The Bigfoot Institue is one of the primary money makers for 826, which is an awesome non-profit…read moreorganization that dedicates it's time to helping kids be creative. For Free! Programs at 826 include writing lyrics, stories, and, what was that? Food reviews! Yelpers beware, the bar will be raised when all these 826ers make thier way over here to write reviews with their newly honed creative skills! I cannot think of a better cause to donate to or volunteer at (Oh.... I would SOOOO volunteer... why can't I live closer?) But let's get back to the storefront. Legend has it... (okay, it may be more fact than legend but still)... legend has it, that, the original 826 could not set up shop at their current location without a retail location. So all of there creative writers and teachers sat together in one room and decided the retail location should be dedicated to Pirates, and VOILA! The first 826 was born. Each 826 has it's own creative storefront, out of tradition, and this one is dedicated to Bigfoot. And Bigfoot you will find here, or, at least, gloves that look like his hands, and safari hats and investigation kits and documentaries, and lab items.... OH!!! What a delight. So even if you have no interest in 826's REAL purpose, you should stop by and check out Bigfoot. He might just be the main attraction!

I applied for a position here, interviewed for an hour and was promptly ghosted. No follow up…read moreemail, even after I reached to request an update. No courtesy rejection notice. Nothing. This just isn't how you operate an organization.

Five reasons why this school is outstanding and why we send our child to GUS…read more 1. Student to teacher ratio is amazingly low due to the co-teacher model. In addition, there are five other special subject teachers and the children attend these classes biweekly. I have observed extensive one-on-one teaching and each child is given individual mentoring and coaching. In addition there is time to attend to the all the students, encompassing their own unique developmental needs. 2. The schools policies are top notch - including safety, honesty, and respect for each individual. A super important and wonderful policy surrounds the use of technology. It is not relied upon to fill in due to lack of school resources, nor are cell phones allowed to be powered on by students within the school grounds. 3. A focus of the curriculum is on teaching kids to communicate and understand one another using honesty and empathy. The children have certain times of the week they focus on social and emotional growth and development. When situations arise that require attention, a great deal of effort is made to help children work out their own solutions with support. 4. Children learn to advocate for others and for themselves. The curriculum integrates time for learning to speak up for and stand up for those who need additional support. 5. A really special highlight is that our children learn to speak and perform individually and collectively in front of groups - ranging from their peers in small groups to assemblies in front of the entire school. We are very fortunate that we chose GUS and that we can send our child to GUS!

My two kids entered GUS at grade 6 (the "upper school") from the homeschooling environment. They…read morewanted to be in a more traditional school setting, I wanted to ensure their learning environment retained the best parts of homeschooling: diverse, flexible, multi-layered (go as deep as you like!), integrated, and "homey." From day one, GUS has satisfied everyone's needs. I have no question that my children are understood - not just by the teachers and students, but members of the administration and faculty. It is an academically open minded and encouraging place, and thanks to GUS, both my kids have found their voice in ways that pleasantly surprised me. GUS is forward thinking in its mindset, but old fashioned in its process. Trustworthy and creative. It is a very good place.

Our toddler loves the toddler program! It has been really beneficial to her development and the…read moreteachers are so kind and supportive. She's been in other daycares and there is nothing like this school and you definitely cannot get the attention, activities, outdoor space or support elsewhere .

This school is so welcoming and supportive of its students! Our granddaughter started at the…read moreschool in first grade and is now in third grade. N

Full disclosure: I was an employee of the Highrock Covenant Preschool, now the New Covenant…read morePreschool, for the 2010-2011 academic year as an Assistant Preschool Teacher. I have a bachelor's degree in Child Development from Tufts University, and am Preschool Lead Teacher and Infant/Toddler Teacher certified by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care. That said, this preschool was, by far, the most dynamic, caring, and stimulating preschool I've ever had the privilege to work for! New Covenant is a preschool motivated by the Christian faith. Grace is said before snack, and positive Bible stories are often shared in the morning circle. The Christian faith inspires the school's dedication to thanksgiving, forgiveness, and honesty. The classrooms are well-equipped with a variety of stations and activities. They are clean, meticulously organized, and children-focused. The schedules are intentionally built to foster creativity and support learning while maintaining a four-year-old's attention span. The teachers are extremely well-qualified and deeply compassionate. There is intentional and frequent communication between teachers and parents, and teachers are seen as partners in the development of the children. Academically, the school thoroughly prepares its pupils for kindergarten and beyond. Besides the essential social skills that every kindergartener needs in order to succeed, New Covenant teaches age-appropriate mathematics and literacy, adapted to each child's individual level. Student progress is recorded and analyzed to maximize the efficiency of lesson plans. The arts are a priority, and music is often included as a tool in the lesson plans. I would highly recommend this school for parents of all faith backgrounds.