As a teacher myself, choosing the right school for my children was incredibly important, and I cannot commend how well St. Vincent Ferrer School has shaped my daughter intellectually, socially, and spiritually. Over the past four years, I have watched her truly blossom into a well-rounded student. The deep sense of community here is remarkable, it truly feels like an extended family. This connection is beautifully on display during school traditions like the All-School Olympics Challenge and our annual Fun Run, where older students step in to guide and mentor the younger students through different obstacles. Seeing that culture of leadership and kindness in action solidified why parents choose this community. We are so thrilled with our experience that my son will be starting at St. Vincent Ferrer in the fall, and we are excited for him to thrive in this warm, loving environment. read more

I would caution any family considering St. Vincent Ferrer to think carefully before enrolling. I have been a parishioner since I was 13 years old and received my Confirmation here, and my children have attended for the past five years. Because of that long history, I expected a strong, supportive, and safe environment for families. Unfortunately, my experience has not reflected that expectation. Concerns raised as a parent were not taken seriously, and I did not feel that issues involving student well-being and bullying were addressed with appropriate urgency or accountability. As a result, I did not feel confident that my concerns about my children's emotional well-being were being properly supported or prioritized. Based on my experience, I would encourage parents to ask very direct questions about how bullying and student concerns are handled before making a decision to enroll. read more

As a Hispanic parent in this community, reading about the experiences shared by families regarding bullying concerns and lack of communication at St. Vincent Ferrer School is deeply upsetting. Every parent deserves to feel heard when advocating for their child's emotional well-being and safety. I hope the administration responds with transparency, compassion, and accountability so families feel supported rather than dismissed! read more

Teachers here really care for their students, and the administration looks out for the teachers. I have never felt so at home anywhere else. The extent that these staff members go to, to help students and parents through the tough years of early childhood and teenage years, is amazing. Communication is consistent, teachers are trained in upcoming Professional Developments to include the latest teaching techniques, and offer ample fun opportunities to give back to the community and engage students in extra curricular activities. read more

I am an alum of St. Vincent Ferrer School and current parent of two students. The teachers, staff, parish and general school community are welcoming, supportive and fun! It's a great place to be! Go Friars!! read more

It serms that Alexandra wrote a review based on when she attended a decade ago ! The new principal has been there a few years and has brought BIG changes. He fired most of the teachers including Palermo (who I agree was beyond cruel). Has hired great new teachers. He has hired a social worker to help address bullying issues. He has written or grants and ha brought alot of money for ipads and a new playground. My son who is now in highschool was well prepared his freshman year. My 7th grade son loves his class. My kids are minorities and my sons 7th grade class is made p of 1/3 kids of color. read more

I am a minority and I can say that the way Snt. Vincent's has treated my son has been great!!! The way we feel about our selves is just the way we will be treated in life. The color of our skin or our nationality will not be part of been different. If my family and I have the $$$$ to give my son a better educatin and we are able to afort it, that means that I'm the same as everybody else in the community. I can only teach my son how to succeed in life and this school has the potential to give him the tools to became a great leader!!!! read more

I have two children in the early childhood program at SVF. Last year was our first year, and my family couldn't be happier. At 3 and 4 years old, my kids are learning Spanish, going to computer lab, and use technology (iPads and Smartboards) to spice up the way they learn, not to mention the fundamentals of ABCs, writing their letters/name and math homework on IXL (a computer program that they fight over)! When I was looking at where to send them to school, I thought the education they received should be my primary focus, which to some extent it still is. But my family has received so much more at St. Vincent's! We have found a place for our children to learn and grow, and we have found a real community to raise our children in. If you are looking at new schools, I would recommend coming to St. Vincent's for a tour. Once you see the classes, meet the staff and families, you won't want to look any further. read more

