, in Vermont, could get a worldwide view of experience, connecting with students, & people from all over the USA & the world...That to me was amazing!!! Like my backwoods' bad grammar; Cushing "ain't" perfect; but unlike my grammar; it is an awesome & amazing place not to miss!!

Wow. Read the negative review and wanted to provide some balance. My grandfather went to Cushing…read morewith Bette Davis. My mom went there and graduated top of her class in the 50's. I graduated from Cushing in 1974 and on to work on-air in network radio in New York and on Madison Avenue. My nephews graduated in the past few years and both of them are achieving and growing in the arts -- one's a professional photographer and the other a musician. Without Cushing Academy, some of the high points of our lives could never have occurred. I highly recommend the school for its low teacher/student ratio and even individual attention that bring out the positive aspects of those with mild learning differences. Cushing is located in the bucolic little town of Ashburnham not far from Boston. The location is very convenient, yet far enough out to be in touch with nature and a slightly slower pace of life.

Our daughter is currently enrolled in the toddler program at 2nd Nature Academy, and has been since…read moreshe was eight weeks old. I truly believe there is no other place I would have felt comfortable dropping off my daughter! The staff are professional, kind, and clearly love what they do. The physical campus is also incredible, and I cannot believe the spaces she is able to explore. She never stops talking about the farm animals! She is so delighted to go in each morning, and we could not be happier that we found such a wonderful place for her to learn and grow.

My child is so very happy at second nature. I am thrilled we found the perfect school. Public…read moreschool was just not right for my son. He is learning Mandarin and conversational Spanish along with his core subjects- all of which he is able to move along at a pace that works for him. I particularly like the way they handle typical "elementary" conflict. They hold a meeting, everyone can speak their mind and then they all decide how they can work through it.. a real life skill! In my child's old school an argument at recess meant children "sitting out" not able to play simply because they had a conflict about something. This fostered ill feelings amoung the children rather than empowering them to work out issues and move on together.. a very adult way to handle things. It's the small details like this that make all the difference in the world for ensuring children become productive members of society. After visiting many private schools we are so glad we decided on Second Nature Academy!

Fay School is an internationally-respected private school in Southborough, Massachusetts for boys…read moreand girls in grades pre-school through 9, with an optional boarding program for students in middle school. A campus with extraordinary resources, teachers who actively mentor, a forward-thinking curriculum, and a diverse and inclusive community all inspire Fay students to excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics, and to productive and fulfilling lives.

Great school culture and rich tradition with a goal of educating students to be a better person…read more Fay students are constantly evaluated along the line of Fay education missions. Their core values are truly reflected on their day to day campus activities emphasizing both adacemic excellency and character development, in addition to efforts, services and wellness. The way they do it is very age-appropriate therefore rather effective. A well-deserved best junior school in the US.

Never send your child to their preschool programs. If your child does not fit into their box, they…read morewill not be accepted. My children were treated unfairly and the staff was unwilling to support the child. Rather, it was easier for them to discard them. The director and staff lack sincere compassion for what is best for ALL children. Thinking about enrolling here? I would seriously reconsider. There are more loving and caring schools in the area.

Wonderful school. Great sense of community every teacher knows your child. Not only do they teach…read moreacademics but they teach community service and how to be a respectful citizen.

The Putney School is a great place to experience high school! The students are from all over the…read moreworld, which adds so much to life and just to the way one learns about everything. From working in the barns and the dining room, and living in the dorms one learns about oneself AND about others. I love the mentoring experience, and that dozens of kids are from international backgrounds which lets me learn in new ways from both the faculty AND the students. A terrific place!

hello i had dinner at the KDU last night. Terrible service. Danny O'Brian was our waiter, he LIED…read moreto us about the origin of all the food. He told one of our dinner mates that the chicken was full of gluten and she could not eat the chicken. But later he revealed that it was in fact not glutenous. disappointed to say the least.

We have had an absolutely amazing experience at the Fenn so far. Our son, who just joined the 5th…read moregrade, is about three months in so far and is having the time of his life. Coming from a public school, the environment couldn't be more different; he is constantly challenged, both in terms of the freedom given to him to organize his own day and show up to places on time and also academically, where (for someone who always excelled in his public schools) he is being challenged for the first time. Our entire experience - from the first contact with the admissions team to our last event at the school - has been more than we could have hoped, and we're so excited about the future at Fenn!

Fenn has been an absolutely terrific experience to date. The communication and caliber of the…read moreteachers is fantastic. We have been impressed by the coordination and dedication of the faculty and current headmaster. I would highly reco

We sent our son there for one month, some may say it is a lot of money for one month. It was worth…read moreevery dime. What Eagle Hill accomplished in one month no other educator has been able to do. My son finally became motivated, believes in himself and is confident about his learning. The school and campus is state of the art. The staff and instructors know how to motivate students and get the most out of them. Only one word describes Eagle Hill and that is Incredible.

High Mowing is a place that does its best to educate the whole person. How unusual is that? In an…read moreage where schools just seem to care about test scores, High Mowing sends kids out on survival camping trips, gets boys to Morris Dance around a May Pole, and has as high status accomplishments, hosting the 3 or 4 coffeehouses or designing the school's year book. Yea, some kids get into Wellsley or Cornell, and they did win the basketball championship 3 years in a row, but the school is really about the arts, being yourself, and doing your best. My two kids go there and love it. We're lucky the place exists and incredibly lucky it is down the street.

From the owner: High Mowing School is a Waldorf high school for boarding and day students, where talented and…read moreexperienced teachers draw on the wisdom of Waldorf education, and nurture the interests of today's young people. We utilize an approach to learning that is based on an understanding of the developing human being and the changing world around us. We offer an experiential and vigorous program of arts-infused academics within a small and friendly school community, where young people and adults have the opportunity to form authentic and meaningful relationships. We provide a complete program of humanities, math, science, world languages, fine, practical and performing arts, diverse movement education and individual interest electives -- all immersed in and surrounded by nature.

When we chose Bement, we were looking for a school that would challenge our child academically but…read morealso help her grow as a person. What we found was even more than that--a community where teachers truly know and care about each student and where kids feel comfortable pushing themselves in new directions. Since joining Bement, my daughter has taken up basketball--something she would never have tried before. The team trains every day, and they take their games seriously, but what stands out the most is the way she's grown through it. She's learning to work hard, handle wins and losses with confidence, and, most importantly, enjoy the process. It's been amazing to see her build resilience and discover the joy of competing as part of a team. What we love most is that every day at Bement is filled with art, music, sports, diverse cultures, and a deep sense of care for one another. We are grateful to be part of the Bement family and encourage other families to discover the opportunities this special school offers. --- Patricia Kung

Bement is a school where the kids LOVE to learn. They also learn to socialize, play sports, eat…read moremeals together, have art and PE on a daily basis, learn new languages, and learn about different cultures. The Bement teachers truly care for each student and raise the bar so that each child stretches and reaches their potential!!!! Bement is simply amazing!!!! In every aspect!

Great private Christian school, with great teachers and faculty. The teachers and faculty are…read morereally involved and have a passion for what they do! Great Christ - centered school! Would definitely recommend!

One if not the Best Christian/Private schools around. Great teachers, fantastic curriculum and…read morecaring environment! This is our first year and our children have learned so much!! Kudos to the wonderful staff and leadership!