GISB is not only our three kids' school, but it is also our family's cultural home. All our…read morechildren started in GISB preschool, and by now, our oldest daughter is studying neuroscience at Boston University, our son is writing his "Abitur" right now and will decide if he wants to study in the US or in Europe, and our 8th grader can't stop talking about how excited she is to go for a school exchange with Oslo next school year. Over the 16 years at GISB, our kids have always been taken care of, both emotionally and academically. The teachers are young and committed, the principal is competent and visionary, the parent community is strong and supportive. The German International School Boston has that name for a reason. The curriculum is German based but also covers the American highschool curriculum, and our families are international. Last year we had 39 different nationalities at our school. The annual turnover is hard, many families come for a predefined amount of time to Boston and then leave (some also stay!). But that also means that you have friends all over the world since GISB by now has a worldwide network of families who help each other. Our graduates finish school with the International Abitur and the Massachusetts High School diploma, opening doors all over the US and Europe. If you want your child grow up in a warm, nurturing setting where he/she will be raised with excellent academics and a strong focus on character-building, then you should consider this truly wonderful school!

My children attended GISB for four years. Below is an honest review of our experience. I wish I…read morehad an honest review of the school before we had decided to enroll there. Hopefully this will help parents who are considering GISB make an informed decision. Location: The traffic in Allston is bad now and will only get worse as Harvard opens its new Engineering Campus in 2020. Facilities: Upper campus is an old Catholic school that is quite shabby in areas. There is no air conditioning in the summer. The heat fails in the winter. The paint is worn out in the stairwells. The parking lot has rusty twisted broken fences. Some specific spaces such as the library have been renovated recently and are OK. Lower Campus, where the pre-K and K grades are located, is a recently converted office building. The lower campus space turns out to be quite cramped when it is full of students. If you have a young active child that needs to move and get their wiggles out over the course of the day this will be a challenging environment for them. Tuition: The German International School of Boston (GISB) demands all the tuition upfront for the school year and there are no refunds for any reason. Buyers beware of any service that demands all the money up front and puts "no refunds for any reason" in the fine print. There are also a lot of various extra fees for the after school classes, ski week, vacation week camp, etc. School Calendar: The GISB academic calendar follows the German academic calendar rather than the American academic calendar. This means that there are two week breaks in February and April where parents must scramble for childcare. Teacher turn over: In the four years that my kids attended GISB they lost teachers every year (sometimes even mid-year) for a variety of reasons (disputes over pay with the administration, visa issues, pregnancy, health problems, etc.). There is no substitute teacher pool to draw on so when a teacher is sick it is a mad scramble to cover the classroom. Even when there is plenty of advance warning of a teacher's departure. (This teacher is pregnant. She will be going out on maternity leave in 4 months.) There was no planning on the part of the administration on how to cover the class room and it was an ad hoc assortment of people covering the class which was very detrimental to the students. Teacher's Credentials: Being a private school the teachers are not subject to the same credentialing criteria as public-school teachers. When I asked the administration if I could see the credentials of my kid's teachers, I was told no. What are they hiding? Why won't they share their teaching staff's credentials? Teaching style: Modern pedagogy acknowledges that students have a variety of learning styles and that teachers need to craft their lesson plans to cover different types of learners. GISB seems firmly stuck in the 19th century with one method of teaching and if your kid doesn't get it too bad. It obviously must be the kid's fault. My older child entered public school a full year behind in reading skills than his peers after we left GISB. Thankfully he was immediately identified as someone who needed some extra help with learning to read and after just one semester in public-school, he was up to grade level. Clearly there was no learning disability on my child's part. My child just hadn't been taught to read. I have talked to other parents who have left GISB for public-school and they have related similar experiences. If a school can't do something as basic as effectively teach kids to read... Social Environment: The small classes mean that the social environment is somewhat stifling. If you kid doesn't make a friend in the handful of other kids in their class, it will be a long lonely year. If your kid becomes the target of a bully, there is no avoiding the bully. The bully is right there all the time. The teachers seem at a complete loss of what to do when bullying is brought to their attention. The teachers and school administration at GISB clearly view the student's behavioral, emotional, and social development as not their responsibility. My experience so far in the public-school system is the complete opposite. The public-school system views its mandate as helping children grow as a whole person and this includes the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral development. Addressing of Concerns and Grievances: The GISB administration, parent council, and GISB board have no interest is addressing issues that are brought to their attention. There is a constant shirking of responsibility. The standard excuse they all give is "But you have to understand GISB is a young school." GISB has been around for 18 years and there are plenty of resources available on how to effectively run a school. The public-school principal of my children's current school has a clear "The buck stops here." attitude which is so refreshing after GISB.

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.

This school is incredible. The teachers care so much about each of their students and take time to…read morefoster each child's growth. It is a safe and loving environment for children of all backgrounds. The director Leslie is superb and is so involved that the children know and love her as much as the teachers. She is understanding of many different personal situations and will work with any family to provide the best care. The ratio here is great. Kids get the attention they need. They get tons of outdoor time and enrichment. Scheduling is flexible. After coming from another school in the area that did not meet expectations I can firmly say that changing to Pilgrim was the best choice I ever made for my child.