Beware parents! Don't let the beautiful exterior of St. Vincent Ferrer fool you. What may seem as a safe, controlled environment for your child to have a good quality education is not the case here. Especially when it involves your child being bullied. You will be paying a great deal of money to send your child to a private school so make sure that you interview the principal and faculty in regards to how something that's so common in schools such as bullying, is handled. I will let you know from my first hand experience at SVF how bullying is handled here; it's not. Especially when you're a minority. My child, a minority, as well as another child, a minority, has transferred out of St. Vincent Ferrer in the same week! Not to mention, they are both in 8th grade so its quite uncommon and unprecedented. I do not know the exact reason for the transfer of the other student but from my understanding and from what I've heard, this child was bullied by students and the teachers did not like him/her. I'm writing this review so that parents who are considering St. Vincent Ferrer school, are advised that this type of unjust treatment may very well happen to your child. I do not wish this type of treatment on anyone. Children's lives, education, self esteem, trust are at stake when bullying goes on without consequence to the aggressor. My child has been at St. Vincent Ferrer since kindergarten. I felt it necessary to transfer her after she's been continually bullied by the same female classmate for atleast two years. The previous principal was caring and compassionate about the situation and didn't allow bullying at this school. She took the proper steps to effectively handle the situation. The new principal here at SVF has showed zero regard or humanity in regards to how my child was being bullied. It's merely swept under the rug. Everyone turns a blind eye to it. The faculty will tell you that they will "monitor" bullying type behavior. So your child has to endure as much torment and isolation possible until and only until, the principal or SVF faculty "catch" the bully in the act. So after this "bully" got the whole class to go against my child and torment her, the new principal who just started here last year 2011/12, called two students to his office and told them to tell the class to "chill out". This is how the bullying my child endured for so many years was handled. Not a conference with the parents or students involved, not even a warning to the bully or parents. Just a "chill out". Very unprofessional and cold in a way. My review solely focuses on how bullying was handled in my case. I cannot speak for any other parent/student. This is what happened to my child. It is a fact, not just an accusation. No one wants to have to transfer their child in their 8th grade year unless they feel as though their child is unsafe. This was the case for my child. Not to mention, before even finalizing where my child was transferring, the principal made an announcement to the class that my child has "already transferred". But she hadn't transferred, not yet. No child should ever feel this type of disregard, isolation, distrust; not only from bullies but from the school, principal and faculty in which they trust. Me and my family have had a negative experience at SVF. Bullying is a major epidemic and kids are committing suicide because of it. Is that not enough to handle the situation effectively enough to ensure that bullying another student doesn't go unwarranted. Bullies will also bully so long as their actions have no repercussion or action against them. This was the case. The bully gets away with everything she has done to my child unscaved and my child is effected for the rest of her life. All because this situation wasn't handled and emotionlessly disregarded. Bullying is NOT a rite of passage; it is a crime. Within adults, it's harassment, stalking, etc. but with kids, "they're just being kids"? Maybe for the aggressor; not so much for the victim. If you want your child in a "Zero Tolerance" type of school where the principal and the faculty take bullying seriously, please reconsider enrolling your child in this school. It will save you and your child a lot of heartache and hurt. Do your homework. Talk to other parents. This is just my situation but it may not be the same for you. But it's definitely not a chance I'd be willing to take! For the record, I have talked with other parents who have also transferred their child out of this school due to bullying in the past two years. Sometimes you have to make a lot of noise to be heard- so I'm speaking.... My daughter was silenced due to excessive torment and bullying; No child should ever have to feel this way, especially in a school where their focus should be on their education and future... read more

I have a child in the junior high at St. Vincent and we are very pleased with the progress the school has made over the last several years. Scores on all standardized tests have consistently gone up. The junior high teachers all work together to ensure that the students are prepared for high school. There has been a surge of technology with the installation of Smart Boards in nearly all the classrooms. This year all students are working on Ipads whether they are their own or Ipads purchased by the school. St. Vincent continues to make great strides in the right direction. I am very happy to have chosen SVF for my child. read more

I have 2 children in the Early Childhood program and couldn't be happier. They have learned more than I ever expected and the fact that they offer iPads and Smart Boards is just an added bonus. My children as well as our family are all treated with the utmost respect. This school is a wonderful asset to our community and I would highly recommend looking into it if you live in the area. read more

I am a Parent of 4 children that all went to SVF School, along with my wife and all her family. I am very disappointed by some of the reviews I read below which I believe, do not reflect the true essence of SVF as a Parish and a School. Have we had problems at times in the past, yes we did, just like any organization in this world. However, SVF has done a superb job in addressing deficiencies they might have had and it would not be standing today, 75 years after opening, if it was not for the good education it provides our kids. The kids come out of SVF with a good education, not only scholar but a life long education. While I understand that not all schools work for all children unfortunately, I would never put a school, where so many kids have successfully graduated from and went on doing some fabulous things in life, down like this. The current Principal has done some great things for our school and it has been growing each year, while others have closed. We had changes in the teachers, education tools, upgrades in infrastructures.... We are a school with Ipads and smart boards with a great faculty that cares about the kids. I support 100% the school as I have seen my kids become better students and do well in High School and College. They were all well prepared for the entrance exam and for their 4 years in High School and beyond. I know that there is a lot of schools to chose from but I encourage any parent interested in checking out the school to contact the office and ask for Chona (she is the nicest person you will meet). GOD bless you and SVF School read more