I have a child in their first year of attendance at PNS. I have nothing but great things to say…read moreabout the school and its teachers. The women who teach there are all quite nurturing. My child loves going to school at PNS.I feel like my child is learning a lot there and just not being babysat for three hours. My child can now write their name, recognizes letters and letter sounds, and can use scissors (at 3yo). Classes are small. The atmosphere is relaxed. The teachers are all experienced and have taught there for many years. As a parent, I highly recommend going for a tour if you're looking for a small nursery school that will give your young child a great start in their school career.

My daughter is new this year to South Boston Catholic Academy, and she absolutely loves it. The…read morecurriculum is the right speed for her and her classmates, the staff is just amazing, and the facilities provide structure, access to great amenities, and lots of opportunity for fun and learning. Without a doubt, we would recommend SBCA to any parents who want a collaborative, caring environment for their child.

SBCA has done a wonderful job over the past year! The teachers and staff have worked very hard to…read morekeep the kids in school safely. We're relatively new to the SBCA family, but my son's teacher, Ms. Kristen, is an awesome communicator and I've seen such growth in my son over the past year! I look forward to the years ahead at SBCA!

A beautiful hockey rink part of Phillips Academy in MA. Ample parking. Very ADA friendly. There are…read moretwo rinks inside. Each rink had a sitting area with great views through the glass to keep warm. Maude the rink was cold and had metal bleacher style seating. It is part of a private high school. Great rink. Entire facility well maintained.

Long lasting friendships, beautiful campus, wonderful town, competitive environment. All schools…read morewith their faculty, staff, administrators and students, have their pluses and minuses for a myriad of reasons. This old school has more pluses than most.

I am a huge fan of Mount Hope Christian School! They take kids from the community starting at 15…read moremonths. We love the community of educators and families that make the school. We feel that our children are safe, loved and being taught the values that represent our family's core values. The corner stone, of course, is that the education is great - my children are equipped with life skills and a solid educational foundation for a bright future. I have three kids: one who went to the toddler program, preschool, pre-K and is now in the elementary school; another is in pre-K; the last will begin preschool when she's 2.9 years old. One thing that continues to impress me is that every single year, we get an awesome group of teachers to instruct and partner with us to raise our kids. most of the classes are pretty small but have consistent and ample staffing to provide a stable and engaging environment. They are accredited by EEC & have a fun but challenging curriculum for each age/grade. Through early Covid, the school reacted and engaged with the students at a very high level online. In fall 2020, they opened back up for in person learning. Our family did not partake in that school year but we missed a lot of things about it and tried to stay informed. The only thing that has made me sad is when families move to public school for elementary and the little friendships and parent relationships fall off. I am encouraged that there is talk of expanding the school to include middle school in the near future and I hope this has an impact on more kids staying. Either way, we know Mount Hope is the right place for us! The facilities are well-kept and have recently been renovated (all of the bathrooms are new and updated and the playground equipment has been recently changed). There is a hot lunch program, which is prepared on site and catered by Burlington famous pizza. There is also for school and after school care options available. It's definitely an investment to get great childcare and education, but it's an investment well worth it! Our kids are our now and our future!

My experience with this school was extremely disappointing…read more My son spent 4 years here and completed 2nd grade unable to read independently. During that time, we trusted the school's guidance, paid thousands of dollars in tuition, and believed he was making academic progress. Only after seeking outside evaluations did we discover that he was significantly behind in reading and writing. In my opinion, this school is not properly equipped to support children who need additional academic help or who have speech and communication delays. Rather than providing meaningful support and intervention, it often felt as though children with extra needs were viewed as a burden. What disappointed me most was the lack of urgency and concern regarding my child's learning progress. As parents, we expected honest communication, early intervention, and a clear plan to help him succeed. Unfortunately, that was not our experience. Parents should carefully monitor their child's academic development and ask questions early and often. Do not assume everything is on track simply because your child is being promoted to the next grade. Every child deserves educators who are genuinely committed to their success and willing to provide the support they need to thrive.

Unlike Chris A - I think the place has been wonderful for my child. Chris A had me curious on why…read moreonly one star? I proceeded to see Chris A's other reviews... yup , all one Star reviews! If you can't be subjective- why share only bad reviews. My child had the opportunity to attend one of the top public H.S. In state - we as parents chose St Mary's and feel it's been a great fit. I recommend contact St Mary's- send your child to shadow a student for the day - and make a choice with facts in hand. St. Mary's might not be for everyone- but in our car we couldn't be happier with a school. Side note - another one of our kids does attend that top school I mentioned in note.

The North Shore's premier Catholic college prep.read more

This is a serious school, Christian but not narrow-minded, and not flinching from complicated…read morequestions and issues. What I like best is its strong emphasis on social justice and engagement with society. Excellent academics with teachers readily available to help. They also address the social and emotional needs of the child. After-school clubs and sports, with students staying as late as 6 pm with no extra charge. My daughter is extremely happy there because of the small, family feeling ("everyone knows me!") and there are so many opportunities for such a small school: drama, art, music, sports, model UN, etc. As long as we get good financial aid and can make ends meet, she'll stay there. I'm sorry for the previous reviewer. I obviously don't know the details, but they do have rigorous academic standards. I haven't found them to be harsh, just serious.

I attended this school from 2015-2017 as a middle schooler and wanted to acknowledge that after all…read moreof my schooling experience, this school is the one I appreciated the most. The impact Boston Trinity Academy had on my life was very unique, it cultivated an environment of faith and respect for others while still challenging me to dive deeper and find my own path. At 21, I can still recognize the importance of having these incredible teachers as a part of my life.