My son attends St Vincent's preschool. We are very happy with the school. Teachers are great and respectful. They work super hard and care about education. There are chances to get involved and become a part of community. One can volunteer by attending various functions throughout the year, Santa's secret workshop, Daddy-daughter dance, sports activities, etc... People shouldn't complain they didn't feel 'included' if they do t put an effort into being a part of the school life and socializing. My son will keep going to St Vincent's and my daughter will too when she's old enough. read more

My daughter attended kindergarten at SVF from 2010-2011. We chose SVF because my husband and I both work full-time and the public school program in the River Forest Public schools is half-day only and our daughter would have had to been bussed to and from the community center in order to attend and at that time I thought that would be too large of an adjustment for her. I was initially pretty excited about her attending there, as I attended Catholic gradeschool and highschool as a child. I was quickly disappointed. First of all, she was one of the only kindergarteners that could read and that put her at a disadvantage right away. Yes, I said disadvantage. The brand new teacher who was hired for her class did not know what to do with her, so my daughter was left on her own most of the day. The only helpful teachers in this regard were the ladies who ran the before and after care, Tammy Sabella and her mother-in-law. They recognized how sharp my daughter was & tried to get her into the 1st grade reading class; which the principal at the time would not allow. I hoped that as the year went on the situation would improve, in fact it got worse. My daughter who previously was excited about school began to dread it, and any conversations I had with that young girl posing as a kindergarten teacher did not help at all. I was happy to register with the River Forest public schools, and was even more surprised at how quickly my daughter flourished with teachers who were able to give her challenging work when it was called for and could redirect her when she needed it. A few years ago we attended an open house at SVF school, after all we are still parishoners there. We attended "class" in the grade that our daughter was currently in, only to discover that the math being taught was math she had learned THE YEAR BEFORE at Willard School. The new playground is very nice, as are the Smartboards. The current principal has done much to make changes where he can. But is it worth the money? read more

I have to back up Missy's review. I am a former student of SVF, I was there from 1st grade until 7th grade and was bullied every single day. I am also a minority, but I don't believe that was the reason I was bullied. It's true that the school is basically all white, but there were a couple of other students who were also minorities that never got bullied. I'm really not sure what it was, I was a cute kid, I was also really nice, but I was bullied for years and years, not only by the students, but also by the teachers. For example, in second grade, Mrs. Palermo was SO mean to me, when I look back on it now I'm so mad I didn't report her. During a timed spelling test, my pencil broke, and she wouldn't let me sharpen it so I sat there quickly sharpening it with my teeth and nails to hurry and finish the test. I was SEVEN years old! I received this treatment all the time. Humiliating me for cracking my knuckles or other things that were just as ridiculous. I didn't get good grades (probably because of the same reason) but I was never disruptive. Other teachers were just as mean, some were perverted, neglectful, and one I even noticed was only nice to students who were her neighbors (she lived in Elmwood Park). Gym was something I would DREAD because I was never very athletic, and my class was full of boys who seemed to think they were in the NBA and would get so angry at me when I would lose points for the teams in gym. The teacher instead of defending me would assist with the bullying! I felt horrible every single day. I tried to join a sport to make new friends but people just became meaner (the coach as well as the students). I still have low self confidence because of my experience in this school. Not only that, I notice I cringe when I see buildings that resemble the school (like Dominican University..I didn't even want to go IN there when looking at colleges). I also noticed that I had repressed memories, my mom would talk about horrible experiences that had happened to me that I had no recollection of. Sadly, I think this school made me less religious, just because I always associated it with the church and would always be so sad. My biggest mistake was being too quiet as a child and never telling my parents how I was being treated, if I had, they would have transferred me out ASAP. If your child is a rich Italian girl, they'll fit right in. Otherwise, I'd save your kids from the childhood trauma. read more

I have 3 children who attend SVF. Their ages range from early childhood to middle school and I couldn't be happier. Each one of my children is being treated as an individual by their teacher. My oldest child, who struggled under the teachers hired by the last principal, has blossomed into an A/B student thanks to the caring and nurturing middle school faculty put into place by the new principal. Speaking of the principal- thanks to him SVF now has smart boards and I pads in every classroom. Teachers are regularly trained in new ways to engage their classes and curriculum using the new technology. Most importantly is the feeling of community I get when my family and I walk into the school or participate in a school function. Everyday when I take my children to school I know that they are being cared for, loved and learning all they need to succeed and attend the best high schools in the area. read more